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chapter thirty-nine

With the exception of Joe Whitehill being the top news story in the state, the next two days were otherwise quiet.
 
No signs of the witch.
 
Nothing out of the ordinary.
 
Just a false sense of calm that was unnerving in how bottomless it felt.
 
They were biding their time.
 
I knew they were watching me.
 
When would they come?
 
The amulets didn’t know when I asked, so I didn’t know.

I watched a few news reports on television.
 
Essentially, what they showed was a never-ending barrage of images of Whitehill being led away by the police.
 
The stories were key and on point—he admitted to setting fire to the McDonald’s, and he admitted to being part of the eight students who killed my parents.
 

Everyone asked who were the other seven, but he wouldn’t say.

On Saturday morning, Jim called from Judy’s, where he likely was having their specialty—beer and eggs:
 
“That Whitehill boy has your name all over it.”

“That obvious?”

“To me it is.”

“He deserved it.”

“Agreed.”

“The witch came last night.”

There was a silence.

“She was in the air above the McDonald’s while it burned.
 
I was invisible and still she could see me.
 
We fought in the woods behind the building.”

“How bad was it?”

I told him everything that happened.

“You punched a hole in her back?”

“I did.”

“Why the fuck would you do that?”

“To pull out her spine.”

“Jesus Christ, you got your daddy in you after all.
 
Did you rip it out?”

“I tried, but she got away.
 
She had a hole in her back the size of my fist and still she got away.
 
How can that be?”

“He probably intervened.”

“Her master?”

“Whatever the hell you want to call him.
 
And now I’m really worried.
 
She’ll come again and she won’t come alone.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“You ready for them?”

“No.”

“Guess you better fix that quick, boy.”

“I wish it was that easy, Jim.
 
What matters most is that I get Alan Stewart, Rob Maxwell and Mike Hastings before they come back.
 
I won’t be able to do to them what I want without the amulets, so this will need to be quick.
 
I want them in prison and if there’s still time, I’m going to see to it.”

“Then what?”

“The amulets are a burden, Jim.
 
Once I’m finished, they can have them.”

“Sounds like the old Seth talking now.
 
You’re giving up.
 
Those witches are just a bunch of bullies, too, you know?
 
You’re just as strong as they are—maybe stronger—and you’re walking away because you don’t believe in yourself.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is true.
 
Think about it.
 
Sure, now you can take on humans less powerful than you.
 
You have no problem standing up to them.
 
Big fucking deal.
 
The moment someone comes along who presents a challenge, you want out.
 
I don’t think you’re learning anything from this.”

“I’m going to be outnumbered.”
 

“So what?
 
You’ve been outnumbered your whole life.
 
Stand up to them.
 
Take down one and I bet the others will think twice before starting something with you.
 
It would have been the same years ago, when you were a boy.
 
If you had stood up to the first person who picked on you, it probably would have stopped.
 
Seth, the way you need to look at this is that in a sense, you’re going to be bullied by these witches until they get what they want.
 
With the kids at school, it was your pride they were after.
 
Your humiliation.
 
With the witches, it’s those amulets.”

In a strange way, he was making sense.
 
Just like he always did.

“If you’re going to learn anything from this, I just changed my mind about how you need to go forward with it.
 
You need to take them on.
 
You need to stand up for yourself and hold your own against a group of people who are just as powerful as you.
 
That’s one way to combat being bullied.
 
You take the bastards down.
 
I’m not saying it will be easy, I’m not saying you won’t be cut or get a black eye, but you’ve got to frighten them away from you forever if you want to be rid of them forever.”

“They could kill me.”

“I think you’re too powerful.”
 
He hesitated.
 
“But I agree—it’s a risk.”

“Do you think I have a shot?”

“If you fully use those amulets, I think you have more than a shot.
 
I think you can win this.
 
I wouldn’t have suggested it if I didn’t.
 
But you’re going to have to bring your A-game, boy.
 
When they come, they’ll fight dirty.
 
You’ll need to fight dirtier.
 
You get what I’m saying?”

I got it.
 
