Read Online Witch by Fiona Horne - Free Book Online

dad’s an alcoholic, and we had to get out of Los Angeles. There were too many temptations there for him. So when the opportunity came to move onto the family land here, we decided to take it.’
    I had no idea what to say. I felt bad about Dean’s dad, but I felt worse – guilty – thinking about his people and what must have happened here when Indigenous people had been displaced. ‘I’m really sorry, Dean. Ummm, is your mum . . . ?’ I hoped my tone sounded sympathetic and not patronising.
    â€˜My mom died when I was little,’ he mumbled.
    I felt really guilty now. Dean had been at Summerland High for almost a fortnight now and not once had I asked him about his home life – I’d been too caught up with my own little dramas. Now I realised how good my life was, really.
    â€˜Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to dump all that on you,’ he started to apologise, but I cut him off.
    â€˜Dean, please. I can’t believe how selfish I’ve been,’ I said. ‘Are you okay?’
    â€˜I’m used to it, to be honest, and I prefer being here in Summerland to being in Los Angeles – people are so fake down there. Dad is definitely better up here. We’re both just trying to get on with our lives. And I like being back on the land of my ancestors. Sometimes I think I can feel it, a – I don’t know – a sense of coming home.’
    He stopped and turned to look at me. ‘I’m really glad we met, Vania. I appreciate how you came up to me that first day – and you’re really easy to talk to. I’ve never had such cool friends before.’
    â€˜Well, you do know we’re officially not cool, right?’ I said.
    â€˜We’re our own kind of cool,’ he said, and we both laughed.
    â€˜I actually think it’s really interesting you’re part Indian,’ I said. ‘Do you know much about your origins?’
    â€˜To be honest, not a lot. I know the Chumash lived off the land around here and were completely self-sufficient, though.’
    â€˜That’s pretty awesome. Hey, maybe that’s something you could focus on as a part of our coven.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’
    â€˜Well, I don’t know, finding out about how the Chumash Indians lived off the land and their legends and myths. I’m sure the Chumash were pretty clued in to things. Like the Indigenous Australians. I think many of the original tribes of the world had ideas about magical knowledge.’
    â€˜You know, I like that idea. I’m going to check it out.’ Dean was smiling and looked confident. It was good to see.
    By now we had reached the Summerland Star offices. The building was really old and leaned precariously over to one side where the street sloped down the hill.
    â€˜I hope the whole thing doesn’t fall over while we’re in there,’ I said, walking slowly up the front steps.
    Inside, it was like we had stepped back in time. The walls were wood-panelled and the furniture looked like it was out of the thirties. The golden afternoon sun shone rays of light through the slatted windows, illuminating flecks of dust floating on the air. An older woman with her hair in a tight bun and wire-rimmed glasses perched on the end of her pointy nose sat behind a large desk with an ink fountain and an ancient typewriter on it. It was obviously only for show, though, because she was typing on a computer.
    The lady glanced up but didn’t speak.
    Dean cleared his throat. ‘Good afternoon, ma’am. My friend and I are wondering if you keep archived copies of the newspaper here.’
    â€˜We do, but they are very precious. What do you children want with them?’ she said in a cold, disapproving tone.
    â€˜We’re researching a school project about the death of a local woman that occurred about fifteen years ago.’ I smiled brightly. This woman was the gatekeeper, so we needed her on