Dreams of Fire

by Christian Cura

  Saba laid back down and tried to sleep once more.

  Kara Hartman Georgetown, District of Columbia, Present

  One afternoon at lunch, Kara sat at the table with Terry and Daniela while they talked animatedly about a movie they had seen together the previous night. Kara’s chicken sandwich lay on her plate half-eaten as she listened only distantly to the conversation. She held her phone out in front of her and texted Selene.

  Hey! There’s a new botanical garden opening in Dupont this weekend. Would you like to check it out with me? Kara waited silently for a reply as Terry got to the punch-line of his favorite scene. He and Daniela laughed heartily.

  It was only a moment before Selene replied, I’d love to.

  Kara smiled and replied Great! I’ll send you the address. She was in the middle of typing out the street name when Terry suddenly addressed her.

  “You textin’ your special lady, Kara?” he asked with a knowing twinkle in his eye.

  Kara looked up as her cheeks blushed.

  Terry threw his head back and laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “I can barely get her attention anymore in the studio.” Daniela said.

  “You’ve told him everything, haven’t you?” Kara replied.

  Daniela smiled and nodded.

  “Honestly, Kara, even if she hadn’t, I could still read it all over you.” Terry continued as he tossed a piece of calamari into his mouth.

  Kara laughed quietly.

  “So, are you two planning something this weekend?” Terry asked.

  “Yes. We’re going to visit the botanical garden this Saturday.”

  “Well, have fun with that.” her friend replied with a smile.

  “Thanks, Terry. We will.” said Kara.

  While Kara and Daniela wrapped up their day at the studio, a heavy downpour battered at the windows. Kara looked up and saw the raindrops splatter against the glass. Thunder echoed in the sky above. She finished rinsing her bushes as Daniela gathered her things to leave.

  “I’m so glad I brought my umbrella today,” said her assistant. “I’ll see you next week boss.”

  They waved goodbye and Daniela left.

  Kara untied her apron then hung it on a hook next to the door. She donned her white denim jacket and shouldered her purse while she hummed a tune to herself. Kara stood at the threshold and cast one more cursory look around the studio. Everything was in order. Her brushes were organized, the easels were lined against the wall and her finished pieces were stored on a rack in the far corner. Kara gave a satisfactory nod and clicked off the lights.

  She closed and locked the door behind her then walked out into the lobby. The rain beat violently against the studio façade while some of her fellow artists sat and talked in the lounge area. Kara knew a spell that could keep her dry but preferred not to use it. She drew an umbrella from her purse and expanded it as she stepped into the downpour.

  The rain beat erratically against her umbrella as she walked to the Metro. Passersby shielded their heads with their jackets, some with a folded newspaper as water splashed with their every step. Puddles formed in the streets and cars kicked up clouds of water when they drove over them. Kara stood at a street corner waiting to cross when something caught her eye.

  She looked to the far side of the street and saw a couple walking closely side-by-side. They huddled together beneath a shimmering dome of light as rain trickled from its bottom edge. Glowing ripples spread across the dome as the rain fell upon it. The young man wrapped his arm around the woman’s shoulders as they laughed about something. Kara smiled as she watched them enter a storefront and the dome of light faded.

  Kara thought about the mother who cushioned her son’s fall with a Levitation Spell. She remembered the Pyromancer who conjured a flame to light the firepit. The smiles on the crowd’s faces as they watched their s’mores cook warmed Kara. She thought about the waiter who dried Daniela after he accidentally spilled tea all over her. Finally, she remembered the children at the community center. She remembered how the magical children played harmoniously with the non-magical, how they laughed and shouted with delight. A tear formed at the corner of her eye as Kara smiled and wiped it away.

  She withdrew from the street corner and stepped beneath an awning. Kara collapsed her umbrella and stowed it in her purse. Then with a single gesture and a spoken word, a dome of white light appeared above her head. Its iridescent glow shimmered beneath an iron grey sky as she crossed the street in the heavy downpour. The rain pummeled the translucent dome but the light of Kara’s magic filled her eyes.

