<\/p>\n
\u201cLegend says that you are she.\u00a0 But you\u2019re older, aren\u2019t you?\u00a0 From her grandfather\u2019s time.\u201d\u00a0 Without taking his eyes from the darkness of the second floor, he swung the camera around his head, pointing it in all directions, until the pinpricking stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cGeorge,\u201d he said slowly, \u201cCecil\u2026\u201d\u00a0 A wind picked up outside, the house shook, an old cabinet let go from the moldy kitchen wall and crashed wildly to the floor.\u00a0 Walt breathed the last word, barely audible, \u201cAtherton.\u201d<\/p>\n
The wind buffeted the house, and a tree out in the yard fell with a crash that startled Walt and finally made him tear his gaze from the second floor.\u00a0 He caught sight of the Witch just outside the window, standing on the porch.\u00a0 An old woman, her hair flying wild, her face contorted into a hateful leer, her hands clawed as she rose off the ground and began approaching.\u00a0 He let her move through the window, the wind carrying the agonized screams of both Laurie and Lon, before he jerked the camera slightly, enough to catch her eye, and she stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cAren\u2019t you curious?\u201d he asked her.\u00a0 \u201cWhy am I not afraid? How do I know your weakness?\u201d<\/p>\n
She hovered, her mouth relaxing into a troubled grimace, a confused fleur-de-lis blossoming between her malevolent eyes.<\/p>\n
Walt watched her, then leaned forward and spoke gently, \u201cSpeak to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Witch settled onto the floor, watching Walt carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n
The Witch didn\u2019t move.\u00a0 Then she said the last thing she had spoken out loud, \u201cThese are the \u2013 \u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cThings you done,\u201d Walt interrupted, putting on a hick accent. \u201cSay something else.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI would appreciate\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA Coca-Cola.\u00a0 I know.\u00a0 Further back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walt nodded towards her, moving the camera again, but keeping the lens away from her.<\/p>\n
The Witch screamed, \u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n
The curse.<\/p>\n
\u201cInto Atherton\u2019s ear.\u00a0 Whisper it.\u201d<\/p>\n
She whispered it.\u00a0 Walt leaned away as she did so, plugging one of his ears with his free hand and turning his head away.\u00a0 Then she exhaled, and felt a weight pull away from her.\u00a0 \u201cOh dear Jesus,\u201d she mumbled, looking at her hands.\u00a0 She dropped to her knees.\u00a0 She wanted to cry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRelease my friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re still not free, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked up at him, realizing the truth in his words.\u00a0 She was still here.\u00a0 Still stuck.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s your curse.\u00a0 Your choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
She stood, the hatred and evil returning to her face, but Walt shook his head at her.\u00a0 \u201cYou realize who I am?\u201d<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t, but refused to speak to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d he shrugged, \u201cperhaps it doesn\u2019t really matter.\u00a0 I do, however, hope that my visit has been an education.\u201d\u00a0 Walt smiled warmly at the Witch, \u201cNow, if I may, I have a small favor to ask.\u00a0 I\u2019m making a film. For school.\u00a0 The tale of the Romney Wood Witch. It would be wonderful if you told me your name, and if you pointed me in the direction of Amanda Atherton\u2019s remains.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Witch\u2019s eyes brightened, and she asked slowly, \u201cWhy\u2026.Amanda?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, well.\u00a0 Proof.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInnocence.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the film, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2026.more. You\u2026speak.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, Chief Wigwam.\u00a0 We\u2019ll leave Amanda alone for now.\u00a0 But, please, who are you? Even a first name will work.\u201d<\/p>\n
She shook her head, a thin smile playing on her lips.\u00a0 Walt narrowed his eyes and, too late, heard the footsteps behind him.\u00a0 Something crashed across his head and he tumbled to the blood-stained floor, his left ear roaring, blood leaking from his nose.\u00a0 A shower of splintered, rotted wood and termite dust hovered over him and he turned, dazed and hacking, to see Laurie standing over him, staring down at him with just the whites of her eyes as her whole body shook and she raised what remained of her weapon.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow\u2026photograph.\u201d The Witch hissed, and Laurie turned, smashing the piece of rotted kitchen cabinet down on Lon\u2019s camera until the Witch raised a hand to stop her, \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walt reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone, flipping it open and pressing the camera button the side as he did so.\u00a0 The Witch turned quickly, then screamed and vanished.\u00a0 Laurie\u2019s eyes rolled down and she swooned, then collapsed into a heap at Walt\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cFuck me,\u201d Walt muttered.<\/p>\n
