chapter one,
witches aren't real

A HUFF SLIPPED past her lips as she bent down to pick up the dropped cup. Slamming it down on the counter, she quickly filled it with orange juice before she turned on the TV to the news.

"Shadyside, small-town America. But among locals, a history of horror has earned it another nickname," the news reporter spoke. Holland Watson rolled her eyes but kept watching. "Killer Capital USA. And last night, tragedy struck again. I'm here with Sheriff Nick Goode. Sheriff, what can you tell us?"

Sheriff Goode lowered his head so it was closer to the microphone. "Uh, there were seven victims, uh, ages, uh, 16 to 42. Uh, the perpetrator's also deceased."

The news reporter took her mic back. "Shadyside sits just beside Sunnyvale, one of the safest and wealthiest communities in the country. What is it about Shadyside? How do we end this cycle of violence?"

"Morning, baby," Eloise Watson pressed a kiss to her daughter's cheek. Her eyes flickered to the TV and she frowned. "A girl named Heather died last night, you know her?"

"No," Holland shook her head.

Eloise hummed. "It's your sister all over again," the woman mumbled with a slight shake of her head before walking away to the kitchen table.

Holland watched her mother pull the rubber band off of the morning paper. Holland had never met her older half-sister, the girl having been murdered the day before she was born.

Eloise sighed after a moment and folded the paper up. She glanced up at the clock. "Hol, you need to go, baby," she instructed. "You'll be late."

Holland nodded and quickly drank the rest of her orange juice. She grabbed the keys to the car and kissed the top of Eloise's head before she rushed out the door.

Of course, you can't escape news of a murder at a high school. Especially when mostly everyone attending believed that it was due to a witch. Holland paused at the locker with tons of notes stuck on it, assuming it was Heather's. Holland made a cross with her fingers, pressed them against her lips, and motioned to the locker before she continued to Deena.

Before Holland had a chance to say anything, Kate Schmidt popped up from behind the Johnson girl. "You see? It's the witch. Sarah Fier's back."

"Oh, Christ," Deena whined. "Not you too."

"Witches aren't real," Holland told the girl.

Kate grabbed both of their wrists and led them into the girls' bathroom. Holland stopped when she saw the writing on the stalls. "She reaches from beyond the grave to make good men her wicked slaves," Kate recited.

A stall door burst open, making Holland gasp and turn around, only to see Simon Kalivoda. "She'll take your blood! She'll follow you until you're dead."

"Wow," Deena leaned against a sink. "You guys are dicks."

Holland lightly pushed Simon's shoulder away from her. "Witches aren't real," she repeated, narrowing her eyes at him.

"It's just fun," Kate told them.

"It's sick," Deena argued.

"What?" Simon smiled, motioning to Kate. "The dude was wearing a Halloween skull mask. How is that not fun?"

Holland's furrowed her eyebrows. "He killed people. That's not fun, dipshit."

"There's no need for name-calling, Holly," the boy responded, poking her side lightly.

"The dude was probably just some sad sack who hated his life, like the rest of us, except he decided hey, why don't I get out of here for good? and hey, why don't I take Heather and a couple other mall rats with me?" Deena ranted. "There's no angry, dead witch who made him go postal. The only thing that made him go crazy is this town!"

Kate stared at her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Deena breathed out. "I'm fine."

"Seems like. . . maybe you gotta a little witch in you," Simon commented, earning his ribs a harsh hit from Holland's elbow.

Deena smiled, still seemingly fired up. Simon turned back into the stall he came from, climbing up on the toilet to grab something. "Dude, why are you even in here? This is the girls' bathroom."

He hopped down from the toilet, holding a box in his hands. "Candy store."

"You know we don't believe this witch shit, right?" Kate adjusted her ponytail. "It's just like. . . fucked up Santa Clause or something."

"Ho, ho, ho," Simon added for Holland to try to make her smile. He was unsuccessful, however, only earning a simple roll of her eyes.

Deena went to hand Kate a box, the cheerleader peered down at it. "What this?"

"I need you to give this to Sam tonight."

"Yeah, uh-uh," Kate protested. "No way."

"Come on, Kate-"

"No way, Deena," Kate leaned against the windows after she got her ponytail how she liked it. "I am not getting mixed up in your ex drama. Do it yourself."

"I'm not going to the game," Deena replied, setting the box back down on the sink. "I quit band."

"Since when?" Kate asked.

"Since who gives a shit?"

"Was band the only extracurricular you had left?" Kate got no verbal reply but it was so painfully a yes. "You still have your band uniform, right? Just wear that shit one last time." She walked over to Simon, who was on the floor, and grabbed the box. "I've got something that'll give you the balls to face Same." She flipped open the lid, revealing a whole bunch of drugs.

"Kate. . ." Holland trailed off, lips parting. "I thought you stopped dealing when dipshit's brother OD'd."

"Timothy?" Simon stood, stretching.

Kate glanced over to the boy. "Timmy wasn't a real OD. He didn't actually die. They brought him back."

Simon put his hands out, pretending to get electrocuted. "Ja-jing."

Holland softly smiled at him and shook her head.

"Your both morons," Deena told them.

"Excuse me?" Kate pretended to be offended. "Which one of us is Valedictorian again?" Simon slung his arm around Holland's neck. "President of every club this shithole has to offer." They walked out the door. "I'm getting out of here. Off to claim my place among the stars, bitch."

"Woo!" a boy screamed, dragging a dummy behind him as he ran down the hall. "The witch lives! Long live Sarah Fier! Woo!"

"Yeah!" Simon called after him as many students began laughing and cheering.

𝒎𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒍 !!
welcome back to the first chapter of hide and seek!