A Witches Saga
Scarlet Ivory
By: Nicole Rochester
Prologue –
It was a stormy night in Sheffield, England. The sound of thunder piercing the night sky woke 8 year old Ivory Morvant from her peaceful sleep. Shivering from the cold air coming through her open window she rolled over and tried to drift back off. After a few short minutes she gave up. Ivory sighed as she climbed out of her bed and walked over to look out the window; darkness, so much darkness. Was that a shadow she just saw moving away from her front door? No, it's too dark to see anything out there she thought to herself, I'm just imagining things. She wandered back over to her bed, trying to convince herself to just go back to sleep, but… she just had a strange feeling, like something was wrong. She couldn't explain it but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep until she made sure that her feeling was just a feeling. She crossed her bedroom as quietly as she could and slipped out the door.
Ivory crept along the upstairs hall outside her bedroom, when she reached her brother, Sebastian's, door she gently opened it and peeked in. Sebastian was sleeping soundly in his bed just like always. She breathed a sigh of relief and carefully closed the door again. Ivory then continued on down the hallway towards her parent's door. When she got there she listened and then frowned, where was the usual rumble of her father's snores? The soft breathing of her mother? Slowly, Ivory pushed open the door feeling a growing sense of unease. Then the door was open and her parents... Weren't there? Where could they be, she wondered worriedly. Ivory quickly hurried downstairs to search for her parents, her sense of fear growing with every second that passed. When she'd searched the whole house and still hadn't found them, she moved anxiously towards the back door that led out to their garden and pushed it open.
The outdoor lights flickered on as soon as she stepped outside and for a second Ivory stood blinking, dazzled by the bright light. Then her eyes got used to the sudden brightness and she looked up into the garden, only to see the most horrifying scene of her entire life! She screamed, and then screamed some more gasping in horror and shock! Vaguely she heard the sound of running footsteps inside the house and then Sebastian burst out into the garden. "Ivory! What's the matt-"He started saying anxiously, then he seen them, what Ivory had seen. Their parents. They were no longer missing. They were dead on the grass in their own back garden covered in blood and ripped flesh.
"Oh god!" Cried Sebastian in horror. He grabbed his little sister and spun her towards him. "Don't look!" he gasped. It was too late. Ivory had already seen it and now she stood limply in her brothers arms, crying, numb with shock.
"They're dead" she whispered feebly, "I couldn't find them and now, oh god Sebastian they're dead!" she shrieked sobbing and shaking.
"Ssshhh, it's going to be ok Ivory" Sebastian promised. "We're going to be ok" he muttered half trying to convince himself as well as her.
"No we're not" whispered Ivory and Sebastian pulled her closer as they clung to each other desperately.
Chapter 1 – Welcome home
Ivory sat in silence gazing out the airplane window as she flew back towards the town she hadn't been to for 10 years. She still couldn't quite believe that she'd decided to go back, back to Sheffield, back where it had all happened. It had been 10 years since her parent's murder and Ivory Morvant, daughter of the deceased Marcus and Valerie Morvant, was now 18 and a legal adult. Ivory had been raised in foster homes in Ireland after the death of her parents. She'd never stayed anywhere for very long, moving from place to place, family to family. For 8 years the only person she had was her brother, Sebastian; they had been so close, but eventually he turned 18 and even he left. She didn't know exactly where he was right now, somewhere in Europe, travelling, forgetting. That's exactly what Ivory didn't want to do now that she was free, she didn't want to forget them, she'd loved them and their deaths were still unsolved. Their murderers walking free somewhere. She was going to find them, she was going to find out who killed them. At least, she really hoped she would. Ivory looked up as she heard the ding of the seatbelt light, they were coming into land. She fastened herself safely into her seat and put the window cover back down. The plane started to bump and speed up as it came in for landing. A few minutes later the plane touched down gently on the runway and came to a slow stop. The other passengers on the plane cheered and clapped at the safe landing. Ivory waited until most of them had left the plane before she got up and got her hand luggage from the carrier over the seats and to make her way off the plane and into the airport to wait for the rest of her luggage.
