Watch Me Burn: The December People, Book Two

by Sharon Bayliss

  “Okay, that’s weird,” Emmy said.

  “Why do they think she’s sick?” Evangeline asked.

  “I don’t know,” Emmy said. “But she’s either lying to us…or to her co-workers.”

  Emmy thought about Dad glaring outside and thought Mom had probably lied to him too. Of course, Mom owed Dad a good lie.

  “Maybe we should eat it,” Emmy suggested.

  However, they would have to do it really quickly for that to work. Dad burst through the front door, a smudge of grease on his face. “I can’t believe it actually started making a noise. God hates me. And He thinks He is real funny, too.” Dad looked around the living area. “Where is Patrick?”

  “Sleeping,” Evangeline said.

  Dad looked at his watch and then huffed. Emmy clutched the card, and the three of them stood there waiting for him to notice. They didn’t have a chance to hide it.

  “We can’t afford to get any more repairs done. Period. We’ll have to walk everywhere. But it’s not like the tollway has a sidewalk. Why are you guys looking at me like that?”

  Emmy handed Dad the card, and he saw the arrangement. “Who would send us a gift?” he asked, and then looked at the card. His eyebrows narrowed further.

  “I don’t understand,” he said, waving the card in her direction, as if this was her fault too, just like everything else.

  “We don’t know any more than you, Dad,” Emmy said. He must have believed her because he didn’t say anything else. He took the card into his bedroom and slammed the door.

  manda heard her son’s voice. And that was all there was in the universe. Everything else was darkness. She didn’t remember how she had gotten to this dark place, but she instinctively moved towards her son.

  “Mom. Mom!”

  Amanda opened her eyes. Her son was not lost in the distant darkness, but right here, inches away from her face, shaking her. Jude looked at her with clear blue eyes—eyes full of concern, full of love, brimming with everything that made him good. And that made it all worth it. She smiled at him, but he didn’t smile back.

  “Dammit, Mom, you lied to me. I shouldn’t have trusted you. I should have gone with my gut.”

  She wanted to come up with some an excuse, some argument, but she couldn’t remember how to work her mouth, let alone her brain.

  “I’m taking you to the hospital,” he said.

  This jarred her back to reality enough for her to find her voice.

  “No. I’m fine.” Her voice sounded raspy and unfamiliar. “Besides, the Mundane doctors wouldn’t be able to help anyway.”

  “Fine then, I’ll call Dad. Or, Uncle Carson. Or, Grandma.”

  “You’re going to call my mom? Now, you’re just being mean,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.

  “It’s not funny,” he said.

  “Please don’t call them,” Amanda said, her voice too meek, too pleading. None of them could know for one simple reason. They would try to stop her. “They wouldn’t know what to do either. It would just worry them. Please, honey, just let me rest for a minute. I’ll be fine.”

  Before he could respond, she closed her eyes and lost consciousness again, or at least she must have, because she woke up somewhere else. She heard beeping. A hospital. She wandered into consciousness just enough to verify this. Yes. An IV poked into her hand, and it smelled of anesthetic. She felt Jude’s presence, but no one else. If he had called anyone, they hadn’t arrived. He probably hadn’t called. He would avoid calling David at all costs.

  She could work with this. As soon as she came to a little more, she could call home and say she needed to work late. Then she’d try to get discharged as soon as possible. That shouldn’t be a problem. The Mundane doctors would run some tests, see nothing wrong with her…at least nothing they could diagnose. They’d send her home with a prescription to get more rest and drink more water.

  Or she’d walk out if she had to. She didn’t think she could get up and walk now, but she’d feel better soon. She always did. Each time she had cast the expungement spell on Jude she had felt the darkness permeate her. But she could handle it. It had gotten worse each time, but she always felt better after some rest. She just had to sleep it off. The expungement spell was complicated, but similar to the spell she had cast on David to expunge his memories. This time though, she didn’t aim for memories. She wished to remove something much deeper, and more complex.

