Chapter 17 - The Final Battle
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"Hurry! Hurry!" Binx yelled as he headed for the gates of the graveyard.
"Max!" Dani whined in fear as she gripped tightly onto her brother's arm.
"Go, go, go,go,go!" Max said as he hurried in and closed the gate.
"Come on! Let's get a move on!" Binx yelled.
Yes, the sooner we can sacrifice them to our queens the better.
Shut up! Why can you even come to me here? It's hollow ground!
Oh, foolish, naive, little Thackery Binx … .. ... We are not witches, just the products of them. Their rules do not apply to us.
I wish they did … … ...
Max ran to the middle of the graveyard, bumping into someone along the way. "Ooooof!" He fell to the ground as his eyes met with Billy's.
Allison and Dani stopped running.
"Max!" Dani yelled in fear before running over.
"No! Wait, Dani!" Binx pleaded. I can't bear to lose any of you …
But we can! Feast! Feast upon his brain Billy! Kill him! Actually be of use to our queens for once in your undead life!
As Max was cornered against the fence, he took out pocket knife trying to fend Billy away. "Run, Dani, run!"
She grabbed Allison's hand and ran off, as Max pointed the knife at Billy again.
"Billy!" Winifred called excitedly from the other side of the gate.
Billy grabbed Max, holding him against his chest as he struggled.
"Billy, listen to me!" Winifred continued. "Kill him if you must! Just bring me that child, that Dani!"
I was woken up to catch these kids and I couldn't even catch one break tonight … I'm done with this! They haven't even done anything wrong as far as I can tell ….. This must end now!
"And put some wiggle in it, you putrid, festering, sore!" She sneered.
Billy managed to grab the pocket knife from Max's hand and started cutting the stitches off his mouth.
"Don't dawdle! Come along now!" Winifred urged.
Billy coughed up dust and a few moths.
"Come along now! Kill him! Do it now!" Winifred sneered from above.
"Wench!" Billy said.
Winifred gasped.
"Trollop! You buck toothed, mop riding, firefly from hell!" Billy continued.
Winifred screeched.
Billy turned to Max, "I've waited centuries to say that."
Max pulled away slightly. "Oh say what you want, just don't breathe on me."
"Billy!" Winifred yelled again. "I killed you once, I shall kill you again, you maggoty malfeasance!"
Not intimidated in the slightest, Billy grabbed Max's arm gently and started leading him to the others.
"Hang on to your heads!" Winifred warned before floating upwards, above the graveyard.
Binx, Allison, and Dani sat near a gravestone waiting for Max, both holding baseball bats for protection. As soon as they saw him with Billy, they went into pull panic mode.
"Max, run!" Dani pleaded.
"Come on move!" Allison said, bat raised high in the air and pushing Max away. "Move out of the way!"
Max put his hands out to stop her. "W … wait, wait, no! No! No ….. He's a good zombie."
Dani threw her bat down to the ground and eyed the zombie, unsure of what to think.
He has betrayed our queens! He must die! … … Again … ….. ….
"Come on." Max put his hand gently behind Allison's back. "Come on, we'll have to hold them off until dawn! It's our only hope …."
Feeling a bit more sure, Dani went over to the zombie. "Hi Billy."
Max took off his sweatshirt and set down a bag of supplies from the car. He pulled out the canister of salt and handed it to Allison.
You fools, our queens are too smart for your pity, pathetic, plans!
Billy lead Dani over to his grave, holding her shoulders tightly in comfort. "You'll be safe in here."
"Thank you." She said.
"You okay, Dani?" Max asked.
"Yeah, fine." She said gently.
"All right then." Billy said, gently lowering her into his grave. "In we go. There."
Max practiced his swings with the bat, while Allison drew a circle of salt around Dani.
They are here! Do not utter a word Thackery Binx ….. We must catch them by surprise.
Binx looked up. "Here they come! Billy guard Dani! Max, Allison, spread out!"
