• Vol. 08
  • Chapter 02
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Kayla

Kayla kissed her mother on the cheek and bounded up the stairs, barely touching the steps as she took them two at a time. She stood in front of her bedroom mirror looking at her blazer and her skirt.

Her hand slipped into her blazer and she pulled out a card, plain white on one with writing on the other. Kayla read the card, gasped and sat on her bed. She read it again. "We have been watching you." Below that the design of a lioness’s head, then, "Tell no one", followed by the sign of a finger across a throat.

She wondered who could have put the card in her pocket? Did it happen at school or on the way home when she popped into the shop? Was it true that there was a secret society of women? It was very rarely spoken of, yet most people believed it existed.

But her main thought was of the library two days ago. She wanted a book on the top shelf, but she couldn’t see a stool to stand on. She stood on tiptoe and stretched and stretched. Kayla floated up a few inches took the book and floated down again. She looked round but there was no one else nearby. Had someone seen her after all?

Kayla thrust her hand in her blazer pocket often over the next few day and studied everyone, trying to identify who could have put the card in her blazer. It was a week later, in her bedroom, that she found another card in her pocket. This one said, "You have been chosen." It was followed by the lioness head, the warning to keep quiet and the throat cutting symbol.

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Kayla

A few days later she found another card. “Be by the abandoned cinema at 10:00 on Saturday. Fast for 12 hours beforehand. Bathe and wear a white dress.” Of course, this was followed by the lioness head and the warnings to be silent. So, that Saturday, Kayla slipped out without having breakfast and headed to the abandoned cinema. She was there in good time and the area was deserted. Then three masked women appeared. They told her not to be frightened. They would put a hood over her head and guide to the appointed place. She did not have to go with them, but she must not tell anyone about it.

Kayla wanted to go, so they slipped the hood over her head and they lead her, one on either side and one behind. A door opened and the three women stepped away from Kayla.

"Kayla, we have summoned you here, but you have come of your own free will. Do you wish to become our sister, to support us in all our endeavours as we will support you? Step forward if you are ready."

Kayla stepped forward, her unseen eyes blazing with determination and hope.

"I am ready."

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