Crazy Witch

A Chapter by A.M.V.

“Don’t toy with me Sky, you have no idea what I can do.” Nikki sneered. When I tried to rise, she hit me with an old plank swung like a baseball bat. I tried to twist out of the way, but she got my shoulder and knocked me into the railing. A crack and the railing gave away. I toppled, and for a second, all I could see Ace trying to grab the baseball bat away from my dad while Garret was on the floor.

My dad swung the bat and hit Ace in the rib making me cringe.”ACE!” I yelled and Ace looked up at me. His eyes widened and I could tell by the look on his face he was going to yell at me later for hanging off the edge of the roof, but before Ace could do anything again my dad cracked the baseball bat again"this time to Ace’s head.

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. Focus. I caught another section of the railing and reached for it. I held it and I was steadying myself when the plank swung straight for my hand. I let go and screamed out in pain. I looked up at Nikki while I dangled off the side of the roof with on hand; she held the plank in her hand with a crazy look on her face. “Nikki wait!”

Nikki just stared at me. “What?”

I used this time to reach up and grab the rail with my other hand. “What did you do to my dad?! He’s attacking Ace and Garret like maniac!”

Nikki rolled her eyes. “I possessed him with an angry spirit.”

The tips of my sneakers scratched against the sides of the house and I struggled to pull myself up. Man, I needed to do more pull-ups. “What? Isn’t that really hard to do?”

Nikki’s face softened and she smiled. “Well, yeah.”

“So you must be a really good witch right?! That’s so amazing.” I continued to praise her until I levered myself up and jumped back onto the roof. When I jumped up, the top rail snapped and the plank snapped, sending splinters of rotting wood flying.

Nikki grinned. “Wow Sky, are you putting on some weight?”

My mouth gaped open in shock. “What?! I’m not that heavy, geez! It’s this thousand year old wood!” I ran towards the flat section of the roof. She whipped the broken board at me. I stumbled back, bumping into the railing again.

I caught my balance and looked down. Garret, Ace, Lucky, and my dad weren’t down there anymore. I glared and ran for the door, then feinted towards the flat part of the roof. A crash. Shard of glass exploded in front of me and Nikki stood in front of me, with a broken bottle in hand.

“Did you just hit me with a bottle?!” I felt the back of my head for a bump or blood. “Where did you even get that, the roof isn’t where we throw out recyclables you know!” I back pedaled.

“Sure, that’s a great idea,” Nikki retorted. “Just keep backing onto the railing, see how long it’ll hold.”

“Hey! I’m the only one with the snarky remarks around here, got it?” I stopped in my tracks. There was no where left to run. I considered screaming until one of the neighbors called the police but that would never work, not in this case.

Plus, it was extremely wimpy. I always hated when heroines in movies would scream for help for the littlest thing…thing again, this wasn’t so little. But right now, being caught in between a crazy witch wielding a broken bottle and a two-story drop, I could survive the humiliation of being rescued. Here’s the problem: no one would get here in time"I’d either be minced meat on the roof or a pancake on the floor.

I squeezed my eyes shut and got ready for the impact…but it never came.

I waited and listened, making sure that when I opened my eyes, the bottle wouldn’t crack down on me. After a while, I peeked and only the gray sky; no Nikki. Still, I gripped the railing tight, just waiting for a broken bottle to fly at my head.

“Sky!” My knees shook at the shout. Footsteps thudded across the roof. “Don’t move!”

I looked over to my right to see Garrett, completely banged up, but in one piece, and with bare feet. I almost cracked a smile. “What happened to your shoes?”

Garret made his way across the roof. “Long story, I’ll tell you later.”

“Where are Ace and my dad?” I called. “Watch out, there’s broken glass, which is not my fault by the way.”

“Down stairs, we calmed him down by Ace is having a little trouble, he told me to come get you"I see the glass, just stay where you are.”

“It’s okay, I’ll just back up and"” The wood cracked under me. “Er, never mind I think I’ll just stay here, it has a nice view of the…rotting wood.”

“Just stay there, it’s going to hold your weight as long as you’re still.”

“But, I walked out here before, so it must be"”

“I’m not taking any chances, okay?” There was an unusual impatient snap in his voice, meaning he was really worried. And if Garret was worried, I was going to stay right where I was. I gripped the railing. “I don’t get it, I’m a vampire now, how come I can’t just move, even if I fall I can just get back up.”

“Cuz’ this is wood,” He said. “Hold onto the rail but don’t put any weight on it. The wood looks like it rotted through the base.”

Great.

Garret looked around, like he was searching for something to use. Then he stripped off his shirt. I tried not to look away. Not that he looked bad without a shirt. The complete opposite actually, which is why…let’s just say I’d prefer my boyfriend’s hot brother when he’s fully dressed.

Garret got as close as he could, then knotted a corner of the T-shirt and tossed it

to me. I caught it and then held onto it.

“I’m not going to pull you in,” He warned. “Just pull yourself along.”

I nodded as I walked carefully forward. “Good, because with your strength, you’d probably wrench it out of my hands and I’d tumble off the roof and then that’d be the end of me.”

“Don’t flatter me when you can die, pay attention!”

I made it onto the flat part, wobbled a step, and then felt my knees start to give away. Garret grabbed my arm and I lowered myself slowly. Garret put his shirt back on and started down the stairs back into the house when I sat down on the top step.

“I-I’m just going to sit for a minute,” I said, my voice shaking.

Garret sat beside me and I could feel him watch me, uncertain.

“I’ll be okay just give me a second. It’s safe to sit here right?”

Seeing my expression he said. “Yeah the wood doesn’t look like it would break.”

“I saw Nikki,” I said finally.

“Yeah, I figured.”

“I can’t wrap my head around this,” I paused, not ready for the full explanation, still shaky. “I still have no idea why she wants to kill me.”

Garret was quiet for a long time, and then I finally looked over at him. Then I saw it, the flushed skin and glittering eyes that were struggling to stay open.

“Are you"?” I started but then Garret collapsed and before I could reach for him, he stumbled down the stairs like a sack of potatoes. He landed at the bottom faster than I could get up and blood started to seep onto the floor around him. “GARRET!”

prev chapter