A Boy's Way Home

• Cydney Sadler, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2019

Zac had one decision, it could be life for many or death. But he couldn’t think of that right now. He was planning to meet Hana and Grace at 5pm on Old Fig Tree Hill, but of course, he had to make it to Town Hall before then. His shoes clapping on the cobble stones as he ran, he was determined to get inside before sun set. When he got inside Charles and his best hunters were packing up. “Sir Jones! I have found those wanted witches, they live on Old Fig Tree Hill.” “Well Lad, got any proof?”

The smell hit him and reminded him of a sweet spring day, as he walked down to the basement, they met him like excited puppies. “Hana! Grace! I want to help you, I’ve made my decision!” “Zac I’m glad of your decision. Come stay, we need to chat”, called Hana. “Hey Zac! Come look at this poster!”, called Grace. ‘WANTED! Hana and Grace Domberg. Richest, notorious witches ever born! Reward £150.’ “Ohhh! Lucky you can trust me”, said Zac so reassuringly he nearly believed himself.

Later on, Zac was acting weird, so Grace did some private research. She learnt that Charles’ office opened at 10am and closed at 4:30pm. Zac left 30 minutes before those times. Then, quickly returning to his home not even saying a word. So, she crept out with him one morning as silent as a mouse. She was wearing an old servant girl’s clothes to blend in with the crowd trying to meet Europe’s most famous witch hunter. He, Zackery Shmole, was there talking to Charles and the traitor, Mary Stewart. They were laughing with him. She was shocked, all around her old women were saying the ‘notorious’ royal witches lived on Old Fig Tree Hill. What had Zac done? She ran, her bare feet cutting on the old cobble stones. She got inside just as her mother was cooking a potion to defeat sickness and told her what Zac had done. They had come up with a plan. They were going to feed him lies and slowly erase his memories of Magik, without erasing his mother’s Magik within him.

--A Year Later--

‘Dear Zac, meet me at the tree next dawn! From your lover and long-lost friend, G.D’ He was confused, he couldn’t remember any G.D in his life, but he would go and check things out for himself. So, he woke long before any of his village was awake (well that was what he thought). There he met a beautiful girl with long blonde locks and sharp turquoise eyes at the tree, holding a small black pony’s reins. She came up to him and kissed him on his cheek while whispering ‘good bye’ and jumped on her pony pushing a small note into his hand as she went. Just then, Charles’ hunters leapt out from the branches of the Old Fig. Zac was cornered.