When we got off the phone, I processed what happened the night before, what Jim suggested now, and how I could ready myself for what was coming.
 
What had I done right last night?
 
What did I do wrong?
 
What could I do better when they came for me again?

*
  
*
  
*

Later that evening, Alex and Jennifer came over as planned, we had pizza and watched a movie, but none of us really watched it.
 

It was a comedy.
 
We didn’t talk much.
 
We didn’t laugh at the jokes.
 
The pizza wasn’t a hit.
 
I didn’t tell them about Whitehill because I already knew they knew I was behind it.
 
His presence was so intense, he might as well have been in the room enjoying the movie with us if he wasn’t already sitting in jail.

There was a tension between us that was palpable.
 
But when Jennifer got up to leave, she gave me a hug in the living room and said in my ear, “I understand.
 
Do what you have to do.
 
They should be in prison for what they did to your family.
 
I think you’re doing the right thing.”

Alex was still struggling with it, but he came around when he heard Jennifer.
 
“You know I support you, Seth.
 
It’s just that I have a hard time with violence of any sort, whether it’s them against you, or the other way around.
 
But I get it.
 
I know they deserve it.
 
They should be locked up for what they did.
 
And I think you’re going about it cleverly without physically harming anyone.
 
So, if you need me, I’m here for you.”

“That means a lot, Alex.”

“I know I didn’t say much tonight and I apologize.
 
I’m not judging you.
 
It’s my own thing.
 
It goes back to my brother and how he was bullied at school.
 
I don’t understand why people treat each other the way they do.
 
But I think you’re doing the right thing and for our friendship, that’s what matters.”

“Well,” I said, smiling at them.
 
“I wish we could have had this talk earlier.
 
The evening would have been more fun.”

“There will be other evenings,” Jennifer said.
 
“Soon.”

I was on the cusp of telling them about my fight with the witch, but I pulled back.
 
Why end on a sour note?
 
I walked them to the door, thanked them for coming over and cleaned up the apartment.

On Sunday, I decided it was time to fix my car, so I imagined it was fixed and looking as great as the day I bought it.
 
I looked at it, loved it and wondered if anyone would mess with it again.
 

After a quick drive around town with the top down, I went inside and started planning for the coming week at school.
 
I wrote down Stewart’s name, Maxwell’s name and especially Hastings’ name, the latter of which I underscored with an exclamation point.
 
I planned out exactly how I was going to handle each of them.
 
Everything I wrote down trumped what I’d done to the others.
 
These three were going to see the face of hell.

I was going to make it the worst week in their lives.
 

I was ready for them and the more I thought about what Jim said, I knew he was right.
 
I needed to face the witch and whatever she brought with her.
 
I stood up to her once, I won and I’d stand up to whomever she brought with her—if that even was the case.
 

With the amulets, they all were my equals, just as without the amulets, everyone at school was my equal.
 
His logic was...logical.
 
If I defeated the witch, then I knew I’d never need the amulets again when it came to rising up against those who bullied me in high school.
 
I could do it on my own.
 

It wasn’t just about believing in myself.
 
It also was about believing how I deserved to be treated.
 
Before the amulets, why did I ever let anyone have such control over my life?
 
I should have fought back harder.
 
I should have demanded that the school put an end to it.
 
I should have gone to my parents for help.
 
I should have risen up and been heard.
 
And yes, I should have fought back.
 
My biggest regret is that I didn’t fight back.
 
A black eye would heal, but what they’d done to my self-esteem was sometimes beyond comprehension.

Once all of this was over with Hastings, Stewart and Maxwell, I was ready to remove the amulets, keep them in a safe place and go forward without any help other than my own courage.

chapter forty

On Monday morning, I swung into the school’s parking lot, found a space and looked back at my car as I set the alarm.
 
I was tempted to put a shield around it, but that could backfire if anyone brushed against it and burned their ass.
 
Which could be funny, sure, but also disastrous.
 
And so, I left it alone.
 
Whatever happened to it happened.
 

Good luck
, I thought.

