The Pledge Chapter 3a

“No, Mr O'Connor, they can't be Alex's.” Mrs Wilson said. “They were made and placed by someone who knows what they're doing.”

“Mrs Wilson you're starting to creep me out.” Jack said warily. “They're bottles of coloured thread, that's all.”

“Every thread in those bottles will be no longer that three finger-widths wide and they'll have all been put in there one at a time and the herbs and scents will have been infused gradually. Think how long that must have taken.” Mrs Wilson picked up another bottle. “These will have taken weeks, maybe months to cast.”

“Cast?!” Jack burst out laughing. “So they're bottled spells? Oh give over, Mrs Wilson.”

“I'm sorry. You did ask.” Mrs Wilson said stiffly.

“OK I'm sorry. Finish your tea Mrs Wilson. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I just didn't expect such a strange explanation from an intelligent and sensible lady like yourself.” Jack refilled Mrs Wilson's cup.

“Laugh all you like but that's what they are.” The housekeeper nodded at the bottles. “Someone thinks you need protection.”

“You're serious about this, aren't you?” Jack said in surprise. “Surely you don't believe in all that stuff?”

“I've seen more evidence to believe it than I have to disbelieve it.” Mrs Wilson shrugged. “You'll probably have noticed that the community isn't a strictly Christian one.”

“What?” Jack said in complete bewilderment. “Er ... well no, I hadn't actually. So no one here believes in God? Do you?”

“Do you?”

“Well I've never been a practising church goer. I believe that there's ... something. Look I can't believe I'm having this conversation. So everyone's a ... a ... what are they? Satanists? Devil worshippers?”

“That's very offensive and hurtful, Mr O'Connor. The people here would be as offended by that comment as the priest from the next city would be. Non-Christian doesn't mean Satanist. How can it when Satan or the Devil are both inventions of the Christian church?”

“I didn't mean to be offensive.” Jack said in a daze.

“I know.” Mrs Wilson got up to wash the cups. “Announcing that you're a Christian doesn't automatically make you a good person, nor does being Pagan mean you're a bad person. There are good and bad everywhere.”

“Good and bad Pagans too. So whoever left these bottles is a good Pagan trying to protect me from bad Pagans? Seeing as the community is all Pagan. Yes?”

“It could just be a friendly gesture to set up a pleasant atmosphere in your new home.” Mrs Wilson said. “Although those Bottles are very well made, and triple sealed. When my Stephanie went away to university I had someone else create wards for her protection, my own ability isn't that strong like that. They were nowhere near as perfect as those.” She nodded at the bottles again.

“You cast spells for each other?”

“Please don't mock what you don't understand. Everyone's entitled to their own system of beliefs.”

“Yes I agree, but spells?” Jack shook his head. “OK, you're right, I don't understand. I'm probably brainwashed with all the wicked witch tales we're brought up with.”

“Not here we aren't.” Mrs Wilson smiled. “And it looks like your witch is anything but wicked.”