Hocus Pocus: Rising of a Little Witch

Chapter One: Run

Salem, Massachusetts.
Halloween, 2012.

    Our move to Salem was one I longed for my whole childhood. So when my Uncle Mike, my dad's brother, offered him a job at his construction business, I was elated.
My cousin Mallory grew up here, and had just moved back after graduating from Uconn with an early education degree the year prior. Despite having to still live with my druggie parents, I at the very least had her house to run away to.
That past Wednesday, I tried to attend my first day at Jacob Bailey High. I was supposed to be finishing out my senior year. Of course, neither one of my parents had bothered to register me, and I couldn't register myself because I was still 17. Luckily my Aunt Lisa was available to come sign the papers. She wasn't my legal guardian, but because she had been super involved with the school when Mallory went there, the office staff loved her and overlooked that fact.
      I wanted so badly to just move in with my aunt and uncle. It would be so nice to never have to worry about my mom getting too high and coming after me for no damn reason, while my dad just watched in an oblivious, strung out state. Unfortunately, I knew if I tried to move out, my mom would go completely batshit and probably try and accuse my aunt and uncle of kidnapping or something. She didn't care about me.  She never had. But for her own twisted fucked up reasons, she would never let me leave. Not before I was 18 at least, which wouldn't happen until December. Even then, it was going to be a battle.
     My first Saturday in Salem was on Halloween. I however, woke up with such a migraine, I was surprised that I could even stand. I was also surprised that my mother hadn't ripped me out of bed for something. She'd been ordering me around like a slave ever since we started moving into our new house.
I lay in bed until just after four in the afternoon when I decided to get up and find something to eat.
On my way downstairs, I heard obnoxiously loud talking and laughing from the front porch. I stood and stared blankly as my parents entered with about twelve people I had never seen before. They all headed down toward the basement, which had become my parents' drug lair in the five days we lived there.
    My mother stopped in the kitchen and grabbed an arm load of food.
"Don't be bothering us, kid, or I'll beat the shit outta you. I'm hoping to win us some money for a nice bag of dust this weekend," she said, sticking her tongue out grossly.
With that, she headed down the stairs. I rolled my eyes and continued to the kitchen.
I treated myself to the best food I could find. The only thing really left in the pantry was a jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers. It made a better dinner than one would think.
   I sat bored for about ten minutes, wishing so badly we still had a TV. Unfortunately, my dad sold it for drugs for my mom. Always her little bitch.
   I was waiting for it to get decently dusky so I could go explore around the woods and graveyard. I loved creepy stuff like that and I knew there'd be lots of creepy stuff to see in a place like Salem. I was hoping my mother and her friends would be occupied with their drugs, so I could sneak out of there undetected. I knew she'd try and make me stay in for no other reason other than because she could.
My phone dinged and a text message from Mallory appeared on the screen.

"I'm having a bonfire with some of my teacher friends. You should come."

     I smiled.
Since moving home, Mallory had gotten a job teaching kindergarten at her childhood elementary school. She had told me time and time again how busy her first couple of years in the classroom were. I knew she felt bad she hadn't gotten to see me much since I moved here, but she didn't need to invite her 17 year old cousin to hangout with her other 20 something year old friends. Plus I wasn't huge into large social gatherings.

"Thanks but I think I'm gonna go solo tonight. I wanna check out the graveyard and stuff."

The imessage bubble popped up immediately.

"Oh god. Do you want me to come?"

"No. You enjoy your bonfire. Don't worry about me."

"Well if you get bored roaming graveyards Wednesday Addams, you are welcome to come here."