by Rachel Wells
Friday rolled around mercilessly. Homecoming. It was sure to be a night from Hell. Mandy still hadn’t figured out how to get herself out of the oncoming disaster. Lucas kept assuring her that as long as she cooperated and did what he wanted that things would be ok, but Mandy had no reason to believe him. She had been trying to research black magic over the past few days when she got a second to herself, looking for what Lucas could have possibly stumbled upon about the transfer of powers as he had put it, but she kept coming up empty handed. The only thing that came as a surprise and she thought might be useful was the fact that spells, black or white, became significantly more powerful when performed with three people. It seemed important, and yet Mandy wasn’t sure how to harness that importance. She and Nana made two, but she didn’t know who she could get to be a third this late in the game. Besides that, using Nana as one of her three meant that Mandy would have to fill her in on what was going on, which she had of course been prohibited from doing. Mandy didn’t want to risk telling for the fear that Lucas would find out and make good on one of his many threats. This was something she was just going to have to take care of herself.
Mandy almost couldn’t bear to put on the emerald green dress she had bought with Steve. It hurt too much, but she had to wear it as she had nothing else appropriate for the dance. She threw her hair up in a loose knot at the nape of her neck, not really caring for the most part what the rest of her looked like.
“Mandy, Lucas is here!” her mom called up the stairs, excitement ripe in her voice. She was thrilled at the sudden development of things between Mandy and Lucas. She thought Lucas was a fine young gentleman, so did her dad. If only they knew.
Mandy trudged down the stairs to meet her fate. Lucas was dressed impeccably in a suit and emerald green tie. He had a wrist corsage of white roses for Mandy. Mandy’s first impulse was to hack a big juicy one all over the blooms, but she knew that wouldn’t be wise. So she faked a smile and cheerful demeanor, and posed good-naturedly for her mom so she could take her fill of pictures, which was way too many in Mandy’s opinion. She, for one, did not have any desire to remember this night. Finally they were out the front door and headed towards the school.
“You look gorgeous, as always,” Lucas complimented Mandy as he helped her out of the car. Mandy sullenly ignored him. They walked towards the gym in silence until Mandy could no longer stomach the idea of going in there and being seen with him by Steve, by everyone.
“Can’t we just skip the dance and go fulfill whatever your sick plans are now?” Mandy sounded whiney, but she didn’t care. She just wanted this evening to end, and to find out what would accompany that ending.
“Mandy I told you. It has to be the right time. It’s too early. The moon has hardly risen. I know you are anxious to rule the town with me, but soon, dearest,” Lucas said soothingly.
Clearly Lucas was delusional. Mandy couldn’t believe he actually thought she was going to be part of his dark scheme of having complete power over the town. She would do whatever she had to in order to protect those she loved and cared about, but little did he know that her mind was continuously turning over her options. If she had to complete the spell for him to somehow steal her grandmother’s powers, she was planning on reversing it if possible when he wasn’t aware of it. Mandy figured that Lucas would be so self-absorbed if his plan worked, that Mandy would be able to launch a successful counter attack. This thread of hope was the only thing was salvaging her night.
Inside the gym the music boomed and the kids were smashed together dancing with abandon, having the time of their lives. Lucas pushed Mandy in towards the center and they began to dance. She scanned the crowd, looking for Steve, but at the same time hoping she wouldn’t see him. At the far corner she saw him. He was holding hands with Ally, who looked like a million dollars. Mandy felt like she had been punched in the gut. Her eyes began to water and a lump in her throat threatened to choke her. “I need to get some air,” Mandy gasped.
“Fine, I’ll go with you,” Lucas replied. Under his breath he added, “You’re not getting away with any tricks tonight, you sly fox.”
Mandy ignored him as best she could and headed for the door. She stood outside for a few minutes before her guard pulled her back in for more dancing and mingling. The evening was spent in the same way, alternating between Lucas forcing the festivities upon Mandy and Mandy feeling like she was being suffocated and asking to escape for a few minutes outside. At 10:45 the D.J. announced the last dance, and even though the rest of the night was destined to get worse, Mandy exhaled a sigh of relief. At least it was almost over.
