In the town of Greendale, where everyday feels like it's Halloween, there lived a girl who was different from all the others. A witch living amongst mortals, designed by Satan himself. That girl was me.
That morning started like any other. Everyone sat around the table consumed by their own morning rituals. "Morning, Aunties," I rolled my eyes playfully as Sabrina brisked into the room, "Nicole, Ambrose." I smirked to myself, my cousin, was coming upon her sixteenth birthday and that meant all kinds of exciting things for a young witch. Aunt Hilda glanced up from whatever concoction she was brewing, "Morning, Darling! How'd you sleep?"
"Tempestuously by the sounds of it," My mother folded her paper neatly and set it down on the table. "Now that you mention it Aunt Zee, I did wake up once or twice. It's an exciting time.." She chuckles to herself, "In more ways than one." I eyed her suspiciously as she toyed with the gold chain she now adorned around her neck- From the mortal boy no doubt. "Mmm, I remember the week before my Dark Baptism. It felt as if my real life were beginning," My mother shrugged adding in a dramatic flair, "I barely slept." Aunt Hilda came over and squeezed her shoulder lovingly, "Rabbit's feet, under your pillow tonight, you'll sleep like the dead." She smiled and lifted her curious box onto the table, "Speaking of the dead, a bat flew into my room last night. Smashed through one of my windows."
Ambrose perked up at that, "Oh, want me to bring it back?" "No, Ambrose, we'll have none of your necromancy, " My mother said sternly. He shot me a mischievous sideways glance and I could hardly stifle a laugh. " Is it okay if I bury it in the garden?" Aunt Hilda nodded, "Yes, as you wish! You can bury it in the pet cemetery by the sundial. There's room there." Ambrose and I both stiffened at the thick green liquid our Aunt placed in front of Sabrina. That particular drink was all too familiar. "Oh, what's this?," Right then poor Sabrina showed her innocent naivete. Ambrose and I had already forgone our dark Baptisms and the rituals that went along with them. However, for Sabrina it was just beginning. "Before it can be baptized, the temple of your body needs to be purified. Cleansed of it's toxins, " My mother said matter of factly before taking a long draw off of her cigarette." Aunt Hilda uncapped the jar, "This is actually milk and eggs and rosemary and agrimony, and it's a cupful of vanilla and a pinch of John the Conqueror root and... tannis, uh, other herbs from my garden. Drink up, Darling."
Ambrose clears his throat, "Don't do it, cousin." My mother looks sharply at him as she presents a book to Sabrina, "Ambrose. Sabrina, you need to pick a familiar before your Dark Baptism, the council sent the registry," She flips to a marked page, "I've, uh, indicated a few suitable options. Now, there's a very handsome hedgehog, a noble looking owl. ," She stood and gestured to her familiar, "Vinegar Tom and Nyx, would happily welcome a new dog." I grumble, "Nyx is a wolf, mother. You know how bad that agitates her." She caressed my cheek lovingly, "I know, darling." I look back at our two familiars lounging side by side. Unlike my mother who does everything by the book, I summoned my familiar from the forest. Although, a wolf isn't exactly inconspicuous, we formed a bond right away. Nyx lounged lazily, her haunting gold eyes studying our every move. Vinegar Tom, on the other hand sat rigid and frozen. I could almost see the goblin staring out from behind his eyes and I shivered. " About that, Aunt Zee, " Sabrina sighs, " Instead of picking a familiar out of a book, which is so, I don't know, dehumanizing--" Mother interrupts, " Familiars are goblins who have taken on the shape of animals to better serve their witch masters. There's nothing human about them." Sabrina continued unphased, "But I've been practicing a summoning spell I found in the Demonomicon, the same one Nicole used. And What if I put it out there that I'm looking for a familiar and see if anyone wants to volunteer?" Aunt Hilda plasters on a smile, "I think that's a charming idea." "And what of your baptismal name? Have you settled on one yet?" Sabrina nods, "I have, as a matter of fact. Edwina Diana. Edwina, which is almost Edward, to honor my father, and Diana, to honor my mother." It seems that another Spellman tradition has continued. Upon the coming of my Dark Baptism I was tasked with choosing a baptismal name of my own. I chose to honor my parents, Arcanus and Zelda. From then on I was Nicole Arcana Zelda Spellman, a daughter of the Church of Night. Granted, I scarcely knew my father, much like Sabrina herself, but it felt right. She continued proudly, " And not just to honor them... to be closer to them. To have them with me as I walk the Path of Night."
Aunt Hilda tears up at that, "I wasn't gonna cry.. And.. I just wish your mum and dad were here to see this, to see you. They'd be so proud of you. They would be so proud of the woman you've become." My mother shakes her head, "Correction, Hilda, they would be so proud of the young witch she is becoming."
Together Ambrose and I accompanied Sabrina to the yard. Ambrose waved Sabrina from her tranced state, "Penny dreadful for your thoughts, cousin?" She looks in our direction and sighs, "Just.. some people might say that a bat crashing through a window is a bad omen." I shrug leaning against the cool stone of a nearby gravestone, "It's just one coincidence." Ambrose snickers, "You of all people don't believe in coincidences, 'Cole." I shrug half heartedly. So what if it was one bad sign? It could've meant anything. I let my eyes close and let the cool morning air soak in. "I also found a two-headed frog in my shoe yesterday." Now that caught my attention. I straightened and studied Sabrina closely, "Could it be that you're just nervous?" Ambrose climbs off his perch, "Hold a tick, you're not having doubts are you, about your Dark Baptism? Back inside with Madams Jekyll and Hyde, you seemed excited." She looks down, "And I am. But I am also a little--"
Ambrose picks up her unfinished sentence, "It's alright to be a little nervous." He nudged me, "Oh! I mean-- of course. Going into the woods, signing your name in the Dark Lord's book.." Ambrose smiles reassuringly, "Even I had butterflies." Sabrina looks to me with wide innocent eyes, "Did you, cousin?" I frowned, "Ah- no. But! But- we all know how my mom is. It was something I had been prepared for since birth." Ambrose chuckles, "What have you told your mortal friends? That you're being transferred to some posh boarding school in Connecticut?" The guilty look that passes over her face says everything. "You haven't told them?"
"Cousin.. You have told them something, I hope," Ambrose tsks. She sighs, "Not yet."
She looks between both of us before turning on her heel, "I'm waiting for the right time." I glance at Ambrose before catching her hand, "It will never be the right time.. You just have to do it. Like ripping off a bandage." She frowns, "You two wouldn't understand. You were both born a full witch. You didn't have to say goodbye to half your life, your friends, your boyfriend." Ambrose arches an eyebrow, "This is true, but afterwards, when you're fully a witch, you'll stay younger longer. You'll cultivate your gifts at the Academy of Unseen Arts, where your father was headmaster. You will belong cousin, in every sense of the word." She heaves a sigh, "I know! And I want all those things. I do. It's just... it's dumb. You're only supposed to start missing things after you say goodbye to them, right?" Ambrose frowns, "I have been under house arrest with our Aunties for the past 75 years, Sabrina. Forbidden from leaving the grounds,"He adjusts the collar on her coat, "I am continuously missing everything." At that he leaves us both standing in the yard. I ruffle her hair, "Come on, kid. I'll give you a ride to school." She smiles mischievously, "Actually, I think I'll walk today. I have some things to take care of.."
((So this was just my first go at a writing project. Please, don't judge too harshly :) ))
