by Chase Connor
“Surely.” Lucas snorted and pulled my hand back into his. “What other option do we have, though? That’s my whole argument. We can drive around Point Worth until you run out of gas—which, by the way, we’re running dangerously low on—or the sun comes up, whichever is first. Or we can go see if your—Esther Jean Wagner can help.”
“How do we know she won’t just attack us when we show up?”
“I don’t.”
“If she starts a fight, I’m not so sure I can take her, babe.” I sighed. “She could easily kill us both. I mean, maybe. Sometimes she acts scared of me. Like she’s afraid I’ll blast her to smithereens or something…but other times…she’s kind of formidable.”
Lucas laughed.
“Yeah.” He said. “I’ve seen those looks she gets.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Rob,” He sighed, “just one last point I can make here. She kept you alive until you decided to leave town, and—”
“Which she probably put into my head!”
“—and if she wanted to do you harm, don’t you think she would have done it when you were young and defenseless? When you didn’t know how to use your magic?”
“I don’t remember, Lucas,” I grumbled. “Forget that part? Maybe she did try in the past and wasn’t able? I don’t have any idea what might have happened between us before I ran off. Which, I can’t even remember why I really decided to do that.”
“We decided that you should leave,” Lucas said suddenly. “You and I.”
“What?”
“You and I made that decision,” Lucas stated, his eyes darting around as if trying to remember something. “Maybe Esther Jean had something to do with that, but—”
“Is that something you just know again?” I urged him on.
“No, Rob.” Lucas turned to me, his eyes suddenly focused. “I just remembered that.”
I just stared at him.
“Why are we getting glimpses of memories we didn’t have before?” Lucas asked hurriedly. “Every now and then, I’m getting memories I didn’t have…minutes ago. What is that about? Is Esther Jean still messing with us somehow? Is that a real memory? Is it fake? What’s going on, babe?”
Chewing at my lip, I thought about that.
“You said something is draining magic out of Point Worth?” I began.
“Yeah?”
“Maybe whatever was keeping us in this…fog…is being stripped away, too.” I suggested warily. “If we wait long enough…”
“We’ll remember everything?” Lucas finished for me. “Like…remember the actual truth?”
“Maybe?”
Lucas continued to stare at me, as if processing that thought, working it over in his brain from beginning to end. Testing out the strength of such a theory before he settled on believing it to be true.
“Okay,” I said. “Okay. Okay. So…I’m the only person in this town whose magic isn’t tied to him, right?”
“Okay. Sure.”
“Say the magic is tied to this land. To Point Worth. He’s been siphoning off the land over the years…however many years he’s been trapped—”
“I think he’s been around a really long time, babe.” Lucas shivered.
“Right.” I nodded. “He’s been siphoning it and parceling it out. Preparing for…I don’t know. His return?”
“Okay. I can follow that.”
“Now he’s sucking it all back up. He’s loading up for bear, Lucas.”
“Are you the bear?” Lucas whispered.
“Obviously.” I shrugged, then shivered involuntarily. “I just don’t know why I’m a bear. I’m barely…anything. But, without my memories, I have no clue if I know the answer to that stuck somewhere in the deep corners of my mind or not. Maybe I do know…I just can’t remember?”
“We have to see Esther Jean,” Lucas stated firmly. “If she’s losing her magic, too—”
“She said the other day that the Kobolds disappeared because…”
“Because why?”
“She made it sound like it was because I had jumped in the well and used up the magic that was left there,” I said quickly. “Maybe that was a reservoir of some kind that only people in my family could get to…or maybe they disappeared because he’s been draining magic for years now. The magic in the well was the only thing keeping them from being…sucked up…too?”
“That makes a little sense,” Lucas said, then grumbled. “I wish I had my freaking memories. The real ones.”
I nodded along. “But Oma—Esther Jean—said there was no point in planting the garden anymore. I’m not sure why she ever started planting it—I don’t have a memory of the first time she planted it—but maybe she meant that the magic in the land was getting sucked up and the garden wouldn’t thrive anyway. If that makes sense?”
