Season of  a Witch

    Flashes of light filled the sky, quickly followed by the sound of rolling thunder. Splashes of water drenching her boots as she pedaled harder trying to escape the storm before it fully soaked her through Pushing harder against the pedals she sped up. Droplets of water pelting her leaving stinging red spots across her slowly numbing face.
    Wind whipped around her as she turned onto the street. Wheels screeching as a car swerved around her, its horn blaring as her heart beat loudly in her ears. Breathing heavily, she forced herself to peddle as the car in front of her came to a stop. Red lights reflected on the wet ground between them; the driver side door swung open. Coming to a stop as the rain began to beat harder, she watched as a small red umbrella came from inside the car, followed by a short middle aged woman, wrapped in a black rain jacket. Her auburn hair reached down to her shoulders.  Lightning ignites the world around the woman as she raises her hand, waving to Rachel, motioning for her to hurry.
    “Rachel, hurry up, I can give you a ride home!” Her voice carried over the wind, but just barely. Rachel squinted, realizing that the person who had almost hit her was Ms. Burton. Running with her bike, she smiled at the woman.  
    “Where should I put my bike?” Rachel asked, noticing finally the small hatchback that Ms. Burton was driving. Its beat up red exterior shone slightly in the rain,the rust running along the bottom tinting the water a sickening red. Handing Rachel her umbrella. Ms Burton turned to her door, swinging it open quickly. Sliding across the seats she lay them flat, before pointing at the hatch. Raising the front wheel of her bike she set it down inside the hatch door. Wondering if the bike would fit she laid it down on its side and gently slid it across the flat backs of the seats. Closing the hatch, she smiled at Ms. Burton who watched her in the rearview mirror. 
    Rain pelted the windshield of the car as they drove along the road. Small puddles started to pool into ponds. Water started to threaten to cover the road, as the drain systems began to back up onto the blacktop. Water dripped from her blonde hair, falling from the tip of her nose as trees and houses zipped by. People ran on the sidewalks trying to get into any building to escape the sudden downpour, but for now the car was her safe haven. Heat from the car vent gave a comfort that threatened to make her fall asleep, but her eyes stayed open and aware.
    Ms. Burton didn’t talk much as she drove to the other side of town. Music filled the car, but for the most part the drive was silent. Faint smells often crept into Rachel’s nose, smells she couldn’t quite place and more bad than good. Her mind went to the trash smashed between the seats from the obvious time spent at fast food restaurants, and the container of decaying something that spilled out of Ms. Burton’s lunchbox when she pulled her seat forward, but she kept her complaints to herself. Watching rain drops trail down the windows, she placed bets on the winners, getting mad when she “lost” the fifty grand on good ole RainMcduggen. Her eyes shifted from the window to the floor, as she lost interest in the games she had once played so often as a child. Running along the footboard of the car, her eyes dwelled on a couple of things that seemed out of place. Necklaces with pentagrams, a couple bundles of, what she assumed, was sage from hours of watching ghost adventures. Then the book.
    Golden eyes from the small black cat on the cover of the book stared up at her. Filling her with a sense of calm that she had never felt before. Flashes of lightning illuminated the silver words that spread across the cover. “Spells, tales, and other witchy things”. Rachel laughed quietly as she pulled the book onto her lap opening it to the middle. “Going to cast some spells tonight, Ms. Burton?” She asked, flipping through the pages of the book reading the names of the different spells and laughing.
    Moving her fingers spookily, Ms. Burton allowed her voice to go down in pitch. “On all hallows eve, all us middle aged witches gather to cast spells on our students.” Laughter filled the car, as if she hadn’t done the most cringe-worthy thing Rachel had seen in her short 15 years of life. “It’s just for my costume for the faculty get-together.” Nodding her head, Rachel read some of the spells aloud, some for love, others for luck, but one stuck out to her, and when she read it aloud the car grew silent again. 
    “Oculto Falli. Of all spells in this book, this spell should not be cast in any way.” Breathing in sharply, she glanced at her teacher beside her. Her eyes locked to the road as if she were entranced in the sudden downpour of rain. Looking down at the book again Rachel read more. “Spells must have intent behind them when you read their words. Whether that be the intent to cast the spell, or intent to cause harm.” She watched as Ms. Burton's knuckles turned white on the wheel. As if she were scared of what was happening around them. “Is everything ok?” She asked shakily. The car went silent again. The lightning had stopped, and the street lights had faded. Slowly they drove along a small state route that wound through the hills leading to Rachel’s home. Her eyes stayed on Ms. Burton who seemed to have gone stiff. “I can put the book down if you want me to.”
    “No, keep reading, it isn't the book.” Her voice came with a sharp inhale, her breath tight in her chest. Staring at her teacher she grew more worried. The sudden shift in tone, the tension in the car that could be cut with a knife. “I said keep reading.” Air hissed from her throat as she spoke. Unease washed over Rachel, as she turned her eyes back to the book before her. 
    “Unlike other spells contained in this book, you will only need to speak the words.” Pausing,  her eyes hovering over the words in the book. “I don’t think I should say the words.” Hesitantly, she pried her eyes from the words after they burned into her mind. Cocking her head to the side, she notices movement from Ms. Burton. Inhuman movement. Slowly, her teacher's neck dislodged, growing at odd angles towards the ceiling of the car. Knuckles popped as the forms of the fingers grew, bones snapping and expanding all at once. Gargled words coming from her throat as her head turned backwards and her face elongated to look at Rachel. 
