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Witchbane

Kyra’s Mystery

By Christina Nelson Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 8 min read
3
Witchbane
Photo by Stormseeker on Unsplash

Imagine living in a world where magic was the dominant force.

Where werewolves had the best clothing stores and vampires made the best bloody marys.

A world where witches and warlocks were so respected that anyone, human or otherwise, called on them for their help and wisdom.

All beings were able to live together with no issue, crime at an all-time low.

I used to live in a world like that. And honestly, it sickened me. The fakeness of it all. The hidden hatred we all had towards one another, just waiting for the opportune time to make sure life was hell once again.

You heard me say used to, hatred was the winner of every battle and the entire war. Humanity made peace the sacrifice because they could not live with the face that against us, they were powerless.

Until that is, they struck a deal. The peace, if that’s what you wish to call it, between worlds would be kept, every time a supernatural sacrifice was made. They were desperate you see. You only make blood deals when you feel you have nothing else.

The lie being told was that everyone would benefit, but my people and I knew better. Once the slaughtering of our fellow beings had begun, there was no turning back. The world was no longer the happy place you see in movies and read about in books. We were living in horror and fear. Pain and death. Sadness and depression.

I was going to end it. I am going to end it. The world deserves peace, whether or not we are all here to see it.

October 29, 2065

I've been part of the Combined Supernatural Special Forces for about 3 years now. We created the team with two members from each species, both fortunately and unfortunately that also includes the humans. Why? Because without them, the people would think it was just a group of supernatural thugs running around chopping off human heads for the fun of it.

The team always splits evenly into two. We do what we can. The crime is constantly rising, the disrespect towards all supernatural kind is continuous and worsening. We can only do so much. Today was a bit different. Mainly because for the first time in several months, it was raining. When we got the calls, we operated as normal.

The scene of the crime was strangely familiar to me. Almost like I had seen a ghost. Not a real ghost, of course, because they are upstanding citizens thus far. I walked by a dark puddle, my umbrella kept the droplets from creating ripples. I could see the disgust within myself. Unhappy did not even begin to describe how I was truly feeling and what was truly happening inside my mind.

"Kyra"

I heard my name, muffled, and turned around slowly to my vampire teammate Jupiter standing over me. I shook off my disgust because it was time to do the job.

"Yeah, no, I'm good I was just walking over. Thought I heard something." I lied.

"Why don't you sit this one out, yeah?" he asked, concern clouded his dark eyes and covered his face. No matter how hard he tried to hide it. His hand was cold and wet, resting on my shoulder.

"Sit this one out? What are you talking about?" I replied backing away and walking around him. I walked over to the crime scene and barely heard him sigh as I was crossing under the yellow tape. And there she was, face down in a small puddle. She had a knife in her back and a bullet in her head and she was covered in witchbane.

I couldn't find the words to speak. My team, backed away to give me space as I had fallen to my knees before her. She was freezing. She was soaked. She was dead. They turned the body to get a look at her face before Jupiter approached me. But they both wanted me and didn't want me, to discover her for myself. So they turned her back over. But I knew that beautiful long dark hair anywhere.

I couldn't touch her. Jupiter came over and turned her for me. And the sight of her was gut-wrenching. Even my most seasoned team members had to turn away as to not vomit everywhere. Her throat had been cut and she had a stab wound to the chest as well. Whoever did this, wanted to make sure she was dead and gone. I couldn't find any words. They all escaped me. I sat there. Helpless. Jupiter leaned over me to see if I was alright and all I could utter was a single word that found its way to my lips.

"Mom..."

October 30, 2065

It's still raining. Last night when they took my mother's body away, I wasn't sure what to think or what to do. Everything about it all looked so suspicious. I know, it's a murder it's supposed to be suspicious. But there was just something about the scene and her body that I couldn't put my finger on. I sat in my office. The door was locked. All I did was pace around, murmuring to myself. The throat slit, the chest stab wound, the bullet to the head, the witchbane. Why the witchbane? Who even uses witchbane anymore? Witchbane is pure superstition, but only witches know that. So the killer wouldn't be a witch. Also, no magic trail. Maybe.

I called down to Leti, the medical examiner, to get a report. Her death was made a high priority, courtesy of Jupiter.

"I was just about to call you, I need you down here now. You and only you."

Click.

Every thought raced through my mind. Was it a setup? And if so was it for her or me? Who would do this? Why? I couldn't focus. And then I was pulled out of my own mind with a few knocks at my door. A familiar face, that I didn't care to see, but at this time it was only right to let them in.

