Chapter 20: We Die Young

 'Ugh I hate this.' I whinged, jogging alongside Katie and Victoria who like me; absolutely hated cross country running and joined in with my whinging. Thankfully it was only something we did a handful of times a year and this run would be our final one. Thank Christ. It was pretty brisk outside but the jogging soon warmed us all up. We took it at a steady pace, somewhere in the middle of the group with the boys included. We weren't in it to win it so getting the best times wasn't our priority, we just wanted to seem like we were okay runners but not slacking off so much to the point where they knew we were taking the piss and would fail us.

We had done our first lap of the schools athletic track and were now making our way through the wooded areas that surrounded the school. There was a bit of a trail that led through in among all the trees and bushes we could follow and most of us were sticking to it. But of course some of the other kids took the opportunity to wander off for some reason or other. We just carried on jogging, letting some of the others pass us. I had noticed that Liam was quite a way up front with some of his mates, he had set off a bit before we did and was keeping an even and steady pace.

'Ew out of my way freaks.'

Ah the delightful Francesca and three of her four minions. She had hurried up behind us and barged past with three of her followers rushing to catch up. There was head minion Louise, the second minion was a shockingly auburn haired girl named Charlotte who was in the same history class as me and the third minion was a girl named Angela who Katie knew quite well as they had gone to the same primary school. Angela was nearly almost like Francesca with the same hair and make up style and mannerisms, but she was never quite at her level. Angela was like Francesca if you bought her off Wish.

Either way we let them barge past without any tussling or arguing. I did think I should maybe do a quick spell to make Francesca trip up or something but as soon as the thought happened it left as that was unnecessary as she had managed to do it all by herself. She was calling after Liam who was obviously quite happy to ignore her, as she continued to shout and chase after him with her irritating high pitched voice and overly girlish jog; she fumbled over her own feet and proceeded to tumble down a slight banking and in to a huge rhododendron bush.

Then the wailing happened. Francesca wasn't crying but she was wailing, sounding like a whale but in some screeching tone that probably wasn't on any register, if anything just for attention. Her minions had instantly stopped and carefully made their way down the banking so they wouldn't slip and end up like their leader. I however had a horrible sense of dread in the pit of my stomach and stopped also, looking down at the huge bush Francesca had rolled in to. I looked over to Liam who had heard all the commotion and he met my eyes, he knew something wasn't right either. Katie and Victoria stopped to watch the chaos happening while I stepped cautiously down the banking. Liam had decided to do the same and we both made our way over to the bush.

And that's when the screaming happened. A horror movie like scream emitted from Francesca that could shatter glass and was beginning to make my ears hurt. Charlotte and Louise were the ones to try and pull their friend out of the bush which seemed to have tangled itself around her while Angela stood back as if it were beneath her to help. Then as if on cue, they all started screaming. I thankfully was not a screamer, apparently this was a genetic trait in my family Auntie M had told me jokingly as all Taylor women are physically incapable of screaming.

It didn't stop me from wanting to be sick though. Francesca had only gone and found herself a dead body by falling in to a bush in the woods.

I gulped hard, glanced at Liam who looked mortified then I looked back at the body just lying there; carelessly dumped in the rhododendron. I closed my eyes. I didn't have my phone on me to call My Auntie M or the emergency services but I did have the next best thing. I concentrated, eyes closed and fists balled.

'Auntie M! Auntie M I need help! We've found a dead body!"

I couldn't quite tell if I was in shock or not but I had to laugh at myself and the fact that my head voice sounded in shock.

'Where?' I heard my Aunts voice replying in my head.

'On our cross country run, Francesca fell and landed in a bush the body is there.'

'Give me a moment. Lend me your eyes.'

I blinked hard. 'My what?'

'Lend me your eyes Maddie. Relax and do exactly as I say. Keep them open.'

A few seconds later I felt weird. I couldn't describe the weirdness but I don't know, it kind of felt like I was being sat on. No doubt that was Auntie M's power. My eyes felt really strange too it was almost like I could see everything in super high definition, like I'd had a graphics card update. I'm pretty sure my eyes were now looking all big like saucers, inky black and dilated.

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'Maddie what can you sense? Look down for me will you please?'

I did as I was told. 'I dunno, I felt like I wanted to vomit when I saw the body but that's gone. Now I feel like, I don't know... like my insides don't want to be in me?'

'Okay kiddo you're doing good. Can you go just a touch closer for me? Crouch down if you can.'

Again I did as I was told. I heard in my right ear Liam asking anyone of they had a phone on them. Charlotte who was now standing away from the body with Francesca and her friends in some weird group huddle attempting to calm each other down came round long enough to pass Liam her phone. He quickly dialled the emergency services requesting an ambulance and the police. One of Liam's friends however had seen what was going on and said he was running to go and grab one of the P.E. teachers.

I however was scooting closer to the body to get a better look for Auntie M. It was a young woman, maybe in her twenties with blonde hair and blue eyes that were set wide open. Her skin was dirty with mud and dust and so were her clothes. She looked to be wearing a smart navy blue coloured blouse with a black skirt and black tights, she had no shoes on however and her tights were incredibly laddered and torn. I did however notice some deep scratches on the top of her chest.

'Maddie, you don't have to do this if you don't want to but if you feel brave enough, can you touch her skin? Just for a second?'

I trusted my Auntie M and did what she said, no questions asked and no hesitation. I reached out my hand ever so slightly and managed to touch my index finger to the young woman's bruised and dirty wrist. Oh God it was like a flick-book of images going really fast then it went a bit slower, then slower still. I could see the images properly now. It was awful. This poor woman had been kidnapped leaving her work at some point and she was dragged in to a really horrible, dingy room in some building. The room was lit by candles and I could sense that it smelt damp and mouldy and of old dirt. The woman had been bound, gagged and blindfolded while this... man clad in black carved symbols in to her skin.

The vision stopped.

'Thank you Maddie. You've been really brave I'm so proud of you. The teachers and police will be there soon no doubt, go back on to the trail and wait there you don't need to be near that body any more.'

The group up on the trail had gotten bigger and some of them were now helping Francesca and her friends back up on to even ground. I wandered back over to the banking, Liam even helped me up which was kind of him.

'Maddie are you okay? You're shaking like a leaf.' He whispered.

Well no Liam, I wasn't entirely okay as I've just been staring at a dead body with my witch Aunt using my eyes on remote and I've just had a flashback of what happened to that poor woman, but thanks for asking.

'Yeah I'm, okay. I'm okay. I'll tell you after yeah?' I reassured him.

Katie and Victoria hurried over to me and both hugged me hard. While I appreciated the gesture, I just wanted my Aunt.

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