Midnight Witches

ACT I

CHAPTER ONE

Every night at Midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky, and everyone who had seen the purple clouds wondered why they danced with the blushing sky consecutively. Most people said it was a bad omen; others said it was a sign that world would end, and some thought it was a sign that they would be happy in the land once again. Most people kept their thoughts to themselves and waited for the day they'll find out the valid reasons why the purple clouds danced with the blushing sky.

Matilda and her daughter Mia lived together on the village's outskirts, and when they walked past the market square, people would talk about the purple clouds and the mystery behind them. Mia was a curious child, asked questions bigger than her age, and loved to explore. On many occasions, her school authorities would call her mother to tell her of one adventure or the other that Mia carried her. She was way too bright for her age; perhaps she was not from the world.

"Mum, what do you think about the Purple clouds?

"Well, I do not know much about it. People say it's a sign that darkness will cover the village, some say it's a sign that they'll be joy and happiness considering the way the purple cloud dances, I don't know but that's what people say."

"Interesting! I'll really love to—"

"You'll really love to do what? Mia you shouldn't mess with such thing."

"But why mum?"

"For all we know it might be something magical."

"And for all we know it could be a myth."

"I will not stand here and argue with you, you better stay away from anything that will make you inquire more about the purple cloud."

Mia wasn't satisfied; she wanted to know the purple cloud and why it was always dancing with the blushing sky every Midnight.

"The earlier I find out about it, the better for me." She thought.

Nights upon the night, Mia would dream of the purple cloud; she would see herself dance alongside the purple shadow, she couldn't fathom the constant dream, but she was determined to find it.

The wind blew from end to end, and Mia still saw those dreams. She was uncomfortable; she should check the purple cloud and get off with the dreams.

She had successfully sneaked out of her room and then to the living room; how would she go out without the old wooden door making its weird sound? The old door kept making an unfamiliar sound. Slowly, she opened the door and closed it immediately to avoid her mother seeing her.

As she approached the inner part of the village, she met a high pinnacle that seemed like the dancing took place there; she wondered in her thought if that was where the dancing was going on; she would go up by any means and get the answer she sought.

As she climbed the pinnacle, she reached the top and looked up. She was amazed by what she saw; her mouth was agape, and she finally believed that the purple cloud was not a myth. She stood transfixed as look at the purple cloud dance relentlessly. Then she heard a booming voice that said to her,

"You finally came after a long wait." The beautiful lady wrapped in the purple cloud said.

"Huh? You know me?" Mia responded with fear.

"Of course, Mia, I have waited long for you to come, come in and have a dance with me."

"Uhh, no thank you."

"Come on, Mia."

And with that, Mia went up and joined the lady in the dance; never in Mia's life did she think she could dance so well with joy; the beautiful lady was impressed. Now Mia understood what the purple cloud dancing with the blushing sky was all about; it was magical, refreshing, and could only be a sign of good luck for the people.

After so much dance, it was time for the purple cloud to leave. She handed Mia something; it seemed like a little box.

"What is this? It's lovely."

"It's yours, it has already been yours. Even it took time."

"I don't understand."

"You don't have to understand, with time you will. But you must use it well and to the advantage of the people."

"I still don't under—" Her statement was interrupted when the beautiful lady vanished into the sky.

She was scared, but the sight of the little box excited her; she thought she would return the next Midnight to ask more questions.

From then on, Mia began to experience magical things; she was no longer the Mia everyone knew. She told them what had happened that night when people gathered to talk about the purple cloud. Most people commended her courage; others criticized her, the others were happy that at least the cloud didn't mean anything but good luck and total happiness in the village.

Every night at Midnight, the villagers would gather at their houses to look at the purple cloud while it danced because it was refreshing and gave them hope. Mia and her mother were not exempted; they would do the same. Little did they know that was the beginning of something great for them.

A new student had come to Mia's school; she looked scary because of her smoky eyes; she was weird and completely different from the other kids in school. No one talked to her, but every time she muttered a word or two, she smiled. Most students feared she might have escaped from an asylum because of her behavior.

Matcha had a habit of always going to school very early for weird reasons; Matilda, on the other hand, had to drop Mia off early because she had an appointment at the hospital early that morning. On getting to school, she felt uneasy, like something was hovering around her head, but she couldn't place her head around it. So she moved further to get into her class and met Metcha; her black eyes had turned white but suddenly turned black when she saw Mia.