Fifteen minutes later and she was leaving the airport and entering her home city for the first time in years. While she waited for a bus to take her to her new apartment Ivory gazed around her, taking in the scenes. It looks just the same as before she thought sadly, she could nearly just go back to her old house and imagine that nothing had ever changed. That her parents were still there. She shook herself out of her reverie, they're dead she scolded herself, wishing isn't going to bring them back. Ivory turned and looked around for the bus, there it is, she noticed. She gathered her stuff and climbed onto the bus, moving to a seat near the back where she could be alone. Ivory liked being alone, for 10 years being alone was all she knew. She sighed and brushed a strand of her long red hair out of her face. Ivory was a pretty young girl, with long red hair and green eyes. Her skin was paler than most peoples which kind of made her stand out but she didn't mind, she liked it. She liked her heart shaped face and dark lashes and eyebrows too. What she didn't like were the bags that were often under her eyes from stress and lack of sleep. Ivory looked up as the bus stopped outside her new apartment building, she hurriedly got to her feet and got off the bus, taking her luggage with her. She turned and watched as it drove away. "Welcome home Ivory" she whispered to herself. If she had to come back here at least she wasn't going back to her family home. That she didn't think she could handle. She sighed and headed into the building that would be her home now, for a while at least.
Ivory had barely even been back in Sheffield for an hour when there was a knock on the door of her apartment. She'd been unloading her suitcases and putting her clothes away in the wardrobe. Now she put down the top she had just picked up and looked over at the door curiously, she couldn't think who it could be, she hadn't told anyone she was coming. The knock sounded again, more hurriedly now. Ivory sighed and wandered over to open the door. "Ivory!" Squealed an excited voice and suddenly Ivory was squeezed in a very tight hug. She gasped and when the shorter girl finally released her she was able to recognize her shortish brown hair and big brown eyes.
"Tessa?" she said, shocked, Tessa Roland had been her best friend and closest confidant back when she'd lived here, Ivory hadn't realised how much she'd missed her until she saw her.
"Yes!" squealed Tessa excitedly "Oh my god Ivory, I've missed you so much!" Ivory pulled Tessa back into a hug.
"Oh Tess I've missed you too, I didn't think you'd remember me." Tessa pulled away and gave Ivory an annoyed look,
"Are you serious? You think I'd forget my best friend? It might have 10 years Iv but it still feels like we've been together this whole time." Ivory smiled,
"It does feel like that" she said happily, "Wait how did you know I was back?"
Tessa laughed,
"My mum was coming out of the supermarket across the street, she saw you arrive, she called me straight away and I came straight down here." Ivory pulled Tessa back into a tight hug,
"I really missed you" she whispered. Tessa wrapped her arms around Ivory
"I never got to say it because they shipped you and your brother off to foster care so quickly, but Ivory, I am so sorry about your parents, it was a horrible, horrible thing and nobody has forgotten it ever since. They're in our hearts and memories. Forever." Ivory gulped and reached up to whip away a tear that had tried to escape from her eye.
"Thank you Tessa, I needed that." She smiled and pulled away from Tessa, whipping her eyes, "But I didn't come back here to cry and be sad, I'm ok really" Tessa laughed,
"That's my strong best friend" she looked past Ivory at the apartment then, "Wow look at this place, this is pretty nice."
Ivory looked around, it was pretty nice, she hadn't really paid much attention when she first came in. The apartment had 4 rooms including the bathroom, one of them was the bedroom, with an ensuite bathroom which had a shower and a bath. The other two were a large roomy living room with a carpeted floor and lots of sofas; there was even a TV, and a smaller kitchen with an oven, fridge, and cupboards, everything she needed. One of the walls in the living room was made completely out of windows, Ivory really liked that because she could look out at the entire city. The bedroom had a large double bed and a desk and lots of wardrobes, the floor in there was also carpeted. "Yea" Ivory said, "I like it"
"It's so modern-looking" laughed Tessa. Ivory laughed too
"Yea it is." Tessa turned back to look at Ivory,
"So you're coming to school tomorrow right? Sheffield High?" Ivory glanced at her old friend "No I wasn't planning on it really." Tessa shook her head fiercely,
"No no no! It's our last year of school Ivory! I haven't seen you in 10 years you have to come so we can spend one year of school together!" Ivory sighed
"I don't know Tessa..."
