Oooshh can't believe I'm on chapter 7 already! I apologise to those of you that like reading massively long stories with long chapters - I cannot seem to write them! But then again - The WW books are all pretty short…
Anyways Thank-you to everyone that has so far read and/or reviewed..You guys rock :)
Chapter 7
"And then she just disappeared.. Miss Hardbroom turned the piece of paper over and there was nothing there. At first I thought I had imagined the whole thing, but the next day Miss Softbroom appeared. It was like she had walked of the page."
Miss Drill had sat listening to Mildred's story intently, seemingly absorbing every word.
"Do you believe me Miss? I know it sounds mad but honestly that's what happened."
"Yes I do Mildred." Miss Drill answered simply. Mildred's story was bizarre but the situation itself was bizarre and the story was the only plausible explanation on offer.
"But- Miss- pictures don't come to life.. not even in the witch world.." Enid raised her eyebrow and if trying to explain something very simple to a very small child.
"No Enid, I know Mildred's story is implausible, but everything in the witch world is implausible. A picture coming to life is just as unlikely as Miss Hardbroom leaving the school of her own accord. Her resignation letter could have easily have been forged, there was no signature. I have known ever since I met Miss Softbroom that something strange was going on. But if you girls really need proof that your friend is telling the truth I'm sure she can provide it for you?"
"w-what do you mean miss?" Mildred stammered.
"She means draw something else Millie, bring something else to life. That way we can know exactly what we're up against." Maud explained.
"But – but – what if something bad happens?" Mildred hadn't been able to bring herself to draw anything since her detention, too fearful of the consequences.
"Millie, this is important. We need to know what we're up against. We don't know what's happened to HB… but she would never quit! She could be in real trouble! Do it for her, Millie, do it for Miss Hardbroom." Maud urged her best friend.
Mildred bit her lip and accepted the paper that Miss Drill was now offering her. She searched around the room for inspiration. Her eyes rested on the basketball that was sat pride of place on the chair in the corner. It would have to do.
She sketched the ball quickly, trying to gain a true likeness. Within a couple of minutes the ball on the paper looked nearly identical to the one in the room. She drew her initials on the ball.
Everyone in the room had been watching her intently. Mildred gave everyone a shy smile and said "I think…, now we must wait." They all sat in complete silence watching the drawing on the page.
"Millie, this is stup-" Enid started after a few minutes, but stopped mid-sentence as to her great surprise the picture of the ball faded into obscurity.
"That's exactly what happened last time." Mildred explained, a knowing look in her eye. Everyone was staring at the now blank piece of paper gobsmacked. A familiar sound brought their senses back to life. The sound was the sound of Miss Drills fifth year PE lessons, in which none of the girls excelled. It was the sound of a ball being dropped against a hard floor.
The ball had appeared from no-where, from nothingness. It laid across the stone floor of the office looking identical to the one still lying on the chair, with one slight different. It had an 'MH' stitched onto its side. The other girls and the teacher's eyebrows were all stretched upon their foreheads. Mildred looked at them sheepishly.
"Im so so sorry Mil-" Enid apologised, still shocked at being proved wrong.
"Look!" Maud shouted, pointing at the original ball. The girls all followed her gaze, just in time to see the ball fade and then disappear completely.
"Oh my god." Mildred muttered, realising exactly what she had done to her form-tutor. This was bad, this was very bad.
"Well at least now we know exactly what Softbroom is." Miss Drill told the girls weakly. "We need to think of a plan."
The girls had no ideas. This was a type of magic they had never seen or heard about before. It was agreed that they would have to research into the matter. "but be careful girls, Softbroom probably won't go easily. Tell no one and make sure you don't get caught" Miss Drill advised.
"But I don't understand." Mildred whispered to her friends as they travelled along the corridor back to their rooms. "Miss Hardbroom didn't disappear straight away, it wasn't like what happened with the ball!"
"I'm assuming it affects living things a lot slower." Maud theorised. "Its like with spells. It's a lot easier to cast a spell on something which isn't alive like a basketball than it is to cast a spell upon one another. This magic obviously takes a lot longer with people."
"I hope that wherever Miss Hardbroom is, she's ok." Mildred said softly.
xx
