PROBLEM - Anthony Lockwood

CHAPTER THIRTY

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yeah this wasn't planned but omg whaaaatttt

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"JOIN OUR VENGEANCE," the whisperes increased tenfold as the blood filled the room, pouring from every surface like rain.

Alice let her own blood flow, pouring her own magic into the words she spoke.

"I summon the Five! Stand before me and speak, for we are one!"

The magic in the room buzzed, and when Alice blinked, the five witches stood before her, covered in blood.

Blood matted their hair and clothes, their skin was stained with it. They were crying tears of crimson.

They stood before her in an inverted 'V', their coven leader standing before her. Alice reached her hands out for the witch to hold. "I do not wish to hurt you," she assured, "I do not wish to banish you either. But why do you tarry in this world?"

"We were wronged, oh young one, in many ways similar and worse to you. Our blood was spilled and drank as if we were nothing," the witch replied. "We have reclaimed the blood they took from us. This is our vengeance."

"You have had your vengeance," Alice countered, "You deserve to be at peace. But killing more people will not ensure that."

"We cannot leave this place," one of the other witches interjected. "We are bound here alongside our blood."

Alice surveyed them, "Would you like me to unbind you from this place and set you free? I cannot join in your vengeance, but I can lead you past the Veil, where you can join all Witches who have passed."

The Witches all bowed their heads in agreement, their forms changing until they were once again free of blood and decay. Until they were just women again.

The Five had been gravely wronged, and sometimes, Alice realised, kindness was more effective than anything else.

She reached into her bag and pulled out some jars, beginning to make a cirlce from sage and witch hazel.

All six of them stood within the Circle and joined hands.

Alice began to chant, devling into her magic and letting the enchantment break free from her. She didn't know how long they stood there, how long she chanted, but she continued to do so, pouring magic into her words and the Cirlce.

The witches' forms began to change, shifting and turning, until they were smokey figures, no longer corporeal.

The room changed back into green, the blood ebbing away.

And then they all dissipated, leaving the room.

Alice stood in the Circle for a moment longer, sealing the enchantment, before couching down and beginning to gather the herbs up again. Once all of her materials were gathered into her satchel again she made her way over to the mirror.

When she blinked, the Five surround her reflection again. But this time they weren't malicious. There was a kindness in their eyes as they gazed upon her and smiled.

"Thank you...." they seemed to say, "Deane...."

Alice tapped into her magic and caused the mirror to crack.

When she opened her eyes, she was alone in the dark room, her relection staring back at her distorted and wrong in the shattered mirror.

That was her true self staring back at her.

A mismatched, broken and disgusting person.

She wasn't even a full person, just a torn up version of her mother, of the witches that came before her. A monster.

A problem.

Alice forced herself to turn around and made her way towards the door, attempting to mentally prepare herself for what she would find at the other side.

A lump began to form in her throat and her vision began to blur.

This was it.

They would have realised by now.

They would meet her with anger and iron.

Alice unlocked and opened the door, not bothering to wipe away the tears that fell from her eyes.

Eyes as black as the deepest abyss.

The eyes of a Deane.

Before she could move, say or do anything, Lockwood's arms were around her. Alice began to cry into his chest, wrapping her arms around him. "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" he demanded, "How could you even think of-"

"I'm sorry," Alice sobbed, "I'm so sorry."

Lockwood let her go, looking down at her with wide eyes. There were tear tracks on his face. He grabbed her hand, his features hardening, "We need to get out. Before he find us." He pulled her along with him, his hold on her so tight that it felt as if her would bruise her.

Lucy grabbed Alice's other hand, "Are you okay? Oh my god. That was suicide."

Alice grimaced, she squeezed Lucy's hand back reassuringly, "I love you, girl."

"I love you more," Lucy replied, as they all ran down the stairs and back into the gallery.

Alice could feel George's eyes on her, but was too scared to turn to face him. If the others had managed to be fooled somehow, then that was great - but George would have most definitely figured her own.

He knew. And she knew he knew.

Alice was thrown out of her thoughts as they gasped to find Ellie, blocking their exit - a rapier in her hand.

Lucy jumped back, going to stand behind a desk as George fell behind.

BANG!

A gunshot echoed through the room, shocking all of them and causing terror to skyrocket. Lockwood grabbed Alice and shoved her behind him.

"Don't move!"

It was Fairfax. He walked into the room, holding a rifle, his eyes obscured with some strange type of goggles.

"Hands up," Fairfax demanded, but Lockwood didn't comply, he simply stood there, one hand on Alice's arm, forcing her to stay behind him as the others crouched behind furniture.

"You, you brought us here to die!" Lockwood seethed, he turned to Ellie, glaring with disgust, "It was you in our house the other day, who Alice stabbed. There's nothing old about that war wound!"

Fairfax pulled his goggles down, revealing his face. He pointed his rifle at Lockwood and then the part of the room where the moonlight illuminated. "There, where I can see you," he ordered.

Lockwood moved, to the area, still covering Alice with his own body.

"I'm sure, you and I could resolve this between ourselves." Lockwood attempted at diplomacy, trying to keep his voice unshaken and firm, "You want your ring back. You thought you could wait until the sun comes up and come and get it from our pockets in the Red Room. Well, here we are." Lockwood took a step forwards, cocking his head, "It's the hallmark that's incriminating - something that specific. I bet you really regret buying that for Annabel now."

Fairfax raised his gun and chuckled.