A Witch Like No Other

by Makala Thomas

  “You’re something else, Dreamer. I’m going to be late!”

  “Dad, are you leaving yet?” Pandora called. “Can you drop me to the clinic on your way to work please? You don’t normally start late afternoon. Can you, Dad? Please?”

  “I’m coming,” Ted called back. “Oh- and leave the wand inside!”

  Pandora pouted but did as she was told, placing the wand on the living room table. Marlon immediately picked it up, saying “Mine now.”

  “Ha ha,” Pandora said sarcastically. “Stick to the psychic stuff, ok?”

  Marlon grinned, saying “I will, don’t worry. There’s things about me you don’t know, ‘Dora. I know exactly what you’re thinking.”

  “Whatever,” Pandora shot back, surprised at how jealous she felt. “Get ready to go out with your boyfriend, camel mouth.”

  “James isn’t my boyfriend,” Marlon said hotly, glaring at his sister as the doorbell rang. “We’re best mates, that’s all.”

  “Well the way you smile at him is a bit off,” Pandora answered, casually backing out of the living room and jogging upstairs as Marlon went to open the door to his friend.

  “Coward,” he grinned, and Pandora scowled at him.

  * * *

  “Who’s this guy?” Jules demanded, as Marlon smiled broadly at James. Cruise gaped at the silver wand in Marlon’s hand.

  “What’s the kid doing with it??”

  James’ jaw dropped as he reached for it, but Marlon shook his head. James shrugged as if he wasn’t even interested, Marlon letting him inside. Cruise grabbed the binoculars, focusing them before peering through the front window. Marlon and James were hitting each other playfully, the wand still in Marlon’s hand.

  Grinning, Marlon pointed the wand at James- BANG!!

  “Wow!” yelled Jules, awestruck.

  * * *

  Dreamer threw Ted off her, grabbing her wand and dashing downstairs.

  “Marlon!”

  Ted and Pandora was right behind her.

  “Mum, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to- I was only-”

  Dreamer stared at James’ body, then she glared at her son.

  “Give me the wand, Marlon.”

  “Nice one,” Pandora added, Marlon holding out the wand.

  “Mum, I… I didn’t mean to-”

  Dreamer took the wand and pocketed it, using her gold one to siphon James’ blood off his face as she knelt beside him. Her jaw dropped.

  “What on Earth…?”

  James stirred, everyone staring at him as he sat up dizzily.

  “Wow, man.”

  He grinned at Marlon, who stared back at him in horror. Ted’s stomach churned, but he knew he couldn’t turn away.

  “Cool,” said Pandora, unable to hide her smile. “That’s really cool.”

  “It isn’t,” Dreamer said softly, cupping James’ chin in her hand and staring at his face. His pupils expanded as he stared into her green eyes- Dreamer was so beautiful. Dreamer breathed out, relieved. He seemed fine, apart from the fact that… James inhaled sharply as he tried to memorize every inch of Dreamer’s face. Her eyelashes, her lips… Ted, knowing full well what he was thinking, coughed loudly the same time Pandora did. Father smiled at daughter lovingly, then they looked at James again. Dragging his eyes away from Dreamer’s face, he looked at Marlon.

  “Did you send me to another planet or something?”

  “He sent your nose to another planet,” Pandora said flatly, and James laughed.

  “Nah, he just knocked me out. Now you want to talk to me, Pandora?”

  “I wouldn’t be talking to you if you had a nose,” Pandora snapped, folding her arms. “Touch it if you don’t believe me.”

  “Touch my nose? Sure I’ll touch it!”

  James lifted a hand to touch his cute nose, as girls called it. Everyone held their breath, Marlon still horrified by what he saw. Pandora was the only one who was seriously fascinated. She watched amusedly as James’s smile faded, his chin still in Dreamer’s hand. Feeling smooth flat skin instead of his nose made him scream like a woman.

  “Where is it?!!”

