great story to tell.” Emily gets very animated and lifts her arms towards the fire, as if she is trying to make it rise.
“You know we are in Salem Woods. These were the very woods where several witches were burned at the stake. And in their damnation, there were incantations said that continue to linger.”
Marco laughs. “Em, seriously? We live here. All the stories we heard in elementary school and even junior high are just whack!”
She gets a serious look on her face. “I’m not kidding you. My stepbrother, Charlie, knew this girl. She was a grade older than him. She came out to these woods with a bunch of friends, and they were hanging out having a good time together, not that different than tonight.” She waves her hands around, and the fire seems to respond to her. I tuck my arms into myself. “Someone said a chant as a joke, and the next thing they knew this girl went comatose and started to float.”
Daniel sits up and begins to tap his leg, as if remembering something. “Oh yeah, my sister was just a grade under at that time, and she remembers that story. I totally didn’t believe her, because she was always saying stupid stuff.”
Emily continues. “Oh, it was real, all right. Charlie knew her boyfriend. They were on the football team together. The boyfriend was devastated. The girl’s parents blamed him, and even took legal action against him and his family. She was admitted to a mental institution, and to this day she hasn’t spoken or said a word.”
Everyone is hanging on Emily’s every word, listening. I wonder, what if I did something wrong tonight? I bite at a hangnail absently. Which of my friends would be pulled into my fate by accident? Father has taught me more control, but all of a sudden I’m filled with guilt. I’m out in the open, for selfish reasons, and not only am I taking a risk, but I’m also taking a risk with my friends’ wellbeing.
Damn it, I suck.
She continues, “Now, the wild part is this: last year a medium came to these woods. I remember Charlie said the family hired her to help their daughter.” Em shakes her head to clear her thoughts. “The medium came to the woods and stayed here for hours, and then retreated to town all upset, and said this girl was payment to the debt owed.”
“Ah… no,” Lucy whispers, raising her hand to her mouth.
“Yes. The curse was lingering, and finally found a member of a family that it could take vengeance on. The saying goes, if you step in these woods, beware of the family toll.”
Emily’s voice drops. “The toll must be paid, Willow.” She starts to rock back and forth with her knees tucked to her chest. She repeats it several times.
I’m stuck. I don’t know what to do. OMG, is she really possessed?
Daniel hugs me protectively and says, “Cut it out, Em.”
Marco pushes her to the side and says, “Real funny.”
I hold my breath, and I feel the air shift and change.
Emily breaks the silence, yelling “Rrrahhh!” She jumps up and tags me on the shoulder.
“Gotcha!”
Everyone joins in laughing, but the air shift is still there. I smile and try to play along, but inside I’m falling apart. Emily is a joker, but what if I have a family toll? The air, the change in mood… someone is watching me. I feel that creepy, icy feeling that tingles down your neck. I don’t consider myself brave in the least, but I’m not going to let my friends, Daniel, get hurt. My own lack of safety I can accept, but theirs? No way. I wish I could lay down some protective spells without anyone noticing.
“Hey, I’ll be right back. I need to use the facilities,” I announce.
Daniel grabs his flashlight. “I’ll go with you.”
“I can handle it,” I say, taking the offered flashlight. “I’ll be back in a few.”
Daniel tries to change my mind, and Lucy offers to come as well. I finally get them to head back to the fire pit with my stubborn response. Out of all the tents in the clearing only a few fire pits
“You know we are in Salem Woods. These were the very woods where several witches were burned at the stake. And in their damnation, there were incantations said that continue to linger.”
Marco laughs. “Em, seriously? We live here. All the stories we heard in elementary school and even junior high are just whack!”
She gets a serious look on her face. “I’m not kidding you. My stepbrother, Charlie, knew this girl. She was a grade older than him. She came out to these woods with a bunch of friends, and they were hanging out having a good time together, not that different than tonight.” She waves her hands around, and the fire seems to respond to her. I tuck my arms into myself. “Someone said a chant as a joke, and the next thing they knew this girl went comatose and started to float.”
Daniel sits up and begins to tap his leg, as if remembering something. “Oh yeah, my sister was just a grade under at that time, and she remembers that story. I totally didn’t believe her, because she was always saying stupid stuff.”
Emily continues. “Oh, it was real, all right. Charlie knew her boyfriend. They were on the football team together. The boyfriend was devastated. The girl’s parents blamed him, and even took legal action against him and his family. She was admitted to a mental institution, and to this day she hasn’t spoken or said a word.”
Everyone is hanging on Emily’s every word, listening. I wonder, what if I did something wrong tonight? I bite at a hangnail absently. Which of my friends would be pulled into my fate by accident? Father has taught me more control, but all of a sudden I’m filled with guilt. I’m out in the open, for selfish reasons, and not only am I taking a risk, but I’m also taking a risk with my friends’ wellbeing.
Damn it, I suck.
She continues, “Now, the wild part is this: last year a medium came to these woods. I remember Charlie said the family hired her to help their daughter.” Em shakes her head to clear her thoughts. “The medium came to the woods and stayed here for hours, and then retreated to town all upset, and said this girl was payment to the debt owed.”
“Ah… no,” Lucy whispers, raising her hand to her mouth.
“Yes. The curse was lingering, and finally found a member of a family that it could take vengeance on. The saying goes, if you step in these woods, beware of the family toll.”
Emily’s voice drops. “The toll must be paid, Willow.” She starts to rock back and forth with her knees tucked to her chest. She repeats it several times.
I’m stuck. I don’t know what to do. OMG, is she really possessed?
Daniel hugs me protectively and says, “Cut it out, Em.”
Marco pushes her to the side and says, “Real funny.”
I hold my breath, and I feel the air shift and change.
Emily breaks the silence, yelling “Rrrahhh!” She jumps up and tags me on the shoulder.
“Gotcha!”
Everyone joins in laughing, but the air shift is still there. I smile and try to play along, but inside I’m falling apart. Emily is a joker, but what if I have a family toll? The air, the change in mood… someone is watching me. I feel that creepy, icy feeling that tingles down your neck. I don’t consider myself brave in the least, but I’m not going to let my friends, Daniel, get hurt. My own lack of safety I can accept, but theirs? No way. I wish I could lay down some protective spells without anyone noticing.
“Hey, I’ll be right back. I need to use the facilities,” I announce.
Daniel grabs his flashlight. “I’ll go with you.”
“I can handle it,” I say, taking the offered flashlight. “I’ll be back in a few.”
Daniel tries to change my mind, and Lucy offers to come as well. I finally get them to head back to the fire pit with my stubborn response. Out of all the tents in the clearing only a few fire pits
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