"What are you doing?"

"That's absolutely not your business."

"Huh? You made that my business already, so tell me what you were doing?"

"I owe you no explanation, you better go away now that you have the chance."

"Go away from? You can't scare me."

"I won't warn you." After the whole bantering of words, they eventually went through different paths; Mia couldn't stop thinking about how Metcha's eyes turned white. Was she a witch or an abnormal person who ran out of the asylum? She had felt upon thought, but she made up her mind to find out.

It became a habit, something she couldn't do without. Every night at Midnight, Mia would still sneak out of her house to dance with the purple clouds. There was some connection between her and the 'purple cloud' lady. She thought she could be a fairy judging from how beautiful she was and how long her black hair was. But each time she meets the purple clouds, she cannot ask any questions because she's always mesmerized by the magical flow at that time.

After the dance, she wanted to ask questions, but the cloud suddenly changed, and all she could remember was that she had fallen on something, and that was her bed.

CHAPTER TWO

As the night approached slowly and darkness began to cover the sky, Mia desperately waited for Midnight so she could join the purple clouds as they danced with the blushing sky; it was like her own little secret because no one knew she went back to dance with the purple clouds after her first encounter.

For some reason, she felt she belonged to the world of the purple shadows and not that of a mere human; she wondered why she felt so much peace dancing with the purple clouds than when she was home with her mum.

"I know you have a series of questions for me." The beautiful lady said.

"How do you know that?"

"I could read your mind." She whispered.

"You can?" Mia asked in excitement.

"Yes, so go ahead with your questions." Do you think witches exist? Like, I feel the whole thing with witches is a myth, but when I saw Metcha, I had doubts.

"Metcha?"

"Yes, she's a new girl in my class, she's really weird."

"I think it's about time you know."

"Know about what?"

"Metcha."

"Please go ahead, my ears are itching."

"A long time ago, there were three witches, Novaro, Isabel, and Genesis. Each of these three witches had their assignment. I was to bring peace and good luck wherever I chose to go. Novaro was supposed to be the advocate wherever she went, and Isabel protected people wherever she went.

We chose the village we wanted to stay in and execute our assignment, but something happened that made us separate, and this caused us to have so much rage against each other.

"What happened?"

"Isabel and I fell in love with the same mortal, it was against our assignment to fall in love with any mortal being. I didn't know she loved the same man as I did, and when I found out she was seeing him too I confronted her and we fought so much for this man after which he chose me over her. Isabel was angered, her rage was so much that she changed her assignments from protecting the people to destroying the people."

"Oh my God! So she killed all the people?"

"No, her anger was tamed when she found out she was pregnant. We were pregnant for the same man, and we bore a child on the same day and the same time."

"This seems like a fairytale."

"It may seem so, but that's the truth."

"So where is she? And how about Novaro?"

"Novaro is still at the point of her assignment, we meet up at the 2nd quarter of the year but Isabel. It's been a decade since we last saw. But I know where she's at."

"Where's she at?"

"At the topmost mountain after the bank of the river."

"So she has a connection with Metcha?"

"Metcha is the daughter of Isabel."

"I see where this is headed to, so she's here to help her mother continue her assignment of destroying people? But this isn't her place of assignment."

"And that is why you will not let her destroy people here."

"Me? How could I possi—" Before she could finish her statement, she felt dizzy and didn't know when she reached her bedside.

It was the umpteenth time Mia was snoozing the alarm; her mother was ready for work but didn't see Mia at the dining table as usual, so she rushed to her room to check. As she opened the room, Mia was still fast asleep; She wondered if she had fallen sick and didn't want to tell her. But as she approached her, she wasn't running a temperature, so why would she sleep and not hear when her alarm was ringing?

"Mia!" She jumped from the bed in shock.

"Mum!"

"You're still asleep? Don't you plan on going to school?"

"Oh no!" She hurriedly ran to take her bath, and she was out and ready for school in no time.

They had just finished giving a detailed announcement in her school when she walked in, as she got into her class. She sighted Metcha, and everything she heard last night played before her; Metcha was a witch!

All the students headed to the cafeteria during her lunch break to get snacks. Mia was on her way to bring snacks when she heard some students talking about the black clouds covering the sky after every 7th day at Midnight. She had never heard of that; she had always heard of the purple clouds. So what's with the black clouds?

"So you mean there's a black cloud somewhere? She intruded.

"Yeah, my parent says it appears after every 7th day."

