TwoSpells

by Mark Morrison

  “Who is it?” came a whisper.

  “Sarah. Let me in.”

  Jon cracked the door. “You can’t sleep either?”

  Sarah shook her head and slipped inside. “This is all so strange. What does it mean for us to be one of ‘them’?”

  “It means I’m going to be a warlock!” Jon said, bouncing on his bed. He picked up an umbrella waving it about and poking Sarah with the tip.

  “I don’t think it works that way, Jon,” Sarah giggled. “And quiet down! You’re gonna wake everyone up!”

  “Why don’t we have any special powers? Like in the movies?” Jon asked, tossing aside the umbrella.

  “Maybe we need to be taught,” Sarah replied. “Or maybe they were just teasing us.”

  Jon tumbled backward on his bed, the springs squeaking loudly. Sarah shushed him and continued. “This whole thing scares me. Quit goofing around.”

  “Sorry,” Jon mumbled. “I know what you mean.”

  Annoyed, Sarah left his room and tiptoed down the dark hallway. White-blue flashes illuminated her bedroom door and the floorboards squeaked as she felt for the doorknob. Sarah sniffed the air—a familiar cherry scent caught her attention.

  She hesitated, turning toward the hall window, only to find it slightly ajar. Lightning forked across the sky revealing the stony, grizzled face of the handyman and his snarling mastiff.

  Sarah gasped and ducked into her room, slamming the door and leaning against it. She held her trembling hands over her mouth, holding in a scream.

  Maybe she was mistaken. Why would he be standing out in the storm like that? Why would he be staring at her? But that smell…

  She worked up the courage to take another look and eased the door open slowly. An eye peered back at her. She yelped and slammed the door shut as quickly as she could.

  “Sarah,” Jon whispered. He gently tapped on the bedroom door. “Are you okay?”

  She let him in and glanced back at the hall window. Lightning lit the sky once more and all she could see was an old tree waving in the wind, but the window was no longer ajar. She fell back against the door and sighed with relief. Maybe she had imagined it. Maybe she just needed to get some sleep. “I’m fine, Jon. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Sarah woke up the next morning well before the sun had come up. She joined Jon in the kitchen to pick at some leftovers from the refrigerator as they waited for everyone else to wake up. They chatted for a bit about the story they’d been told the night before and what it might mean for them to be special.

  After a short while, they heard Grandma struggling with her walker. She rounded the corner into the kitchen, alone.

  “Grandma, did Mom and Percy ever get back last night?” Sarah asked. “I texted them but didn’t get an answer.”

  “Not ta’ worry. I’ve an idea where she might be, but that’s for her to tell ya’,” Grandma said.

  “All night?” Sarah asked.

  “Whatever it takes, lass.”

  Jon changed the subject. “Forget about all that! What’s the shadow virus do to a person?”

  “Easy, lad. It’s ah’ tad early for inquiries of that nature,” Grandma said, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

  “Sorry, Grandma,” Jon mumbled.

  Grandma smiled. “I guess ya’ fancied the story, did ya’?”

  “Yeah, we fancied it all right,” Sarah said. “When can we hear more?”

  “Well, ya’ got some chores ta’ do first, ya’ know.”

  Sarah and Jon stood up, eager to get started.

  “How about some breakfast first. Aren’t ya’ critters hungry?” Grandma asked.

  “We already ate,” Sarah admitted. “Sorry.”

  “Oh ya’ did? Well, you’ll just have ta’ wait then,” Grandma said as she set down her coffee with a shaky hand, sloshing some on the table. “Jon, can ya’ fetch your Grandfather? He’s been feelin’ under the weather. Sarah, ya’ stay here and start with last evenin’s soakin’.”

  Jon clumsily stumbled to his feet and left the room. “Ugh.”

  “Is Grandpa okay?” Sarah whispered.

  “Fit as ah’ fiddle he be. Just needs ah’ bit ah’ tunin’.”

  When Jon returned, Sarah set to work washing the dishes while Jon dried them. A few minutes later, Grandpa shuffled into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee.

  “Good morning, Grandpa,” Sarah said with a grin. She scrubbed a dish and passed it to Jon.