  Her spell had worked. She could lift the darkness away from her son. It appeared that the darkness had not become engrained in his sense of self, nor had it destroyed the good man inside. The darkness had come into him recently enough that it lifted right out—a stubborn stain in the hands of an accomplished homemaker.

  “Mom? Are you awake?”

  Jude grabbed her hand and she turned towards him and smiled.

  “I told you not to take me to the hospital.”

  “What were you thinking? This was so short-sighted.” He let go of her hand and wrung his own. He tapped his foot up and down. “What do you think would happen if something happened to you? I’m barely hanging on as it is. I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you. Especially if it was my fault. And what about the rest of the family? What about Dad? He couldn’t make it without you. If you died, there would be no point to any of this. It would all get worse.”

  “Died? Honey, no. I’m not going to die.”

  “I need to call Dad.”

  “No, you don’t. I’ll give him a call and tell him I’m running late.”

  “Mom…you’re not leaving today.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They said your white blood cell count is high. And some other stuff I didn’t understand. It’s just…it’s not good.”

  “I…what?”

  “They won’t know anything for sure until they run a few more tests. They’re ordering a CT scan.”

  “No, I’m fine. I just need to go home and get some rest.”

  Jude shook his head, his eyes on his hands.

  vie?” Emmy asked.

  Evangeline looked up from her book, then immediately put her book down and stood up. She must have seen the urgency in Emmy’s face.

  Mom should have come home from work an hour ago and wasn’t answering her phone. For some reason, that had been the final straw. The bracelet had burned in her pocket for too long. Her secret about Nathan had burned in her for too long. She didn’t want to be alone anymore.

  “What’s wrong?” Evangeline asked.

  “It’s not a big deal. Well, it sort of is. It might be. Can I tell you something?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  Evangeline shut the door, and then followed her to sit on Emmy’s bed. Evangeline blinked at her with the same green eyes Emmy’s grandmother once had.

  “You have something in your pocket, don’t you?” Evangeline asked.

  Emmy’s throat tightened. She stared at Evangeline open-mouthed.

  “Don’t be upset. You’ve been carrying it around with you. Something magical. But…something that doesn’t belong. The energy coming off it doesn’t match yours.”

  “Do you already know what it is?”

  “No. I was curious, but you were trying so hard to keep it secret. I figured you would tell me if you wanted me to know.”

  Emmy doubted anyone could be that noble. Emmy could never let something go that easily. She would have pried the secret object out of Evangeline’s clenched fists.

  “Are you lying? You didn’t sneak a peek while I was sleeping or anything?”

  “No, I’m not lying. Besides, you slept with it under your pillow. Do you really think I’m going to sneak up and try to take it while you’re sleeping? That’s a good way to get cursed.”

  Emmy had to smile. “Okay, then.”

  She pulled the bracelet out of her shorts pocket and handed it to Evangeline. Evangeline reached out to take it, but pulled her hand away suddenly, so Emmy laid it on the bed instead. Evangeline reached for it again, more slo
wly this time. She picked up the bracelet by the clasp with two fingers and held it a good foot away from her face while she examined it. Emmy watched her expression. She could tell Evangeline had never seen the bracelet before. Evangeline had more of a detached curiosity, like an archeologist examining a rare find.

  The bracelet must not serve as an explanation in itself because Evangeline lifted an eyebrow and waited for Emmy to explain. Emmy told her everything. Everything. It all spilled out, bursting at the seams. About how she had found Julie’s bracelet in the truck and not told anyone. About how she had snuck out to the forest and met Nathan. About how she drove to the Prescott’s house with Dad and all the things he told her about them. About how they both believed someone cast a spell on Julie’s behalf and the magic needed them to save her. And most importantly, that she believed Julie was trapped somewhere in that forest, hidden by a powerful concealment spell.