  “Man, I’m sorry!” said Marlon, as James’ began scrabbling at his face frantically. “I didn’t know it would blow your nose off, did I? I was just messing about!”

  “Messing about!” cried James, the same time Dreamer said it.

  Marlon flinched under his mother’s stern gaze, saying “I’m sorry!”

  “Sorry!” yelled James, eyes welling. “I’ve gone from good looking guy to good looking monster in under ten minutes, Marlon!”

  “Mum can fix it,” Marlon started, but not before James’ body went limp. He passed out. Dreamer let his face go, James thudding back on the floorboards. Pandora burst out laughing, saying “Wow.”

  “Ted, you’ll be late for work,” Dreamer said softly, looking up at him. “And you’ll be late for your appointment, Pandora.”

  Both recognised the dismissal, Ted glad to get out of there while Pandora wanted to stick around and watch her mother perform surgery on James.

  “I’ll be home by eight latest,” Ted said, as Marlon hung his head. “Call me if you need anything, Dreamer. You too, Marlon.”

  Marlon nodded, mumbling “Yes Dad.”

  “Bye Mum,” said Pandora brightly, making Dreamer smile and Marlon scowl at her. “Take your time putting the nose back. Can you film it?”

  “Freak!” said Marlon disgustedly, as she laughed her head off. “Get out!”

  “I’m going, don’t worry. Come on, Dad.”

  * * *

  Miriam smiled as Pandora walked in slowly, saying “Hello Pandora.”

  “Afternoon,” Pandora replied flatly, sitting down opposite her.

  Miriam found she didn’t want to go on with this formality anymore.

  “Would you like to go to the park, Pandora? We can talk there.”

  “Tony’s going to swing for somebody if we go,” Pandora said, amused. “Besides, I’ve got something really funny to tell you.”

  * * *

  James shivered, hands trembling as Dreamer handed him a mug of tea.

  “Please Dreamer, I don’t want to stay at home alone.” James looked up at her, eyes brimming. “I’ll have nightmares or something.”

  “Who’s at home with you, James?”

  “Nobody,” Marlon answered for him. “He lives by himself.”

  Dreamer was amazed. Despite her circumstances, she didn’t believe a parent should make their child leave before they were twenty one, whether they wanted to or not.

  James sipped his tea, trembling as he said “Don’t make me leave- can I please stay here with Marlon? For the night?”

  “I don’t see why not-”

  “Let him go!” Pandora burst out from the kitchen, making them jump.

  “When did you get back?” Marlon said, surprised. Pandora decided not to answer that, glaring at James. He was huddled up on the sofa. She didn’t think she could sleep under the same roof as him. No way.

  Dreamer shook her head at her child. “Don’t be so rude, Pandora.”

  “Mum, he’s sucking up to you,” said Pandora, heat rising as James looked at her. “I don’t- I cant stay with a stranger.”

  “Oi! James is my mate,” said Marlon from across the living room, glaring at her. “And he’s not a stranger. You know he’s not a stranger. If you didn’t act like he’d breathe fire if you went near him-”

  “He’s got his nose back, hasn’t he?” said Pandora, scowling at James. James thought she looked real pretty when she was fired up. “He wants sympathy, look at him! Shaking and all of that snap.”

  “We’re not all like you, Pandora!” said Marlon as he started laughing. “He’s traumatized! What would you do if you couldn’t feel your nose?”

  “Streak in the park,” Pandora answered amusedly, making everyone laugh. Smiling at her, Dreamer said “Let him stay for tonight, ‘Dora.”

  “Fine. But I’m staying in my room!”


  “If you want to you can- but you’ll be down for dinner at half seven.”

  “Why so late?”

  “Dad’s home by then,” Marlon answered for his mother. “We can all have dinner together- ooh, he’s going to love it when he finds out James is staying.”

  James grinned, saying “I always give him a headache.”

  Dreamer burst out laughing, going upstairs.

  “I’m going upstairs for a nap.”

