Read Black Wood (A Witch Rising) for Free Online Page B

should be kept covered at all times,” Emily called behind
him.
    Sam shrugged. “Nah, just leave
it.”
    “But Grandma—never mind.” Emily
grabbed the black sheet from the floor when a cawing sound cut
through the silence. She flinched and her heart skipped a beat.
    “Did you hear that?” Clifford
whispered, his eyes as wide as saucers in the dim light.
    “Let’s get outta here.” Grabbing
Clifford’s arm, she dragged him to the trapdoor. He moved
reluctantly as though he had no intention to leave.
    As soon as they reached the
first floor, the smell of food wafted from the kitchen. Emily
grimaced. Not again.
    “Ah, kids. You’re just in time.
Dinner’s ready,” her father greeted them.
    Clifford averted his gaze and
walked past. “Sorry, Mr Jones, I should get going. Aunt Aurelie’s
waiting.” He pulled Emily aside and whispered in her ear, “Promise
me you’ll try again.”
    What a strange boy. She shrugged
and accompanied Sam and her father to the kitchen to have dinner.
She’d visit the mirror soon, but first she’d write in her diary and
ask for fish and chips and maybe some pudding. As she fished for
sausage chunks, Emily decided she had enough baked beans to last
her a lifetime.

    After dinner, Emily pulled out
the diary from under the bed and began writing when Sam barged in.
He jumped on the bed and peered over her shoulder. “What’cha
writing? Don’t forget my Playstation.”
    Emily scowled and turned to face
him. How could she focus with her brother breathing down her neck?
“I’ll get you one if you promise to leave me alone.”
    “All right. You got yourself a
deal.” Sam laughed. “I’ll go watch TV then. But don’t take too
long.”
    As the door closed behind him,
Emily exhaled with relief and focused her attention back to the
diary. It still amazed her how the pages turned blank again. The
book felt strange in her hand. All beautiful and polished, not
mucky and old like before. All of a sudden, she felt nervous. How
should she start?
    She decided to get straight to
the point. A PlayStation for Sam. Something other than baked beans
and sausages for dinner. And then that her mother and her father
would finally spend some time together. She noted the magic words
at the bottom of the page too so she wouldn’t forget them.
    Porta, manifeste et fac quod
vis!
    When she finished writing, she
put the pen aside and went about her evening routine, pleased she
had thought of everything. Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough, for
tomorrow was the day when her parents would finally get back
together.

Chapter 8
     
    Emily woke up with a jolt.
Something rustled outside her window. She sat up straight in bed
and strained her ears to listen. It sounded like fingernails on a
chalkboard. Drawing in her breath, she tried to calm her racing
heart. The scratching continued.
    Goosebumps covered her arms as
she scrambled out of bed and bolted for the door. She tiptoed down
the dark corridor, her hand gliding across the brick wall to feel
for the door to her brother’s room. When she found the knob, she
flung the door wide open.
    “Sam!” she whispered, but no one
answered. He was a deep sleeper. Usually, it took more than calling
his name to wake him. She jumped on the bed, grabbed his arm and
yanked as hard as she could, her leg kicking against the bedframe.
“Sam? Wake up!”
    Sam tossed and groaned. “Go
away.”
    “You gotta wake up. There’s
something outside my window,” Emily said.
    He pushed her hand aside and
turned his back on her. “It was just a dream. Now go back to
sleep.”
    She shook his arm again. “No, it
wasn’t. Listen! It’s still there.”
    “All right.” Sam sat up with a
sigh. For a moment, they both kept quiet. The scratching was faint
but still audible. “What’s that?”
    “I told you there was
something.”
    “It’s probably just a branch,”
Sam mumbled.
    “You go and have a look. I’m
staying here.”
    Sam’s voice raised a notch. “No
way am I going