The Witch's Hunt

Standing in shock, Alice looked down to examine the rest of her body. Her feet were no longer clad with heels, her legs beginning with real black paws that extended all the way up to her thighs, the fur ending exactly where her stockings would before smooth skin resumed. The rest of her appeared to be unchanged, apart from the black tail that twitched rapidly behind her in anxious fear.

Her human hands now wandered hurriedly over the rest of her body, touching every square inch and pulling back her bodysuit to make sure nothing else was amiss. It wasn't, but that brought very little comfort as she stared back at Kate with eyes full of terror. "Kate, what the fuck is going on? And what the hell are you wearing?"

Kate simply shook her head in disbelief, just as Savannah began to stir, followed by Edward. Luke and Winston were close behind. One by one they all began to wake from whatever dreams they were having and into a living nightmare.

"I must be dreaming," Kate muttered, somewhat in reply to Alice, but more in comfort to herself. "Or maybe someone spiked my drink, and this is all a hallucination."

Alice looked over at Luke, eyes still full of fear as he groggily peered back at her. "What the fuck happened?" he asked, his body leaning back in the booth. Unfortunately, his head didn't go with it, remaining perfectly still on the table where he'd been sleeping, eyes rolling about in fear and confusion as the girls beside him shrieked. The severed head was no longer just a prop, a fact he was quick to discover as his arms flailed aimlessly behind his hair.

"Oh my God!" Savannah was out of her seat now, along with Winston, the pair of them having suddenly realized what was happening. Savannah's changes seemed merely cosmetic in comparison to everyone else, her knee-length skirt and cape no longer made of cheap polyester, but a lovely combination of silks and cotton, the hood a brilliant shade of scarlet-red.

Winston was not as lucky on the other hand, one of which had been replaced by an actual hook. Though he didn't lift it to check, he was somewhat certain the patch over his left eye was also no longer a prop. Like the others, his wardrobe had received a seriously realistic upgrade, but none of that was as alarming as the physical changes. He silently thanked himself for not opting for a peg-leg.

"Kate, are you okay?" Edward's voice was the only calm and reasonable one in the room, and Kate turned to him for the first time since she awoke. Looking him up and down, she immediately saw the difference. His police uniform was a much darker shade of blue, a municipal police patch now emblazoned on the sleeve. As she watched, he pulled the firearm from his holster, and they both knew it was the real thing. Edward had some experience with guns, and he released the magazine to examine the bullets inside. "A Glock Nineteen. Where the hell did this come from?"

It wasn't until his eyes landed on her that Kate realized she hadn't done any form of self examination. Standing at last, she looked down at the uniform that now covered her slender frame. Form-fitting fireproof trousers clung neatly to the curves of her hips above a pair of heavy-duty boots. Suspenders were attached at the waistband, and beneath those she wore a perfectly fitted white t-shirt with the local fire department logo on the breast. Beside her, a heavy iron fireman's axe sat ready for use.

Luke was the last person to rise from his seat, his hands finally having found his shrieking head and holding it somewhat above his neck so he could get a better view of the horror around him. "What the fuck? What the actual fuck is going on here?"

Again, Kate replied. "I'm dreaming, that's all--"

"Kate, I don't think this is a dream. And if it is, I'm pretty sure it's more of a nightmare," replied Savannah, her eyes shifting from Alice to Luke and back again.

"Then it's a hallucination or something," came the immediate reply. "Someone must have drugged us, put something in our drinks."

Edward looked somewhat offended. "Kate, I brought the drinks, remember? Nobody put anything in them, unless you think I'd--"

"No! Of course not!" Kate answered, apologetically. She knew Edward would never stoop so low.

"Besides," Edward continued, "I don't know of any drug that can induce shared hallucinations on this level. This is unlike anything I've ever heard of."

"Then how the hell do you explain this?" Alice shrieked, her hands waving over her feline body. Understandably, she was having a difficult time coming to terms with her new reality, though she seemed less put-off by Luke's unfortunate condition than everyone else in the room.

"I...I don't know, okay? But let's all just take a minute to catch our breath and try to stay calm."

"How can any of us be calm? Look at me!" Savannah replied.

