Guardian of the Forest

11

 Mary looks down at us and beckons with her hands,

"Come on! Come on!" She mouths, though some sound comes out. We double time, Grace and I handing Mary ceramic two at a time, our earlier caution almost forgotten. We relax a little bit when we hear someone intercept Mom at the door, must be a neighbor. Mary hops off of the chair and we launch into movement, Grace runs back upstairs into her room and Mary takes her hundred pound binder out of her back pack and begins to do homework, I throw myself on the couch and turn on the TV. The person Mom's talking to seems angry, muffled barely suppressed yelling floats over the sound of the TV and Mom's calm, reasonable voice. Finally, the angry person stomps away and Mom opens the front door. She looks worn out, like she could use another cup of coffee. Her eyes go straight to me,

"Bennett? Can you come here a second?" Mary and I both freeze, had she somehow figured it out? I wouldn't put it past her, she figured out that a high schooler had been graffiting the back of the elementary school even though all the evidence, and the police, said it was a middle schooler from the school next door. I turn off the TV and slowly walk after Mom into the kitchen, Mary gives me a nervous look when I pass by her. Mom turns around and looks at me with her arms crossed, I squirm. Just when I'm about to break down and tell her all my secrets, she speaks,

"Bennett, why was Ms. Holcomb over here asking me why her son was doing witchcraft?" Relief flows through my body, she didn't know. As soon as the thought leaves my head another enters, the force fields! She knows! I stumble for an answer,

"U-uh we were playing a game where we were wizards like in Harry Potter. H-he must be talking about that or waving his stick wand around or s-something like that." I look down, I know it's a sign of guilt but I can't make myself meet her eyes. She heaves a long sigh,

"Bennett. There are some families with religious beliefs about that kind of stuff and some families take voodoo and witchcraft seriously. I know Mary might be the only one in this family who believes in magic and your father and I don't mind you playing pretend, but some families do mind. Next time you see Nic please apologize to him for getting him in trouble, and please Benny, don't play that kind of game again." I nod my head glumly and Mom walks away, satisfied. I hear Mary at the dinner table mocking Mom,

"Only one who believes in magic! Hmph!" I put my shoes back on and go out into the backyard. I played by myself for a while, trying to stay out of sight of Nic's house, kind of trying to avoid him so he doesn't get in trouble again. I must have moved to the side of my house a little more than I thought because soon I hear a front door slam. Nic's Mom is stomping her way across the street and towards me. When she got close enough, too close for my taste, she stood there with her arms crossed, fuming. I can see why Nic's afraid of his Mom, she's tall, strong and sturdy, she looks like she could beat up a man without breaking a sweat. How was Mom not afraid of her? She's got about a foot on her!

"I know you're teaching my son witchcraft!" I try to look more confused and less terrified, which is hard because terrified is all I am!

"W-witchcraft? I d-don't even know witchcraft! It doesn't exist!" I force a chuckle. Unfortunately, this didn't work because Nic's Mom glowered at me harder and looked offended,

"Uh, Ma'am?" I hastily add,

"You think I'm joking? I don't joke, and I don't like witchcraft! I especially dislike lying little brats as well! You're teaching my son witchcraft and I want you to stop before I refuse to let you see Nicolas again!" Her Kentucky accent was so thick I felt like it would rub off on me, don't they spank their kids with belts in the South?

"Y-yes Ma'am," Nic's Mom was satisfied and left, still stomping away. What is with everyone and threatening me today? A gust of wind blew stale cigarette smoke my way and I gagged, loudly. Nic's Mom turned around and I scurried inside before she could come back.