  The following Saturday, Kara and Selene strolled hand in hand through the gardens as passersby streamed past them. Kara pointed out all the trees and flowers while Selene fondly listened. Kara’s father had taken up gardening as a hobby when they moved out to Bristow and Kara told her about the days when she used to help him plant flowers in the garden. She learned from him all the aspects of gardening from when to plant each kind of flower, how often to water them and how much light they needed. Then Kara’s mother would bring out two glasses of lemonade for them and they would recline in the shade of the deck as they sipped their cool beverages. Selene looked at Kara and saw the innocence she herself had lost years ago. She envied the stable upbringing she had and wished she could go back in time to change her own past. But she knew that was not possible. All she could do was take solace in the fact that Kara loved her despite all her scars and baggage. The darkness that had consumed much of Selene’s life had forged her into a soldier. But with Kara, those shadows retreated just a little. With Kara, she felt again what it was to be young and untainted.

  The two of them walked beneath the shade of blooming trees, over arched bridges above meandering streams and rippling ponds surrounded by tall grass. They bought small cups of gelato and ate together in an elegant gazebo which overlooked the grounds. Kara and Selene talked and laughed quietly as they enjoyed the scenery. They took whacky selfies together and uploaded them to their social media feeds. Neither one of them could ask for a more perfect day as they sat and leaned close to one another, their heads touching. Later, when Selene dropped Kara off at her apartment they kissed goodbye and Kara watched as she zoomed away on her motorcycle.

  The next day, Kara went back to work. She scoured the city for inspiration for her next few commissions. She took reference photos, made sketches and bought a few more supplies for the studio. By the end of the day, she was exhausted. When she entered her apartment, her feet ached from all the walking and she was ready to recline for a quiet evening all to herself. She set her camera gently on the countertop and hung her coat on the hook. Then she slipped off her shoes and poured herself a glass of wine before walking into the living room and settled down on the couch as the blazing sun descended over the Potomac. The sunset bathed her living room in its fiery glow and made the wine in her glass sparkle. She tilted the glass at her lips and savored its sweetness.

  But even while she gazed out the window, something weighed heavily on her heart; a chilling memory that haunted her despite the serenity of the moment. She had tried to suppress it all day but it continually reasserted itself as she worked. Kara was distracted with regrets of the past even while she framed her shots and rode on the train. She slipped her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her contacts until she found Selene’s number. She tapped her name and brought the phone to her ear. The phone only rang once before she answered.

  “Hey.” said Selene.

  “Hey. How are you?”

  “I’m doing great. I reconnected with an old friend today and we hung out for a while. Other than that, it’s been pretty low key for me. What about you?”

  Kara sighed. “I’m exhausted. I’ve been all over the city scouting locations for upcoming pieces. I’m really glad to be home.”

  “You usually sound more excited to talk about your work. Is something up?” Selene asked.

  Kara was stunned by Selene’s ability to read her so easil
y. A pall of anxiety fell over the serenity of the moment. The light outside faded as she recalled the reason she contacted Selene.

  “Selene…has anyone ever told you something that you wish you didn’t know?” Kara asked.

  “Plenty of times. Why?”

  “It’s just…this morning, I saw a news report about a suicide and it reminded me of a disturbing encounter I had with Charlotte a few years ago,” Kara explained.

  “What happened?”

  Kara took a breath and gazed out the window. “After classes one day, I came back to my dorm and found Charlotte packing her bags. I asked her what was going on and she just said, ‘I’m going to a funeral. It’s my mother…she committed suicide.’ And I said ‘Charlotte, I’m so sorry to hear that!’ But she just replied with ‘I’m fine.’ and kept packing. No tears, no crying, nothing! I told her, ‘It’s okay to grieve, Charlotte.’ and I touched her shoulder. But then she turned and swatted my hand away. ‘I’m fine.’ she repeated. I didn’t know what to say. For a few seconds I just stood there while she jammed clothes into her briefcase. Finally, I said ‘Okay…well, I’m here if you need me.’ But she just completely ignored me.”

