Midnights

Chapter Ten

Hello there, my wonderful reader and fans! Thank you so much for your lovely comments and much appreciated votes. Be sure to let me know if the story starts to bore you, for the last thing I want is to let my fans down.

I hope you enjoy this little adventure.

***

Peter

Anna Lia and refused to see the doctor when he came. She yelled through the door, saying she was fine and wanted to be left alone.

   I sighed and waited in the living room. Anna’s father had called a few people and told them what happened. Her mother also called Madam Goldenbreath, the town Crazy (also known as the town “Mage”). She said that she knew the ways of spirits and charms and such, she Anna’s mother told her to bring charms for the men who were going out on the hunt. 

    I didn’t care if she was a mage or not, if the silly charms would work then that was enough for me.

    There came a knock at the door and I rose to get it, but the Crazy let herself in. She was short and plumb, her hair was brown and had silver beads braided into it. She had dark orange eyeshadow on, and ugly red lipstick.  She wore a fine robe though; I didn’t recognize the material, but it was a dark red, with silver stitchings in it. She held her head high, as if she was a queen visiting her simple subjects. I just thought she looked pretty loony.

   She spoke in a surprisingly pleasant voice though, it was sweet, light, and sing-songy. “Where is the girl who can See? Bring her out!” and she clapped her hands in an annoying way.

    “She’s in her room,” I said to her, “and she won’t come out. Not for food or anything.”

    Madam Goldenbreath shook her head. “That will not do, not at all!” Just then a four men came through the door. I knew them by name and gave them a weary smile. The first one that came through the door was Mr. Nelson, a friend of my father’s, followed by his son, Nathan Nelson.  And behind them came the Penden brothers, Greg and Kyle. They were younger then I by a year, and seemed a little too eager to go hunting for a giant wolf.

    Kyle said, “Come on, now! Let’s get going!”

    Madam Goldenbreath said sharply, “Calm down, will you! I must speak to...err...was Anna or Lia the girls name?”

    I sighed, “Well, both ma’am. But you may call her either. But she won’t come out, so can’t we take our charms and be off?” I was itching to put a bullet between the eyes of that wolf.

   Just then Anna Lia’s father came out. “Oh! Hello there, Madam. How are you today? I wasn’t aware that you’d be here.”

    Madam Goldenbreath became impatient. “You’re wife called me, Randal. Now really, I must see you’re daughter!” And with that she stepped past everybody and march directly up those stairs. I followed on her heals, and when we came to the top we saw Anna’s mother speaking to the door, saying,

    “Anna? Lia, sweetie, please open up. You need your supper.” When she saw Madam Goldenbreath she turned and said, “Oh, thank goodness you’re here, maybe you can talk to her. She refuses to listen to me. I think she might have gone asleep, I haven’t heard from her in hours.”

    Madam Goldenbreath knocked heavily on the door. “Miss Anlia! Open this door at once young lady, you are acting like a child.”

    Kyle and Greg chuckled at the name Madam had given Anna, but I glared at them, silencing them at once.

    When there was no answer, Madam Goldenbreath sprinkled a green sort of powder on the doorknob and the strangest thing happened.

    The lock clicked, and the door swung open.

    Everybody gasped when we saw that Anna’s room was empty, with the window wide open...

~~~

I loaded my gun and took off at a sprint. Damn it, Anna! Why?!

    I didn’t get far until I heard Madam Goldenbreath yell, “Stop boy! You will not kill it with bullets!”

    I stopped and yelled back, “Then what the hell do you expect me to do!”

    She trotted up to me, quiet fast for a woman of her weight. She looked up at me and said, “Here!” And shoved something in my right hand, “This is what you need”

    I looked down and saw a golden broach. It was in the shape of a heart, with little rings wrapped around it. In the center was a strange stone. It was clear, and I’m not sure if it was seeing right, but it looked as if the aurora itself was dancing inside of it.

    I was impatient to notice just how magnificent it was then, and said sharply to Madam, “What am I to do with this?”

    “Wear it, fool!” she hissed. “And beware, for the power that comes with it is very dangerous.”

     “What about the others? Have they got things like this?”

   “No, no. They was protection charms, yes, but none so powerful as this. Now come,” she said in a much louder voice, signaling to the others, “we must fly at once!”

   My mouth dropped open, “You aren’t coming with us are you?”

   She pushed my mouth closed again, “Of course I am! Silly child,” she scoffed and walked briskly past me.