Sinister Vines

A pale white face descended into the dark waters. Her lungs were aflame with her final breath pushing against her rib cage. She started going down deeper and deeper into the lake. Her vision became blurry until light disappeared along with her hope.

The men from the town watched from the boat, their torches hot in their hands. All but one of them felt peace with the work they had done. James Crowler stood among them, unable to deny the unsettling feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. His discontentment was not from guilt but of a dark premonition he felt in his bones. Before the men had pushed the anchor tethered to the young woman down into the waters, he had heard her mutter a phrase. No one else cared to figure out what her final words were. But somehow he knew it was a call towards revenge.

The curse was set, but when the woman’s body hit the lake the curse moved outward with ripples of the water, cascading its sinister power through time. Centuries would pass before she could ever reap the power's reward.

Present Day

Clara woke up in a panic, cold sweat soaked through her shirt. Unable to catch her breath she heaved over the side of her bed. Coughing until tears trickled down her face.

She had woken up yet again from her drowning nightmare. Every night she found herself in a row boat with a torch affixed to it floating on the lake. A young woman with green eyes the same hue as her own appeared to Clara hovering over the water’s surface. The fog obscured the woman’s face. Then every night Clara reached out to the woman in a trance. The woman mirrored her and grabbed her hand. The moment their hands touched everything was calm, Clara felt as if she always knew this woman, but could not remember from where. Less than a second of peace transpired and then the woman’s grip became deathly strong, and suddenly the woman pulled Clara head first into the water. Clara thrashed and fought, screaming for the woman to let her go but to no avail. She was completely under the surface, her entire body feeling the sharp cold pain of the lake, the woman pulled Clara deeper under, her lungs aflame, and the rest of her body felt so heavy. Clara only awoke when she was pulled so deep in the water that the light from the torch no longer reached her.

Now Clara, still shaking, pulled herself from her sweat soaked streets, she swung her legs over to the side and stepped onto her bedroom floor. The feeling of solid ground calmed her, reminding her what was real. She thought she had been safe to take a nap without the occurrence of the nightmare. She didn’t think she would be so tired she’d enter a state of literal comatose in under an hour.

She took a few deep breaths and looked at her phone, the screen lit up with messages from Jimmy… “I hope you realize I’m forcing you to go out tonight, now pretty please respond because I found a perfect top for you today” …”bitch I swear to GOD DON’T MAKE ME COME TO YOUR HOUSE! I DON”T WANT TO BE INTERROGATED BY YOUR MOTHER AGAIN!’’ then 20 minutes after that “..... I digress your sleepy ass besta get up when I knock.. I’ll be there in 5.” She started to smile when her phone vibrated again “K Sleeping Beauty if you ain’t up yet I’m gonna find a needle to stick you myself, cuz I am freezing my ass off… Bitch.”

She heard Jimmy’s distinct rhythmic knock in the background. Her head still pounding from the nightmare she flew open the bedroom door and jumped down the steps. Clara slid to the door on her socks, shrieking when she almost lost balance. She twisted the knob, pulled the heavy oak door open and wallah there he was.

Jimmy stood brooding over her, wearing his favorite walking dead T-shirt, his curly hair somewhat tamed out of his face. And what was that? Clara inhaled deeply.

“You're wearing cologne?”

“Oh don’t even.” Jimmy rolled his eyes. “And what is it with this?” He said, gesturing at Clara’s entire appearance.

“Didn’t I tell you? I am going as the girl from the exorcist. I’m gonna do a backbend everytime Zach offers me a drink like it’s holy water.”

Jimmy snorted “He would see it as encouragement, showing how oh so flexible you are. Anyways I got this for you” He said as he tossed a small bag towards Clara.

She opened the bag, crinkling the white tissue paper encompassing a faded t-shirt. She pulled it out marveling at it. It was a mixture of brown and black graphic t-shirt with tarot card printed on the front with a woman standing in the middle wearing all black. The bottom of the Tarot card stated Witch, In big white lettering.

“You think it’s spooky enough for an October 1st party?” Jimmy asked.

“I think it’s perfect. Ashley would approve” She smiled.

Ashley was the one throwing the themed party, everyone wears spooky shirts or accessories, not a full on costume but it needed to be creepy. The party was going to be in her historic family cottage right on the lake.

Only the cremedelacreme of the town owned lakeside property. Jimmy and Clara both lived 10 miles from the lake, each mile bringing them one peg down on the totem pole. It worked out for them in the end, when they were both in grade school they would be the first two people picked up from the bus, giving them plenty of stops to form an indestructible friendship at the ripe age of 8.

“Alrighty Missy, now to the shower with you, I’ll start making the witches brew.” Jimmy playfully pushed her towards the stairs.