    “Say the words.” She wheezed out, as if her lungs had been crushed. Blood gurgling, bubbling up from her mouth staining her teeth, and the edges of her lips. Black hair falling out in clumps as sores formed on her scalp. “S..sa…say the…woo…rds.” Moaning and spluttering blood as pain overtook her body.  Her new form began to force its way out of the car. Rachel stared, her eyes open wide. The horror of what she saw, bringing her lunch surging up to the back of her throat. Ms. Burton's legs writhed and stretched forcing the accelerator to the floor, the car lurching forward. Arms reaching for Rachel, as the beast that was once her teacher fully took control. What the hell is going on?! Rachel screamed in her mind as she frantically tried to move away from the beast. Reaching behind her she found a lever, yanking as hard as she could as the back of her seat flung down, sending her rolling on top of her bike in a heap. Damn. Holding onto the book, she watched as the beast turned, its darkening eyes following her. Kicking as she crawled backwards she cursed under her breath trying to keep away. 
Slowly, the door came closer. Quickly, the beast approached her. Sharp turns threw her side to side, threatening to hold her against the wall. Metal slapped across her head and shoulders, as her bike tried to escape with her. Blood seeped across her cheek, slowly passing through her lips. Warmth filled her mouth;  the taste of iron sat on her tongue. Thoughts raced through her head of what she should do. Screams and growls came from the beast deafening her. Tears fell from her cheeks. Claws dug into the metal of the car behind her, screeching as they dragged along the frame. 
The car began to jerk as the beast swung for her. Momentum lifted her from the floor and threw her against the door. Elongated fingers ripped through the flesh along her ribs. Blood red as wine poured from her side. Grasping at the wound she breathed heavily. 
“Fuck” fell from her lips as the pain flared along her ribs. Flashes of lights highlighted the beast as it climbed over the back of the seats, finally mustering the strength to move. Its head turned in ways she dared not to think about. The car jerked and swerved, forcing Rachel to hold on. Darkness began to fill her vision, as the beast hovered for a moment above her. Lips parted, hands grasped pulling at the handle they held onto. Lifting an arm, the beast prepared itself. Claws came fast, and in the moment her prayers became words she didn’t know. 
“Oculto Falli Deeth” Pain flared in her chest as something forced the beast away. Screams echoed around her, forcing her to cover her ears. Blood ran free, as the beast scratched and clawed, tearing at itself. Reaching with its last breath, its hand found her ankle and scratched her skin with its elongated fingers, roaring it lunged for the final time. Blood poured around her as she lay motionless. Roars escaped its failing throat. Rachel moved her eyes meeting the beast’s, the human eyes that once looked at her as a teacher to a student. Its body went limp, falling to one side. Pain flooded her body, as the adrenaline began to wear off. Breathing deeply she reached for the book that sat beside the beast. Grasping the edge she brought the book to her chest. She breathed as she looked up at where the headlights led straight into a tree.

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    Her eyes fluttered open as her consciousness came back from what felt like an early grave. Her head pounding with pain as she tried to swing her legs over the edge of her bed. Whatever I ate last night before bed, I should not eat again. She thought to herself as her sore body stumbled across her room. Fingers found the knots in her hair from sleeping too hard on it, as she tried to unsuccessfully pull them out. Wincing in pain at the knots, she looked up at the boys who stared back down at her from her wall. 
“Don’t worry, I feel worse than I look.” She laughed winking at the poster, as if they would ever acknowledge her. Scratching behind her ear, she looked around her room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the book from her dream laid open on the floor next to her bed. What the fuck? Mind racing she rushed to her mirror. Eyes growing wide she stumbled slightly as the sight of herself in the mirror almost mustered a scream. Mud clung to her clothing, the same as it had after the near-wreck. Scabs ran across her ankle, from the elongated fingers of Ms. Burton. Her eyes fell to her side, turning to get a full view in the mirror. Cuts ran along her ribs. Jagged lines formed by the elongated fingers that tried to dig into her. Rachel winced as her fingers glided across them. Fuck. She said to herself, the events of last night lingering in the back of her mind as the sun rose hot through her window. 
Raising her hand she saw the blood. Glistening in the sunlight that dried the rain outside. Heart beats pumped her blood, forcing a thump behind the ear. Her eyes moved slowly, catching the reflection in her blood. Shadows encircled her. Voices began to speak. Pages fluttered in a breeze that came from nowhere, but everywhere all at once. Rachel stood silent, the shadows moving in. Blood dripped from her fingers as she dove for the book. Grabbing at her, the shadows began to hiss, as a silent pact was made. Her blood touched the book. A bond not to be broken. Words flooded her mind, and she spoke them. 
“Avotoo rec hezum.” Shadows hissed as she spoke. Smoke took their place as they disappeared before her. Closing the book slowly as she looked around the room, she listened. Silence fell on her ears, as if nothing had changed. Dread drummed in her chest, as denial rushed across her in waves. Last night was a dream. Rachel tried to convince herself. More sleep. I just need more sleep. Hallucinations is what it all was. She almost convinced herself. Silence laid heavy, as her mind told her she was fine.
Time moved slowly as Rachel left her room. The book sat on her nightstand. Sound from the TV drowned out the thoughts in her head. Weather, sports, the normal small town bickering. Flashes of a small red hatch back, a body covered in a black bag that stuck out in weird angles. Reporters in tears talking of the woman that had been found in the mangled car that now lay wrapped around the tree. Rachel’s bike smashed through the windshield, and something she swore only she could see. Behind the tree, as if waiting sat a cat. Its eyes golden, and watching her back.