The Circle

by Cindy Cipriano

  “Not in the popular sense,” said Ms. Itig. “I think magic is a little bit of wishing and believing, mixed with a lot of science.”

  Calum agreed with her. That was a fair way to describe Sidhe talents. He glanced sideways at Hagen, who looked back at him with a shrug that seemed to say, “She’s close.”

  Calum wondered what Laurel thought about magic, and was surprised to see her staring at Hagen again. Hagen must have felt her eyes on him, because he glanced up at her. Laurel immediately averted her gaze, pretending to be distracted by a bird outside the window. Hagen seemed aggravated by this. Calum remembered their conversation at the bookstore the last week of summer.

  Maybe she does have a crush on Hagen.

  “So you don’t believe in magic at all?” asked Susie.

  “I’d have to say no. But I do believe in illusion,” said Ms. Itig.

  “Like a what a magician does?” asked Kirby.

  “Yes,” said Ms. Itig. “The good ones make it seem almost real. If the magician told you he could make a pencil float in midair, and you believed he could do it, you wouldn’t look too hard for an explanation of how he made the pencil float. You would believe what you saw without trying to investigate the trick at all.”

  The dismissal bell sounded, and Ms. Itig spoke over the noise of twenty-seven students gathering their belongings. “Put your journals in the basket before you leave.” She pointed to where she kept her work basket, but there was only an empty table. “Very funny. If you moved the basket for a Halloween trick, please put it back.”

  Not one student looked even the slightest bit guilty. Ms. Itig studied their faces until she seemed satisfied no one had purposely moved the basket. She sighed then added turn-in basket to the Most Wanted list posted on the whiteboard.

  Calum scanned the list of missing items. Erlenmeyer flask, stirring rods, triple-beam-balance. At once, Calum knew what was going on. The hard to find lab materials, the shoe box jumping off the shelf, and now Ms. Itig’s missing basket could all be chalked up to one explanation.

  “Trickster.” Hagen confirmed Calum’s theory as they filed out of the classroom.

  “But how?” asked Calum. “We’re the only Sidhe here.”

  “Apparently, we aren’t.”

  Calum didn’t believe that was possible. Surely someone, Donnelly, or even Kenzie would have known if other Sidhe were here. But Donnelly had known and had even said as much. Dark Sidhe have come to Emerald Lake. Calum remembered the strange storm the day he and Laurel had gone to the movies. Still, it didn’t add up. Tricksters weren’t necessarily evil. They just liked pulling pranks.

  “Look, it’s Halloween,” said Hagen, interrupting Calum’s thoughts. “It’s the one time Sidhe run rampant through thresholds. They take advantage of everyone being distracted with costumes and trick-or-treating.”

  Calum was frustrated with himself for not figuring it out before. Siopa Leabhar always experienced an increase in customers from the end of October through early November. And those shoppers weren’t regular tourists. Sidhe traveled to their bookstore during those weeks to search the stacks for faerie verses for the upcoming year. But while it happened every fall, Calum had never seen one of them outside of the bookstore.

  “Don’t worry about it. Whoever it is will clear out by the end of Halloween,” said Hagen.

  Calum knew Hagen was right and decided not to give it another thought.

  Chapter Seven

  Halloween

  One of the most eagerly awaited events of Emerald Lake was the Ranson Halloween party. It had become an important gathering, divided into two distinct groups. From four until six, neighbors and a few regulars from Siopa Leabhar stopped by for heavy hors d’oeuvres of hot crab dip, black bean soup, and Beat the Devil, a spicy meat dip which was a Ranson family secret. The second wave of guests drifted in around seven thirty. These were close family friends who came to a late supper and stayed until midnight.

  The Dunbar family arrived early to help set up for the party. Hagen was already dressed in his Grim Reaper costume. Calum ran upstairs, quickly dressed as a vampire, and joined the others in last-minute decorations. When he returned there was a moment of awkwardness between the two boys. Looking at each other now, Calum decided it would be the last Halloween he’d dress up like this and go trick-or-treating. He really was getting too old for these things.

  “Me, too,” said Hagen, giving Calum a playful punch on the arm. “Still, it’s fun to wander the streets at night.”

