Lottie’s POV

Oh God… Gabi whimpers, pressing her face into my shoulder. I’m stopping Gabi from seeing the horrible vampire/wamphyre character showing off that she’s literally got no heart. It would frighten my little princess out of her skin and give her bad dreams.

Astrid yells and chucks a spell at the horrible vampire thingy, but it does nothing - she just cackles, her twisted face sneering. “I am beyond undeath! And you are a rank amateur and green around the gills!” She waves her iron band in a claw like hand at the squash-heads. “I control the Haggwort, these feral earth demons! Haggwort, attack the green hellions!”

A bunch of the freaky scarecrows with squash heads shamble towards us. Astrid takes off her hair grip and turns that into one of her magic darts and chucks it at one of the squash-heads, which explodes with a screaming sound. Other squash-heads are dragging the screaming Steph to the wamphyre who bares her rotted fangs… My heart thuds in my chest at the thought that the bloodsucker wants to dine on Steph, but I know I must act now! The iron band, that seems to be the key. I have been studying that spell to rot iron.

I point a green finger at the iron band. “Eretsore!”

The iron band rusts and then crumbles to powder. Urtha shrieks. “Argh! Witch! You’ve destroyed my iron band! The Haggwort are wild and untamed…” the squash-heads drop Steph and grab Urtha instead. Oh God… they’re flinging the wamphyre into the roaring blue fire. I suppose they want revenge for her controlling them? She shrieks and leaps out again, but now she’s a skeleton, burning with blue flame which collapses onto the earthy floor I can’t watch… I have to close my eyes. Next thing I know, the squash-heads are shuffling out of the cave.

“Let them go, they’re returning to the earth,” says Daddy’s echoey voice.

The weird blue fire in the grate is dying down. There’s nothing left of Urtha but old bones.

“I-It’s alright, Gabi,” I say, my voice trembling. “I’ve stopped the wamphyre.”

“I knew you would. You’re the coolest.”

Steph is sobbing on the ground and we go to comfort her. Astrid grips her shoulders. “You OK?”

I touch her tear stained cheek with my bright green fingers. “You’re safe now, Steph.”

Steph sniffs. “I know. You did it, Lottie. I saw…” She hiccoughs. “I – I’m sorry the others kicked you off our cheerleading squad. Erica’s well out of order.”

“Yeah, that’s mean,” says Gabi.

I brush a tear off Steph’s cheek. “Don’t worry about that now.” I’m trying to sound soothing.

She sniffs. “I guess witches and vampires are real. And you and Astrid are witches. I can’t actually tell anyone, cos they’ll think I’m nuts. Or hysterical.”

I pat her arm. “Guess they will.”

Steph gives a wry smile. “Anyway… I see now that witches are good. Wamphyres are obviously bad. I wonder how a wamphyre came to be here at all? She said when she was just a vampire, a witch killed her with a stake. How did she come back?”

Astrid bites her dark green bottom lip. I wonder what’s bothering her?

00O00

Astrid’s POV

OK, this is really bad. That wamphyre appeared because of my big screw up with necromancy. The barrow in the hill seals itself shut when we leave. As far as anyone can see, it’s just a hill now. We’re just taking Steph home when we see a lady in a really good witch costume standing in the road. She has long red hair and she looks as witchy as me. And she’s carrying a broomstick! She beams at us, her white teeth contrasting weirdly with her green face. “Hello, precious pumpkins! And you good Sir.” She curtseys. “Happy Halloween. My name is Lilith. I’ve come to invite you to the Witches’ Council.”

Wait! She can see Dad…That means she’s a witch, like us. Not just dressed like one.

Lottie doesn’t quite catch on. “Your costume is very good too.”

“Lottie…” I tug her sleeve. “Only witches can see ghosts.” Lottie’s blue eyes widen.

“Please, come with me,” says Lilith, reaching out a bright green hand. “I’m afraid the Council does not take ‘No’ for an answer.”

“She speaks the truth. But don’t worry. I’ll be with you,” says Daddy.

“Steph, you alright to go home?” I ask her.

Steph nods. “Definitely. I’ve had enough of Halloween.”

I take Lilith’s green hand in mine. She smiles. Gabi’s gazing at her, wide-eyed. “You’re a real witch, too!”

Lilith taps her green nose and nods. “Come.”

Lilith magically extends her broom to like three times its original length and helps strap Gabi to Lottie with a harness. Gabi doesn’t have our sense of balance, obviously. I’ve never flown before, but the moment my green hands touch the woody broomstick handle, I feel a throb of power. The four of us get on and we’re whisked through the air and high into the clouds. The cold wind blasts me in the face. Since I lost my hairpin, my loose hair gets blown back. The moon rises above us, a ghostly galleon tossed on a sea of clouds.

“I’m flying,” squeals Gabi. She pauses. “It’s really cold.”

“I know,” says Lottie in her soothing voice.

We alight on a mountain plateau? Where are we exactly? There’s a huge, black mansion looming over us. Lilith leads us to a pair of huge wooden doors which swing open. The stone entrance hall is lit with black candles with eerie blue flames. The uncanny light shines on the green and white faces of my sisters as they stare around, wide-eyed. There are tapestries showing weird, unearthly scenes.

Suddenly I realise Dad’s not here. “Where is he?” I demand.

