Where in the World is Willard Kraft? Part 16
Ê Ê Salem padded into Sabrina's room and hopped up onto her bed. "This is purrfect!" the cat thought as he stretched out a paw and flicked Sabrina's TV on.Ê"Sabrina's gone and her TV's all mine. Now I can watch the next showing of 'The Vice Principal Ax-Murder' in peace."ÊJust then Willard bit Salem's ear, reminding the cat of his presence and of his objections to Salem's choice of tv shows.
Ê Ê "Stupid flea," the cat grumbled as the show began.
Ê Ê "Tonight on the Witches' Entertainment Channel, we will present the story of Zelda Spellman, the vice principal ax-murderer,"Êthe announcer said as the show flashed a picture of Zelda at eight presenting the abacus to a rather unappreciative crowd and to Hilda who proceeded to make fun of her sister. "Zelda Spellman was the second of four children and was always considered something of an outsider."
Ê Ê "Yes, Zelda was always a strange child.ÊShe thought she was so much smarter than everyone else," Cousin Racine said as she appeared on camera. "She always tried to make everyone feel inferior just because they weren't as educated as her.
Ê Ê "Someone without half their teeth is calling my girlfriend strange?"ÊWillard grumbled as he watched the show from Salem's ear.ÊHe couldn't believe that a network was airing this trash about Zelda.ÊAnyone who knew his Zuzu would know what a perfect angel she was.
Ê Ê "Obsessive was a word that schoolmates used most frequently to describe the young Spellman.Ê By the age of eight, her interest in science had already became apparent.ÊOver the next few years, her obsession grew as she pursued astronomy and mathematics.ÊBy the time she reached adolescence, it was obvious that she had serious troubles,"Êthe announcer said as a picture of Zelda with Hilda in an awful yellow dress flashed on the screen. "Almira Firestone, a schoolmate of Ms. Spellman's, has this to say about her."
Ê Ê "Zelda was always a strange girl," Almira said as she appeared on the screen.ÊShe was an odd-looking witch with limp red hair and a large wart on her nose.Ê"She was always different from the other children.Ê She never played with us. She always sat alone at lunch reading a book.Ê At recess, she wouldn't play sports with the rest of us. Her mother finally had to use a magical medal to get her involved in sports like a normal girl. All Zelda ever cared about was science.Ê It was an obsession.Ê I always expected that she would do something like this one day."
Ê Ê "At eighteen, Zelda went to the prestigious Other Realm University on a full scholarship.Ê While her academic record was spotless, socially Ms. Spellman was extremely troubled.Ê Professor Phillip Engbert has this to say about her."
Ê Ê "I had Zelda for physics her freshman year,"Êthe elderly witch said as he appeared on the screen.Ê"She was a very gifted student but she always seemed to be such an isolated girl.ÊShe never made friends with the other students in the class.ÊI would see her walking alone on the campus.Ê She always sat alone in the cafeteria. I don't think that the girl had a single friend during her entire time at ORU.ÊAll she cared about was her science.ÊShe was extremely obsessive."
Ê Ê "Zelda lived in the dorm room across the hall from me for the four years we were at ORU," another witch named Anastasia Perkins said.Ê"Everyone always considered her very odd.Ê She never wanted to have anything to do with the other girls on our hall.Ê She never took part in any of the activities that were organized in the dorm.Ê Other girls always had a problem staying with her.Ê She went through eight or nine roommates during the time she was at ORU.Ê The only person that managed to last an entire semester in the same room with her was her younger sister, Hilda, who attended school there for a semester.Ê They finally ended up giving her a private room because no one wanted to deal with her anymore.Ê I'm not surprised that Zelda did something like this.Ê She was always a disturbed girl."
Ê Ê "In her life after college, Zelda bounced from job to job seemingly without direction.Ê Her personal life was also troubled.Ê She dated several men over the next few hundred years."
Ê Ê "I'm just glad that I got out of the relationship alive," Merlin said as he appeared on screen.Ê "Some other men weren't so lucky.ÊThere was that music guy and now this mess with the vice principal.ÊZelda's a seriously disturbed woman."
Ê Ê "The music guy that Merlin mentioned was one Benvolio who was married to Zelda for three days in Italy during the Renaissance.ÊShortly after the two separated, Benvolio died under mysterious circumstances.Ê While Zelda was never accused of anything connected to his death, many were suspicious of the circumstances."
Ê Ê A picture of Zelda in flapper garb flashed on the screen. Her dress was black and extremely low cut as well as short showing off her shapely legs.Ê"What's the big deal about Zuzu having a bad marriage?Ê At least she got out of it quicker than I did,"ÊWillard grumbled.ÊHow could these people be saying these awful things about Zelda?
Ê Ê "I knew that that woman was bad news," Willard's ex-wife Lucy said as she appeared on the screen.Ê"I tried to get Willard away from her but he just wouldn't listen to me.ÊThat woman was a horrible temptress!Ê If Willard had stayed with me, he would still be alive."
Ê Ê "Nooooooo!!!!"Ê Willard cried as he saw Lucy.Ê How could anyone believe a single word from that awful woman?
Ê Ê "Now Zelda Spellman stands accused of the murder of Willard Kraft.Ê We offer this recreation of the murder for our viewing audiences,"Ê the announcer said as a blonde woman that Salem assumed was supposed to be Zelda and a pathetic looking guy that was probably supposed to be Willard appeared.Ê As Willard and Salem watched. the woman stalked the man with an ax in her hand.Ê Finally she trapped him in a corner.Ê She raised the ax and the picture faded away as blood splashed on the screen.
Ê Ê "While Ms. Spellman is free on bail for the moment, she now faces a death sentence."
Ê Ê "Death sentence?Ê Massachusetts isn't a death penalty state!"Ê Willard cried.
Ê Ê "It isn't the state that's going to give her the death penalty.Ê If Zelda's found guilty of your murder, the Witches' Council will strip her of her magic permanently and make her a mortal.Ê It will be a true death sentence for her," Salem said.
Ê Ê "This is the end of the story for now, but we will continue to offer updates as this story continues to develop," the announcer said as the show ended.