KAIROS | CHAPTER TWO

"LONELINESS IS STILL
TIME SPENT WITH THE WORLD."

October 31st, 1993 (7:37 PM)

   She walked through the woods, memories flooding her brain. The image of Thackery running after Emily was vivid in her brain, and caused her stomach to tie itself into knots. Three people were stood on the cottage stairs, and she recognized Allison almost immediately. She ran towards them, panic in her veins. "Guys, what the hell are you doing up here?" She called, reaching the base of the steps as they reached the door.

   Allison, Max, and Max's little sister, Dani, turned to face her. The blonde smiled, "Violet, hey! They wanted to see the inside of the museum, what're you doing up here?"

   "Taking a walk, lookin' for that black cat." She lied, walking to the top step where her friend stood.

   The blonde smiled once more, turning to Dani. "I claimed to know everything about the Sanderson sisters, but I haven't even scratched the surface of what Violet knows. C'mon, let's go inside."

   "I don't think that's a good idea, Allison." Violet objected, earning curious eyes from the three. "What if cops show up?"

   "We'll be fine," Max said, before the blonde opened the door. The creaking of the hinges sent chills down the ginger's spine, and she then realized that it'd been three centuries since she'd stepped foot inside the cottage.

   Dani had begun to cough, due to the dust and cobwebs. "I can't see a thing."

   Max closed the door behind Violet, and Allison had begun to look for a light switch. The cottage was dark, and the smell of rotting wood was sickening. Max had approached a gift stand, picking up a Zippo lighter and opening it.

   "Found a lighter."

   Her eyes widened, and she nearly vomited. Winifred's words echoed through her skull, and she'd begun to feel dizzy; she wobbled a small bit, being caught by Allison.

   "Whoa, you okay?"

   Max and Dani turned to face the girl, concern in their eyes. Violet merely nodded, "Y-Yeah, just. . . don't feel good."

   Allison nodded, helping her friend stand, before flipping the light switch. The cottage lit up, and everything that Violet had helped happen assaulted her sanity as she looked around the room.

   "Whoa. . ." Max drifted, clearing cobwebs from in front of him as he walked further into the room. Violet's eyes were locked onto the candle that was mounted on one of the beams holding up the roof, hoping that Max wouldn't be the Sanderson's savior.

   She'd zoned out as Allison gave them the tour, her mind echoing with memories and guilt. That's when she saw it, a black cat through the window. Her blood ran cold, and she'd hoped that he didn't see her.

   "This is the spellbook of Winifred Sanderson." Allison smiled, approaching the glass case that would soon be destroyed. "It was given to her by the devil, himself. The book is bound in human skin, and contains the recipes for her most powerful and evil spells. It rightfully belonged to her daughter, Violetta Sanderson, after she was hung, but she was never found."

   "The human skin thing is true," Violet spoke. "Scientifically tested, and everything."

   "What's that?" Max questioned, motioning towards the very candle that would lead to the demise of every child in Salem.

   "The black flame candle." The ginger spoke, her tone cold and assertive. "When the Sanderson sisters were hung, Winifred cast a spell. . . Her exact words were 'On All Hallows eve, when the moon is round, a virgin will summon us from under the ground. We shall be back.' Which, basically, means that if a virgin lights that candle, the sisters will be back and they'll be starving for youth again, kidnapping and killing children to absorb their youth."

   Dani widened her eyes, "How do you know that?"

   "Research." Violet lied, shrugging as she looked to her friends. "Don't light it."

   "Nothing's gonna happen," Max chuckled, approaching the candle. "Watch. Let's light the sucker and meet the old broads."

  He pulled out the Zippo he found, and before she could object, he lit it.

   "No!" Violet yelled, her heart shattering as the flame of the candle roared to life. She ran over, "What is wrong with you?!"

   The lights in the cottage burst, and Dani screamed as the cottage went dark once more. The chandelier swung, and a gust of wind blew Dani's hat from her head. Violet looked around, fearful, and desperate to meet the eyes of the black cat. She was terrified, having not met the eyes of the women who raised her, or her best friend, in three hundred years.

   The cottage began to shake, and a green light emitted from under the floorboards.

   "Oh, now you've done it!" Violet yelled, trying her hardest to open the door of the cottage, but it wouldn't budge. After a mixture of the wood rattling and the screams of Dani and Allison, everything stopped. The wood froze once more, the wind ceased, and everything went silent.

   Violet angrily approached Max, grabbing the boy by his collar and pulling him down to face her, "You fucking idiot! Did you not listen to Ms. Olin at all? Thackery Binx. His little sister, Emily, was eight years old when the Sanderson sisters killed her. The same age as Dani. You just put every kid in this goddamn town, and possibly the world, in danger."

   Every candle in the cottage lit itself, and Violet let go of Max's collar. He looked around in shock and fear, but the long haired teen in front of him just stared at him with anger and terror in her eyes. The fire beneath the caldron erupted into flames, and the wicked laughter of her mother reached her ears; chills ran down her spine, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

   The door swung open, causing Dani and Allison to run to opposite sides of the doorway, and Max stared outside in fear. Violet hadn't turned to face them, their presence already confirming her worst fears.

   The sisters entered their cottage, and Winifred's voice invaded Violet's ears. "We are home! Oh, sweet revenge! Do you see, sisters? My curse worked perfectly!"

