Distance

Family

Seated at a table for 50, was 4 people. At the head of the table was Chadrick Blight, father and feared witch. On the opposite side sat his children. Each silently eating their food. Speaking was not permitted at the table.

Amity picked at her food, the air filled with tension. Her father put down his fork. The meal was over and the Blight siblings stopped eating. Emira began to rise from her seat, nodding at her sibling signaling for them to follow. But Chadrick raised his hand, stopping all in their tracks.
"Where are you going?" He asked his voice cold.
Amity could see her sister tense up. Emira's  fingers twitched and her eyes narrowed.
"The annual witch competition will begin in two weeks." She began her voice steady. "Edric and I have been chosen to represent the illusion track, and Amity has been chosen for the Abomination track. We need to practice." The statement was factual, there was no hint of personality or fun in Emira's voice. 

Chadrick looked at each of his children. Before waving them off. Emira stood tall before turning and walking away. Edric and Amity following behind. But as the eldest Blight sister reached for the handle, the door swung open. Knocking the girl back and Karen Blight, mother of three and head of the Abomination Coven entered the room.

"Welcome home mother" Emira began her voice growing colder with every word.

"Hello mother" Edric said with a bow.

Amity opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't get her voice out. The words trapped in her mouth.
Amity's mother looked at her daughter, face stern and unamused.
"Amity" Her mother began. "Do you have nothing to say?" Amity shuffled backwards. "You know the rules" Karen continued, walking towards her daughter. Each step more menacing than the last. "So, what do you have to say?" Amity's back pushed against the wall and the young girl shrank in the face of her mother. "Pathetic" The bitter word echoed in the dinning hall and drilled into Amity's mind. Clouding her vision. She could feel herself shrink as her hands begin to tremble. Amity snapped back to reality when Edric grabbed her hand and began pulling her towards the door. 

Outside the dinning hall, the servants went about their business willfully ignoring the scared eyes of the children. The twins shared a silent glance before they each grabbed one of Amity's arms and pulled her to the main entrance.
"Father said we can go outside" Edric beamed.
"Yeah, to pRaCtICe" Emira said making bunny quotes in the air.
"So let's PrAcTIce by 'challenging' the Owl lady in a duel" Edric continued.
With that a faint smile passed Amity's lips. The Owl lady meant the Owl house, which Meant Luz.