Broken Spell

by Fabio Bueno

  “Back off, or I swear I’ll split your head open!” Sean screams. He’s bright red, and his eyes bulge. “Back off. Back off!”

  The guy stops for a second. “You little shit. I’m calling the police.”

  Sean growls. “Yeah. You do that. I’ll tell them how you bought beer for those kids. And how you just hit my friend. Who’s also a minor. Go ahead!”

  The guy hesitates.

  “Come on,” Sean says. “Oh, damn it, I’ll do it.” Sean gets his cell.

  The guy looks at us. “You’ll go to juvie.”

  “Do I look like I care?” Sean yells.

  The guy jumps into his truck and drives off, windshield shattered and all. I see his license plate and type it on my cell, just in case.

  The station attendant comes out of the store. “Go now before I call the police,” he says, more scared than any of us.

  “Yeah,” Sean says. “I know you saw the kids too. Don’t play dumb.”

  The attendant goes inside, but he doesn’t go to the phone. He just stays by the glass door, watching us.

  “We…uh…should get out of here,” I say.

  He stares at me. “You okay?”

  “Sure.” If my arm wasn’t firm from all the swimming, I’d be hurting a lot. I shake it off. “At least I wasn’t hit on the head again. What about you?”

  “I feel better.”

  “Did you get it out of your system?”

  He smirks a bit. The first semblance of a smile since Boulder’s accident.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he says, getting into the car.

  We leave the station.

  “At least your car is running,” Sean says. “This noise worries me.”

  “As long as it runs, I don’t care.”

  “You always drive with both hands. You grab the wheel really hard.” Sean points to my hands.

  In response, I relax my grip. “Can you blame me? I almost got beat up.”

  “No, I mean, you always do it. Even before Boulder’s accident.”

  I don’t answer. It’s probably because I’m concerned about Mona. And my mother. And Skye. And Boulder. And the future. Damn, I need to loosen up. I’m turning into Dad.

  My paranoid self checks the rearview mirror for a police car or the truck guy. “Still feeling like going to the hospital?” I ask.

  Sean shakes his head. “Not tonight. We’ve been there every day.”

  “How is the screenwriting going?”

  “I stopped for a while. Sorting things out, you know. Hey, let’s watch a dumb movie.”

  The movie takes our mind off Boulder. But when Jason Statham’s cop partner dies, I glance at Sean out of the corner of my eye. He is squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth.

  Chapter 27: Skye

  I’m checking my collection of herbs when my cell rings.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi! Skye? This is Liam.”

  “Who?”

  “Liam. We met at the club the other night. We danced.”

  Only then I recognize his sweet voice. “Oh, yeah. You’ve got some moves,” I say.

  He chuckles. “You too.”

  “Not good ones.”

  “I’ll plead the fifth on that. So what’s up with you?”

  “Nothing much.” It’s better than saying a friend of mine is about to die, and I’ve been trying to support my bestie and my boyfriend. People don’t want to hear that. “What about you?”

  “I’ve been let down by my wardrobe recently. So you up for some shopping?”

  Shopping is my main activity with Priscilla. She’s at the hospital right now, and I don’t want to go with anyone else. It’s like I’m betraying her.

  “I’m not much of a shopper. Coffee instead?”

  “Sure,” he says, but he sounds disappointed. “Should I pick you up now?”

  “Could it be around six? I have a thing.” Yara and Greta are waiting for me.

  “No problem.”

  “I’ll text you the address later.”

  We say our goodbyes. I feel bad leaving Drake and Priscilla taking turns at the hospital, but they both begged me to leave them. And I feel worse meeting Greta and Yara right after Priscilla told me how she felt about it. But I promised the girls I would show up.

  ***

  Despite my earlier reservations, Yara, Greta, and I are having a good time.

  “And this one time,” Yara says, “I tried to get out of a speeding ticket. I had a cigarette laced with Forget, and while the cop went to the squad car, I lit up. When he comes back, I blow the smoke right in his face. He takes a step back, and yells at me. I have no idea why it didn’t work, so I stick my head out of the car, and blow again. He pulls a taser on me! Almost fires it too. My cig was a regular one!”

