by Les Goodrich
“If they get that painting, they’ll march out and fulfill every shitty witch stereotype we’ve worked for hundreds of years to dispel. There’ll be no such thing as tolerated witchcraft anymore. Bet on it.”
Chapter 9
Body-Bind
Hotels and small inns began to fill up for Halloween and Avalon Spellshop grew busier with the combination of that holiday and Samhain, the witch’s new year, falling on the same day. The weekend before Samhain was Family Weekend at the college and Brit’s parents had decided to visit her together and Brit looked forward to the Saturday with a mixture of happiness and apprehension. Her father drove up from his new oceanfront condominium in Satellite Beach where he worked as a CPA from his newly relocated office just two walkable blocks from his place. Her mother, the owner of an interior orchid service, came into town from their family home where Brit had grown up on the shores of a large lake outside Winter Haven. Brit had not seen her parents together for over six months and she tried to ignore her imagination of how things might go. She finally gave up and simply imagined them all laughing and getting along easily.
Carol cruised into the store at ten a.m. to find Tanner at the register and Jordan helping two teenage guys at the Egyptian god and goddess shelf in the back. Other customers were at various spots in the store and Carol was in a good mood as she said hello to some of them on her way to put her things in the office.
“When you have a second,” Carol said to Jordan on her way back up front.
“Sure,” said Jordan and she pulled a ten inch winged statue of Osiris from the upper shelf to show one of the boys. Jordan thought both guys were cute and she caught one looking at her as she came back down with the statue.
“Do you guys do magick?” she asked.
“A bit. We’re learning,” the taller guy said.
“You two could hang out at my place sometime. I could teach you some magick.”
The guys were instantly flustered and decided to look around more. Jordan headed up front where Carol and Tanner were talking. Carol motioned for Jordan to come behind the line and Tanner leaned back against the register counter. Carol spoke at low volume.
“Those boys are too young for you,” Carol said as Jordan walked up.
“They are? How old do they have to be?” Jordan said smiling and Tanner laughed. Carol just went on.
“Brit’s off today to visit her parents so I’ll talk to her later. Doctor Covington has confirmed this thing about the painting Jordan.”
“Doctor Covington is your ghostfriend?” Jordan asked.
“Yes. His name is Doctor Nicholas Covington. He’d like to meet you Tanner.”
“Cool,” Tanner said and Carol continued.
“Anyway. You were right on about these Fomorians and the painting is real. At least Gwen believes it is. She thinks the pirates have the actual painting at some outpost in the islands. The Bahamas. I don’t know exactly where yet. I’m not sure if she does either, because apparently the Fomorians don’t use the same place names as we do and the whole thing is sketchy at best. We—or they—are dealing in vague descriptions and rumor and from what I understand the Fomorians are about as trustworthy as the pirates so the entire situation is thieves dealing with thieves. Gwen's frustrated. But she’s also a determined lady. She’ll persist, believe me.”
Jordan spoke up, “Shay’s going to the Bahamas this weekend. I wish I could get ahold of her somehow. She could ask around about the painting while she’s there.”
“Don’t you think she’ll do that anyway?” reasoned Carol and Jordan nodded.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Look,” Carol went on, “this is a dangerous situation. We’re talking about one of the most important witchcraft artifacts ever conceived to exist, but it’s all speculation. We have no idea what the painting shows or who painted it. It could be some trifle or decoration. Maybe it’s old, great, but what does it truly depict? How do we know it shows anything? What if it does show Aradia’s altar for the spell? It could show a bowl of some powder, but how could we ever know what was really in it? It could show a spell book, but could we read the words? We’re talking about a complex transformation spell. The trickiest kind. There’s a reason no one’s pulled this spell off for centuries. And the worst kind of people are mixed up in this. At least we know the witches are Shadowclan. And these dark mermaids, Fomorians, I hear are a drag, and I believe it. Tanner, what can you tell us about the pirates?”
“Just like witches there are good and bad. Well, in this case, bad and worse. There’s a few basic kinds of pirates these days. Modern day pirates with power boats and heavy firepower. The bad ones run drugs and deal in smuggled goods of all kinds. The worst of them prey on tourists and steal their boats. I don’t even think the drug runners consider those guys pirates though. More like desperate psychos. There’re also ghost pirates. They’re more like your classic pirate. The ghost pirates deal most often with the smuggler pirates, but they all wheel and deal with each other, or so it seems, except for the most ruthless of the modern boat stealing psychos, whom everyone tries to stay away from and those guys tend to have short lives anyway. The whole violence begets violence thing. Dealing with any of them would be a, well, um—”
“A clusterfuck,” said Jordan.
“Yes thank you for that colorful description Jordan,” said Carol.
“My pleasure,” Jordan smiled and bowed.
Sunday morning Jordan opened and Brit came in at ten to close with Tanner who was scheduled to arrive at noon. Brit bustled through the door and Jordan was glad to have her there because the morning had been busy.
“Hola chica,” Jordan said.
“Hola,” Brit said and put her bag on the front table.