"We're only two weeks into September" Tessa insisted, "You won't have to do that much catching up."
"Ughh" groaned Ivory, "Fine, fine, I'll come, ok?"
"Eeeeeek! Yay!" Squealed Tessa in excitement. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She laughed. Ivory laughed
"You'd better get going now so I can unpack, your parents will be worrying about you." Tessa groaned
"Yea, your right, I better go, but I'll see you tomorrow ok? Bright and early, I'll pick you up, bye!" Tessa hurried out of the door laughing while Ivory groaned again.
Tessa didn't lie, when she said early, she meant early. Ivory groaned at the knock on her door as Tessa shouted through at her; "Ivory! I hope you're up it's time to leave"
"Alright, alright I'm coming" sighed Ivory. "Just give me a second"
"Ok but any longer than that and I'm coming in there!"
Ivory laughed, she knew Tessa meant it, she would come in and drag her out. She sighed and climbed out of her bed and walked over to the wardrobe. How was she supposed to know what to wear? She didn't want to make a bad impression on her first day back! After a few minutes searching she choose a black lace vest top and black skinny jeans, she loved the way her red hair stood out against the black, like the red of a strawberry and sunset mixed into one.
"Hey, hurry up, we're going to be late!" called Tessa in annoyance.
"Coming!" Ivory yelled back at her. She hurriedly pulled on her black heeled boots and leather jacket and pulled her long hair up into a rough ponytail. She grabbed her bag and hurried out the door.
Ivory pulled the door closed behind her and turned the key in the lock.
"Took you long enough" Tessa complained, but she was laughing so ivory knew she wasn't really mad.
"Good morning to you too Tessa" said Ivory trying to sound grumpy but it just wasn't working and she could tell that Tessa knew it.
"Come on, the cars this way" Tessa led the way down the hall, then the stairs and out of the apartment building with ivory hurrying to keep up, she had such short legs so how was she so fast? They crossed the car park and climbed into Tessa's car.
"Wow" said Ivory, stunned, it was the only words she had, it was such a beautiful car, it was a light green Hyundai and Tessa had it so clean and perfect as if she'd just bought it.
"Thanks, it was a birthday present back in February" She looked really proud as she smiled fondly at the car. Ivory laughed,
"That's some birthday present, wow"
"Let's get going then" said Tessa, starting the car up. She pulled out of the carpark and headed towards the school.
Tessa and Ivory were standing in the car park in front of Sheffield high, Ivory was nervous, ok maybe a bit more than just nervous she thought worriedly, biting her lip.
"Tessa… I really don't think I can do this, I can't go in there!" Whispered Ivory looking terrified, she looked at Tessa desperately, hoping she'd just change her mind. Tessa didn't give up or change her mind about anything though and Ivory knew it, it was one of the things she loved most about her friend.
"Don't be silly, of course you can do this Ivory, it's just school, it's ok, be brave like I know you are" Ivory looked at Tessa in surprise, no one had ever had so much faith in her, now she had to go in there she couldn't let Tessa down when she was believing in her to face her fears. Ivory took a deep breath,
"Ok, let's go then" Tessa's face lit up, she smiled at Ivory proudly and linked her arm through hers.
"Yes, let's go" The two of them headed into the school together.
The school doors swung closed behind them, Ivory gazed around, taking in the sights, the place was pretty decent looking for a school, it had the usual features that schools had, the long dim corridors, the grey walls and doors at lots of random places. It had a good amount of windows at least, the windows let in enough light to make the place seem slightly less miserable.
"Here Ivory, my mum enrolled you last night, this is your timetable, it'll explain your classes, teachers and form teacher." Ivory reached out and took the slip of paper, she looked at it curiously,
"My form teachers Mr Hamilton"
"What! No! Mine's Mrs Sullivan, we're not together" moaned Tessa. Ivory looked at Tessa worriedly,
"I have to go in there on my own?"
Tessa gave her a sympathetic look, "Yea it looks like you do, I'm sorry Ivory I thought we'd be together, can you manage without me?" Ivory sighed,
"Yea I'll be fine, I'm used to being alone." She said nervously.
"I can show you to your class if you want?" Tessa offered, but Ivory shook her head,
"I don't want to make you late, you go on ahead I'll figure it out, it can't be that complicated" she laughed.
