Little 15 (Cities In Dust)

by L. D. Wosar

  “Next time, give me some warning. My back is killing me now from your little stunt,” she was furious, which was understandable but I had to teach her to contain that fury.

  “Do ya think Aisling or Aidan are going ta give ya warning?” She shook her head at ma question. I went right into another tactic any caster will do to render their victim helpless and lifted her off the ground. “What are ya going to do now that ya can’t use the Earth to use magic?”

  Sammie didn’t answer me or use magic as she lifted her knees, colliding my face with her sandy feet. I stumbled backward as she plummeted five feet down into the sand. “I am a gymnast and have been doing karate for a few years. I can defend myself without magic, as well.” I laughed at her comment and I have ta admit, this was bad ass.

  “I am sure if ya try that on Aisling or Aidan, ya won’t be bare feet. But here is what I recommend - if ya do that fancy kicking thing, follow it up immediately with the stun spell ya did on me a couple of minutes ago. Never ever take a break, because they won’t when we are pelted with an onslaught of magic weapons.” Sammie slowly rose to her feet, using my hand as leverage, while she brushed sand off her dress with the other hand. She didn’t wait for instruction before she walked over to the Aisling dummy and levitated her, holding the dummy for seconds before she sent it flying into one of the surrounding boulders. “Um, ya know, that would break her back. So, let’s not think of doing that to her.”

  “Here is the way I see it. If those two want to fight, I am not going to stand back and be a pussy, I am going to fight, Brendon. I can understand not doing magic, but there is only so much bullying a girl can take before she snaps.” Sammie told me as she carried the dummy back to where I set it up.

  “I get that, Sammie, I do - but if you don’t control this hothead of yours, it could be your demise.” Apparently, I said the wrong thing when she stomped over to me, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “You were sent to be my guardian, right?” I nodded, “so be a sentry not a teacher. I appreciate what you’re doing, but there stands a chance that when we are in a mini-battle with the two, everything you taught me may go out the window. The teachings have been a waste of time, in my opinion.” She sighed and bore her eyes into mine. “But spending time with you hasn’t and that is what I would rather do. I want to spend time with you, doing something fun, not learning magic that I have been using since I was a toddler.”

  Threading my fingers through my hair, I nervously asked, “Sammie, do you- um- do you like me?”

  “What?” There was confusion in her eyes as she arched a brow. I don’t think it was that hard of a question. “Do I like you?” I nodded, feeling more awkward than I did seconds ago. “Brendon? Yes, I do like you a lot but I am too young for you.”

  “You’re almost sixteen?!” I opened my mouth to comment on her age and she held her hand up to stop me.

  “Not until fall and my parents won’t let me date until I am seventeen and besides, I am not ready for a boyfriend nor do I see you as boyfriend material,” she gathered her shoes and walked up to the car. Although she told me I wasn’t boyfriend material, her thoughts told me otherwise and she had no idea that I could read her mind. Either that or maybe she does know and she is blocking some thoughts from me. I had no idea how many abilities she had. She was like a closed book on that, yet, it was something I hoped ta learn overtime.

  “Hey, Sammie? Wait?” I packed up my training tools and used a bit of magic, making the crate float to the car. Admittedly, I was too lazy ta carry it and it was heavy anyway. When I walked up, I told her, “I am sorry, that was inappropriate and I never should have brought it up. However, since I did bring it up, your thoughts are conflicting. Now that it is all said and done and I have thrown my feelings for ya out there, let’s get some food, I am starving.”

  The following Monday

  I waited for Sammie by her locker, curious about her relationship with Brendon. You can’t tell me it’s just friendship, I see him at her house almost every single day. She’ll use the excuse that she’s only fifteen and wouldn't think of dating at such a young age, especially with a hottie like Brendon Finnegan. Admittedly, I’m jealous but more curious about what she’s doing with him, if they're not lovey dovey with one another. I could always distract him and persuade him to come to Becca Land, he won’t be disappointed.

  “Sup Becca?” Sammie asked as she approached her locker, never once looking in my direction. I pretended like I was scrolling through Facebook and responded with feigned surprise to see her there.