  Grandpa grumbled something under his breath about banging on his bedroom door as he hobbled to the table. Coffee sloshed over the lip of his cup and onto the floor. He didn’t seem to notice. He sipped on his coffee and groaned loudly.

  Grandma peered out over the book that she was reading. “Grumpy! The wee ones are greetin’ ya’.”

  “I’m not deaf ya’ know,” Grandpa groaned. “I’ll tend ta’ them when I’m up and about.”

  Sarah frowned. She looked to her grandmother. “We’re done washing dishes. What now?”

  “Ya’ done that chore quick as can be. Grandpa will be ready soon, won’t ya’?”

  Grandpa grunted his response and pulled himself to his feet with a sigh and picked up his coffee mug. He waved at Jon to follow him outside while Sarah remained inside to help her grandmother with some house cleaning. A few hours later, they broke for lunch, sharing sandwiches, cinnamon tea biscuits and fresh squeezed juice.

  After that, Sarah sat with Grandma for her first lesson in mending and Jon tended to a broken section of fence outside with Grandpa. It wasn’t long before the sun was setting. A full day’s work left both children exhausted.

  Sarah and Jon cleaned themselves up and gathered around the hearth with Grandma and Grandpa, eagerly hoping for a continuation of the story they’d heard the night before. The smell of burning oak and mystery hung heavy in the den. Grandma sat down in her chair, smiled and passed around a plateful of sandwiches.

  “Where’d we leave off last night?” Grandma asked.

  “Bohktar is sick, remember?” Sarah answered quickly.

  “Ah, yes. Now—”

  There was a rumbling sound outside and Sarah leapt up. Grandpa stood, grabbed his walking stick and a flashlight and headed for the back. Sarah and Jon followed.

  “Mom’s back!” Jon cheered, trotting to the backdoor.

  Sarah pushed past him on her way through the kitchen and out the back door. Jon sneered at her as she bounded down the steps toward the car.

  “Mom!” Sarah cried, hugging her.

  Jon worked his way between them and hugged her too. “Mom, you’re okay! Where’s Percy?”

  “He had to fly back home for an emergency. Everything’s fine,” their mother said. She looked up at Grandpa standing in the doorway. “What did you tell them?”

  Grandpa smirked, taking a step back. “A wee bit, I suppose. Come inside before ya’ catch your death of cold. We got ah’ fire burnin’.”

  The night air was moist and nippy. The children scooted into the warm house and helped their mom with her coat. The five of them huddled around the fireplace.

  “So, when do I get to be a warlock?” Jon asked.

  Their mother laughed. “Oh, boy. This is going to be a long evening, isn’t it?”

  And so they sat around the fire as Mom told them stories about her childhood on the farm and her first visit to TwoSpells. Sarah and Jon asked as many questions as they could think of and most were answered.

  Grandma and Grandpa fell asleep in their chairs, snoring loudly. Mom propped pillows under their heads and whispered to the children that it was time for bed. She promised them a special surprise in the morning if they kept quiet and let their grandparents sleep. As they headed to their rooms, Sarah noticed that her mother had slipped out the back door once again into the night.

  “What’s Mom doing?” Jon asked, poking his head up from behind her.

  Sarah stared out the window at her mother as she stood by the well in the yard. She turned to Jon. “I—I don�
��t know.”

  When the two of them turned back, their mother was gone.

  CHAPTER 7

  SUNLIGHT STRAINED TO CLIMB OVER the horizon and poured over the farmyard. It was a brand new day and Sarah was excited to get her chores started so that she could spend more time with her grandparents and mother. She found herself growing more attached to them and this new place every day. She glanced at her phone and saw that there were a dozen messages. She scanned through them, finding one from Percy.

  Love you all. Kiss your mom for me and watch over Jon. See you soon. The rest were from her friends back home, but she didn’t have time to respond right now. She had work to do.

  She dressed and slipped out the door, tiptoeing over to Jon’s room. She could hear strange noises coming from the kitchen.

  She tapped lightly on Jon’s door. “Are you awake?”

  “Jon are you up?” No response. She heard a soft stirring and grumbling but nothing more. “Jon!”

  “What?” he grumbled.

  “I want to come in.”

  “Well, come in then.”

  Sarah turned the knob slowly, easing the door open. She sat next to him on his bed. “What do you think of Mom’s stories?”