Ugh! You vile feline vessel, why do we even bother anymore? You are far from hope!
Winifred floated a few feet above Max. "For the last time, prepare to meet thy doom!"
Max swung at Winifred, just barely missing.
Winifred laughed. "You little pest! I've had enough of you!" During Max's next swing, Winifred gripped the bat tightly, her claw like nails digging deep into the wood. She made a grab for Max, pushing him to the ground.
Allison ran head on towards Sarah, She got a handful of salt and threw it at her, causing Sarah to scream and steer away.
Winifred stared Dani down from inside the grave. She gathered her magic and shot down a tree branch in a bolt of green electricity. Dani screamed as she ducked down deeper into the hole. "Billy!"
"Go to hell!" He yelled at Winifred.
"Oh, I've been there, thank you." Winifred replied. "I found it quite lovely."
Have you ever been to hell?
No … ... Well perhaps a few of us have such as Facilier and Frollo but … … Shall we once we help serve our queens?
No! You can go by thineselves foul beasts!
Winifred flew closer. Billy was prepared to fight Winifred and protect Dani at all costs …. That is until Winifred swooped down and knocked his head clean off.
Billy fell to the ground as his head rolled away.
"Oh no!" Dani gasped. "Billy!"
As he crawled around looking for his head, Dani panicked. He helped me, I have to help him!
Dani hoisted herself out of the grave and went to retrieve Billy's head. She grabbed it and went back to his body. "Billy … ... I think you … ... Dropped this … ..."
Max and Allison hurried back to Billy's grave to check on Dani.
"Oh God." Allison breathed out.
Winifred noticed Dani was out of the grave and lunged for her.
"Max!" Dani screamed as Winifred swooped down and grabbed her.
"Dani!" Max yelled, running after her.
"Bye bye big brother!" Winifred teased, holding on tighter to Dani.
"All right you little trollimog!" Winifred said to Dani as she pulled out a vial of potion, the last she was able to gather from the spilled cauldron. Dani screamed.
It is time Thackery Binx ….. ….. ….
No, no, no! I can't deal with this again! I … … I … .. Binx felt the villains taking over him again.N o , I h fi gh t t hi s … for her ...
"Hold on, Dani!" Binx yelled. He let out a hiss and bolted up the detached tree branch.
"This'll teach you to call people ugly." Winifred snapped as Dani tried to squirm away. "Open your mouth! Open your mouth I say!"
No! You have another chance Thackery Binx! Do not blow this one!
Binx hissed before pouncing off the top of the tree onto Winifred's back and knocking the potion out of her hands. "Confound you!" She screeched.
Max quickly sprang into action and grabbed the vial before it could hit the ground. Winifred threw Binx off her back, onto the ground below.
Binx hit a rock and laid there. Ugh my ribs … ... Am … ... Am I dying again? Ugh no … .. not now ….. Binx used as much of his strength as he could to stagger up and turn to face the action.
"Give me that vial!" Winifred yelled.
"Put her down or I'll smash it!" Max yelled
Winifred tightened her grip. "Smash it and she dies!"
Max hesitated.
"Max!" Allison gasped, running towards him.
"No!" Billy restrained her, hoping to be able to keep at least one of them safe.
Max made up his mind and chugged the vial.
"Max, no!" Dani cried.
Max threw the vial behind him. "Now you have no choice! You have to take me . .. ..."
Winifred floated down to his eye level. "What a fool to give up thy life … ... For thy sister's!" She pushed Dani to the ground and picked up Max by his shirt collar.
If only I could have done the same ….
"Max!" Dani yelled as Winifred floated into the air with her brother.
"Dani!" Allison and Billy ran over to help her up.
"Allison! Billy!" She looked back at the sky. "Put him down!"
"Boy!" Sarah giggled.
"Max!" Dani called again.
Max felt his whole body become cold, and wobbly. It was as if he didn't have a corporal form anymore, yet, he used his strength to push Winifred away from him and pull down on the broom.
