Reprisal by Gregory Harvey

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That was a positive sign.

“And would the spirits of the reprisal, hear my pain, for it is great.”

Angela the witch! Is a dirty bitch! The voices roared forward.

“Seek out... seek...”

Angela the witch! Is a dirty bitch! Her mother, after birthing her, left her in a ditch!

The flame of the candle started to flicker, threatening to go out.

“Seek out my wayward spirit...,” the flame began to burn more forcefully.

Angela the witch1 Is a...
“....and feed off of my hate!” Angela shouted triumphantly.

The flame exploded upwards, yet the spell still didn’t move into the next phase.

“Feed off of my hate!” Angela shouted again.

Angela the witch! Is a dirty bitch!

“Feed off of my hate!”

Her mother, after birthing her...

“FEED OFF OF MY HATE!” The flame erupted again, the noise shattering the solituted of the silence even more than Angela’s voice. But still the spell didn’t enter the next phase...

...left her in a ditch! Angela the witch! Is a dirty bitch! Her mother, after birthing her, left her in a ditch! Angela the witch! Is a dirty bitch...

Angela began chanting more forcefully than before, “Feed off of my hate! Feed off of my hate! Feed off of my hate!”

Angela the bitch! Is a dirty bitch...

As the yellow flame grew larger, Angela could sense she was on the precipice of victory, “FEED OFF OF MY HATE!”

Angela the...

The voices were cut-off abruptly as the flame exploded. The crow feathers caught fire and began to burn downwards, life fuses, towards the gathering of dust. The spell had finally entered the second of three phases, yet the most intense work for Angela was already done. Now she had to just wait for the flame to reach the dust, and then... when it was time...

The yellow flame moved slowly down the crow feathers. Angela watched in anticipation as the bright fragments of fire neared closer and closer to the pile of dust. She wasn’t exactly sure how it would ignite, and that was unimportant now anyway. She was so close to her goal that all else seemed irrelevent. The fire moved within an inch of the dust.

In the next instant it met, and the pile of dust around the candle ignited magnificently. The fire rippled across its surface, sending bluish-white smoke billowing into the clearing. At no point did the dust explode, but the smoke seemed to be endless. Now it was time for the next incantation. She turned the page of her spellbook.

“Trust my word that I am here,” She began, “Trust my word I have no fear. Trust my word that I am here. Trust my word I have no fear...”

A shape began to form in the smoke just above the candle. At first, Angela couldn’t make out exactly what it was and so continued chanting.

“Trust my word that I am here. Trust my word I have no fear...”

The shape, now distinguishable as a face, became all at once clearer. Angela didn’t know who’s face it was. All she knew is that it wasn’t a human face at all.