WITCH - ARA

Three

Me and Si immediately start heading to Ava's place on Si's bike. She rides like a bat out of hell, the bike slicing through the night with a speed that makes my heart pound in my chest. I cling tightly to Si, my arms wrapped around her waist so tight that my knuckles turn white. The wind roars in my ears, and the darkness rushes past in a blur.

As soon as we reach Ava's parents' mansion, Si pulls over in the parking lot and we sprint inside. We find her parents standing outside her door, looking distraught.

"Is Ava okay?" Si asks Mrs. Montgomery. Ava's mom turns to us, shaking her head.

"We don't know. Her behavior is so different. She isn't even letting us get close to her," she says, her voice trembling with worry.

What could've gone wrong? Me and Si head inside Ava's room. Ava is curled up on her bed under the covers. I walk toward her and gently tap her shoulder.

"Ava?" I call softly. Si lets Ava's parents come in.

Ava doesn't respond.

"Ava, are you okay?" I call again, more urgently. Suddenly, Ava throws her covers away and pounces on me, wrapping her legs around my waist and knocking me to the floor.

"Ava!" her dad yells.

If this had happened to a normal person, they'd be screaming and asking for help, but I'm observing what's up with Ava. I look closely at her eyes, then at her left wrist, which is pulling my hair. The wound—it’s worsened.

Her parents and Si pull her away from me as Ava screams, like something has possessed her. I stand back up from the floor, my gaze never leaving Ava. She struggles against their hold, trying to pounce on me again.

"Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery, I hope you don't mind if we take Ava with us. We promise she'll be fine," I say, still not taking my eyes off Ava.

"But—" Ava's mom starts, only to be cut off by Si.

"Don't worry, Aunty. We promise to keep her safe."

"Do you have any sleeping pills?" I ask.

"Uh...we do. We bought them for Ava since she has insomnia, after consulting with the doctor," her dad says.

"Please give her the pills, and we'll take her," I say.

Mr. Montgomery nods and hurries to get the pills. We manage to calm Ava down enough to give her the medication. As the pills start to take effect and Ava's struggles lessen, I look at Si and her parents.

"We'll take care of her," I assure them

Why are you afraid? You knew it was going to happen, and that she would be coming for you. Why are you so scared? She brought you into this world, didn’t she?

Where was this voice coming from? It was so faint, so soft, almost too nice and luring. I look around the place, walking toward where the voice was coming from. My feet were bare. Where were my flip flops? I never walk outside without them. A gentle breeze hits me from behind, making my hair float in the air, long and beautiful, just like hers. Why am I in the woods?

Turn around, she’s there for you.

The voice whispers again. I hold onto a tree and look up at it. As soon as I touch it, the tree starts to burn. I back off, my eyes widening, a loud gasp escaping my lips. I fall down with a thud but don’t feel the heat.

Look behind you.

The voice says again. Summoning my courage, I slowly turn around while still on the floor.
A black figure stands before me, its form distinctly feminine, with long, flowing hair that moves gently with the breeze. I can’t see its face, obscured in darkness, but it’s undeniably a woman. She reaches out, her hand touching and caressing my face with a delicate, almost loving touch. I feel oddly comfortable, a sense of familiarity mixed with dread.
I sense something behind me. Slowly, I tilt my head away from the unknown figure to the burning tree.
Another black figure, but a bigger one—the exact one I saw that day in the woods. Its eyes are red and burning with an intense, eerie light. I can’t see its mouth. It doesn’t have an appearance except for those red, burning eyes.
Suddenly, the red-eyed figure is right in front of my face, inches away, its burning eyes searing into mine. The sudden proximity makes my heart skip a beat, and a scream catches in my throat. Its breath is cold and smells of decay, its presence overwhelming and suffocating.

It pounces on me with a sudden ferocity, its movement swift and predatory. The weight of it presses down on me.

I wake up panting heavily. Was that a dream? What the fuck did I just dream? I reach for a bottle of water beside me but feel soft skin instead. Not my table. I slap whatever that thing was.

"AHH!" someone screams, and I immediately sit up straight and turn around to see Si beside me. She turns on the light switch and looks at me while holding her cheek, which I just slapped.

"What the fuck was that for?!" she yells. I totally forgot I'm at Si's place right now because it was too late to head to my own place.

"I was just trying to get some water!" I protest.

"The bedside table in my room is on the left side, you asshole," she says, rubbing her cheek.

"I very deeply apologize for slapping you, ma'am." I say and take the water bottle from the other side, gulping the water down before keeping it in its place.

Si lies back down. My mind goes back to that dream I just had. Two black figures, the red-eyed one, and the one with long hair. What's that? Ugh, what are you trying to tell me, Universe? If only you could stop giving me riddles.
I lie back down as well, thinking about Ava, sleeping in the guest room. Hopefully she's fine there.

☆

The next morning, I sit at Si's house breakfast table, sipping black coffee. Ava was still asleep in the guest room. As I sip, I listen to Si.

"I think we'd have to take Ava to a good priest," says Si.
"Oh, priests are scammers these days," I mutter.
"So what are you planning to do then? Let Ava be?" Si asks.
"We're gonna figure out what happened to her, alright? And until then, you shush." I finish the black coffee and place the cup back on the table. Si rolls her eyes.
"I have other plans," she says, an unknown smirk playing on her lips.