DF Chapter 1

The judges were lined up, twenty in all. Each of them wore long black robes with the hoods up so that their identity would be hidden. But that didn’t keep her from knowing. She knew each and everyone that sat in their haughty chairs above her. And no matter how much they tried to frighten her, her chin still reached for the sky. She wasn’t ashamed of what she had done. After all, she was only trying to bring her love back. However, if they didn’t stop whispering among themselves, she would go crazy.

 

The leader of the judges finally raised his hand and turned to her. Finally, judgment would be passed; she thought to herself and looked right at him. They would punish her for not showing respect, but the lot of them lost her respect when her love died. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

 

She sneered, “Only that I am not ashamed of…”

 

She was interrupted as the dungeon doors were blasted open. Her brother stepped through the smoke, an energy ball charged in his hands. “Badanie! Please forgive me!” He shouted, his eyes alit with fear and resolve.

 

She turned to him; ready to tell him how stupid he was when several energy balls flew by her vision. “Trenton!” She struggled against her chains as they seared scars onto her wrists. But no matter how she struggled, she was too weak and could only watch as her brother was hit with energy ball after energy ball, ten in all. Tears clouded her vision as she fell to her knees. The last of her family, the last of her love, was lying dead in front of her. All purpose was gone now for what did she have left.

 

She sat there, waiting for death to come but was instead kicked hard in the side. The head of the judges loomed over her. “Badanie Lana Noreen, for traitorous crimes against the council and murder of hundreds of mortals you are hereby sentenced to death.”

 

She watched as he raised his hand, a red energy ball forming in his hand. The past few years passed through her eyes as death approached, death she was more then ready for. Glaring right at the leader, she spoke with her last breath. “Heu Fa Laky Jen! I don’t give a s**t about your f*****g council! I hope you all rot in hell!” The energy filled her eyes as it hit her, sending all life from her body.

 

“Wake up! Damn it Kalina wake the f**k up!” Kalina felt the sharp slap across her face as she emerged from the vision. It was the worst of the worst and left her cold and sick. She waited for her vision to clear as she urged her breakfast to remain in her stomach.

 

“Kalin are you alright?” Margaret, Kalina’s friend and Wiccan partner asked with a worry face.

 

Kalina nodded and took the bottle of water her friend offered. Oh how she hated the visions that plagued her dreams. This was the first to hit her during the waking hours and it sucked a*s. “I’m fine May.” She swished water in her mouth and spat it out before handing the battle back. “Was I asleep?”

 

Margaret shook her head, “No, we were talking about what homeroom we might get when your eyes rolled to the top of your head and you went still. Has that happened before?”

 

“No.” Kalina looked past her friend and down the road to where the bus was supposed to appear. “Damn it May, it was bad. I watched her death… I felt as if I was her. I felt like it was my death.” She looked down at her wrists, afraid to find the scars the chain had scared into the woman’s skin. However, her wrists were as unmarked as they were when she left her house. “May, maybe it’s time we talk to your Gran about the visions.”

 

Margaret was a blood witch, born into a witch’s family through two witches. Because her father disappeared at her birth and her mother a traitor, Margaret lived with her grandparents in a trailer a few houses from Kalina. Margaret’s grandmother was a free loving soul that did too many drugs in the sixties and loved to practice Wicca. When Kalina had slept over one night on a full moon, Margaret’s grandmother revealed her heritage to her. Ever since then, Kalina and Margaret were tutored under her care.

 

Margaret’s black eyes narrowed as she thought it over, “If you think you should Kalin. But let’s run it through Careen first. Maybe she has an idea.”

 

 Careen was another of Kalina’s friends that was a blood witch. She lived on the other side of town and got a ride from her mother to school in the morning. Careen was also a daughter of a Wiccan Council member. Kalina nodded and turned her attention back to her friend. Margaret was a little on the chunky side, but she wore it well with size DD tits and nice hips. Her black eyes were exact shade as her black hair and with her black clothing and medium tanned skin; many called her Gothchic, a nickname that she often smiled at. “Alright.” Kalina sighed as the bus pulled up to the shoulder. “Talk about a way to start a new year?”

