The Stroke of Midnight: A Supernatural New Year's Anthology
Page 19
Neighbors had already begun to trickle from their homes and surround the tower.
Serg choked, "He didn't."
Jess pointed. "All the neighbors are coming."
Kyle and Jess made their way to the base where several people were reading a large engraving on the obelisk.
Happy New Year
from
The Smiths
Kyle put his hand over his mouth and whispered, "Shit."
'Til Death Do Us Part
K.L. Brown
The old witch left her calling card, the one she knew Katherine would follow. Much in the way that a drug dealer would bait a junkie with cocaine, the old woman left a trail of catnip to appeal to Katherine's inner feline. The old woman knew she would be prowling around that night since Victor was at his weekly poker game.
As expected, Katherine changed form at sundown and caught the scent of the catnip. She didn't need to guess where the trail would lead; only the witch would entice her in such a way. She followed the scent anyway, unable to resist the draw. Interestingly, the witch left a different trail, perhaps as a means of ensuring that not only would Katherine pay attention, but she would also remain obedient. The witch would always challenge Katherine to be resourceful.
The cottage was lit with candles in the windows, flames burning bright and openly. Of course the fire would be spelled so it would not ignite the surrounding objects. The stone walkway was curved, and wildflowers grew on either side of it. Not surprisingly, the flowers grew year-round regardless of changing weather conditions. The wooden structure never aged. It remained as solid as the day it was built – and who knows how long ago that was.
The scent of the catnip faded as Katherine approached the cottage, and she reverted to her human form. There was only a certain distance one could approach the cottage before losing the familiar body. No creature could come too close without being recognized. Katherine knew this, and she gave herself plenty of space to change. She learned the hard way what happens when coming too close to the warded area. She still had a scar from the burn, even in her human form. It was difficult to explain why she had no feeling in three of her fingers.
The door opened on its own, and Katherine entered slowly. Although the witch had opened the door, Katherine saw no need to scare the old woman. She didn't know the nature of her visit and thought it wise not to upset the lady. Bad things happened when she was startled.
"Oh! Katherine! So lovely to see you! I'm so thankful you were able to visit me this evening. We have much to discuss."
"Thank you for your guidance on the trail. I certainly wouldn't have made it without your assistance." Katherine replied.
"Indeed," said the old woman. "Please sit down. I'm very concerned for your welfare in the coming months. I had a vision last night, and I'm not sure what to make of it. Perhaps you can clarify it for me."
"I'll certainly do what I can, of course. What have you seen?"
"I was called to my mirror last night, and the visions were quite disturbing. I don't know if it was a premonition or a death warning, but it was terrifying nonetheless."
Katherine leaned forward, giving the old woman her full attention. "Was it my death, or was it that of someone I love?"
"It was both, but it wasn't a typical death. It seemed to shift, methods being different in each portion of the vision. I cannot say for sure which horrific scene was the cause for the final loss of life, or ultimately whose life was lost, but no scene I saw was any less frightening than another. I cannot see who is responsible for the murders, but I can see that both you and Victor are in serious danger. I wish I could be more specific."
Katherine was at a loss for words. She wasn't sure if the old woman was in her right mind. She had been known to really mess up visions before. Granted it was usually along the lines of a young witch turning into a ferret rather than a peacock, but mistakes weren't uncommon. This was obviously more troubling, so Katherine probed for more answers.
"Did you hear anything, or was it just a vision?"
"I did hear words, Katherine, but they did not make sense to me."
Not a surprise. The old woman was prone to hearing things in her visions, but something was always lost in the translation or her interpretation of it. In the end, the words made sense but only because they had some relationship to the actual meaning. It was a cryptic game that often ended too late.
"What did you hear?"
"It was something to the effect of winners losing and a limited shelf life of animals."
Well that was helpful.
Katherine sighed and collected her thoughts. "Okay, so what do you propose we do?"
"You must protect yourself and your husband. As I said, you are both in grave danger. Literally. I have come up with a potion as a means of protection."
"With all due respect, the last few potions haven't worked out well for those who have used them," said Katherine.
The old woman became indignant. "I do feel bad about the situation with Evelyn, but I certainly didn't mean to strip her of her beauty with the Longevity elixir."
Katherine raised her eyebrows. "The recipe called for citric acid. You used battery acid. Forgive me for being hesitant, but I don't want your potion to kill me when the universe already has me on its shit list. I don't think there is much room for error here. We should look at the recipe together and make sure it turns out right. Clearly there are some acceptable substitutions that can be made."
"Batteries give energy. Oranges don't. I thought it was a practical choice for a potion meant to sustain life."
"Obviously," said Katherine. "Let's have a look at the book of potions. Now is not the time to test ingredients."
"Katherine, this situation calls for something far beyond what is in the book. The violent nature of these visions calls for something powerful. Not only do you need to protect your life and Victor's, you must also be able to cheat death."
