The Hunter Series - Penelope

Monday 1st August. 9:59AM.

Isaac, Alexia and I arrived back on Earth when the portals were finally fixed. Eleanor had destroyed them as a way of keeping the residents of Enukeador trapped.

My nan’s home was burnt to the ground. The rubble and debris lingered in the air. As I breathed it in, it made me cough. My heart deflated. This was like a second home to me. Jeremy and I used to stay on the weekends. Nan would teach us how to bake cakes and cookies. Then, we would steal one while they were trying to cool and we would burn our tongues because we couldn’t wait.

All of those childhood memories. Gone.

“If they’re in there, we’ve got to find them.” I said, choking at the thought of them dead. I tried to hold back the tears but they spilled, running down my cheeks.

“Penelope, I don’t think they’re in there.” Alexia said.

“What?”

“Look.” She said. I turned and saw the note on the tree.

Penelope,

We’re okay! I knew you’d come back here. So, I’ve left this note to say we are safe and well at home.

Love mum xxx

The relief washed over me. They were alright!

Isaac drove us to my house. I was surprised to see all our stuff in boxes and suitcases sitting outside. Mum walked out the door with another box. When she saw me standing on the path, she dropped it and rushed over to hug me tight.

“Oh my God! Penelope, I’m so glad to see you!” She said. “I knew you’d be alright. I had a premonition but it’s still so good to finally see you.”

“I thought you were dead, mum. Eleanor told those demons to kill you.” I said, rushing to tell her everything. “Eleanor’s dead. Enukeador is safe. She killed so many residents and we’ve only just been able to get the portals up and running.”

“Shh, calm down. It’s alright. I know everything.”

“How did you escape them?”

“We are a strong coven, Penelope. Nothing is indestructible. Everything has a weakness. Everything has a balance. Those particular demons can be killed with fire.” she said. “They were no match for us.”

The only thing that mattered at this moment in time was my family’s safety. Family stick together through tough times and hardships. It might not always be easy being close to a small group of people that you live with, eat with and spend almost every waking day with. Sometimes we lose focus on what family truly means.

Family means love. Surrounded by people who care about you, people who see what you’re going through, who are there no matter what. A family isn’t always determined by blood. It's about who sticks by you and never leaves you when you need them most.

The moment Jeremy walked out the house made my day better. He had a box in his hand. Dad followed behind with another. Nan carried a tiny box behind Dad. They put the boxes with the others on the grass.

“Penelope! We’re coming to live in your big castle.” He said grinning like a Cheshire cat. “You know, it’s kind of your obligation now. Since Nan’s house is burnt to the ground and got nowhere to live. And you happen to have a massive castle to house us all. This one isn’t going to be big enough for all of us.”

“I’ve got lodgers already?” I said, tutting. My smile, wide across my face. “Yeah, you can live with me. Why not, eh? What’s going to happen to this place?”

“Your Dad and I are going to put it on the market. After we clear out all the witchy voodoo from the attic, of course. Someone would get the shock of their life.” Mum answered.

“You should keep it in there to scare people when they come to view the house.” Jeremy said, chuckling to himself. “If the creepy skulls don’t make them run that banging chest will. Seriously, though. Who are you keeping in there?”

The corners of my lips curled, my cheeks swelling momentarily and then my laughter erupted. There stood my little brother, back from the dead and making me laugh my head off. I was surrounded by the people I loved the most. My Mum, Dad, Nan, Jeremy, Alexia and of course, Isaac.

It was a remarkable scene, one I couldn’t have predicted. We stood as witches, dragon tamers and vampires, allied through love.

However, I will tell you one thing. Whatever life throws at us, nothing will shake our unbreakable bond. However hard our enemies try to break us. One thing is certain. We stay united as a family.

And this is just the beginning…

The end.

For now.