by Les Goodrich
“Do you live here?” Jordan finally asked him.
“Yeah. I live out west. I work in Old Town though.”
“So do I. Where do you work?”
“I work at the book shop. Paper Tales Books.”
“Oh cool, I’ve been in there a few times. I love books.”
“Me too. Where do you work?” he asked giving her more attention.
“Avalon Spellshop on Aviles.”
“Avalon Spellshop. The witch store?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you a witch?”
“Yep,” Jordan said and she thought, might as well get that out there at the beginning.
“No way! Me too. My name is James,” and he shook her hand and Jordan doubted he was a witch until their hands touched and she felt a pleasant shockwave and it felt as if they had held hands a hundred times before. James took his hand back. He had felt sparks too.
“I’m Jordan,” she said and tried to flirt with him more but he just smiled and refocused his attention on the music and the DJ. They spoke a few more times and Jordan sort of came and went. He finally seemed to give in and admit with body language that he was attracted to her. He turned from the DJ’s direction and almost imperceptibly looked Jordan over and his smile widened. The second he did so Jordan decided to go look for her friends and she left him standing there again and he shook his head but he did watch her go.
He realized he had her attention and he knew she was strong and smart. He had only met a few other witches in his entire life and all of them older ladies. He thought she might be used to being hit on and he had decided to just be himself. Then he wondered why he would even have that thought because he was always honest about who he was and what he thought. He shook the thought away. He contemplated how they were both sort of surprised at being attracted to each other and he wondered if that was the case for her too. He wondered if it was because they were both witches.
She’s hot. Don’t even try to pretend she isn’t, he told himself. She seems to like you for some reason so just be glad. Just be yourself like always. Maybe this is the time to finally be happy that Karen moved to Colorado eight months ago. Karen. Fun while it lasted. I’m just not moving to Colorado. Put all that out of your mind now. Live in the moment.
He began to wonder where Jordan had gone and turned his focus back to the music.
Jordan gathered Claire on her way through the crowd and they found Mims and sat with her. Everyone in Mim’s little newly formed camp introduced themselves and the party was much advanced when the latenight DJ girl dropped the most ambient record she had and turned the decks over to Kelvin Dark.
The girls sat and became entranced with the drones and deep synth pads and creeping dark ambient sounds. They listened for about forty minutes and Jordan was noticeably more interested in the music than Claire, and Claire was entirely more interested in it than poor Mims who was falling asleep.
“I think Mims has had enough,” Claire said tilting her head to where Mims slept behind crossed arms and her back against the wall. The other new-friend girls had left the floor camp long ago. Claire was clearly ready to head out as well.
“I’ll be right back,” Jordan said and she jumped up and vanished among the thinning crowd. Claire nudged Mims.
“Wake up sleepy head,” she said and Mims stirred.
“Wow that guy really brought it down a notch didn’t he?” Mims said and stretched.
Jordan stepped up. “I really wanna hear the rest of his set, so, I have a ride,” she said. “If you guys don’t care.”
“Are you sure?” Claire asked. “We can stay as long as you want.”
“Well,” Mims said.
“Yeah, it’s cool,” Jordan assured them.
“Who is it?” Claire asked and she stood, straightened her pants, then reached her hand down and helped Mims up.
“I met a guy. His name’s James. He works at Paper Tales bookshop. In Old Town. He produces deep house. Or tech house. Something. He plays downtempo stuff on the patio at Duncan’s Bistro on Sunday afternoons. Like acid jazz.”
“Oh yeah I’ve heard him spin before,” Mims said. “He’s good, if it’s the same guy. Are you sure he’s cool though? We want you to be safe.”
“Witch,” Jordan said in an obvious tone and she lifted the hilt of her wand from its holster on her hip. She didn’t mention James was also a witch. She wondered if he really was. She thought about the energy she had felt when they shook hands.
That might have been lust, she thought and her mind drifted, then Claire spoke and snapped her back.