  “So, it was Charlotte’s lack of emotional response that disturbed you?” Selene replied.

  “Yeah, I mean, if someone told you your mother just died how would you take it?”

  “Well, people have different ways of grieving, Kara. Maybe she’s just one of those people who grieves in private. Why was her lack of emotion disturbing to you?”

  “Selene, I think Charlotte killed her mother and made it look like a suicide.” Kara said with a shiver.

  “Well, there are spells that could be used in concert to simulate a suicide. Did Charlotte know any of them?” asked Selene.

  Kara thought for a moment before responding, “I’m not sure.”

  “And why do you think Charlotte would want to kill her mother? I mean, I know she was a bad chick but killing your own mother takes a special kind of evil,” Selene replied.

  A cold weight sunk in Kara’s stomach as she delved deeper into her memories. “A couple of days before Charlotte left, she told me she got into a huge fight with her mom. Her mother wanted to take Charlotte out of the Academy because she was jealous of Charlotte’s magical ability and didn’t want her to progress any further.”

  “Mom of the Year,” Selene said sarcastically. “What was their relationship like?”

  “It was…rocky. Charlotte never seemed to want to talk about it much. Whenever she did, it was never anything good. When Charlotte’s magic manifested, her father got freaked out and abandoned the family. Then her mother took out all her anger and bitterness against him on Charlotte.”

  Selene thought silently for a moment while Kara took another sip of wine. “Well…I guess it’s possible she killed her mother. With a turbulent relationship like that and Charlotte’s history of violence, one could assume she is capable of matricide. But I don’t see why it matters now. She’s locked up and there’s no way she’ll ever get out.”

  Kara reclined against the couch and watched the lights of the water taxi drift down the Potomac. “Do you think I could’ve done more to save her?” she asked.

  “Kara, no. Don’t do that to yourself. You loved her the best you could. You befriended her, you believed in her, but she made some bad choices. She was broken inside before you found her.” Selene said. “Charlotte landed herself in that cell. Not you.”

  A single tear slid down Kara’s cheek before she reached up and wiped it away. “Thank you for listening to me.” she said.

  “Any time, babe.” Selene replied. “Oh crap. It’s late. I have to meet a client early tomorrow morning. I gotta go.”

  “Okay, love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  Chapter Five

  John Hartman Prison, Canadian Wilderness, Present

  John reclined in his quarters after the day’s work was done and tried to clear his mind of all business regarding the prison. He sat back in a soft chair and watched the sun sink over the Canadian wilderness that stretched beyond the outer wall. The faces of far-distant mountains were illuminated by the fiery glow of the sunset as the trees below were plunged into shadow. In the far corner of the room a record spun out a tune by Tom Petty and John allowed himself to drift away to the gentle sound of guitars.

  Just then, his phone chimed within his pocket. He looked down and pulled it out. As he turned the screen upward, it lit up with a message from his sister, Kara. John opened it and scrolled through the photos she sent him. They were a set of images that featured his sister with another woman as they leaned closely together and made whacky faces. John could see trees and exotic flowers in the background as if they were in a garden of some kind.

  I see you’ve found someone new. What’s her name? he asked.

  After a moment of silence, Kara replied Her name is Selene and she’s perfect. she said with a smiley face. She’s so brave and funny and she listens to me. She’s so understanding and we always have a good time.

  I’m glad she makes you happy, Kara. John replied. What does she do?

  She hunts demons. Kara texted back.

  John raised his eyebrows at her response. Wow. That hit me from left field.

  I figured it would. she replied with a laughing face at the end.

  How did you meet?

