Alicia Felkin and the Witch's Wood

Ch. 2: The Missing Witches

"Morning, Mami." Alicia sat down at the kitchen table as her mother pulled a frying pan out of the cabinet. "Is Papi back from Kington yet?"

"Not yet, but he will be later today," Lady Felkin responded. "He called earlier to let me know he was about to leave."

"Cool. Whatcha making?"

"Just some eggs, unless you'd like some of those biscuits."

"I think I will. Need any help?"

"Could you grab me the shredded cheese from the fridge?"

Alicia grabbed the specified ingredient and set its on the counter next to her mother. Then, she rinsed some strawberries in a strainer and set them on the table. She leaned across the counter to pass one to her mother.

Alicia's father finally arrived some time around lunch bearing a rather large cardboard box. His normally neat black curls were windblown and soaked from the incessant rain, and his button-up shirt was dripping on the wood floor. He had a raincoat, but evidently it hadn't helped much.

"Cora, Aly! I'm home!" He called.

Alicia nearly slipped on the uneven carpet coming down the steps. "Hi, Papi! What's in the box?"

"Chester, you're back!" Lady Felkin came out of the living room. "How was Kington?"

"Oh, it was a bit disappointing compared to Los Angeles." Chester Felkin worked as a manager at a construction company called Reddler's. They did large projects like apartment complexes, and recently he'd been sent out to the different sites to oversee the project. It meant he got paid even more for it, but he also wasn't at home as often as any of them would've liked. Alicia's older brother Owen was at home even less. He was twenty-three, and he lived with his fiancee over in Kington. It has actually been Owen who had suggested his father's company for the new housing developments, and he also had quite a bit to do with what was in that mysterious cardboard box.

"Did you go and see Owen?" Alicia asked. "Did you give him the bread?"

"I did. He and Laura really seemed to enjoy it. Speaking of, Owen sent me back with something, too." Alicia's father open the box and pulled out another box, this one carved simply out of dark stained wood. There was a small latch on the front. He passed the wooden box to Alicia.

Alicia unlatched the lid and opened it. "What's this?"

"Looks like two bracelets," responded Lady Felkin.

"Owen said it's for your ferret," explained her father. "One is a bracelet for you, and the other is a matching collar for the weasel thing."

"Edwin is not a ferret or a weasel, he's a sable," Alicia said. "I'll call Owen tonight and thank him. First, though..."

Alicia whistled shortly, and a small black blur came shooting out from under the apothecary chest in the living room. The blur flung itself at her torso, and she caught it in her arms. Once it stopped moving, it was clear that the blur was Edwin the sable. He had fluffy black fur, a long cute face, and clever little paws that grabbed at Alicia's sweater sleeves. Alicia slipped the silver collar onto him, letting the round pendant dangle. There was a small star engraved on the collar that matched the one on the bracelet, which she had put on while Edwin pawed at his new fancy necklace.

"Aww, look how cute you are!" Alicia cooed. "Fluffy noodle boy with your cute little paws and your sweet little face."

Edwin clambered up her arm to rest on her shoulder with his paws clutching her thick wavy brown hair for support. Alicia giggled.

"And for you, my dear, Owen sent me with this." Alicia's father pulled a large basket with a red checkered cloth out of the box. "It's those oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that Laura makes."