Girls Who Don't Wear Pointy Shoes
---
Chapter One: The Traveller
"The first time I'd learned about witches the Spook told me never to trust a girl with pointy shoes. I would have believed that if I never met Alice Deane. Despite the Spooks convictions, I can honestly say I would trust at least one girl with pointy shoes. "
Tom was becoming a better Spook by the day, his training paying off in so many ways, but recently despite his accomplishments he had hit a rut. Of course it was not the usual I don't feel like training today; why am i doing this? Kind of rut a teenager gets every now and then. Admit it you've had that one lazy day or week of the month where you just did not want to do anything, well this wasn't one of them. Tom the apprentice was in a world filled with depression caused by the one thing he feared for the time he was training as a Spook:
Losing Alice.
Not to say she died, now that would be devastating to him. The Spook just could not take the chance that she was a witch prone to darkness or perhaps the daughter of the Fiend, and so instead of confining her to a pit he sent her away. She went back to Pendle where she belongs, if that's how you want to see it. It seemed that no girl with pointy shoes, or a woman or girl in general would be trusted by the Spook, ever.
Perhaps the Spook had not realized that, it wasn't just girls who wore pointy shoes that were not trust worthy. If you could get that through to his head I commend you.
It was a stormy evening, and a little figure wrapped in a cloak walked past the Spooks house in Chipenden. With them they carried what looked like a staff, a bag slung across the back and tied to their body, and a trunk being dragged through the mud behind them. It certainly was out of the ordinary, at least it was in Tom's mind as he watched from the window taking a break from his studies, but people travelled in carts or walked over to visit a neighbour all the time, and the event of watching a traveller walk by was soon forgotten at the prospect of food.
"Well this was a wonderful meal," Tom said complimenting the chef as he finished eating the burnt piece of what was supposed to be meat.
"Aye, it certainly was a wonderful meal indeed," agreed the Spook somewhat pleased to hear the purring coming from the ginger cat the boggart sometimes took the form of.
The atmosphere of the room hadn't changed from the day Alice was forced to go. The Spook and his apprentice managed to stay on relatively good terms when they were in the same room; so long as they never talked casually about anything regarding feelings or whether one or the other was alright. Unlike before, anything regarding Alice, a witch, or mentions of never trusting girls with pointy shoes could have set Tom off. The Spook on the other hand stuck to his convictions during an argument. To put it simply their arguments usually meant someone was driving into a brick wall repeatedly.
Tom would continue his studies late into the night before both he and the Spook turned in for the night.
---
The next morning, the studies would continue after breakfast. Tom worked hard at looping his silver chain around the tree stump in the Spooks garden, with the Spook watching. The old man was about to give Tom more to practice until the sound of the bell alerted them to someone seeking help. The Spook told Tom to continue practicing while he went to see what the person wanted. Tom didn't really care, at least it would give him time to get rid of the image he had of catching Alice in the silver chain. Something that would prove a little more difficult for him than it sounded. Why would he ever really need to do that to someone he really cared about? His mind then turned to the fact that his mother was making her way home for a visit, and that settled his mind for the time being.
In the meanwhile the Spook made his way down the path towards the rope and bell in the gigantic willow tree. It did not take long for him to realize this was a local from the town with an all too familiar expression to many people who came to him for help, distressed. He looked like he was relatively well off, a little scruffy with the puffy moustache, and balding head. Behind him was a horse, pure bred, and hardly looked like it ever left the fields unless the man needed to travel out of town.
"Apologies for disturbing you," said the local. "But we are in need of your help."
That was as clear as rain, otherwise the man would not be standing there ringing the bell. The Spook finally replied. "What is it you need help with," he said rather impatiently. After the Fiend was released, he did not want to leave his apprentice alone for too long. After all, one never knows what gets into a fourteen-year-olds head.
"W-well," began the local. "My sons' wife and children have been watching their neighbour for some time, out in the fields a good ways away from too hard to watch seeing as the house is just down the ways from their own home in Downham. Nosey folks, they are, but they mean well! Saw a stranger didn' look like anyone from aroun' the county and such. An' as soon as they showed up both sons 'ave been seeing strange things. Attempting to go down to the house, claiming they saw a woman flying through the air commanding ghosts! Some days they'd even see people come out of the house, but no one ever walking in!" It seemed that in his desparation for help the man formal sounding speech changed to that of a farmer.
The story sounded ridiculous, but the Spook had a lot to consider. For one thing children tend to make up stories about people that they are scared of, or if they've been told to be just a teensey bit wary of people who just a little out of the ordinar. However, seeing the desparation that came from the local the Spook agreed.
"Alright," he said. "We will investigate, if what you are saying holds true we will put an end to any possible troubles."
The local couldn't have been more happy, "Oh THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" he said. "And yes you will be paid, regardless! The house is outside of Downham to the Northeast in the woods far from Pendle Hill. Only one there as far as I know." He turned getting onto his horse to race to his sons home.
The old Spook sighed and made his way back to the garden wondering what he ment by 'regardless'. Tom watched his master return from his short meeting with the local. His curiosity now piqued thanks to the irritated expression plastered on his face. "Come along, lad," he said. "We got some work to do."
