The holiday season had officially begun, but the usual cheer was nowhere to be found. The festive decorations that adorned the campus seemed out of place, overshadowed by the gloom that had settled over everyone. The sense of unease was palpable, and the future felt uncertain.
At the cabin, Lua constantly felt uneasy, as if the carefully crafted plan she had set for herself had begun slipping through her fingers due to unexpected circumstances. Overall, her mission remained on track, and it would take far more than small-town drama to derail her. But she knew she would have to work harder and maintain an unwavering focus on her mission now more than ever.
So she tried to keep her spirits up as Ryder, Hunter, Gael, and Ali joined her to put up Christmas decorations. Ryderâs constant presence comforted Lua as their relationship started getting more serious. They strung up lights and hung ornaments around the cabin.
Alinda was in the kitchen pouring mulled wine from an old kettle into four cups. Mrs. Lynx had been teaching her the art of cooking like a witch, giving her tips on how, using ingredients from the earth mindfully and intentionally, you can create magical recipes. Ali was loving the classes, writing down every single lesson on a special notebook, and applying her new knowledge into daily life.
As she collected the cups with her cat Colombia following around by her feet, she sang:
âThe fire is slowly dying
And my dear, we’re still goodbyingâŠ
But as long as you love me so
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snowâ â©
It sounded beautiful. âWow. I just gave myself chills,â She said, complimenting her own talent.
But the mood in the living room, as she approached, was somber. And their conversation kept returning to the same dark topicâwho could have wanted the dean dead?
âHe was such a kind man,â Hunter said softly, adjusting a strand of tinsel. âI’ve known him for twenty years. Never saw him have an argument, let alone a fight with anyone. And Peter is just… He’s com-ple-tely distraught.” Hunter looked at Lua and they exchanged a knowing, heartfelt glance. “Who would do something so awful?â he then added, shifting his eyes to the rest of the group as if waiting for a response.
The question hung in the air, unanswered. Gael, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. âDo you think itâs related to everything else thatâs been happening? The curses?â
Ali nodded. âItâs hard not to connect the dots. The dean dies right after the fourth curse… itâs too much of a coincidence.â She looked up at Ryder who stood up on a ladder trying to hang a cord of Christmas lights. He frowned and said âYou all know what I think about the whole supernatural angle. Itâs complete bullshit. But Iâm also not allowed to discuss the actual investigation in any way with you guys, soâŠâ
The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the twins, who entered with a couple of wine bottles and a tray of snacks. Their jackets were covered in snow and their faces were red from the severe weather outside. Collin greeted Hunter with a sweet kiss on the lips, making their relationship finally official for the group.
âWhereâs Brett?â Gael asked, noting the absence of their usually boisterous friend.
The twins exchanged a glance as they took off their jackets in their peculiarly synchronized movements, then Collin shrugged. âHeâs tired. There’s been a lot of work lately at the newspaper, plus we’ve had band practice all morning. He says he want to sleep.â
âYeah,â Justin added, lowering his voice, âAlso, he’s been saying some strange things. It sounds like heâs starting to believe that Lua might be connected somehow to the strange things happening lately.â
The room fell silent. Luaâs heart clenched in her chest. Brett had become a close friend, someone she trusted. He was one of the people she wanted to bring close to her, not away. Ryder wrapped his arms around her and tried to lighten the mood âThatâs absurd, and Brettâs an idiot,â he said before shooting a WTF look at Justin.
But Justin continued staring at Lua, as though waiting for her to look back at him, to respond somehow to the words he had just spoken. Collin noticed his brotherâs peculiar behavior and couldn’t help but wonder what had prompted Justin to say something like that. It felt like an intentional provocationâbut why?
The room felt tense after the twins arrived, the weight of their words hanging heavy in the air. Gael, sensing the unease, leaned against the counter and broke the silence. “You know,” he began, his voice low and serious, “I’m getting seriously worried about this mass hysteria. I didnât want to bring it up, but itâs getting worse. Weâve been getting threats at the cabin. Just last week, someone went out of their way to throw trash all over the place.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Itâs all because of these rumors, these wild accusations. People are acting like Lua’s some sort of villain.”
Ali frowned, her face darkening. “Itâs Salem all over again,” she muttered.
Gael glanced at her and roll his eyes. “Oh, come on…”
Ali’s voice got louder as she was starting to get tipsy from the mulled wine. “Yeah, the witch trials! A long time ago, back in Salem, they burned a bunch of women for being witches and stuff. Lua, you can explain better.”
Lua, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. “Actually, thatâs not true. No women were actually burned during the Salem witch trials.”
The room went quiet, and Gael looked at her curiously. “Really??” He asked, surprised and not totally convinced.
Lua took a deep breath, glad to have the chance to clear up the common misconceptions. “Yep. You can look it up.” She pointed at his phone. “The Salem witch trials from 1692 in colonial Massachusetts, started with a group of young girls claiming they were possessed by witches, and from there, mass hysteria swept through the town. Over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft, but no one was actually burned at the stake. Most of the accused were hanged, and a few died in prison.”
Everyone listened intently. Lua continued, her voice soft but steady. “It became a symbol of the dangers of mass hysteria and scapegoating, especially against women. Many of the people accused were women who didnât fit the mold of what society expected. And over time, itâs become an iconic historical momentâa symbol of both the persecution of women and, in some ways, the empowerment of women who were unjustly labeled as witches. But the whole burning thing… Didn’t happen.”
The room went silent, not knowing what to say. Lua continued “Itâs easy for people to project their fears onto someone who doesnât fit in, or who they donât understand.” She looked around the room and saw the reaction he wanted: everyone nodding in agreement and muttering words of support.
Except for Justin, who kept his head down and in complete silence.
In the days that followed, Lua tried to immerse herself in her work with CURA. She also searched for a spark of holiday cheer, but the festive spirit was dampened by the looming shadow of uncertainty that weighed heavily on her heart. It was the week of fall semester exams, which meant Ali and Kelly were tied up with their studies.
As soon as exams wrapped up, they would be busy packing for their holiday travels. Alinda would travel to her hometown, excited to introduce Evelyn to her parents and spend Christmas and New Year’s together. Meanwhile, Kelly was heading to Finland to be with her extended family for the holidays, leaving Lua feeling more alone than ever.
As the days passed, Lua couldnât shake the feeling that something terrible was on the horizon. The university was in turmoil, the murder unsolved, and the threat of eviction loomed large. But more than that, there was a darkness growing inside her, a fear that maybe, just maybe, the rumors were right. Maybe she was cursed. Maybe she was the cause of all this chaos. It’s happened before, maybe it’s happening again.
Thoughts on this chapter?