Safe House

“The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window."

That candle was a beacon for Steph.

“ I can make it, please let me make it.”

Steph kept looking over their shoulder. All they saw was a thick fog of chalky darkness. But they could hear the thunder of the hooves. Each clap seemed more closer than the last. Steph nursing their injured left arm. The fog felt like smoke from a cigarette and made them cough like they smoked a pack a day for over thirty years. Lungs burning praying for relief. They thought the cabin they saw minutes ago was closer but their body is thinking something different. Every pound of their footsteps seem to be less effective than before. Steph stopped for a second just to look ahead. Was it a mirage or does the cabin look even further away. They turned left and right all they could see was foggy gloom and the tip of trees which was so high they thought they would have gotten whip lash. Steph head snap back after hearing the horse neigh in the distance.

“Shoot.”

With their mind made up, they used every ounce of their energy and ran ahead. Closer they got to the cabin, the less welcoming it looked. The tiny run down porch with sunken steps. Steph thought if they put any pressure on it they would fall through. The windows were dusty and dirty. Only the light of the candle was powerful enough to break through it’s decorative dust. The rest of the cabin was in no better shape but they had no time to be picky. Steph landed hard on the first step and it cracked a little under the pressure.

With their last breath they prayed, “Please don’t let me fall to the depths of hell.”

The whole cabin seemed to moan the closer they got to the door. And what an interesting door. The door knob was made of obsidian and felt cool to the touch. On the door there was a horseshoe and a crudely carved evil eye. Steph had a slight hesitation but snapped quickly out of it after hearing the voices of the hunting party. They took a deep breath while breathing in the destitute of the cabin. With a loud screech the door opened. They quickly closed and locked it. They walked backwards into the cabin. Steph looked right and saw the candle that saved their life, it was placed on a very tiny table with two chairs on either side. Above the table there was a slightly slanted picture of two women sitting on the front porch of the cabin but the cabin was in far better shape than it is now. Although the picture was in black and white, Steph could tell one of the women was of color. She was very beautiful almost hypnotized by her eyes. Steph shook their head. They turned to the left and saw a rocking chair and more pictures on the wall above it. The cabin smelled of stale lavender and dust. Steph snapped back to the urgency in hand. The hunters were right in front of the cabin. They quietly dropped to the floor by the door. They heard the hunters harsh tones and hurried breaths. “Where did that abomination go?” Said the leader of the hunters. Steph noticed a hint of fear amongst the loathing roar of there question. “You two go left and cut it off at the bridge and you three go and recheck the house.” The hunters followed the orders and retreated to each location. Steph remained squatted in place. They looked around the cabin for a better place to hide but had no luck. They knew it was just a matter of time before he forced himself through the door. They prepared for a fight. Steph pulled her blade from the sleeve that had their family triple moon crescent carved in silver and gold and their initials S. W. placed under the symbol. Steph hasten a look at it and wondered how did this happened to them? All they wanted was to be treated as an equal. There was no time to reflect. They held their blade against the door frame. Dian, the leader of the hunters was a friend and now a sworn enemy. He stood at the foot of the cabin. He looked up and down but did not move. Steph cradled her injured arm and prayed that they could willed their blade. Dian said something under his breath but slowly backed away from the cabin. He gave one last look and mounted his horse and left. Steph breathed a sigh of relief and stood up. They were facing the door. Steph stood in one place. They contemplated their next move. While in deep thought they noticed a change in the air. Steph could see their breath and the temperature dramatically dropped.

“What is going on?”

Steph used her good arm to hold themselves against the cold. They began to feel a presence in the little cabin. Steph stood straight up. The goosebumps were not just for the coldness. They felt the breathe of something against their back. Something was invaded their space. Steph slowly raised their blade and quickly turned to take a swipe but nothing was there. They resleeved their blade and continued the tour the cabin. They found a bathroom on the right of the hallway. Steph peaked into the bathroom. Although it was in just as bad condition as the rest is the place, they needed to see if there is any clean water. They turned on the faucet and by their surprised clean water came out of the faucet. With their good hand, they splashed water on their face. Steph closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Suddenly she heard a door slammed. The little bathroom shook under the pressure. Steph stood still and listen for any movement. Then they peaked out of the bathroom door. Still no other sounds. Steph opened the door and stood in the middle of the hallway. They noticed the bedroom door was closed. Steph remembered it was opened before they went to the bathroom. Again guard is up and blade in hand, they kicked the door open. The first thing Steph saw was a little old woman in a dirty nightgown standing beside the bed. The pale sickly woman face began to change into a terrifying grimace.

“Get out of my house, bedlam!” she shouted.

Then she threw a lamp which Steph quickly close the door before it shattered into pieces. Steph back against the door steady her breathing.

They calmly spoke , “I am not here to harm you, I just need shelter.”