It was early, the bell hadn’t rung yet and there were scores of people in groups standing on the lawn in front of the school.
 
As I approached, I saw a few people glance my way, but not one of them said a word to me, which was as interesting as it was refreshing.
 
Not long ago, they would have jumped at the chance to taunt and humiliate me.

Were things changing?
 
Obviously.
 
And why not?
 
Most of those who generally had it in for me were either institutionalized or in jail awaiting their sentencing.
 
There were three left for me to deal with and they’d be taken care of soon enough.

I cut through the crowd and thought that this is what it must be like to live your life normally.
 
Or at least to live it without fear.
 
It felt alien to me, but in a good way.
 
As I walked to the school’s large, double doors, a few people parted for me.
 
Some nodded.
 
It was surreal.

In homeroom, everyone was talking about Whitehill.
 
Why would he do it?
 
What got into him?
 
Why burn down the McDonald’s and admit to it?
 
Worse, where was everyone going to hang out now?
 

I heard a few people talk about him torching my parents’ trailer, but those who mentioned it hadn’t seen me until they were nudged and looked over their shoulders at me.
 
Immediately, they went quiet.
 
I looked at Jennifer, squeezed her shoulder as I passed her, and then took my seat behind Alex, who turned around when I sat down.

“How’s it going?” he asked.

“Not bad.
 
I got the car back.”

“That was fast.”

“I got tired of waiting.”

“So, you have a quick repairman.
 
That’s terrific.”
 

“He’s a specialist.
 
I paid extra to have the parts sent overnight and he got on it.”

We smiled at each other.

“Sorry I was a downer the other night,” he said.

“Don’t worry about it.
 
It was a weird day, most of it my doing.”

“I thought a lot yesterday.
 
You’re right in what you’re doing.
 
I think burning down the McDonald’s was a little over the top because its owners are affected, but something tells me you already took care of that, too, didn’t you?”

“Let’s just say that when they check their bank accounts this morning, they won’t need another restaurant.”

“That’s what I figured.”

Ahead of us, Jennifer turned around and put a finger to her lips.
 
“You two boys be quiet.
 
You’re disrupting homeroom.”
 
She smiled.

“She’s such a disciplinarian,” Alex said.

“More like teacher’s pet.”

Her eyes narrowed.
 
“Careful.
 
You don’t want me to use my iPhone on you two and show Mr. Garland your reproachable behavior.”

“He’d fall asleep,” I said—and then I paused.
 
The amulets were warming against my chest.
 
I looked around the room and saw nothing out of the ordinary.
 
Still, they were growing so warm, I placed my hand over them, where they were concealed beneath my shirt.
 
I listened and could hear footsteps in the hallway outside.
 

“What’s the problem?” Alex asked.

“Shhh.”

Outside the room, there was polite conversation.
 
I could hear Mr. Garland, Principal Roberts and other voices I didn’t recognize.
 
This time Jennifer asked what was wrong.

And when she did, three new students walked into homeroom.
 
They were triplets.
 
We all turned to look at them.
 

They were female and they were beautiful.
 
Each was tall and slender with brown hair that dipped past their shoulders.
 
Their clothes were fitted, stylish and expensive-looking.
 
They held themselves with the air of affluence and confidence.

Mr. Garland asked a few students to readjust their seating so the three sisters could sit together.
 
They did and when they sat down, Principal Roberts introduced us to them, although I already knew who they were and why they were here.
 
I wasn’t sure if each was Anna the witch, but they certainly looked like her.
 
My guess is that they were three different witches cloaked to look like Anna.

“Class, I’d like you to meet the Ward sisters.
 
They’re new here in town.”
 
She looked down at them and seemed to hesitate.
 
She scanned their faces and her own went blank.
 
“Now, let me see if I can get this straight.”

But the girls stood up and turned to the class.
 
One looked at Principal Roberts and said with a nod, “We’ve got this.”

Roberts blushed.

“I’m Anna,” she said to the class.
 
“These are my sisters, Leana and Celina.
 
We just moved here from California.
 
Obviously, we’re triplets.”
 
She laughed.
 