  Kenzie and Tullia prepared the food using blackened cauldrons. Guests thought they were a nice touch, but these were actually treasured family heirlooms. Donnelly joked about his unique ability to decorate for the “dark” holiday, saying it was in his blood. He spoke to a spider and convinced it to spin a seriously exorbitant amount of web. Donnelly directed the webbing to various corners and doorways in each room. He tapped his fingers in the air and several pumpkins were instantly carved with detailed faces and patterns. Gus hung long black garland around the windows and fireplace, and Calum and Hagen stuffed goodie bags for trick-or-treaters. The final decorations, speakers shaped like tombstones, played eerie music throughout the house.

  “Hey Dracula,” said Gus. “You boys don’t run off and leave Laurel behind tonight. Okay?”

  “We’ll keep an eye on her,” said Calum.

  “Be sure you do,” said Donnelly, tightening the strap on Hagen’s black hood. “She wears that stone for a reason.”

  The doorbell rang and Calum answered to find Laurel and her dad. Calum smiled at Laurel’s attempt to dress like a fairy. She wore a pair of pink tights, a short silky pink skirt, and matching top. The worst part was the pair of hideous purple wings. They extended two feet above her head and flapped under their own weight when she walked by.

  “My mom’s idea,” she hissed. “Not one word.”

  “Brytes is upstairs,” said Hagen, suppressing a snicker. “She’s gonna love your costume.”

  Laurel ran up the stairs, rubbing the glitter from her cheeks. “Andrea’s not feeling well, and sends her regrets,” said Rob. “To tell you the truth, Kenzie, I don’t feel so great myself.”

  “Why don’t you leave Laurel here with us for the night?”

  Donnelly cleared his throat loudly at her suggestion.

  “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll swing by later to pick her up,” said Rob.

  “Really, it’s no trouble. Calum’s cousins are staying over too. If you change your mind, give us a call.” Kenzie said this all too quickly, and with an unusual eagerness.

  “Thanks, but Andrea will rest better with Laurel in her own bed. I’ll come back at 11:30.”

  “That’ll be fine,” said Kenzie, a note of disappointment in her voice. “See you then.”

  Donnelly looked like he was going to explode. Kenzie had barely closed the door when he turned on her. “I thought we had an agreement,” he hissed.

  “Chill, Donnelly,” said Gus. “I’d hate to have to kick your butt on Halloween.”

  “That’s real funny, Gus. But if you want, we can find out later if that’s even a possibility.” Donnelly turned back to his cousin. “Look, Kenzie, you agreed tonight’s the night. We’re all going to Tusatha.”

  Calum’s ears pricked at the word all. “Does he mean us, too?”

  “Yes,” said Gus. “Your mother and I decided it’s time for you to visit the Otherworld.”

  “All right!” yelled Calum, giving Hagen a high five.

  “Before you get too excited, you will stay by my side at all times,” said Kenzie. “Understood?”

  “Sure thing, Mom. Anything,” said Calum. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for. A return to Tusatha, the place they had last seen Finley. Calum knew this trip would bring with it a flood of memories that would make the puzzle pieces in his mind fall into place at last. He thought this was the best night ever, until five minutes later when he answered the front door.

  Arlen stood on the porch, dre
ssed in a bloody baseball uniform. Although they had gone trick-or-treating every year since first grade, Calum was surprised to see him here tonight. It had been months since they last hung out together. Nonetheless, he felt happy to see Arlen, even if theirs was now a one-sided friendship.

  “Trick or treat,” said another voice, stepping from behind Arlen. It was Neal Sloan. He wore a black striped prisoner costume, complete with a ball and chain. Neal held the ball in a menacing manner, as if he were going to throw it at Calum.

  Calum wanted to punch his face, but even Neal couldn’t dampen his spirits, not with the news about his trip later that evening to Tusatha. Laurel came down the stairs and joined the group. She looked as surprised as Calum had been to find Arlen and Neal standing in the doorway.

  “Your costumes look great,” she said unconvincingly.

  “Yours too,” said Arlen, equally falsely.