  Jon yawned and stretched. “Before you start, don’t get mushy.”

  “Fair enough. No mush,” she agreed. “So?”

  He pulled the covers up to his neck. “They sounded a lot like Grandpa and Grandma’s.”

  “Yeah they did.”

  His face was still buried in his pillow. “I don’t feel magical, do you?”

  “Not a bit, but maybe there’s something we have to do,” she suggested. She shook Jon. “Come on, let’s go!”

  He groaned. “Okay, I’m up, but I’m feeling gassy.”

  “Don’t you dare!” she shouted, jumping from the edge of his bed. “Hurry and get dressed. I’ll wait for you in the kitchen.”

  She started to leave, but paused at the door. “Oh yeah, Percy texted. He wanted to kiss and hug you and send all his love.”

  “Ugh,” Jon groaned. “Gross.”

  Sarah left the room and was greeted by several delicious odors drifting through the hallway, smelling like coffee, eggs, bacon, and toast. She paused to check herself in the hall mirror, but only a faded outline on the wood paneling remained. As she turned the corner in the kitchen, her grandparents smiled and continued reading the paper.

  “Good mornin’, Sarah. Ya’ city kids sleep late, don’t ya?” Grandma laughed. “Is your brother awake?”

  “Yeah, he’s getting dressed. He’ll be here in a few minutes,” Sarah replied, sitting beside Grandpa. He poured her a cup of coffee and pushed it toward her.

  “Mom says I’m not old enough to drink coffee,” Sarah said, pushing it back and examining the food on her plate closely.

  “Nonsense, lass. You’re almost thirteen,” Grandpa said, pushing it back.

  Sarah smelled the rich roast and took a small sip, her lips puckering with the sudden bitter flavor. She reached across the table and snatched a half dozen sugar cubes and tossed them into the cup. Jon rounded the kitchen corner just as she began eating.

  “Good morning lad,” Grandma said, moving a plateful of food towards him. “Do ya’ fancy some coffee too?”

  He looked at Sarah for permission. “Sarah?”

  “I won’t tell if you won’t tell,” Sarah said, sipping on her cup.

  Grandma poured a mug full, dropped two sugar cubes in and stirred.

  “Cool. So this is the stuff warlock’s drink then?” Jon said, taking a big sip and cringing. He spat it back in the cup and stuck out his tongue. “Ugh!”

  Grandpa laughed heartily and clapped Jon on the back. “Now hurry yourselves up kids. You’ve slept half the day away. We’ve got ah’ fishin’ adventure ta’ get ta’. We’ll need food for tonight, after all.”

  “Cool!” Jon cheered, adding several cubes of sugar to his cup.

  “Sure, okay,” Sarah said, pushing the food around her plate with her fork.

  “What’s the problem, lass?” Grandpa asked.

  “It’s not what I thought it was that’s all,” she replied.

  “And what might that be?”

  “Bacon, eggs and toast.”

  “Ah, well. This here’s better than that! Ah’ taste of the Welsh livin’. Poached eggs, giamorgan sausage with Grandma’s tomato chutney sittin’ aboard ah’ fresh griddled raisin bakestone.”

  Sarah forced a weak smile and looked up from her plate to address Grandpa. “Why is the mirror missing in the hallway?”

  Grandma and Grandpa looked stupefied by her question. Grandpa answered, “Ah, had a few chips in it so I pulled it aside for repairs.”

  “Seven years bad luck!” Jon chimed in. Sarah didn’t add anything. She tried a few bites of her breakfast and kept quiet.

  After finishing, they waited anxiously at the table for their mother to wake. They giggled and made senseless small talk while sipping coffee like seasoned java veterans.

  “What do you think the surprise is going to be?” Sarah asked Jon.

  He smiled. “Maybe she’s going to teach us some magic.”

  A rustling noise from their mother’s room stopped their banter. They craned their necks to hear if she had woken up. Moments later, they heard the sound of her bedroom door creaking open and her shuffling down the hall.

  Sarah poured her mother a cup of coffee just as she arrived. Grandpa and Grandma continued reading different sections of their newspaper.

  “Ugh, you’re all awake,” she grumbled. “Mornin’.”

  “Early to bed, early to something or other,” Sarah said. “It’s a farm thing Mom.”

