Max and Alex clutched their wands, and everyone's breath caught in their chest as the howls they heard got closer; the sound emanated from a cadre of undead, filling the air with their unholy wails.
"Looks like our friends are back!" Alex's wrist flicked and a fireball hit one of the lumbering former corpses, but it did nothing to slow the monster. The group, however, remained where they stood.
"Alex, my wand's back in the house." Justin swallowed a lump in his throat.
"Let's go!" The black cat turned around and ran toward the town square, and everyone else followed suit, as did the witches and zombies.
"We can't keep running like this!" Harper hiked up the skirt of her dress and sped toward the end of the street. The armed wizards kept shooting magic over their shoulders, but the zombies absorbed the spells like a sponge.
Finally, their rushed steps carried them into town square, and everyone stopped when more undead started coming down the other streets that led into the commons. Winifred and Sarah, cloaks whipping in the wind, soared into view on brooms, and Mary followed on a vacuum cleaner. The eldest Sanderson sister held Justin's wand aloft.
"Now, wizards, we need to talk." Winifred smiled as the witches touched down on the front of an impassable wall of zombies. "We're going to be feeding on all three of thee. With your life force, we can return for good!"
Justin stepped forward, arms out in front of everyone else. "Fine. You can still have me!"
Winifred held up a hand. "Why have one, when we can have one each? There will be no bargaining this time, wizard. Sisters!" All three witches stepped forward, making cups appear out of nowhere; each gave off a sickly green glow. Before Alex and Max could react, Winifred zapped the Russos, freezing them in place.
"No!" Feline Max leapt forward, but Winifred seized him by the throat; Sarah and Mary took the opportunity to retrieve the two wands the witches were missing.
"Ah, Max, finally. I have you where I want you!" Her wicked nails dug into his skin as her grip tightened.
Allison and Dani both ran forward. "No!"
Winifred zapped them as well, dropping them to the cement. "Now, we have no interferences." She tossed the cat against a light post and stopped by Justin. "I'll enjoy taking you. Sisters, your wizards await."
Alex's heart pounded in her chest as Sarah came toward her, but the witch's magic kept her from running. "No..."
The blond witch poured the vile potion down Alex's throat, letting out a musical laugh. The wizard began to glow, and the witch started inhaling what seemed like mist. Alex felt her strength draining, and she took a deep breath in as energy surged through her arm. She knocked her wand from Sarah's grip into her own, and her chest tightened as she raised it. She let out a yell as the tip of her wand exploded, tearing through the undead like scissor through ribbon and knocking everyone else to the ground.
Alex was the first to wake; a look around told her that everyone was still relatively intact. Winifred got to her feet, brushing ash off of her clothes.
"Well, aren't you a clever wizard! You're still under the potion's effect, and you surely couldn't do that again!"
As the witch drew closer, Alex raised her wand, but it only gave a smattering of sparks. Winifred laughed as her hand shot out and grabbed the wizard by the throat, hoisting her into the air.
"You are mine!" The witch began inhaling the same mist Sarah partook of, but her eyes shot open as she caught sight of the horizon. Neither knew how long they'd been out, but the sun poked a sliver of red over the horizon. Winifred started inhaling faster, but it wasn't enough to fight off the rising sun or the last few seconds of the Black Candle's magic. Her skin started to crack and gray as it went from flesh to stone, and Alex felt the rock around her neck.
"NO!"
Everyone else opened their eyes just in time to see Winifred become a statue. Again.
Sarah and Mary scrambled to their feet, but they succumbed to the newly golden light's effects, suffering the same fate as their sister. As soon as the last bit of witch was stone, they all exploded in a shower of sparks and smoke.
Alex dropped to the ground, hand around her neck as she got to her feet. She staggered over to her brothers.
"Problem solved."
Conclusion coming soon!