"You? Are you fucking kidding me right now?" shouted Luke, tossing his head up like a volleyball and catching it in his hands. "I'll trade a fancy new dress for this shit any day."

Savannah said nothing, somewhat embarrassed by her outburst. Even Luke seemed to immediately regret his words, but neither of them spoke, deciding instead to take Edward's advice and try to keep the panic to a reasonable and manageable level. To say it was difficult would be an understatement.

Before Edward could speak again, they heard a noise outside. Something large and fast ran past the entrance to the building. "What the hell was that?" asked Winston. He then looked down to realize his one functioning hand had begun to draw a sword from its sheath, the razor sharp steel glinting in the moonlight.

Officer Edward drew a flashlight from his belt, along with his handgun, holding them at the ready as if he were a trained professional. Slowly, he began to creep towards the doorway, the others reluctantly following behind. Whatever was outside, none of them wanted to be near it, but they knew they couldn't just sit at the bar and wait for help to arrive. They'd be sitting ducks, especially since the rifle mounted above the alcohol was almost certainly deactivated.

With one last glance back at his companions, Edward cautiously opened the door with his foot, taking the first step out into the dark beyond as he swept the area with his light. The others followed silently behind into the deserted street, the doorman no longer at his station and the sidewalk completely empty of other people. None of the buildings seemed to be open, the only source of light coming from the moon above and the dim glow of the street lamps. A thin layer of mist hovered on the ground just above their feet, making it difficult to find the edge of the sidewalk as they stepped into the road.

"What time is it?" Savannah asked, searching for her cellphone. One by one they all searched their pockets, but none of them could find any trace of their former possessions. Not so much as their apartment keys had survived the transition.

Luke held his head as high as he could, looking south in the direction of the campus clock tower. He could just barely make out its face above the buildings downtown. "Call me crazy, but I think the clock says it's just after seven." What he also saw, but determined not worth mentioning, was the unusual pale glow emanating from the bell chamber just above.

"That's impossible," said Winston. "We were sitting at the table at seven. All of this can't have happened in the span of, what, a few minutes?"

"Yeah, well, that's the least insane part of all of this as far as I'm concerned," Luke answered, putting his head back in place on his neck. It wouldn't stay without his hand constantly holding on to his hair, but it made walking easier when his eyes were level.

"Whatever made that noise doesn't seem to be around anymore," said Edward, listening to their conversation but more concerned with keeping his friends and girlfriend safe. Still, he didn't put the gun away. "I don't see anything, or anyone. We're completely alone out here."

"Well, not completely."

They all turned at once to the sound of a new voice. Edward brought the sights of his gun level to his eye, but the voice wasn't coming from a person. The tavern, like many others downtown, had an outdoor seating area with several mounted TVs adorning the brick walls. Only one of these was on at the moment, but instead of highlights from the latest football game, a lone figure stared back at them as if her eyes could see through the glass. Kate recognized her instantly as the witch from earlier. Nothing about her had changed, a detail Edward was quick to note, though he said nothing.

"Can she hear us?" asked Savannah, earning a grin in response from their televised acquaintance.

"Loud and clear, my dear."

"Who are you? Can you tell us what's going on? Where is everyone?" asked Edward, hoping to get some answers. He had a feeling this girl knew more than any of them in that moment.

"Well, to put it bluntly, you're in my world. Or more specifically, the world of the preternatural."

"What does that even mean?" asked Luke.

"You're saying this is, what, some sort of alternate dimension?" Winston asked, earning a satisfied smile.

"Well, aren't you a smart cookie? You're on the right path, at least. Your swashbuckling companion is right. This is the world I come from, a place that can only be accessed with considerable amounts of magic and supernatural power. The veil between our worlds is very difficult to cross, but on All Hallows Eve the barrier is exceptionally thin, allowing creatures such as myself to traverse planes. Or in this case, pull others across."

Kate was the first to piece together what was implied in those words. "Are you trying to say you're a real witch?"

"Something like that," came the sinister reply through static and blue light. Then, her eyes turning to Edward, she added, "It's quite unfortunate you decided to refuse my offer, Edward. I'd have found no reason to involve any of you like this if it weren't for your denial. But you know what they say about a woman scorned."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Luke.

