The Trees Have Ears Part 7

"How exactly are we supposed to stop Melody, Karen? She has so many witches with her."
"We stand together, Jenn, that is how we defeat her. Our combined energy will be enough as long as we do not stray from one another. Ellie, what is the best way to defeat Melody?"
"We need to reach out to some of her witches. If we can get them to stand with us, we would have a better chance of defeating her. Derek, you are our best chance for doing that."
"No!!! I am not allowing my family to be put up on the butchers block again! There has to be a better way!"
Derek moved and took Karen in his arms. HE kissed her gently. "Karen, this IS our family. All of them. One life isn't more important than the others. If you want us to live, then this is how we have to do it."
"Why you, Derek!?! You are the least enchanted of us all."
"That is exactly why we do need him, Karen. He is the one that may reach the younger witches without Melody knowing. She is tuned into us and may miss him or Dismiss him as insignificant." Ellie stopped and pointed at some paper on the table. She put her fingers to her lips to quiet them all.She wrote on the paper.
{For a few minutes, we need to write. The trees are still listening, I am sure. Our plan must be unheard. We need to send Derek out through the trees. We can cloak him for a little while. Derek can only be out for 5 minutes. Any longer and our energy will be weakened and Melody will see him.}
~~He is unsafe outside of the trees, Ellie. You know that!!!!~~
{Not for the first few minutes. He needs to the witches and see if he can turn them. We don't need their energy. We just need them NOT to give it to Melody against us. Derek is the only one that has the power of telepathy that is not going to stand out. Seek out their thoughts Derek. Find the scared ones. They will turn the easiest.}
~~If for even a moment you think Melody is on to you, get back in here, Derek. I mean that!!!~~
Derek nodded and went to the door. {We will open the doorway through the trees for only a second. You must hurry through so we can close it. We will be listening from the trees.} Derek walked silently until he reached the edge of the trees. He waited for the door to open. As it did, he rushed through it, tripping and falling as he did. When he looked up from the ground, he saw Melody standing above him. He waited for the feel of her energy to rip through his body. It did not come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What was that!?!? I felt a breeze come through the trees."
"It must have been just wind, Melody. Nothing opened up."
"I know what a breeze feels like, Melinda! This was more than that. Almost as if a portal opened and then slammed shut. Start looking harder!"
"The girls are working as hard as they can Melody. But if your vast powers and energy can't see through the trees, how are we suppose to do that?"
Melody's hand moved so fast that Melinda never even saw it coming. 'SLAPPPPPPP!!!' Melinda was knocked from her feet. The other witches watched, some cowered as they watched Melody swing her wand around. Suddenly her hand stopped and the wand was pointing directly at Melinda. She smiled and then snapped the wand like a whip.Melinda was tossed across the highway. She landed in the gravel. Derek seized the moment and spoke to her mind.
"You din't need to be with her. She has hurt you over and over. Be with Karen and help us destroy Melody. Your entire life will be different. It will be free and safe."
Just as the next wave of energy struck Melinda she cried out. "Yes-s-s-s-s-s-s! Yes, I will!!" She stood up as the energy ripped through her body. "You don't have to live this way, ladies!!!" She looked at every witch present. "We are not Melody's property do do as she pleases with! Do not let her kill the one witch that could make us what we are supposed to be! We are Not Slaves!!!! We ARE Witches-s-s-s-s-s!!"
A surge of energy ignited from Melody's wand. The energy was so powerful, it scorched the faces of three witches standing to near Melinda. It hit Melinda and her entire body began to shake. She wrapped her arms around herself and screamed as her hair erupted into flames. Her body was covered in flame in seconds.
"Fight ladies!! We have a friend In Karen!! Melody is wrong." And then, there was silence. All that remained where Melinda had stood moments before was a scorched body. It moved involuntarily on the highway. The witches stood staring at the body. Fear was in their eyes. They turned away from the corpse and looked at Melody. She stared back at them, growling like a Lioness that had just made a kill.
"Anybody care to challenge me!? I am the most powerful with alive. Help me kill Karen and her pathetic family and I will reward you with anything you wish for! Turn on me or help the witches in those trees... and I will burn you to ashes! I hope that I have made myself clear!"
Derek sent out a signal to the witches. "Come with me. Fight with Karen and you WILL be free. I promise you!"
Witches looked all around. They searched for where the voice was coming from. Some of them backed slowly away from Melody. They gathered as close to the trees as they could. Moving their arms, they made gestures of searching again for a doorway. Derek could feel something changing around him. A breeze was blowing across his body. A witch look down at her feet. Her eyes told Derek the frightening truth. He put his fingers to his lips and spoke, almost in a whisper.
"Please, I am here to help you. Please don't say anything. She will kill me and kill you in the process."
The witch gave Derek a nod and stood in front of him, trying her best to conceal him. Suddenly, a voice from behind him sent chills down his spine. He felt physically ill to his stomach.
"I thought I killed you once already, you poor excuse for a witch. Nice of you to come visit me though. This time, I Will Not Fail. Say goodbye, Derek!"
Derek watched as Melody lifted her wand in the air...