Free Returned by Keeley Smith Page B

first coven meeting for the time being.”
                  The cove went black signalling the end of the conversation. She stood up and felt Tabitha’s warm arm slide around her waist. Everything had changed. The life she’d lived and hated was over.  She could start again. She grinned in the dark, how often were people given the opportunity to do such a thing? 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 10
    A DIFFERENT KIND OF PAIN
     
    The motion of going up and down was quite soothing, yet strange. When had he jumped on board a boat? His brows collided in the middle of his head as he thought of the answer. Another small issue was the weather. If he had jumped on a boat then surely he should feel warmth seeping deep into his body? Why then, did he feel like he had frost bite on his toes?
                  He opened his eyes and the dull autumn sun greeted their appearance by burning his retinas. Squinting, he tried to look around the black spots that were floating in his vision. To his left was the farm owned by Andrew Bruton. To his right were the woods that branched off in the direction of Lemon Tree village, a village smaller than this, if that was at all possible. He knew where he was. The memory of what had happened came screaming painfully back at him.
                  He wheezed and rubbed his hand over his chest. It felt like he’d been hit with a bulldozer. He could still hear the crunch against his ribcage, something had hit him. Then complete bliss as he’d lost consciousness.
    All thoughts aside, why did he still feel like he was on a boat?
    He glanced casually to his left.
    It was at that moment that he swallowed his heart.
    Christ! He wasn’t on the floor!
    His body hit concrete grazing his elbow as it made contact with the hard tarmac. His head smacked against the black stuff, the sting was instant making him hiss in frustration. Rolling over, he shifted his weight onto his knees and felt the ground ripple beneath him. Gritting his teeth he pushed the onslaught of sick back down to his stomach. He would not throw up. He slowly pushed himself into a standing position and every muscle from head to foot whimpered.
                  He needed to speak with Eli. Eli had warned him but he hadn’t listened. He smacked himself on the head with the flat part of his palm which made his head spin, the ground rolled, his body swayed. Sometimes, hell, most of the time, he really was just a stupid teenager who didn't listen. He took a deep breath and limped back home.
                  Eli was sprawled on the sofa watching the box when he crashed through the door. Well it wasn't exactly an energetic entrance, more like a stumbling on his last legs. Eli’s bored gaze moved from the TV to his face. Confusion clouded Eli's eyes, the green and blue dancing together becoming turquoise as he tried to figure out what had happened. Eli's eyes widened, Jack could see the understanding.
                  Eli gingerly picked up the remote and switched the TV off. That was his cue to start explaining, but he couldn't form the words.
    “So, judging by your entry and by the look of you, which, by the way you look like hell, I guess you finally want to talk.” Eli had started for him.
    He urged his legs to move and made it to the end of the sofa where they gave way. Leaning back, he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands and took a deep breath. “I think it’s happened.”
    “Good, I’ve been trying to explain things to you-”
    “No, Eli, something happened, I can't explain it, she deserved it, it was-”
    Eli abruptly stood cutting him off. “What do you mean?” Eli towered over him, his hands fisted at his hips and a look of horror on his face.
    Oh Jesus, he'd gone and done it. Eli's expressions usually consisted of two things; concern, for example when he’d broken his leg playing around in Bruton’s field or