Cyberwitch Academy: Learn or Burn

Chapter 2

I'm cold but my arms lie limp by my sides, my legs straddle the crest of the roof. Want the cold to seep into my bones, drown me in it. Still keeping myself upright, gazing out across New London, suddenly Grandma's hand appears below me, groping around to find a good hold on the window sill.

I stare, open mouthed. She's pulling her body up onto the roof, onto the wet tiles.

"Grandma! No! get back inside!"

But she keeps coming, and I give up, not feeling strong enough to argue. I can scarcely believe it, how easily she moves on the roof shifting herself up to join me. And she says nothing for a little while. We both stare out toward the city centre together. It's not even that cold. September in England. Grandma's hand finds mine.

"Your mother and I never really clicked. I know she means the world to you. I know. But we never really clicked. We were kind to each other, you know. But there it is."

And I'm not sure how to respond. Feeling out of my depth. A little girl being dragged into an adult conversation, is how I feel right now. Feeling wholly not up to the job, feeling very small.

"I did warn you not to get the techie stuff out darling."

"Yeah." At least I try to say yeah. Snot bubble. Then the tears come. She hands me a handkerchief.

"I tried to warn your father. Told him not to come over. But he got into trouble. Borrowed money from some bad people in New York."

Then a hug, not totally awkward but still, I've hardly spent more than a fortnight with her, and mothering doesn't come natural to her.

"So, your dad is over at the priory tonight. Said he'd be back in a couple of weeks."

I know she means rehab. Dad was a rock star in his own way. Some kind of poetry I never understood. But that was before mom disappeared.

"Mom was here, wasn't she?" I leave the quiet part unsaid, when she ghosted us all.

"Yes love. She was here. Often stayed with me when she was in town. Often did. Not that we spent a lot of time together when she was here. The odd dinner perhaps."

"So, you think she met someone? Do you know that for sure? Did you see her with someone?"

"Look sweetheart... look." She stops and sucks her teeth for a moment.

"I thought maybe we could do this some other way but..."

She just leaves it hanging in the air.

"Your ma didn't go off with a fella."

And there is the bombshell. I'm staring right at her now, and her face is trying to put together the words in a way that won't cut me too deep, so I'm braced for it.

"She was arrested. She was taken right out of the house. Early morning it was. The hunters took her Ursula. The hunters carted her off in one of their carts."

Sirens in the distance.

And I sort of feel like maybe this revelation has not affected me, like the moment after you drink poison and nothing feels any different, just for a little while.

"Your mother has, far as we know, been in their custody for the past year. We, your family and I, we discussed it for many hours. Met up on the internet we did."

I picture my grandparents back in Mexico City gathered round a webcam at breakfast, conspiring with my father's mother at lunch. I can't hide the anger in my voice.

"And you decided to lie to us?"

"We did. We lied to you Ursula. Decided it was safer that way. And it was, darling it was. Knowing what you're like."

"What I'm like?"

"Yes, my love. Unpredictable little firecracker."

"So, you were worried I would what? Buy myself a flight and come to London?"

"Don't attack me, Ursula. We don't have time."

She grips me by the wrist now, and looks me right in the eye; 'This is nothing like you've ever seen in New York girl, this is serious, the witch hunt is serious. They're not killing anyone, not here in the Republic, but out there there's been reports, women have been, well they've been attacked Ursula. It's not safe to be what you are here in London.'

"And what is that?"

"You know, a computer geek, or whatever."

I wince at the archaic term. As if tech were still a niche interest for people with poor social skills.

"It pains me to say this but you're going to need to hide your light, Ursula."

"So, what, you just told me that mom is in London and now I just go to my new school and pretend I don't write code and act like everything is fine?"

"No Ursula what I'm saying is that if you look for your mom in any way, if you are too visible in any way, they will take us all. Me and the twins and you. And they'll get your father. They'll strip our property. they'll take everything Ursula. Do you hear me?"

I'm reeling. Stunned. Mom is in London, alive.

"With your ma gone there's no life for you back in the states. But if you keep it together until the hunt blows over."

"Blows over!? They'll just wake up and come to their senses, will they? Oh dear! What were we thinking, persecuting those people with implants? Let's stop."

"Read your history. Witch crazes are a mass hysteria, usually triggered by war, or a massive and sudden drop in the general standard of living. The secession war here is not long done. They always come to their senses in the end."

"I don't care about history; I care about my family. Mom could fix this. Get us all out of here."

"Tell me you won't look for her."

I think about the twins. I see a magpie fly past. I sigh and pretend to surrender to her wisdom.

"I'll be invisible gramma. I'll be the most boring new girl in the history of new girls."

She grips my hand once, then begins her descent.

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