A Witch's Curse Read Online Free PDF

spells, and a lot more. I even tried one,” Carolyn confessed, feeling a little foolish when she said the words aloud.
    “ You’re kidding? Why? Oh, before you tell me, I forgot to give this back to you. I found this in a box when I helped you pack. I simply had to borrow this for a date I had.”
    Reaching into her coat pocket, Maggie pulled out Carolyn’s bracelet and returned the missing item to her. “I know I should have asked first, but I didn’t think you’d mind for a couple days. Carolyn, are you all right? You’re so pale.”
    “ Mother’s bracelet! I thought I lost this in the move. And you had it all along?”
    Maggie’s face turned to one of pure contrition. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I promise never to borrow anything again without asking first. Okay?”
    “ You don’t understand, Mags. The spell I tried, it was a spell to find lost objects, and I'll be damned if it didn't work!”
    Maggie’s turn for the color to fade from her cheeks, she said a little too loudly, “You’re shitting me?”
    “ Shh. Here comes the waitress with my drink. Damn, I should’ve ordered one a lot stronger. This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.”
    “ I’ll say,” Maggie replied as she drained her drink. “What are you going to do now?”
    “ Another drink is definitely called for, then I think I should talk to Mrs. Burns some more.”
    “ Do you want me to come with you?”
    “ No, but thanks for offering.”

    * * * *

    Carolyn drove straight home after lunch. Not ready to face Sarah Burns yet, Carolyn wanted to set her mind straight first. Walking into the foyer, the mixed odors of wood polish, pine oil , and fresh floor wax assaulted her nose. Carolyn opened a few windows to let in some fresh air then went out the rear door to explore her back yard while the house aired. She had been in the back once, at twilight, when Mr. Hargrove first showed her the house.
    The screened-in back porch over looked a cemented patio with a stone BBQ grill off to one side. Large concrete urns sat regally at the corners, a red brick path led away from the house and into the garden, ten-foot high hedges lined the path.
    Carolyn removed her jacket to enjoy the warmth of the Indian summer afternoon. Strolling down the path , Carolyn turned her mind to her troubles.
    Accepting she came from a family whose female offspring were all witches had been bizarre enough, but to believe in ghosts too? Could there really be a ghost haunting her dreams, or had Maggie been right about her hormones letting loose? As an insomniac dreams were foreign to her, a phenomenon other people had, not her. How could she interpret them? She couldn’t see herself going to a shrink and telling him that every time she falls asleep, she makes love to a dead man she’d never met, that she has the hots for her great, great, great uncle. She’d be spending the rest of her life in a rubber room called Prozac City.
    In addition, there were other things, small things, which made no sense to her at the time. The brewed coffee nobody made, Maggie’s house warming gift dying overnight, and even Chester’s behavior has been extremely odd since moving in.
    She did know enough about witch folklore to know cats were a witches familiar, only what duties did they perform? Chester had been the one to find Ester’s letters to her mother. How could he know they were in the closet, could it have been by simple chance? As for the sudden drafts of cold air and the occasional odd noises, Carolyn attributed them to the house's severe age, but then again…?
    Face it, girl, what’s really bothering you is you’ve fallen for a three-hundred year old cheater. Boy, can you pick ’em.
    The path split several times and at each branch, Carolyn instinctively went inward , toward the center, as if something drew her. She also had the feeling of déjà vu. Abruptly, the path widened into a small courtyard with a familiar looking fountain in the center.