"Have you lost your mind? Death cannot be cheated! You know as well as I do that certain laws of Nature cannot be broken. Death is final. No potion can override the Reaper," said Katherine.
The old woman gave Katherine a sly grin. "No, a potion will not cheat death, but a medallion will hide you from it."
"A medallion?"
"Yes. Do not ask me how I acquired it. Some bits of knowledge are best left undiscovered. Just understand that even though the Reaper may come for you, he will not be able to find you."
The old woman opened a small, wooden box on the table. Wrapped inside a piece of green velvet was a necklace with a coin on it. "You must wear this at all times. I'm afraid I only have one, though. You must be the one to use it. Under no circumstances should you give it away."
"How am I to protect my husband?" asked Katherine.
"The potion. The potion will keep both of you healthy. The spell that binds the ingredients provides the protection. As long as you are taking it, death can only occur at the very moment before the beginning of a new year. If the Reaper cannot find you in that moment, it will have to wait another year. If the Reaper searches for you before that time, the medallion will keep you from being found."
"So I am to wear the medallion, and Vic is to take the potion?"
The old woman shook her head. "No, you must do both. You need all the protection you can get. As a witch, Nature has afforded you more possibilities, and you must take advantage of that. See to it that your husband has a little of the potion every day, but he must not be aware of it. You know the laws. Only witches can be aware of the craft."
"What is the downside, may I ask? There is a consequence for every action. Nature requires a balance, and if I am to cheat death and unnaturally protect my life, there must be repercussions. What's the catch?"
"You will never love another man, and your husband will never love another woman. That in itself should encourage you to make sure you both stay alive."
"I'm not sure how that's a penalty considering we married with that idea in mind, but if that's what Na
ture decrees, I'll go along with it."
The old woman held her head high. "Very well, then. Let's work on this potion. I'll choose the proper binding spell, and we'll get you on your way."
Katherine and the old woman spent the next hour gathering the appropriate ingredients. The protection spell was chanted as the potion was blended, and they decided that only a drop or two daily should be necessary. Katherine took several drops to initiate the protection, and she put on the necklace with the medallion to conceal her from the Reaper.
Katherine smiled at the old woman and thanked her. "I can't imagine what the future would look like if I didn't know what you've shared with me."
The old woman became quiet. "You should know that I have my own consequences for meddling beyond what is reasonable. I've grown quite fond of you over the many years of your instruction, and I just couldn't stand idly by and watch a death sentence being carried out in front of my eyes. Nature has called a price for my interference."
"What do you mean? You have consequences for helping me? How is that fair? You're helping to save two lives."
"Katherine, you already know that Nature requires balance. To you, I have preserved lives. To Nature, I have cheated death. Each time you evade the Reaper, he will call on me for a piece of the life he has been denied."
Katherine's heart dropped. "Why didn't you tell me this before I took the potion? It should've been my decision to go through with this!"
"I've lived for many, many years, far beyond what I should have - even for a witch of my strength. It's time for me to pass the torch to a younger, capable witch. There is no one else I would trust to carry on the craft as we practice it. I've groomed you throughout the years, and I am not going to throw that away when I can save you. Because of this, you must do all you can to carry out the plan we've devised."
Katherine put her arms around the old woman. "I hope we have enough time together. There is still so much I don't know. What will I do without your guidance?"
"Katherine, you are far more powerful than you realize. Even when I am not here, you will always find your way. Knowledge will come to you as you have need of it. Don't feel as though you will need to search for answers. Keep your eyes open and you will see them. Now go home. You have things to do."
Katherine spent the next few weeks constantly looking over her shoulder. She was beginning to think the old woman had been wrong about her visions. She knew better, though. While not always accurate, the old woman's visions always played out in some way or another.
Katherine began to wonder if she had already cheated death and hadn't realized it. That didn't make sense, though, because the old woman's visions were violent. She'd encountered nothing even remotely violent. She'd spent time sitting outside her house in feline form, waiting for someone to arrive - someone who would do something terrible to cause her to die. She worried for Vic every time he left her. She had diligently put a few drops of the potion in his coffee every morning, so that gave her at least some measure of comfort.
She kept up her normal routine, but she was extremely aware of her surroundings. Every once in a while she would have the eerie feeling of something being wrong, of a spirit unsettled, but nothing ever came of it. Eventually the presence became a bit stronger, and she became more and more paranoid. She certainly didn't believe that an angry spirit would have enough force to push her down the steps and snap her neck, but it did, and she died for the first time.
Katherine lay at the bottom of the steps, quite aware that she was dead. At that moment, true to the old woman's word, she understood that she needed to create a mental chant to release her from her temporary condition. After a moment, she came up with what she thought might be acceptable:
My neck is broken, but I'm still alive
There is no way for death to arrive
She lost consciousness at that moment, hoping beyond hope that the potion, medallion, and the spell were enough to save her life.
