I shook Mary by the shoulders.
‘Anna?’ she said, rubbing her eyes. ‘What are you up to?’
Mary laughed.
‘Of course!’ she said. She put her arm around me. ‘Aah, diddums! Did you get frightened when I ran away?’
‘No,’ I said and shook her off. ‘Didn’t you see Verbena?’
‘Ver-what?’ said Mary.
My shoulders slumped. Mary couldn’t remember anything.
‘Never mind. Let’s go home,’ I said. ‘My aunties and your mum will be wondering where we are.’
We walked on in silence. I racked my brain about how I could make Mary believe what had just happened. But how could I do that without admitting I was a witch? Maybe it was time to give it to her straight. I drew a deep breath.
‘Something weird has just happened, Mary,’ I said. ‘A nasty witch called Verbena appeared out of nowhere. She put you in a trance and she wants me to take part in a magic circle at full moon. If I don’t, she’ll – she’ll do something bad to you!’
Mary raised her eyebrows and looked sideways at me. Then she patted me on the arm.
‘Good try, Anna,’ she said. ‘Like I’m going to fall for that one.’
‘But it’s true!’ I said.
‘OK, I’ll play along,’ she said. ‘This witch came from where?’
‘From out of a green fog!’ I said.
‘I see,’ said Mary. ‘And she went where?’
‘She disappeared into thin air!’ I said.
‘Right,’ said Mary. ‘And she chose you why?’
‘Because I’m a … I’m a natural-born witch!’ I said.
‘Of course you are,’ said Mary calmly. Then she giggled and hugged me. ‘Nice one, Anna! It’s fun telling scary stories in the woods! You should write that one down – it’s good!’
I sighed. I should have known she wouldn’t believe me. I trudged the rest of the way home in silence, only half-listening to Mary’s chatter.
When we got to Mary’s house, she strolled up her path, turned and waggled her fingers at me.
‘Wooooooo!!’ she said. ‘See you tomorrow, Witchy-pants! Don’t forget your broomstick!’
I watched her let herself in, and plodded up the road towards my own house.
As I walked up our path, the front door flung open. Aunty Grizz stood on the doorstep with her hands on her hips, a scowl on her face and purple elderberry juice all down her apron.
Oh great, I thought. Now I’m going to get it for being late as well.
My two aunties were a little unusual, to say the least – especially this one, Grizz. When I first met her, she was convinced that she was the one with magical powers. She even changed her name to Grizz and made her sister change her name to Wormella so they sounded witchy.
Grizz and Wormella used to eat worms and bats and all sorts until I put a stop to it. I had such a hard job convincing them that I was the only witch in the house. But eventually they understood that you were either born that way or you weren’t. Thankfully, these days they used the cauldron only to make herbal remedies and the odd stew.
‘Anna Kelly!’ said Aunty Grizz. ‘What time do you call this? I thought you’d been kidnapped!’
‘Nearly,’ I said. ‘But not quite.’
‘Well, don’t hang about,’ she said, peering at me. ‘Into the kitchen with you. You look as white as a ghost.’
I trailed into the warm kitchen followed by Aunty Grizz. Aunty Wormella smiled at me and lifted a steaming plate out of the oven.
‘Anna, at last!’ she said. ‘I do hope these chips are still all right.’
I threw my school bag onto a corner and slumped onto a chair. Charlie, my black cat, climbed into my lap and snuggled down.
‘Don’t want any, thanks,’ I said and put my head in my hands.
The kitchen went quiet. I’d never turned down chips before. I could feel my aunties looking at each other over the top of my head. Wormella sat down beside me, and I felt her warm hand on my shoulder.
‘What’s the matter, dear?’ she said. ‘Detention again, was it?’
I looked up at Wormella’s round face and Grizz’s thin one. We’d all had our ups and downs since I came to live here, but they were good to me. They protected me and encouraged my magic studies, and I had grown to love them.
I wanted to tell them everything. To blurt out all about the witch in the woods and the trouble I was in. But as I looked at their anxious faces I knew I couldn’t tell them. They would only worry – and, anyway, they couldn’t help me.
So I gave myself a shake and sat up straight.
‘Aunties,’ I said, ‘have you remembered that I’m having a sleepover on Saturday?’
Grizz groaned.
‘Not more squealing gigglers!’ she said.
‘Just one squealing giggler,’ I said. ‘Mary.’
‘Little Mary,’ said Wormella. ‘Such a nice girl.’
‘You’ll have to promise to behave this time, Anna,’ said Grizz. ‘Last time, I didn’t get a wink of sleep! And you’ll have to look after her yourself, and not expect us to run around waiting on you hand and foot.’
‘I’ll look after her all right,’ I said, grimly. ‘Mary and I will be locked in my room the whole time.’
‘That’s settled then, dear,’ said Wormella. She edged my plate toward me. ‘Will that help you to eat up your dinner, hmm?’
I picked up my fork, and started to eat without tasting anything.
I didn’t have much of a plan yet – but I knew that I had to protect Mary. And to do that, I had to make sure I didn’t let her out of my sight on Saturday night.