“A little.”
My eyes met Lucas’.
“He’s definitely planning something big, babe.”
“Let’s see Esther Jean,” Lucas repeated. “Let’s go.”
Sighing, I reached for the keys in the ignition. Pausing, I turned my head to look into Lucas’ eyes again.
“If she kills me, you, or both of us, I’m going to be very pissed at you.” I winked, though my stomach was like lead.
“Well, we can argue about it in Hell.” Lucas chuckled nervously.
“Why wouldn’t we go to Heaven?” I laughed as I started the car.
“No one is going to let two perverts like us past the Pearly Gates, babe,” Lucas replied as he fastened his seatbelt.
“God loves the gays.” I admonished him playfully as I put the car into reverse and eased up off of the brake. “He gave us Matt Bomer and Luke Evans.”
“And another certain gay, hunky movie star.” Lucas reached over to pinch my cheek as I laughed and started backing up.
Chapter 6
The Sunny Side-Up Café had flames licking up the north wall, inching towards the roof. The modest, yet beautiful, bushes out front were already skeletal candles, their flames licking towards the sky. Before long, the flames would be crawling over every inch of the café, devouring it from the outside in, until it was nothing more than a shell. The crack that ran down the center of Main Street was more than wide enough for a grown man to dive into, splitting the town of Point Worth from South to North. When the sun started to rise over the eastern horizon, night and day would meet at the center of town, and only one would win the battle.
Carlita held her hand out before her, focusing on the crack, doing her best to use what magics she had left to slow the widening of the chasm. Jackson Barkley still stood to her side, watching nervously as the ground rumbled beneath their feet, yet the crack didn’t grow wider. Andrew was chewing at his lip on Carlita’s other side, watching with the same level of anxiety as Jackson Barkley, wondering if Carlita could hold out long enough. Ever composed, Carlita’s face was an impassive mask as she focused on the task before her. All she had to do was give Rob, Lucas, and Esther Jean just enough time to figure out a plan.
Deep in her mind, Carlita knew that Rob and Lucas had made a decision—one that neither of them quite understood yet. Carlita also knew that Esther Jean was aware and was preparing for their arrival. Beyond that, Carlita had no idea what was to come, which was a strange experience for an oracle. Carlita had lived her very long life always one step ahead of the game, knowing where she had to be, when she needed to be there, and why she needed to do the things she did. Aside from doing everything in her limited magical power to keep the crack in Main Street from spreading, she knew only one other thing.
And she was prepared for that if nothing else.
“Carlita,” Jackson grumbled nervously.
“Yes, honey?” She responded simply, as though the work she was doing wasn’t testing her down to her bones.
“There’s no way you can hold it together forever.” He said gently.
“Well,” Carlita answered, “I don’t have to, do I?”
“This i
s crazy.” Andrew spat, though he didn’t move to run away or abandon his friends.
“Well, if there was money in stating the obvious, you’d be able to take us all to the Bahamas, baby.” Carlita turned her head to wink at him.
Beads of sweat were appearing on her brow, though her smile didn’t falter. Andrew shook his head, but a smile came to his face. The ground stopped rumbling, but only for the briefest of moments, which took all three of them by surprise. Carlita frowned and turned to look at the crack in Main Street. Slowly, she pulled back on her magic and lowered her arm. Steam still continued to rise from the crack, but the ground was still, and the crack didn’t suddenly split open before them. Jackson shifted nervously from foot to foot as Carlita and Andrew both stared down at the crevice before them.
“Well,” Carlita mumbled, “I guess we just have to wait and—”
“Carlita!” Andrew gasped, his hand reaching out to squeeze her forearm.
“What?” She replied in unison with Jackson.
“Shit.” Andrew hissed.