 

Margaret laughed, a high pitched haughty laugh that made the younger elementary students look at her with fear. “Our freshmen year at that.” The elementary students continued to gawk as they made their way to the back of the bus. Margaret decided to make their gawking worth while by grinning, revealing the fangs she had professionally sharpened over the summer. “Now, now, it isn’t polite to stare.” All the students’ eyes lit with fear as they quickly turned in their seats.

 

Kalina laughed as she slapped her friend’s arm, “Stop scaring the mortals. The two of us make an odd couple.” And that they did. Kalina had dark brown hair with natural light red highlights. Her green yellow eyes often gave people comfort, not fear. Then her jeans, t-shirt, and tennis assemble was no where as dominating as Margaret’s.

 

Margaret only shrugged as she sat down on the bus bench, “It won’t matter much longer any ways. Gran is looking into getting me a car, so I can drive us both to school. Imagine, no more cold winter mornings waiting for the bus to arrive.”

 

Kalina grinned, “It doesn’t matter much to me. Earth doesn’t get cold easily.”

 

“Would you quit bragging? We spirits are always cold!” Margaret slouched in her seat and crossed her arms, “It would also mean freedom. More time to watch the football team after school.”

 

“Like any of them would look twice at us?” Kalina said jokingly, “Neither of us is popular and Goddess forbid…” She gave a fake shudder, “cheerleaders.”

 

“Oh goddess no,” Margaret laughed, “I would kill myself before they got me into their uniforms.”

 

“Oh My God! Like... I had seen this dress yesterday. And like... it was on sale but like my mom said no. So I was like…” Kalina raised her arm in defense as Margaret began to hit her repeatedly with her binder. “Okay, okay I’ll stop. Gees, you think I created some horrific crime.”

 

“You did Kalin.” Margaret settled back into her seat. “Talking like that should be punished with capital punishment.”

 

“And to you that is death by binder. Imagine the titles…” Kalina swished her hand in the air as if displaying a newspaper title, “Teenage girl killed by best friend with her binder for acting like a preppy stuck up b***h.”

 

“Damn right!” Margaret smirked and closed her eyes, “Just remember, I can do worse much worse.”

 

Kalina nodded and let the conversation fall. Looking out the window to her right, she finally allowed the images to resurface. She had finally learned the name of dream girl. Badanie Lana Noreen had haunted her dreams for the past year, since Margaret’s Gran had allowed her to lead a circle. Margaret and Careen both thought she was a spirit that wanted vengeance and because she and Badanie looked so much alike, Kalina would be the one to carry it out. Kalina wasn’t so sure about the theory. She was beginning to think it was much more. Why else would the visions increase and begin to haunt her waking hours as well.

 

“Earth to Kalin! Hello earth to Kalin. Come in Kalin.” Margaret waved her hand in front of Kalina’s face, snapping her out of her thoughts. “There you are. Another vision?”

 

Kalina shook her head, “No... No. I just got lost in my thoughts.” Looking around, she found that the bus had arrived at her school. “Damn, that was quick.”

 

Margaret looked at her friend for awhile, concern flowing from her. “Are you sure you’re alright? We could always grab Careen and ditch.”

 

Kalina thought it over for a while. It would be fun to grab her two best friends and run into the woods for the day. Not having to worry about finding her new classes, writing down a bunch of notes, and socializing with a bunch of people she didn’t know. But if her parents found out they would skin her alive, not good with her birthday just around the corner. “Nah… I’m fine. I’ll buy some coke from the machine and juice myself up.”

 

“Kalin, May! I finally found you guys!” Careen yelled as she ran up to her friends. Careen was half Irish half Scottish. Her parents immigrated here before she was born and help set up the Wiccan council’s new head quarters here in Kingsland, Georgia. Careen had been born a year later and lived here ever since. But despite her southern influence, she still hung onto her Irish accent. Her strawberry blonde hair was fair and the envy of all the populars. She had a small curved body that hid the power of being born through two Wiccan council members. She had been told often that should could be a cheerleader and popular if she would only leave Kalina and Margaret behind. However, the power of friendship and destiny was more powerful than the popularity contest of high school.

