The Witch in the Woods

The bell above the door of Whispers tinkled softly as Lua and Alinda stepped inside. The shop, filled with the rich scent of herbs and incense, felt like a world unto itself—a sanctuary of magic in the middle of the mundane. Alinda’s eyes widened as she took in the shelves lined with crystals, candles, and spell books, each one more fascinating than the last. It was the kind of place she had only read about, and now, she was standing in the middle of it.

Mrs. Lynx, a regal woman with silver hair pulled back into a loose braid, emerged from behind the counter. Her eyes lit up when she saw Lua and then softened with curiosity as they landed on Alinda. “Lua, dear,” she greeted, her voice warm, “and who is this lovely young woman?”

“This is Alinda,” Lua introduced, smiling at the older woman. “We’ve known each other for only two weeks, but have been spending a lot of time together. And I think you’ll find her aura quite interesting.”

Mrs. Lynx took both of Alinda’s hands in hers, her grip firm yet gentle. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alinda. I can feel the most amazing energy coming from you. You’re a natural for this place.”

Alinda, feeling both flattered and slightly overwhelmed, stammered a thank you. Lua gave her a reassuring nod before turning back to Mrs. Lynx. “I brought Alinda here because I think she’d be a perfect fit as the shop’s new manager. She’s responsible and reliable. Plus, she’s a Sagittarius moon.”

Mrs. Lynx studied Alinda for a moment longer, then nodded. “Well of course, that I knew the moment I saw her. And I trust your judgment, Lua. If you say she’s the right person, that’s good enough for me.” She smiled kindly at Alinda. “Welcome to Whispers, dear.”

As the three women chatted about the shop, Alinda’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw a text from an unknown number. “It’s for you,” she said, handing the phone to Lua. “Virginia says you’re expected at the university admin office to discuss something important.”

Lua’s smile faltered as she read the message. She glanced at Alinda. “Will you come with me?”

“Of course,” Alinda replied without hesitation, already texting Kelly to let her know. But Kelly’s response was disappointing. “She says she has something urgent to figure out downtown and can’t join us,” Alinda relayed, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

The two made their way to the university trying to figure out together what this meeting could possibly be about. The admin office was imposing, its walls lined with dark wood and filled with the quiet hum of university bureaucracy. They were greeted by the dean, Mr. Gallanti, and his assistant, Virginia. Mr. Gallanti, a kind man with a warm smile, greeted them warmly.

“Lua,” he began, “I’ve heard you’ve been helping some of our students with their LINAFEST project. There have been a few concerns raised, and I wanted to clear things up. You know I trust you, but I need to make sure everything is above board.”

Lua and Alinda exchanged a glance before Lua spoke. “I’m just offering guidance, Mr. Gallanti. The students are working on a project about the local ecosystem, and I’m sharing my experience. I’m not doing anything inappropriate, as far as I know.”

Before Mr. Gallanti could respond, the door to the office open. Peter Gallanti, his face flushed with anger, stormed in. “Father, you can’t seriously be listening to her.” he spoke firmly, ignoring the other occupants of the room. “She has no business being involved in this project.” He looked at Alinda and continued “In the meeting you and Kelly said she would not get directly involved, that’s the only reason I approved it in the first place.”

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Lua turned to face Peter, her eyes narrowing. This was the first time they had met face to face, and the hostility radiating from him was palpable. “I don’t want to do anything wrong.” Lua said, her voice steady despite the anger she felt rising within her. “I’m simply sharing my knowledge with the students, but if that’s not OK, I guess…”

Peter sneered. “I know what you’re up to. First you decide to use my family’s land for your ‘witchcraft’. And now this?”

The argument escalated quickly, with voices rising and tempers flaring. Alinda tried to intervene, but Peter’s anger only grew more intense. Virginia, sensing that things were getting out of hand, finally stepped in.

“Enough!” she snapped, her voice cutting through the chaos. “The dean has left the room. He can’t deal with this right now, and honestly, neither can I. You kids need to figure this out on your own.”

Lua and Alinda left the office in silence, the tension from the confrontation still hanging in the air. As they walked back to the cabin, Alinda tried to fill the silence with chatter, but Lua remained quiet, her thoughts consumed by the argument with Peter.

After a long pause, she spoke, her voice still trembling. “Ali,” she began hesitantly, “what’s Peter like as a professor? Is how he acted just now… is that how he treats everyone, or is it just me?” Her tone was more sad than angry.

Ali seemed to weigh her words carefully. “I’ve never actually been in his classes, but I’ve seen him at plenty of events and school activities, and now, of course, there’s the LINAFEST…” Lua looked at her almost pleadingly, as if she needed confirmation that Peter had a mean streak.

