Charmed: The Next Generation

Chapter 3

I knew I was over reacting. It was just an argument about such a stupid subject - but I was still pissed off at Chris that evening when we sat down for dinner. Everyone else had gone home, which meant that it was only me, my mom, my dad and my brothers eating at the manor that night.

Like normal, my mom had cooked one of her gourmet meals, and everyone was digging in hungrily. Everyone except me.

"Melinda," said my mom "why aren't you eating?" she was sitting diagonally across from me, next to Chris, who was directly across from me. Mom always sat there. She said it was because it was closest to the kitchen.

"I'm just not hungry tonight." I said with a tight lipped smile. That was actually true; I wasn't hungry. But I also had a lot on my mind. Like how I was going to sneak out that night.  

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" asked my dad. He was sitting to my left, at the head of the table. For his age, I had to admit my dad was looking good. He only had a few lines creasing his forehead, and his hair was still the same sandy blonde it was eighty years ago.

"No. Nothing's wrong. I promise."

The answer seemed to satisfy my parents, but I could see Wyatt and Chris exchange a look. I knew they thought I was up to something. Well, they were right.

When dinner was finished, I cleared the table and went straight up to my room. Tonight, I was going demon hunting. Chris and a few of the cousins were going to, but I was completely barred from this mission because of my age. Fifteen was too young. I sorta got where they were coming from; Chris hadn't been allowed to officially start vanquishing demons until he was seventeen after all, but I could handle myself - at least, I thought I could. I hadn't been given many opportunities after all. I knew that I would get in shit loads of trouble if I was caught, but tagging along shouldn't be a problem. I could observe what they did, and hopefully manage to vanquish a demon myself, in the process. I wasn't exactly sure what type of demon we were vanquishing, but from ease dropping on the others I could tell that a simple athemay to the heart would do away with the basterd for good. Simple. Well, I hope it's simple; I wasn't stupid. I knew that something could go seriously wrong if I wasn't careful, so I wanted to make sure that I took extra precautions. Extra potions, check; dagger, check; all I needed now was appropriate clothing.

I remember my mom telling me about a time, when they were in their early years of witch work, that her, Phoebe and Prue had been attacked by a stalker, well, Prue had. It was some bartender that worked at my mom's old club, who had become completely obsessed with my namesake. Anyway, Prue had pointed out to the others that they were never in appropriate footwear, or clothing, and ever since then, my mom, aunt Phoebe and later on Paige, had kept spare trainers with them at all times. That tradition was here till today; the first rule of demon vanquishing: dress for the experience.

At eleven o'clock that night, I heard Chris and Wyatt get up from bed. I was dressed, but under the covers. This was because Chris and Wyatt had made it demon hunting tradition to check on me before they went out. It was because they were so convinced that one day I'd sneak out to join them, that they made sure I was safe and asleep before they left.