  “Ok.”

  * * *

  “Now?”

  “Give it another half hour,” said Cruise, checking himself in the mirror. The uniform they wore represented an electricity company from somewhere in the city. Cruise licked his lips, nervous. He was about to enter the witch’s home. He couldn’t guarantee they’d come out alive. He was terrified of Agnes and Paul, Dreamer even more. Everyone he knew had an account at NoNonsense.Com, everyone shared stories about the sorcerer and sorceress. But with Dreamer, stories were limited. All they knew was that she came back from the dead. This made her even more dangerous because nobody knew much about her. She seemed nice enough on TV, but looks can be deceiving. Everyone read Sergeant Brown’s blog: she’d threatened mass murder on a whole prison.

  Nobody cared about her children, because they knew their father was one of them. Normal. That meant the kids’ powers were restricted.

  “Ready, Jules?”

  “Yes boss.”

  “Ok, let’s go.”

  * * *

  The doorbell rang as Pandora jogged downstairs. She decided not to act as if she was afraid of the idiot in her own home.

  “I’ll get it,” said Marlon, as she walked in the living room. James smiled at her as he got up. Pandora hesitated, then she smiled back.

  Marlon pulled open the front door, staring at the tall men.

  “Hello young man,” Cruise said pleasantly. “We’re from Vivid Electricity- a company from the city. Perhaps you’ve heard of us?”

  “No,” shrugged Marlon, staring down at the toolbox. “Who’re they?”

  “Electric company,” Jules said earnestly. “Can we come in?”

  “Dad’s not home right now,” Marlon answered, looking at his watch. “Come back in about an hour, ok?”

  Cruise used his foot a wedge, wincing in pain as he said “We only want to check if everything’s in working order, and you to fill in a survey-”

  “I said Dad’s not home,” Marlon repeated, growing angry. “Move your foot, ok? There’s nobody home!”

  “Come on kid, be reasonable,” said Cruise desperately. “We’ll only have to come back from such a long way- we’re here now.”

  Pandora walked into the passageway, saying “What’s wrong, Marlon?”

  “These guys! They wont let me shut the door.”

  “I’m calling Mum,” Pandora answered, going upstairs. “Mum!”

  Dreamer’s eyes opened at the sound of her child’s voice.

  “Mum, there’s these guys at the door and they wont get lost!”

  Dreamer sat up, rubbing her forehead. “What do they want?”

  “I don’t know,” said Pandora, “But they’re trying to come inside!”

  “All right, I’m coming.”

  Dreamer stood, smoothening her body-hugging t-shirt with one hand while she picked up her wand with the other.

  Cruise’s eyes widened as Pandora came back downstairs, Dreamer behind her. He couldn’t believe it. He was actually looking at the witch everyone was going mad over. And she looked so ordinary in those jeans and t-shirt, even if they were black. Ordinary and beautiful.

  “D-Dreamer Black,” he stuttered, Jules’s mouth hanging open.

  “Can I help you?” Dreamer asked curiously, and Cruise nodded.

  “We need to check everything is in working order, Miss. We’re from an electricity company.”

  “Really,” said Dreamer coolly, looking at the toolbox Jules was holding. “Where’s the base of your company? Who are you representing?”

  “I- I…” Cruise swallowed, Marlon glaring at him as he let the door go and stood behind his mother. Dreamer waited, James coming out of the living room to join Marlon’s side. Cruise cleared his throat.

  “We represent Vivid Electricity-”

  “Never heard of you,” Dreamer said breezily, tapping her wand against her thigh forebodingly. Cruise eyed it warily before he said “And our branch is in London city.”

  “London city,” Dreamer repeated evenly. “Why come all the way out here to this town?”

  “We’re trying to get other towns involved in-”

  “There’s at least three more towns before this one,” Dreamer cut across. “Did you go to those before you came to this one?”

  The witch was smart, Cruise thought as he swallowed.