Ali continued, “He’s generally known for being a nice guy. Maybe a little cold and definitely guarded, but a good person. As a professor, he’s more serious, even stricter than other faculty his age, but, if I had to guess, I’d say that’s because he wants people to respect him for his own achievements, not just his last name.” She paused, looking at Lua with empathy, hoping her honesty wouldn’t sting too much.

“I really don’t think his reaction is personal, though. It’s about the cabin, his family’s land, and maybe some misconceptions he has about your lifestyle.”

“Sounds pretty personal to me,” Lua muttered, taking a deep, steadying breath. “I’m sorry I pulled you into this mess, Ali. Honestly, I’d love to forget it all. Let’s change the subject?”

Ali’s eyes lit up, quick to take the cue. “Absolutely! Actually, I had an idea… How about throwing a Halloween party at the cabin?”

Lua was caught off guard by the sudden suggestion but found herself appreciating the change in the mood. Halloween was her favorite holiday, and the idea of hosting a party at the cabin made her smile, despite everything. She couldn’t deny the cabin would be the perfect setting for it.

“Hmm… sure,” Lua said, feeling the excitement building. “Yeah, I like that idea. Sounds fun.” She managed to smile. “When were you thinking?”

“Oh my God, really?!” Ali’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Well, the thirty first will be on a Thursday this year, and it’s always better to celebrate on the actual date, don’t you think?” Her enthusiasm spilled over as she started rambling about decorations, costumes, and a guest list.

Such an amazing human, Lua thought to herself. Do I even deserve a “friendship” like this?

—

Back on GallU’s campus, Peter stormed into his office, slamming the door shut behind him. His fury was visible, and he couldn’t even think straight.

He strode across the room and flung open the large window, leaning heavily against the railing as he took a deep breath of the cold air, hoping to gather his scattered thoughts and refocus on work. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t quite pinpoint what had him so agitated.

A sharp knock on the door interrupted his attempt to calm down. “Not now, Mary,” he barked, assuming it was his secretary. But the door creaked open anyway—and it wasn’t Mary.

“Oh, sorry Pete.” Hunter stepped inside, holding a thick folder. “Just leaving these here—your dad wants your approval on the next campaign.” He crossed the room quickly, dropping the folder on Peter’s desk before turning to leave.

“Have you met ‘Lua’?” Peter asked suddenly, his voice laced with irritation, air-quoting her name. Hunter froze mid-step, surprised by both the question and the tone.

“Not yet,” Hunter replied, turning back to face Peter. “But Tori loves her. She can’t stop talking about her, actually. Can’t wait to meet her myself. Why do you ask?”

Peter sighed, pacing to the couch and collapsing onto it. “I don’t know. Suddenly, it feels like she’s everywhere. I just… I want to know what her deal is. What she wants from us,” he muttered, removing his glasses and cleaning them obsessively, trying to mask the unease that crept into his voice.

Hunter, having known Peter since high school and recognizing the tension in his friend, tilted his head thoughtfully. “I don’t think she wants anything from anyone—except maybe to be left alone. But the kids hanging out at the cabin all the time now, that might be more their doing than hers.”

Peter frowned, leaning forward. “Yeah, but why would she want to spend time with a bunch of college kids? Isn’t that a little strange to you?”

Hunter chuckled. “Her best friend is an eighty-year-old woman, Peter. I don’t think you need to worry. Plus, the whole multi-generational thing is very common in the world of witches.” He joked, managing to get a tiny smile from his friend. Then he added, “How old do you even think she is?”

Peter leaned back on the couch, exhaling. “I don’t know. Our age, maybe?”

“Yeah, that sounds about right. Maybe a couple of years older, hard to say. But wait… have you even talked to her?” Hunter asked, sitting down beside Peter, his curiosity piqued. He could sense this was affecting Peter more than he had initially thought.

Peter sighed again, running a hand through his dark, wavy hair. “I’ve known about her since she moved into the cabin,” he admitted, his voice lower now. “But I just met her today… minutes ago, actually.”

Hunter’s eyes widened in intrigue. “Shut up! Tell me everything. What does she look like? Tori says she’s beautiful.”

Peter hesitated, his answer coming out in a disjointed rush. “Oh, I don’t know… I mean, I wouldn’t know. I didn’t really pay attention. Why would I? I don’t know, I—really, I have no idea. No. Yeah, no.”

Hunter raised an eyebrow, bewildered by Peter’s strange response, just as the office door swung open again.

“There you are! Come on, let’s go!” It was Abigail, striding in with purpose, her heels clicking against the floor as she beckoned Hunter for a meeting on the west campus. “Hey babe, see you later for dinner?” she asked Peter, her voice chipper.

“Sure,” Peter replied absently, his gaze drifting back out the window, barely acknowledging her presence as she left the room with Hunter in tow.