Lilith pats my arm. “Ghosts come and go, dearie. He’ll be back soon enough.”

We follow her into a wide room with one big window that lets in the moonlight. There are two other green skinned witches seated at an ornately carved table. One has a huge nose and chin, like a storybook witch. The witch on her left looks sort of pretty, like Lilith, but with long black hair. She’s looking at us, a small smirk playing around her dark green lips. Lilith smiles again, and sits on the right of the witch with the huge nose. This witch has a more impressive chair. It’s almost like a throne. She gazes at us. “Well met, Lottie and Astrid. You stand here before the leading trio of the Witch Council. I am Raina, the Head Witch. On my left, sits Hecate. Lilith, my deputy, you already know. We always acknowledge those who have been blessed – and cursed – with witchhood. You have accepted magic powers and the burden of eternal life.”

“Eternal life? What do you mean?” I demand.

Raina gazes at me impassively. “A witch cannot die. How do you think I came to look like this?” She taps her long nose. “I am three hundred years old. Take it from me – in a couple of centuries, you will struggle to remember the names of your mortal friends and family of today.”

I don’t like the sound of this at all. Lottie gives a little strangled, squeaky sound. She’s holding Gabi’s hand tight.

“I have also called you here for a darker purpose,” says Raina. She glares at me. “Astrid – you have dabbled in Necromancy and unleashed a force of evil on this world. The ghoul, Clay Fingers. You have three days and nights to lay the evil one to rest. Fail to do so and you will incur my wrath. If Clay Fingers harms any mortal, I will count it as a failure on your part as well.”

I gulp. “B-But how…?”

“You will have to find a way,” she says unhelpfully.

Beside me, Lottie sniffs. “Don’t be sad, Sis,” says Gabi.

“Aw, bless her, can’t you see how stressful the adjustment is?” croons Lilith. She glides over to us and lays a hand on Lottie’s arm.

“I don’t wanna live forever,” says Lottie. “It’s messed up. I’ll outlive Gabi – and Gabi’s kids too.”

“You’ll get used to it in time and you have endless ages,” says Lilith sadly. “But if you really need to talk further, I can schedule it.”

Yeah, this is disturbing, but right now, I’ve got a huge problem. How do I deal with the spooks when the scary witch lady won’t help?

00O00

The next evening I’m babysitting. I need a little extra cash, and Sophie, the kid I babysit, is sweet really. She’s not strong and needs caring for. Poor kid often has nosebleeds and fainting fits, but Samantha, the Mum, trusts me to look out for her. Dad’s gone off again, so I’m going on my own.

Lottie and I spun the story to her over the phone that we have a weird skin disorder. One that turns our skin green. She didn’t question it. I’m a bit apprehensive at what she’ll think, though. But when I get there, I find Sam’s eyes are red like she’s been crying. “Hey Astrid. Do come inside.” She doesn’t even seem to notice my green skin. I wonder what’s on her mind.

We sit on the couch. Sam speaks in a trembling voice. “Listen, honey… My Sophie has been diagnosed with leukaemia.”

“Oh My God. That’s awful!”

Sam nods. Her eyes are tearing up again. Just days ago, there would have been nothing I could do about this tragedy. Maybe now there is.

“I – I’m sorry you are ill,” says Sam.

“Oh Sam, it’s nothing. Just green skin. You and Sophie are the ones who deserve sympathy. Wish I could help…”

“Oh sweetie, there’s nothing you can do.”

Little does she know…

00O00

After Sophie has had a snack, we play the video game Bubble Bobble, about two cute little dragons that shoot bubbles from a cannon.

“Astrid. You know I have leukaemia?”

“Yes, Sophie. But I want to help.”

Her hazel eyes are wide. “Really? How?”

Oops. What am I doing, getting her hopes up now? I’m just a rookie witch who’s already dug herself into a hole with all her blunders.

“I mean… I hope I can find a way. Your Mum will be working hard on it too.” I think I’d better distract her. I try to animate a furry bear glove puppet with an animation spell that’s one stage more advanced than the ‘Samina’ spell. It’s one for cherished objects. But it does nothing. Great. I’m truly a rookie witch.

Suddenly the screen flickers into static and then to my horror the image of Clay Fingers appears on the screen. “H-Hello, witch. I – I’m sending a friend over for a bite. A h-hungry little chap.”

A shadow appears and alights on one of Sophie’s toys in the corner. A broken doll with a disfigured mouth wrapped in a white nightshirt. Its eyes flick open and glow red.

Sophie gives a little squeak of fear. The doll hisses. “I hate choo! I’m gonna eat choo!” It jumps at us, snapping its jaws and I kick it hard, sending it careening across the floor. It goes rolling down the hall and then tumbles down the cellar steps.

“Stay here!” I warn Sophie.

I have a twig in my pocket to make a magic dart. I’ve got it ready now. I creep down the spiral steps into the cellar. The light is really poor and it smells musty. Suddenly, something hard and metal hits my leg and trips me. I scream and fall, so that I’m hanging off the staircase, only held in place because of my green foot stuck between the steps. The blood’s rushing to my head and my heart’s really thumping.

The doll lurches out of the gloom holding a hammer. It’s hideous face creases into a parody of a smile. It’s wielding a hammer. “How’s it hanging, witch?” It leaps up and hits my foot so that I fall headfirst onto the stone cellar floor. My neck snaps … everything is going black…