“If you’re sure,” Claire said.
“I’m sure,” Jordan said. “Come meet him.”
“That’s Okay,” Mims said and she yawned.
“No man, come on,” Claire said to Mims and the three girls crossed to the room’s center where James the acid jazz DJ witch from Paper Tales Bookshop who was feeling glad, for the first time in eight months, that his ex girlfriend had moved to Colorado, stood listening to every detail and nuance of the dark ambient sounds and watching the DJ mix.
“He’s cute, don’t you think?” Mims said outside as she and Claire crossed the fog-dampened grass to the car.
“Yes he’s very cute. And he seems quite innocent,” Claire said. “I hope he knows what he’s in for. Our pal Jordan might just rock his world tonight.” The girls closed their car doors, looked at each other, then broke out laughing.
“No shit,” Mims said and they drove across the field through low fog and Claire leaned down to skylight any gap in the treeline ahead and find the road.
Chapter 13
All Hallow's Eve
Halloween Saturday morning came and brought with it the cold dry air of another front. Forty degree wind rattled leaves along Saint George Street. Locals wore jeans and were glad to get another day out of their favorite sweatshirt or sweater. There were tourists from South Florida in hoods and gloves who huffed along and said it was the coldest they had ever been. And there were tourists from New York in shorts and teeshirts who shook their heads and smiled at the sight of such bundled Floridians and they updated social media posts of themselves in the Sun along the waterfront to taunt their snowbound friends up north.
Carol and Tanner opened, Jordan was scheduled in at ten, and Brit would be there at two p.m. Tanner was dressed as a wizard with grey cloak, tall staff, and navy cone hat embroidered with a spiral of silver stars and moons. Carol was dressed as a gypsy fortune teller in red and blue silk and tiny silver bells that chimed and twinkled when she walked and it was hardly a costume for her at all.
Tanner had a stack of The Last Dragon’s new Samhain edition and he replaced the old ones on the rack by the door and made sure to give each customer one.
“This looks great,” Carol said as she flipped through one. “It’s really coming along.”
Tanner would distribute hundreds to the shops around town over the next few days, and collect his ad revenue from the stores that advertised with him.
Jordan rolled over and pushed at James half asleep beside her.
“Get up King James I have to go to work soon.” Jordan slipped out of bed wearing a long sleeve black teeshirt, and knelt otherwise only in her black lace boyshort undies and added wood to the fireplace coals. James leaned up on his elbows and watched her through the pulled back curtains around the bed.
“King James?” he asked.
“After last night that’s your new nickname,” Jordan said and smiled toward him.
“What time do you have to go?” he asked.
“I need to leave by nine-thirty and be there by ten, but it’s Samhain so I need an hour to get ready.”
“So-when?” James said. “Oh yeah, Samhain.”
“Halloween,” Jordan said and her heart soared at the thought.
“What time is it now?” James picked up his phone from the nightstand and blinked to focus on it.
“It’s six,” Jordan said and stirred the coals.
&nb
sp; “Six a.m. and you’re kicking me out into the cold so you can get to work four hours from now?”
Jordan placed one last oak log into the grate and the fire burned swiftly around it. She stood and sauntered seductively toward the bed. She pulled off her shirt and threw it at James where it covered his face and he pulled it away.
“I said get up, not get out. We have two-and-a-half hours. Set an alarm on your phone King James,” and she jumped into the bed on top of him.
The store was busy but not overrun when Jordan stepped in wearing black and purple horizontal wide stripped leggings, black patten leather Mary Jane shoes, a short black lace ruffled skirt, black ruffled long sleeve but low-cut shirt, a black waist-length cape with purple lining, and a glorious black traditional witches hat with a band of long purple silk that tied at the back and hung in two flowing tails to her waist.
“Whazzup witches!” Jordan announced and moved to the counter where Tanner was ringing a sale. Carol twinkled toward the front.