  “Uh… your address was selected especially. Three from each town we pass- we’ve got the papers back at the branch.”

  “You must have a terrific memory,” Dreamer said icily, making him step backwards with Jules in alarm. The sudden coldness in her voice frightened them. Was she going to curse them?

  “Why do you say that, Miss Black?” Jules said nervously, Dreamer answering “Because I cant see you remembering over twelve addresses on your way here, or you knowing exactly where to go each time.”

  Before Cruise could think of a good reply a car door shut behind him, making them turn around. Cruise suppressed a groan: Stone was back.

  “Hey, my wife and kids and James.”

  “Dad!” said Marlon and Pandora happily, Marlon saying “Back already?”

  “The case went smoothly,” Ted said, smiling broadly at them. “I won.”

  “You always win,” Pandora said impressively, Ted frowning as he noticed the expression on Dreamer’s face, then the two men.

  “Who’re you?”

  “Some people who tried to force their way in,” Dreamer answered, when Cruise and Jules remained quiet. Ted was no man to mess about with.

  Ted’s eyes narrowed. “Force their way in?”

  “They wouldn’t let me shut the door,” Marlon said angrily. “This guy-” He pointed at Cruise. “-stuck his foot in the door so I couldn’t close it.”

  Ted turned his brown eyes on Cruise, who stepped backwards.

  “We didn’t mean anything by it-”

  “Ted, go inside with the rest,” Dreamer said smoothly, and Ted scowled at her. “Go on, I want to ask them about this company.”

  Ted stepped inside, James eagerly taking his briefcase and tailcoat for him. Dreamer waited until talk started inside before smirking at Cruise.

  “Nice try, cop. You’re lucky I’m feeling very mellow today, or I would have turned your friend into a frog and let you take him to Brown.”

  Cruise gasped: she knew!

  “Tread carefully,” Dreamer said quietly, before she closed the door.

  * * *

  Alice called Pandora happily, asking “How’s it going?”

  “All right,” Pandora said carefully. “James is staying over.”

  “Oh,” said Alice, unable to stop a smile forming. “How come?”

  “Marlon blew his nose off, and he’s scared to stay at home alone.”

  “Marlon what?”

  Pandora burst out laughing before she told Alice exactly what happened.

  “He was messing about with my wand, and it went off when he pointed it at James’ face.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “I’m dead serious- even Mum was shocked. It looked so cool, though.”

  “Pandora, you’re so freaky sometimes. I swear you’re a Goth.”

  “So what if I am?” Pandora said amusedly. “I wish Mum filmed it- you should’ve seen James’ face when he tried to feel his nose- hilarious!”

  “Boy,” said Alice, shaking her head. “You really are weird sometimes.”

  “I know,” said Pandora, suddenly wary. “Um… you’re ok with that?”

  “What?”

  “It’s just that
a lot of people realise I’m weird and then they stay away.”

  “Not me,” said Alice fiercely. “I like weird.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise,” Alice said firmly. “Can I come over?”

  “Tomorrow,” Pandora said with a small sigh. “I have to deal with James today- hopefully he’ll stay out of my way. He normally picks up Marlon and they go off somewhere- and if he stays around I’m usually gone. The last time he stayed over… I think I was in Year Seven.”

  “Go do your stuff,” Alice said, amused. “Hopefully you two go out.”

  “No way!”

  “Pandora, you’ve got a crush on this guy!”

  “I have not!” lied Pandora, then she sighed. “Not a giant one anyway.”

  “Talk to him,” Alice said firmly, stroking Barclays. “Tell me everything when I come tomorrow, ok?”

  “Ok.”

  “See you tomorrow, then.”

  “Bye.”

  * * *

  Exactly one hour after the lights went out in the house, Pandora got up. Taking a deep breath as her box glowed brightly, she walked to her door. Opening it slowly, she turned and looked around before backing out of the room, crashing into someone. Pandora suppressed a shriek as she stumbled, the person catching her quickly.