Rectification

Chapter 3

The light disappeared, and Amity was falling.

She let out a shriek as she realized she was plummeting towards the leaf-blanketed ground headfirst. Leaves and branches whipped past her at lightning speed before she landed with a dull thud. A sharp pain shot up her arm as it collided with the dirt, and she inhaled sharply through her teeth, holding back tears at the stabbing agony.

What a way to make an entrance.

When the pain finally subsided enough for her to think straight, Amity staggered to her feet and crept forward with her arm cradled to her chest. She knew she was in the woods between Hexside and the Owl House. Would she see Luz here? Her heart leapt to her throat at the prospect. Adorable, sweet, affectionate Luz...

... who would have no idea who Amity was.

That is, if the spell had worked. She was sure it had- the leaves on the trees were yellow and red, rather than the rich green color they'd sported in the fall when Luz had left. Had Amity really been able to travel back in time? She felt a thrill at the idea. She had to have been the youngest witch to pull off time travel- maybe even the first ever. Even the ancient, powerful feral witches of the past must have had trouble gathering the courage to perform such a drastic act.

But not Amity. She was doing this for Luz, which made it ten times easier.

"...Besides, your dads are right. There are more opportunities on this track. Now- get to school!"

Amity stopped in her tracks and ducked behind a thick tree truck. When she peered around it, she could make out none other than Luz's future best friend Willow pacing around the clearing in front of her. Her heart dropped when she saw Willow wearing the orchid uniform of an Abominations student. The sooner Amity could get Willow onto the plant track again, the better.

Amity's good hand darted out when she saw that Willow had paced dangerously close to her small purple flower. "Willow! Watch where you're stepping!"

Willow froze and glanced down at her feet. She narrowly missed stomping on the delicate petals. "Whew. That was close," she sighed. She looked up at the trees and squinted directly at the tree that Amity was crouched behind. "Is that...?" She let the unspoken name hang in the air between them, her own disbelief thick enough Amity felt like it was choking her.

Keeping her injured arm close, Amity ducked into the clearing. "Hi, Willow."

"Amity?" Willow's eyes went wide. She had to have recognized Amity's voice and only too late did Amity remember that her being nice to Willow was probably setting off multiple alarms in Willow's mind. "What are you doing here?"

"I... I was just-"

"Is your arm okay?"

"It's fine." Amity began to frantically survey the area. Luz had to be around here somewhere. This was where her crush had first met Willow, most likely... when she'd offered to be Willow's abomination. "Have you, uh... have you seen Luz anywhere?"

Willow narrowed her eyes. "I don't know anyone named Luz. What'd Boscha put you up to?"

Right. This was the past. "So... sorry, forget I asked. Boscha didn't... this has nothing to do with Boscha."

A flash of movement at the far side of the clearing caught Amity's eye. She got a glimpse of bright purple and deep brown, and instantly her throat went dry. There was no mistaking the frame of the skinny teenager darting around behind the bushes.