The Coven

Chapter 3

    "You learned to run from what you feel, and that's why you have nightmares. To deny is to invite madness. To accept is to control." ~
Megan Chance, The Spiritualist

"I need to leave now!" Juniper yelled with panic bursting through the screen door. Sam looked up dumbfounded with a spoon hanging out of his mouth as the milk from the cereal dropped down his face.

    "Sam! Now," She hit her palm hard against the table,"They found me!" Sam jerked up pushing the entire kitchen table and spilling the cereal everywhere on the floor as Juniper passed him.

Juniper was running on fear, fear of being caught and thrust into the world that she tried so hard to escape. Sam ran in circles with the spoon still in his mouth, grabbing their clothes into bags and suitcases. Clothes and belongings were scattered all across the floor in the moment of chaos. Juniper could not remember what to pack just that she needed to leave, now.

    "Juniper come on get in the car!" Her brother announced. They must've looked bizarre, running away with only a few bags as if fugitives. Juniper's eye caught her neighbor staring at them wondering whether or not to either call the cops or aid the two. She placed a finger to her chapped lips telling him to keep quiet. The neighbor got the message and walked back into his house.

Slamming the passenger seat closed her heart was pounding out of her chest. Hearing her heartbeat expressing itself all over her body. Sam stuck the keys in the ignition, his hands shaking as he kept on missing.

"Got it!" Everything seemed to be fading from her as he hit the gas and raced out of the gravel driveway. The quaint house coming out of the view with the wire fence with memories contained inside daring to follow her. She could not take them. She could not take her old life of poverty and disparity with her for she had to remember her life as it was, good. Her entire life was slipping through her hands like the sand her life was built on and she could not stop it.

"What will they say? When they find out we left our stuff." Juniper questioned. The cops were always fast to assume and once they see their house they will not see people fleeing for the safety but people fleeing from their crimes they have not committed.

"Who? The Coven?"

"No, not the Coven." That word tasted bitter on Junipers tongue she wanted to throw it up. She wanted to throw up all of the waste and shit the Coven had caused in her life.

"Shit Juniper how did they even find you?"

"Ember."

Her brother stared at her in disbelief.

"You mean the one. The one from Saint Mary's?" Ember appeared in Juniper's head, at least the distant recollections of the girl that were made vibrant once seeing her again. Ember, the girl with the fire. Ember who had stolen secret kisses and laughed. Ember who was shy but was abused with tasteless words. The girl with the short black hair dyed the color of fire and cold glare although everything she touched engulfed into flames. Juniper regretted that she couldn't save Ember when she had the chance.

"Yeah. Her." Sam kept his eyes on the road. He couldn't bring himself to see his sister and the terror painted across her face. Her eyes close to tears, her hands twitching violently as she held her cell phone tightly. The only she could could get a grasp on. He couldn't stand to see her like this but he did not know what to do. Who knew what to do during something like this. The only thing he could do was to help her leave to somewhere, anywhere but here.

He couldn't empathize for he wasn't a witch or warlock. He is just a petty human. A petty human that promised himself to protect his sister no matter if she wasn't blood related or not. It seemed easier back then, promising to a young and black eyed Juniper crying because she could not figure out her power. Wetting his tee shirt and trembling because she knew what was going to happen eventually. It seemed so easier saying it to make her feel better when nothing else would. Now, driving past empty houses with no direction it didn't feel as simple as it did to a 16 year old Sammy.

The road blended into the scenery as they headed past the Massachusetts state line into Ohio's as a breath of relief came out of Juniper. Fall leaves fell onto the front window captivating Juniper to keep her mind somewhere else. Sam was singing along to a song blaring out of the radio making her question how he could stay so collective and calm. After all it wasn't his life on the line. The headlights of other cars lighting their way into the darkness.

"Hey, Juniper I know this is a lot to ask but can we stop for a rest stop?" Sam's voice was weary from exhaustion.

"Of course." Juniper felt guilty for asking for his help and keeping him driving for so long. Sam continued driving until he came across an old dead beat motel. "Cozy Motel" was written on a neon sign elevated in the sky.

"You sure it's okay?" Sam asked pulling up into a parking spot rain beating onto the car.

"You need the rest and I can't trust myself to drive." Sam nodded his head in understanding. Exiting the truck Juniper jumped down into a puddle soaking her chuck taylors and pants. The water seeping through causing her to shiver.

"It's going to be okay." Sam did not say that he promised because he could not. Seeing his sister illuminated under the broken light she looked like, well magic. Not a attractive and cheesy way of saying someone looked nice but in a way that there was magic IN her. Magic dripping from her fingertips, running through her veins. He could see why she was so terrified.

    "Here." Sam told his sister pulling out a cross from his jean pockets, the chain following it obediently. The silver glistened in the darkness, it was beautiful.

    "What is it?"

    "Cross to protect you. Demons, witchcraft, vampires you name it." Juniper nodded in understanding and took it from her brother. The silver burning into her skin imprinting the cross on the palm of her hand.

    "How do you, you have this?" Sam's face hardened for the truth was too painful to say so a pretty lie would have to suffice,

    "Books. Research. Anyway you may not need it. If your powers never come then you aren't a witch so nobody can find you. Right you said it skips generations."

    "Yeah. Let's just check in okay?" It was a lie Juniper told herself on the sleepless nights. It was what Juniper told herself as she laid on the cold tiles of Saint Mary's because the Sisters had to beat the power out of her. She believed the lie too much. Disappearing into the sketchy motel she told herself the lie one last time.

A/N So here's an update :) It it's kinda boring so I'm sorry but I'll try to update more. I'm working on a new story also.