Author’s Note : This is the sequel to Giggle.
“I’m sorry mommy! I didn’t mean it! I didn’t mean to hurt him!”
Tears fell from Tabitha’s eyes as her mother quickly took her hand and led her away from the gathering crowd. They disappeared amongst the curious people who wandered over to see what all the fuss was about.
The day was cold but not bitter. The late, afternoon sun was pleasant, and the light breeze was crisp and refreshing. It was the perfect fall afternoon. For the past six months, Tabitha and her mother, Marrissa had settled quietly in the quaint, little town. Life was peaceful and uneventful for the pair and the rare moments when they could stay in one place was something neither of them took for granted or regretted. The daily trips to the local playground quickly became a favorite routine for the mother and daughter. Even Marrissa found herself looking forward to the time spent amongst the swings and slides.
Nothing pleased Marrissa’s more than to see Tabitha run and play with the other children and she was not oblivious to the fact that she rather enjoyed conversing with others her own age too. Looking up at the trees, she took the time to appreciate these rare and brief moments when they could pretend they were nothing more than an ordinary family. Her smile slightly wavered as she took notice of the dark shadow burrowed within the branches of the leaves. The lone Yo’Gitja Demon, hidden within the darkness, kept its distance but held a constant vigil over the pair. Given the circumstances, Marrissa forced herself to ignore the creature and forget about her troubles for the moment. She allowed herself to continue imagining what life might have been for her and her daughter in such a carefree existence.
Marrissa would never get used to having a demon so close and near, but this is what the Fates had decided, or perhaps it was something else;-something more powerful and ancient. Regardless, Tabitha never ceased to amaze or surprise her mother. Marrissa recalled all the near misses and confrontations with this particular type of demon. Their last encounter occurred just before the arrival to their current residence. A pack of the hunter demons had found them, and once again, Tabitha let loose the full brunt of her abilities. The brutality she unleashed on them was still trying for Marrissa to witness. The child mutilated the first creature, then the next, but when it came to the final demon, Tabitha stopped and did something unexpected. She walked over to the shivering creature, put her hand under its chin and looked into its eyes. With bright eyes and a beautiful smile, Tabitha absolved the demon’s soul from Hell. She cleansed its spirit and broke the chains that bound it to eternal damnation.
Once freed, the two bonded themselves to one another, and it became her familiar. For a witch, it is a momentous day and a step closer to coming of age, when one chooses a familiar. Marrissa laughed to herself remembering when Tabitha named it Buddy. Once given its new name, the creature was no longer a servant of Hell; it was her familiar and spiritual guide. It was her protector, her confidant, and her beloved friend. Never had such a deed of this kind been recorded in the archives of the Covens. Strange and uncharted territory was this, but since that day, they had not had a single encounter nor hint of pursuit from the hunter demons.
Her mind wandered, and deep in thought was she. Not realizing it, her eyes slowly closed. The sounds of playing children grew distant and the shadows from the afternoon daylight grew long and stretched out like long fingers. Without warning, the sunshine vanished, and she stood alone in the darkness. Suddenly, torches of purple flames erupted and illuminated the blackness. She recognized this place; she had been here many times before. The vision of the dark cavern had been appearing to her with increased frequency for the past four months, and now once again she found herself standing before the three ebony pillars.
She knew not what she was seeing or where she was, but each time, more of the surroundings revealed themselves to her. Still, the answer to this mystery eluded her. It meant something important and was vital to her and Tabitha. She scanned the structures and cavern walls for any clue to where she was and what the pillars signified. The columns were tall and vanished into the darkness. They were made of the purest obsidian rock, and its crystal walls barred the passageway to the entrance of an unseen temple. Etched over its surface were unrecognizable symbols. Not a single spot on the black stone was free from the engravings. As she was pulled away and back to reality, she heard the familiar words whispered into her head again, “There approaches a day when the immovable object will collide with the unstoppable force. When that day comes to pass, what will become of thee?”
She stood in the park, once again, deep in thought. Awareness was slow to return to her as a part of her mind remained in that dark and lonely cavern. The cries of children from far away caught her attention. She gritted her teeth and willed her self back into focus from the trance. To her dismay, she saw a commotion was occurring on the far side of the playground.
Marrissa pushed through the crowd. The shocked looks on the parent’s faces were not overlooked. She noticed the hint of insanity behind each pair of wide eyes from encountering something that should not be possible. She had come to recognize how the daylight deepened into shadows as if it were no longer shade from the sun but long and bottomless pits of pitch black. She pushed past the last of the parents who blocked her way; she saw the source of their fears. Tabitha stood, with arms spread wide and slightly levitating above the ground. She whispered ancient druidic incantations under her breath with expertise and deadly purpose. A silent wind, which only affected her, violently blew and tossed her long brown hair. Her eyes were black as tar and directed at a screaming teenage boy suspended high in the air, upside down, with arms and legs outstretched wide, and stripped naked.