The Unknown witch

"Alison!" Franxine called me, and I could see the concern on her face. I approached her after closing the door of the faculty. "What did they say? Are you okay?" she said, and I nodded.

"What happened? Why did you scream earlier? You looked terrified and blushed earlier," she asked as we walked towards our next subject.

"Perhaps I'm just tired or something," I answered, sensing her displeasure and turning to face her.

"It's... it's strange because of what happened to me earlier on my way to school," I remarked, looking at the road.

"First, when I left the house, it seemed like everyone around me was looking at me strangely. I don't know why or what's wrong," I explained as Franxine, and I went into a hallway and told her about what had happened earlier.

"Next, I saw a woman standing in the middle of the road; of course, I was concerned about her, so I approached her and tried to get her to the side so she wouldn't be run over by cars, but..." I came to a halt and remembered what had happened before. Franxine even stopped and waited to hear what I would say next.

"But what?" she inquired, and I turned to face her before swallowing.

"But she's crazy," I continued, "She's different from her clothes. If you look at her, she's like someone who lives on the streets because she's also dirty, but I saw blood on her hand, and it is weird because she said a word I couldn't understand," she frowned.

"That's strange," she said as we resumed our trek.

We remained silent till we arrived at our next subject, Potion, and Herbs.

I sat in my chair and glanced out the window; from here, I could see the students in the Garden conversing and someone casting a spell. I moved my gaze to a tree in the Garden. I could observe a woman's posture with her back turned from where I was.

I swallowed quickly and stroked Franxine, who was sitting next to me.

"Xine... That's her Xine!" I exclaimed, looking at the woman standing before the tree.

"Where?" she inquired.

"Look at the tree near the tulips. She is the woman I told you I saw," I said, and I noticed how the woman reacted to my actions.

"There's nothing there." I scowled at Franxine's remarks and turned to face her; she was staring at the same tree I was.

"Alison, no woman is standing under the tree," she continued, which is why I went back to look at the tree, and my eyes widened when I noticed that the woman was no longer standing there. I swallowed and stood up. Where was the girl?

"The cloud is black again."

"Yes, the cloud always darkens on the anniversary of her death."

"I don't know why everyone is afraid of her."

"You're insane, Mom said, because she's powerful, and before she died, she uttered a curse; I'm not sure what kind of curse."

I looked at the two students before me, frowned, and looked up at the sky filled with black clouds.

"Alison, please sit down now." I looked at Franxine, who appeared concerned about me. I sat down after taking a deep breath.

"I don't think the event will go ahead next week," Franxine replied, and I looked at her.

"Why?" I said, and she gave me a mournful smile before looking at the sky.

"The clouds are black. This is how the clouds looked last year before that incident," she continued, making me frown. So, was there an incident?

"What incident was that?" I inquired, and she laughed.

"You don't like leaving your house, do you?" she asks. "Three hundred people died last year because of what a student did. The authorities call her the unknown witch because the witch has not been caught, that witch who has done something before." She exhaled and returned her gaze to the sky.

"My brother and father died there together," she concluded, leaving me speechless. I'm unsure if I was asleep when that tragedy occurred. I don't recall anything similar happening last year.

I glanced at the cloud. My brow furrowed because I couldn't recall anything like it happening last year.

Three hundred people were killed as a result of the deeds of an unknown witch.

"ME..LI...S...SA.."

When I heard someone talking behind me, I whirled around and scowled when I saw no one.

"Did you whisper to me?" I questioned Franxine, perusing notes in her notebook; she grimaced.

"No?" she asked before slapping my arm. "You're scaring me again, Alison." She remarked, then returned to reading her notes. I looked behind me again, and the only thing I could see was the wall. I calmed myself first, then looked ahead, our instructor had just entered the Potion and Herbs room, and he always frowned whenever he visited our class, as he had before.

~~

"Look at this, Alison. I think it suits you!" Franxine said, handing me the clothing she had seized. I crossed my arms.

"Franxine, aren't we here to buy supplies for the Witchmural?" I inquired.

She pouted before lowering the clothing she was holding.

"Of course, you need new clothes. You wear the same clothes every day. I'm not sure if you only have one dress or if you're just too lazy to look for other clothes in your closet," she added as I laughed and scratched my head. My laundry is piling up in my room, and I'm too tired to wash it.

"Franxine, let's first get the important items we need for the witchmural, then let's buy clothes after the event," I replied. She took a long breath and placed the clothes she had taken back in the bag. She smiled at me again.

"When the witchmural is over, let's go back here and go shopping, clothes you want," she remarked, to which I nodded. She smiled and dragged me towards the store for the items we needed.