“DON’T YOU SAY A WORD, YOU BLUNDERING FOOL!”

Taken aback by the sudden wave, Jeremy suddenly found himself face down in the middle of the kitchen, in the suffocating embrace of a watery prison. Struggling to free himself, he could hear the rabid screams of Aurelia and the boys as they tried to free him. He couldn’t see what was going on, but it sounded like they had been frozen in place, if their sounds of struggle and her demonic snigger were anything to go by.

Forced to hold his breath under the pressure pushing down on him, he tried his best to fight his way back to the surface.

It was a fruitless venture. The pressure on him was way more superior to his human strength. Pushing against it was as useful as throwing a diamond to the ground and expecting it to shatter to pieces. He was locked down tightly.

Slowly running out of breath, he knew he had only a few minutes left before he passed out. This had to be one of the worst ways to go: drowning in your own kitchen.

Oh, how he cursed that evening he saw her! Had he known, he would have shoved those idiots aside and sped out of the club as quickly as he could.

But… but why is she suddenly trying to keep me from talking? He wondered tearfully while trying hard to break free. She’s got us right where she’d want us. We’re gonna die in her hands at this rate. Oh God, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for wimping out on the directions. We wouldn’t be here if I had just told Aurie the truth from the very beginning and… wait a minute.

Drifting off in his prayer, it hit him.

That was it! That was the reason she was trying to silence him!

She knew that once he confessed about their affair to Aurelia, that could still break the soul tie and put an end to this witch’s moment of terror! It wasn’t too late! He could still do this!

A newfound sense of determination and hope arising in his bosom, his fight against the magical restraint keeping him down doubled. He gritted his teeth, refusing to succumb to the doom she had in mind for him.

Won’t… let… this daughter… of Hades… win… Arrgghh… AAAARRGGGHHHH!

With an incredible force of will, Jeremy broke free from the pressure and rose out of the water, coughing and spluttering.

“JEREMYYYY! Oh God, Jeremy, thank heavens!” Aurelia screamed in relief.

He sure was glad to hear that, but at that moment, there was no time for sentiments if he and the family were going to get out of this. The water level had almost risen to the waist level; there was little time. He had to act fast.

Soaked to the bone, he glared at the witch, who hissed at him, knowing what he was setting out to do.

“YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH TO SPEAK, AND I WILL KILL YOU!” she bellowed.

His chest heaving up and down, he sneered at her. “Too bad you’re gonna die before you make an attempt,” he spat.

Outraged by this cheeky response, she let out a roar of anger, throwing her head back and bellowing with absolute wrath.

In that moment, using his brain as quickly as he could, Jeremy spotted their blender in the ‘hurricane’, noticing that the plug cable was starting to dangle downwards. Seizing the opportunity, he grabbed the cable, yanked it down, and grabbed it.

Before the witch could regain her composure, he hurled the appliance at her with all his strength.

His aim was near-perfect. Taking her by surprise, it hit her right in the chest, evoking a shrill shriek of pain as she bent over.

“Yes! Yes!” Marcel and Terry cheered, excited that their father was getting one over the witch. A number of items dropped from the ‘hurricane’ above into the water. Thankfully, nobody was hit on the head. The power that had them frozen also waned, releasing them.

He turned to them and nodded, relieved to see them freed from their little prison. Then he yelled, “Terry, toss that pot to me! Quickly!”

Terry saw the stainless steel pot his father pointed to. One really tough pot.

He quickly reached over and grabbed it.

Just then, the witch straightened up and glared at the young boy. “Foolish little boy!” she snarled.

Terry tossed it just in time before she could react. It fell in the water, but Jeremy was close enough to retrieve it.

Facing the witch, he stared defiantly at her. “Your reign of terror is over, you evil being! This, is my weapon of victory!” he growled.

She looked at him, stunned for a moment. Then she cackled. “That? That’s your weapon of victory?”

It must have been inspiration from above, the way Jeremy was moving. Because that statement had the witch closing her eyes for a moment, thoroughly amused by his assertion. It took less than a nanosecond to throw the pot at her before she opened her eyes.

“OWWWWWW!”

The pot struck her right in the face, and had her falling back into the flood.

Jeremy was on point. Once more. His arm frozen in midair, however, was the small price he had to pay.

“Yaaaayyyyy!” the boys cheered on in delight.

Jeremy looked behind again, and ordered, “Boys! Close your ears!”

They looked confused by that command, but swiftly obeyed. Before Aurelia could ask why, he gazed at her, an apologetic look on his face.

There was no telling when the evil one would rise from the waters and strike again, and he doubted he would get another projectile to strike her successfully. The time was now.

