Witches Revolt

Chapter Twenty-Five: Coroners Report

The cries of a grieving woman was not new to my ears, yet seeing her a feet away, leaning over her daughter's body, begging her to come back while clinging to her clothes; it broke me. Maxine laid on a cold metals table, a white sheet covering her body, eyes burned to a crisp, brown skin pale and lips purple. I wanted to wrap her with a blanket, tell her ghost stories and make her tea; instead I was stuck behind a glass, stuck in one place as I tried to forgive it all out- to look through the disaster the best way I could. But all I say was her, dead, all because I wasn't strong enough to save her or we were too late.

"Miss Wallace." A comforting hand settles in the middle of my back, forcing me tot he wipe the tears away and dig myself out of the sorrow I placed myself in. An officer in the full gear uniform stood beside me, he was an older man, soft gaze and lips dropped into a frown. "I know timing is wrong, but I have to ask you a few questions."

I almost forgotten his oblivious some parts of Louisiana are. We were still in the bayou, Lucas cabin was near territory line of Lafayette, one of the most humane counties in Louisiana. I nod my head yes and wiped more of my tears, Aunt May's frying was just background noise as I focus on the officer.

"How do you know the victim?"

"Maxine, her name is Maxine. She's my little cousin."

"Do you and Maxine always go out in the middle of the woods?"

I shake my head no. "A few times but not a lot. We love the view of nature after it rains, it's a thing we started to do."

"Was there anyone else with you?"

"No. We tend to walk from my husband's cabin, it's not that far away."

"Husband? You're not wearing a ring."

I run my thumb over my smooth left ring finger. "We just got married, yesterday at the courthouse. Didn't really have time or money to buy a ring."

He grumbled under his breath while nodding in understanding. "Where was your husband at the time?"

"Work. He's a detective in New Orleans."

"And he has a cabin all the way in bayou?"

I sighed heavily, my gaze wandered around the small hall and then inside the morgue to see the coroner was too busy trying to be a comfort to Aunt May and Athena. "Officer... Simon." Placing a hand over his, I looked into his eyes- capturing his mind and placing him in a trance so easily. "Maxine died from a snake bite, the land was infested with them and we had to set fire to the batch before they could attack even more. We didn't have a car and Maxine died from poison, her eyes were like that from a past accident when she was a child. If anyone ask, repeat what I said and make sure they do not investigate."

I removed my hand, ending the spell and causing the officer and to blink in confusion. "Anymore questions, Officer Simon?"

The older man shook his head. "No, that's all. Sorry for your loss." He left, putting on the uniform cap, he tilts it my way before leaving. Just then Aunt May and Athena stepped out, both devastated and holding each other up. I went to speak, but a stern look from Athena kept me from doing so.

I followed them out, a few paces behind back into the cloudy world, Lucas was just parking by time we stepped out. He grabbed my hand, pulling me into his grasp but I refused with a shake of my head and a hand upon his chest. I didn't want to be touched or shown compassion, it was me who burned her eyes out, me who burned her organs into ash, I saw Maxine take her last breath, I couldn't heal her because I was too weak. "I'm going to walk around." I whispered before wrapping my arms securely around me. "Make sure they get home safely."