  “That’s horrible, Yara,” I say.

  “Nah. We worked it out later. Anyway, that’s why I couldn’t drive for a while.”

  “What about you, Skye? Any embarrassing moments?” Greta asks.

  “Well. Priscilla thought you were hitting on me that night at the club. The first time we met.”

  Greta laughs. “Me? No, I’m straight. Well, straight-ish. It’s hard not to kiss a girl once in a while.”

  I try to think of a comment, but nothing comes to mind. It’s a different experience for me, being around Sisters my own age. I’ve always been a loner.

  Greta says, “Hey, I have news. Look.” She stands up, turns around, and lifts her shirt a bit.

  “A tribal…lower back tattoo?”

  “Call it what it is, Skye: it’s a tramp stamp. But don’t worry. It’s temporary. One of mine, actually. Laced with an Energy potion.”

  “It looks good. I’ve always wanted one there, but it’s hard to get over the stigma.”

  “You can have one. The one I told you about. With Dispel.”

  I’m tempted, but this one is supposed to be for Mona. “Maybe another time.”

  “Come on!” Greta says. “Imagine your boyfriend’s face when he sees it.”

  Yara’s face changes subtly, but she says. “Yeah. Here.” She gives me a sheet with the design. It has a plastic cover on one side.

  I think about it. I can have fun. I’ll need a Dispel in some form anyway when Connor makes me take the Truth potion for the deposition. “Okay,” I say.

  “Use water to apply it.”

  Greta goes out to get some water.

  “How do you make it?”

  “It’s pretty simple,” Yara says. “I need to print the design, right? So I just added the potion and a special emulsion into an empty printer cartridge. I print the design on the paper, and we’re done. It’s not topical—it needs to enter your bloodstream, so it’s okay to be in contact with your skin. Just don’t scratch it before you need it.”

  Greta is back with a damp hand towel. I turn my back to her, and she applies the tattoo.

  “Hey, it’s too low,” I protest.

  “It’ll look hot. Trust me,” Greta says.

  They’re so wicked. Between them and Priscilla, I feel like a prude.

  I’m amazed by Yara’s expertise. I thought it was strange, having her and me, with such unique Charms, in the same city. What are the odds? But it makes sense. The Mothers probably tried to assemble the equivalent of an All-Star team of Sisters here to find the Singularity. Well, an Under-17 All-Star team, but still.

  While we wait for the tat to dry, Yara says, “Here, try this.” She hands me a purple pill.

  “What is it?”

  “Just take it. You’ll be surprised.”

  Since she knows her stuff, I decide to go for it. I put the pill in my mouth and swallow it.

  “What now?” I ask.

  “Give it a minute,” Greta says. “So Skye, tell us. How did you find the Singularity?”

  “Didn’t your coven tell you?”

  “They told us the girl, Brianna, goes to Greenwood and that you found her. And that she set the school on fire.”

  That’s interesti
ng. It’s funny to see it through their eyes. They know just a small part of the whole story. They don’t know about the fire—

  All of a sudden, I see an image of Yara and Greta on fire. It’s like a vision.

  “Whoa!” I blink a few times.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Weird flashback.”

  The two of them exchange a furtive glance. I must look like a fool.

  “So tell us!” Greta claps excitedly. “Was it dangerous?”

  I never thought of a fake version with all the details. I should’ve expected a request for a play-by-play eventually. But I give them only the highlights—from the official version.

  “Yes. When I figured it out, I followed her to the school. She freaked out and set the gym on fire by accident. I escaped and dragged her outside.”

  I don’t tell them about the knife at Mona’s throat. Or about saving Brianna and Drake with a commune ritual.

  Then it comes again, a swift vision of Greta with her throat impaled by a knife.

