Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Threats

Chapter Two: 1692 Witch Attack

On a warm night when crickets echoed and fireflies danced along the dirt path, Annabelle and her brother Roland walked their human friends Thomas and Polly Dunston home.

Annabelle loved these quiet nights.  Most evenings she would hunt the forest for animals, searching for blood to quench her eternal thirst. 

Once a week she and Roland would wake their friends and run in the forest and play.  It reminded her of when she was human, before her parents died and she became a vampire.

She watched Thomas laugh with Roland.  The blood pumped through Tom’s veins, an invitation she swore to never take.

Vampire life wasn’t the best.  Annabelle could handle never seeing the light of a beautiful day again but her meals were awful. 

While most eleven-year old girls slept peacefully at night, she stalked the woods near their colonial town, hunting for blood among the wildlife. 

She couldn’t believe that only a few months ago she played in the streets of London, a human girl without a care in the world. 

Little Polly shivered a bit as she chanced several frightened looks into the imposing forest that surrounded them.  “Are you sure it’s safe out here?  You said there were lots of monsters in the woods.”

Before Annabelle could respond, Thomas puffed out his chest and said, “You’re fine.  We’ll protect you.  No monster would dare hurt you with your big brother around.  What?  Why is everyone laughing?”

Roland shook his head.  “Yeah, big brave Thomas Dunston.  Monster killer.  I suppose you’ll throw rocks at them?”

“It could happen.”  Tom’s face flushed pink. 

“Actually I don’t think it will.  With the magic barrier up, all Dominic’s servants are trapped outside.” Annabelle explained as they continued down the path.

“Not all of them.”  Roland corrected.  “What about those two witches?  Their cabin is inside the barrier.  They’ve already caused us problems.  They could be hiding just beyond those trees.” 

He pointed ahead into the thick forest.  Polly and Thomas’ eyes grew wide.

Annabelle threw her brother a sharp look.  It didn’t stop him from laughing.  “Stop scaring them.  With all the trouble going on in Salem, those witches wouldn’t dare show their faces.”

She put her arm around Polly and gave her a squeeze.  “You’ll be fine.  If they did try to get us, Roland and I will protect you.”

Thomas threw a stone into the glowing bugs, scattering them.  He turned to Roland, “I still don’t think it was very fair to float above the trees when we’re playing hide and seek.” 

Roland shrugged. “It’s what I do.” 

“You mean cheat?” 

“I wasn’t cheating.  I’m a vampire.  Why can’t I use my abilities to work for me in the game?  It’s the same as you and Polly running or climbing a tree.” 

“No, it’s not.  When you fly, you can look down and see us.  That gives you an unfair advantage.” 

“I can’t believe this.  Annabelle, what do you think?” 

She shared a smile with Polly while they walked behind the boys.  “You were cheating.” 

“What?”  Roland spun around, holding a stick to his chest while rolling his glowing eyes.  “Ouch!  By my own sister, betrayed.” 

Polly giggled.  “I wish Ma and Pa could join us on nights like this.” 

“You know we can’t reveal ourselves to anybody else.” Annabelle reminded her.

“But they’re different.  They’d keep your secret.” 

“Maybe so, but what if Dominic captured them to get to us?” 

Roland tossed his stick at another batch of fireflies, “He’d do that anyway.  I don’t know if anyone is safe.” 

“People have started to notice the strange shapes in the forest beyond where you said the barrier is,” Tom added.  “They hear the noises Dominic’s monsters are making.  They don’t know what it is, but we know they’re out there, waiting.”

Polly slumped her shoulders, scuffing her feet as she walked.  “I understand.” 

A twig snapped ahead in the darkened wood.  Annabelle and Roland stopped in their tracks and stiffened.  Two heartbeats pounded nearby and Annabelle silently chastised herself for not listening closer to the surrounding woods.

“Smell that?” she whispered to her brother.

“Yeah,” Roland agreed.  “The breeze was blowing the other way before, hiding their scent.  It’s them.”

Two familiar women hid just ahead.  Menace oozed off of them.

“Who?” Tom peered into the dark wood fearfully.

“The witches, Tom,” Ann explained.  “I need you two to run as fast as you can.”

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