by Geof Johnson
Everyone moved out of range of the powerful hex while she twirled it and walked through the magic opening. When she was on the other side, she looked around quickly, tucked the fairy charm back into her jacket and waved for the others to come. They followed her and Jamie closed the doorway.
He turned and scanned the disorganized scene at the school. More wagonloads of families were appearing every minute. Boxes, ice chests, and chairs still lay about haphazardly. Rollie had brought a football and he and most of the other boys were playing a game on the wide field. Mrs. Tully had arrived with Aiven in the carriage, and all of the girls from the track team had surrounded Sugar, petting and admiring the horse. Someone said that Coach Harrison had taken his wife into town for a walk to help her calm down, and Dr. Tindall and her grad students had not returned from their visit to the boarding house.
John Paul and Brinna were at the party now, Brinna talking to Rachel, Grannie Darla, and the other moms, while John Paul joined Carl and the other Hendersonville dads with a freshly opened beer in one hand. Mr. Bass disappeared somewhere, nobody knew for sure, and Sammi, Milly, and Leora were playing tag with the ever-growing flock of kids from the school.
Evelyn glanced at Jamie and seemed to sense his growing anxiety. She announced in a firm voice, “Okay, it’s time to get our act together. The sun will be setting soon, and people are going to be hungry.”
She rallied the Hendersonville families — Jamie’s, Fred’s, and Rollie’s — and together with John Paul and Brinna, they began to make sense out of the madness. They set up four long folding tables by the building, close to the PA and the grills, and laid food out on them. They arranged chairs and blankets in an arc near the mound of branches. The farmers seemed to need no direction, and many of them placed their wagons side-by-side with the backs facing inward, turning the arc into a wide circle, with the unlit mass of wood at its center.
Jamie sensed Aiven’s mental request to the horses to stay on the school’s field, and the farmers unhitched their mounts, confident that they would remain close by, well aware of Aiven’s power over the animals. When Aiven asked a horse to stay, it stayed.
Carl and Stev lit the fires under the grills, and more beers and sodas were opened. Cody and Ivan, sitting behind the PA speakers, pulled their instruments from their cases and began tuning them and playing bits of songs, not into the microphones, but mostly to themselves, and the sound of their mingling, jangling strings, bright and cheerful, floated pleasantly through the air, mixing with the sounds of children laughing and playing and adults talking in neighborly tones.
There was a sparkling energy in the atmosphere. Jamie paused and let it sink in for a moment, the sights, the sounds, the smells, glittering and…happy, he realized. Everybody’s happy. He smiled to himself and savored it briefly, standing in the middle of their impromptu celebration. Then he turned and went looking for whatever else needed doing.
Jamie made a doorway for Aunt Connie and the others, and they came back from Ingles carrying sacks of groceries: chicken, hamburger patties, and hot dogs for the grill; buns, sodas and bottles of juice, king-size bags of potato chips, cookies, paper plates and paper towels, ice, and more charcoal. There would be enough, now, Jamie decided. Everyone would have plenty to eat, counting what the schoolchildren’s families had brought.
Coach Harrison had returned from town with his wife, who seemed more at ease, and Dr. Tindall and her grad students walked with them.
Jamie was talking with Bryce near the smoking grills when Miss Duffy arrived, escorted by the gray-haired Mr. Winston. Coach Dave noticed immediately and went straight to her, and both of their faces brightened as they neared each other.
Carl glanced at them as he turned a piece of chicken on the grill. “What’s up with your assistant coach?”
Jamie turned to his father and shrugged.
“I’ve seen that look before,” Carl said. “I think it was from you, John Paul, the first time we went to the stone house, and Brinna was there.”
John Paul narrowed one eye. “I didn’t look like that, did I?”
“Yeah, you did,” Jamie said.
“Oh, boy. Does he have any idea what’s he’s getting into, or how complicated his life’s going to be?”
Jamie shrugged again, and Bryce said, “John Paul, maybe you better have a talk with him.”
“I don’t know what good it’ll do. You couldn’t have talked me out of fallin’ for Brinna if you’d threatened my life.”