"Ahh! Hallowed ground! Hallowed ground!" Winifred yelled. "Sisters!"
"Winnie, I'm coming!" Mary called, floating on her vacuum over to her. The cord dragged on the ground below her, allowing Dani, Allison, and Billy to grab it.
"Pull! Harder!" Dani said. "Harder!"
"I'm going to teach you a lesson you will never forget!" Winifred said as she grabbed onto Max's hair.
Max … .. no … .. ..
"Sarah!" Mary yelled, unable to get free from their grip.
Sarah reached out her hand to Mary, trying to help her onto her broom. "Come on! Come and get me!"
Over the horizon the sun started to rise in a deep orange haze.
"Let go …. .. Now!" Allison said.
The three let go, flinging to two sisters into the air. While Winifred was distracted by this, Max managed to knock both him and her off the broom onto the ground below. Once she had herself together, Winifred crawled over to Max and grabbed him. She started to suck out his life essence, deeply inhaling. Under her feet the hallowed ground took effect, burning her.
The sun rose higher and Winifred grew concerned. Her feet turned to stone and soon her body did as well while she uttered her last word, "Boooooook!"
Max broke out of the statue's grasp and fell onto the ground.
"Winnie! Good bye … .." Sarah said as the sun rose fully. Purple beams flashed against her body before she faded into dust.
"Uh oh … ... Err … ... Bye bye." Mary said before turning into beams of red and turning to dust.
Then Winifred's statue followed suit, exploding into green dust.
Binx meowed weakly before resting his head on a pile of leaves.
We hate you Thackery Binx …. Suffer ….We will return ….
Emily … .. Dani … … Max … .. Allison … .. Craig .. … Brandy … ... I love you all so very much ...
"Huh?" Max said, looking up.
"Oh yeah!" Billy said, smiling.
"Ha!" Dani grinned. "Max!" She sat beside him. "Max, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think so." Max replied
"You saved my life ..." Dani said
"Well I had to, I'm your big brother."Max smiled.
"I love you, jerkface." Dani said.
"I love you too." Max replied softly.
Dani hugged him tightly before pulling away. "Come on."
Billy started getting back in his grave and looked up at them one last time.
"Bye Billy! Have a nice sleep!" Dani said.
"Hey, Billy." Max said.
Billy looked up. "Hm?"
"Thanks." He said.
Billy let out a big yawn before returning to his grave.
Dani giggled then paused. "Where's Binx? Binx? Binx?" Then she saw the corpse in the pile of leaves. "Binx!" She breathed heavily as she sat beside him.
"He's gone." Allison said trying to stay gentle. "He's gone Dani."
"But he can't die, remember!" Dani cried.
Max frowned as he knelt beside her.
Dani was breathing heavily as she pushed on Binx's corpse. "Wake up, Binx! Binx, wake up! …. Like last time!" Dani sobbed as she pressed his face against him.
"Dani …" Binx's voice said. "Come on, please don't be sad for me."
Dani sat up. "Binx?"
A ghost of a blonde boy in an old,long, white shirt, and brown pants smiled back at her.
"Is that you?" Dani asked.
"Yeah! The witches are dead, my soul's finally free!" Binx said happily. And those villains are gone for good!
Dani smiled as tears continued to roll down her face. Thackery put out his hand and Dani touched it gently. "You freed me Dani ….. Thank you ….. Hey, Max? Thanks for lighting the candle."
Max smiled a bit.
"Thackery!" The voice of a young girl called. It was the voice that has been haunting Binx's nightmares and post death experiences for the last three hundred years, but now her voice felt like heaven. "Thackery Binx!"
The girl looked around from behind a tree and let out a small giggle when she saw him.
"It's Emily!" Thackery said. He leaned in close to Dani and whispered. "I shall always be with you …."
He kissed her cheek before pulling away and joining Emily.
"Thackery Binx, what took thee so long?"
"I'm sorry Emily. I had to wait three hundred years for a virgin to light a candle."