“And, yes, it will take some time for you to figure out which one of us is who.
 
We don’t mind.
 
Just ask.
 
We’re used to it.
 
But we all have pretty different personalities, so it won’t take too long to know us by name.
 
We look forward to getting to know you.”

When she said that, I saw her glance over at me, hold my gaze for a moment and then she sat down.
 
In that instant that our eyes met, the amulets got so hot against my chest, I needed to tap into them and tell them that I understood their warning.
 
I’d punched a hole in Anna’s back.
 
Was that really her?
 
Or was it a trick and she wasn’t here because I hurt her?

Regardless, I now had to deal with three.
 
I’d just assume it was her.

I sat there, staring at them.
 
So, this is how they were going to come for me.
 
They were either going to try to take me out in school or after school.
 
They’d either be quick or they’d bide their time.
 
If they did the latter, it was only because I won the night before and they were leery of me.
 
But at some point they’d come for me.
 
We’d fight.
 
And it would be one mother of a fight.
 
How would I possibly take on all three?
 

“Seth,” Alex said.
 
“What’s the problem?
 
You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Actually, I just saw a witch.
 
Three of them.
 
Over there.”

“What are you talking about?”

Could they hear me?
 
Did it matter?
 
Probably.
 
I decided that after school, I’d tell both him and Jennifer what happened Friday night and who these new students really were.
 
“Can we meet after school?” I said.
 
“My place?
 
You and Jennifer?
 
It’s important.”

*
  
*
  
*

When the bell rang, I hung back and waited for the three girls to step into the hallway with Principal Roberts.
 
I heard her say to Mr. Garland that she was going to show them around.
 

They didn’t once look back at me.
 
They were smarter than that.
 
They knew I knew who they were and that was enough, in their minds, to either set me on edge or push me over it.
 
Knowing I now had to handle three witches was the psychological game they came to play, and I had to admit it was working.
 
I was scared.
 
I had no idea how I could take on all of them, but I’d need to think of something fast.

Obviously, they were vulnerable.
 
I’d proved that Friday night.
 
But how vulnerable?
 
Where was their weakest spot?
  
Apparently, not their backs.
 
I thought of what Jim told me.
 
In a sense, these were the new bullies I’d been dealt and I’d need to stand up to all of them or fall.
 
It’s the one thing I’d never done without the amulets, but I knew that if I didn’t do so now and come after them with everything I had, my life literally could be on the line.

What I sensed is that they wouldn’t do anything immediately.
 
They were going to toy with me for awhile and strike when I didn’t expect it.

And so I refocused.
 
While I had the amulets, I had work to do and I’d need to be swift if I was going to get it done.

I turned to look over at Mike Hastings, who was moving toward the door and heading for English class, just as I was.
 
He hadn’t looked my way for days and it was obvious why.
 
Though I’d made sure he’d never be able to tell anyone what happened that day in the woods, he at least had to suspect that I was behind everything that had happened to four of the seven others who joined him in burning down my family’s trailer.
 
Three were left, including him.
 
Unless he was a fool, he had to know he was on my list.
 
Or maybe he thought that day in the woods was it.

If he hadn’t joined the others in killing my parents, it would have been.
 
But now?
 
Now, I was on the verge of taking him out, though I planned on saving him for last.
 
Just for the satisfaction of it.
 
I grabbed my books and as I did, I imagined Hastings taking a digger in the hall.
 
He already was out of sight when I heard him fall followed by the sound of books fanning across the floor, but the calls of surprise I heard told me what I wanted to know.
 
He went down hard.
 
Too bad.

I looked up at Alex and Jennifer, who now was standing next to him and looking crossly at me.
 

“Ready for English?” I asked.

“Ready to behave?” Jennifer asked.

“I’m just happy to be seeing Mrs. Branson again.
 
Nothing gives me the warm and fuzzies like that woman.
 
By the way, I already asked Alex a minute ago, but I was wondering if you have an hour or so after school to come to my place.
 
It involves the triplets.”

“Sure,” she said.
 
“Something we should know about them?”