  “Oh, sorry, Todd just sent me this really long Facebook message. It’s so cute that he’s named all of my freckles.” She rolled her eyes and slowly pulled the textbook out of her locker. “So, you and that hot Irishman are seeing a lot of one another, aren’t you?” Her eyes widened as I teased her, pulling on her shirtsleeve, only to receive the glare that I half expected. “Oh, come on, you can tell me, I’m your BFF!”

  “I’m your BFF? Since when, Becca? You’ve been treating me like I had the plague for months now. But for your information, there is nothing going on between Brendon and I. We’re just friends, nothing more.” She slammed her locker shut and walked away.

  “Wait, Sammie,” I caught up to her. “Look, I’m sorry for being so nosy. He’s just so cute and you’re, well, you’re you.” Sammie gasped, apparently offended by my comment about her. She was pretty, but she was nothing special, but I had to keep talking about Brendon, hoping to get some information from her. “You two look so great together. So, is he your prom date?” Sammie stopped walking and turned on the balls of her feet, her light gray eyes contorted with annoyance.

  Sammie gritted her teeth, “We are only sophomores, there is no prom for us. If anyone should know this, it is the Sophomore Class President. As much as this conversation has been less than enlightening, I need to go or I’ll be late to class.”

  If ya spend any more time with Brendon Finnegan, it’s yer funeral - daughter of Mavis Byrne.

  Sending her that mental message got her attention, hell, I didn’t even know she had that capability. You’re not this Hawaiian girl you claim you are.

  Nah, I’m not and just remember, Aisling Byrne is not one to be trifled with.

  I sent her books flying and she yelled, as she lifted one of the books up. “Those are only parlor tricks, Aisling.” Sammie released the book she held as it levitated for a few seconds before it flew toward me, but I was smart enough to duck. Well, from that one anyway. I was pegged in the head with another and saw halos in my eyes then darkness.

  I heard Sammie’s voice in my head, but it was distant. You were in such a hurry to get to class, you slipped and fell on your head.

  Did this girl just alter my mind? Ooooh, I feel faint and I can’t believe I was so clumsy.

  Later in the Nurse’s Office

  “Don’t get up too fast,” Miss Lincoln, the nurse, said gently. “You took a nasty spill in the hall. What were you thinking? This is why we don’t run down the halls.” She said while lightly smacking my hand, as if I were a kindergartener.

  I groaned, “Ugh, I’ve been tardy in the first period too many times and I couldn’t be late.” I tried to sit up and she pushed me down roughly.

  “I sent a note to Mr. Blevins, he completely understands but thinks you should do detention just for running in the halls.” She laughed, “He sure has a penchant for punishing students, doesn’t he? I mean with detention and all. Anyway, should I have your mother pick you up? It would be best for you to go home so she can keep an eye on you, since you did have a concussion.”

  “No, I’ll be fine.” She chuffed at my comment and dumped a bag of cookies and a juicebox on my stomach. Next I heard her on the phone with my mother and I flicked my fingers, sending the juicebox flying to the phone. “I told ya, I was fine, for Pete’s sake, Miss Lincoln.” I jumped off the cot, grabbed my backpack and flew out of the nurse’s office. The hallway was now a dark, creepy forest. Howls and whispers surr
ounded me, along with the pounding of my heart. My feet were heavy and it felt as if I were trudging through thick mud. Shadowy hooded figures with red, glowing eyes approached in a slow, deliberate fashion, repeating my name, ‘Aisling…..Aisling…..Aisling.’ The closer they got, they chanted, ‘Fire….Fire….Fire.’, ‘Aisling…..Aisling…..Aisling,’ then, ‘Fire….Fire….Fire.’

  When I turned, Miss Lincoln was holding a syringe with the longest needle I’d ever seen filled with bright orange liquid. “Come back for your medicine, Aisling Byrne or is it Becca Wannahockaloogie or is it Kassandra Lillywhite. Whoever you are, you will burn from the inside out?