  “No!” I yell without meaning to do it. But Greta is before me, unscathed. Then her face blurs a little.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  “You’re tripping, Skye. Just relax,” Greta says.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Greta and Yara look at each other.

  “What?” I ask. They’re hiding something from me.

  Yara talks to me. “You took a happy pill. I mean, it’s going to make you a bit high—”

  “Goddess, Yara! Did you drug me?”

  She looks at Greta for support, but Greta doesn’t open her mouth. Yara says, “Yours is pretty mild. All the coven girls are doing it.”

  “I don’t care! Is that why I’m hallucinating?”

  Greta asks, “What do you see?” She’s a mix of concerned and curious.

  “How do I stop it?”

  Yara is worried too. “You can’t. Unless you want to waste the Dispel tattoo on it. It’s expensive, and it takes a long time to brew, but if you want to…”

  I think about it. No, I’d better save it for when it’s really necessary. They don’t know it, but I need at least two: one to beat Connor’s interview, and one to give to Mona just in case. I am wearing one, and I already gave Mona the other.

  “It’s okay,” I say. “I’ll tough it out. I just don’t like this sensation.”

  “You could just wait until the effects pass. Should be a half hour or so.”

  “I need to go,” I try to stand up, but my legs are wobbly.

  Yara pleads with me. “Please stay, Skye. Give it a little time, and you’ll feel better.”

  “I want to go.” It’s not only the effects: Yara’s brightly painted house makes my head hurt—and the visions worse.

  Greta bites her lip. “I can’t drive you. I’m high too. Can you call a taxi?”

  Ack. I look up the time on my cell. Drake must be home by now, after spending the day at the hospital. And I don’t want him to see me like this.

  I should call Priscilla, but I’d have to explain to her how I got “accidentally” high without mentioning magic.

  The cell dings. Liam texted me. I forgot to tell him the address. Maybe he could pick me up. I don’t want to give him Yara’s exact address, so I just send him an intersection close to her house.

  Chapter 28: Drake

  The collection of potions and other witch stuff Skye left is just lying on Mona’s desk right before me. Since the only other person who enters this room is Pain, she didn’t hide any of the vials, pills, and creams.

  I have a decision to make. I need to know more about my mother. Dad won’t open up, and we’re running out of time.

  The bottle labeled “Truth” is on the back row. It has the same purplish color of the one Boulder accidentally drank a while ago. Even though it’s not a defensive or harmful potion, Skye left it here, “just in case.” Maybe this is the case.

  Still feeling guilty, I reach for the bottle.

  When Dad comes home, I rush to the kitchen and act like I had just finished preparing a smoothie.

  “Hey, Dad! How was your day?”

  He drops the laptop case on the sofa. “Eventful. Bad eventful. I’m glad it’s over.”

  “Had dinner yet?”

  “No, I’ll just fix myself a sandwich.”

  “Here, grab a smoothie.”

  Dad looks at the purple-red concoction I’m offering him. “What’s this?”

  “A mixed berry smoothie. Or you can have mine.” I show him a kale smoothie. It’s dark green. It looks like I made it out of moss and dirty twigs.

  “I’ll have the berry one, thanks.” He reaches out, smells it, and takes a sip. “Not bad.” He takes a full swig and sits at the nook’s table. “How is school?”

  “Fremont is okay. At least the gang is all there. We miss Boulder though.”

  “How’s he?”

  “The same,” I say, sitting at the table opposite him. “I went there after school.”

  “A shame, what happened to that boy. I called his father the other day; he is devastated. I wish I could help.” He looks away for a few seconds and shakes his head. “Jeff asked me to tell you that you’re a good friend, buddy.”

  “That’s cool.”

  “You’re a stand up guy. You go to school, help with the house, keep an eye on Mona…” His weary expression is improving. “I’m proud of you, Drake.”

  Uh-oh. The potion is already taking effect. I feel bad, but this is nice to hear.

