Edge Becomes a Witch | [Half Bad Fanfiction]

Dying of Blackness

I've known mom as a normal human all my life, and now suddenly my brain has to get used to the fact that she's not a normal human. I can't even look at her, it's so weird. Thank god dad isn't a witch.

An hour has passed since I learned witches exist, and mom, dad, and the doctor is sitting on the couch across me, telling me about how this witch thing works:

Some are black witches, some are white witches, some are something in between, or a mix between fain (weird name for normal human but okay) and witch. Before they're seventeen, they're called whets. At a whet's seventeenth birthday, one has a Giving ceremony performed by a parent or grandparent, and the whet becomes a witch. That's when they discover her or his Gift; her or his magical power. Mom's Gift is invisibility, and the doctor's Gift is healing.

The doctor starts talking about what happens to a whet if she doesn't get a Giving. A white whet turns into a fain, and a black whet dies. It's silent for a minute, before mom says; 'Edge, look at me.'

I have to force myself to do it.

'I'm a white which, Edge,' She hesitates, but continues, 'Nathan is half white, half black.'

I shut my eyes as hard as I can, feeling everything tighten.

'So that's his name.'

They would never tell me what his name was. It's the first time mom has ever said anything about my father, and it was only to tell me, in a discreet way, that I am, in fact, dying.

'The test I took of your blood was to see if your black genes are dominating, which we earlier deemed impossible. However, it proved positive. You didn't have a Giving on your seventeenth birthday a month ago, and that's why you've been ill. If we don't do anything about it, you won't survive another month.'

Soon later, the doctor readies some potions and mixes it with mom's blood, and makes me drink it. I complain about how gross it is to drink mom's blood, but take the potion anyway. Some minutes later, my headache disappears, and I stop freezing.

'This is so freaky,' I say, and try to get up. I'm dizzy at first, but then I feel better, and try to walk around the living room, and I'm relieved I'm finally well.

'For now you're feeling better. But, you're still dying, Edge,' the doctor says.

'What, so I drank mom's blood for nothing?' I ask.

'You drank your mother's blood so you can manage to come with me, to find witches with more expertise.'

'Sorry, but I don't know the first thing about you, sir.'

The doctor smiles, and gives me a handshake; 'I haven't really introduced myself; I'm Arran...' his smile fades and his concerned eyes take over, 'Edge... I'm your uncle. On your father's side,' He glances over at dad, and then turns back to me, 'Nathan's side.'

'Nice to meet you,' I say, without really thinking about it, having a hard time realizing what he just said - having a hard time realizing any of this.

'I, um... I'm going to my room now...' And I do, locking the door behind me.