Witchcraft

Independence Daze

"Okay, here we go! Don't you think you guys are getting a little bit old for milk and cookies?" Mrs. Morgan asked.

"Maybe. But you're never too old for a cookie sandwich." Benny took three cookies at once and bit into them.

"Just when I think you've found every way there is to be disgusting, you find another one." Sarah rolled her eyes at Benny.

"Yeah, I know, right? Grow up, Benny," Ethan agreed, hesitant to bite into his own.

"Hello?" Grandma walked into the room.

"Oh, hi Evelyn! Come on in!" Mrs. Morgan said cheerfully. "What brings you here?"

"Well, I just wanted to make sure that Benny isn't making a mess," Benny's grandma used her magic to knock the milk to the ground. "Oh! Do you have any napkins?"

"Stay put, no problem. I'll get some," Mrs. Morgan walked away.

"Grandma!" Benny hissed in embarrassment.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?" Benny's grandma glared at us.

I looked at Benny. What was going on? "It's an easy explanation. Sarah didn't believe in trolls and Ethan bet me I couldn't conjure one. What was I supposed to do?"

"This is what you were doing while I was helping Gramme?" I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

"You didn't conjure a troll, you conjured a toll. It cost me five bucks to get out of my living room," Benny's grandma sighed.

"Ha! Told ya you couldn't do it!" Ethan smiled triumphantly.

"Here we go," Mrs. Morgan walked in.

Benny's grandma made the cookie plate flip over and then scolded Benny. "It's okay. I'll get the dust-thingy. It's okay."

"Well, at least I conjured a toll booth. Can one of you two do that?" Benny asked Sarah and Ethan.

"No, all I do is fight everything with (Y/n) while you hide. Like, you hide every time that stupid robot dentist movie comes on," Sarah retorted.

"Hey! Cyber-dentist came to this planet to fill our cavities with pain! At least I'm not hiding from myself," Benny said harshly.

"Benny, that's a new low," I scoffed, looking at my cookies.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sarah asked.

"That you're a vampire afraid to drink blood," Ethan snorted.

"And you're so perfect!" Sarah argued.

"I'm just saying. Between Benny's misspelt magic and your smash-happy strategy, you'd both fail without (Y/n) and I's bulletproof genius plans," Ethan argued.

"Stop!" Grandma whisper-yelled. "You four are a team! I sense a coming darkness. A force so powerful, so evil, that none of you stand a chance against it alone. Only by working together can-" Grandma stopped when she noticed everyone except me on their phones. "You have to work together!"

"We will." I nodded.

"Did you guys hear that thunder?" Mrs. Morgan asked.

~~~

I immediately noticed something was off when I didn't wake up with Benny curled against my back and his arms around my waist. I was in my bed. I looked around, confused. Did I sleep-fly into my room again?

"Gramme?" I called out.

"(Y/n), come have breakfast."

I froze. That voice was supposed to be in federal prison. I closed and locked my door. Footsteps walked up the stairs as I looked around for my phone. I dialed nine-one-one, but there was no answer. Only ringing.

"Sweetie, come on. Get up," Mom called. I didn't have to listen to know that a butcher's knife was scraping against the wall.

I opened my window and jumped out, flying to the school. I swerved around Dad, who was standing at the front of the school. I flew into a brick wall, making me groan in pain. Dad walked up to me, an evil smirk on his face, with a gun in his hand.

"Hello, my little sharpshooter," Dad said, cracking his neck.

I pulled my keyring out of my pocket, flipping open my knife. "Stay back. You taught me how to throw a knife, and I'm certain you know that I never miss my target."

Dad grinned. He charged at me, swinging his fist. I ducked and grabbed his gun. I pointed it at him as he looked at me, wide-eyed. He swung at me and I shot at him again.

"(Y/n)? (Y/n), can you hear me?"

"Benny?" I questioned as Dad charged at me again. I shot at him, a loud ringing in my ears.

"Was that a gunshot?"

"Ethan?" I ducked, stabbing at Dad's leg but only skimming his jeans.

"(Y/n), are you being shot at or are you shooting someone?"

"Did I ever tell you that my parents were murderers?"

"Did I ever tell you that my parents are dead?"

"Yeah, well, they're supposed to be on death row. But, Mom's at the house and Dad has a gun."

Finally, a gunshot hit my Dad's chest. He fell back, groaning in pain as he bled out. I looked away, running.

"(Y/n)."

"(Y/n)," Mom's voice rang in my head. "Say goodnight."

~~~

"(Y/n). (Y/n), your mom is gone. I took her away from you. You're safe again. (Y/n), Evelyn went too far. Please wake up."

"Gramme," I said, shooting up and hugging her.

She hugged me back, tears flooding my eyes. "I was so scared."

"I know, (n/n). But they're gone. They were executed today. They're gone forever," Gramme assured me.

"They're gone," I said in relief, pulling away. "They're dead."

"They're dead."