“Class is dismissed,” said my teacher. He was always a boring guy, but honestly he was a good teacher. However, that’s besides the point. My name is Jackie Holset, and I’m 17 years old. I live in a small village on the East Ocean, Ethel Village. Oh, and my family and I live in the country of Lakelia. Lakelia is most known for its rolling hills and quiet streams and rivers. There’s a few lakes, but not many, which is ironic considering the name.

  Moving on to myself though, I have brown hair, brown eyes, and I’m about 5’10” tall, meaning I’m pretty average. I also live with my mother, Lucia, and my younger brother, Peter. My father passed away four years ago when he died on a trek to the capital, Lakeshire. As he was sent as a representative from Ethel Village, the mayor would not allow our family to pay taxes for five years following my father’s death. Because of this, my family and I were allowed to live in our house comfortably.

  Speaking of our house, it’s an above-average sized house, at least compared to the rest of the houses in Ethel Village. We have a garden to the side, and a fence running down the dirt road separating our yard from the road itself. Out back we have a washing bucket to wash clothes, and a shelter for gardening tools which is partially falling apart. The house itself is in much better condition, but you probably won’t care about the specifics until the need arises.

  On this particular day, I was walking home from school with one of the other guys from my class. In fact, he was the only other guy in my class out of five kids besides me, and his name was Marshall.

  “You goin’ straight home, Jack?” asked Marshall.

  “Yeah, I have to help my mother with dinner,” I replied. Since Peter was only six, he couldn’t really help do any chores without either getting in the way or making them more of a hassle.

  “Alright, but you know, we only have three days left until school’s out for the summer!” Marshall exclaimed.

  “Yup, I’m really excited for school to be out! I won’t be around much though. I start work basically right after finishing school,” I said with a sigh.

  “What?!? Since when do YOU have a job? I thought we were supposed to spend this summer hanging out and fishing.”

  “I’ve known about it for a while, but to be honest I’m being forced into it by the mayor. I was trying to keep it a secret because I don’t want word getting around.”

  “Well, what job have you gotten yourself into? Come on, I won’t tell anyone, swear!”

  “It’s nothing really special,” I replied. “Just working with the town travellers.”

  Marshall stared at me with a blank expression.

  “What?” I asked him.

  “Jack, you do understand what that means right?” said Marshall with a glum face on.

  “I’m aware of the danger that comes with it man, but what choice do I have? The mayor’s making me do it, and since there’s only three travelers left I have no option but to oblige. The last apprentice they took on died after a witch encounter, and I’m the only other healthy guy in Ethel Village who didn’t outright refuse!”

  “But WHY wouldn’t you refuse, you know it’s dangerous and that you may well die on the job?!” Marshall shouted.

  “They need help, Marsh, and I believe I can help protect our town this way.” I replied. “Without them, we would all be dead right now and you know it.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “I know, Jack, but that doesn’t mean the responsibility has to fall on you.” Marshall stated.

  “I chose to take this role on, so try to understand and let's leave it at that. I know we won’t get to spend much time together this summer, but let’s make the most of the time we do have.”

  “Fine, I guess you’re right.” Marshall ended sadly.

  With that, we continued walking toward my home. Marshall’s house was a couple miles up the road past mine, and we had been best friends since we were both five, so something such as this job was sure not to come between us. We continued talking as we walked and eventually my house came into view. I loved my house, and it's white siding and beautiful green grass surrounding it only added to my fascination. I would never get tired of this view.

  “Bye, Marshall, see you tomorrow!” I said as I turned up the driveway towards the house.

  “See you later, Jack!” replied Marshall as he kept trottin' along.

  I walked in the front door to find a terrible scene before me.

  Blood.

  There was blood everywhere. I didn’t know where it had come from because no one was in the kitchen anywhere, just blood. It was on the counters and all over the floor, but no body, just blood. I dropped my bag and rushed through the kitchen into the hallway, and what I saw before my eyes was something straight out of a nightmare.

  There lie Peter, dead in the middle of the floor, eyes wide in horror and dried tears rushing down from his eyes. A large knife was embedded into his chest, blood pooled all around him. I had to catch myself from fainting, and by some miracle I managed to do so. But my relief was incredibly short-lived. I glanced towards the back door, and saw it slightly cracked.

  “Where is Mother?” I thought. She has to be here somewhere, there's no way she would just leave Peter, right?

  “Mother!” I called, running all throughout the house trying to find her. I searched every single room from her bedroom to my bedroom to the bathroom to the kitchen once more to be sure. She wasn’t anywhere!

  Finally, I ran through the living room and out the back door onto the green grass that I so loved, and there she was.

  But she wasn’t alone.

  Holding a knife up to my mother’s neck was a witch. She turned and looked at me when I stumbled down the back steps, a malicious smile slowly spreading across her face. She was gripping my mother’s hair hard, and I could hear mother’s heavy breathing all the way from where I was standing.

  The witch’s pitch black hair made it known to anyone who gazed upon her that she was a witch, we're all taught that at a young age, but I’d never seen one freely roaming around. The only time that I ever saw a witch was when the travellers brought one in, hands and feet bound, to be sent off. Where they were sent off to, I had no idea, that was simply what I had been told.

  Unfortunately, this witch was most definitely free, and for whatever reason ventured into my yard and house. I had no doubt now, I knew that she had killed Peter.

  What made this whole situation even more surreal though, was that this witch was incredibly beautiful. I know it sounds insane to think the woman who just murdered my little brother is beautiful, but it's the truth. Put simply, she was astonishing. Her cheek bones were high, and her green eyes were the color of lushful azaleas. She was pale like snow, not completely snow-pale, but paler than your usual person. Even with that horrid smile on her face though, her green eyes had an eerie sadness to them, like she was saddened by herself for what she was doing. Just as I began getting caught up in her eyes, she shifted her clutch on my mother, and I was sent spiraling straight back to reality. I was in a life or death situation right now.

  “What do I do now, though”, I thought to myself. If I tried any sudden movements she would kill my mother without hesitation.

  Then, she spoke to me, and her words hit me like a horse-drawn carriage.

  “She’s coming with me, boy!” she hissed, which was kind of strange, considering this woman could not be more than 20. I felt as if she were talking to me like I was a child .

  “No!” I screamed. “Leave her here, we’ve done nothing to you!”

  “That does not matter,” she muttered, “I have no choice.” Then, she began dragging my mother to the woods, my mother wailing and screaming the second the grip on her hair tightened.

  “Run away, Jack!” my mother yelled. But I did not run away.

  Strength and desperation surged within me, and I lunged towards the witch.

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