The Stone Witch by Benjamin Hulme-Cross, Nelson Evergreen

Chapter 2

The Witch
    As they walked, Dr Hawkins told them the story.
    â€œThe Stone Witch put terrible curses on anyone who did not do as she said. She killed people in very nasty ways. She was very old, much older than anyone else here.”
    Dr Hawkins went on, “Then one day, she came down from her cave and into our village. The Stone Witch called us all out into the street and told us that she was dying. We were not sorry.
    â€œShe said that we had to turn her cave into a tomb. We must cover the mouth of the cave with a slab of rock and take food to the tomb once a month.”

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    Dr Hawkins looked grim. “She said that a curse would fall on the whole village if we did not do as she told us. Nothing would grow in our fields. Our cows would die. We would all starve.”
    â€œAnd has this happened now?” asked Mr Blood.
    â€œYes, sir,” said Dr Hawkins. “Nothing grows in our fields. The cows are all dead.”
    â€œBut did you do as she said?” asked Mr Blood.
    â€œYes, we did,” said Dr Hawkins. “Her cave is a tomb and every month we all left her food. We don’t know what is going on now. We have done what she told us for seven years.”

    â€œSeven years?” said Mr Blood. “Then we may be in real danger.”
    Dr Hawkins stopped walking. A thin slab of stone was leaning against some huge rocks.
    â€œHere is the cave, sir,” he said. “It is behind this stone slab.”

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    â€œI have bad news for you,” said Mr Blood. “Strong witches can cheat death. They put their magic into something else before they die.
    â€œThey stay dead for seven years. Then, if their magic is strong enough, they start to take life from other people. The witch comes back to life in a new shape. And she comes back with even more power than before.”
    The villagers began to panic.
    Dr Hawkins looked pale. “What can we do?” he asked.
    â€œIf you do nothing, she will feed on you, and grow stronger,” said Mr Blood. “She will soon come back to life in her new shape. Then she will open the cave herself.”
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    â€œSo you have two choices,” said Mr Blood. “You can do nothing and let her come back. Or you can let me open the cave now. Then I will try to stop her.”
    Some of the people shouted, “Kill her!”
    â€œWe do not want her to come back to life,” said Dr Hawkins. “Please try to stop this now.”

    â€œVery well,” said Mr Blood. “But I warn you, there will be a curse on the tomb. When I open the cave, the curse will start to act. I don’t know what will happen. But I am sure it will be bad.
    â€œNow, I will need some help to shift this stone slab.”
    Nobody moved.

Chapter 3

Opening
    Nobody wanted to help open the tomb.
    Mr Blood sighed. “Someone, please get me a stick.”
    A very old man stepped forward. He had a long thick piece of wood in his hand.
    â€œUse this,” the old man said, handing the stick to Mr Blood.
    â€œI will help you,” said Dr Hawkins.
    He and Mr Blood placed the stick into a gap behind the slab. They pulled on the stick.
    The slab began to move. It fell away from the pile of rocks and slid down the slope. It made a wild screech as it fell.
    Then there was silence.

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    Mr Blood walked into the open tomb. Mary stepped forward to follow him. Edgar grabbed her arm.
    â€œAre you mad?” he hissed. “Did you not hear the story?”
    Mary pushed his hand away. “Don’t you want to see what’s inside?” she said. She went into the tomb.
    Dr Hawkins looked at Edgar. They were both worried. Slowly, they went into the cave.
    There were lots of strange objects on ledges along the walls of the cave.

    Edgar saw small bottles of red liquid, and ugly little carvings made out of bone.
    They walked on. Edgar was too scared to breathe.
    They reached the back of the cave. There was nothing