Repossessed

by Shawntelle Madison

  She frowned as if she thought of something unpleasant. “A car, I can understand, but what kind of idiot thinks a magically imbued item wouldn’t be missed?”

  Rob snorted. “From the long list of collection jobs I’ve done this past month, apparently common sense is in low supply.”

  “I’ve noticed a shortage lately also.”

  As they rode south to their first jump point, Rob explained their “travel itinerary.” He tried to leave out details which he thought were on a need to know basis. Especially after she began to complain yet again.

  “Wouldn’t a train ticket or short airplane ride work just as well?”

  “Jump points are free.”

  “I have enough frequent flyer miles for a short trip. I’m more than willing to purchase a ticket for you in return for my time in Limbo.”

  “You may have money to throw around on last-minute plane tickets, but I don’t. Jump points suit me just fine.”

  Tessa sighed. “Fine! But no bathroom stalls please.”

  He chuckled, the memory of holding her hips fresh in his mind. “I promise—only clean ones allowed.”

  The first jump point, one he rarely used, was behind the desk of a closed business south of Brooklyn in Bay Ridge. Dust and cobwebs covered the room, except for a clear path others had followed to reach the jump point. His new assistant avoided touching anything and crept behind him.

  “What died in here?” she whispered as she scrunched her nose.

  “Quiet!”

  The tingle of magic in the jump point tickled the inside of his nose like tiny feathers. He moved the chair to the side, and they gathered behind the old metal desk. Someone had scribbled “Clean me” in the dust covering the paint-chipped surface.

  He rather liked opportunities like this one. She tried not to touch anything—including him—but she leaned in just enough for him to make out a faint sprinkle of freckles along her nose. She’d used make up to cover up the spots earlier.

  The strong urge to reach out and touch her face bothered him. She was just a tag-a-long. A nuisance. But he couldn’t help staring at her as they passed through the jump point.

  After a few seconds, the air temperature dropped as the magic pushed them from a dusty office to frigid darkness. Tessa could hear Rob breathing as he leaned closer to her body heat. Chill crept into her bones, eliciting a shiver. The smell of frozen meat drifted to her nose. Her jeans and T-shirt wouldn’t cut it for this place. Rob shifted. She gasped as he missed her shoulder and brushed against her breasts. How the hell did he keep doing that?

  “Sorry,” he mumbled. The freezer’s loud hum made it difficult to hear him. His warm hand directed her forward.

  Rob lead the way as she walked behind him with her arms raised. An ugly bruise from a hit in the face with a shoulder of beef or a leg of lamb would leave her scrambling for excuses. Rob stopped, and she heard a loud click as he used magic to remove the lock on the door.

  The heat from the meat-packing plant work floor hit her relieved face. A lingering stench of raw meat hid under the overpowering smell of antiseptic cleaning materials. Her nose scrunched as Rob pulled her along.

  “Where are we?” she whispered.

  “About a half-hour south of Boston.”

  She followed Rob as he weaved through the dimly lit plant until they reached the business floor. A faint hum from the air conditioning through the vents was the only sound.

  “Almost there.”

  She could detect the next jump point around the corner. In its place was a vending machine. They approached the snack dispenser, only to halt when a troll squeezed out from the back. The little man’s head reached their waists, and his knobby nose poked out from his chunky face. Even though he had magic to hide his appearance, Tessa could easily see through it to determine he was a hideous-looking fellow. Green bulbous warts covered his left cheek. When his mouth parted, short, yellowed teeth jutted out.

  “That’ll be four pieces of gold to use the jump point, please.” He extended its palm for the cash. She’d yet to ever carry gold in any form other than jewelry.

  Maybe he’d take a check? She reached for her backpack.

  “I don’t pay to use jump points,” Rob said.

  The troll smiled despite Rob’s sound refusal. “Well, perhaps the good lady will pay your way.”

  Rob snorted. “She isn’t paying you anything either.”

  The little man’s smile faded as Rob crossed his arms. “If you want to use the jump point, you have to pay me!” he screeched.

