My Sister’s Reaper

“We, the sisters of the Raven Family Coven, come under moonlight to bring upon chaos to those that spite. Let thorns rise up and through her head to make Julie’s mommy cry in bed. Add a drop of her blood, rat poison, and lead.”

“Flora, why are we out here in the cold again? It’s freaking midnight, and there are creepy noises coming from every direction in these woods! Why do you hate Julie so much anyway? She didn’t steal Hunter away from you. You’re totally losing it.”

All ten of my oldest sister’s clones say together in unison, “Draila, shut up! No interrupting during a spell. Flora hates it when you do that!”

I almost threw up inside of my mouth; they are so cringe. Forget Simon says. It’s Flora says around here. None of these witches have a mind of their own, except for me and Rita; it’s exhausting. Trying to get along with twelve siblings is so hard.

I genuinely like Julie. She was the first person to show me kindness when we were still new to this town; she moved next door about a year after we did. I don’t want her to grow thorns. The pain is excruciating, and the mental damage is much worse. Most people become too ashamed to leave their homes. No one deserves that, not even Flora.

Flora is a certified hater because she’s not the most beautiful girl in school ever since Julie started. Her ex-boyfriend, Hunter, broke up with her two months before Julie had even arrived.

I won’t let my sisters finish this spell. We’ll have to move all over again because everyone will suspect we are responsible. They already think we’re descendants of the Addams Family.

Rita, the quietest, youngest sister, pinches my elbow, and then she whispers in my ear. “Just do as she says before we get punished.”

They take this coven stuff way too seriously…

I hate being a witch; I just want to be normal.

Flora speaks in a screechy voice. She does that intentionally to make herself sound more intimidating. It’s closer to humiliating if you ask me.

“Let’s say the last line of the spell on three: one… two…”

I drop my sisters’ hands on both sides of me and jump into the center of the circle.

“Sisters, enough is enough! Aren’t you tired of using your powers for evil? What kind of example are we setting for Rita? Do you want her to end up becoming a narcissistic, self-absorbed lunatic like Flora and Mom? Whatever is causing you all to follow her blindly, detach yourself from it. It’s probably some wicked spell that she casted upon us. Maybe I’m just immune to it somehow. I’m begging you guys to please wake up! You all used to have the biggest hearts when we were kids. We played by the number one rule that Grandmother taught us: Never use magic out of anger. I never would’ve imagined the same little girls doing such harm to innocent people. We were too occupied looking for sick animals to heal or ways to bail ourselves out of horrible situations that Dad and Mom left us to handle on our own. I don’t recognize my family nor will I preform this black magic any longer… I want my sisters back. I want to love being a witch again.”

Flora makes a vicious face and screeches louder than ever before, “Draila, how would you like to join your little friend? Get back in the circle, or you’ll regret it. Julie will wear thorns until her very last breath, and there is nothing you can do about it. Now finish the damn spell!”

I assertively refuse to participate in the ritual. “I won’t stand for this. You’ll have to do it without me.”

Rita cries out. “Draila, stop it! The only way we can complete the spell without you is if you’re dead. Is that what you really want?”

I take a deep breath and close my eyes before I clear my throat to answer.

“Don’t worry Rita. Flora won’t hurt me. She’s not a murderer. She’s just manipulating us by keeping us in a state of fear.” I kiss Rita on her forehead to calm her down.

Flora laughs and then removes her wand. As she raises it up to my temple, she casts a spell on me.

“Be still as stone as if you’ve crossed over. You cannot awaken until I’ve returned to you with a five-leaf clover.”

Everything goes black for Draila, and she falls to the ground. The older sisters force poor Rita to join them in reciting the last line of the spell…

“By dawn, Julie will wish she were dead.”