  Evangeline had put the bracelet back on the bed. She listened to Emmy’s story as she usually listened. Intently. Quietly. Patiently. She listened well—Emmy’s exact opposite in that way. So calm, too. She didn’t add to Emmy’s fears by injecting any of her own. However, Emmy had mixed feelings about this. The same calm indifference that had comforted Emmy when she first handed Evangeline the bracelet now gave her chills. She had a look of unbothered interest, as if she were listening to an interesting story about strangers or characters in a novel, not her own family.

  “Do you understand what I’m saying?” Emmy asked.

  “Since you found the bracelet in the truck, you think someone in our family was involved in her disappearance. And now you want to try and find her and help her.”

  “Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Is that your only reaction? Doesn’t any of this bother you at all?”

  “Of course it does.”

  “Do you know anything you’re not telling me?”

  “No.”

  “As soon as I get the chance, I’m going back to the forest and trying again. I have this strong sense I’m meant to. I’m the only one who can help her. Do you get that?”

  “Sure. But if there is magic in play, you don’t know whose magic it is, or what they want. It may not be what you expect. Could be dangerous.”

  “Yeah, that was the first and only lesson in Mom’s dark magic for beginners course. I get that.”

  Evangeline chuckled.

  “Rule 1. Magic is bad,” Emmy continued. “Rule 2. Never do magic. Rule 3. No, seriously magic is always bad. I really mean it this time. And so on, and so forth.”

  “Okay, I get it. I’m sorry. I don’t know how I ended up sounding like your mom. Maybe she cast a spell on me.”

  “She totally would. She would cast a anti-magic spell on you and not understand why that made her a huge hypocrite.”

  “Okay, so what is the plan? When do we go?”

  “We?”

  “Of course. I want to go with you. I can help.”

  “That wasn’t what I meant when I told you.”

  “I have the same reasons to care that you do, and you need me. I’m a much better witch.”

  “How dare you?”

  “Oh, you don’t believe me? Why don’t you attack me with magic to prove me wrong?” She waited. “Go ahead. Anytime. Oh, wait. You have no idea how to do that.”

  “Just because no one has ever taught me. Whenever I do learn, I will attack you. Just for being such a bitch right now.”

  “Okay then. In the meantime, you could use my help.”

  “I’m not letting you come with me.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’re my little sister.”

  Evangeline paused before responding. Emmy realized she had never called her ‘sister’ aloud.

  “I’m not much younger than you,” Evangeline said.

  “Yeah, but you’re…”

  “What?”

  Damaged? Traumatized? Broken? She couldn’t think of a good way to say it, so she should shut up before she got cursed into oblivion.

  “You’ve already been through a lot.”

  “So what’s the point in trying to protect me now?”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “Yeah. We’ll do it together. But you better not slow me down.”

  “You either.”

  “They’ve made it pretty impossible for me to get out of the house. But I’m sure we can still manage it. Let me talk to Dad, see if I can find out when he’ll be out of the house next. Now that we have both cars back, it will be way easier.”

  Emmy and Evangeline left the room. Emmy tried to look casual. Evangeline didn’t have to try. Effortless indifference came naturally. Dad continued to stare at the pineapples and melons cut into hearts and flowers in the kitchen.

  “Hey, Dad,” Emmy said.

  Dad’s phone rang in his pocket. He ignored Emmy in favor of his phone. Usually, that would be rude, but he’d been waiting to hear back from Mom. He stared at the display on his phone for a long time without answering. He let the phone ring in his hand while he stared, oblivious to Emmy standing in front of him. It must have rung six times. She wanted to grab it out of his hands and answer it herself. Finally, he answered the phone.

  “Hello?”

  He stayed silent while he listened to whoever spoke on the other line, his face a pale, frozen mask. He looked into Emmy’s eyes before he spoke. Emmy felt frozen too. She could feel the weight of the words without having to hear it.

  “Okay,” Dad said, in a whispery croak. “I’m…I’m on my way.”

  Dad put his phone back in his pocket.

  “Is everything okay?” Emmy asked. “Is Mom okay?”

  “Yeah…yeah,” Dad said. “That was her…the Expedition broke down again. I have to go pick her up.”

  “Really? You sound like you’re lying.”

