Cherry and the Twitches

chapter 22

Alex then decided to not use words for her powers, she used her thoughts, when she did, her moon necklace glowed and the door opened to show a different place, but a woman with short black hair in a blue dress who was at a far away staircase.

"There she is." Patch whispered.

Alex, Sabrina, and Patch tried to creep around as the mysterious woman kept going up stairs, trying not to be seen.

However, the woman eventually felt she was being watched. "Who's there?"

Alex tried to stay in place until the woman zapped a statue to come to life for a moment.

"They're behind the pillar." the statue told her.

Alex, Sabrina, and Patch glared to the statue.

The woman then came to find the group, but she was more interested in one of them. "Artemis?" she whispered.

"It's Alex, but yeah, it's me.. Hi, Mom?" Alex asked out of emotion.

"You're alive..." her mother sounded very emotional. "I can't believe it... Every day for 21 years, I never stopped... I always hoped."

Patch and Sabrina then came over with Cherry. Alex and her mother shared a tearful mother and daughter reunion hug. Patch and Sabrina stopped, they found this moment very touching, but it was also hard with a dead friend.

Miranda looked over to Alex's friends and noticed Cherry. "Oh, my..." she cupped her mouth.

"Please can you help us? Our friend is dead, but we don't know how she can be dead, it's almost like her soul was taken away." Patch said.

"Hand her over..." Miranda replied, not even surprised that Patch could talk to humans.

Sabrina nodded and gently handed Cherry into her arms.

Miranda carried Cherry's lifeless body. "Was she sick?"

"She was actually a vampire," Sabrina explained. "She was bitten when she was younger..."

"Someone must've killed her," Miranda concluded. "Vampires can't die by nature, only by murder, and they get sent straight to Hell."

"Well, no one murdered her, but she did feel cold and odd." Patch told her.

"Is the one who turned her into a vampire still alive?" Miranda asked.

"Yes..." Patch replied, then thought about it. "At least... I'm sure he is... He was turned into a vampire centuries before he knew her."

"Who was the biter?" Miranda asked.

"Maestro Forte." Patch informed.

"Charles Forte was the biter?" Miranda asked.

"You know him?" Sabrina asked.

"Not surprising," Patch said about that. "He's over 300 years old!"

"Yes and I've even tried to find a way to cure him from his curse, but none of the spells seem to have worked." Miranda said.

"So, is there nothing you can do about Cherry?" Patch asked in concern.

"I'm afraid not, but only if the Darkness, King Sombra, and Ben Ravencroft are disposed of properly," Miranda replied as she continued to hold Cherry and took her to a small bed to lie her down. "I'm very sorry about your friend... Now, Artemis, tell me, how did you find me?" she then looked to her long-lost daughter. "How did you get here?"

"Well, I uhh... The usual way..." Alex sniffled. "Magic."

"Oh, Artemis, I am so sorry..." Miranda cooed.