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beatrix bobbit's witch camp adventure



Scratch, scratch, scratch.


"Not now," Beatrix mumbled from her bed. "My night with Penny." Beatrix nuzzled in tighter to Penny's furry ears, and was trying to drift off before she could worry about how far behind she was falling in potions when...


The window creaked. Then slid open.


Beatrix shot up and fumbled for her wand beside the bed.


"Looking for this little witch?" a familiar shrill voice said.


Beatrix gasped and lit a candle to see Gemma pointing her own wand at her. Down the hall, a door creaked open and footsteps pounded down the hall, making Beatrix's entire room shake.


"Hide!" Beatrix squealed just as Broomstick Betsy thrust her door wide open.


"Are you alright, Beatrix? I thought I heard a commotion?" Broomstick Betsy was holding her broomstick like a baseball bat and scratching her short grey hair. She walked over to the window, which was still open a small sliver.


"We were trying to get an owl inside," Beatrix's Witch Camp roommate - Delia - leapt from bed in a long black nightgown. "Guess it didn't work? Bummer. Maybe tomorrow. Night!"


Delia placed her hand on Broomstick Betsy's back as she led her to the door.


"Save the owl work for your Mystical Animals classes, hm?" Broomstick Betsy said before she clunked back down the hallway.


"What was that?!" Delia was giggling and peering around the room.


"Nothing. Just a dream..." Beatrix tried.


"Or a nightmare, depending on my mood," Gemma effortlessly climbed back inside the window. "Luckily for you little witches, I'm in a great mood since I finally made it to Witch Camp. Now, who's going to give me a tour?" The gemstones above Gemma's eyes twinkled.


"We aren't supposed to leave at night," Beatrix sighed.


"But that's when all the fun is!" Gemma stuck her tongue out and grabbed Beatrix's wrist, tugging her towards the window.


"Excuse me, who is this, exactly?" Delia's hands were on her hips, and her red hair was frizzing all around her with static electricity.


Gemma hissed and slunk closer to Delia, circling her. Until Beatrix yelled, "Enough! I'll give you a tour, but it better be quick."


"You're so serious at Witch Camp. What, are you terrified of falling behind in a lesson on mushrooms and their many uses?" Gemma crossed her arms. "Your witch friend wants to come. We'll go without you."


Beatrix suppressed a growl when Gemma's long fingernails closed around Delia's thin wrist. But, to Beatrix's surprise, Delia didn't shudder. She practically pranced towards the window, her face bright with anticipation from the moonbeams spilling in.


"Do you wanna see the flying fields first?" Delia asked Gemma once she was halfway out the window.


"No," Gemma picked at her fingernails.


"The Potions Stores?"


"Nope."


"The Hall of Witch Hats?"


"The lake is what interests me," Gemma winked at Beatrix.


"THE LAKE?" Delia could hardly contain her disbelief. Beatrix couldn't blame her, either. No one at Witch Camp was here for the lake. Instead of being covered in colorful floats and boats, it was overgrown and unused. They didn't even setup lifeguards.


"Be a darling little witch and lead the way," Gemma shoved Delia's back hard enough that she toppled out of the window, managing to clutch the ledge at the last second.


Beatrix glared at Gemma before she followed Delia out. Once they were all on the sloping rusted roof of the red barn, they weren't quite sure what to do.


"If I had my broomstick," Beatrix shook her head.


"Or a feather potion," Delia chirped.


"Or we could climb," Gemma was holding a length of frayed white rope that she'd fastened to the window ledge.


Delia's mouth opened to object, but Beatrix shook her head. She knew better, now, than to argue. And, so far, Gemma's wild ideas hadn't gotten her hurt.


Not yet at least.


"I'll go first!" Beatrix volunteered with little fake enthusiasm. She wasn't sure how to even climb a rope, she realized, as she held the rope in her hands.


"So you can fly on a broomstick but you can't climb down a rope?" Gemma taunted, waving her long green fingers at Beatrix.


Beatrix's fingers itched to retort with a spell. But Gemma wasn't wrong. So, Beatrix held the rope between her hands, and backed carefully to the edge of the roof, peering down at the moonlit grass showing rows of toadstools.


Beatrix stepped one foot off. The rope slipped in her fingers and her hands burned before she steadied herself. Gemma giggled, but Delia shouted encouragingly. Beatrix stepped her other foot off, the rope slipped through her hands some this time, but she stayed in control. When she swung away from the barn, she braced her feet out in front of her and waited till they thudded against the wall.


Which is where they stayed.


Beatrix allowed herself a small smile as she walked her hands down the rope and feet down the wall until she landed in a circle of red toadstools.


Delia came down next, much more nimbly than Beatrix. And, Gemma, of course, swung down the rope in circles holding on only with one webbed hand.


When Broomstick Betsy didn't come barreling out of the barn, Beatrix assumed they were safe to trek towards the lake. They didn't say much as they walked past the Witch Library, and around the Ever Burning Cauldron Pit. The night was buzzing with flying insects and yellow eyed nocturnal critters to mask their silence.


Past the Flying Fields, Beatrix saw the smooth black surface of the lake reflecting the sliver of a yellow moon above. They picked up speed as they approached the lake, noting that the sounds of humming and buzzing were more frantic here.


Then, they were running, clasping hands until they paused breathless in the overgrown grass surrounding the lake. Moss squished beneath Beatrix's feet while she watched the surface of the water intently, noting every ripple.


"Creepy," Delia said, then jumped when beating wings flew overhead. "Now what?"


"Adventure over, we've got a rope to climb," Gemma turned and pretended to walk away. She was a few feet away when she screeched, turned and sprinted towards Beatrix and Gemma. She was on them in a flash, flinging them into the water with such speed, they weren't aware it was happening until they were underwater.


Beatrix kicked to the surface, searching for Delia. She watched her drenched head gasping for breath. Beatrix swam over to her immediately. "Are you alright?"


Delia didn't answer for a second. But after another, she began to laugh. "Why don't we go in the lake? The lake is great. Swimming is great!"


Beatrix was about to agree when something tickled the bottom of her foot. Twirling around in the water, she searched for Gemma's green skin and twinkling gemstones, but found nothing.


"She left us?" Delia asked.


"I wish," Beatrix answered with a Mrs. Bobbit level sigh.


"No you don't, witch," the voice was coming from under the water. Precisely where Beatrix's foot continued to be tickled.


"We're here, now you have to tell us what you want!" Beatrix shouted.


"I think it'd be better if I show you. Are you coming?" Gemma asked.


Beatrix held her breath and dunked her head below water. Gemma was only a few feet down, but she was smiling and beckoning with those long fingernails.


Beatrix tried to see through all the growth in the lake. The algae and moss and grass were so thick, but finally, Beatrix stopped.


Her eyes saw something that couldn't have been.


She swam further down, ignoring the pain her chest. But the pain almost exploded out in a flurry of bubbles when she tried to scream.


Mr. Bobbit was in the water, but his skin was green like Gemma's.

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