WITCH - ARA

Seven

We stared at Ava in horror. How on earth did she get here? Silas started to walk toward her. "Ava? Are you okay?" she asked, but I extended my hand and stopped her when I noticed something—Ava's eyes weren't open. She was asleep.

"Her eyes," I said, and Silas caught on to what I was implying. Ava's body fell back on the couch. We took slow steps toward her, making sure she was unconscious.

"She's asleep. How'd she get here?" Silas asked, shaking her head.

"I have no idea, but I do know I should continue my ritual," I said, moving Ava's body aside and taking a seat. Silas sat where she was before. I sighed, joining my hands together and closing my eyes. "Shi ré yové," I whispered, trying to feel any sort of energy. I heard a low beep sound and opened my eyes wide when I saw Silas using her spirit detector, the red light indicating the presence of something.

"Silas! Why would you use that right now?" I asked, pure horror etching my face.

"Uh, because we want to know if you've invited any spirit yet or not?" she replied coolly.

"That's not the point. Spiritual things should and must be dealt with spiritually. Throw that away," I said, frustrated with her bringing her paranormal investigator skills here. She rolled her eyes.

"Jeez, you have to make everything complicated, don't you?"

"I'm supposed to tell you that."

Silas sighed and placed the spirit detector on the table beside the candle. I closed my eyes again, continuing what I was doing. Not long after, I felt the energy. It had been pretty long since I'd done this. I was, what, 16 when I tried this and ended up bringing Silas's biological mom? Sweet days.

Sensing the unusual energy, I opened my eyes to see Silas looking at the ceiling with pure terror. I looked beside me—no Ava. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I slowly raised my head. Ava was on the ceiling, her legs on the ceiling, and her long, fried blonde hair hanging downwards.

"We didn't bring you here to play with us!" I yelled, and the spirit detector on the table started to vibrate and shake before flying to the wall and breaking into pieces.

"That was expensive..." I heard Silas mutter.

"Why else would you bring me here?" we heard a growl, its source indiscernible.

"To help us with something!" I yelled back.

"Funny, never seen anyone ask for help with what people fear the most," it responded.

"I don't fear you, for you're nothing but a spirit that works under the command of superiors such as me," I said. I heard the growling voice chuckle.

"You're brave, I'll give you that. What can I do for you?" it asked.

"We want to know what happened to Ava, the girl you're holding there. We have no idea if she's possessed or if something's controlling her," I said.

"Both are the same. But since when?" it asked.

"Since we took her to the woods a few days back. Something scratched her wrist while she was exploring with goggles to see spirits."

"Tch, which dumb person would go through woods that have been cursed, especially with goggles that could see spirits?"

"What do you mean, cursed?"

"You're a young soul, aren't you?"

"Stop playing riddles and tell me what?"

"When the time is right, you shall know."

As it spoke, Ava's body suddenly fell to the floor. Thankfully, it didn't hit her too hard.

"Fine, as you say, time will give answers. But you better help us know what happened to Ava and how to bring her back to normal. Hear me?" I said.

"I do hear you."

"And you're going to be with my friend Silas, helping her with whatever she asks. Don't make me destroy you for nothing, and come here whenever she or I call you."

"I get it, and you shall call me Yovan."

As Yovan finished speaking, the lights came back on, and we heard the bell ring from outside.

"My parents—" Silas said, panic in her voice.

"Damn it. Shoot, you take Ava back to her room, and I'll clear this mess and open the door for them."

Silas carried Ava and ran upstairs while I hurriedly cleaned the tea table, tossed the candle in the dustbin, and collected the broken pieces of the spirit detector, throwing them in the trash. The bell rang again. Silas came back down, running fast, as I opened the door with a smile on my face. Silas stood behind me, controlling her heavy breaths.

"Hi, Aunty and Uncle," I greeted, stepping aside so they could come in. They looked around suspiciously but found nothing.

"It's nice to see you, young lady, giving company to my daughter," said Silas's mom. I smiled at her, hoping they wouldn't notice the tension lingering in the air.