"Leader Sarda, I didn't expect to see you here. I was just leaving." I stated as I opened the door to let the leader of our coven in.

"I didn't expect myself to be here. But I needed to speak with you before you continued further into this investigation. Your mother was of great importance to us all. While I am sorry for your loss, I highly suggest letting someone else look into her death. This can only end badly for not only you but the rest of the coven and witches everywhere." He replied standing near the door as I closed it softly.

I smirked to myself, as questions I hadn't even asked myself yet, had just been answered. Foolish and deceitful he was as a leader. Her mother complained about him all the time as well as challenged him publicly before the coven.

"Leader Sarda, I will be the one figuring out who killed my mother. This is no one else's responsibility. I thank you for your advice but I will be solving this case. See yourself out of my office." I grabbed my coat and stormed out of my own office, looking into his soul through his eyes as I slammed my door shut.

I went down to the ME's office as quickly as I could. Escaping possible conversations and distractions from my teammates. When I got into the room, I stumbled back a little at the sight of her. Cut up and cut open. I had to gather myself before moving forward, and I think Leti sensed it all.

"Are you able to handle this?" she asked, standing over my mother, about to cover her back up.

"Yeah, I'm good. What's going on, how did it happen?" I responded, gathering myself.

"She died by drowning. Being face down in the puddle of water flooded her lungs."

"That's not possible... even if they held her head down there wasn't enough wat-" I stopped myself. I had to take a pause in my mind, like an old VCR, and rewind the tape. The water may not have been deep enough but if there were an infinite spell cast upon it, it wouldn't have to be. There were no magical traces on her body but it was in the water.

"While you think about that, also think about this, her throat was slit after she was already dead. Everything happened after she was already dead. The bullet to the head was never fired from a gun but forced into her head almost surgically. The wound is a perfect circle and would have taken very steady hands and a thin sharp object"

"Thin and sharp, and able to make a precise cut into the skull to place the bullet there, almost like it was a fing-" I finally looked up at her. Her face was somber. I had to sit down, and I had to gather my thoughts. Focus. But why would he do it? What was the point? What was the endgame? I shook it all off and looked back up at Leti.

"The witchbane?"

"Ceremonial I would assume. It didn't do anything to her physically and I thought it was proven years ago that witchbane does nothing."

"That is correct, but only the witch and medical community were aware of it so that it could be ruled out as a cause of death in cases. So someone placed them on her but it wouldn't have been one of us, there is no point. Other than being an ugly plant held in regard for superstitions, we have no use for them." I explained as I stood over my mother's body. Brushing her hair out of her face. She hated when her hair was in her face.

"What I can say for certain is, her time of death, and the time that you found her, do not add up with certain reports. Be careful who you trust." She warned. I nodded and left but I already knew how this was going to end.

I ended up passing by the beta team on my way back up. Syr the vampire on the team met my eyes as did the witch Andea. I continued walking, lost in my thoughts. Why would he do it? Why my mother? I continued to say to myself. When I finally reached my office I locked myself in quickly and started pulling reports.

Times aren’t matching. Team members are missing from check in that showed up much later. My team didn’t get the call until 21:00. But Beta team received their orders around the same area at 17:00. Time of death was at 19:30. But Beta team was at check in at that time… Alpha team, my team, are all accounted for on camera in HQ. I was interrupted again by a knock at the door.

“Syr?”

“Hey, Jupiter wanted me to ride along with you back to your crime scene, they found something else but he has to go down to the courts” he responded with a peaked smile. I nodded of course and got my jacket, locking everything up.

We walked to the car and my phone started buzzing uncontrollably. When I finally looked at it, 6 missed calls from Jupiter and several texts from my other teammates. I let them go to voicemail and just tried to relax on the ride. But something was gnawing at me. The ride had so suddenly become uncomfortable. I didn’t have to look to know that Syr was not looking at the road, but fully turned towards me.

As I slowly reached for my gun, his hand was over my throat and the car was through the safety rails of the bridge, headed into the river. My phone was on the floor in the struggle, and there on the screen, still buzzing as I reached for it through the violence …

Jupiter..

supernatural
3

About the Creator

Christina Nelson

I started writing when i was in the 3rd grade. That's when i discovered I had an overactive imagination. I'm currently trying to publish 2 books, hopefully I can improve my writing here before I hit the big leagues in writing.

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Comments (2)

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  • Antoinette L Brey7 months ago

    I want to know why. Great ending

  • Hank Moody8 months ago

    Amazingly written love it

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