The Witch (30 page)

“Maybe you have no magic power. Maybe your mother’s magic brought the uglies to life. If they depended on you they may have remained lumps of clay.”

“But I brought the wolf to life.”

“Your mother was present for that also.”

“But she couldn’t touch this world. That’s why she needed the uglies and she needed me. But I do know she can invade a body.”

“Maybe because you’re her son you’re more susceptible. She might not be able to take over the baby’s body, since they’re not related.”

Stephen thought about this while Robin went back to watching the television.

Since the box had been destroyed the little old woman with the staff had nowhere safe to go during the day. She hid herself behind cardboard boxes infested with bugs and under the dirty laundry that seemed to sit in the basement for weeks
.

When Stephen began destroying the other demons she had wisely slipped off the table and onto the hard, cement floor. The landing had been painful, and she had flattened both her feet but had escaped the harsh lick of the fire
.

At first she thought about escaping into the outside world. The pane of glass was still missing from the window over the furnace. The wall leading up to the window had tiny grooves and with the aid of her staff she might have been able to climb the wall. Instead she had decided to wait. When the meddling sister rushed the boy out of the house the mother had gone mad. So mad that the little old woman thought she might be able to rule her creator
.

The old woman waited many days before revealing herself to the witch, and she only did when she felt the spirit of the witch fading
.

“Mother, why do you mourn?” the old woman asked
.

The witch immediately spotted the old woman
.

“You exist. And the others?”

“Into the fire.”

“Stephen missed seeing you?”

“He was much too busy in his righteous snit to count heads. But, again I ask, why do you mourn?”

“My son is gone.”

“There are many other children in the world.”

“Children?”

“Yes. If you were …” The witch hesitated. She wanted to say “more accomplished,” but thought she should choose her words more wisely than that. “If you were weak and had no power then I could understand. But why fade away when you can renew your quest with another child?”

“Can I?”

“Of course. The younger the child the easier it is. The fewer the memories, the easier to squelch the resident personality.”

“But the house is empty.”

“Not forever. There is room in this house for many children. Do you think some old maid is going to want the task of caring for a house this size?”

“Will you help me?”

“That is why you called me into this world.” The old woman staggered out from behind the furnace and didn’t stop until she stood on the center of the basement floor. “I’ve been waiting here for you to notice me, and while waiting I’ve met numerous cohorts who knew me in another existence.” The witch tapped the floor three times with her staff. A second later a crow flew in through the broken window
.

“This is Asmodeus. An old lover. He appears here not in his usual form, but with his three heads, feet of a cock and wings it would be difficult for him not to attract attention. He has volunteered to watch over us. To be our spy.”

“We don’t need a spy. We need to bring my son back.”

“That may be impossible, my dear. We must not obsess over the past. Asmodeus and I can certainly vouch for that. If we wallowed in our histories, we’d never accomplish anything with our futures. However, if the boy should still be near, Asmodeus will find him.”

“Will he recognize my son?”

“Yes, by the scent of his flesh and by the pain in the boy’s heart. I’m sure he cries nights over losing you, Mother. That pain will give him away.”

“But how will Asmodeus bring Stephen back to this house?”

“First let Asmodeus look for him. But always remember there are others who can take your son’s place.”

“I want my boy with me forever.”

Time, however, changed the mother’s longing, and the infant girl soon became the prime target
.

Mrs. Rosen peeked out her living room window when she heard a truck stop in front of her door. The driver had a delivery for the neighbors, but he couldn’t park any nearer their door because of an overhanging tree. The side panel advertised BABY WORLD in big letters. Curious, she decided to just happen to step outside to check for her mail.

At her mailbox Mrs. Rosen saw the neighbors signing a sheet of paper on a clipboard. She waved when they noticed her. Waving back, the couple glowed.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” said Mrs. Rosen.

The delivery men returned to the truck and pulled out a big box.

“A gift for your granddaughter?” asked Mrs. Rosen.