  Neal laughed. In between snorts he asked, “Are the babies going trick-or-treating with us?”

  “My sister and brother,” said Hagen, “have already gone out. They didn’t want to scare you.”

  “Good one,” Neal sneered.

  “You guys ready then?” asked Arlen.

  Calum nodded. “We’re going, Mom.”

  “Watch for cars,” Kenzie called out from the kitchen.

  Calum rolled his eyes, and they all walked out into the night.

  It was a cool, clear evening. The street was crowded with trick-or-treaters. Random squeals and playful screams bounced off the houses creating strange echoes throughout the neighborhood. They had only traveled one block when Neal began tormenting younger children, yelling and chasing them down the road.

  “What a jerk,” said Hagen.

  Arlen glared at him. “At least he’s trying to liven things up. Seriously, don’t you think we’re past too old for this?”

  “Well, if that’s how you feel, why don’t you go back?” asked Hagen. “Or are you afraid to be in the dark all by yourself?”

  “Look,” said Calum, trying to diffuse the situation. “There’s a haunted house at the end of the road. Let’s go check it out.”

  The haunted house was spectacular. It was constructed of black plastic walls and a maze lead from one frightening scene to another. Calum laughed when he reached inside a plastic cauldron filled with “brains and eyeballs.” Hagen and Laurel got caught in a web of glow in the dark silly string, and everyone laughed when they crashed into each other at a dead-end wall at the back of the maze. Arlen was still laughing as he stumbled out, the last to complete the maze and join the group under a streetlight on the other side of the road. They pawed through their sacks for a treat to eat on the way home.

  “That was okay, I’ll give you that,” said Neal. “But let’s go have some real fun.”

  “Like what?” asked Calum.

  “Like this.” Neal opened his trick-or-treat bag to reveal a carton of eggs. “Let’s egg that house down there.” He pointed to a house at the end of the road.

  “They don’t have their lights on,” said Laurel.

  “Duh,” said Neal. “That’s why we should egg them. I mean, who do they think they are? If they don’t give out treats, they’re just asking for a trick.”

  “They don’t have their lights on because they’re out of town,” Calum explained.

  “Perfect,” said Neal. “We won’t get caught.”

  “No, thanks,” said Calum, walking away.

  “Are you chicken?”

  Calum turned back. “No. It’s a stupid idea. Why would I want to do something like that?”

  “Man, you’re lame,” said Neal.

  “Shut up,” said Hagen.

  “You gonna make me?” asked Neal.

  “Yeah, I can probably spare five seconds,” said Hagen.

  “Cut it out guys,” said Laurel.

  “Listen to your girlfriend,” said Neal. “You don’t want to get into any trouble. Her parents might not let you hang out with her anymore.”

  Hagen glared at Neal.

  “What? It’s not a secret. Is it?” Neal asked in mock innocence. “I mean the two of you.”

  Calum’s suspicions about Laurel liking Hagen must be right if even Neal had noticed.

  Laurel’s cheeks flushed bright red. She strode away from the group, breaking into a run down the street toward her house.

  “Does that make you feel big, picking on a girl?” Hagen challenged.

  Neal flew at him, his left hand pulled back, ready to punch. Hagen’s only reaction was a slight flick of his right hand. Neal tripped and landed with a thud on the leaf covered lawn.

  “First day with your new feet?” Hagen grinned.

  Neal stood and dusted the leaves from his costume. He studied Hagen for a long moment as if to say, “Well, let’s see it then.”

  He knows, thought Calum. He knows about us. But how?

  “You’d better keep away from me.” Neal thrust a pointed finger at Hagen.

  “No problem. I can’t stand the stink,” said Hagen.

  Calum looked to Arlen for support but found none. His eyes were wide and filled with a curious hunger. He seemed eager to see a fight.

  “Let’s go, Arlen,” said Neal. “There’s a real party at Devil’s Peak.”

  “Devil’s Peak?” Calum laughed. “It’s just a reserve. There’s nothing there.”

  “There is if you know where to look,” said Neal. “But some people don’t see anything, not even when it’s right under their nose. Come on, Arlen. Let’s leave these losers.”

