A Witch Like No Other (9 page)

“
No I
don’
t-”

“
Because their
grandfather killed my parents!” spat Ted, Miriam recalling what
Dreamer told her.

“
It was an
accident, Miriam! They jumped in front of the spy to save him- Ted
nearly jumped as well but Mama dragged him back-”

“
And if they
think I’
m going to let them
follow his footsteps, they
’
ve got another thing
coming!”

“
It was an
accident, Ted!”

“
Accident my
back foot! He never liked my parents because they
didn’
t have an ounce of magic
in them-” Ted took a deep breath, then he said “Then he just
disappeared!”

“
No justice!”
said Ted angrily, stamping his foot. “When the police and ambulance
got there they said it was a double stroke-”

“
Ted-”

“
And now they
want to be just like Paul!”

“
Pandora!”
shouted Marlon, but she didn’
t
look back. “See what you
’
ve done?” he yelled at
Ted, before he ran after his sister. “Pandora!”

Marlon skidded on one leg, swearing violently. Passers by
stared at him, alarmed as they quickened their pace. Marlon
didn
’
t
care if he looked mad, he was furious as he stormed back over to
his father.

“
Now
what?!”

Wiping tears of anger off her face, she looked at
Dreamer
’
s picture.

“
Is that what
he thought of magic- even when you met him?”

This time the picture didn
’
t do a thing.

“
It’
s not bad,” said
Pandora angrily. “It
’
s wonderful.
You
’
re
wonderful.”

Suddenly Dreamer
’
s voice rolled around
her bedroom.

“
I’
m leaving!”

“
Two days!” she
said furiously, noticing a frown on Dreamer’
s face in her picture. “Don
’
t try and stop me
either, Mum!”

“
I’
ll sleep in the
park!”

“
I…
I’
ll run away!”

Fine, what will you do if the
police
wake you
up?

“
I’
ll still run away,”
sighed Pandora, sitting on her bed.

“
Did Grandpa
really kill Dad’
s parents?”
she asked, eyes filling.

“
But
that’
s why Dad hates magic,
though. Right?”

He loved it before the incident,
Dreamer replied.
Yes.

“
Well, he cant
stop me from being a witch and Marlon a wizard.”

“
He hated you
doing magic too, I remember.”

Because it reminds him of your grandfather,
that
’
s all.

“
That’
s all?”

That
’
s all, Pandora. Now go and wash your face.

“
You selfish
git!” spat Marlon, Miriam standing between him and Ted with her
arms held out. James was there as well, holding Marlon back as he
said “She could be anywhere, thanks to you!”

“
Me!”

“
Yes, you!
Trying to dump your burdens on us- why don’
t you go and talk to Miriam in her office or
something?! Pandora was so calm and relaxed today before you messed
it all up!”

She was? James thought to himself. That
’
s good. She still
hasn
’
t
called or texted me, though. Obviously she doesn
’
t want to
know.

“
Let go of me,
James!”

“
Let’
s keep it cool,
Marlon!” said James, scared that his friend would swing for his
dad. “I
’
ve got a car, we can look for Pandora!”

Before Marlon could answer he, Ted and Miriam jumped at the
same time, their beloved Dreamer
’
s voice echoing inside
their heads.

She
’
s at home. Go to her.

“
What was
that?” demanded James, as they looked at each other. “You looked
like frogs or something!”

Heart racing, Marlon said “Go home, James.
I
’
ll
call you.”

Breathing heavily, Ted added “Visit in a few days time- we
need to be alone right now. There
’
s things we need to sort
out.”

“
I want to see
Pandora,” said Miriam quietly. “What if she heard…?”

James looked down at the picnic basket, picking it up as he
called
“I’
ll just hold onto this for you, yeah?”

They didn
’
t look back.

“
Pandora!”
yelled Ted, bursting through the front door with Marlon and Miriam
behind. “‘
Dora, are you all
right?” Silence. “Pandora!”

“
I’
m in the bathroom!” she
called angrily. “Leave me alone!”

“
Hurry up and
come out!” said Marlon desperately- he dashed up the stairs as soon
as the bathroom door opened and pulled Pandora clean off her feet,
giving her a tight hug. “Are you all right?”

“
I’
m fine,” she mumbled
into his shoulder. “I heard Mum talking-”

“
So did we, so
did we- she told us you’
re
here-”

“
I thought you
would run away,” said Ted, relieved to see his daughter safe and
sound even though it cant have been over an hour.