The boy picked up his chain and followed to get ready to leave. It wasn't long before the two were on a familiar path to a familiar and not so memorable place. Tom remembered this path towards Pendle. This time seemed to be different. According to the Spooks explanation to his apprentice, they were going to deal with a witch who seemed to be controling a lot more than what most witches could, and certainly sounded malevolent. Perhaps there was more than one in this case just like before. Considering where they were going Tom thought about going, and wanted to visit Alice so badly. The Spook looked at him. "I wouldn't think about going to visit the girl," he said sensing his need. "I know you miss her, lad, but you must let her go. Better that way."
Tom knew he was right, but the commentary made his blood boil. Alice was a good person! In all her time with them she was trying to protect him! If it weren't for the influence of the Spook she could still do that. All that time thinking about his mam's return was wasted on pure anger towards the Spook, but on his better judgement he chose not to say anything.
On thier way there was a familiar person on the road. The day before Tom saw a traveller walking past theSpooks house dragging a fairly large trunk and carrying something that looked like a staff. The cloak still draped about them they were getting ready to start walking again. Both were wary of them. When the hood fell back it revealed a beautiful feminine face with short light brown hair. They were seventh sons of seventh sons they should have felt something cold upon approaching the person, but nothing. Either they were very good at hiding who they really were, or this person simply was a traveller. It seemed that they were standing on the trunk hopping up onto a tree branch reaching for the sack that seemed to be stuck in the tree. Watching it drop to the ground, the person cursed.
"For crying out loud—" it was a girl? Well that explained the feminine face. Just that it did not explain the way she dressed and how she looked. Falling out of the tree she got herself up and plucked the satchel off the ground, and tying it to her torso.
The Spook and his apprentice watched dumbfounded. She looked nothing like the local girls or like a witch. Lucky for her she did not wear pointy shoes, but that did not mean the two males would let thier defenses down. Strange though, she was wearing boots much like thiers but suited for more feminine legs and reached her knees. As they approached. The girl grabbed the walking stick she was using the night before and grabbed a trunk handle and started dragging it behind her again pulling up the hood. As they caught up they could see the outline of a female body, or at least one that was relatively young.
Taking her time she hadn't noticed thier approach until they were right beside her. She jumped, dropping the end of the trunk she was carrying, and held out the walking stick in defense. "Away with you! I know how to use this thing!" she said warning them. Obviously she wasn't a witch, she would have sniffed them out and made a run for it. No, this one was a little woman with a nasty case of paranoia. Holding his hands up the Spook just looked at her.
"Settle down lass- we mean you no harm," he said in thier defense.
"A likely story," she snapped back her bright blue eyes shining with skepticsm. "How do I know you're not here to steal from me?" The stick was still up in an offensive position just in case. Not much she could do when all her belongings were in a relatively large trunk, and she guessed by the suspicious pair's nature they'd been watching her for some time.
Seeing as she wasn't going to back down Tom piped up. Normally, he'd stand back and let the Spook deal with her, but his record with women did not have the greatest score ever. "We're just passing through here," he explained both of his hands up as well.
Staring at them for a moment, she finally said, "Then why would you two be walking around here? Don't think I didn't notice you watching?"
Tom shook his head, taking the chance to explain things. "We're just on our way Northeast of Downham, is all," he said. "Got a job to do up there. "
"I see..." She said lowering the walking stick. "It seems I'm headed up that way as well. We can travel together if you like."
Her offer was tempting, but the Spook was about to decline only to have his apprentice cut him off. "We'd be happy to," he said on impulse. Old Gregory stared at Tom, did he not learn anything from his last encounter with strange women?
While she was preoccupied with fixing her cloak up the Spook took the opportunity to tell his apprentice off. "Have you gone mad, lad?"
Thier green eyes were locked in a fixed gaze. "Gut feeling says that she's the one who owns the house we're going to," said Tom about ready to bite off the Spooks head if he objected. "and if she is a witch then we can go ahead and deal with her if we need to."
The Spook was surprised, it seemed the boy was thinking with his head, and his gut. "Very well then," he said looking back at the girl who was just watching them. Honestly, Tom was lying, he really trusted this person for some reason. It didn't feel like a spell was being cast over him. It was just a feeling similar to one he had with his mam, comforting.
Grabbing her trunk she pulled it along behind her, as they set off again. Looking at them she realized she was being compeletely rude. "Oh I forgot to introduce myself," she said holding out her hand for them to shake, smiling. "The name's Evelyn Hallow, but you can call me Eve." She thought it might as well be a good idea to bond and get a feel for these people. She was moving into the general area after all.
Tom accepted the handshake with no hesitation. He had no ill feeling about her, even the handshake was friendly enough. "Tom Ward," he said. "This is my master John Gregory." The Spook nodded to her.
Eve didn't seem have a clue as to who or what they were, and she really didn't care – unless they try to kill her.
---
Authors Note:
Yeah I know confusing, and a teensy bit rushed, but I will slow down in the chapters to come. I've edited it the best I can, but you know not everyone is perfect.
Evelyn (Eve) Hallow is my character. Do NOT use her in anything you write without my permission and credit. I've had her in many of my notebooks, as a "dummy character" when I write my own work and have no female names. However, she does have her own personality thanks to creative writing workshops I take at school and now I am simply implementing her in this the world Joseph Delaney - aka J.K. Haderak- has created to work with the characters of this world in with the events that come from my own imagination. She certainly does not belong to Delaney/Haderak ; nor will she appear in any of The Wardstone Chronicles (The Spooks Apprentice (UK); The Last Apprentice (NA)) as far as I know. Also... Why is The Wardstone Chronicles being called Last Apprentice Series?