"Wow! And where does the black clouds reside?"

"At the topmost mountain after the bank of the river."

"Most people say, very few people that stays awake at that time sees the dangerous cloud." Another student replied.

"It's a dangerous cloud?"

"Yeah, once it's out on the 7th day, it destroys anything in sight."

"That must be a hazardous cloud," Mia said as she walked past them, still thinking of what they had said.

"If the black cloud is that dangerous then Metcha must be really dangerous and must be stopped." She thought aloud.

After the lunch break had elapsed, Mia still couldn't get off the thought from her head. How would she stop Metcha when she wasn't a witch and had no power? She would ask the purple clouds when it's Midnight.

The rain had poured after a long while, and the people just sat outside to enjoy the cold breeze that passed by. Many people were talking about the rain and how they wished it lasted. The others were still bent on knowing more about the purple clouds; most people had said they'd wait till Midnight so they could see the purple clouds dancing. Mia thought it an excellent opportunity to tell them about the so-called 'black clouds.'

"I heard that this isn't the only cloud we have. I don't know if it's true."

"Where did you hear it from? A woman inquired.

"My friends in school talked about it.

"Little girl, you don't have to believe everything you hear in school, for all we know it might be a fairytale."

"Perhaps, but they sounded so serious about it."

"We do not know any other clouds asides from the beautiful purple clouds, which you told us yourself will bring us good luck." An older man retorted.

These people needed to learn about the dark clouds from all indications, probably because the topmost mountain wasn't situated in the village. Still, it was located outside the boundary that led to another town.

"Whatever the case may be, I must find out about the dark clouds and everything about it." Mia said to herself before she went into her house.

CHAPTER THREE

Mia cursed herself severally for thinking of coming out late to see the black clouds in another village; she had waited so long but found nothing. She wondered if she had miscalculated the days, but from her calculations, that was supposed to be the 7th day, so why wouldn't the black clouds come out yet? Was it all a lie? But the purple cloud had told her she resided here. She had many thoughts in her mind; at this point, she decided to head back home. She heard a loud sound as she moved her feet to start going. She was scared; she climbed the tree over there to hide. But what she saw shocked her; she had never seen anything like this. The cloud was dark, so alive, but then it looked scary. She remembered what her friends said, 'the black clouds destroy everything in sight' she decided to stay out and not move to see what would happen.

Suddenly the ground began to shake like there was going to be an earthquake; Mia's head vibrated like her head was being electrocuted, she couldn't stop the movement, and then she just lay there until she fainted.

Mia had woken up to see herself in the hospital; she wondered why she was there; she couldn't remember anything that had happened the last night. All she felt was a severe headache that didn't seem like it would stop soon. As she managed to sit upright, her mother came in.

"Mia, you're awake."

"Mum! What's going on? What am I doing here?"

"You fainted and I brought you here."

"Fainted? How?"

"I don't know. You were in your room and while you tried getting up, you collapsed."

"Oh my God! I hope I'm fine."

"Yes, the doctor said you'll be fine."

"But I'll go home today, right?"

"Yes baby, you will."

After a series of tests, the doctor prescribed some drugs for Mia and asked her mother to ensure she took the pills and did not miss any dosage. Mia wasn't feeling too good, and then she remembered the purple clouds and the peace she got from just dancing with her. She made up her mind to meet her regardless of her she felt.

Mia had gotten so many warm embraces from her friends in school since they didn't see her in school for two days. As they cheered her up and hugged her, Metcha came along and requested a hug, too, which Mia couldn't decline.

"I see that your mum saved you this time; you won't be so lucky next time," Matcha said after hugging her.

"What do you mean, Metcha?" She screamed as she ran after Metcha, but Metcha wouldn't say anything.

She knew her mum had taken her to the hospital, but how did she save her life? She was disturbed by what Metcha said. She decided to confront her after classes had ended.

"Metcha! Wait, I need to speak to you?"

"What if I don't want to speak to you? You're going to force me? Huh?"

"I'm not here to banter words with you, I just want to find out something."

"Go on!"

"What did you mean when you said, I'm lucky my mum saved me?"

"Well, I don't have the answers to that, you go meet your purple cloud."

My purple cloud? You- you know about her?"

"Move away from here and stop with your absurd questions," Matcha said as she pushed Mia and went home.

Just as Mia was, anyone else would be bothered; she was filled with so much thought that she couldn't wait for Midnight to come to ask the purple clouds what exactly Metcha meant by what she said.