Katherine remained dead for an undetermined amount of time, but when she woke up, Vic was by her side. He had carried her to the sofa and placed a pillow under her head.
"Katherine! Oh, thank God you're okay! What happened to you? I came home and found you lying at the bottom of the steps. Your neck was twisted in such an unnatural way. I thought for sure that I'd lost you. You need to be more careful. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Katherine was hesitant to tell him about the frightening feeling she'd had just before she went down the stairs. Not only did her husband not believe in those things, he was critical of those who did. She felt it best if he didn't know; she would handle this on her own. It was her job to keep them alive.
Katherine arrived at the cottage to tell the old woman about her first death. She was not prepared for what she saw. The old woman looked older than the last time she had been there.
"I told you, Katherine. The Reaper did not find you, so he called on me for what he had not been able to collect. A few years have been taken from my life."
"It's just not fair," said Katherine. "You should not have to suffer for me to live. Can't we reverse the spell?"
The old woman smiled at her. "No, we can't. You've seen what will happen, so you know that the vision was true. I'm thankful that your husband was there when you woke from your first sleep. Apparently you were successful with your first chant, and now you know what will be expected of you the next time this happens."
"It's just so unnatural, but in a way, it's exhilarating. Lying there, knowing I was dead but wouldn't be later, felt powerful. It's odd to say that, but I felt stronger when I was fully healed."
"It could be that you become stronger with each attempt on your life. It's difficult to say what will happen in the end. This isn't exactly an normal situation. Continue to be aware of what is going on around you. And don't worry for me. This is my destiny, too."
Katherine hugged the old woman. "You've given so much. I'll always be thankful for your sacrifice."
When Katherine pulled into her driveway, she felt the odd presence she had felt the first time she died. She was not afraid of it, though. She used to feel uneasy when Vic wasn't home, but this time she didn't feel that way. Whatever would happen, she knew she would survive.
The odd feeling persisted throughout the evening. Again, she continued with her normal routine. Vic came home at the usual time, while she was having her evening tea. A warm feeling of calmness washed over her as he came through the door. It was almost as if he had chased the evil spirit away. She wished she could tell him about the effect that his presence had in the house. When he was there, she felt safe again. She could see he was tired this evening, so she made him some tea and went to bed.
Katherine woke in the middle of the night. This wasn't unusual; her inner kitten liked to play in the darkness. She quietly slipped out of bed and went outside into the warm, summer air. After a few minutes of stretching, she was ready to change form. She wasn't able to do that, though, after the bullet penetrated her heart.
As she lay in the grass, she thought of her next chant:
Not even bullets can stop my heart
I'll sleep now, and then I'll restart.
Katherine closed her eyes and slipped into the darkness of non-death.
"Katherine! Katherine! Wake up!"
Katherine opened her eyes to see Vic's beautiful face just a few inches from her own. He was holding her in his lap, still outside in the dark.
"What in God's name are you doing out here at night? I woke up to gunshots, and I ran out here only to find you sprawled out on the lawn. I was so afraid you'd been shot. Why did you have a gun, Katherine? Why were you outside?"
Katherine became confused. She hadn't been shooting, but a handgun was lying on the ground in front of her. Whoever was trying to kill her obviously no longer needed the weapon, but now it looked as if she had been using it.
"Vic, it's not mine. I don't know what happened. I was feeling ill so I came out for some fresh air. I must've fall
en asleep. I don't know where the gun or the shots came from."
"I'm beginning to worry for your safety. First you fell down the stairs, and now this. I think you should stay closer to me for a while."
Katherine rolled her eyes, already feeling more powerful. "No, I'm fine. I'm a grown woman - I don't need a babysitter. Let's just go back to inside."
Vic and Katherine returned to their room and climbed back into bed. She tossed and turned for the rest of the night, even though Vic had easily fallen back to sleep. He had been working so much over the past few months and needed the rest. She, however, hadn't run this evening, and felt the pent-up energy that she hadn't been able to release. It became even more frustrating with the sudden surge of power she was feeling at once again evading the Reaper.
As the days passed, Katherine found more ways to release her energy. She chose to channel it into nature by giving the garden a new look. In four days of working, she planted several dozen flowers and new shrubbery, created a koi pond that she dug by hand, and spread countless yards of mulch in the new landscape. It looked a lot like the old woman's cottage, though on a much grander scale.
Victor came home one evening in absolute shock. "Katherine, you'll never believe what happened. I was crossing the street to get to my office, and a car swerved in my direction. It missed me only by inches. It was as if it had been aiming straight for me, but it changed course just in time. I could've been killed. It was so unreal."
"Come in and sit down, Vic. You look exhausted."
"Katherine, it's not every day that someone tries to kill me."
Katherine turned away. You have no idea how many times someone will try to kill you. For the first time, she felt happy that she had given him the potion without his knowledge. They could both stay alive.