  I woke up screaming my head off, flailing about on the cot while Miss Lincoln held me down. “Please, please...don’t burn me, I promise I will be a better witch. I am so sorry.” The concern in her eyes suddenly turned to shock at my revelation. “I need to go. Like Deja Vu, I jumped off the cot, grabbed my backpack, but this time, cautiously opened the door to the hallway, relieved it was wall to wall classmates.

  I wonder if Sammie somehow infiltrated my dreams, showing me some kind of premonition of how I was going to die in this life. Yet, I don’t think she has the power to do that, well, that I know of. On the other hand, for all I know, Brendon could be hiding somewhere in the school only with the intention to torture me.

  When I gained freedom through the crowded halls, I headed out to the front of the school. Sammie came out of nowhere and startled me, as if I wasn't traumatized enough. OMG, I swear she was stalking me and taunting me, why? I never took her for a bully. Now I felt guilty about encouraging Todd to leave her at the taco stand.

  “Next time you’ll think again before you have thoughts of destruction directed at me. You don’t know me to even hate me as much as you do.” She leaned into me, “If you are indeed Aisling Byrne, doesn't that make us cousins?”

  I didn’t answer her snarky question and ran off campus to my mother’s coffee shop. I am not a bully, got that? And, yeah, I know Sammie isn’t a bully either. I just didn’t like her by proxy of who her mother was and because of the secret her mother was keeping, a secret I know Sammie would never think to divulge to me, even if she knew where her mother hid her magic.

  While reading Jane Eyre, my mind was wandering toward the lyrics to, ‘Dear Prudence,’ the version by Siouxsie and the Banshees, not the Beatles. Just the part about the wind and the birds singing took me to the area outside the Santa Barbara Mission. With Brendon, there was serenity and I was calm with him. However, with Becca, it was more like The Cure song, ‘Why Can’t I Be You?’ - of course, she’d be singing it, not me. The mystery is, why is she so jealous of me? She’s a pretty girl, she’s super popular and she can have any guy she wants. I mean, she did date the Captain of the Varsity football team and others. I’ve never seen a girl go through boys like she did.

  Here I was, little, awkward Sammie Flowers who led a boring family life, although I loved my family, my life was uneventful, just the same. My mind went from Mom, Dad and Brant to that adorable Irish lad, Brendon Finnegan. Yes,I was crushing on an older boy, but that’s as far as that went. Brendon is seventeen, he is older and I am not allowed to date until I am seventeen and even still, we’d be chaperoned. My father always teased me, saying that I can’t date until I am married, which made no sense to some who didn’t understand his sense of humor.

  I decided to be brazen and call Brendon, just because I had to hear his voice if not for any other reason.

  “Hello, Lassie!”

  I loved it when he called me that, which was often. “Hi Brendon, I was bored and had to call you.”

  “Oh, so the only time ya think of me is when you’re bored?” He chuckled. “I am glad ya called, I’ve got some news for ya.”

  “Oh really? What news do you have for me?” I was confused by what this news was, but more intrigued than anything.

  “I need ta tell ye in person at our spot.” We had a spot? I was unaware unless he meant to tell this to another. My heart dropped to my stomach at the thought that he was interested in another or perhaps, working with another. However, I'm not sure how since we spent a lot of time together. “Are ya busy?” I became speechless and zoned out, “Sammie?”

  “Um, yeah, no I’m just super bored. Same spot? Or different place?” He never responded and after a full minute, I closed out the conversation. “So, I guess I’ll see you soon.”

  Later at Bonvoy Park

  The moment we jumped off the bike, Brendon took my hand without a word spoken as we walked to our spot. “What do ya think about going ta ireland with me?”

  “I can’t just drop finals and go to Ireland,” I had one month of school left and my future depended on my grades on finals, in addition to my SAT scores. I had busted my hump to keep my grades up to reflect what I altered in my records.

  Brendon chuckled, “I meant a week after the school session ends.” He opened an app on his phone and showed me the itinerary. He had already purchased the tickets without even talking to me about it first. I had to get permission from my parents. I didn’t even have a passport. It was poor planning on his part, but now I didn’t have a choice but to get my passport and tell my parents.