Ten minutes later and Tessa had left to go to her form room, meanwhile Ivory was discovering that actually it is that complicated, she was lost, and she had no idea how to get where she was meant to be going.
"Great, this place is like a maze, ugh" moaned Ivory to herself.
"Talking to yourself?" said an amused voice behind her.
"Ahh!" Ivory jumped in fright! She spun to look behind her and found herself facing maybe the most gorgeous guy she'd ever seen. She hadn't heard him come up behind her but he was right there, leaning casually against the wall, long jet black hair falling into his eyes, which by the way were so dark they were nearly black, Ivory felt like she could just stare at them for hours. She quickly looked away from his eyes when she realised she'd been doing just that. He was tall and he was wearing black, his t-shirt and jeans hugged his body in all the right places showing his muscled chest. She looked back up at his eyes then and realised that he'd been watching her take him in with one eyebrow raised in amusement. Ivory blushed.
"No need to yell" he said calmly.
"Sorry, you startled me" said Ivory nervously, "I didn't hear you coming."
"Your new here" it wasn't a question "are you lost?"
"That obvious huh" sighed Ivory. She couldn't stop looking at him, it was like she was just getting lost in his gaze, stop it she scolded herself in annoyance. The guy chuckled softly, Ivory hoped he hadn't noticed her looking.
"I'm sure you'll find your way soon, or later" he laughed,
"You're just going to stand there? Aren't you going to help?" said Ivory looking annoyed. The guy laughed,
"What sort of way is that to ask for help?"
"I shouldn't need to ask its good manners to offer"
"Is it? He said looking amused, Ivory gritted her teeth in annoyance,
"Who are you?"
"Russell Huntley" He said calmly "what about you new girl?" Ivory gave him an annoyed look,
"My name is Ivory Morvant" Russell looked up curiously,
"Morvant huh?"
"Yes, what of it?" asked Ivory with confusion,
"Nothing I just know our families don't get along"
"They don't? Well I wouldn't know most of my families dead" Ivory winced, She didn't say it for sympathy and she hoped Russell didn't think she did, it had just come out. A look of sadness came over his face for a second and then spoke his face strangely softer than before,
"I know, I heard about that, think back I'm sure before your parents died they would've told you to stay away from the Huntleys." Ivory thought long and hard, yea she realised, they did say that.
"Yea I remember, they told me but they never said why" A shadow passed over Russell's face but he quickly controlled it so Ivory wasn't sure if she'd seen it or not.
"Your class is this way" said Russell abruptly turning and starting to walk away.
"What? Oh, wait up!" Ivory hurried after him, why did he just walk away so suddenly she wondered, did I say something wrong? He led her down corridor after corridor until finally they stopped outside a door near the back of the school.
"Here" said Russell "Mr Hamilton, new students usually get put in here with us." Ivory looked up at him,
"Us? So this is your class too then, why weren't you already there? Russell stiffened,
"That's not really your business" he said sounding annoyed.
"Sorry" Ivory muttered, she hadn't meant to offend him. She sighed and moved past him through the door as he pushed it open for her and then followed her through.
Everyone in the room looked up as Ivory and Russell came through the door, Ivory stopped nervously in the doorway and looked around her, there were so many people, why were they all staring?
"What are you doing? Why did you stop?" Russell whispered behind her, he sounded irritated.
"Ahh! You must be Ivory Morvant!" Said a jolly, friendly looking man at the front of the classroom who could obviously only be Mr Hamilton. "It is so nice to meet you" He said smiling at Ivory pleasantly. She felt herself starting to relax, this man was so gentle there was no need to be afraid.
"Hi" She said nervously "I'm so sorry I'm late, I got a little lost" She looked at him sheepishly, "It won't happen again"
"Oh its ok my dear" Laughed Mr Hamilton, "it happens to everyone on their first day here, you though Russell, what's your excuse?" He gave Russell a stern but not unfriendly look. "Well go on both of you go sit down." Ivory and Russell quickly hurried to find seats, Ivory sat down beside a young girl with dark blond hair that nearly looked like a mixture between brown and blond. When the girl turned and smiled shyly at Ivory, she noticed that she had very big, friendly blue eyes.