Clara didn’t need anymore encouragement, a warm shower sounded absolutely divine. As she stood underneath the shower head she let hot water turn her skin pink and the steam covered the bathroom. The only thing that brought her back down to earth was the banging of glasses downstairs. Undoubtedly, Jimmy was taking his pick from her mother’s liquor cabinet. Beautiful. What concoction will he make today? Clara rolled her eyes at the thought. She turned off the water, wrapping herself in a towel and gently dried off her face. She got ready quickly, throwing a pair of ripped high-waisted jeans, her witchy shirt, and then brushing on some eyeliner for a smudged effect and her rosy red lipstick. Her hair would curl up as it dried on the way over.

She proceeded to roll downstairs. Jimmy stood in the kitchen, multiple different bottles and juices askew on the counter, as he stirred the contents of a black cooking pot with a ladle. Clara raised her eyebrows at him.

“What? You didn’t have a cauldron.” Jimmy poured two heavy spoonfuls in a nearby glass and slid it over the table to Clara. Clara breathed out and took a gulp of the blueish gray liquid. At first all she could taste was pomegranate with a hint of pineapple then the vodka hit her tonsils with a fury causing her to gag.

“Oh my god. Why are you like this”

Jimmy gave a mischievous laugh. “I’m preparing you for college, now drink up because we gots to go, I’ll drink once I get there, Ashley expects everyone to pass out in the living room after anyways. You know how particular she is” he said, rolling his eyes.

Clara couldn’t help but try to contain a smile, Ashley was the reason Jimmy was wearing too much cologne this evening and his small digs at her was such a weak coverup.

Clara gulped her drink, mentally preparing for the night. On the way over her and Jimmy joked about what might happen in a crowded party of drunk high schoolers. The ride over to Ashley’s felt like a fever dream with the vodka hitting and in a rush they were at Ashley’s family’s mansion. A big glorious home that was said to incorporate the same walls from the late 18th century courthouse that hosted the town’s infamous Witch trials. She remembered in grade school Ashley would go on and on about how her house had enchanted blood in it and that she could “feel the power within”. Oh Ashley, even at eight years old had a flair for the dramatic.

Clara couldn’t help but notice but right by the side of the lake in front of the house were bluish lavender flowers. She nudged Jimmy pointing out how peculiar they were for this season.

“How do you know what season those are?” Jimmy retorted.

“Well like most flowers it’s not supposed to be in full bloom in October”.

Jimmy shrugged. They heard boisterous yells coming from the house. As they walked closer the lights started showing a chaotic scene. Four guys wearing bloody and torn football Jerseys and white hockey masks, were taking turns tossing small pumpkins at each other, and then smashing them midair with a baseball bat. Clara and Jimmy approached, the boys took off their masks as the two got closer revealing Zach and his goonies; Tom, Chad and Danny.

Zach approached Clara with his sly smile and flipped his blonde hair out of his face

“Hey there C”. A pet name he had concocted for her.

“Sup Gaston.” Aptly nick-named for his meat-head behavior.

“Damn girl why you hurt me like that?”

“Because you are gatekeeping the party, sir” Jimmy said, grasping Clara’s hand and helping her to sidestep the jocks.

“See you in there C!” He yelled at her.

“He’s such a dick.” Jimmy whispered as the stepped into the well lit room, music blaring in background.

“Yeah but he is a little cute though too” she said, elbowing Jimmy and giving him a kidding smile.

“Don’t be a cliche.” Jimmy snorted.

As they walked in, their eyes were drawn to the center of the room. Where 5 girls were wearing all white swaying to the music, each had the blue flowers found at the lake assembled in a crown on their head. Ashley emerged from the bunch when she recognized Clara and Jimmy, enveloping them in a big hug. Clara caught Jimmy’s face blushed.

“I’m so happy you guys are here!!” Ashley exclaimed as she rocked them back and forth with their group hug.

“What’s up with the cult-like costumes?” Clara asked.

“Actually” Ashley stated, breathing deeply in “It was inspired by the witch trials that happened around this time 200 years ago, apparently women were wearing their white nightgowns when the village hung them, of course we had to make it at least semi modern.” She waved her hand over the artistic lace corset bonded at her back. “Legend has it that one woman named Anna was marked as the leader and the men of the court took her out on the lake in the middle of the night, tied her to an anchor and threw her overboard. So tonight I decided we will pay our dues to the old witches, and have a candlelight vigil in front of the lake.”

“Brilliantly spooky” said Jimmy.

“And the flower crowns? Do you have a reason for those?” Clara continued.

“Not really, just kept on begging my attention and needed to incorporate them. Don’t know why...” Ashley appeared lost for a second then shook her head and continued on “ I’m starting the creepy vigil outside in ten minutes. Be there!” Ashley blew an air kiss their way and turned abruptly to head to the other room, the other girls dressed in white followed suit.

“Hey C.”Zach hugged Clara from behind.

It was a love-hate relationship with them. Jimmy rolled his eyes

“I'm gonna need a drink.” He looked at Clara hesitantly to see if she wanted to be alone, Clara gave a swift nod. Zach placed a drink in her hand.

