Hell On Earth

Chapter Five

By the time the other witches and Fiona taught me how to tone down my powers a bit, I excused myself in search of the bathroom. I felt bad for lying because I really did not have to go. I was looking for Cordelia instead. She seemed to be the only one who would talk to me and I was sure I could get some answers from her.

From the way she talked about Fiona, I could tell she was slightly scared of her as well. I wanted to get as close to Cordelia as I could. I did not want to be all alone and, quite frankly, she seemed pretty lonely herself.

Cordelia spent most of her days filling out paperwork, talking in a hush-hush manner on the phone, and practicing her magic outside in her greenhouse. I have not seen the greenhouse yet, but Nan told me that it is beautiful.

Naturally, the greenhouse was the first place that I looked. Plants and vile bottles were everywhere and the greenhouse gave off a green, pink, and purple hue of colors. Cordelia must have spent her whole life tending and caring to this little place of hers.

"Cordelia? Are you in here?"

Her blonde head popped around the corner of the glass wall and she smiled.

"Weslynn, I am so glad to see you," she patted her dirty gloves off on her white pants and used the back of her hand to wipe at her forehead. "That was a fast lesson! You must have really learned something in order for Fiona to let you go."

She let out a soft giggle and asked, "Can I help you with anything?"

I looked around nervously before I began.

"Yes, I have something to ask you. Fiona doesn't know that I'm out here because I told her that I was going to use the bathroom. But that's beside the point. You don't have to answer this if it's not time for me to hear it yet, but..."

I hesitated before going on. Come on, you can do this. It is just Cordelia.

"Why am I being taught to control my powers and keep them to a minimum? Is there something going on that I'm not aware of?"

Cordelia bit her bottom lip and pushed her black glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"I really wish I could answer your questions, but I just do not think I can. You have to take everything to Fiona, her being the Supreme. I am not allowed to answer questions like these, but if I could, I would."

She lifted my chin up slightly and wiped away at the dirt that had stuck to my face from her gloves.

"But you're second in charge here. Cordelia, you're her daughter! I don't understand why Fiona seems to have a key to everyone's mouth and decides whether to keep it locked or not. Please, I'm begging you."

Cordelia frowned and bowed her head, slowly shaking it back and forth.

"Weslynn, I am truly sorry, but I just cannot. You need to speak to Fiona about this. It is not safe for me to give you that information."

Turning her body away from mine, she paused a moment before going back to weeding out the plants.

Fine, I thought, if nobody is going to tell me what the hell is going on, I WILL take everything to Fiona.

—

As my supper was laid out before me, all of the other witches made their way downstairs. There were two new witches here, but I never got the chance to meet them. I spent too much time worrying rather than enjoying a day or two to myself. Maybe that is what I need. I am about to drive myself insane.

Fiona made her way down the staircase in a black cocktail dress along with a cherry red lip. This was her third time leaving the academy today. No one bothered to question where she was off to, though.

"I'm going out girls so no funny business. If I find out something happened while I'm away -"

Madison, the blonde witch whose name I finally caught on to, piped up.

"We get it you old hag, punishments will be put into action."

Before Madison could laugh at her snarky comment, her body was thrown to the other side of the room with a loud crash. I rose to my feet in absolute horror. Did I really just witness a body being thrown to the wall like a rag-doll?

Fiona angrily stormed into the dining area and her eyes pierced right through mine.

"If you want me to throw each and every one of you across the room, keep it up with the comments. But I'd keep my wide mouths shut if I were you. I really don't feel like working up another sweat."

Fiona made sure to leave with a loud crashing of the front door being slammed shut and Madison stood. All of the witches, including myself, hustled over to her.

"Are you okay?"

"Jesus H. Christ, what is her deal."

"Madison, how in the world did she do that?!"

Madison pushed all of us off of her with a grunt and ran upstairs. We looked around at each other in hopes that someone would say something, but no one did. The girls huddled together to speak in a hushed manner about how Fiona was so cruel. As I continued to look around, I noticed a blonde head disappear behind the corner of the kitchen doorway.

I stole a glance at the other girls and they looked just as terrified as I was.

"I'm gonna go see if she's alright," I stated.

—

I made my way down the hallway of the living quarters and stopped in front of Madison's door. I hesitated before knocking, but soon found myself walking right into her room.

She laid sprawled out across the bed in a pool of tears. I have never seen Madison in a state of weakness before, but how could one help themselves when they were just thrown across the room like they were nothing.

"Hey, are you alright?"

She sniffed and lifted her head up just to lay it back down again.

"Why would you care? All I've been is mean and nasty to you, yet you come to check on me. Why do you spend so much time looking out for others when all everybody is, is hateful?"

I giggled silently and turned my body to get a better look at her. When I caught her attention, I explained.

"Because what you put out into the world comes back to you. I wasn't going to just leave you up here all by yourself with no one to talk to or to let the anger off of your chest."

I crossed my arms and turned my head away from her playfully. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw her smile.

"Thanks, I guess. You know...you're not so bad."

We sat in silence for a while before she sat up-right on the bed.

"I want to apologize for everything I've done and just move on. You seem pretty cool and I think you'd be a great addition to this Coven."

I gave Madison a genuine smile and accepted her apology. I did not need any more enemies. Fiona was enough of an enemy already, and having the other girls turn themselves away from each other is not what this Coven needs. Things were not going to be as bad as I thought after all. Now I just need to talk to Fiona without getting myself thrown out of the academy.