"Hi, I'm Chastity Nicholls" she whispered "Tessa told me about you, oh I'm friends with her of course" laughed Chastity as she'd just forgotten to mention it at the start.
"Hello Chastity, I'm Ivory Morvant, It's nice to meet you." Ivory smiled what she hoped was a friendly smile and it must have been because Chastity beamed and said,
"Welcome to Sheffield High, I think you'll like it here." Ivory sighed,
"I hope so" she muttered
"Chastity! Stop distracting our new student" called Mr Hamilton, Chastity flushed bright pink and went quiet. Ivory turned her attention to Mr Hamilton as he continued what he'd been saying to the class,
"As I was saying, you all know by now how form class works but I'm sorry I have to explain it to our new student." The rest of the class groaned and grumbled but quieted pretty quickly again, Ivory could tell that as much as they pretended, Mr Hamilton was a good teacher and they respected him. "So Ivory," continued Mr Hamilton, "Every day you come here in the morning for registration and some days you will have classes on specific subjects here with me, any other time you will have other teachers and other classes, it's all on your timetable, just come to me if your confused." He said kindly.
"Thank you sir" said Ivory nervously. She hated being put on the spot like that, oh great, now they were all staring again.
The rest of day flew by so fast Ivory had trouble remembering parts of it, she remembered seeing Tessa's cousin Grace Dixon for the first time in 10 years, she hadn't changed a bit, still the same plain black hair and eyes that weren't really any colour just a mixture of them all, and not the exciting colours either. Same whiny attitude, Ivory hadn't liked her back then and she thought she might dislike her even more now. She also remembered meeting a guy named Drake Walker who said he'd known her brother, Sebastian. He was good looking enough Ivory thought, but he was just too perfect, perfect blond hair with little curls, eyes as blue as the sky and all that, it was just too much for her taste, his attitude just seemed too perfect to be true as well, he was the best at sports in the school and the kindest person here, girls just fell all over him, everyone loved Drake. Ivory though, she just didn't feel it. She went to so many lessons in just the one day, there was English, and then maths, science maybe? Oh and then English again. Whatever, it didn't matter, she wasn't here to learn. She'd only come to this school for Tessa's sake. As for why she'd come to the town? She hoped she'd find her answers after school.
The long day had finally ended Ivory thought in relief as she walked out the front doors of the school at the end of the day. It really had been hard, but not as hard as what she knew she had to do next, she had to go home, to the house where they'd lived. The house where they'd died. She didn't need to stay for long, but there could be information there that could help her find their killers, information she was too young to understand when she was only 8 years old. She was so deep in thought as she crossed the car park that she didn't notice the car coming her way until it was too late, the sound of Tessa's voice screaming out to her startled her out of her thoughts, "Ivory! Look out!" Ivory looked up and seen the car, the driver only just seen her at the last minute too and was struggling to bring his car to a stop. It was going to hit her! Thought Ivory in terror, she didn't have time to move! She threw her hands up in front of her face and waited terrified for the blow. One second, two seconds… should it be taking so long? Ivory wondered, she opened her eyes and looked up, the car was gone! She turned and looked over her shoulder to see it crash into the wall just behind her. How? She thought stunned, it was like it had went right through her like she was smoke or something. She looked down at her arms to check for injuries, maybe it had hit her and she was just in shock? It didn't seem likely and she found that she was completely unharmed. Ivory spun as she heard running footsteps behind her, "Ivory!" gasped Tessa breathlessly "How did you do that?"
"Do what?" said Ivory terrified, "what happened?
"The car, it was going to hit you and then…" stammered Tessa in confusion "and then it was like you just turned to smoke or something! I-It looked a lot like it went right through you!" Ivory looked around, there wasn't many people out here, her and Tessa had been some of the last ones out of the school, it didn't look like anyone else except Tessa had noticed anything Ivory noted with relief. Whatever was going on she was sure that other people shouldn't find out about it.
"Ivory! Are you listening to me? What just happened? Tell me I'm not crazy?"
"Tessa calm down" said Ivory gently "no you're not crazy but I have no idea what happened either. Ivory ran her hands through her hair in distress, "but I'm going to find out."
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