Carlita looked over at Andrew, to find him staring off towards the east end of Main Street. Jackson followed suit, his eyes traveling from the crack and over to Andrew. When they saw the fear in their friend’s eyes, and where he was looking, their heads turned in unison to search out whatever he had seen. At the east end of Main Street, two wolves were standing shoulder to shoulder, red eyes glowing in the darkness at the end of the street that the flames—which were licking up the side of The Sunny Side-Up Café—did not cast light on yet. Both wolves’ fangs were on display as they growled at the threesome at the other end of the crevice on Main Street.
“I’m surprised,” Carlita stated blandly, turning her head to look at her friends in turn. “Are you surprised?”
“Carlita.” Jackson whimpered, shifting more as he stood beside her.
“Goddamnit.” Andrew hissed.
“Jackson Barkley,” Carlita stated with finality. “I think it’s time you go on into the hardware store, don’t you? Give Esther Jean a call.”
“Wuh-what?” Jackson stammered.
“Let her know she doesn’t have much time, would you?” Carlita nudged him. “Go on now. Get out of the way. You got other things you need to be doing.”
Jackson stared into Carlita’s eyes for a few moments, as though unsure if he should listen or not. Would he be cowardly for abandoning his friends in their time of need—to make a phone call?
The ground began rumbling again, and the crack spread another inch. Steam exploded in bursts from deep within.
“Well?” Carlita nudged him harder. “Go. Tell Esther Jean to be ready, Jackson. Only you can do this.”
“Right.” Jackson nodded shakily. “Okay. Yeah.”
When he showed no actual intention of moving, Carlita smiled warmly and reached for his hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze.
“My friend.” She said. “You’ve done well. For your part.”
A single tear slid down Jackson’s cheek.
“I didn’t really expect this to happen, ya’ know?” Jackson shook his head.
“Well, I wish I could say I had your same confidence.” Carlita chuckled. “Now go. Please.”
Jackson nodded once, and then he was sprinting towards his hardware store as fast as his legs allowed. Carlita sighed as she watched him go, knowing she would never see the man again.
“Baby,” Carlita turned to Andrew, “it’s your time to shine.”
“Right.” Andrew didn’t look at her.
His eyes were on the wolves at the other end of the street.
“Don’t let me down,” Carlita stated as she raised her hand towards the crack once more.
As magic poured forth in a column from Carlita’s hand towards the growing crevice, and the ground shook underfoot, Andrew fell to all fours. A ripple of magic coursed through the air, and Andrew’s body started to shift. The wolves at the end of the street leaned their heads back, fangs still showing as they howled up at the moon. The flames from The Sunny Side-Up Care shot into the air, roaring with fury as Andrew’s skin violently split, sending fluids and sinew flying as he spontaneously turned. Carlita ignored the splatter of liquid against her side as she focused on the crack in the street.
Then two wolves charged west. Another wolf charged east to meet them.
The ground shook.
A low cackle carried on the wind.
“That’s what she said, Esther Jean.” Jackson Barkley’s voice was shaky over the static-y line.
Esther Jean stood in the kitchen, holding the large phone receiver to her ear. The only landline in the house had always hung just inside the kitchen next to the door that led to the cellar. Why Jackson Barkley hadn’t bothered calling her on her cellphone was beyond her, but Esther Jean knew the call was important, regardless of the method of delivery. Cell service was probably down anyway. At least in Point Worth. She slid one hand into the pocket of her bib overalls and leaned her shoulder against the wall as she stared out at nothing.
“Well, I guess you’d have no reason to lie to me.” She sighed into the receiver, wondering if the static would make it difficult for Jackson to understand her. “What’s goin’ on there?”
“Are you fuckin’ crazy, Esther Jean Wagner?” Jackson barked, though humor slipped into his tone. “Carlita’s doin’ all she can to keep this town from turnin’ into one big sinkhole and Andrew’s off fightin’ pack. And you want to know how we’re doin’? If my own long-departed wife rose from the grave, walked up in here, and took a shit on the check-out counter, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. How’s that for how we’re doin’?”