  Arlen hesitated briefly before following after Neal, who was striding purposefully down the street.

  “Lapdog,” Hagen smirked.

  Calum quickly realized where they were headed. It couldn’t be, but yet it was. Neal was leading Arlen straight to the polder, somewhat of a train station for Sidhe. It’s the gateway to any number of Sidhe mounds, dark and light.

  “Wait, Arlen!” Calum called, fearful for his safety.

  “Let ’em go,” said Hagen.

  “To the polder?”

  “They’re not going to the polder. They’re taking a shortcut to the reserve.” Hagen started back to Calum’s house.

  Arlen turned back to wave at Calum, before vanishing into thin air. Confused by what he had just witnessed, Calum stood frozen on the spot, straining his eyes in the darkness. Surely he had been wrong. Arlen hadn’t just crossed the polder, had he?

  “Come on, we need to get back before Kenzie changes her mind,” said Hagen.

  Calum knew he was right. His mother was probably trying to find some excuse for not going tonight. Besides, there was no way Arlen or Neal would have known about the polder. Calum ran to catch up to Hagen, and when he did Hagen took off again. The boys raced each other back to Calum’s house, arriving breathless. Calum bent over, clutching a stitch in his side.

  “Where’s Laurel?” asked Donnelly, suddenly appearing out of thin air. Calum jumped at his uncle’s voice.

  “When we were close to her house, she decided to go home,” said Hagen, trying to catch his breath.

  “And Arlen and Neal?” asked Donnelly.

  “They ditched us,” said Calum, panting between words.

  “Their loss,” said Hagen.

  “Well, you boys need to get out of those costumes. We’re leaving soon,” said Donnelly. “You’ll look ridiculous if you go dressed like that.”

  Calum and Hagen quickly changed, leaving their costumes in a heap on the floor of Calum’s bedroom. They bolted downstairs and waited in the kitchen, sorting their haul of candy. When the last of the guests trickled out of his house, Calum allowed his eagerness to return at the thought of going to Tusatha. His parents, aunt, and uncle joined them in the kitchen.

  “Where are we going? Where exactly?” asked Calum.

  “Public House,” said Hagen. “It’s where we go to Sidhe school. Hey, maybe you can go with me in December.”

  Kenzie busied herself at the kitchen counter, avoiding Calum�
��s questioning eyes.

  “Are you ready?” asked Donnelly.

  Calum nodded. “I’ve been ready for a long time.”

  “I’ll take you through this threshold to the polder so you can get the feel of going through one again,” said Kenzie. She took his hand in one of hers, and Gus’ in her other hand. She straightened up and led them through the threshold.

  Calum felt nauseous. It was disorienting watching the layers of his kitchen peel back, revealing layers of the polder. When the peeling away stopped, he stumbled, unsteady on his feet.

  Kenzie released Gus to keep Calum from falling. “Maybe that’s enough for one night.”

  “No,” said Calum. “I’m fine, Mom.” He tried to shake the sensation from his head, but it only made him queasy.

  “Just give him a second,” Gus said gently.

  The wave of nausea passed and took the dizzy spell with it. “I’m okay,” said Calum. There was no way he was going to be this close and miss out on going to Tusatha. “I’m ready.”

  Kenzie looked doubtfully at Gus.

  “He’ll be fine,” said Gus. “Remember how hard it was for me the first time? And I made it okay. Now it’s a piece of cake.” He smiled. “Let’s keep going.”

  Kenzie took Gus’ outstretched hand, and then gripped Calum’s. “This time, just stare straight ahead instead of trying to keep up with the layers.”

  They took a few steps and without notice, the small family passed through the polder into Tusatha. It was easier this time as Calum stared directly ahead, and watched the layers fly away in his peripheral vision. With each layer tearing off, the polder revealed a new section of the Otherworld. Soon Tusatha came fully into view. The sights and smells of the Otherworld were cleaner, more pronounced. The evergreens were greener, the autumn colors more colorful. The air was crisp and fresh, like winter’s first snowfall. When none of the polder was left, Calum found himself on the side of a gentle hill covered in sweet-smelling emerald-green grass. Hagen and his family followed a few moments behind them.