Chapter 7

The curtains opened and Amanda smiled when she saw Norman dressed up in his pilgrim costume. She thought her new boyfriend looked really cute in it. She also smiled when she saw Salma and Neil. They were all singing the theme song out of tune and honestly it sounded awful. Salma didn't even put effort into signing the song, she just stood there.

Kids singing horribly: "It must be the season of the witch, yeah, must be the season of the witch"

Person in audience: You suck.

Salma: (sighs) I curse you accusers to die a horrible and gruesome death and rise from your graves as the living dead, your souls doomed to an eternity of damnation.

Alvin and a few other kids were pretending to die and were falling on the ground. Norman was like wth and Amanda started to laugh, she thought this was as funny as rehearsals.

Alvin: (puts hand in air) AHHHHHHH, uhhhh! (puts hand back down)

The audience clapped while the kids got back up and everyone but Salma, Neil, and Norman chanted "Kill the Witch" multiple times. Salma looked really annoyed, as Norman all of a sudden heard an owl. He turned around to find one by the stage lights.

Norman: What?

The kids chanting "Kill the witch" got more slower and distorted to Norman as he started spacing out and the owl flew across the stage on top of Neil's costume. Neil turned to look towards Norman and look confused as he saw Norman staring at him weird.

Neil: What?

The owl then flew right by Norman and the whole stage started to turn into the forest again.

Norman: Oh, no. Not again.

Then right before his eyes, the whole stage was gone and he dropped his pitchfork as Norman realized he was alone in the forest. He then started to hear voices in the distance.

Person: Witch, we know you're out there!

Norman accidentally stepped on a twig and he gasped as it made a noise.

Person: There!

Norman: No!

Person: Witch.

Norman ran away as soon as he saw the people were approaching him. All of a sudden, Norman was trapped as branches blocked his path and some grabbed him. They pulled him up and the tree started to grow a face.

Tree: (In a distorted tone) The dead are coming!

Norman screamed as he heard Neil's voice. The tree's face then turned into Neil's face.

Neil: Hey buddy, are you ok?

Norman screamed again.

Norman: The dead are coming!

The crowd gasped as Norman ran and fell off the front of the stage.

Mrs. Babcock: Norman!

Amanda: Oh my gosh! Mom did you see that?

Mrs. Delgado: Yes, I did! I hope he's ok!

Amanda: Me too, poor Norman.

Norman groaned in pain as people tried to comprehend what he just said.

Mitch: Did he just say the dead are coming?

Mr. Babcock: No, no no!

Norman: Yes! The tree told me!

Amanda: Oh my god…

The crowd gasped again as Neil was shocked and looked away in disappointment and in betrayal as Norman looked back at him. Norman then stared back at the ground in embarrassment and sadness. He couldn't believe he acted like a fool in front of the whole town and in front of his new girlfriend.

Norman: (thinking) I'm so embarrassed. Amanda probably wants to break up with me now after that.

Now Norman, and his parents were driving home and his dad was very upset.

Mr. Babcock: This is where it stops! It's one thing to be a mental case in front of your family! Not the whole freaking town! There's not going to be any more talking to ghosts or grandma's. Or what is it now?

Mrs. Babcock: I think it's trees?

Mr. Babcock: (groans) Ugh, you are grounded, you hear me!

Norman: (sighs) This is ridiculous. I wish everyone could see what I see. I didn't ask to be born this way.

Mr. Babcock: Funny, neither did we. (mumbling) Ahh, these kids…

Norman looked up to his mom in hope. She turned to look at him as well, but he turned away angrily.

Mrs. Babcock: You know, sometimes people say things that seem mean, but they do it because they're afraid.

Norman: (getting out of car) He's my dad, he shouldn't be afraid of me.

Mrs. Babcock: He's not afraid of you, he's afraid for you.

Norman slowly and sadly walked inside his house. When he got inside, he saw his sister, Courtney talking on the phone in the living room.

Courtney: Yeah and I was like what the heck is she wearing. A trash heap? Ha, she's never going to get a boyfriend if she doesn't get her act together. (sees Norman) Hold on, I'll call you back. Hey Norman, how was the lame-o-than play.

Norman: (sighs) Not good.

Courtney: What happened?

Norman explained everything to Courtney.

Courtney: Wow, ok…

Norman: Yeah…I'm going to text my girlfriend. I don't know if she likes me anymore though, because of what happened tonight.

Courtney: Woah, hold up! When the heck, did you get a girlfriend?

Norman: Today, actually.

Courtney: Sucks for her.

Norman: Ugh, she's really nice.

Courtney: She probably is only dating you, because she feels sorry for you.

Norman: She feels bad about me, but that's not why she's dating me. She's dating me because she cares about me and I care about her. We have like a special bond.

Courtney: Whatever you say, freak.

Norman went upstairs to his room and sat on his bed. He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and looked at Amanda's messages. He wanted to text her, but he didn't know what to say. He was also kind of worried that Amanda lost interest in him after tonight and that she was going to break up with him at school tomorrow. Before he could think anything else, his phone chimed.

Amanda: Hey, are you ok? ):

Norman: Not really. ):

Amanda: What happened?

Norman: I don't know. I had a visions about the witch or something.

Amanda: The witch's curse?

Norman: I think so…

Amanda: Wow…

Norman: You probably think I'm crazy now after what happened tonight. It's ok if you want to break up with me. I'm probably just the reason, why you could get bullied for dating me.

