Witching Tree (Alice Gray Book 1)

The house was showing me my mother's history, like an imprint of her spirit remained embedded in its structure.

The sight of my mother, so young and carefree filled me with delight. Buoyant, I laughed out loud, all the stresses of the evening floating away until I was like the young girl in front of me, carefree and happy.

My eyes followed her around drinking in every detail. The worn out old sundress, covered in sunflowers, her favourite plant. The wild, escape-artist hair, refusing to be confined by the scarf wrapped around her head. Holding my breath, forcing my eyes not to blink, I didn't dare move for fear of disturbing the vision.

The final apparition showed the last minutes that she had spent in this room. An image of pure excitement; a young woman full of anticipation for what life would bring as she stood on the precipice of change. Caught up in the moment, my young mother's emotions rushed into me taking my breath away.

As she cast a last look around the room her abundant hope and wild joy consumed me.

Then the spirit flew out the door.

She was gone.

I sat motionless hoping that my mother would re-appear. I willed the house to open its memories again, not ready to say goodbye to my best friend and only protector.

When nothing happened, intense sadness chased away all the positive vibes that my mother had brought. It wasn't just my own loss that brought me down. Love for my father had inspired that last image, and it had been thwarted by a car accident, just after my birth. She had ended up alone, for years.

Alone, just like me.

I sank down onto the bed as the weight of my mother's shattered dreams infiltrated my mind. Anger grew out of despondence.

We had family here. This house could have sheltered us throughout the years, as it had Anne. Instead, we had struggled along, from one rented apartment to the next, never making any real friends. Striving to make ends meet; second-hand clothes, cheap food. We never found a place to call home.

And then my mother was gone. I was alone, barely out of my teens. I was practically begging to fall in love with the first person that wanted to be with me. That's why I'd been fooled by Stephen. That's why I'd been hurt.

Blood pounded through my body as buzzing filled my ears. Fury took hold of my mind, leaving no space for anything else. I'd been abandoned by my family. Scorned by my lover.

Bastards. I'd make them pay.

The buzzing in my head got louder and louder until metal crashing against metal emerged out of the white noise. Vaguely aware of Anne reaching out to me, her golden mist bright at her finger tips, I didn't even react when she recoiled with a look of pure horror.

"Silver," she gasped.

Yes silver, my frenzied mind agreed, as the metal grate and clash of my nightmares slowed to the chimes of the silver tree. Power welled inside me as I took control of the chaotic symphony, conducting it into a force that I could control.
Slamming my hands onto the earth floor, I pushed the fury and pain back into the house, the symbol of my disenfranchisement.

The rocking chair lurched violently back and forth. My eyes shot to it, my head pinned in position, eyelids glued open.
As it slowed, another figure materialised. A woman, just like me. My hair, my face, my eyes. But not my eyes.
Golden orbs burnt into me. I reached for her, an unnatural magnetism pulling me forwards. She shook her head, a hard smile on her face.

On my face.

The heat from her intense golden eyes increased. Silver steam rose from my skin, my blood boiling, rushing through my veins, scorching me inside and out.

The woman stood, her pregnant belly protruding. Raising her hand, she pointed one finger. Her mouth moved but I couldn't understand her words. Straining to hear, my body continued to gravitate towards her. The sharp prick of her fingernail dug into my forehead as I heard her words.

"Save them. Save yourself."

Things are getting intense for Alice! Don't forget to ⭐️ if you're enjoying her story.