The Chipenden Spook

Chapter 5: Girl Gathering

 I awoke suddenly the next day, annoyed by the sound of four female voices, which were a few, and I struggled to get back to sleep.

How could I when they were yelling so loud? Besides, I felt worse than ever now, maybe that's because I went to see Alice in the night. Whatever it was, I wanted it to be over.

"Hey, please." I said trying to sit up the best I could, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. One girl came out from behind the wall, it was Grimalkin, and she came across to help me up. Two follower after her, both looking annoyed with each other. It was Alice, but of the other girl I couldn't identify. She had blonde hair, and wasn't that bad looking. But she did look as if she absolutely despised Alice.

"Well this is a surprise!" She said, in a sarcastic tone.

Alice grabbed her hair and yanked it so had, the girl screamed a fit to wake the dead. I had a feeling she just did that to annoy me, and It was working.

"Stop it!" Grimalkin hissed through her teeth. "Jenny, come here."

The younger girl I had seen when I first "came back to life", at the time along with Grimalkin, walked into the room, close to tears.

"Hello, what's your name?" I asked gently. She wiped the tears from her eyes before speaking.

"I'm Jenny, master."

"Master?" Jenny then held her head in her hands, and started to sob quietly while Alice dropped her gaze and the blonde tutted. I looked at Grimalkin, confused. She only sighed before speaking to Jenny, with out answering my question.

"Jenny, let me tell you what were going to do to him. I want you to know because you will not be allowed in here to witness it."

"Okay," she said, containing herself, "I'm ready."

"Alice is going to give medicine to Tom to make his cut numb." She looked at Alice. "And before it wears off, she must deal with the cut by cleaning it, then stitching it back together." She looked back to Jenny. "Hopefully the medicine will make him unconscious and, hopefully, jog his memory." She looked at me now. "We hope for the best."

"What about my headaches? Sores and pains? Cuts? Bruises?"

Alice answered for Grimalkin.

"Some will have to heal in time, but I can fix the cuts and headaches."

I nodded.

"Alice will perform the surgery on you later, we must gather the materials."

"Why Alice?" It's not that I didn't trust her, I just wondered why any other witch couldn't do it. That's exactly what I told them.

"Alice is very skilled in the art." Grimalkin insisted. "She knows her stuff from the back of her hand." At this, the one girl next to Alice opened her mouth, probably ready to speak her mind, but Grimalkin gave her a hard stare. I could tell her and Alice didn't get along.

"We will see you later to check on you, then perform the procedure." At that, Grimalkin nodded and left, Jenny close on her heals.

Nobody spoke, until Alice opened her mouth to speak, when the other girl beat her to it. And cruel smirk plastered across her face.

"It'll be way worse than you think." She said flatly.

"Don't listen to her, Tom, full of rubbish she is." Alice said, mostly to the girl then to me.

"Oh really? How come I'm the best scryer their is?"

"Don't get above yourself. Your just bringing this up because Grimalkin addressed my healing skills!"

The girl folded her arms harshly, glaring hard at Alice, who was, in no doubt, doing the same.

"Am not! You've always been jealous of me, Alice Deane. You and I both know it. Jealous of everything! My scrying, my looks, my skills and leadership..." I could clearly agree with Alice that this girl was defiantly above herself, holding her head high and and sound of authority in her voice.

Alice didn't say anything, she just looked at her, disgusted. She wanted Alice to break, but what would she say?

"... Even jealous of me and Tom, you are." She said with a smirk.

I was very confused at this statement, I mean, I didn't even know the girls name! Before me or Alice could respond, the girl ran toward me, leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips, I had absolutely no time to react, and it was over before I knew it. If I could have reacted, I would have tried to push or kick her away, but my body was still very sore. She turned back toward Alice, her mouth wide open as tears flooded her eyes.

She only spoke so shortly.

"Why him?" She looked at me, embarrassed, and ran out of the room.

"Alice!" But she had already left.

I looked at the girl, angry.

"Who are you?"

She smiled malevolently.

"The names Mab, and just so you know, that Alice isn't to be trusted. When you get your memory back, it won't be me you're yelling at."

And with that, she left.