From outside, Lon\u2019s voice broke the sudden silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn here!\u201d he shouted back.<\/p>\n
Lon stormed into the house and, when he saw Laurie, he rushed over to her.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019d you do, man?\u201d<\/p>\n
Walt sat up, pointed at his head, then glared back at Lon.<\/p>\n
Laurie groaned and sat up with Lon\u2019s help.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere were you?\u201d Walt asked him.<\/p>\n
\u201cUpstairs\u2026\u201d Lon replied, \u201cAt the big house.\u00a0 And\u2026then\u2026 Well, out front of this one.\u00a0 I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLaurie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laurie looked at Walt, her eyes clouded.\u00a0 She started to cry.\u00a0 \u201cMaureen.\u201d She said.\u00a0 \u201cMaureen Kane.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh.\u201d\u00a0 Walt struggled to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cGood.\u00a0 We\u2019ll need that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI assume my camera\u2019s been destroyed?\u201d Walt asked Laurie.<\/p>\n
Lon looked over at his camera and gasped, \u201cHoly fuck, dude!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll get you a new one, Lon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes\u2026\u201d Laurie pointed over her shoulder towards the kitchen, \u201cIn the hole.\u00a0 She\u2026made me.\u00a0 Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight.\u00a0 Either of you have your cell?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lon was staring forlornly at his smashed camera while Laurie patted her jeans.\u00a0 \u201cNo\u2026 Lon?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour cell.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNah.\u00a0 In the car.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walt nodded and walked to the door.\u00a0 \u201cOkay, then.\u00a0 One cell phone.\u00a0 And a name.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re getting the fuck out of here,\u201d Lon hissed, stepping up behind him.\u00a0 Laurie stood, wavered slightly and put a hand to her forehead, then moved forward slowly.\u00a0 She twisted and vomited onto the floor, falling again to her knees.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m afraid the game\u2019s afoot,\u201d Walt said.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019The game\u2019s afoot\u2019?\u00a0 Jesus, have you lost your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLaurie\u2019s going to have to move slow\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what?\u00a0 We\u2019ve got the whole day.\u00a0 It\u2019s only a couple hours to the car!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe canoe will be gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFuck.\u00a0 What?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re also wrong about the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lon checked his watch.\u00a0 Six PM.\u00a0 Sunset in just over an hour.\u00a0 He looked up.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s not possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are subject to the impossible on this side of the river.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you stop talking like fucking Sam Neill in some sort of crappy movie?\u201d\u00a0 Lon moved over to Laurie, who vomited again.<\/p>\n
Walt turned, smiled slowly, then he also squatted down beside Laurie.\u00a0 He put a hand on her shoulder, \u201cWe\u2019re going to have to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded, retching, closing her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll be fine as soon as we\u2019re on the other side of the river.\u201d<\/p>\n
That got her to her feet, and Lon half dragged, half carried her out of the house and into the yard.\u00a0 Walt stuck close behind.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what\u2019s the plan?\u00a0 Run through the woods armed with a cellphone?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I had a plan, I would have focused on finding Amanda Atherton\u2019s bones.\u00a0 Or, thanks to Laurie, the Witch\u2019s final resting place.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPart of the legend is that she can be freed if her remains are recovered. Though that\u2019s sort of fallen by the wayside.\u00a0 Interesting how legends morph over time, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight, whatever, Walt.\u00a0 Fuck the witch.\u00a0 We\u2019re moving.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walt nodded, looked up at the sun inching down in the west, \u201cYeah\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Walt led the way down through the woods towards the ruins of Black Hill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[252,405],"class_list":["post-1349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-serials","tag-romney-wood","tag-serials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1349"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1350,"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1349\/revisions\/1350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greatsociety.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}