  “Why should I pay you when all I want is some candy?”

  “Bullshit!” The troll harrumphed. “Look, Warlock, I’ve got a good deal going here. Four gold coins and you can reach seven jump points from this place. Either pay up or piss off!”

  The last thing she expected to do tonight was watch Rob argue with a troll over a jump point toll fee. She’d heard from her dad and uncles all the time about trolls and goblins that squeezed a dollar out of any sucker they came across. “Tessa, keep your pockets empty, girl. Until they process credit cards, you steer clear of them.”

  That was easier said than done, though. The magical bridges of the past had been paved over with new office buildings and suburban homes. Trolls, like the entrepreneurial fellow in front of her, hustled to protect what they could. In this case, it was a jump point behind a vending machine in a meat-packing plant.

  “I don’t carry gold coins and my lady friend is under my protection.” Before the troll could protest, Rob added, “But I’m willing to barter.”

  “And what have you got?” The troll tilted its head and took a step forward, eying Rob’s brown satchel.

  He opened the front pocket and pulled out three things: a red yo-yo, a gaudy light-purple ring, and a gum wrapper. Tessa bit her lower lip to keep her smart mouth in check. The yo-yo was the cheap plastic kind and the ring would’ve been more valuable if they were bartering with a four year-old. Way to negotiate, Rob!

  “Is that all you got? If I wanted a wrapper I could’ve eaten some of the junk in this machine.” The troll’s nose twitched. “I sense some pretty trinkets on the lady. You’re also hiding something powerful in that bag of yours. Why not show me those?”

  “They’re not mine to trade, Troll.”

  The short creature peered around Rob and glanced at Tessa’s wrist. His gaze fell on her bracelet.

  “What about the jewelry?” the troll asked. “That would make a fine start.”

  Rob glanced at Tessa. She nodded. “You’ll take that and nothing more.”

  The troll wrinkled his nose and shifted his stance. His purple irises boiled for a second. “So be it, Warlock.”

  With her bracelet in hand, the short-statured road block owner moved to the side to allow them to pass.

  She expected Rob to move the large machine out of the way, but instead he scanned the rows of junk food.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “I can trigger a particular destination through the machine.”

  She laughed so hard it hurt. “So you can select your destination through a purchase? That’s original.” She peered at the row of candy bars. “Let me guess, a Butterfinger would take us to LA? A bag of Doritos to Miami?”

  “No.” After digging into his pocket for loose change, Rob paid for a pack of Twizzlers and Slim Jim meat snacks. His purchase triggered the jump point.

  The magic didn’t take long this time. They were tossed from the front of the vending machine to the space behind an old rusty car in a junkyard. Tessa gazed at the broken down vehicles and piles of worn tires. “Is this where you meant to send us?”

  “Yeah. We’re a short walk from the house.”

  Rob’s idea of a short walk was four miles. She kept her complaints to herself. Grumbling wouldn’t make the trip any shorter.

  Nor would it make the junkyard guard dogs go away either. Rob had been prepared for them, though. As the mutts approached, growling with bared teeth, he tossed t
he Slim Jims their way. “I know you’re cold and hungry,” he’d said to them. “But that doesn’t give you an excuse to attack people. Here’s what you should do to your master the next time he remembers to feed you…”

  As usual, Rob remained silent as he plodded along a few steps ahead.

  The walk wasn’t that bad. The rows of plowed dirt left a pleasant earthy smell, but not pleasant enough for a midnight walk in clean sneakers. Rob preferred to walk through the soft dirt, but Tessa took the long way and walked alongside the field. In the distance, rows of tall evergreens and oaks hid an old Victorian house. A light wind swayed the trees’ branches. Stars in the night sky twinkled brightly, quite a contrast to the limited view in the city. She hadn’t seen a field in years since moving. A sense of melancholy washed over her and brought a smile. The Midwest girl still lingered underneath.

  Rob darted ahead and checked out the house. The gravel driveway was empty. A poorly kept yard showed signs of an unoccupied home. As she approached the front, a hum tickled her ears and flowed into her jaw. Rob crept up the porch’s creaking wooden stairs. The wind whistled through the trees behind them. She turned to look through the shifting darkness.