  We met at a party one of my clients threw for his son. We fought off a Hound together! Kara said.

  You’re not thinking of going into her line of work, are you? John asked.

  Maybe just as a side-gig. his sister said. Then, after a moment, she added, just kidding.

  You’ve always had our father’s sense of humor. John texted as he shook his head.

  Kara replied with a row of three laughing faces.

  So, how’s work? she asked.

  Same old stuff for the most part. John responded. I can’t go into specifics, but things might be getting a little…complicated. he thought about the mysterious new recruit, Saba.

  I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Kara replied.

  Thanks, sis.

  Well, it’s getting late. I should probably get to bed now.

  Good night.

  Good night! Kara replied. After another hour of relaxation, he ate dinner with Rachel and Marcus in the mess hall then returned to his quarters and went to bed.

  Amelia Schumacher Prison, Canadian Wilderness, Present

  The next morning, Amelia sat back and looked at Marcus from across her desk. “So, you’ve overseen the training of the new recruits for the past two months now. What are your impressions of them? More specifically, what do you think of Saba Qureshi?”

  “She still can’t run worth a damn.” he grunted. “But her sparring skills have improved somewhat.”

  “Aside from her physical training, I mean. How does she conduct herself among the others?”

  “She’s very quiet. Very reserved. But I’ve seen her helping the other recruits with their techniques.”

  Amelia nodded. “Yes, I’ve seen that, too.”

  “She might not be the best mystic but she’s sharp. Saba learns fast.”

  “It sounds like you’ve taken a liking to her.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. But having Saba around has been…beneficial for her peers. They go to her with questions and she’s always happy to help.”

  “Anything else you’d like to say?”

  Marcus shook his head. “No ma’am.”

  “All right. That’s all for now.”

  Marcus rose from the chair and left.

  Later that morning, Amelia visited John’s office to report on everything she had discovered about Saba.

  “What have you found?” the Warden asked.

  “I have discovered nothing suspicious. Rachel has corroborated all the details of Saba’s personal documents and told me with conviction that Saba is not hiding anything.”

  “Really? No red flags at all? Nothing suspicious?”


  “On the contrary, sir, Saba’s conduct has been exemplary. Marcus and I have both observed her assisting the other recruits with their techniques and they feel comfortable approaching her with questions. The other recruits are just out for themselves, whereas Saba supports her peers. She even willingly volunteered for Tower duty when no one else would. She functions well as part of a unit.”

  “How has she progressed in her training?”

  “Her magical and combat skills are somewhat lacking, but Marcus and Rachel have noted some improvement.”

  “I see.” John replied. “What is your overall impression of Saba?”

  “I think that despite earlier concerns, we may have misread her. The guitar incident seems to be just a blip on the radar. Since then, she has displayed no other unexpected abilities. Rachel has communicated to me that Saba may not have been aware she could read energy before that night. Through my own observations and reports from the other officers I believe Saba is becoming a valuable asset in the field. I am eager to see what kind of Enforcer she becomes.”

  The Warden nodded with approval. “Thank you, Amelia, for allaying our concerns. You are dismissed.”

  Rachel McGuinness Prison, Canadian Wilderness, Present

  It was nearing the end of the day and Rachel was drowning in paperwork. After long morning hours training her batch of recruits, she and Saba had another sparring session followed by a patrol in the city. They foiled a theft at a magical museum and threw the perpetrators in a cell. Now came the arduous task of writing performance reviews for each of her recruits as well as filing the report on the theft. On top of all this, there was an incoming batch of prisoners due to arrive the next day and their records had to be processed.

  Rachel’s desk was buried in piles of documents while she typed furiously at her computer. Her only saving grace at the moment was that she had done her reviews in chunks over the past two weeks. She had written ten per day and now Rachel plugged away at her last ten. The buzz of the office faded into white noise all around her while she alternately typed and referred to her notes. It took a moment for Rachel to realize Saba was calling her name from behind.