Death to Witches

Rid Loch

WARNING: Some chapters (marked in book) contain scenes of sacrifices and violence. There are also elements of sickness and dreaded peril. If this is not your kind of horror do not read! 

The creatures stood in front of us leaving no escape but the black abyss behind. They whispered 'Join Us' as we backed away hand in hand. Our choice was simple, death or transformation.

After hours in the car traveling from South London to Scotland I turned off my Kindle (pfft who likes horror anyway) and rubbed my tired eyes. I wiggled in my seat to banish the pins and needles tingled up my legs, sitting next to me was my sister. She had her phone in hand letting it light up her face with a pale blue glow as she giggled to herself. I picked up my tablet to mimic her every movement, giggling in harmony with the same girlish laugh as hers. She lifted a purple fingernail towards her open nostril with a sly devilish grin, she had spotted me. I copied the slow journey towards my nostril, she turned her camera phone towards me. With luck before finger graced embarrassment our step-father spoke, "Hey Sammy?".

"Yes Darrell?' we replied in perfect unison.

He looked between us like a deer in headlights both stunned and irritated by our blank stares. Keeping her eyes on the road our Mum spoke,

"Samantha has the phone and purple nail polish. June has the Kindle and baby blue nails." Darrell huffed and Mum laughed, "Don't worry you'll be able to tell the difference one day."

"It would be easier if you two girls helped." he said looking between us, "Anyway Sammy, that's the Loch I told you about. My father used to fish there."

Sammy muttered "Cooool" before looking back at her phone. I looked at the deep black water of the vast lake, "How big can the fish get?" I asked.

Darrell smiled, "If you're lucky, about the length of your arm. But my father said the lake monsters eat all the good fish."

I snapped my head back to the lake searching for any sign of dark shadows swirling under the water. The lake looked silent and still with no sign of life or monsters. Yet looking ahead curving along the road I could see the grey shapes of Rid Loch clouded under a fog of heavy rain. We were getting closer to our new home.

When the car finally pulled outside the house I saw an old grey stone cottage through sheets of rain running down the car window. The roof was a mossy pale green and the window frames were tinted black and beaten by all the years of miserable rain. To run from the car to the old house we hid our phones and tablets under our coats. Yet, for those few seconds outside the rain soaked our clothes allowing the cold water to run down our back. Shivering in the hallway Sammy complained, "Oh my god Darrell, it is well freezing in here!"

She wasn't wrong, the cold air made the rainwater clinging to our clothes freeze into ice.

"Get into some dry clothes" said Mum pointing to some boxes, "We'll get the heating on."

A small puddle of water started to leak around our feet, while we ripped open the boxes dropped off by the delivery men earlier. We pulled out our winter clothes and I turned to my sister whispering, "I already don't like it here."

She shone her phone light into the box as she searched for a lost matching sock, "Me too sis." Her phone beeped. Battery low.

"Mum!" She shouted "where can I charge my phone!?"

I looked round, there were no plugs outlets in the hallway just plain pale yellow walls. Even when I switched the light switch no life came out of the old dusty bulbs hanging from the ceiling. From the kitchen we heard the unmistakable sound of my mother's angry tone beat into our step-father. After it fell silent Darrell walked back into the hallway, behind him our Mom leaned against the door-frame arms crossed.

With a weak grin he spoke,"You see girls the electric company sent me here to modernize the village." He looked back to our Mom, "It's just. Well. Even our house runs off a generator."

"So what does that mean?" I asked.

"We have to ration the power until I can get the place up to date." He replied.

"And the heating?" Asked Sammy.

"It's an aga and fireplace system" he said "we have to keep the fire going to stay warm."

Me and Sammy stared clenching our fists, they promised a better life here not the stone age. Mum unfolded her arms and put a hand on our step father's shoulders. "But it's much bigger house and at a cheaper price. Let's not forget you two can get your own rooms." Fists remained clenched. She continued "We can afford pay for any extra data costs to your phones when you talk to your friends back in London." We relaxed, satisfied with the fresh compromise. For now.

I spent the day with Sammy barricaded in the house by the rain outside. We unpacked the boxes and stuffed our wardrobes with piles of clothes. I tried not to think about it but the butterflies crawled in my stomach, tomorrow was our first day at the local secondary school. Well, the only secondary school here. I whispered to myself "I hope they will like us." before the wind outside replied by rattling the bedroom window.