The witch laughed. "I've decided to teach you all a lesson of sorts. Listen closely because I'm only going to explain this once. If you want to return to your world you'll have to prove yourselves capable. Around this campus are six unique items which you will have to retrieve, one way or another. Collecting them won't be easy, and some of them will be quite dangerous, but failing to collect all of them will result in your permanent stay here."

"A fucking scavenger hunt?" asked Savannah. "What sort of items are we talking about?"

The witch continued. "You'll have to figure that out for yourself, my dear. But don't worry, I've left plenty of breadcrumbs for you to follow along the way. I'll even make the first one easy for you." Her eyes shifted to the right, and the group followed her gaze.

Under the awning of the tavern, an unusual looking spider was busy with its web. On closer inspection, Kate could see what appeared to be writing at its center, the spider using its own silk to form eerie sentences in the silver funnel. It was still writing.

"Follow this clue and you'll come to your first challenge. After that, you're on your own. I'm a busy girl, after all." The smile grew wider on her visage. The teeth were unnaturally sharp, an image that sent chills down several spines. "But you'll want to work quickly. In less than five hours time the clock will strike midnight."

"What happens at midnight?" Alice questioned, though they all suspected the answer.

"The barrier is thinnest on Halloween, but time holds its own laws over magic such as this. Fail to bring me all six items before the bell chimes, and the veil will fall back in place and your presence here will become permanent."

"Where do we find you when we have everything?" asked Edward, but the only reply he received was a wink, and the screen cut to black. The witch was gone, and they were left standing there in confusion to decipher everything she'd said.

"This is insane," said Alice. "This is literally fucking insane! Barriers between worlds? Actual witches?"

"Sexy cat-girls. Headless fucktards." Winston caught himself as Alice turned his way, the blush already forming. She said nothing, but the raised brow told him his comment hadn't gone unnoticed.

Kate ignored them all, her gaze still on the spider writing in its web. Edward stepped silently next to her just as the last strand of silk was laid.

"Can you read it?" he asked, pointing his light at the web. It wasn't the best calligraphy.

Beware, beware, the Siren's call

Reflect upon your sins

Retrieve, for me, a single Scale

Your journey now begins

Kate read the words aloud, the others gathering around to listen. When she finished, she was just as lost as before. "What does that mean?"

Winston answered. "Well, my mythology is a little rusty, but I think sirens are Greek. Women who would lure sailors to their deaths by singing, leading their ships to crash into rocks, drowning everyone."

"I thought sirens were like, beautiful women who would seduce sailors and drown them?" Luke asked, earning an eye roll from his roommate.

"Christian adaptation, where the image of a siren became synonymous with all temptations regarding women."

"Well we can debate the origins later," Savannah interrupted. "The clock is ticking. Now, where do we find these scaly bitches?"

Nobody had answer at first. Kate offered the only suggestion. "Where would sirens live? Near water, right?" They all nodded. "So where is the nearest source of water?"

"There's Lake Hartwell. Plenty of rocks along the dike for them to sit on," offered Edward. But Kate shook her head, something about the riddle catching her eye.

"Reflect upon your sins. You don't think...?"

Alice gasped. "The Reflection Pond, in front of the library!"

"Jinkies, you're right, that's gotta be it!" said Luke. "And obviously the item we need to retrieve is one of their scales. It makes that part clear, at least."

"Did you seriously just say 'jinkies?'"

"Okay, enough chit chat," Edward interrupted. "That's a ten-minute walk if we get moving now, and we still don't know what else might be waiting in our path. Let's move."

Kate nodded, falling quickly in step next to him, her axe held ready though her arms were covered in goosebumps. The others followed quickly behind, heads on a swivel -- literally in Luke's case -- looking for danger as they made their way to the crossing.

He fell behind the others and joined Savannah in the rear, holding his head at his neck while he spoke. "Hey, I just wanted to say sorry for what I said earlier. About the fancy dress and all that. I was scared, and upset, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you." He expected her to nod and move on, but instead she offered a warming smile.