At 11:05 the gym spilled over with kids laughing and calling good night to each other as they headed towards their cars, their houses, and their beds. Mandy caught a glimpse of Ally climbing into Steve’s car, where Mandy should have been and wanted more than anything to be. “Ready?” Lucas’s voice was eager and more sinister sounding than ever.
“I guess,” Mandy reluctantly replied. Lucas laughed, sounding more insane than Mandy liked. “Where is this happening at anyway?”
“Oh I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” Lucas promised. Mandy knew Lucas thrived on giving cryptic answers, so she figured she’d know soon enough and left it alone. Lucas drove through town and turned down a side street into the dark night. Mandy didn’t know anyone who lived on the street, but she was guessing Lucas did. They kept on driving past the houses however, until they came into the turn-in to the parking lot to Sohier Park, where people went to view Nubble lighthouse. It was 11:30 and empty, no one would be out watching the light at this time of night. Mandy could see the lighthouse just up ahead, blinking serenely in the moon-filled evening. Lucas parked in the row closest to the lighthouse. It was separated from the mainland by a little chunk of black ocean that looked like it was biting at the rocks in the dark. Lucas walked on ahead towards the water. “We’re performing it here?” Mandy asked confused.
“Nope,” Lucas replied, still walking and then beginning to climb down the rocky descent to the water. Mandy followed reluctantly. Lucas had reached something that looked like a dark lump right next to the water’s edge. He flipped it over and Mandy realized it was a rowboat. “Come on,” Lucas commanded.
“I’m not getting in that!” Mandy said surprised.
“Yes you are, and you know it,” Lucas said smugly.
“Well, where do you think you’re going?” Mandy asked, confused.
“To the house,” Lucas said pointing at the light that seemed to beckoning them over.
“That’s trespassing. Besides, it’s locked,” Mandy pointed out hoping to change Lucas’s mind.
“Don’t be so sure. I ran a couple little errands before the dance,” Lucas gleefully pulled a crowbar up from the bottom of the rowboat. “I don’t know if you realize the many uses of crowbars. Nana didn’t,” Lucas said menacingly, smacking it into his hand softly.
Mandy could feel her insides twisting in fear at Lucas’s implied threat. “What do you mean? What did you do to my Nana?!” Mandy demanded. She climbed into the boat, adrenaline rushing through her body.
“Sit down, witch. You’ll find out soon enough,” Lucas pushed the boat off the bank and into the rocky waters. He sat across from Mandy who was fuming, but didn’t know if it would help to question him. She figured the best plan would be to let him get across the water and to the island so she could figure out was going on quicker. Lucas began to hum a deranged sounding tune as he rowed the boat across the water rhythmically. After what seemed like an eternity they reached the other bank. Mandy hopped out and Lucas pulled the boat up onto the slippery gray rocks. He began to scramble up the hill nimbly as Mandy tried to follow him. She realized too late heels may not have been her best fashion choice for this evening. The rocks were steep and slippery from the constant lap of the ocean’s waves, not to mention the algae that was growing on many of the surfaces. Mandy abandoned her heels, kicking them off and hearing them plop into the water below. Somehow sh
e managed to drag herself up the side of the little island, arriving at the top a minute after Lucas, covered in scratches on her forearms and shins. Lucas was standing with his arms crossed across his body, eyes narrowed as he watched Mandy. “Come on, we don’t have any time to waste,” Lucas said. He turned and began to jog towards the door of the house.
Mandy was out of breath from the climb but she did as she told, running across the grass to catch up with him. He reached the front door and turned the knob. Mandy watched as it swung open easily, emitting only a small squeak as its one form of resistance. Lucas stepped into the dark engulfing the insides of the house, giving the appearance of being swallowed. Mandy was shaking and she felt her legs automatically start to slow as she approached the door. She could no longer see Lucas and she was scared of what may be inside and ahead of her. She forced herself onwards, stepping over the threshold to the sounds of Lucas’s maniacal laugh. “Honey, we’re home!” Lucas sang out.