“That’s about how I figured it was goin’.” Esther Jean sighed. “All right. Well, y’all keep doin’ the best you can. I got pots on every fire over here, too.”
“I’m sure you do,” Jackson grumbled in disbelief. “Probably sipping iced tea and waitin’ on the boys to show up.”
“Well, that’s my lot in life, ya’ old bastard.”
“I never did like you.”
“Well,” Esther Jean waggled her head, though there was no one to see it anymore, “you didn’t have trouble liking me a few times after Betty Lynn died to get away from ya’.”
Even with everything happening on Main Street, Jackson Barkley’s laughter carried across the line to the receiver in her hand.
“I’ll miss the good times, that’s for sure.” Jackson sniffed. “Esther Jean?”
“What, bastard?”
“Tell my grandson I love him. Might not get a chance myself.”
“I’ll do it. Twice.” Esther Jean nodded firmly. “Tell Carlita, if you get the chance, that I’ll make sure she didn’t fight for nothin’. Ya’ hear me?”
“All right,” Jackson answered. “And Esther Jean?”
“Yeah?” She barked, feigning annoyance.
But the line went dead.
The ground beneath the house rumbled gently, if “gentle” was ever a way to describe the movement from below. Sighing to herself, Esther Jean returned the receiver to its cradle smoothly. Just as quickly as it had started, the rumbling beneath the house stopped. She wanted to believe that maybe a miracle had occurred, but she knew better. It wouldn’t be long before the ground was shaking again. When it did, it would be a shake to end all shakes. Esther Jean shuffled over wearily, her arms and legs feeling like lead, and grabbed her glass of tea off of the kitchen table. She looked around the kitchen one last time, then exited the kitchen, making her way to the front door.
When she exited the house, she didn’t bother shutting the door behind herself. Anything that would want in the house would have no trouble finding its way in, closed doors and windows be damned. There was no protecting herself or her home any longer, so why bother pretending otherwise? Esther Jean shuffled out onto the porch, her legs pulling downwards, as if trying to send her into the Earth. She ignored the sensation, having felt it dozens, if not hundreds of times over the years—just never this strongly. Ins
tead, she shuffled over to a chair and eased herself down.
Bringing the glass of tea to her lips, she took a sip. Licking her lips, she lowered the glass to the arm of the chair, cradling it in her hand there.
“Now,” She looked out over her property into the thickening darkness that was slowly making the stars and moon blink out, “where the hell are them boys at?”
Lucas felt like a livewire next to me, the way he was shifting and shimmying in the passenger seat of the car as it idled at the opening to the driveway. The drive from the wooded area where we had parked, a few miles from Lucas’ house on the shore of Lake Erie, to Oma’s house had felt…different. Although I’d made the drive dozens of times over the last few weeks, the drive felt longer this time. But also, shorter. Lucas had remained silent the entire time, and I had nothing to distract me from the sense of impending doom permeating every fiber of my being. I both wanted to find someone to help us, yet I didn’t want to see Oma. In my heart of hearts, I knew she wasn’t my grandmother. I knew she had done nothing but lie and deceive me for my entire life. The reasons were completely unknown to me, and I wasn’t sure I’d understand even if I had all of my memories back.
With the silence of Lucas making the ride tense, not wanting to see Oma, but also concerned about finding anyone who could help us with our problem, the ride felt both torturously slow and fretfully fast. As we sat at the end of the driveway, the car in Drive but my foot on the brake, I couldn’t help but feel that it was darker outside than usual. The darkness that surrounded us out on the old road that led to the lake and Oma’s house felt almost tangible. As if something was closing in around us, crushing down upon us.
Somewhere, in the furthest reaches of my brain, I knew that it wasn’t just my imagination that the darkness was thicker and blacker than usual for no reason. The man in the black hooded cloak was coming, and that was affecting everything in Point Worth. If we were right in our hypothesis about what was going on in our little hometown, that made a lot of sense. He was draining everything from the land, all of the magic that made it what it was. He was siphoning off everything that was good and pure—even any source of light that chased away bad things.