“I’ll stay on the register until Tanner gets here, then you can decide who does what, since you’re closing with him.”
“Tribe.”
“How was yesterday? With your parents.”
“It was fine. We had lunch at Columbia.”
“Nice. It was good?”
“As always.”
“Yeah. And your mom and dad. It was okay?”
“I said it was fine and I really don’t want to talk about it,” Brit said and she dug in her bag for something.
“Okay,” said Jordan and she moved to dust the front window display full of raven feathers, resin skulls, obsidian spheres, and general Samhain odds and ends.
“I went out with Marshal again!” Brit said changing the subject.
“You did?” turned Jordan. “When?”
“Friday night. We went to Warehouse and danced. It was so fun.”
“Did you kiss him?” Jordan asked and Brit blushed. “You did!”
“Yeah. It was awesome.”
“Oh my god! Where did he kiss you?”
“On the lips.”
“No shit dork. I mean where were you? In the club?”
“No!”
“Then where?”
“When he dropped me off at my building.”
“Oh wow. So romantic. Did he ask you first?”
“Yeah.”
“What’d he say?”
“He walked me up to the doors and he said goodnight. He was holding my hand and he kind of stopped me with it and he totally just said, do you wanna kiss?”
“That’s so sweet.”
“I know. I said, okay, and that was it. We kissed. He held my face in his hands while we did. I nearly fell over.”
“Then you pulled him upstairs!”
“No. He’s really cute though. I like him.”
“I guess so,” said Jordan and Brit seemed as happy as ever and the morning passed smoothly.
Tanner came in at noon and Brit had him count into the register after Jordan counted out and made her deposit.
“Can you handle this place while we go get coffee together?” Brit asked.
“You guys are addicts,” Tanner said.
“Well can you?”
“Sure.”
“You want anything?”
“Where are you going?”
“Monster.”
“Get me a strawberry cream cheese muffin,” Tanner said and he handed Brit a five dollar bill from his jeans pocket.
She put it into her backpack, slung the pack over one shoulder, and the girls headed out and Brit paused and said “Later dude,” from the doorway and Jordan bumped into her.
“Go on,” Jordan said and pushed Brit from behind and the girls were gone. No customers were in the store and Tanner went to change the music.
Brit and Jordan walked up Charlotte Street and talked about their Samhain plans. When they turned left onto Treasury Street they came face to face with Datura who stood ten yards away, her wand drawn.
Jordan reached for her wand at the top of her backpack.
“Body-bind,” Datura casually spoke, and Jordan's arm stopped with her hand four inches from her wand hilt and she tried to step but she was frozen. Datura sauntered calmly toward them.
“Body-storm,” Jordan said to Brit. “Blow her off the sidewalk before she gets any closer! Grab my wand and just do it!” Jordan demanded from her helpless state but Brit only stammered and inched back.
“She won’t do it,” Datura said and she walked right up to Jordan until their faces were close enough for Jordan to feel the chill of Datura’s skin near hers.
“Leave her alone!” Brit shouted but Datura spoke as if she and Jordan were wholly isolated. Her voice sultry, slow, distant.
“I don’t know what you fluffy bunny witches are up to, but keep your little jinxes out of our store and mind your own goddamn business if you know what’s good for you.”
“You started it,” Jordan said defiantly.
“And I’ll finish it,” Datura sneered.
“Go away!” Brit yelled and Datura turned her icy stare her way.
“What are you gonna do? Hit me with a book?”
Datura turned and stalked off and looked only ahead. She turned into an alley and just as she did she lifted her left hand with a flip of her wrist as if shooing a fly and Jordan was released from the binding hex.
Jordan immediately turned and walked back toward the shop in silence.
“Jordy!” Brit called but Jordan ignored her and left her standing on the sidewalk alone where she stood and began to cry. Brit sat down upon the cold concrete with her knees up and her face wrapped in her crossed arms and she sat that way for a long time.
Tanner looked up to see Jordan come in alone.
“Where’s Brit?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Where’s my muffin?”
“I don’t know.”
Tanner sensed something was seriously wrong so he just moved away into the store. Some time later Brit came in and she put Jordan's coffee on the counter and said, “I’m sorry,” and walked with her own drink to sit at the bookshelf in back. Tanner came up to Brit and she handed him his muffin and change.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Brit said.
He looked to Jordan who sat on the front table reading something. Tanner walked back up front.
“Did you guys get into some kind of a fight or something?”
“I don’t wanna talk about it,” Jordan said and Tanner looked from her to Brit in the back and he noticed Jordan's untouched coffee on the counter. He glanced to be sure no customers had come in.
“What happened?”
“I said I don’t wanna talk about it,” Jordan said more firmly and Tanner raised his eyebrows.
“I understand. But you’re about to,” he said and Jordan looked to him in surprise.
“Store rules. We don’t let stuff brood. Whatever this is, we’re about to have it out.”
“This is none of your business.”