“You look fabulous,” Carol said and she noticed an extra gleam in Jordan's eyes even though Jordan was trying to present her most neutral poker face. “Oh my goddess Diana. Is it Beltane already?”
“Stop it,” Jordan said and she moved to put her bag on the front table.
“Stop what?” Tanner asked but he wasn’t paying much attention. His customers took their receipt and left. He turned to Jordan. “You look awesome.”
“You too Mr. Wizard,” Jordan said.
“And a certain bounce in her step,” Carol added from the counter and she turned to regard a few customers looking at gem stones.
“Huh?” Tanner said and he looked toward the gem shelf.
“Oh nothing,” Carol said and grinned knowingly.
“I met a guy,” Jordan said.
“Shocker,” Tanner said.
“So who’s running this shindig? Where do I go?” Jordan asked.
“Just help customers with me for now and hand out candy to kids in costumes. Tanner has the front,” Carol said. “He’s here as long as we need him. Brit’s in after two. I ordered lunch for us so no one has to leave. You guys can work your breaks out among yourselves but I’d suggest waiting until Brit comes in.”
“Where’d you get lunch?” Jordan asked.
“From Excellent Pizza, and Frank from the wine shop is bringing us wine. I thought we might need it.”
“Tribe,” Jordan said. “You are indeed the best boss in the world.”
“Here, here,” Tanner agreed.
“What about coffee?” Jordan asked.
“I trust you to work that out before you come in,” Carol said. “I know you already had breakfast,” she added with a naughty grin.
“Oh indeed,” Jordan said. “Now where’s that crystal burner?” She dug in the front table drawers and pulled out the instant espresso packets.
“Jordan!” Carol stopped her. “We come here to work not cook. We need help. It’s a little busy in here in case you haven’t noticed. Text Brit to bring you coffee when she comes in if you must.”
“Okay jeez,” Jordan said and snipped the little foil espresso packet with scissors and poured it into a bottle of water. She screwed the lid back onto the bottle, shook it, and took a big sip.
“How’s that taste?” Tanner asked and he shut the cash drawer.
“About like you’d imagine,” Jordan said and she took another big gulp anyway.
Brit arrived on time in her perfect woodland faerie costume. She wore green tights, a shimmering white and green silk skirt made of multiple leaf-shaped layers, a tight green bodice with silk flowers of every color around the top edge, silver and pink butterfly wings, and a headband of colored flowers that matched the bodice fringe. She had a long wand with a star and flowing pink ribbons on the tip. She also had a tray of iced coffees from Monster Coffee and Jordan flew to greet her.
“That’s my little faerie girl,” Jordan said. “You look adorable.”
“You too. I know it’s busy but I have so much to tell you.”
“We’re all closing. I cant wait to hear it all. Is your guy all right though?”
“Basically.”
“The witch’s new year. Blessed Samhain to you Brit. Are you going out tonight?”
“Yeah. Marshal’s meeting me at Duncan’s. After that we’re just gonna play it by ear.”
Jordan thought about James when Brit mentioned Duncan’s but she did not say anything about him to Brit yet and the shop hummed with customers and the afternoon went swiftly. More and more customers wore costumes as the day went on. Jordan and Brit spoke a few times between busy moments.
“Marshal was hexed,” Brit finally said. “He didn’t have a clue about interviewing Datura like he said. Our spell worked and he’s fine now. I think.”
“Your spell worked,” Jordan said.
“Knowing I helped him was the best feeling in the world, even if he doesn’t believe it. He says he must have just forgotten he went to their shop.”
“Denial,” Jordan said. “The first classic response to being hexed. I’m so happy for you that you had a good experience with magick. Did you tell your parents?”
“I told my Dad because I don’t want him worried so much about me anymore. I didn’t tell Mom yet because I’m still not too into joining her coven.”
“I hear you. I’m not a big coven person either. You may have noticed.”