Mandy walked towards his voice, her eyes seeming more unwilling than usual to adjust to the darkness and gloom in the little house. She squinted, making out Lucas’s shape at the far end of the room. She rapidly realized he wasn’t alone, but bent over another shape. She took a few steps closer and cold engulfed Mandy as she recognized the shape as her grandmother, sitting tied to a straight backed wooden chair and gagged.
“Nana!” Mandy shrieked. “Lucas, untie her now or I swear to God…” Mandy started.
“You’ll what? Run home and tell Mommy and Daddy? I don’t think so,” Lucas snarled. “What were you expecting to find here Mandy? Tea for two? Ice cream and cookies? This is a transfer of powers. Obviously I needed Granny. I went and picked her up before our date and made her all comfy cozy, and she’s been sitting here since, right Nana?”
Nana glared at Lucas, her normally emerald eyes darkening to a much more woodsy shade of green. With her mouth gagged and her hands tied as well as her body, she could not so much as move, nor answer him, nor work any magic in defense. Mandy took a step forward towards Nana, but Lucas was quicker and held up a hand motioning her to stop. “Uh uh, sweetheart. If you want Nana here to be left in one piece, stay where you are,” Lucas said soothingly, as if he was doing Mandy a favor.
Mandy’s brain was in overdrive, trying to come up with a solution to their dilemma. Nothing useful came to mind. Flowers and herbs raced through her mind’s eye, as well as healing incantations. Currently, no one was in need of healing, not physically anyway…mentally was another story. She stood still, waiting for the instructions from Lucas that she knew must be imminent.
Lucas eyed Mandy, apparently trying to size up whether or not she was going to play nice and stand still. A few seconds passed and she hadn’t moved, so Lucas decided to begin. He pulled a little red cloth drawstring sack from his pants pocket, and began to dump the contents in a circle around the chair in which Nana was tied. He pulled another chair up and positioned it across from Nana, then sat down in it facing her. “Here witch, you need to scatter these in a circular motion around my chair so that the result is actually a figure eight around the two chairs,” Lucas demanded.
Mandy hesitated, looking at Nana, hoping to get a feel of whether to do what Lucas wanted or not. “Now!” Lucas barked. Nana inclined her head towards Lucas, which Mandy took as a sign to do as he said, at least for the time being. She took the sack with trembling hands and did as he wanted, and stepped back, balling up the sack in her fist nervously.
“Light the ceremonial candles,” Lucas said evenly. Mandy wondered where he had gotten these items and where he had even learned of this horrible ritual. There were four black pillar candles in a diamond shape around the chairs. A lighter lay by one. Mandy picked it up gingerly and lit the first candle, relishing the little warmth and light that its glow gave up. She did the same to the following three and looked at Lucas, waiting. She felt like a sorry little puppy, in obedience school, waiting for commands from its master. She felt like whimpering just like a little puppy might do, but she didn’t want Lucas to know the extent of her fear, so she swallowed it back for now.
“The old hag said we’d need whatever that thing is over there, in order to ensure the spell works properly,” Lucas said, motioning from his throne to something little and shadowy in the corner. “Fetch it for me, dearest,” he said condescendingly.
Mandy walked towards the object, a jolt running through her body as she recognized it as something quite familiar. It was one of those little liquid filled glass orbs that Nana had placed all throughout Mandy’s house. She remembered seeing them when they moved in and questioning what they were. Nana had told her it was the ocean inside the glass ball and that they would help her know who she was, which had made no sense then, and still didn’t now. But for some reason, the sight of the glass ball gave Mandy a reassuring feeling. Perhaps Nana had something up her sleeve after all. She picked up the ball carefully and walked back towards Lucas. “Put it on the floor between us,” Lucas directed, motioning at the place between Nana’s and Lucas’s feet. Mandy placed the ball where she was told, and looked up meeting Nana’s eyes for a split second and watched as they crinkled up in that familiar way around the edges. Goosebumps shot up Mandy’s arms. Maybe they’d get out of here all right, after all.