 

Kalina smirked and slapped a hand to her chest as if she had been shot, “Uh. You got me.” Dropping to her knees to the ground, she continued, “Goodbye cruel cruel world! May! You can have my CDs; tell my family I love them.” With a grunt, she stuck her tongue out her mouth and fell completely to the ground.

 

“Oh would you get up.” Careen looked down at her friend, her hands on her hips. “I don’t even have a gun.”

 

“You mean I’m not shot?” Kalina patted her body down and jumped to her feet. “Hallelujah! Thank the lord! It’s a miracle!”

 

“Oh goddess,” Margaret shook her head. “I don’t know you. Who are you? Get away from me.” She began to walk away, but Kalina was too quick for her. Running after her, she swung her arm over Margaret’s shoulders, “Oh come on May? You can’t tell me I don’t mean anything to you. Not after last night.”

 

The last statement had caught the attention of every guy in a five mile radius. Sometimes Kalina swore they think everything is sexual. Scratch that, she knew everything they thought was sexual. “Would you get off me?” May sighed and hitched her messenger bag back onto her shoulder, “Reen, please help me.”

 

Careen laughed and pulled Margaret from Kalina’s clutches, “If you two don’t cut it out, every guy in the school is going to be horny.”

 

Kalina shrugged, “Not my concern. I’m just having fun with my girls, my homeys. If they want to get hard off a few comments, let them.” She smirked, “Besides…” Kalina lost her train of thought as every one of her senses was screaming at her to turn around. Tensing up, she did so quickly and spun around, scanning the crowd for the danger. The quad area was crowded with freshmen finding old friends and meeting new. It was a disaster to try and figure out what had sent her senses off.

 

“You felt it to?” Margaret asked as she stood besides Kalina. Her hand gripping the amulet that hung from her neck. Kalina nodded, “Something or someone is here. I don’t know what or who but…”

 

“It is here.” Careen finished for her. Her rose eyes scanning the crowd. Suddenly she recognized who they were looking for and a grinned crossed her face. “You two stay here. I have someone to introduce to you.”

 

As she ran off, Kalina shook the lingering tingle off and turned to Margaret, “May, I think it was huge power I felt.”

 

Margaret nodded solemnly, “I agree with you.” She sighed and scrubbed her face with her hands, “Damn, this day is getting more and more interesting.”

 

“You’re telling me.” Kalina turned her attention back to the crowd as Careen approached them with a girl in tow. The girl screamed pure Latino from the tip of her hair to the tip of her boots. She also screamed bad news. There were two miniscule tear drops tattooed under her left eye that was black and blue. She dressed like a hoodlum and her eyes were hard.

 

“Kalin, May. I want you to meet a friend of mine Kristina. She lives in my neighborhood and my mom tutors her.” Careen smiled as she stood in front of them. “Kris meet Kalina and Margaret. The three of us have that coven I wanted you to join.”

 

Kristina studied the two girls carefully. Well at least they look like they mean business, she told her self and held out her hand. “Merry meet Kalina and Margaret. And please call me Kris.”

 

Margaret took her hand first and smiled, showing her fangs, “Merry meet Kris. Just call me May. Only my Gran calls me Margaret.”

 

Kristina nodded then turned to Kalina who had been studying her the whole time. She looked Kalina straight into the eyes. Kalina looked back into hers, not giving a moments hesitation. She knew when her seniority was being threatened and wouldn’t give it away. When Kristina offered her a hand, Kalina gripped it firmly and would have shaken it if her vision hadn’t started to fade. A head ache began to form and she knew what was going to happen. “Oh goddess not again!”

