The Crimson Well by Benjamin Hulme-Cross

 
    Chapter 1
    A Midwinter Journey
    Mr Blood, Mary and Edgar stood by the side of the road. The coachman was shaking his head and staring at the ground.
    â€œWhat do you mean, you won’t take us there?” Mr Blood shouted. “That’s what we are paying you to do.”
    â€œThen keep your money,” said the coachman. “The stone circle is no place for us tonight. It is midwinter.”

    Mary looked excited. Edgar felt nervous. They were going to an ancient circle of standing stones. Mr Blood had not said why.
    â€œAt least take us a little closer,” said Mr Blood.
    The coachman shook his head again.

    â€œNot tonight. The past six years at midwinter there has been...” His voice trailed off.
    â€œWitchcraft?” Mr Blood asked. The man nodded. “That is why we are here,” said Mr Blood. “To stop the witchcraft.”
    â€œI dare not take you any closer,” the coachman said.
    â€œYou must!” said Mr Blood. “We will not get there in time if we walk. Take us as far as you can along the road and drop us near to the stone circle. Then we will deal with the witchcraft that makes you so afraid.”

    The coachman stared at the ground.
    â€œCome on, man!” Mr Blood shouted. “I have two children with me who are less afraid than you.”
    In the end, the coachman said he would take them closer to the stone circle.

    They got into the coach. The coachman climbed up behind the horses and they set off along the road once more.
    It took a few hours to get there. Edgar and Mary asked Mr Blood to tell them more about where they were going but he shook his head. “It is very dark magic,” he said.
    At last the coach stopped again. The coachman opened the door and they got out.
    â€œFollow the road and you will see a track leading uphill,” said the coachman. “Follow the track. When it starts going downhill you will see the stones.”

    Without waiting for Mr Blood to pay him, the coachman jumped back on the coach. He cracked his whip and drove away. Mr Blood, Edgar and Mary were alone.
    Â 
    Chapter 2
    The Stone Circle
    They followed the track until they saw the stone circle. The tall, dark stones looked like a circle of giants. It was late afternoon and the sky was black with clouds.

    As they came nearer they saw a smaller circle of wooden posts, inside the stone circle.
    â€œWhat do you think is going to happen?” Mary asked.
    â€œWitches have met here at midwinter for six years.” Mr Blood said. “This is the seventh year and seven is a powerful number in bad magic.”
    â€œYes, but what are the witches trying to do?” said Edgar.
    â€œI fear that they will try to bring out Evil itself,” replied Mr Blood. “If I am right, they will make a sacrifice.”

    They reached the stone circle. There were twisting patterns carved into the stones. Edgar and Mary stared up at them.
    â€œThese stones were placed here hundreds of years ago,” said Mr Blood. “This should be a place to worship the light, not to call evil into the world.”
    They walked on towards the smaller circle of wooden posts. The carvings in the wood showed beasts with huge, savage fangs. Edgar looked at a carving of a monster which was half human, half snake.

    â€œDid the witches put these here?” asked Edgar.
    â€œThat’s right,” said Mr Blood. “They believe that all the evil in the world comes from a giant snake. They hope to call him from under the ground and set him loose. We
must
stop them.
    Mr Blood breathed deeply. “If the witches raise the giant snake it will travel the world killing people,” he said.
    â€œCan nothing stop it?” asked Edgar.
    Mr Blood shook his head.
    â€œOnce it is loose, the only way to stop the snake is to spill its blood in the place where it was called into the world.”

    â€œI’m thirsty!” said Mary. “Is this a well?”