  “I have to go now. It may…be a while…are you guys going to be okay?”

  “Yeah, of course,” Emmy said.

  Dad headed for the door. As he searched for the keys on the table by the door, he knocked some mail and other stuff off the table. As soon as he found the keys to the truck, he rushed out without another word.

  Emmy looked at her feet. When he’d scattered the mail, Patrick’s keys had slid across the floor, right to her.

  “Whoa,” Emmy said. “What just happened?”

  “I’m going to say…magic. And it wasn’t subtle.”

  “Did you do that?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “I guess it could be a coincidence,” Emmy said.

  “It’s never a coincidence.” Evangeline motioned toward their bedroom. “What about the guys?”

  “It will take them a while to notice we’re gone,” Emmy said. “Probably like several weeks.”

  Emmy didn’t talk much on the drive, and as expected, Evangeline didn’t either. Emmy figured magic was in play, but she had never seen it so aggressive or to the point. The magic liked Emmy and Evangeline going to the forest right now, and bent fate so that could happen. Emmy kept going back and forth in her head. This is a bad idea. Imagine what Mom and Dad would say if they knew I blindly followed magic…but Dad was doing the same thing. No, I’m sure it’s fine. It could be a coincidence anyway. Mom brainwashed me against magic. I’m trying to save Julie, and that can’t be evil, right? But if it’s summer magic, then it’s against me. She could talk too much even in silence.

  Emmy didn’t want to voice any of her thoughts aloud, because she didn’t want to accidentally talk Evangeline out of coming. Maybe Evangeline wouldn’t realize how stupid it was until Emmy said something. However, Emmy doubted Evangeline had any of these same fears. On all accounts, Evangeline appeared to be the contemplative and reasonable one, and Emmy, the erratic, irrational one. Emmy could understand why people thought this, but she didn’t think it was true. Emmy knew she was the reasonable one…a terrifying thought. Unlike Emmy, Evangeline didn’t battle with magic. S
he wasn’t stuck between two worlds, and didn’t feel conflicted about who she was or whether she made the right choices. Evangeline didn’t read the Bible in secret, trying to find some explanation she had missed. She didn’t pray. At least not to any Christian God.

  Evangeline was not stuck between two worlds at all. She lived 100% in the magical one—a place where following the whims of magic, regardless of consequences, was the reasonable thing to do. Emmy doubted if Evangeline understood any other option. Or, maybe Emmy was the one naïve enough to believe other options existed. In any case, despite all the quiet reading of paper books and good listening skills, Emmy suspected Evangeline didn’t have a rational bone in her body.

  When they arrived at the fated gas station, they had plenty of light left in the day. Dark witches or not, Emmy thought the daylight would make the forest easier to handle. And having Evangeline by her side would make it much easier too. She had a good feeling about this. Everything had aligned in her favor now. This would work.

  Emmy parked at the side of the gas station where Nathan had parked when Julie disappeared.

  “This is where it happened,” Emmy explained. “She disappeared from this parking lot in the middle of the day. No one saw anything. And they’ve searched the forest up and down and haven’t found anything.”

  “Well, the Mundanes and summer wizards haven’t found anything,” Evangeline said.

  “Exactly.”

  “But Nathan thinks she’s still here, close by?”

  “Yes, he thinks he can feel her presence. He just can’t get to her.”

  “That makes sense. You said her presence is strong, and Nathan would know it well. He’d be able to sense her. You’ve felt her presence before, too. Do you sense her nearby?”

  “No. Although, I’m not sure I would be able to. Besides…do you feel that? That feeling coming from the forest? It feels like darkness, but not the good kind, you know what I mean?”

  “Yes.”

  “I guess we can look around a little bit. Maybe you’ll see…or feel…something I didn’t.”

  “Okay.”

  Evangeline wandered into the parking lot, examining the asphalt with peaceful contemplation, as if searching for shells at the beach. Emmy should have asked her to look more normal so they wouldn’t call attention to themselves, but such a request would confuse her, as no word for “normal” existed in her language.