“Well,” Jamie said, “at least most everybody’s here now.”
Bryce checked his watch. “Aren’t you forgetting somebody? Eric and Terry? Fred invited them last night, remember?”
“Oh, man!” Jamie smacked his forehead with the heel of his hand. “I did forget.” He quickly outlined another doorway and opened it, and on the other side, sitting on the couch in the house they rented, were the two agents. “Sorry,” Jamie said as they stood and walked through onto the playground. “I got caught up with other stuff.”
They each carried plastic grocery bags. Terry held one of them toward Jamie and said, “Where you want these? It’s potato salad and stuff from the Kroger deli.”
Jamie pointed out the tables nearby, already laden with food, and then he noticed Eric’s attire. He wore faded blue jeans with cowboy boots and a gray zippered sweatshirt over a blue flannel shirt. Jamie had never seen the stiff agent in anything but dark slacks and a white dress shirt. “Hey, Nova,” Jamie called. “Check this out.”
Nova, who was pulling a soda out of a nearby ice chest, looked up and regarded Eric, and widened her eyes appreciatively. “Nice, Agent Eric. Is your geek uniform dirty or something? You got real clothes on for a change.”
Eric gave a small shrug. “Seemed appropriate.”
“Well, cool. Now I can say I partied with the CIA.”
“I’m not partying,” he said with a straight face. “I’m on assignment.”
Nova creased her brow. “You are?”
“Nah.” The corners of his mouth turned up, barely. “It’s a joke. I’m here to relax.”
“Terry, have you ever seen him dress like this before?”
She didn’t answer. She began walking toward the children, who were running around in the field.
“Where’s she going, Eric?” Jamie asked.
“Probably to play with those kids. She likes to do that.”
Jamie watched her go for a moment and turned back to Eric. “Hey, something I’ve been meaning to ask. Why doesn’t she like to talk about her daughter?”
Eric’s expression became thoughtful, as if he were carefully weighing his response. “You need to ask her, because she’s kind of private about things like that. She’s a self-reliant woman. Stubbornly so.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, she put herself through school, working at night while taking a full load of classes, with no financial aid from anybody. After that, she joined the CIA and married another agent, but he got killed in a training accident. She was pregnant but stayed in the program anyway.”
“That must’ve been hard,” Nova said.
“I’m sure it was. Fortunately, her mother moved to Langley to help with the baby so that Terry could stay in the agency, and now she takes care of Stacey when Terry and I are out of town.”
“Bet Terry misses her daughter.”
“They video chat almost every night. I know it bothers Terry to be away from her, but she would never admit it.”
“Maybe we can help her,” Jamie said.
“Doubt she’d accept your offer. She’s too independent, and hardheaded, if you ask me.”
Jamie watched Terry as she greeted Sammi’s group of friends, then he said, “You miss your kids?”
“All the time.” Eric glanced across the field to where other children were playing dodgeball with a few of the boys from the track team. “They’d love to be at this party right now, even though they’re young.”
“Maybe they can come. I can mak
e a doorway for them.” Boy, there I go again. Jamie dug his fingernails into both palms. Offering to tell more people about the magic.
“I think it would be too much for them and my wife right now. Thanks, though.”
“Are you going to be able to see them over Christmas?”
“If we can get Phillip Cage to take a vacation, I can. Otherwise, I’ve got to stay on assignment.”
“Maybe there’s something we can do to get him to take a vacation,” Bryce said. “Send him tickets for a free cruise or something.”
“Yeah. Disney Cruise Lines, complete with Mickey Mouse ears.” Eric smiled wryly. “I wish.”
“Jamie?” Carl said from the grill. “Food’s about ready, if you want to let everybody know. Might be a good time to start the bonfire, since it’s almost dark. We could use some more light around here, too, if you want to make a few of your magic suns.”
Jamie took a couple of steps toward the huge pile of wood, but Bryce said, “Hold on, Jamie, let’s do this right.”
“What do you mean, right?”