  “I need to tell my parents first. But why? Why would you want to take me? A girl you barely know all the way to Ireland?” Brendon didn’t answer me right away and looked forward. “Brendon?”

  “I had to tell you here because of your neighbor and I would rather give you a history lesson now than make you wait until we got to Ireland. It’s also better ya hear it from me and not a third party, like ma headmaster. How much do ya know about yer mother?”

  This was shocking to hear this already and I have yet to learn about my mother’s past, except for what she’s told me. “She grew up a military child, met my father in college and they fell in love. The end.”

  “Did you ever wonder how she knows so much about witchcraft and what not?”

  I shrugged at Brendon' question, which was bordering on invasive. “Lately, since meeting Becca and you, I’ve been more curious about that and of course, the older I became I did ask how two humans could have a daughter who was a witch.” I sighed heavily, “yet, I could never find the time or a right way on how to approach my mother on the topic. So, tell me a story, Brendon.”

  “Several years ago, there was a set of twins who shared the same gift; however, one was far more powerful than the other. While the boy practiced the dark arts, the girl preferred the healing powers of her magic, of course, using nature to nurture her magic. It is an old custom that when the twins reach the age of eighteen they need to merge their magic. The boy knew he had the one up on this and knew once he merged with his twin, she would become one with nature, while he became more powerful. The girl didn’t want to give her twin what was hers and hid it in a cave somewhere in the forest outside the Draíocht Coven. The twin sister buried the necklace so well, he would never find it. She also changed her identity and took a one way portal ta where he’d never find her.” Letting out a heavy sigh, he continued, “Sammie, this was a story I grew up with, but I believe it ta be true.”

  I listened intently, feeling the knots in my stomach tighten. “Let me guess, the girl is my mother?” Brendon nodded his head.

  “Aye. She was Mavis Byrne and her twin, Aidan, was presumably executed for whatever crime, I’ve no idea. But, Sammie. I don’t think Aidan is dead, his presence is strong with me.”

  Sammie pulled her hand away when Brendon took it, “I am surprised my mother can’t feel him.”

  “She doesn’t feel his presence because she doesn’t practice magic and her powers are locked away somewhere in Ireland. But, Sammie, there is another one, Aidan’s daughter, who was a babe when her father was presumably killed.” Brendon tightened his mouth and glanced in my direction. “It’s a confusing story. Allegedly, her mother died at birth and her father was burned at the pyre in some town close ta Cork. Yet, while I was at the school, there was never a mention of any other
living family members. But she was gone when I turned twelve, never ta be heard from by anyone at the coven until the minute I stepped foot off the plane in Santa Barbara.”

  “Are you talking about Becca?” He nodded.

  “Her name isn’t Becca with that long ass Hawaiian name. It’s Aisling Byrne - also she changed her look to appear Hawaiian. Aisling and Aidan Byrne are shifters. They change inta other people or animals in the blink of an eye. Soo,” he stood up and stretched before giving a single loud clap that echoed through the valley. “We need ta go ta Ireland and find Mavis Byrne’s Box o’ magic before Aidan and Aisling do.”

  I rose to my feet, in shock that this was all dumped on me and I was upset, feeling as though I had been lied to all of these years.

  “Brendon, can you take me home? I need to have a word with my mother.”

  “What are ya going ta say to her?”

  I glared at him, crossing my arms in defiance, “What do you think? I understand why she lied, but I want to give her the assurance that I will protect her to the ends of the Earth and that I will-um. If it’s alright with her, I want to -um.”

  Brendon answered for me, “Siphon her magic?”

  Feeling tears well in my eyes, I nodded. “This is why you’re bringing me to Ireland, right?”

  A guilty grin appeared on his handsome features and he simply shrugged without verbally telling me. “Maybe this is the only way to be rid of those two once and for all before they do any real damage to me and my family.”

  “Um, do ya have any idea how powerful those two are? Alone, they are mediocre casters at best, together they are a force not ta be taken lightly.” Brendon told me with alarm in his voice and I wondered if this was the first he ever feared for his life and I think my life too.