At exactly Midnight, Mia was the pinnacle airing for the purple clouds to start dancing. As soon as the purple clouds were out, she joined in the dancing, and after a while, the magical movement stopped, and Genesis inquired what troubled her.

"I met Metcha today and she told me something that has got me thinking so much."

"What did she say to you?"

"I had fainted a couple of days ago and my mum took me to the hospital, when I got to school today, Metcha said I was lucky my mum saved me and she asked me to come ask you what that means."

"Metcha, just like her mother Isabel, always a rebel."

"What does that even mean?"

"Remember I told you that we both conceived and had a child?"

"Yeah you did."

"Well, I didn't tell you the full story. I only told you about Isabel's child and I didn't all about mine."

"Yes, that's true, and I meant to ask. Where's she, and how come she's not here to help you fight against Metcha and her mum?

"She's here with me."

"She's here? I can't see her, or does that mean I'll need magical eyes to see her?

"Look at the mirror over there, that's my daughter."

"I only see myself, wait! What?"

"Yes Mia, you are my child, and you have all the power you need to stop Metcha and Isabel."

"What? This is rather too much for me.

"I'm sorry, it had to take this long for you to know."

"So how about my mum, Matilda?"

"She isn't really your mum."

"What! So she knew about you all this time? And she didn't care to tell me."

"She didn't know you're my child, here's what happened. After I gave birth to you, Isabel was so angry that I had a child for the same man she had a child for. She went extra miles to kill you and I couldn't let that. The only way I could have saved you was by looking for someone good enough to hand you over too."

"And you chose Matilda?"

"Yeah, I saw how she desperately wanted a child, so I wrapped you in a Purple wrapper and left you in front of her house, I knew that she wouldn't resist it."

"Wow! I'm in so much shock, I've been living with someone that isn't my mother."

"Mia, I don't want you to feel weak. You'll get defeated by Isabel and Metcha if they realize that you are weak."

"But I don't want this; I don't want to be this person.

"Mia, you don't have a choice, do you?" The purple cloud gestured her hands for a hug, and Mia could feel a strange sensation as they hugged. It was like clouds were getting into her body; her body became even more, lighter than usual, she could feel peace, and she couldn't resist the feeling; it was the best feeling one could think at that time, and before she knew it, she began dancing, matching her steps with that of the purple clouds, as she danced more she felt even lighter, now everything became clear to her like a crystal, she understood her mission, she knew that she was born under the purple clouds for a reason.

CHAPTER FOUR

As the little children sat on their stools for the midnight tales by their parents, Mia sat close to her window and watched the purple clouds dance beautifully with the blushing sky. It was the first time she was paying so much attention to the purple clouds; as the purple shadow danced, the blushing sky became even brighter as though it wanted to bring forth the color of dawn. But it wasn't anything like that; it was the purple cloud's way of beautifying the sky.

Matilda had noticed recently that her daughter grew distant and was too far from her; her once close friend seemed not to see her that much any longer, so she decided to find out if she had done anything wrong.

There was a knock on Mia's door, she knew it was her mum, but she pretended to be fast asleep.

"Can I come in?" Matilda said as she approached her bed.

"Mum you can come in."

"How're you?"

"I'm fine, was trying to get some sleep."

"I noticed something of late and I wanted to find out if anything was wrong?"

"What have you noticed?"

"I noticed that you are quite distance from me, why? Did I do anything wrong."

"No mum, I'm guessing it's because of school."

"Mia you've been in that school for so long and you e never acted in this way, what's the problem?"

"Nothing is going on mum, we're cool."

"If you say so, lunch will be ready soon. She says as she stands up to go out.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Yes, you lied to me."

"Mia, I don't know what you're taking about. I've always told you nothing but the truth."

"You lied about my birth."

"Mia! What do you mean?"

"You're not my mother, and you know it."

"Mia!" She broke into uncontrollable tears; she didn't know to explain to Mia that she wasn't her birth mother after all these years.

"Mum, stop crying. I know the truth now but I wasn't just happy with you that you lied.."

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't bring myself to telling you that I wasn't your real mother."

"I forgive you mum, just don't lie to me again."

"But how did you find out? I mean no one knows about it so who told you?"

"Well, I had a conversation with the purple cloud and—" She halted when she realized she had said so much. She didn't want to make Matilda feel she was an evil witch and send her out of her house.