“Aurelia, I’m sorry, but… the night before I returned from Ada, something happened,” he started, his voice wobbly but resolute. “The guys, they took me to a club, and in the midst of our time there, I saw this woman…”

The witch rose menacingly from the waters, with an energy resonating through the room that indicated she was more than ready to strike everyone dead instantly.

“… and, and I slept with her! I cheated, Aurelia! I broke my vows to you! I’m sorry!” he cried hurriedly. “I wish I never did. It’s the biggest mistake of my life.”

Aurelia’s face was a mixture of shock, rage, hurt and amazement. “What??” she mouthed.

Before Jeremy could reply, a shriek of pain filled the room. He turned, and the witch had her hands on her head, seemingly in pain. The energy had totally dissolved, and she looked weaker.

“That’s it! That’s it! After the confession, the revoking declaration!” Jeremy remembered. He then stood to face her, his eyes narrowed, his fist clenched while the other remained stuck in midair, and his veins coursing with determination.

It was time to finish off this witch. Once and for all.

He opened his mouth.

“I decree and I declare that this soul tie is terminated!”

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” the witch screamed, her powers starting to weaken. The water levels suddenly began to decrease, as more appliances dropped in them. Jeremy, nodding in satisfaction at this, continued.

“I decree and I declare that whatever bond me and this evil, foul witch have by reason of the stupid mistake of sexual intercourse we had that night is hereby annulled! I speak to you, you foul daughter of the devil and all your powers and I declare, you have no hold over me!”

“AAAAAAAAHHHH!”

“I do not belong to you! I do not belong to you! I DO NOT BELONG TO YOU! My only bond is to that of Aurelia Provencal by reason of holy matrimony, blessed by the Almighty God and His servants! Loose your grip on me, and begone! Loose your grip on me and begone! LOOSE YOUR EVIL GRIP ON ME! AND BEGONE IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME!!”

With an ear-splitting, anguished wail, she writhed about in pain as a dark energy that bound her to Jeremy unravelled before their very eyes.  Everyone gasped as shadows around her twisted and writhed, and an ethereal light began to pierce through the room, dispelling the oppressive darkness.

Suddenly, the room erupted in a blinding burst of light so bright, it knocked everyone to the floor, and the witch, unable to withstand the purifying energy, disintegrated into particles of darkness.

Her wail of agony echoed one last time, then silence settled over the room as the light faded.

***

Smarting from the intensity of that light, Jeremy shook his head and rubbed his eyes. He lifted himself from the floor.

The water had disappeared. The appliances were back where they were supposed to be. Everything was back in shape.

An overwhelming burst of relief spread through his soul. It was over! Finally! The soul tie had been destroyed, and so had the witch! Freedom had finally come! He was truly free!

But as Jeremy looked up, his heart sank.

Above him stood Aurelia, the stoniest of expressions on her face. It was obvious that despite what had just happened, she was now processing the reality of his confession.

And as he expected, she looked angry. Very angry.

He slowly rose to his feet. “Aurelia, I-“

The slap that followed cut him short. Tears formed in his eyes as he beheld the fury in hers.

She turned from him and to their sons, who were standing near the sink. “Marcel! Terry! Let’s go! We’re staying in a hotel tonight.”

Marcel and Terry looked pretty stricken and upset by this order. After all they had just seen, why would Mummy tell them they had to leave? Especially when Daddy had just saved the day?

“Marcel! Terry! I won’t repeat myself. Let’s go! Now!”

Aurelia’s angry voice was enough to compel them to follow her as she moved out of the kitchen and stormed out of the house. Jeremy ran after them onto the compound.

“Please, Aurie! I’m sorry! Please, don’t leave! Please! I beg you! I’m sorry!”

All he got in return were cold, evil stares, as she opened the gate, walked to the door to her car, and got the boys to enter before entering herself.

“Baby, baby, please! Don’t leave! I’m sorry, I really am! Please!”

All of Jeremy’s pleas were ignored. She started up the car, moved out of the house, and sped off.

Jeremy remained on his knees as her BMW 7 Series moved out of the compound and drove away. With the car out of sight, his chest heaved while he struggled to keep it together.

It was a struggle he could not win.

Bursting into tears, he fell to his face on the floor, crying bitterly, not concerned about anything else. The gate was wide open and his car was still outside, but that was the last of his worries. The woman he loved more than anyone else in this world had walked out on him.

He might have been saved from destruction, but that which he had feared the most had finally caught up with him.

Wow, what a battle that was! Thank heavens Jeremy managed to defeat her. Aurelia’s now peeved, though. Hmmm…