Amanda: No, Norman. It's ok, I want to be with you. I don't care what people think. I'm really happy dating you. (:

Norman: Really! That's good. I'm really happy dating you too. (:

Amanda: I have to go study now. If you need anything, text me. (: 3

Norman: Ok, thanks. 3

Before, Amanda started studying, she was looking out her window out in the moonlight sky. She was listening to music with earphones. She was listening to Needed Me- R3hab Remix by Rihanna, Know Better/ Forever Boy by Ariana Grande, Into You- 3LAU Remix by Ariana Grande, Closer by the Chainsmokers, All We Know by the Chainsmokers, and Disturbia by Rihanna. All those songs once again remind her of Norman. Lots of songs remind her of Norman, because she likes him so much. She procrastinated for like 20 minutes listening to those songs and looking out the window. By then it was about 8:00. She started to study for about 2 hours and went to bed at 10.

Friday

It was Friday. The last day of the school week and… the day of the witch's curse…

Everyone was at school by their lockers. Norman was walking down the hallway while lots of the kid were mocking him about what happened at the play last night.

Boy: Look! It' as ab-Norman!

Girl: What did the tree tell you today, Norman?

Amanda saw him and walked up to him.

Amanda: Hey, Norman.

Norman: (sadly) Hey, Amanda…

Amanda: Just ignore them…Hey! All of you! Shut up! Leave Norman alone!

Boy: Ohhh, new girl? What are you going to do about it?

Amanda: Just stop bullying him, ok? It's not cool.

Norman then walked into the bathroom and sat inside a stall.

Amanda: God, what the hell is wrong with all of you? I think Norman's ability to talk to the dead is amazing! You guys are just a bunch of assholes that have nothing better to do in your own lame lives! Again, LEAVE MY BOYFRIEND ALONE!

Everyone gasped as they found out they were dating.

Girl: EWWW, gag me with a spoon!

Boy: Why are you dating that freak?

Amanda: I care about him unlike you bitches! I'm done here!

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Norman was sitting in the stall looking sad. All of a sudden, he saw toilet paper move on its own and he felt someone's presence coming. Then the metal tube that the toilet paper was held starting to shake and it came off and hit the stall wall. The toilet paper went all over the floor. Then, the tiles on the wall started to move as well and the toilet that Norman was sitting on started to move around abruptly. Even the walls caved in for a few seconds.

Norman: WOAH! WOAH! (coughs) AHHHH! (screams)

Norman screamed again as he climbed on to the top of the toilet. Then all the movement stopped. The toilet seat then started to creak as it opened up and Norman gasped. When the seat fully opened, Norman saw Mr. Prenderghast's face smooshed into the toilet bowl.

Norman: You… you died?

Mr. Prenderghast: (getting out of toilet) Yeah, but I've got some unfinished business here.

Norman: (groans) Ugh, couldn't you have used another stall?

Mr. Prenderghast: My ghost isn't going anywhere until I pass on my duty to another. (laughs) And that would be you.

Norman: Me?! No, no no. You must have it wrong.

Mr. Prenderghast: Oh, it's you alright! I've been holding back the witch's curse for years. But now I'm dead. It has to be you…

Norman: But I… I don't know what any of it means.

Mr. Prenderghast: It means the past is coming back to haunt you!

Before Norman's eyes, the bathroom turned into the forest again. Norman looked around scare and confused.

Mr. Prenderghast: Time is running out! The anniversary of the witch's death is tonight! The ghost is going to wake up! And when she does, she'll raise the dead! You've got to keep her in her grave.

Norman: But, I'm just a kid! How am I supposed to stop it?

The forest vanished away and they were back in the bathroom.

Mr. Prenderghast: Read from the book, at the spot the witch was buried.

Norman: What…what book?

Mr. Prenderghast: The one in my hands.

Norman looked at Mr. Prenderghast's hands, but the book wasn't there.

Mr. Prenderghast: Not these hands! My other hands… the me that's at home in my studies starting to smell a little funny. Get the book and read from it, before the sun sets…tonight.

Norman: But…but this is crazy!

Mr. Prenderghast: Do I look crazy to you?

There was some toilet paper on his face and he blew it out of face. He then flew up into Norman's face.

Mr. Prenderghast: Tell me you'll do this?

Norman: I…I.

Mr. Prenderghast: SWEAR!

Norman: You…you mean like the "F" word?

Mr. Prenderghast: I MEAN PROMISE!

Norman: Ok, ok. I…I promise.

Mr. Prenderghast: …That'll do.

Norman: No! Mr. Prenderghast, wait!

Mr. Prenderghast: Sorry kid, I'm done her. I'm free! I'm finally free!

Mr. Prenderghast then started to disappear.

Norman: No, you can't leave now!

Mr. Prenderghast: (laughing) Hahaha.

Norman: Please, I don't understand.

Mr. Prenderghast laughed and disappeared in a flash. The mirrors broke and the stall door broke off and flung into a urinal. Norman ran out of the bathroom and into the hallway. He ran past Neil, Salma, and Amanda who were all talking to each other.

Neil: Norman?

Amanda: Norman? Wait! Bye Salma! Bye Neil!

Neil and Salma: Bye!

Neil: I wonder what's up with Norman?

Salma: Yeah, I can't believe there dating now.

Neil: I know right.

Norman ran outside and ran away from the school. Amanda caught up with him.

Norman: Amanda! Why'd you come? You knew you should have stayed.

Amanda: I tried to warn you just to stay away. Oh my gosh, I love that song Heathens by Twenty One Pilots! Anyways, what's wrong? Why do you look so stressed out? By the way love that song by Twenty One pilots also. (laughs)

Norman: My uncle Mr. Prenderghast's spirit showed up and he said I have to stop the witch's curse tonight and I have no idea how to do it! I have to get this book at his house and read it at the spot the witch was buried.

Amanda: Oh my god…I'm going with you.
Norman: No, I think I should do this on my own. I don't want you to get hurt.

Amanda: Are you sure? Norman, you don't have to do everything on your own. I can help you, I'm your girlfriend.

Norman: (sighs) Ok. Let's go…