My heart was pounding so hard with my fists clenched, teeth gritted as I ran down the snowy trail to the forests opening. My spells had never gone wrong before1 I was only trying an animal communication spell against my mothers wishes of course and I didn't know what went wrong.. I could just hear her now 'Lily you're not ready.'
Then I knew the salt, I forgot to purify the circle with salt that meant any kind of magick could get in good, neutral, or evil and my veins turned to ice as I was already having flashbacks.

'I sat in the clearing in the woods where I practiced my magick in secret because my mother, Celeste, thought I wasn't ready to do anything but the basics and I was tired of it. I sat eagerly in the middle of my dark purple lighted circle one hand closed around the dark red rose the other clenching the spiritual athame from home.

There was a crack as my bowl of ingredients began to smoke and my drawn pentagram glowed light blue and bright red. My heart began to sink as I knew something was wrong. The ground started to rumble and I stood not knowing what to do. The light from the circle began to pulse and vibrate through the air. It twisted faster and faster in the air twisting and turning so fast it blew wind all around the clearing. It sprayed up snow and blew through the trees so hard they swayed and groaned under the pressure. It whipped my long, blond hair around and I panicked, without bothering to close the spell and circle I started stuff my utensils back in my backpack without cleansing them.

I grabbed the black candles, the ingredient jars, the athame, rose, and matches. As soon as I threw the backpack on my back the circle ripped open and threw me out! I squeaked and hit the ground terror running through me.. the lights spiraled and I shrieked like a girl when two black spheres the size of people shot out. They circled each other and bumped the other one a few times before forming and stretching..

But I didn't know what happened after that because I was already running far down the snowy trail thinking my mother had been right.'

Back to the present I ran up my street the clouds behind the full moon cast shadows on the pavement. I stopped at my front door already knowing it was locked. I caught my breath ignoring my goose bumps and chills feeling my magick build and my skin tingle. My traveling spell was the best I had so far and even then I could only move a max of fifteen feet. I slowly faded into nothingness only to fade into my bedroom the same way.

Its ok I told myself I got out of there in time and no one would have to know. I listened at the door for any sound of my mom waking up and all was silent. I turned on my bedroom light and shoved my bag under the bed. My heart slowed as I got back into my pajama top and shorts. I gazed at my bright green eyes I looked the same but felt way different I didn't what I was thinking trying to take on magick for the adult witches like her mother's circle not a solitary practice of a seventeen year old girl in high school.

I picked the leaved and even a twig out of my wavy hair my pale skin still flushed pink it was four in the morning so I could still get some sleep before school. Dani was going to bombard me to show her my new skill and I wouldn't have anything to show for it. I sighed and crawled into bed not knowing one of the black spheres had followed me home.


I hopped down the stairs to the kitchen the next morning. A little tired still a little shaken but happy that I hadn't been caught by my mother.

"Good Morning." My mom was already at the table drinking her hot herbal tea like every morning. She tended her garden and watched the sun come up before dressing in some fancy suit for work. She was a lawyer and don't ask me how it goes because her work life and home life never mix.

"Morning." I took my usual cop of chamomile tea out of the microwave, it was an herb used for stress and internal aches or pains like nerves or a migraine. I grabbed my amethyst necklace my mom always wanted me to wear for protection.

"So, theres a few things missing from the basement workshop and ingredient closet." my mom said calmly.

"Yeah, Dani had to borrow a few things for her crystal gazing." I Lied smoothly. "She said she was bringing them back afterschool." I sipped my tea for my nerves.

"Ok." she said while checking her phone. "I've got go I'm staying late tonight so lets not do too much magick until I get back?" she smiled and left. I sighed, I was still in the clear.

A honk outside at eight let me know Dani had arrived she was like my twin on the outside because I was the pale skinned girl with really light blond hair while Dani had a pretty caramel colored skin and chocolate colored hair which was usually in a different hairdo everyday her eyes had the same brown tone as her hair. But on the inside we both stick together, both quiet, and both had the secret that our family were witches for generations. Both of us troublemakers it's the quiet ones you have to look out for.

I locked the door and when I did I had the strangest feeling I couldn't place it but I was in too much of a hurry to pay attention or notice my necklace glowing a little. I hopped in the little blue Porsche Dani called her own since last year. I swear I didn't even have the time to blink before she was already on me!