  He goes on. “You should go to college. You have top grades. We can pay for it, you know. Tuition at U-Dub is expensive, but as residents we get a discount. I have a little set aside for that. Maybe a student loan can complement it. We’ll figure it out.” His eyes glaze. “But it’s your decision. I want you to make your own path. I didn’t, and sometimes I regret it a little.” He takes another sip.

  I’m ashamed of my behavior, but I want to know more. When am I going to get another chance to have a frank talk with him? “What would you rather have done?”

  He chuckles. “That’s the thing. I don’t really know. That’s why I said I regret it a little. I just imagine how things could have been. One thing I wouldn’t change is having you and Mona. But the job, the place, and, you know, life… I wonder, ‘what if?’”

  Here’s my cue. “Do you wonder ‘what if?’ about Mom?”

  Dad looks at me. “Yes. That, most of all.” He finishes his glass.

  I almost choke when the words come out, “Why did she leave, Dad?”

  His eyes move to outside the kitchen window. “She didn’t love me anymore.”

  A pang in my chest almost stops me from asking, “How do you know?”

  Dad grits his teeth. “She told me. I was shocked. It was sudden. We were living a happy life, as a family. One day, I noticed her getting restless. Different. Two weeks later, she dropped the bomb.” He rubs his forehead. “I tried to argue. I asked about the kids. She said she did love you, but she needed to leave.” He touches my arm and looks me in the eye. “Never forget this, Drake. She always loved you and Mona.”

  When he lets go of my arm, I look away. I don’t want him to see my watering eyes. But I need to press on. “What else did she say?”

  “She told me to always keep an eye on you and Mona. She said you two were special and had potential to be great.”

  Okay, here’s where I trust that he’ll forget all about it when the potion effects disperse. “Was Mom a witch, Dad?”

  He blinks a few times. “Why do you ask?”

  “Was she?”

  “I don’t know. At times I thought she had a secret. Or maybe a secret life. She always got what she wanted; that part was almost…supernatural. Well, unnatural.”

  “Was she also, uh, unnaturally beautiful? Or smart? Or athletic?” From what Skye told me, those are the most common Charms.

  My father smiles. “In my eyes, yes. Of course. I was in love with her. But no, not really. The only w
eird thing was that she could make everyone agree with her and give her what she wanted.” He snorts. “How do you think she convinced me to let her go?”

  I don’t know how much longer the potion is going to last. “So do you think she might be a witch?”

  “This is ridiculous. But I do. She had something magical about her.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “I don’t know,” Dad says.

  “Guess.”

  “She didn’t have a family. Her parents—your grandparents—passed away a long time ago; I’ve never met them.” He sighs. “She always said she wanted to see the world.”

  Great. This narrows things down. “Dad. Do you want to see her again?”

  He nods. “More than anything.”

  I lower my head. I wanted the truth. I just didn’t realize it would hurt so much. This session is taking a heavy toll—on both of us.

  “Well, look at the time!” Dad says in an upbeat voice. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”

  He smiles at me and gets up. “Thanks for the drink, Drake. But it tasted bitter.”

  Yes, it did.

  Chapter 29: Skye

  For some reason, Liam’s car doesn’t match the owner. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t a black Lexus sedan with tinted windows. He parks by the curb, and the passenger’s window slides down.

  “Taxi for one?” He is showing his winning smile.

  “Thanks for picking me up,” I say, getting into the car. It’s the first time I see his aura; Mona had borrowed my glasses when I went to the club. His aura looks dark. Maybe it’s the dim lights on the car.

  “My pleasure,” he says. “Fasten your seatbelt.” He presses a button; my window closes.

  “Concerned about my safety?” I giggle.

  “No,” he says. “Quite the opposite.”

  I look at him, puzzled.

  A piece of cloth covers my face. I struggle and try to get away, but Liam holds my arms in a strong grip while the person behind me presses the cloth against my mouth and nose. I fade into oblivion.

  ***

  My disorientation is a familiar one. Thanks to Jane, I know how waking up from a Sleep potion feels.

  The True Sight tingling is abuzz, as if a low electrical current permeates my body.