“Much more exciting than that,” said Mrs. Crowther, the neighbor. “We’ll be having our granddaughter staying with us for several months. The kids have to go off to South Africa for their jobs and didn’t want to chance taking the baby along. They themselves have to get all sorts of shots.”

“How delightful for you.”

The delivery men passed by, carrying a box that obviously contained a crib.

“When does the baby move in?” Mrs. Rosen asked.

“Soon. We’re getting ready in advance. The small room on the way to the kitchen has been done up as a nursery.”

“You mean the one near the basement? “

“Near the basement door. Yes.” Mrs. Crowther let her husband guide the delivery into the house and she approached Mrs. Rosen. “The kids think we’re overdoing it, but I haven’t had a baby in the house since … Never mind, I don’t think I want to admit to how long it’s been.”

“Are you enjoying the house?”

“Yes, very much. We have lots of room for my husband’s library, and we can keep the dogs downstairs away from our bedroom. Although once in a while Ginger whines in front of the gate we have barring the stairs. We figure she misses being pampered. She used to sleep every night at the foot of our bed. Spike doesn’t seem to care.”

“Any problem with the heating?”

“We got a brand new furnace. Why would we have problems with the heat?”

“Just wanted to make sure you weren’t too warm.”

“Too warm?” Mrs. Crowther waited for an answer.

“The former occupants had some trouble with the heat, but as you say, you did install a new furnace.”

Mrs. Crowther nodded and excused herself. “My husband is probably wondering what happened to me.”

“Yes. Well, I look forward to seeing more of your granddaughter.”

Mrs. Crowther gave her neighbor a broad grin and hurried back to the house.

“Oh, Stephen, I hope your mother has moved on,” Mrs. Rosen muttered to herself.

A horn broke Mrs. Rosen’s reverie.

“Rosemary. Stephen.”

Both got out of Rosemary’s Jaguar.

“He’s been dying to pay a visit.” Rosemary made direct eye contact with Mrs. Rosen, sending a signal that Stephen still worried about what he had let loose.

“You needn’t have come over here. I would have dropped by before the end of the week.”

The deliverymen returned to their truck and almost immediately pulled away from the curb.

“A gift?” Rosemary asked.

“Sort of.” Mrs. Rosen nodded and led her guests to the house when a crow swooped low, barely missing the top of Rosemary’s head.

“What was that?” Rosemary asked.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I don’t like that bird,” Stephen said.

“I think the feelings are mutual.” Rosemary ran her fingers through her hair.

“Come inside before we get dive bombed again.”

Stephen trailed along behind the two women, searching the sky for the crow.

“Pay attention or you’ll trip.”

Stephen heeded his aunt’s advice and stepped over the garden hose.

As night filled the sky with darkness, the old woman came out from her hiding place behind the piled-up cardboard boxes
.

“Old woman, there is a delightful treat on the first floor. A nursery is being prepared. It’s bright pink with various-sized stuffed animals and a rocking chair containing a musical box.”

“Mistress, has the house once again changed hands?”

“No. But I believe a baby will be staying here.”

“Perhaps it is there to enable the baby to nap more comfortably. It doesn’t necessarily mean the baby will stay.”

“Cursed old woman, why do you destroy my dreams?” “Mistress.” The old woman bowed low. “I merely—” “First you deride me because I dream of my son. Now you want to steal the baby from me.”

“Hardly, mistress. I speculated. That is all.” They both heard a tap on one of the basement windows. The crow stood so still he almost blended into the night
.

“What does he want?” Cathy asked. “He has found someone.” “Stephen?”

“Yes.” The old woman walked nearer to the window and raised her staff to be rid of the crow. “Why did you send him away?” “We wouldn’t want someone to notice him.” “You’re annoyed that he’s found Stephen,” Cathy said. “Your son, the baby girl. It makes for more complications. The baby is pure, new, untouched by this world as yet. Your son suffers prejudices fed to him by the authorities he must obey.”