“It needs to be dramatic and…you know….” He spread his arms wide. “Big.” Bryce cupped his hands to his mouth and called for Rollie, who was still playing touch football.
Rollie paused for a second and looked their way, then jogged toward them. When he reached them, Bryce said, “We need you to announce the lighting of the fire.”
“Oh yeah. Of course.” Rollie headed toward the area where the PA was set up and said to Jamie, “You’re gonna make this real showy, aren’t you?”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Dude. These people love a big show. You can’t just like, throw a match on it and say you’re done. You gotta make it entertaining. You know how to do that, right? So let’s give ’em what they want.”
“Uh, sure, I guess.” Jamie watched Rollie say something to Cody and Ivan, who were still picking and strumming their instruments, sitting behind the suitcase-sized speaker cabinets. Rollie grabbed a microphone, tapped the end of it to make sure that it was on, and called for everyone’s attention, his amplified voice carrying across the school grounds. He waited a few seconds for the talking to subside. Then he said with his typical, wide grin, “Welcome, everybody, to the first annual Rivershire School picnic!”
Jamie furrowed his brow. First Annual? There’s going to be another one?
“I’ve been told that the food is about ready,” Rollie continued, “but before we eat, we need to have the ceremonial lighting of the bonfire. So now, without further ado, I bring you Jamie the Sorcerer, the most powerful wizard in the known universe.” Rollie gestured with one hand toward Jamie. “Who will now use his incomparable magic to ignite the pyre.”
I suppose I should make this theatrical. The crowd grew completely silent, all eyes on Jamie as he took another step closer to the pile of branches. He stopped, slowly raised his arms from his side, and spread his fingers, his head tilted down slightly, eyes narrowed. He took two deep breaths while he considered an appropriate Latin word for the spell, something that sounded magical, even though it wasn’t necessary. Something dramatic. I think I know a good one that Melanie taught me. Then he lifted his shoulders, held them there for a long moment, and suddenly thrust his hands forward and shouted, “Incendia!”
The wood ignited all at once with an incredible whoosh, and he cringed when the rapid outflow of hot air blew past him, nearly burning his skin. Shoulda put up my shield. The crowd cheered, and most rose to their feet.
Rollie grabbed the microphone again and said, “Let’s eat!”
“Jamie, don’t forget the lights!” Carl said from behind him.
“I’m on it.” Jamie opened up his hands and summoned his will again, then called up the spell for a glowing sphere. Poof. It appeared before him, a beachball-sized sun, and he floated it twenty feet above his head and positioned it over the party area.
“We’re going to need more than that,” Carl said.
“Sure.” Jamie created another and levitated it near the first one, then looked over his shoulder at his father, who shook his head. “More?” Jamie asked, and Carl nodded, so Jamie made eight additional spheres and placed them strategically over the entire field, bathing it in yellowish-white light.
Jamie put his hands on his hips while he admired his work. Then he heard an older man’s voice behind him say, “Nicely done, Magic Man.” Jamie turned to see Uncle Charlie standing with his daughter, who carried a picnic basket in one hand and an old blanket over her other arm.
“When did you get here?” Jamie asked.
“Just a few minutes ago,” Uncle Charlie said. “We came through the portal in your grandfather’s warehouse. He invited us yesterday. Are Momma Sue and Mrs. Malley here?”
“No. I think they’re busy.”
Annie smiled excitedly, the fire’s reflection dancing in her dark eyes. “This place is incredible, Jamie, absolutely incredible. I’ve heard my father describe it many times, but it’s really more amazing when you see it in person. Did I really just walk through a warehouse to another world?”
“It might not seem like it right now, but when the moon comes up, you’ll really be able to tell.”
“It is a beautiful moon,” Uncle Charlie said with a serene smile.
“I need to come earlier in the day so that I can see the town,” Annie said. “And ride your horse. Is she here tonight?”
Jamie pointed across the field to where several of the animals had gathered to graze. “She’s the golden brown mare with the pale mane and tale. Probably can’t ride her tonight because I don’t think Aiven brought her saddle. Unless you want to ride bareback.”