“Now I will begin the ritual. You will be the conduit Mandy. You will need to stand between the hag and I, one hand on her and one hand on me. As the chant progresses, granny’s magical energy will flow from her, through you, to me. Do not break the current for any reason whatsoever unless I tell you to. Do you understand?” Lucas’s voice was low and intimidating. Mandy nodded mutely and took her place between the two people, placing one hand on Nana’s shoulder and one hand on Lucas’s, even though she inwardly cringed at the thought of actually having to touch him. She looked at Nana but her eyes were closed. Mandy followed suit and closed hers as well.
What had Nana told her about black magic? Nothing really, only that it wasn’t an acceptable way to use your gift and that Mandy must never even so much as dabble in it. Mandy retraced her time with Nana in her head, replaying conversations she had had with her to her best ability, scrutinizing the remembered snippets of words for any hidden meanings that she may have heard but not realized. The only thing Mandy could latch on to was when her grandmother had told her that in order for magic to be successful she must believe in it. Granted, Lucas was the one performing the ritual, but Mandy supposed it couldn’t hurt to vehemently think negative thoughts about his abilities as he performed it. Perhaps if she didn’t believe in what he was trying to do, and Nana refused to believe as well, he would be less successful. Although Mandy had the sinking feeling that as long as the person performing the spell believed it would probably work, and goodness, Lucas had faith in himself. You have no magical gifts. You are weak and cowardly. You will not succeed. Mandy began to think this mantra over and over in her head, hoping against hope that it would have some effect on Lucas’s spell.
“Dark demons, we summon thee to our dark diamond,” Lucas began the incantation. Mandy shuddered but tried her best to block the evil words from her ears, instead repeating her own chant in her head. “We look to you for help during this full moon, that the powers of the weak be transferred to the powers of the strong, in order that thy bidding can be done as it should be. As the candles burn bright, so make thy light in me.” Lucas reached down to the sides of his chair and picked up another mystery object. It was a flame extinguisher, the kind on a long pole you often see in churches to put out the candles perched high upon shelves that can’t be reached easily. Mandy almost had to laugh at the irony of the thought. This was about the furthest thing away from a church she could imagine.
“As I extinguish the four flames, so shall you extinguish the magical flame in this white haired witch. She will be as empty and dark as the room, and upon rekindling the flames on the candles, I will burn bright as they with her magic, so shall it be,” Lucas finished the chant and without getting up from his chair ext
inguished the first candle with the long handled devise. “Light into darkness,” he said as the candle fizzled out.
Mandy felt a tingling start in the hand she was resting on Nana’s shoulder. “Light into darkness,” Lucas continued, extinguishing the second candle. The tingling grew stronger and shot up the length of Mandy’s arm. Her eyes flew open in panic, astonished and afraid that the spell was actually working.
“Light into darkness,” Lucas said, putting out the third candle. Mandy gasped as the tingling shot through her torso and down the arm connecting herself to Lucas. Her first instinct was to take her hand off of Lucas, but she found she seemed to be frozen in place, whether from terror or the force of the spell she couldn’t tell.
Lucas’s flame extinguisher moved towards the fourth and final candle and Mandy squeezed her eyes shut, unable to look at what unholy nightmares were about to be released. “Light into darkness!” Lucas roared, the magnitude of his voice seeming to fill the entire little house up. As the last flame died the tingling sensation turned from uncomfortable to excruciating, like an electric shock. Mandy simultaneously felt like fire was rushing through her very veins as well as if she was being pricked with a million tiny pins. She felt like her insides were being hollowed out as rush of air was forced out of her lungs. She gasped, trying to pull in a breath but it was as if the wind had been knocked out of her.
Lucas’s loud, dark laughter was crazed sounding and foreboding. His voice sounded much deeper than what she was accustomed to. She heard a strange wheezing almost moaning sound under the laughter and realized all at once that it was coming from her. Suddenly the pain was gone and she was able to a breath again. Her arms hung limply at her sides, and she realized she was able to move again. The room was pitch black. The shadowy figure to her right that was Lucas stood from his chair and at the same time the four candles suddenly erupted into flames once again, burning with a bright fierceness illuminating the frightful scene unfolding around Mandy.