Witching Stone

Alfie encounters a superstition about a witch buried beneath a stone in a graveyard during his summer holidays with his dad in a tiny village in the North of England. He challenges the superstition, thinking it's nonsense, but soon realizes he's made the biggest mistake of his life.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 282 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2020
Publisher: UCLan Publishing

Beneath this stone lies the remains of Meg Shelton, the alleged witch of Woodplumpton, buried in 1705. After a messy breakup with his girlfriend, Alfie needs to get away for a while – so he decides to spend the summer holidays with his dad in a tiny village in the North of England.

In the local church graveyard, he chances upon a boulder with a strange inscription and meets Mia, who then tells him about the local superstition surrounding the stone.

"If you walk three times around the stone and say, "I don't believe in witches," Meg will come after you." Alfie, in a reckless attempt to show his bravery, accepts the superstition as a challenge. He thinks the story is nonsense. But it soon becomes apparent that he has just made the biggest mistake of his life.

As he walks around the stone, he begins to feel a strange presence surrounding him. He hears whispers in the wind and sees shadows moving in the corners of his eyes. He tries to ignore the feeling, but it grows stronger with each passing moment.

On the third walk around the stone, Alfie feels a hand touch his shoulder. He turns around, but no one is there. He shivers with fear and tries to run, but his legs won't move.

Suddenly, Meg Shelton appears before him, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. She reaches out her hand and touches Alfie's face, and he feels a burning sensation as if he is being burned alive.

Alfie screams in pain and tries to fight back, but Meg is too powerful. She throws him to the ground and begins to chant a strange spell.

"I am the witch of Woodplumpton, and I will not be denied. You have challenged me, and I will not let you go."

Alfie tries to resist, but he is powerless against Meg's spell. He feels his body being taken over by the witch's power, and he hears her voice in his head, telling him to do her bidding.

Days pass, and Alfie is trapped in the witch's cave, forced to do her bidding. He is tortured and beaten, and his mind is twisted by the witch's magic. He is completely under her control.

But then, something strange happens. Alfie begins to remember his past life, the life he had before he met Mia and the stone. He remembers his family, his friends, and the girl he loved. He realizes that he is not alone and that there is still hope for him.

With newfound determination, Alfie begins to fight back against Meg. He uses his knowledge of magic to create a spell that will break the witch's hold over him. He chants the spell with all his might, and it works.

Meg is defeated, and Alfie is freed from her spell. He is weak and exhausted, but he is alive. He stands up and looks around, and he sees that the village has been transformed. The people are no longer afraid of the witch, and they are grateful to Alfie for saving them.

Alfie returns home, a changed man. He has learned a valuable lesson about the power of superstition and the importance of believing in oneself. He knows that he can overcome any obstacle if he puts his mind to it.

And he also knows that he will never forget the lessons he learned in the village of Woodplumpton. The lessons of bravery, determination, and the power of magic.

In conclusion, "The Stone" is a thrilling and suspenseful story that explores the power of superstition and the dangers of challenging the unknown. It is a reminder that sometimes, the things we think are nonsense can be the most dangerous things in the world. But it is also a story of hope and bravery, of the human spirit's ability to overcome even the most impossible odds.

Weight: 276g
Dimension: 130 x 197 x 42 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912979387