The spiders Bride (completed)

chapter 12

“wren!” The head mistress's voice called out.

Rushing into the room where she was I nearly toppled over as a basket full of sheets was thrown at me, nearly spilling all over the floor. “Hurry up and go get those cleaned! I want them done by this afternoon!” she ordered without even sparing me a glance. 

“Yes ma’am.”

“kenny!” She called out to another child. “Kenny be a dear and tell Samantha she needs to finish dusting off the lounge room that she forgot yesterday.”

Paying little to no mind to the stark difference in how she treats me compared to the other kids, I made my way outside carrying the oversized basket full of laundry, into the forest where the stream lay.

As I approached the area I turned and took a detour to my favorite tree. Upon arriving at the tree I set the basket down and sighed, trying to catch my breath.

The madam said she wanted the sheets done before the afternoon, considering how early it was, I should have no problem getting that done while also getting a bit of free time to myself. 

smiling I went over to the small cubby where my book was hidden away, and moved aside the big flat rock I used to hide it.

but as I moved the rock aside, my face fell at the sight before me. The blanket that I had used to cover up the book was disturbed and my spellbook was missing. feeling panicked I pulled the blanket out to make sure it really wasn't there. ‘no, no!--’

“Looking for this?” a smug voice called out from behind me and I spun around to see none other than two of the boys from the orphanage, who tended to bully me. It was bad enough encountering them here in the woods but what really concerned me was the item one of them held in their hands.

my spellbook.

getting to my feet I hardened myself and glared at them. “Give it back!” I demanded, much to their amusement. 

They both snickered. “or else what? you gonna curse me or something?” they both broke out laughing as I silently fumed before stilling towards them to snatch the book out of their hands. 

Before I could get close enough however they dodged out of the way and as I tried to follow after the one who had the book so I might take it back, he called out to the other kid before tossing it over my head to him. “hey! stop it!” I chased after the book as they laughed, tossing it back and forth any time I got near. 

“Look at the little witch, trying so hard to get her book back! maybe we can find a spell to bring back her mommy!” one of them opened the book to a random page, holding it out of my reach. 

“This isn't funny! give it back!” I shouted, while desperately reaching for the book.

“oh look there's a recipe for a love potion!” The boy grabbed the page, and to my horror, tore it out of the book. 

“stop!!” My desperation only grew as he toss3d it to the other kid who opened the book as well. 

“Wow, this could be dangerous! she might actually try to jinx us with this!” he grabbed a handful of pages and tore them out of the book, heartlessly throwing them into the wind. 

“stop it!” I cried out as tears burned my eyes. the kid only laughed at my desperation before shoving me to the ground. 

he held the book up over his head grinning down at me as he spoke again. “When are you gonna learn, no one's ever gonna accept a monster like you! you should just leave and never come back!”