"It's fine. You were right. It seems a bit trivial to complain about a new outfit when, well..." she nodded to his neck, where the seam was clearly visible.

"Guess you're right," he laughed. "It's probably a bit off-putting."

Savannah put her hand on Luke's shoulder, much to his surprise. "You should see some of my exes. A severed head would have been an improvement."

The journey to campus was thankfully uneventful, but the atmosphere certainly didn't bring them any comfort. The mist at their feet made it difficult to walk any distance without stumbling or tripping. Only Alice, with her feline reflexes, seemed immune to this hazard. The sounds that filled the air were a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking in the shadows, with howling wolves and terrified screams sounding off in the distance. But for all the sounds far away, there was nobody around to be seen. In fact, it seemed as if the entire campus had been completely deserted.

"What's that weird sound?" Alice asked, her perky ears now facing to the west. "It sounds like there's a game going on at the stadium."

The group paused to listen, and indeed there appeared to be a low roar echoing from somewhere in the distance, just at the edge of campus. His ears weren't nearly as sensitive as Alice's, but Edward knew this wasn't the typical sound you'd hear during a game day. He urged them all to press on, his flashlight constantly sweeping the path ahead.

As they passed near the clock tower, Kate decided to ask the question on everyone's mind. "When we get to the pond, what's the plan to get one of these scales? I mean, the idea of encountering an actual siren is pretty ridiculous, but what do we do if it's real? Just ask them to hand it over?"

Edward shrugged. "I guess we'll have to play it by ear. The witch said this wouldn't be easy, so I have a feeling asking politely won't get us very far."

He ended the conversation there, knowing that any answer they had would likely be put to the test in just a few minutes. They rounded the path to the amphitheater, following the descending concrete until the eerie black water of the pond lay before them, the reflection of the campus library glowing on it's placid surface. In their world, the many fountains in its center would be churning the surface with a constant pillar of water. Here, however, the surface was still as glass. They stepped closer, the pool of black now completely in view, but they saw nothing waiting for them.

"There's nothing here," observed Savannah, keeping her distance from the edge. Alice was furthest away, her feline instincts proving quite powerful in the presence of water. Edward and Winston peered down into the darkness, the flashlight doing very little to penetrate it's depths.

"That's so odd," said Winston, shaking his head. "Was the pond always this deep? I always thought I could see the bottom, even at night. There are usually koi in here, aren't there?"

Alice perked up at the mention of fish, but came no closer. The rest of them were at the edge now, continuing their search. Suddenly, they all jumped back. Edward's light passed over something pale, but it was gone just as soon as it appeared.

"What the fuck was that?" asked Savannah, already suspecting the answer.

"I think that was a face," answered Kate, her axe now tight in her hands. She didn't add that the eyes of that face had been completely black. She hoped that was simply her imagination, or a trick of the light.

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Winston. Then, looking around, he added, "Do you guys hear that?"

They did. All six stepped back from the water, heads turning to find the source of the singing. It was so quiet at first, it could have been a radio left on in a window across the street. But the voices were growing louder, their dangerous melody sweeter than anything they'd heard before, and it was coming from the center of the pond.

"There!" Alice pointed, but they all saw it at once. A woman's face, her long black hair drifting in the water around her, was peering at them, with only her eyes above the water's surface. Then, slowly, she was joined by another, and then a third, red and blonde hair swirling in the glassy liquid. They hadn't made so much as a ripple, and still their voices carried through the air despite their lips remaining completely submerged.

Then there was a splash to their right.

"Winston!" Luke shouted, their heads all turning at once to find their pirate friend had fallen into the water. No, not fallen. He had jumped, and as they all gathered at the edge and called him back, he began to slowly wade towards the center of the pond. Pirates were seafaring men, after all, and the song had been far too powerful for him to resist.

"I'm going after him!" Edward was already stripping away his belt, prepared to jump in, when suddenly the singing grew much louder. They all looked to the women, only to find they were no longer submerged to their eyes. All three were standing in impossibly deep water, the surface now coming just to their waists. They were completely bare, with hands wandering aimlessly over their own curves, from their breasts to their hips, in the most enticing musical display any of them could ever imagine.