“I’m a modern woman. I prefer saddles.” Then she laughed and said, “There’s too much going on now, anyway. I’d rather do it some other day when I can take my time and see the countryside. Dad says it’s wonderful here.”
“It’s a special place,” Uncle Charlie said. “Speaking of special, I heard you got the firewood from the same place that we got your walking stick. Good choice.”
“Why?”
“It’s special wood. Something good will happen tonight when you burn it, I think.”
“Oh, Dad.” Annie frowned at Uncle Charlie. “Don’t be mysterious. It’s annoying.”
He shrugged innocently. “Watch and see. Remarkable things can happen on a world full of magic.”
Jamie waited for him to elaborate, but when he didn’t, Jamie said, “Well, find a spot and have some dinner. I’m going to check in on everybody and see how they’re doing.”
Evelyn invited Dr. Tindall and her grad students to eat with the Hendersonville crowd. They sat on blankets while they enjoyed the chicken, potato salad, cake, fruit, and other food. Mrs. Tully joined them, and Aiven stayed for a few minutes before going back to the broad field to play with the other kids under the light of the glowing spheres that Jamie had created. Uncle Charlie and Annie sat with Evelyn for a while, but as soon as they finished eating, they went across the grounds to pet Sugar. Ray, Connie, and Darla were talking to some of the school kids’ parents, and Pete was over with Jamie’s teammates, chatting them up in his typical way, shaking hands and patting them on the back as if they were old friends, or a politician glad-handing potential voters.
Evelyn glanced around and said, “Where did Yvonne and Alan go?”
“They’re around here somewhere, meeting some of the locals,” Dr. Tindall said. “I talked to Leora’s parents for a few minutes, and they didn’t seem all that surprised when I mentioned that I might be related to them.”
“They probably know about Fred’s family and Shira Coy’s.”
Dr. Tindall nodded thoughtfully. “Nobody here seems surprised about any of this,” —she cast one arm through the air — “wild stuff. Magic doorways, and Jamie lighting the bonfire like that. Crazy! It’s astounding to me, but the locals just take it all in stride.”
Mrs. Tully leaned back on her hands and stretched her legs straight out toward the bonf
ire, which still burned brightly. “We have had wizards and witches here for as long as anyone can remember. Their magic may seem amazing to you, but it is normal for us.”
Dr. Tindall glanced at the clinic and said, “Why does Jamie do all of this? The school and everything? I’ve known kids who’ve gone off to South America or Malaysia to set up medical facilities and schools or whatever, but not anything like this.”
“Jamie’s talking about starting a fire department and a dental clinic here,” Evelyn said.
“I’m not surprised.” Dr. Tindall leaned back on her hands, too. “He’s an extraordinary young man. I can honestly say I’ve never known anyone like him. But I still can’t help but wonder how he got to be this way.” She touched Evelyn lightly on her arm. “I mean, besides the terrific job you and his parents did of raising him.”
Evelyn looked at her lap while she collected her thoughts, then she turned to Dr. Tindall and said, “You’re aware of the fact that Jamie has the memories of Eddan the Sorcerer, aren’t you? Well, not all of those memories are pleasant. The worst ones are from the time when a plague swept through this area.”
Mrs. Tully shook her head solemnly. “’Twas a most terrible calamity. Many people died. I was but a young girl then, but I remember it well. The town was not as clean, then, and we had many rats, which caused the plague, I believe.”
“The worst of it was that Eddan could’ve stopped it,” Evelyn continued, “but he didn’t, even after a couple of the elders from town went to see him and begged for his help. Eddan refused, saying he was too busy.” Evelyn sighed. “That memory used to give Jamie nightmares. He’s not the kind of person who would say no to something like that, and it bothers him terribly that Eddan did. So, I think that this clinic and school are his way of compensating for Eddan’s callous inaction, to atone for it, in a way. I know he’s been sleeping better lately, because we talk about it sometimes.”
“I am glad that he’s the way that he is,” Mrs. Tully said, “because now I have a fine school for my son, and I still have employment. Jobs are not easy to come by for women my age, and he is a fine master to work for.”