   "That's because thou art perfect." Mary cooed.

   Violet took a deep breath, motioning for Max to look down at her. He complied, reading her lips as she mouthed, "I'm sorry. Hide."

   She slowly turned to face the women, who widened their eyes at the sight of her. Winifred cheered at the sight of her daughter, enveloping the girl into the only hug she'd ever given her. "My dear Violetta! What are you wearing? How long has it been? Was it you who lit the candle?"

   "I'm wearing modern clothes, it's been three hundred years. And no, Mother. Even if I would have tried to light the candle, it would not have worked. I went into hiding after you were hung, a witch hunt had begun. By the time it had ended, I was no longer a virgin."

   "Winnie?" Mary spoke, "I smell children."

   "Sic 'em!"

   The three sisters wandered through the cottage, Mary describing who she smelled. "It's a little girl. Seven, maybe eight - and a half."

   "Ooh! Let us play with her!" Sarah exclaimed. "Come, little children. I'll take thee away."

   Winifred placed her hand over Sarah's mouth, before calling out. "Come out, my dear. We will not harm thee."

   "Mother?" Violet spoke, her voice shaky, "It's 1993, people no longer speak as they did when you were hung."

   Winifred nodded, before Mary yelled. "We love children!"

   Dani stupidly stood and made herself known, earning a fearful look from Violet. The witches looked at her in awe, before the little girl mocked them. "I thought thou would never come, sisters."

   "Greetings, little one."

   "'Twas I who brought you back."

   "Imagine." Winifred spoke, and the young Sanderson could tell that she didn't buy it. "Such a pretty little child."

   Mary approached her, "Look at her. And she's so well fed, isn't she? Plump. Plump! Shis-ka-baby."

   Dani had begun to scream, causing Violet to step forward. "Aunt Mary!"

   They guided her over to the very chair that they'd killed Emily in, and Dani had sat down, without thinking. "It's been great fun, but I guess I'd better be going."

   "Oh, stay for supper." Winifred spoke, pushing her back into the chair. She then turned towards Violet. "My daughter, it's been three hundred years. How are you still so young?"

   Violet took a deep breath, "I've created many spells over the past three centuries, one of which is a potion to stay young without having to kill innocent children."

   "I'm not hungry," Dani spoke, causing Mary to move closer to her.

   "Oh, but we are."

   She began to run, but Sarah and Mary grabbed her arms; they'd begun to carry her toward the caldron, kicking and screaming. Max jumped up, "Hey! Let go of my little sister."

   Winifred shot electricity at the boy, causing him to fly backward. "Mother!" Violet screamed, causing the ginger to turn toward her. "Leave him be!"

   "You know this boy, dear?"

   "Yes, I do, and I refuse to allow you to hurt him anymore than you already have." She spoke, running towards Max and helping him to his feet. "I refuse to allow you to repeat the fate of Thackery Binx."

   Winifred glared at the girl, "You knew that boy, as well?"

   "Yes, and I should have stepped in when you killed Emily." She growled, "For three hundred years, I have done everything in my power to prevent your return. . . but," she looked to Max, "nothing can prevent stupidity."

   The three witches approached her, causing her to teleport Max to the other side of the room, next to Allison. She looked her mother in the eyes, defiance radiating from her.

   "To be betrayed by my own daughter. . . I should kill you, you know. However, there is still time to make the right decision."

   Allison grabbed a broom from the wall, "Mary!" The woman turned, only to be whacked with her sister's broom. The blonde then grabbed a frying pan and hit the witch in the head with it, knocking her to the ground.

   Dani hit, both, Winifred and Sarah with her candy bag, and was about to make a run for it, when the ginger woman grabbed her arms and began to pull her back. A black cat landed on the shoulder of Winifred, screeching and meowing as it attacked her; she released Dani, who ran over to Allison and Max. The girls ran through the front door, but Max had climbed to the second story windowsill, right where Thackery had been moments before his tragic fate.

   "Hey! You've messed with the great and powerful Max, and now must suffer the consequences." He pulled out the lighter, causing Violet to groan in the corner. "I summon the burning rain of death."

   The sisters looked at one another, confused, before Max lit the lighter and held it up to the smoke detector.

   "He makes fire in his hand."

   The smoke detectors went off, raining down on the witches. They screamed, unaware of modern technology, and ran for cover. Violet nodded, motioning for them to get out of there, before running through the front door.

authors note
oct. 2nd, 2023
hi, everyone. i've been getting some comments regarding the "when it ended, i was no longer a virgin" line.

i put bits of my personality, morals, mindsets, and actions into my characters — and although i appreciate the sentiment for Violetta, i would like to state that she consensually lost her virginity.

i wouldn't stay a virgin for 300 years, and i placed that small detail into her character to show that she's always preferred to go against society's rules and expectations for women. it's a small detail, but it's there.

as someone who has been sexually assaulted, i truly appreciate the empathy and care toward that initial impression of Violetta — but i felt as if i should clarify the meaning behind the line to avoid any confusion or accusations of trying to romanticize my trauma.

finally, thank you all for the love and support regarding this book for the past two years. i love each and every one of you, and i am unbelievably grateful for your support.

i have plenty of other books in the works (287 in total). so if you'd like to keep up with my on my literary journey, you're more than welcome on my page.

i love you, be safe, and read your asses off!

— b