"How did it go? What animal did you talk to first and what did it say?" we backed out of my driveway and down my street when I decided not to tell her everything just yet.

"Well it didn't work..," I admitted.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I did everything and nothing happened."

"We need more practice ugh I should have been there but I had to babysit all night! You should have tapped into a ley line." She shook her head.

"For something that trivial NO way!" I laughed as we pulled into the parking lot of Woodville High School which looked boring and depressive as ever. Ley lines were big magick energy boosters
and witches were lucky to find them. They moved a lot but Dani and I had found a small one liked
to rest in the middle of our magick clearing in the woods. Our parents were in the same coven well both our single moms held coven meetings a few different nights a week. My mom, Celeste, and Dani's mom Claire shared leadership to Moonlight, the coven.

They mainly just got together to make a circle do some power spells or whatnot, chant, bless each other and then hang out to eat and talk. Sometimes they exchange new spells and potions or incantations. Most of the witches trade things my mom has her own herb garden so she dries and jars them with labels and trades them with the other witches for potions or whatever.

"Yeah, you're right." Dani said while we parked. I grabbed my school bag that was the nightmare before Christmas themed. It was Friday December tenth we had the weekend to look forward to and after another week Christmas break or winter solstice/yule to our parents.

We walked to the stone benches where the kids of the parents in our mom's ccven hung out they were all witches also.

There was Anna Bedford the loudmouth of the group who wouldn't mind speaking what she thought. We always say it's because she has red hair. Her mom, Jenna, made all the talismans she put the protective charms on them.

Kevin Mcallister was the clown all jokes all the time his dad, Ray, attended our circles he came up with new effective incantations daily.

Josh Bradley was a built guy who could obviously handle himself and then some his mom Lisa did all the potions and bottled them.

Sandra Reese was our next quiet girl she was real good with future seeing stuff tarot cards, crystal balls, and stuff like that. Both her mom and dad, Nick and Sarah Reese, attended circles and they did a little of everything.

Our last member was Marianne Cooper her and her mom Selene were a little stuck up but still came anyway they were great with runes and power sigils they helped the sick a lot.

I sat down and ate my poptart quickly before the morning bell. As expected they were all talking about tonights circle at Marianne's mansion. Usually while the parents did their magick upstairs we talked in the basement about the magick we weren't supposed to do but did anyway. Her basement was an amazing place to hang out decked out with black lights, tv, game systems, darts, pool table, air hockey and a few arcade games. Hers was our favorite house to hang out at.

"You two are always the last to show up." Anna teased.

"Well, I need my beauty sleep." Dani teased back.

"DO you know what the parentals are doing for tonights...," Josh started to ask me but got quiet as a teacher walked by. We kept our secret just that a secret no one but us and our parents knew about our magick that and other witches because we can sense each other.

"Circle." he finished when the teacher had passed.

"No, my mom didn't say." I replied. "Maybe just Yule stuff."

"Well, I've been looking forward to our little meeting cuz I've been practicing." Sandra said. Kevin and Sandra were together they have been for so long we don't ever think of one without the other.

Just then the morning bell rang for school to start and we all headed off to our first periods.

After school I was at my locker putting my stuff away when I felt yet another tiny drain of energy. It had happened a few times today at random moments. I clutched my quartz and breathed through it after a minute or so I was back to normal. Maybe that spell last night took more out of me than I thought.

I met Dani out in the parking lot and hitched a ride home with her. Since it was Friday and there was a circle it would be later than usual, around midnight instead of eight or nine p.m.

I said bye to Dani and unlocked my front door knowing mom wouldn't be home until tenish so I took a quick shower and changed before going to our basement to work a quick energy power spell because I just felt so drained.

I had everything ready and as I started to chant I felt that same feeling as this morning. It felt like all the energy I was supposed to getting was going somewhere else. There was a slight ringing noise behind me. I spun my heart in my throat. It was one of the black spheres from before and my quartz stone necklace was feeding it my power spell1 I gasped and blew out all the candles to stop the energy flow. When I turned back around there was a man standing there! He had wings big black wings and long black hair that went past his shoulders He was tan and muscled more than Josh. The creature was wearing a pair of old tan pants and that was it. I couldn't bring myself to move or even say anything but I didn't have to because he was already moving towards me.