Chapter 4

"Witch?" Alice had all the names in his mouth, but witch was the first time.

Will raised his eyes from the book and stared at me, looking uncertain for the first time since I walked through the door.

"That’s a figure of speech, because she manipulates you in a way that looks like a spell." he snorted dropping the book next to him and taking off his glasses to stare at me. "Don’t you see? She’s not good for you!"

My mother always loved Alice, she is the daughter of my mother’s best friend, Agnes. I was not a girl of many friends, but since childhood she has always been there with me.

"Mother and Agnes were friends even before I was born and she never saw evil in my friendship with Alice."

"Your mother is not here to see everything this girl is causing in your life." he sighed and got up from the couch, heading towards the kitchen. " You’ll see that I only want your good, I’ll get you out of town and you’ll thank me for it."

"I won’t!" I screamed, but he just ignored me continuing his way. "I’m twenty years old now, I can handle myself. If you want to go, that’s your problem, but I’m not leaving Salem!"

Will didn’t turn around and argue like I expected him to do, he just disappeared into the kitchen leaving me standing in the living room.

But I had told the truth, I would not leave Salem, Aunt Agnes would surely let me live with them and I would get a job. I didn’t need him for nothing!

I ran to my room and locked myself there, not wanting to freak out, just lay down on the bed and took a deep breath. It was inevitable not to get drunk with the perfume that rose from the jacket, and I could not avoid being taken by the memories of last night.

I know it was stupid to dream about a man I’d seen once in my life, but there I was, trying to figure out what he was doing.

I got lost in thoughts and ended up in a deep sleep, where those golden eyes attracted me to a closed forest.

I followed him through the trees, breaking through the darkness of the night, scratching at the sharp branches until I reached a clearing where a wolf was standing.

A huge and frightening wolf, he opened his mouth, showing his terrifying teeth. He was so big that he reached half the trees around and when he lifted his head to the sky it seemed even bigger.

The howl deafened me and I fell to the ground, covering my ears trying to soothe the sound with my hands, but it was useless. The sound became sad and painful, as if the great wolf was wounded and I raised my eyes in time to see him go to the ground.

I should take advantage of him howling bruised and running away, running anywhere, going back the same way I had used up there.

But in an impulse I approached the animal and stared at his eyes full of tears as he struggled trying to release his paws from the traps that ran through the bones of his legs.

I turned to the suffering eyes and do not know how that could be true, but looking into the golden eyes I was sure it was Parker there, trapped unable to move and in pain, suffering with his paws torn by the iron teeth.

"That’s your destiny." A bitter, gloomy voice rang through the trees, I turned to find the owner of the voice, but found no one. " And that will be your death!"

A wooden pole surrounded by fire appeared in the center of the clearing and I remembered the visions I had of a dying woman burned at the stake.

I stood up and tried to take a step away, but my feet were tied with iron chains. I couldn’t move with their weight, I couldn’t get out of place.

An impetuous wind swept over the clearing and I was dragged to the pile of wood, which now burned with high fire.

The wolf howled once more, as if crying for me and I screamed for help, to anyone who could help me.

I struggled trying to let go of that invisible force and Parker, or the wolf, growled and seaqcomo if I hoped someone would help us.

When the heat of the fire took over my body I woke up startled. Sunlight came in through my bedroom window and hit my face, almost burning me.

"Are you all right?" Will asked, startling me, I turned to see that he was standing at my bedroom door. "You kept screaming."

I swore that door was locked when I went to sleep. I rubbed my eyes in confusion and faced the figure standing there.

"It was just another nightmare." I muttered unwillingly and he nodded.

I never left the door open, how did he get in there?

"Lunch is on the table!" a wide smile appeared on his lips, as if we had not fought a few hours ago.

He might have wanted to pretend we forgot everything, but I wasn’t going to forget and let him drag me to another city.

"I’ll be down in a minute."

As soon as he closed the door behind him I got up in a hurry and grabbed my phone.

I had some messages from Alice as expected, asking how things had gone.

Bri: He went crazy, said he’s going to move town to keep me away from you.

Ali: What??? He can’t, you can’t leave Salem!!!

Bri: I know, I told him that.

Bri: Another thing, you know how I always have those crazy dreams about the woman on fire. I had another one, but this time I was the one who was going to the fire and a giant wolf was watching me die.

Ali: When did you have this dream?

Bri: This afternoon. I told you the wolf’s eyes were identical to Parker’s? The guy from the other night.

Ali: Where are you?

Bri: Crazy dream, right? We should go see your aunt, the one who does dream interpretation and uses herbs.

"Daughter, lunch is getting cold soon," Will screamed from downstairs, as he did every day.

Bri: I’m going to lunch. Will is acting like nothing happened, I know he’s going to try to convince me to leave.

I threw my cell phone in the bed and ran down the stairs. The last thing I needed was him saying that Alice was also guilty of my delay at the table.

"I made the pasta you love." Will was already sitting at the table and my plate was ready, as usual. "You know I hate it when we fight."

I sat next to him and reached out to him. That was his way of apologizing, making food.

"I also hate fights." I gave my best smile and attacked the food.

Since he had come to live with us Will was the only one who cooked here at home, he had really good hands for it, there was a food that did not look wonderful when he did.

I ate as if it were my first meal in days, I had not realized how hungry I was until now, but it was to be expected after last night.

"When I finish doing the dishes we can go downtown, take a walk, watch a movie. What do you think?" he asked when I was already in the sink.

"I think it’s great. I’m just going to..." my head spun in the same second and I balanced in the sink. "I’m just going to take a shower first." I grumbled.

I spent my wet hand on the nape of my neck, felt my pressure drop and my stomach burn. A wave of nausea took me and I needed a minute to take a deep breath and cover my mouth to not vomit.

Just what I needed to get bad stomach right now!

It took me longer than usual to finish the dishes and I stumbled up to my room. I didn’t want Will to see me like that, or he’d blame Alice again and be another reason to take me away from her.

My vision went dark when I finally reached my room and I had time to get to the bed and unlock my phone.

Alice’s message was the first thing I could focus on.

Ali: Don’t trust him! Me and my mom are coming over!

Ali: We’re coming Bridget, don’t eat anything he gives you!

Ali: Bridget???

What had given everyone? Will cursing Alice more than usual and now she telling me not to trust him, the man who raised me.

"Alice, I think something we drank yesterday hurt me. I feel like I’m going to pass out and puke my guts out at the same time." I swallowed the bile, not caring if I was still recording the audio. "Will can’t know I’m like this."

A figure dressed in black appeared at my door and I forced my eyes to focus better, but I could not distinguish the eyes or the face, it all looked like a blur.

What the fuck was going on with me? Because I felt that my stomach was on fire and that my whole body wanted to expel something, forcing me to vomit.

"Will! Will!" I gathered my last strength and cried for help. "Here... help!"

"Calm down, little one." The man’s voice at the door so close, even though he was at the door. "It’ll all work out fast, just take a deep breath and close your eyes."

Why would Will leave a strange person inside my room? The black figure approached the bed and I could not even understand his features. I just saw the milky skin, too white to look like a real person. It looked like someone who hadn’t seen the sun in years.

A cold hand touched my hair and I shuddered from head to toe. My whole body held back from the strange and terrifying contact, so I was overwhelmed by the darkness.