  Nothing shifted except the trees.

  She couldn’t sense any beings within the forest or the house, but her heart thundered in her chest in anticipation of the possible dangers waiting inside. A good witch was taught that sometimes powerful creatures lurked in the shadows undetected. Rob’s confident stride slowed and his body stiffened. She could almost imagine him approaching the house with a machine gun in hand. Should she be scared that he was concerned?

  Broken lawn chairs and an overturned urn littered the wide porch. She was in the middle of checking out a broken bird feeder when her cellphone rang in her backpack. Rob fed her dirty looks as Tessa searched frantically for her phone. She set the noisy pest to vibrate mode. To keep Rob quiet, Tessa didn’t bother to check the caller ID. It wasn’t like she did repo work everyday. What did he expect?

  A pile of bricks from a discarded masonry project partially blocked a set of ornate oak doors. Rob finagled with the locks a few times, then with success, walked around the pail, shovel, and bricks. He placed his index finger over his lips then mouthed the words, “Wait here.”

  Tessa nodded, happy to stand outside until Rob secured the first floor. Something about this place rubbed her the wrong way. Chills on the back of her neck gave her the persistent feeling they weren’t alone. After a few minutes, the door opened, and he motioned for her to come inside. The darkness beyond the door left her wary, wondering if anything malicious lingered beyond the threshold. A gust flowed through the porch, making the door bang against the wall.

  In the stuffy home, cobwebs and white sheets covered the furniture. A fine layer of dust concealed portions of the oak floor. Based on the many footsteps along the floor, Rob had explored the bottom floor quickly and efficiently.

  “Is it all clear?” she whispered.

  He nodded.

  Tessa followed him from the foyer to the great room on the right. Before the furniture was had been protected and heavy maroon-colored curtains hung over the tall windows. Behind the covered sofas and tables, an elaborate marble fireplace and grand piano sat in the back of the room.

  A few twig-shaped lumps under one of the side table covers caught her eye. Curious, she lifted the dusty fabric and peered at what lay hidden underneath. Someone had lined up wands by length across the table. She touched one, expecting a soft hum, and found nothing, almost as if it was nothing but a regular piece of wood.

  “Leave them alone,” Rob said. “They’re tainted and useless.”

  Tessa placed the cover and moved on. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one. Aren’t they supposed to be sent to the Warlock’s Guild for disposal?” Every family had that oh-so-special someone who ended up cursing their wand due to negligent use. Angry wives cursed mistresses with death. Back in Illinois, she remembered a bitter PTA mom had blackened her staff when she tried to off another zealous mother who planned the best school functions. Certain spells shouldn’t be cast and, as such, the wands were drained of magic.

  “Yes, but apparently whoever owns the piano doesn’t care about that,” Rob replied.

  Silence settled over them, but the quiet ended abruptly as a tree brushed against one of the windows. Rob’s head turned to the sharp tapping, and he stopped for a moment before continuing slowly to the piano. She’d never played before, but she knew a fine instrument when she saw it. Her mother had wanted a ballerina, but Tessa danced poorly. In the end, Tessa excelled in violin throughout high school until she accidentally changed the expensive string instrument into a cheap plastic bucket.

  During her lessons, her teacher would use a grand piano similar to the one in front of her. As her eyes adjusted to the dark room, she noticed the piano didn’t have a sprinkle of dust. Cobwebs abruptly ended half a foot from the legs. There should’ve been a cover over the piano, but somehow the fabric had been defiantly tossed to the floor. For some strange reason, her fingers itched to touch the smooth wood and read the peculiar writing carved into the sides. Columns of ancient magical glyphs only witches and warlocks could see.

  “Don’t touch it! The piano’s cursed.” His fingers caught her wrist before her curious fingers touched the top board.

  “It’s beautiful.” The compulsion had been so strong. She had to back away to come to her senses.

