Hocus Pocus: Rising of a Little Witch

Chapter 27: Momentos

   Mallory's funeral was held the following Sunday, in the part of the Old Salem cemetery that still had space for new graves. Her gravesite on the family plot was originally meant for Grandma Ellie, but unfortunately she beat her to it.
I originally said I'd go alone, knowing how the sisters felt about ministers and the Christian religion, however all three volunteered to accompany me.
Obviously, we couldn't actually attend the service so we instead watched from afar on a hill within the woods. I sat in the snowy leaves amongst the sisters with my face pressed to my knees. I watched as people began to arrive and greet my aunt and uncle. I couldn't make out any of the words they were saying but I could see how terribly this had impacted them. Both looked somewhat disheveled and Aunt Lisa looked like she hadn't slept in days. Soon Grandma Ellie came into view followed by my father. I almost didn't recognize him with combed hair. Unsurprisingly, my mom was nowhere to be seen.
    Before long, everyone was seated and the service began. The casket was positioned in the front of all the rows of chairs. Next to it was a large version of one of Mal's college grad pictures on a stand adorned with roses . The minister took his place at the front and began with a prayer. I didn't look at the sisters, though I could sense their discomfort. The funeral continued on as loved ones came up to speak. First Aunt Lisa, then Uncle Mike and then her best friend Lindsey, who I never met but heard all about.
   I suppose I could have been a speaker too had I not been missing for a month. That's when I remembered, if I hadn't gone missing, none of this would have ever happened. Mallory would still be alive and we wouldn't be here.
I didn't want to regret bringing the Sandersons back but part of me did, for if I hadn't brought them back, I wouldn't have accidentally brought Bartholomew back with them.
  Just as the entire crowd finished praying together, I saw someone come in from out of view. It took me a second, but I soon realized it was my mother. She was clearly inebriated by the way she stumbled down the aisle to where my dad was. She was being very loud, shouting about something but I couldn't exactly make out what. She was causing such a ruckus, that Lindsey stopped her speech. I sat and watched from my spot on the hill, anger boiling inside of me. I wanted so badly to go down there and scream at her to get out. She didn't deserve to be at Mallory's funeral.

"Who is that!?" I heard Winnie whisper. I could tell that even she was appalled.

"Kaytrina's mother" I heard Sarah answer.
I sat and glared for another minute. I was seething at the disturbance she was causing. This event was meant to be a peaceful send off for someone who was so good and full of love and my mom was ruining it. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I let out a low groan before getting up and storming off.

"Stupid fucking bitch" I grumbled through my tears as I stomped off past the sisters and back through the woods.
    I could hear their footsteps following me. I stopped and leaned on a tree and began to sob.
I felt Sarah gently place her hand on my back.

"There, there Kaytrina." she said softly.

"I fucking hate her" I bawled
"She's literally ruining Mallory's funeral."

   I took some deep breaths before speaking again. By this time Winnie and Mary had caught up.

"Of all things she decides to go to, it had to be this?! She never attends family events! She's always too busy getting high!"
  Another burst of anger ran through me. I kicked the tree beside me, causing bark to fall to the ground. My eyes shot back to the sisters. I'd never gotten angry like that in front of them. They didn't seem at all phased, however. Kicking a tree was pretty docile compared to some of Winnie's outbursts.

"Come now Kaytrina. I think it's time we go. There's been enough ministers and prayer for one day". Winnie said, gently pulling me from the tree, her eyes turning back disdainfully towards the religious funeral service going on nearby.
   I obeyed and began to walk with them back in the direction of the cottage. Sarah came up beside me and grabbed hold of my hand.
  For a few minutes I walked silently with her, before stopping. The sisters stopped too.
I gently pulled loose from Sarah.

"I think I'm going to take a walk by myself." I said.

All three looked at me questioningly.

"Art thou alright Kaytrina?" Mary asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. Honestly. I just need to clear my head." I replied.

   Winnie's eyes narrowed a bit as she considered my request. After a moment she nodded
"Hurry back".

I nodded.
"I will."
   With that I parted ways from the sisters and headed towards Mallory's house. I figured if I wasn't going to watch the entirety of the funeral, I would take this opportunity to visit her house one last time while I knew her other family members wouldn't be there. Maybe I could find a way in and get a few things of hers to hold on to.
I approached the house from behind. Though I was sure it was going to be locked, I walked right up the stairs and tried the back door. Much to my surprise, it was open. I quietly slipped into the kitchen, gently closing the door behind me. The inside looked just as it did the night Mallory was lured to her death. I took a long sorrowful breath before moving further into the house. I walked into the living room and took it all in. My eyes eventually fell on the framed photo of the two of us at the lake. The same photo Mallory showed the sisters the first night we spent with her. I picked it up, and a tear rolled down my cheek as I stared at our younger selves. Those girls in the picture were so blissfully unaware of where they would be ten years down the road. One would be a witch, and the other would be dead.
   I held the frame close and continued out of the living room and up the stairs to her bedroom. I looked around at the neutral colored decor throughout the room. She was definitely more of a girly girl than I was, but she wasn't ever a "hot pink and neon" girly girl.  I set my gaze on a part of the wall that was covered in pictures of her and her friends from highschool and college. I examined each of them, taking in how happy she seemed in them all. I soon turned away and kept looking around. I was about to walk out when I noticed a small pink album on the bottom shelf of her nightstand. I walked across the room and grabbed it before sitting down on her bed. I looked down at it in my lap and saw that the cover photo was of her and I. She couldn't have been older than seven and I must have been just a few months. Tears once again spilled out of my eyes as I began to turn the pages. They were all of us, starting from when we were young and ending with just last year. I came across some of us in 2007. I was lucky enough to spend my 12th birthday with her that year. We had given each other blind makeovers and did a photo shoot with her digital camera. I laughed through my tears at how ridiculous we looked. I remember feeling so special that my 19 year old cousin stayed in on a Friday night to be with me on my birthday. I continued looking through the other pictures before I decided I better get up and look for a bag or something to carry this and the lake photo in.
    I went back downstairs and found a fabric tote hanging on the pantry door. Just as I was packing my mementos up, I heard a car door slam.
Shit.
   I didn't know who was there, but I figured it had to be her parents or some other family members. I darted out the back door and dashed through the woods.
Once I decided I was far enough away, I slowed to a walk and continued my way back to the cottage. That would likely be my last time at that house. I figured that once they could get Mal's stuff cleaned out, My aunt and uncle would rent it out to somebody else. Or maybe they would just sell it. I could imagine it being way too hard to keep that place after losing Mallory so suddenly.
   I was less than a mile away  when I heard another set of feet walking through the leaves and snow. I looked up ahead before stopping dead in my tracks. Because no more than 500 feet away...
was my mother.