Maleficarum: Hunger of the Witch Read Online Free Page A

closer.
    Hearing a slight wind, Hegel looked into the tangled woods. “See the trees. Tonight’s a special night. Things can happen on this night that can’t happen at any other time. All your wishes can come true. You want a boy, don’t you?” she said, locking eyes with Beverly. Beverly’s eyes widened, and a sense of guilt washed over her.
    “I can see to it that he loves you , and only you, forever.” Fear rushed into the hearts of the girls.
    “I think we need to be going, ” Ann said as she tugged on Beverly’s arm. The two of them started to walk around Hegel, who stood curiously straight and still. When they passed her, they began to march, almost run, back to the Black Crystal. The time for politeness had ended, and they looked only to distance themselves from the penetrating gaze of the strange woman.
    “Tell the others that I have found dinner,” they heard the old hag say. With that, the stark sound of leathery wings could be heard rising into the air. Ann swung her head around to see the vile woman glaring at them with hateful eyes. The rabbit was gone.
    “Go!” screamed Ann as she pulled Beverly into a flat-out run. But before they could get too far, a set of bony fingers pierced Ann’s shoulders and dragged her to the ground. She hit hard, scraping along the pavement; Beverly screamed as she spun. Ann was now being straddled by Hegel, who was raining down blows. Still clenching the nail file, Beverly lunged. The old hag’s reflexes were sharp, and with little effort, she snatched Beverly’s arm as she swung. In one quick motion, Hegel ripped the nail file from Beverly’s grip and plunged it deeply into Beverly’s forearm. She screamed as Hegel ripped it out and went for another stab, but before the blow could land, Ann flung her fist, smacking the old hag in the eye with her pocketknife. The witch screamed in an unknown language and released her grasp on Beverly. Ann yanked her inch-long pocketknife out of the diabolical woman’s eye. Beverly, with all the force she could muster, shoved the screaming attacker off her friend, leaving the witch writhing on the pavement. Unholy wails like the sounds of many voices burst from the gaping maw of the injured witch. Beverly reached down and pulled Ann to her feet.

Chapter 3: The Sex Shop
    “Run!” Ann screamed. Their feet hit the pavement hard as they sprinted. The sound of the hag ’s screams began to twist on themselves until it couldn’t be recognized if they were of pain or joy. The old woman wouldn’t be down for long, Ann realized, as her heart began to thump in her chest. They hadn’t yet run fifty feet when she looked back. Behind her she saw the old hag standing in the middle of the road with one hand clasping her injured eye.
    “A pox on your homes and death to your loved ones. For you, I still have something very special planned,” unholy voices screeched from Hegel’s throat.
    Ann faced forward and just kept running. They had passed the bend in the road and came to the streetlight in the parking lot of the porno store. Above them, the sound of flapping wings grew closer and closer. They ran as fast as they could, hit the wood planks of the store’s decks hard, and crashed through the door screaming.
    “Help!” Ann shouted to the stunned people in the shop. In a flash, Mike jumped over the counter and a stack of DVDs that featured young Asian girls doing borderline illegal acts.
    “What the fuck ? Are you OK?” he said as he cradled Beverly in his arms. His sister broke down. She began sobbing as she pulled up her shirt sleeve, showing Mike her wound. Mike had always been her protector, even when they were both in school. It had been hard for Beverly now that she had to fend for herself in that harsh social environment, and she knew real life was going to be even harder. Mike had always been there to beat up the boys that picked on her. If a girl gave her problems, then Mike would simply beat up that girl's boyfriend.