“I have to work with you two so it is my business. Plus you’re my friends and whatever this is about, we’re gonna fix it right now so get ready. Brit, could you come up here please.”
“Damnit Tanner,” Jordan protested.
“I’m serious Jordan,” he said.
“What?” Brit asked walking up and Tanner left each girl at a counter and he moved through the gap between them to the register position and spoke.
“Here’s how this works. The intention is to resolve whatever this is about with a solution that’s at least good enough for us all to be able to work together from now on. Jordan, you got back first, so you go first. You speak only to me like we’re the only ones here. You have one minute. Then Brit, you get your minute and you also talk only to me. No interrupting no matter what. After you both speak, I get one minute. After that I’m not really sure because I’m usually not the one running this kind of thing, but I’m running it now. Okay?” Neither girl spoke so Tanner said, “Okay. Jordan. This is your one minute.”
“Datura attacked me as soon as we turned a corner and she froze me like a kindergarten kid. Brittany just watched. She could have helped me but she didn’t because she won’t do magick and if she ever calls herself a witch in front of me again I’ll put my foot in her perky little voleyball-shaped ass.”
“And?” asked Tanner.
“And nothing,” Jordan said and refused to look at either of them.
“Your minute isn’t up.”
“I don’t care. That’s all I have to say.”
“Okay,” Tanner said. “I can see how that would infuriate anyone. It doesn’t sound like much of a solution is in there yet, but it’s a start. Are you okay Jordan? I mean, physically?”
“Yes.”
“Okay good. Brit. Your turn.”
Brit inhaled deeply through her nose then exhaled between her pursed lips and tried to relax. Her voice shook slightly as she spoke.
“First of all I am so sorry Jordan. I swear I am,” Brit said and Tanner stopped her.
“Brit, you talk to me like you and I are the only ones here, remember.”
“Okay, here goes. I’ve studied witchcraft my whole life. I grew up with it. In my family I learned about witchcraft the way other kids learn to ride bikes or play soccer. I learned about paganism and old gods and how to say pantheist to teachers or other kids to shut them up, if they asked me about religion or church. I learned about abundance and harmony and the elements and magick from experiences, so I never even wondered if they were real or not. But I also learned to never say the word witch in front of anyone my family didn’t know personally. I love my mother and father more than anyone in the world. My mother has this big idea that I’ll be the thirteenth witch in our family to head her coven. That coven is the thirteenth coven in my family’s tradition and it goes back to the flipping colonies and England before that. I always just assumed I’d do it, and everything was fine.
“Then about the time I was fourteen or fifteen my dad started in, wanting me to learn magick to protect myself against, whatever it is dad’s want their daughters protected against. Guys. Jerks. Danger. He says that magick is for defense and protection and my mom says it’s for healing and needed change, and that’s what started it all. At first it was just conversations I’d hear late at night. Then it got worse. They fought it out for years with me in the middle. I got into Rollins but I decided to come here to get away from home some, and as soon as I left they got divorced.”
Tanner lifted his arm and pointed to his watch to indicate that Brit’s minute was up but Jordan reached over and wrapped her hand over his wrist and gently lowered it and she looked to her friend and her throat was tight and she was quiet. Brit went on.
“I study magick so I can out-debate either of them to stick up for the other, and I’m so exhausted from six years of it and none of it matters because they still got divorced anyway. I can’t bring myself to do magick of any kind because I’m so afraid I’ll disappoint one or the other of them. Or prove one of them right. I’m trapped by it. And I’m sorry I didn’t help Jordan today.”
Jordan began to speak, “Brit I’m sorry. I—,”
; “Wait!” Tanner said. “Solution! I get my minute.”
“Fine. Go ahead,” Jordan said.
“Thank you both for being so honest. Jordan, no matter what Brit did or didn’t do, it sounds like Datura caught you totally off guard. Ask yourself, what hidden power does Datura have that would allow her to get the drop on you? The answer is none. The only power she has to do that, is the same one you have, and it’s called awareness. Think about what’s on your mind other than your surroundings in the moment, that would let her ever see you before you saw her.”
“Damn,” said Jordan. “Okay.”
“And Brit. All of us here love you. It’s obvious your parents do too. If any of us ever choose a pagan path, we choose it for ourselves alone. We can never choose the path of witchcraft and magick for someone else. But maybe we should never shun it for someone else either. I don’t have an easy answer for your situation. But I will say this: if you’re gonna interact with people who use magick, then you have to be ready to play at that level when you need to. Mark Twain was quoted as saying, those who do not read great books have no discernible advantage over those who can not. I bet you’d agree with that. So consider if that idea may also apply to using practical magick, and no matter what you decide, we’ll always be your friends. Now is everyone able to work together again?”
“Yes,” said both girls and then Jordan said, “Thank you Tanner.”
“Yeah thank you Tanner,” added Brit and the girls went back into the store together. Jordan put her arm around Brit as they walked.
“Did you really mean what you said before?” Brit asked and she dried her cheeks with her wrist.
“About what?”
“About my butt being perky and shaped like a volleyball?”