"What did you say? You went to see the purple clouds again? I thought after the first encounter, that was the last time you went see her?"

"No, mum, I went back. I have been going there every night."

"Mia! you're unbelievable. So what did she tell you."

"She's my mother."

"What! She told you that? That's a lie? How can a cloud possibly give birth to a human being."

"Mum, it's no lies. She told me everything and she saw that you were in desperate need of child, so she dropped me outside your house. Isn't that where you found me?"

"She told you all this? Is she your mum? But she's a cloud."

"No, she's a good witch that was given an assignment to come here and give us peace and good luck."

"She's a witch? How do you even know she's a good witch?"

"Mum I know she is, remember Metcha? The strange new girl in school?"

"Yes, I remember. The weirdo right?"

"Yes, the weirdo. She's the daughter of a witch too."

"What? So, what's she doing in school?"

"Mum, I am in a school too."

"Yeah, but you're not like her."

"Yeah, that's because her mum is a black witch, and she wants to destroy the people."

"People?"

"Yes mum, now this is where I come in, I have a mission to make sure that I save the people. I cannot let any harm go to these people, that is why I must not let Metcha and her mum win."

"Mia, this is a whole lot to take, are you even ready? This is a whole lot. You can't do this being weak and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Mum nothing will happen to me."

"Why can't they choose someone else?"

"It is impossible to choose anyone else when I'm here."

Everything Mia said to Matilda triggered fear in her heart. She was no longer feeling safe. She thought about the wicked witch; what if she tracked their house and came for Mia and herself? She was curious to know if Mia was ready for this mission.

After Mia's long hug with the purple clouds, she was a different person. She could perform the task just by raising two of her fingers. On one occasion, she wanted to take her pen from the ground but couldn't. She tried using her fingers, and boom; the cell appeared; she was so proud of her power.

It was the 2nd quarter of the year, and it was time for the purple clouds to meet with Novora, the colorless clouds meant to be the advocate of the people.

Usually, when it was time for them to meet, a small feast would be done, and a celebration will be made. Novaro and Genesis will complete recounts of their achievements and how they could stop Isabel and her wrath.

"Novaro, I have good news for you."

"Oh! What is that?"

"I finally found her."

"Found who."

"The only one that will be able to stop Isabel and Metcha from destroying the people."

"You found her? Your daughter?"

"Yes."

"At least, we would be able to stop Isabel."

"This calls for celebration."

"Of course," Novaro instructed that more food and drinks be served to them. After the feast had ended, it was time for Genesis to go, for Midnight would soon come, and it was taboo for her not to show up at exactly Midnight. Hence she pleaded to leave.

"You must prepare your daughter ahead for the war, Isabel will stop at nothing to make sure she wipes out the entire people."

"I am working on that; I shall train her on how to use her power."

"You must be very fast in what you're doing. The ball night is approaching, and she will use that as an advantage to show her rage."

"I will, thank you, Novaro. They hugged tightly as Genesis departed.

CHAPTER FIVE

It was said before the time that on the ball night, the black cloud would cover the whole sky and destroy the people; no one knew the exact day of the ball night. But the people believed a miracle would happen, and they'll probably have a messiah to save them. Only the witches knew the date assigned for the ball night, so they had to prepare Mia for it.

Mia had heard about the ball night severally; it was one of the things the older women talked about when telling their midnight tales. She didn't know it was approaching until her mother told her.

"So what's the ball night all about?"

"When Isabel and I gave birth, she didn't want you to live. So we bargained that if you live on the night that you'll turn 15, that will be your last night."

"Huh? So I'm going to die? So that why you guys call it a ball night?"

"No, I'll make sure you don't die. The ball night happens after every 15 years; it's a gathering where witches meet to celebrate and show off their offspring."

"So I was born on the ball night?"

"Yes, Isabel and I were both celebrating at the ball night when we both screamed that it was time for our babies to be born. And since then, she had vowed that the last ball night you'll see is when you turn 15."

"So she plans to destroy the people and kill me too?"

"Yes, but at any cost we must stop her."

"How do we stop her?"

"We can stop her by first, training you on how to use your power. I noticed you use your power for irrelevant stuff. Your powers are meant to save the people."

"Okay, since we don't have much time. Why don't we start with the training. I want to save my people.''

Days turned into weeks, and Mia was appropriately trained to use her power; she was never to use her control to kill but to protect the people.