“You’re saying it would be easier to take possession of the baby.”

“Yes. More than that, we must make sure your son does not interfere.”

“He fears me now and probably won’t come into this house.”

“Maybe we should reinforce that fear”

“Are you satisfied now, Stephen? I took you over to Mrs. Rosen’s and you saw how quiet your old house looks.”

He wiggled his nose.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Aunt Rosemary, that bird wasn’t really a bird.”

“What?”

“It was a spirit. I could feel the evil in him.” Rosemary rested her hands on his shoulders. “I was wrong to bring you back. Your dad could use some cheering up.”

“Is he sick?” Stephen turned around to face his

“No. He’s not sick, but he is finding the physical therapy very taxing.”

“I think the bird is spying for Momma,” Stephen said, ignoring his aunt’s comments about his father.

Rosemary sighed.

“I find this hard to comprehend. I’m afraid you’ve become obsessed with witchcraft. On the other hand, I didn’t believe you the first time.”

“And two people died and Dad got hurt.”

“Momma?”

“Yes, Robin?” Rosemary turned to see her daughter in the doorway of the living room.

“Maybe we should pay attention to what Stephen says. If we stay close to Stephen, then his mother won’t be able to attack him.”

“Neither of you can stop her,” Stephen said. “But I can talk to her. I can ask her not to hurt anyone.”

“What if your mother won’t listen?” Robin guided herself into the room. “What if your mother has become evil, or what if she isn’t your mother at all? Maybe it’s some demon imitating your mother. Could you tell the difference, Stephen?”

“She’s my mother.”

“But you don’t know that for sure. Maybe a demon has possessed her dead soul.”

“Robin, I don’t think we should encourage Stephen in these fantasies.”

“I’m not. I’m trying to make him see the dangers he faces if he goes back to the house.”

“No one has invited us to the house. The people deserve their privacy,” said Aunt Rosemary.

A crow crashed into the window, its wings spread wide and its head tucked low, close to its body.

Rosemary screamed as the bird seemingly fell to the ground.

Robin started for the front door.

“Where are you going?” her mother called out to her.

“The bird could be hurt. We should do something.”

“No. Stay in the house.”

“But, Mom …”

“He’s here for me. It’s the same bird we saw at Grannie Smith’s,” said Stephen.

“Both of you stay in the house and I’ll check on the crow.” Rosemary threw on a cotton sweater on her way out the front door. Once outside she wondered why she had bothered with the sweater. Her body instantly broke out in a sweat. She rounded the corner of the house, hoping there would be no bird prostrate on the ground, but there it was. Its head bent in an awkward position, the wings spread wide, allowing the shine of the black feathers to glow under the sun. As she drew nearer the bird shuddered. She looked toward the window and saw that both children watched her.

I’ll get a bath towel
, she thought, looking back down at the crow. Wrap the poor thing in a towel and take it down to the veterinary hospital. Had the children not been watching she probably wouldn’t have bothered to touch the crow.

“Here’s a blanket.”

Rosemary jumped at the sound of Stephen’s voice behind her.

“I told both of you to stay in the house. Besides, that blanket’s decorative. Mom uses it to cover …” Mom didn’t use it anymore, she reminded herself.

“Come on, let’s go back into the house and find a towel.”

“Which towel? I can get it.”

“Fine, Stephen, get one of the bath towels. Get two,” she corrected herself.

A minute later Stephen stood behind her again, this time with the guest towels. Again she had to remind herself that it didn’t matter. Mom wasn’t going to be using them for guests ever again.

She took the towels from the boy’s outstretched arms.

“Want me to do it, Aunt Rosemary? The bird won’t hurt me.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because Momma sent him.”

“If she sent the bird, what kind of message did he bring? And couldn’t she find a bird that was less of a klutz?”

“He wanted to get our attention.”

“And kill himself?”