“I noticed. But I was hoping you could help me. I’ve decided to dedicate as a Light Tribe witch. I’m going all in. I think Samhain is a perfect time to start, don’t you?”
“A year and a day of training and study?”
“Yeah. And I’ll take the Concealed Wands Class with you too. Might as well.”
“And you don’t care who knows then?”
“Not anymore. This is who I am. You know it and I know it. And Marshal will just have to get used to it.”
Jordan hugged Brit and kissed her on the cheek and she said, “You make me so happy and I will always help you. You know that. We can do it after the party tonight if you want. Magick on my roof.”
“Awesome,” Brit said.
“So can we tell the shop?” Jordan asked her.
“Sure,” Brit said.
“You do it,” Jordan nudged her and Brit just shook her head shyly.
“You can. Go ahead,” Brit said and Jordan laughed and turned to see who was around. Tanner at the register with two girls. Carol helping a man at the bookshelf. Four other customers browsing.
“Woo-hoo!” Jordan shouted and everyone looked. “Brit just came out of the broom closet. We have a real live witch on our hands and believe me, she’s not to be trifled with.”
Tanner smiled and Carol raised her eyebrows and everyone in the store clapped even though a few customers didn’t quite get it and thought it was some kind of Halloween thing.
“Thank you. Thank you,” Brit said and bowed.
Later the pizza came as did the wine delivered by Frank himself who stayed for a glass. Two glasses. The shop crew set the pizza up on the front table and Frank arranged the wine and glasses next to it on a red and white checkered table cloth he had brought. The pizza was delicious and the wine paired with it perfectly and a few glasses put everyone in an even more festive mood.
By the time the shop closed Halloween was in full swing. Jordan had told Brit about the guy she had met and Brit had told Jordan more about how Marshal could hardly believe he had been hexed by Datura.
"Witch drama," Tanner said.
It was dark when the crew locked up and the lamp-lit streets were filled with goblins and zombies and sexy police girls. Brit planned to meet Marshal at Duncan’s Bistro and Tanner texted Dan.
“Bring your new guy to Duncan’s” Brit said. “Even Carol is coming over for a drink with us.”
“He’s going out with some friends,” Jordan said.
“He’s a witch you said?” Brit asked.
“Yeah but he’s a solitary. I mean he’s not a Tribe wit
ch.
“Not a Light Tribe witch?” Brit asked.
“No Tribe. Not Light Tribe, not Ashenguild, not Shadowclan. He’s just studied on his own.”
“Well you have to come anyway,” Carol said. “It’s a good night for witches to stick together. And we have a lot to talk about that we never had time to get into today.”
The crew decided to walk the six blocks to Duncan’s Bistro together. They walked down Artillery Lane and up Aviles Street to King so they could walk along Saint George and see the action in town on the way.
On Saint George Street the fortune teller, wizard, faerie, and full-tilt witch blended with the anime cosplay kids, ghostly brides, and vampires. The most haunted city in the nation with its pirate ship cruises, period players, ghost tour industry, and college with a dramatic arts department fueled what could only be called an impressive Halloween night. Many of the pirates were cinema quality as were the conquistadors, Victorian ghouls, and undead families. No small number of the ghosts were straight-up real since it was the one night they could mingle without inciting too much panic. A pair of ghost Rastas did, however, convince their stumbling dreadlocked skeleton buddy (who had far too much to smoke) to finally put on an overcoat after the third tourist had been sent screaming in the opposite direction.
When the Avalon Spellshop crew rounded the corner to head west on Hypolita they had to yield to a staggeringly well done costume in the form of a complete headless horseman who carried a glowing jack-o-lantern head under one arm and held the reins of his glorious black Tennessee Walking horse with the other. The apparently headless black cloaked figure sat the shining black horse stoically and together they pranced along the lane upon high and theatrical steps. The horse regarded the group with a lift of its head and a blustering snort that conveyed an unmistakeable equine superiority and the horseman rode silently past and up the dark street.