The Cauldron Coven

Chapter 7 - Death's Shroud

Kayla Lewell sat in the middle of the park, staring at ducks floating in the pond off to the side of the Harbor City Public Library. The park set on the north side of the library, a small playground in one corner and benches along the lake's edge with a couple of covered picnic tables spotting the edge. Most often, the homeless claimed one or two of the picnic tables, taking naps or killing time until it was their turn to hit the corner with their sign which read, “Will Work For Food." Kayla ignored them most of the time, their presence sort of a white noise to the area's ecosystem. Today was no different.

The late-afternoon sun glimmered on the lake's surface, the water rippling from where the ducks floated by on their way to nowhere. It was the same place Kayla headed. Nowhere.

She sat cross-legged on the grass, her hands clasped in her lap as the afternoon breeze tugged at her wispy red hair, pulling it away from her ears and swishing it across her forehead. The October sun beat down on her shoulders as she faced toward the lake and out of the glare of the sizzling orb. She just sat there, like she had every day since she returned from the Summerlands, since the others released her from the demon's hold, since she had to face the fact she killed the only person she truly loved and who loved her in return. She stared down at the photo of Alex resting on her legs, staring at his smiling face, his black hair that always seemed to need combing, his inky eyes as they stared at her through the photo. No tears fell from her eyes. She cried those out days ago until her entire body, her mind, was numb with the aftermath of what she did. She heard the others telling her it wasn't her fault; she wasn't in control of her actions at the time. Even Alex told her that just before he and Rose Tillery sacrificed themselves to heal the barrier of the Nether. Still, Kayla couldn't force herself to believe it. Her hand held the power that killed him, her hand snapped Alex's neck, her hand killed the best friend she ever had. She could never forgive herself for that, couldn't forgive herself for not being strong enough to fight off the demon. She couldn't even face Alex's parents, knowing she was the one who caused his death. When she returned to the Land Above from the Summerlands, all she could do was wail.

Her mind screamed at her as tears flowed down her cheeks. It didn't matter how much she swiped them away, the tears just kept falling, smearing across her cheeks, dripping from her chin, blurring her vision. Wanda and Tansy had slipped her into their car, Tansy driving while Wanda just cradled Kayla in the backseat, cooing soft words meant to encourage the young witch. Pointless. For Kayla, there would be no solace, no consolation to ease the pain that ripped through her chest, breaking her heart.

Still, she laid her head on Wanda's chest, her arms dangling down at her sides and continued to cry.

Tansy spoke to her from the front seat, telling her how brave she was, that she would make it through this, that Alex fought—and even died—for her.

That wasn't the truth, and Kayla knew it. Alex died because she was too weak to keep a demon from stealing her body. She wasn't a witch, not a powerful one like Tansy and Wanda or even Jayden. Or like Alex. He knew what he did as a witch. He believed and had the power to back up that belief. Not Kayla. She finally admitted to Alex that she had joined the coven just to have a place to belong, that she didn't really believe she had the magic or that magic even existed. That is, until the Cauldron Coven joined the Warrior of the Way at Feather Lakes to take out Bertram Leary. That night, power flowed through her as she defended the residents of the tiny neighborhood, standing beside Alex, both shooting bolts of magic into the dark elves and gargoyles who threatened to kill them all. She couldn't do anything but believe then.

Yet, while magic opened her life to new things, it also stole the very person she needed. “I killed him," she whined, her hands clenched into tight fists as Tansy drove through the neighborhood. “I killed him."

“Oh, no, dearie," Wanda said. “You didn't kill anyone. How could you? You would never raise your hand to harm a flea, you wouldn't. No, those demons are the ones who made us do those nasty things. They controlled us. They did those atrocities, not us."

Kayla shook her head. “It was my hand that held the knife."

“But it wasn't your mind that made the decision to use it," Tansy said, looking at her through the rearview mirror. “We know who really did this, Kayla. Alex knows it, too."

Kayla felt Wanda stroking her hair as she held her. “Sweetie, the truth is, it could have been any of us who was either killed or did the killing. Demons don't exactly play fair."

That was an understatement.

The older witches took Kayla back to The Murky Cauldron, Tansy's shop downtown, and helped her lie down on a giant red bean bag they usually sat on as they invaded Tansy's store. Wanda made tea, of course, and even put a small plate of cookies together, which she set on the floor beside Kayla. Then they just left her alone for a while with her misery.

Kayla laid there, her arms wrapped over her stomach as she curled into a fetal position, tears streaming down her cheeks as she prayed it was all a mistake, that at any time Alex would walk through the doorway separating the front and back rooms.

He never did, though.

He never would again.

Kayla cried harder.

Kayla ran a hand through her red hair as she took a deep breath. How would she manage without Alex? How could she face another day, knowing what she did to the only person who never gave up on her?

She glanced up, noticing another girl walking around the far edge of the lake, her arms wrapped around a stack of thick books, probably college textbooks from the size of them, her head downcast as she studied her feet as she walked. Kayla stared, watching the slump of the girl's shoulders, the dip of her head. Even from where she sat, Kayla could see the perpetual frown on the girl's pale face that not even the cool afternoon breeze caressing at her light brown hair could lighten. Everything Kayla saw in the other girl matched her own sour mood. So much so, that Kayla could not take her eyes off the other girl, a kindred spirit in misery.

Or so it seemed.

After a few more moments of Kayla staring at the other young woman, the other girl glanced up, coming to a stop, and staring directly at Kayla, her arms still wrapped around her books.

Kayla couldn't look away, couldn't even move. She sat there, staring, and she could have sworn the other girl's eyes glowed a bright orange for a moment. Kayla's mouth popped open, her eyes going wide as the other girl—or so Kayla assumed—held her locked in the strangest game of Who Blinks First. The air surrounding her turned warmer for a brief moment, the air going silently still, and then the moment passed, the afternoon breeze back. Kayla felt herself breathe again as her body relaxed.

The girl just turned and continued walking the way she headed before she stopped for a stare-down with Kayla.

What the f**k was that? Kayla stared after the other girl. She had magic, that much Kayla knew for sure, but what kind? And why hadn't Kayla seen her around before? The Murky Cauldron wasn't the only store in Harbor City that catered to witches, but it was one of only a couple, and sooner or later, every witch in the city ventured inside. Of course, the girl could have entered the Cauldron when Kayla wasn't there. She would have to ask Tansy about her, see if she…

Kayla paused, taking a deep breath. There was no way she could walk back into The Murky Cauldron, not after everything that happened. She sighed as she twisted her fingers around each other, knowing her time with the coven was over. Too much pain filled the place. First, Rose died, then Alex, and at her own hand. She couldn't face that day in and day out.

She turned her head, c*****g it to the side a little as she stared in the direction the other girl had walked. Kayla didn't want to give up magic necessarily, not after not believing in it for so long and now having it, but she knew being a member of the Cauldron Coven was out of the question. Still, it seemed like there were other witches in Harbor City. Perhaps it was time to venture out a little and see what else was out there.

She sucked in a deep breath as she climbed to her feet. She needed to introduce herself to that other girl.