 

She stood atop a cliff as the storm raged around her. The spell had worked. Her son was locked away and would cause no more harm. However, it had been at the cost of the one she holds most dear. She had lost her Murien Breatha Dan, her soul mate. He had thrown her aside and jumped into the fire himself, becoming the sacrifice that locked her son away.

 

“Bee what are you doing?” Hope ran up the slope towards her friend, blood sister, and coven leader. “You can’t do this. It won’t bring him back.”

 

She turned to Hope; her eyes alit with fury and pain. “Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?!”

 

“Your friend!” Hope answered as she began to work a spell, one that would lessen the storm she had conjured.

 

She growled and slapped Hope across the face, sending her reeling to the ground. “I don’t care! Don’t you get it? With out him, I don’t give a f**k!” She turned back to the cliff and raised her arms, “I command thee! Take their lives and feed! Feed of theirs and return his! I command thee!”

 

“NO!” Hope screamed and ran at her friend, “Badanie he wouldn’t want this!”

 

She turned and pointed her finger at Hope. The ground shook below her and began to swallow her into it. “Earth buries fire Sister. So shall it be.” She watched as the chasm widened and Hope fell into it, screaming the whole way. With a grin, she slapped her hands together, closing the chasm forever.

 

“Sister what have you done?” She turned to find her other coven sisters staring at her in fear. Serenity, spirit, Sydney, water, and Brianna, wind all stood together, arms linked. It had been Serenity that had spoke, her loves blood sister. “He wouldn’t have wanted you to do this.”

 

“How do you know what he would or wouldn’t have wanted? He is gone!” She shouted as the storm increased. But she knew it wasn’t her doing. Sydney had increased the waves and rain as Brianna hurried the wind. They were trying to stop her. With narrowed eyes she began to chant an ancient spell, one passed through her line for centuries. One that would trade their soul for his. Serenity’s eyes widened and she quickly started the counter.

 

“Badanie stop this!” A male’s voice called as she was tackled to the ground. She turned in time to take the hit to her back instead of her arm. Her brother, Trenton had hit her. He trapped her arms with his and legs with his. She was pinned. “Please sis, just cry. It doesn’t make you any weaker.”

 

She looked into his eyes trying to shake off the truth. He couldn’t be gone. She couldn’t lose him! However, no matter how much she told herself this she knew the truth. Her eyes began to water when she spotted them, the council. Her brother and sisters had betrayed her. “NEVER!”

 

  “Is she going to be alright?” Kalina heard the new girl’s voice as she began to come to.

 

“Yeah.” Margaret said hopeful as she turned to Kalina, to find her awake. “Welcome back Alice. How was the trip to wonderland?”

 

“Very funny May.” Kalina looked around to find that someone had moved her to the bathroom. She had been laid down on the bathroom’s sofa. “Awe gross. Who knows what was done on that thing.” She jumped off the sofa only to regret it. Her head spun and nausea gripped her stomach. “Oh s**t. I hate theses f*****g visions.” She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

 

“Here.” Kristina handed her a wet paper towel, “Place it on your forehead, it will help.”

 

Kalina took the towel and did as she was told without opening her eyes. The tension in the bathroom was enough to cut with a knife, “Would everyone quit staring at me?” She opened her eyes to find everyone doing just that. “I will be fine.”

 

Careen shook her head, “No, no you won’t. Tell us about it. You told May and me all your dreams.”

 

Kalina sighed and looked at Kristina, “This is different. I don’t know her.”

 

“Yes you do.” Kristina looked into her eyes, “Lugh Mef Badanie?”

 

Kalina narrowed her eyes. The babble sounded familiar but she wasn’t quite sure what it meant. However, the fact that this gangster knew dream girl’s name was alerting. “What did you just say?”

 

“I said remember me Badanie?” Kristina smiled, “Then again, you knew me as Hope back then Sister.”

Author's Note

Have at it. I will take any and all reviews. The good and the bad.

Reviews

[[untitled]]

This is a good start. I loved how you developed the characters. I liked how you gave the second flashback. You give just enough information to keep the reader wanting more. The dialogue is good. I like how they are talking about the cheerleaders. Nice job!