  “Everything around it’s dead.” His eyes darted to the dead space around the piano where bugs keeled over within an inch of the piano. The source of the irritating hum in her ears came from the instrument.

  “This should be easy—” Her phone rang again. She ignored it as Rob fumbled in his satchel for something. The cell phone vibrated against keys and other noisy objects. She frowned and pulled the pest from the front pocket. He took a threatening step in her direction. Before he could snatch her phone away, she answered the call. “Hello?” She scrambled toward the foyer for privacy.

  “Look, I don’t mind when a woman has a few kids,” a male voice exclaimed. “I sired a few pups over the years. But you put me on a date with a woman who has, like, fourteen kids!”

  Tessa rolled her eyes. At least she had this unlisted client’s phone number in her iPhone now. Her client, Denny, wanted an alpha female to help lead his pack. This guy went through women like a cat through catnip. This wasn’t the best time for a phone call, but a few minutes and some metaphorical scratches behind his ears should hold him over until Monday.

  “Denny, not every woman is perfect. If I recall, you two hit it off on your first date. You both like rock-climbing and traveling. Is the fact she has over ten kids a deal breaker? You need to see the positives in the matter. Yes, she—”

  “Could you take the call outside?” Rob hissed.

  She nodded and walked toward the door.

  “Is this a bad time?” Denny asked.

  “Oh no, I’m working with a client on a team-building activity. You know, working on his people skills by engaging him in extracurricular activities. You can call my office about it sometime in the future.”

  She continued to babble on with Denny as she approached the door. As her fingers reached for the doorknob, she froze. A murky shadow slithered in front of the door.

  “Oh, shit.” A wraith. They were ghosts who were chained in purgatory on Earth. In some places, like this house apparently, they clung to darkness and decay, feeding on what little life remained. One of these apparitions advanced on her. Chips of paint from the old oak door fell as the opaque form of the wraith touched the wood. The nasty creature leaked death. She willed her reluctant feet to step backwards. Her mouth stammered, “Rob, R-rob—the door.”

  Denny called her name as she turned to the great room to see another wraith spill down one of the Roman columns on the fireplace. Another rose from behind the covered couch.

  “I gotta go,” she mumbled. Power tingled in her fingers, waiting to be tapped,
but this wasn’t the place.

  Tessa shuffled away from the door into the sitting room. Hissing shadows advanced like sidewinders. A sturdy back collided with hers. “I hope you have something in the bag for wraiths. Water witch spells aren’t worth shit unless they’re on fire!”

  Rob dug into his bag as they closed in. They flowed over the covered lamps and from under the heavy drapes. Their hissing rose to a fevered pitch.

  One wraith menacingly approached her foot. Her breath caught in her throat. There wasn’t any place to go. “Rob, damn it!”

  From behind her, she heard the sounds of rustling, then a second later, the room burst into bright white light. The light blinded her. She covered her eyes with her arm as the wraith’s painful bite seared her foot up into her ankle. Like frightened mice, the dark creatures scattered into the corners of the room. Rob left her side to drive the stragglers away, waving his knobby wood wand about like a torch, driving the more brazen wraiths into the darkness.

  As a woman who’d stood in waist-deep Midwestern snow drifts, she’d experienced the bitter cold on exposed limbs, but nothing prepared her for this. The deep ache penetrated to the bone. She clenched her teeth and caressed her throbbing ankle.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  She nodded, attempting to stand. No dice. “Ow!”

  Rob sighed. “Hang tight while I take care of the piano.”

  Tessa plopped down on the cold marble floor while Rob opened a portal then used magic to shove the cursed piano through the enlarged opening. She peered into the salmon-pink haze, but couldn’t see much beyond the piles of magical litter. The piano disappeared from view as it rolled down an embankment of junk. She grimaced as the sounds of jostled piano keys and dented wood came from the portal.

  “Could you have—” She searched for the words, “been a little more gentle?”

  “How about you stand here, pick up the cursed piano, and carry the damn thing gently into Limbo?”

  She shook her head, fighting to keep her mouth shut. Rob didn’t take criticism well. Another sign why he rode the crazy train alone.