Pandora almost didn
’
t answer him. He knew
her well.

“
I would have,
but Mum stopped me.”

“
But
she’
s dead,” whispered Miriam.
“I cant figure this out.”

“
Put me down
Marlon,” muttered Pandora, and he did. Tightening her robe, she
said “She might be alive, Miriam. I told you already.”

“
And if she
is,” Marlon said like before as he rubbed his neck,
“She’
s got some explaining to
do. I mean serious explaining, mind you.”

Now wasn
’
t the time.

Pandora said nothing, staring at her. Alice hesitated, then
she asked
“Are you ok?”

“
Are you
sure?”

Pandora
’
s back hit Miriam
’
s door- fumbling for the
doorknob, she opened it and ran inside, quickly closing the door
behind her.

“
There’
s a girl out
there,” said Pandora, panic stricken. “She was- was-”

“
What?”

“
Talking to
me!”

Miriam laughed. She couldn
’
t help it as she opened
the door and looked out. Alice had a confused look on her face as
she came over, asking “Is she ok? I didn
’
t mean to scare her,
I-”

“
She’
s fine,” said Miriam
soothingly. “How are you, Alice?”

“
Never mind me-
what’
s wrong with that
girl?”

“
She’
s not used to
socialising with people,” Miriam explained.
“Pandora
’
s been through a lot- but really, under the shyness
she
’
s
a wonderful girl to know.”

“
I’
ll bet,” said Alice,
already intrigued. “Pandora
’
s such a cool
name.”

“
Would you like
to come in and say hello?”

“
Miriam, please
don’
t let her in!” hissed
Pandora, but Miriam ignored her. Pandora backed away as Alice
walked in. Smiling, Miriam said “Pandora love, this is Alice Pets.
She
’
s
Tony
’
s
daughter.”

“
Hello,” said
Pandora nervously, and Alice said hello.

“
Pandora’
s a really cool
name, you know. I wish I had it.”

“
Oh- thank
you,” said Pandora shyly, and Alice smiled at her.

“
Who gave it to
you?”

“
My mother,”
said Pandora, nodding at a picture on Miriam’
s desk.

Alice looked, then she gasped. “That
’
s Dreamer
Black!”

“
You know her?”
said Pandora, amazed. “From where?”

“
She’
s been on the telly
before on her mother
’
s show-”

“
Grandma had a
show?”

“
She still
does,” said Alice. “You know, one of those clairvoyant shows. Last
week it was Agnes versus Mystic Meg-”

“
You’
re
kidding!”

“
No no,
I’
m serious! Dreamer was
there, and-”

“
My Mum was on
the show?”

“
She’
s always on the
show,” said Alice, shrugging. “Sometimes she takes over. I cant
believe she
’
s your mum, she
’
s so cool and-”

“
She’
s alive,” said
Pandora weakly, and Alice frowned at her.

“
Who said she
wasn’
t?”

“
Alice love,
how long has Dreamer been on the show?” asked Miriam.

“
Six months,”
said Pandora. “She’
s been
around for six months!”

“
Pandora,
I’
m sure Alice would like to
know what on Earth you
’
re talking about,” said Miriam gently, and Alice
nodded. “How about you two go for a quick walk in the park?
I
’
ll
meet you there in half an hour: I need to lock the office and tell
Tony not to worry about Alice.”

“
I’
m eighteen,” pouted
Alice. “You don
’
t have to explain to Daddy.”

“
Yes I do,”
smiled Miriam. “Go on, both of you.”

Pandora hesitated. “But… I don
’
t know her.”

“
You do now,”
said Miriam firmly. “Pandora, Alice has just told you Dreamer is
alive- you owe her a conversation. She wants to know
you.”

“
Be your
friend,” corrected Alice, and Pandora sighed her ok.

“
I witnessed
the whole thing,” said Pandora, tears falling down her face. “Stile
killed her. He- he wouldn’
t
stop stabbing her- maybe he couldn
’
t stop. I was screaming
at him to stop and he- he-”

Alice
’
s eyes filled over as she handed her new friend a
tissue.

“
I never knew,
I-”

“
They covered
it up big time, because she was a witch. They
couldn’
t let that get out, the
stuck up little gits.”

Alice thought about this, then she said “But Pandora,
listen for a minute. Dreamer
’
s a witch, right?”
Pandora nodded. “You cant seriously have thought she was gone
forever. A while maybe, but not forever!”