Steph tried to listen for a response but none came. They turned around to peak through the doors. Steph did not see any sign of the repulsive old woman. They noticed there was no shattered lamp pieces. Steph walked further into the bedroom. There was a bed and a vanity which were covered in a thick layer of dust. The room looked as though no one lived there for ages. Steph was puzzled by the encounter but within a second they saw on the left of them a wall stacked with books. From ceiling to floor volumes of books. As they scanned the tower of tome, one book caught their eye. The glistened triple moon with a large gold W crescent nestled on top of a immense leather bond grimoire. Steph picked the book up and ran their hands over it. Steph held the heavy grimoire close to their nose. Intoxicated by the sent of the ink, blood sigils and dried botanical plants that layed between the pages. Thousands of years of knowledge and practice of the craft held in their hands. This is the reason why Steph came to this realm. They thought it was guarded with care in the black castle on the hill. Steph came to the realm to learn how to control her powers and to find this missing grimoire. Who would of thought it would be in a little cabin by the sea. Steph scanned through the pages and one the last page of the book at the very top theirs was a hand drawn triple moon crescent and under the crescent were a list of names. Each name was written in different handwriting. They gasped at the name at the very bottom of the page. Stephanie Willa. How did their name get there? Before they could investigate any further. They decided to place the grimoire into there leather messenger bag. A cold breeze caught in their lungs and goosebumps along their arms. Steph slowly pulled her blade out of the scabbard. Something or someone hit them in the back of their head. They felled into the wall of books. Buried under an avalanche of manuscripts, manuals and reference books. Darkness took over. Steph opened their eyes and felt strong hands carrying them to the bed. In the depths of the darkness Steph felt light as a feather. Eyes still closed their feet hit the ground. Now their eyes are opened they begun to witness the most astonishing places. Steph swirled through many different dimensions. Some were full of creatures, others were full of witches and some were filled with just butterflies. Steph unexpectedly landed in a terra firma that was cold and deserted. Mirrored image of the realm she left but there was a sadness and emptiness. The different shades of grey and black and there were many shadows lurking in the darkness. The place reek of death, despair and fear. They begun to hear faraway whispering. Afterwards Steph begun to feel the bone chilling breeze. The whispers sounded closer and the chill became unbearable. Soon Steph heard the whispers as if they were whispering in their ear.

“Give up”

“Your never be an equal.”

The fog became thicker and the voices turned into screams.

“Why can’t you be like the other little girls and wait for your prince!”

Steph tried to cover their ears but it was useless. The apparitions started to appear unhurried towards them. Each one fixated on them. Steph was soon surrounded by many phantoms. The air was sucked out and the only thing left was the oppressive dejection from the specters. Steph dropped to her knees coughing and gasping for air. Their head buried between their legs. Steph thought this was the end, until they felt the wraiths distancing themselves. Steph realized someone was standing right in front of them. The first thing they saw were pair of black sandles. Steph lifted their head and saw a tall light mocha color women. She was scandalously dresss in a black flowing gown with an owl on her shoulder. She had a three headed dog by her side. Steph’s eyes gravitated to the mysterious lady’s scabbard which was similar to theirs. It had a triple moon crescent in silver and gold but the initial was different she had a H underneath the triple moon. The lady looked down at Steph with a curious smirk.

The lady gently placed a hand on their right arm and guided them to stand up. She looked at their injured arm. Steph felt an overwhelming need to explain the injury.

“I was training to be a witch but not just a witch, I want be a warrior.” “I am from the mortal realm but I knew how to locate my ancestors and learn how to control my magic.”

She looked with compassion and began to rub their injured arm. They confessed that Dian wanted a wife not a warrior and Steph never had a desire to be married. So they fought their way out of the black castle on top of the hill. Dian was the cause of the broken arm. Steph took a deep breath as she spilled her guts out to this mystical woman in black. Steph closed their eyes and wept. Not because of the pain but because they were lost. In both worlds they did not fit in. Steph always wore jeans and a t shirt with leather boots. Never to be a predictable female. They like riding horses, battle magic and herbs. Steph mine trailed on never realized the pain was gone in their arm.

The lady caressed Steph blade and scabbard.

“We are from the same blood. “ Our connections reach many and that terrifieds most people”.

“ Don’t allow others to defined you, be consistent in your journey.”

“Our family were not made to fit the anyones mold.”

With a wave of her hand, a portal opened. As she turned to Steph.

“It is not your time to walk in this land.”

She pulled out a key but not just any key a long thin skeleton key. The key was made out of obsidian and at the top there was the triple moon crescent. Steph had so many questions but knew their time was limited. They glanced at the cabin a great sigh of relief escaped their mouth.

“That cabin is a safe house for all descendants of the triple moons and it holds all the magical knowledge you would ever need.”

Steph turned to say thank you but the beautiful lady disappeared. They held the skeleton key tightly and began to run towards the portal. They began hearing the whispers again. This time they ignored the negative comments and with a new sense of confidence. Steph did a tuck and roll. She landed right in front of the first broken step. They looked up at the cabin with a new pair of eyes. They realized this cabin has been with their family for centuries. Steph was impressed and apologetic to think they thought the place was a dump. Looks can be deceiving and they knew that all to well. Steph made their way up the steps and to the door. They pulled out their key and put it into the key whole. Steph was excited to look and read all those books and especially the one in their bag.

“All I need to do now is get rid of the crazy ghost in the bedroom.”

Steph shrugged their shoulders and entered their safe house.