Coraline (Witches of East End) ON HOLD

Chapter 8

When Wendy stepped out into the backyard, she closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of the pine trees surrounding her. She gazed over at her daughter and her niece and smiled at the sight she found. The two girls were sitting at the patio table and had their faces buried in spell books, Cora trying to teach Ingrid everything she knows.

Cora could feel her mothers presence and tilted her head slightly to look at her and flash her a smile.

"Aunt Wendy! Look what Cora taught me!"

Ingrid closed her eyes and held her hands out in front of her. The wind started blowing hard and leaves started circling around her. She opened her eyes and flashed a her aunt a big smile.

"Apparently, it's all about concentration and meditation. Cora says that all she does is will things to happen, AND THEY DO! Can you believe that?!"

She put her hands back at her sides and Wendy clapped for her.

"Mom, I need to talk to you," Cora said as she stood. She glanced at her cousin and walked closer to her mom. "Privately, please?"

Wendy nodded and shifted her body away from Ingrid. Cora stood next to her mother and leaned in to whisper to her.

"I don't want Ingrid to help us."

Wendy gave her daughter a questioning look and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get her words out, Coraline began whispering again.

"I know what you're going to say. And yes, we'll have a better chance at defeating my father if we have more power, but mom, this can't wait. We have to go like, now. He has to be stopped NOW before he gets any stronger."

Cora looked back at her older cousin, who was still willing the leaves to spin around herself.

"She's not ready, mom. She just learned how to move leaves. How am I supposed to teach her how to kill people and not herself in three days?"

Wendy put her hands on her daughters shoulders and lightly squeezed. She conveyed everything she needed to with her touch, and Cora fell into her mother's warm embrace.

Wendy felt horrible for her daughter. It wasn't fair that Cora had to bare the weight of her family's fate on her shoulders, and what kind of mother let's her daughter fall victim to that kind of pain and that kind of responsibility? She's only eighteen, brand new to adulthood, and in a world she's never known.

Wendy had to do something. And in that moment, she knew exactly what it was.

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Sorry this is so short. I'm just getting back to it!