“You know we didn’t get to talk about the other night” his eyebrows raise in reference to the last party Clara got slightly intoxicated and found his all-American Vanilla flavored flirting charming and then proceeded to make out with him. Oops.

“Let’s go for a walk, I wanna checkout the lake more.”

They opened the door and proceeded to the cold air. Stepping through mud to get to the edge of the shore, they sat on the most secure dock around.

From the dock they could see Ashley's small congregation forming, and lit candles being dispersed into view. They heard Ashley speaking about how many women had died at the lake during the witch trials and how we must give them respect for their martyrdom.

“ Wow she’s really laying it on thick isn’t she?” Zack chuckled and looked over at Clara. “You know you look beautiful in the moonlight,” he said, leaning in to kiss her. Clara played along, the attention was nice and she didn’t mind kissing him just didn’t want it to go any further.

“SHOW US A SIGN YOU’RE HERE ANNA” shouted Ashley.

Zach was becoming more forceful with his hands, Clara pushed them off her.

“SHOW US A SIGN YOU'RE HERE ANNA” Yelled Ashley and the crowd, swept up in her theatrics.

“Zach chill” Ashley said, he had pushed her down now. She slapped him hard.

“Seriously?!” Zach slapped her across the face, she flipped onto her stomach and began to crawl away, she coughed up blood some of which fell into the lake below.

Clara heard a low rumbling sound then a powerful voice surrounded her yet also felt inside of her as well stating “Its ok my little one, him and his kind won’t hurt you again”

She heard a bellowing whooshing noise behind her. Zach screamed but the noise was cut short. She turned to face him, his hands no longer holding him down. Vines covered his body like a boa constrictor, his face turning blue, Zach's eyes looking at Clara for help, before suddenly the vines dragged him away in the water below. Clara’s legs were shaking and she fell back down to the ground.

“SHOW US A SIGN YOU'RE HERE ANNA” Yelled the crowd one more time.

“As you wish” a voice that came from nowhere yet everywhere at the same time.

Not one person moved. Then Ashley and the other girls in white gave out blood curdling screams and collapsed onto the ground, all of them withering in pain. Clara ran towards the crowd wanting to grab Jimmy and get out of there. As she got closer she saw why they were screaming. Blood was dripping down each of their faces, the vines used to form their flower crowns were embedding into their skin. Then the screaming stopped. In unison the girls stood up, their faces pale, their lips blue and their eyes all over white.

“Now go my sisters. Kill them. Destroy it all.” The voice bellowed.

Ashley and the others turned towards the Crowd. Ashley saw Chad, who was frozen in fear. Ashley outstretched her arm and flicked her hand upward. With the motion Chad’s body was hoisted into the air, he hovered above all of them for a moment before Ashley closed her hand into a fist. A sickening crunching sound emitted from the body, ending Chad’s scream.

“Ashley NOO!” Jimmy yelled.

“Jimmy!” Clara located him from his yell. The girls in white started picking out their next victims. Tossing people up and down like toys. Sporadically vines came out from the lake grabbing someone trying to run away then pulling them into the lake. Jimmy and Clara were able to run towards each other, grabbing each other’s hands as they ran fast up the hill towards the house.

“WHAT IS HAPPENING!” Jimmy yelled.

Clara could feel the voice only in her head this time “My revenge on this town is long overdue. I swore that no other witch would be hurt by this town again. I felt the blood of a fellow witch be split. I will not stop till this town is ash.``

Clara gasped, holding Jimmy’s hand harder and pulling him up to the house. They made it into the house Gasping as they both locked the door and slid behind it.

“SHE’S GOING TO KILL EVERYONE!” Clara yelled.

Just then vines burst through a window towards their left, shattered pieces snagging Jimmy and Clara’s skin. The vines whipped around the room grabbing at Jimmy’s arm.

“NOOO! STOP! PLEASE!” Clara screamed.

Jimmy gasped as the vine yanked him through the broken window, tears streaming down his face. Clara threw her arms over her friend’s neck determined not to let go. The vines sprung the two of them backwards, sliding them past the gore on the lake shore. Clara dug her heels into the ground trying to slow their plummet into the lake. The two of them were hoisted by the vines into the sky over the lake then were dragged into the water below.

“Let go of him, sister. He is one of them. He must know what I felt.” The voice rang in her ears.

No. You're wrong. He would never hurt anyone.

“His blood is that of James Crowler, the man who condemned me.”

They kept on being pulled deeper into the water, the cold seizing them.

Please, he’s not worthy of your revenge. I will protect him with all that I can.

“As you wish then.” The voice hissed.

The vines flicked Jimmy and Clara up to the surface, they coughed up water fighting for each breath. They swam to a nearby dock and climbed on top. They looked back to the mansion, it was set ablaze in the night. The fire was spreading across to all the houses nearby and continued on till morning. Till nothing of the town remained.