Chapter 14
Merry Early Christmas/ Happy Holidays, everyone! I thought I'd update this story before the holidays, so here ya go!
See ya at the bottom!
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The next day, the air was thick between the two lovers, who'd reconciled, and Robbie, who still resented the Latina. This meant the next 6 hours stuck in a car was filled with awkward silence and the occasional glare from the rear view mirror.
They finally got to their dad's last known location: an abandoned house that was known for being haunted by a malevolent spirit. Jade stopped the car at the curb, and she and Robbie got out. Tori started to follow, but Jade shook her head.
"It's too dangerous for you here. You don't know this like Robbie and I." She said, kissing her head and closing her door. They got their shotguns out of the trunk, along with plenty of rock salt ammo, and a few other supplies before shutting the door.
Jade came around and circled the car, drawing a salt-line around it. She knocked on Tori's window, mindful of the circle.
"Stay in the car. You should be safe. If anything happens, here," she handed Tori a spare shotgun. "It's simple. Just point and shoot. What's paranormal will disappear long enough for you to get out of range, and what's normal will hurt like hell from the rock salt." She chuckled.
Tori frowned. "Just. Be careful. I want Kiera to be able to meet her other mother, and not go to her funeral." She pecked Jade on the lips, and loaded the gun.
"Always am. I'll see you soon." Jade followed her brother, who was headed up the driveway. They saw their father's black truck parked under the car roof, and walked a little faster. The two of them found an opening they assumed he had cut into the screen door in the back, and went inside.
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The house was a mess, filled with dust, and furniture that was covered in white sheets. The furniture looked to have been strewn around in some sort of struggle, if the scuff marks on the floor said anything.
They looked around for any clues. The mantle seemed to be dust free around a picture of a group of women, all with big smiles on their faces. Jade studied the faces, leaning in closer.
The sound of a body hitting the floor made we whirl around, gun at the ready.
Robbie dusted himself off, moving a foot stool aside and grinning sheepishly. She scoffed and shook her head.
"You think he's okay?" He asked as they surveyed the room.
Jade readied her shotgun. "Yeah. You know he's one tough son of a bi-"
A loud thud interrupted her, coming from the basement. The two rushed down, mentally preparing themselves for what's to come.
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When they got to the basement door, they crept down silently, trying not to make the old boards squeak.
As they neared the floor, they heard the sound of chanting, and smelled incense being burned.
Jade got down first, and crouched low, sticking to the shadows. Robbie followed her lead, and the two rounded the corner.
Their father was tied up in a chair, an angry red knot on his temple, half conscious. Around him, a coven of witches chanted lowly, a fire roaring behind them.
"I think I recognize these chants." Robbie whispered, bringing out their father's journal.
"It's Latin. Dad talked about these people in here. They're a coven of witches that was burned at the stake back during the Salem Witch Trials. They're chanting a spell to swap life forces with dad."
Jade furrowed her brows, confused. "Swap life forces? You mean-"
"We'll be alive while he takes our place." One appeared behind them, and everything went black.
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Tori sat in the car, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Jade and Robbie had been gone for quite some time, and Tori was getting worried.
She was just about to call her when the shutters on the house began to bang on their own.
Tori was terrified. She thought about calling her, or the police, but quickly dismissed the thought.
If she called Jade, she could be in a compromising situation, and Tori could blow her cover.
If she called the police, Jade and Robbie would have to figure out how to explain trespassing with illegally obtained weapons.
The shutters stopped suddenly, and Tori took a deep breath, gathering her courage.
She loaded her shotgun, and headed inside.
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Jade awoke to a sharp pain in the back of her head. She tried to rub it, but realized her hands were tied together. She reached for the tiny pocket knife she kept hidden in her belt, and looked around as she began to cut her rope.
Robbie, who was tied up next to her, woke next.
"Terrific plan of attack, geniuses." Their father, who was tied to both of them, said sarcastically.
"You know, if you called every once in a while, we wouldn't be in this mess." Jade snapped back.
Jonathan growled, and was about to respond, only to be slapped by one of the witches.
"Enough! The time has almost come. Beatrice, cover their mouths." The head witch spoke, snapping her fingers.
A smaller witch appeared from the shadows, gagging them all with white cloth.
The circle of witches appeared behind them, and Beatrice and the head witch walked over to them, where a cauldron was bubbling over the fire.
They began to add ingredients, seemingly out of nowhere.
As they stirred, they chanted in Latin. Jade looked over to Robbie, to judge his face for what they were saying.
His face was ghostly pale, and he shook his head.
Jade began to cut the ropes more quickly.
She'd almost cut through them when the witches turned back to the trio.
"The ceremony calls for a blood sacrifice, first." The head witch explained, touching Robbie's shoulder.
"We were going to use an animal, but now that you're here, the blood will be stronger." She gave an evil smile, pulling a jeweled dagger from the folds of her dress, and walked over to Jade, placing the blade in her pulse point.
Jade desperately struggled against the ropes, dropping her pocket knife in the process.
She gave up, and closed her eyes, thinking of Tori in her final moments.
But the blade clattered to the floor, following the sound of a shotgun blast.
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Tori stood in the doorway, a smoking gun in her hands. The other witches turned to her, and she cocked it once more, firing into the circle. They shrieked and disappeared in a large puff of smoke.
Jade popped the ropes off with a final tug, and stood to catch Tori, who rushed over to hug her.
"Are you okay?" The asked each other at the same time, then pulled back, chuckling slightly.
"I'm okay, love. Thanks to you." Jade said softly, tucking the Latina's hair behind her ear.
"I am, too. You were gone for so long, and the shutters started banging, I got worried." She kissed her hand.
Robbie grunted, snapping the two out of their bubble. They untied Robbie and Jonathan, who removed their own gags.
"They're not just trying to come back into the world. They're trying to get revenge on the descendants of the people who burned them." Robbie explained, grabbing his gear from the table.
"We need to find what's tying them to this world and destroy it." Jade finished, loading her shotgun.
"What do I need to do?" Tori asked.
Jade turned to her. "I need you to watch dad. I think he has a concussion, and I don't need him falling asleep. Get the salt, and take this." She handed her a knife.
"Carve a circle into the ground, and pour the salt into it. If they try to blow it away, it'll get stuck in the circle."
Tori nodded, and helped the groggy man to his feet. The three of them headed up to the living room, an eerie silence accompanying them.
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Tori got situated in the corner, her gun at the ready. Aside from protecting Jonathan, she also provided cover for Robbie and Jade as they took the painting down.
One of the witches appeared to Jade's right, and Tori shot immediately, rock salt bouncing off of Jade's leather jacket.
"Careful." She said, grinning. She and Robbie began to douse the painting in gas mixed with holy water, and two more appeared to Robbie's left.
Tori fired once, catching both. Robbie nodded his thanks, and lit a match, lighting the painting on fire.
The coven appeared around Robbie and Jade, slowly burning to ash.
In a few moments, it was over, and Tori brought out Jonathan, who was complaining of a headache.
"Come on, guys. Let's head to a hotel." Jade said, throwing an arm around Tori and leading the way to the car.
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Alright! Good to see you all! Special shoutout to jenmar14. You've always stuck by the story, and made sure I updated!
See ya next chapter! Happy Holidays!