PROBLEM - Anthony Lockwood

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR

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liv

apparently i've been spelling fourty wrong and its meant to be forty

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IT WAS DARK by the time that they'd made their way to the edge of the Thames. Alice shifted uncomfortably as she made her way beside Lockwood. She didn't like being so close to running water.

Less ghosts by running water.

Less witches too.

The darker the witch's magic, the more running water hurt them. Funnilly enough, water witches could cross running water perfectly fine, and earth and air witches didn't struggle either. Fire witches had difficulty.

Blood, bone and death witches couldn't cross.

Alice was young so she'd survive a crossing, but she'd never tested the theory out. Her older brother, Tom - a bone witch - had crossed running water before.

He said it felt like drowning in battery acid.

"I hope they still work this patch," Lockwood mused, tearing her from her thoughts, "It's been a while."

Alice furrowed her brows, "Who? The relic men? Don't you think they'll all be in hiding with Fittes all over town."

"Probably, this one's a bit different though," Lockwood replied.

"Oh really? Not a 'scum of the earth' then?" Alice questioned, using his own words against him.

"Hey." Lockwood stopped walking, he grabbed Alice's arm reassuringly. "We badly need her help. So just try and be nice, okay."

"When am I ever not nice?" Alice questioned, she paused, "Wait - her?"

Alice had never heard of a female relicman - or relic woman, she supposed - before. She grinned, whoever this girl was, it seemed like she was a total badass and Alice couldn't wait to meet her.

She paused as Lockwood kept walking. Turning around.

The cry of a baby peirced the air.

Despite the close proximity of running water dimming her magic down, Alice could feel the faint prescence of the dead, calling to her softly.

She turned, making her way back through the shore.

There, glowing silvery amongst the mud and pebbles, was the ghost of a crying baby.

It shrieked loudly, balling its eyes out and shivering from cold.

Alice's mouth fell open in horror at the sight. She crouched down, moving her hair out of her face and coming closer to the baby. The screams were beginning to hurt her ears, but that probably couldn't compare to how the poor baby had felt before it had died.

Alice gently picked up the small ghost in her trembling hands, shushing it gently. "Who left you out here, love?"

The baby stared at her for a moment.

And then a shriek so loud Alice felt it in her bones shook the air.

Cold Maiden.

She put down the baby, jumping up to see the screaming ghost of a woman glaring at her.

"Can we try to resolve this civilly?" Alice inquired, stepping slowly away from the baby.

The ghost surged forwards, screaming.

"Apparently not," Alice decided, she turned, beginning to run.

Turning at the commotion, Lockwood's eyes widened. "Run!"