  Their mother groaned as she plopped down in a chair. “I remember.” She stole a half-eaten raison bakestone from Jon’s plate. “Good morning Mom—Dad.”

  Sarah and Jon moved closer to their mother.

  “Is that what I think it is?” she asked them, pointing to their empty cups. “Mom, you let them have coffee?”

  “Aye, they’ll be needin’ the energy for today,” Grandma replied, rolling a sausage onto a plate for Mom.

  “I need a few things I couldn’t find in town yesterday,” Sarah’s mom explained. “I think I’ll need to see Morby in Fishguard.”

  Grandma scoffed. “That warty, leaky little degenerate doesn’t deserve the blessin’ of your company—”

  Sarah’s mom held her hand up. “It’s okay. Really. I know how to handle the hermit. I’m more worried about the kids.”

  Jon frowned. “What about us? Are we going too?”

  “Absolutely not,” their mother said. “You’re staying here. I’ll be gone for a few days, but you’ll have plenty of fun here with Grandma and Grandpa.”

  “Why can’t we go too? We’ll be good! We promise!” Sarah begged. She took another bite of her sausage and looked to Jon, who nodded back at her. “We want to meet Morby.”

  Grandpa chuckled. “I remember the first time I laid eyes on a goblin. Used ta’ think they were excitin’ little creatures too.”

  “I said no,” their mother said firmly. “But, the good news is that you’re both going to visit TwoSpells.”

  Both Sarah and Jon leapt from their seats with joy and hugged their mother tightly. Grandpa and Grandma smiled, leaning across the table and squeezing her hands in joint approval.

  “You’re the best, Mom,” Jon mumbled, his face buried in her armpit.

  “Thanks, Mom,” Sarah added “We’re gonna miss you.”

  “I’m sure you’ll be fine,” she said. “But you guys can’t go without me. It could be dangerous.”

  Sarah and Jon lurched back, groaning with disappointment. “But you said—”

  “When I get back,” their mother stated plainly. “Until then you can always explore the farm. You’ll have a great time.”

  Grandpa pouted, “Ah’ giant wonderland of chores.”

  “Exactly. Now, I’ve gotta get dressed,” their mom said. She took a l
ast swig of coffee, grabbed two bakestones and made her way to her room. “I have escorts on their way.”

  Sure enough, within minutes they heard the sound of tires rolling across the gravel drive. Two large black sedans pulled up, each with special rooftops made to accommodate the exceptional size of the drivers. Inside each was a massive blue skinned man in a suit that barely contained their mass. They wore wrap-around sunglasses and tiny earpieces. Across their foreheads were what looked to be numbers.

  “It’s the secret service!” Jon exclaimed.

  “What’s wrong with their skin?” Sarah wondered aloud. “What are they?”

  “Golems,” Grandpa muttered. “A very strange lot.”

  Sarah and Jon looked at each other. “Golems?”

  Grandma gazed out the window. “Some good, some bad.”

  “Grandma, you said that about warlocks too,” Sarah said.

  “Aye.”

  “I hope numbers Eighty-two and Eighty-three are good ones,” Sarah murmured. “Because they’re heading up the drive!”

  A few minutes later, their mom rushed out dressed in what appeared to be some kind of safari gear. She had a rucksack and rope strapped to her back. She hugged and kissed everyone goodbye and promised to be back soon. Grandma and Grandpa followed her out the door but left it slightly ajar.

  “Please tell me ya’ know where it be,” Grandma said in a hushed whisper.

  Their mother leaned in close to Grandma. “It’s safe for now. The collectors caught up to me, but I lost them in Sweden.”

  “So it’s here then?” Grandpa asked.

  Sarah couldn’t make out her mother’s answer. The three of them exchanged hugs again and waved. Golem Eighty-three held the door open and she hopped inside. They sped off, dust trailing from their tires.

  And as the dust settled, far across the farm yard, Sarah could just make out the silhouette of the creepy handyman and his terrible mastiff watching them.

  CHAPTER 8

  “LET’S GET ROLLIN’. WE'RE BURNIN’ SHINE,” Grandpa said, heading for the garage. “The rods and reels are waitin’.”

  “But what about the chores?” Jon asked.