Heaven and Hell (S.S)

A Bell

Abandoned Cottage.

Sybil and i walked around the front yard. The students were preparing stuff for something.

Sybil" This place has gone downhill since 1790."

Me "I always forget you're so much older than you look."

Sybil" Talk to me in a couple thousand years, we'll see how you're holding up."

Me "I've already lived 500 years."

She chuckled. 

Me "Do I want to know why your last visit to this field was around the same time a hundred witches burned to death?"

Sybil" I had been traveling the region with my sister, looking for tasty souls to feed to Cade, and the witches took exception."

I asked amused " Are you saying it's your fault the witches were burned at the stake?"

Sybil" Clearly, you don't know the full story. How the hundred witches really died."

I looked around. A few wooden pyres were rammed into the ground and some twigs were surrounding them.

I sighed " Why do I feel like you're about to break into song?"

Sybil" Don't tempt me. The witches gave some magical help to a local metalsmith who was making a church bell for them. This bell had a special purpose. But what no one realized was that Seline and I had befriended this metalsmith. We threw a little wrinkle into his plan."

Me "What did you command them to do?"

Sybil smiled " Call it extra credit."

I rolled my eyes.

Sybil" Peter Maxwell was the last one to have his hands on that witches' bell. Right up until he threw it off a bridge, some 20-odd years ago. I looked into his mind and I saw the whole thing. Some kind of a parade, a bell hanging on a float."

Me "The Founder's Day parade. They ring the charter bell every year."

Sybil"It's a replica. The real one went over something called Wickery Bridge in 1992. Anyway, I have spent the last three weeks sending people into that river to look for that bell, and they haven't found a thing... but I know it still exists, because it can't be destroyed."

Me " That's not ominous."

Sybil" Blame the witches. No wonder people found them so annoying. Now, please."

Sybil clapped her hands and the students gathered a couple each at the pyres. Some of the students began tying ropes around the others.

i shook my head " No. No, you can't be serious."

Sybil " Use the whole can, children. Thoroughness is important."

I called out ", everybody stop!"

Sybil"They're sirened."

A girl brought her a lighter.

Sybil" Oh, you brought the lighter. Of course you did. Good girl."

She lightened a torch.

Me "Let them go."

Sybil " Any other useless demands? I'm not gonna release them until you bring me that bell."

Me" What do you even want this bell for?"

Sybil " I'm sentimental. I want it. And I need your help to find it."

Me " Or everyone dies, is that it?"

Sybil" Well, you can't save them all. I mean, torches, lighter fluid... poof."