“But the ocean ends,” Dorothy said. “Even those trenches that go forever, even a bottomless pit, even the deepest undertow beneath the deepest hidden Atlantis garden would still end at some point.”
Natasha smiled. “Why do you think so?”
“Because the Earth is round. So, if you were to go deep down in the ocean, you would eventually hit dirt or something before you come out the other side no matter how deep it got, don’t you think?”
“But past the dirt, you come to more water as you go up again. In-between each fold of the wave, each fold of a league, each fold of a beach, piece of coral or sand; therein lies yet another universe unto itself.”
“Have you been to one?” Dorothy asked. She wasn’t sure if Natasha was putting her on or not. She knew Natasha had seen a lot and had done a lot because Natasha had been around. No one that Dorothy knew was positive how long Natasha had been alive. It wasn’t a huge stretch to think that Natasha might have actually lived under the sea, in a fold in the fabric of the universe, residing in some Kingdom, cavorting with mermaids and sea creatures and perhaps even understanding them. There were so many mysteries that even being a witch didn’t guarantee unraveling satisfying answers to life’s many questions.
“Hey,” Natasha cried out.
“Hey, what?” Dorothy asked, looking down at the waves pulsing below. The sea salt sprayed her face and she was growing damp, but she wasn’t really that cold.
“What are you having deep thoughts about now?” Natasha asked. “Are you ever going to try to stand up before we get there?”
“I’m not sure I can,” Dorothy grabbed the broom with her hands and shuffled around, her legs flailing over the broomstick, her stomach lurching into her throat. She sat still, gasping for breath, afraid to look down or up as the broomstick soared through the night sky.
“You really need to stand up. Please, just stand up,” Natasha said. “It’s really not that hard.”
“But what if I fall into the ocean?” Dorothy whined. She didn’t dare mention to Natasha what had happened to her the night before. Natasha already thought she was weak.
Natasha sighed and walked to the end of the broom towards Dorothy. Her broom slowed until the two brooms flew side-by-side.
“Dorothy, you know it all, the rules, you know all the rules and you know how to use them. You’re flying right now so you understand how it works.” Natasha said.
“I don’t understand how it works,” Dorothy said. “That’s why I’m afraid. I don’t know what will happen if I fall.”
“Well, you haven’t fallen yet,” Natasha said. “So why do you think you’ll fall now? What’s different now if you stood up?”
“Because I’m clumsy,” Dorothy said again, trying not to snap her tone with her coven sister.
“Very well, let me assure you that these brooms which Lucy bequeathed us are here to protect us. I can’t tell you all the secrets of the brooms because it’s not my place and I’m not positive I know all of them for myself. But one thing I do know is that the broom will not let you fall into the ocean.”
“I’d hate to be eaten by a shark,” Dorothy said.
“You’re so dramatic,” Natasha said. “What makes you think a shark even wants to eat a witch on a broom?”
“Well, I don’t know. I draw my own conclusions anyways, whatever. Why do you think you will fall?”
“What if I fall? What if I trip?”
“What if, what if... You’re letting me get close to you, see you feel more comfortable. I’ll hold the brooms. Will you stand?”
“Why does it matter if I stand up? I don’t understand why you’re so pushy about it.”
“Because you can do it. You’re just afraid,” Natasha said and then laughed. Then she grew serious. “Because you need to be strong for where we’re going.”
“What do you mean, I have to be strong? I just wanted to go over to the movie set and watch the show being made. I just wanted to go look at Oscar Dominion for a bit. I didn’t want to go to wherever it is you’re taking me to.”
“We’ve been called Dorothy. Don’t you feel it? Now stand up. Go on.” Natasha’s voice was stern as she held on to the end of Dorothy’s broom. Dorothy slowly pulled herself so that her feet were tucked up under her and then slowly, again, she stood up. As she wobbled back-and-forth, the broom kept step with her, anticipating her every move so that she was perfectly balanced each time. Dorothy fluttered her hands and then she held them out.
“Oh my! I can’t believe I’m doing it!” she laughed.
“You’re doing it all by yourself. See! You have to stop being such a coward about things. You’ve been practicing witchcraft too long to be acting so silly. Now stand up and ride the broom like a proper lady. Or rather a proper witch!” Natasha cackled and then her cackles turned into a shriek that echoed through the crashing waves as they flew further over the ocean and towards a dark shape beyond them that was growing closer by the second. Dorothy laughed as well and her laugh also turned into a cackle. The witches cackled and laughed as they stood on their brooms, jumping from one broom to the other as they danced in the sky.
Chapter Eight
Three of Pentacles: Teamwork can get the job done.
At last, the brooms softly landed onto an island. The ladies stepped cautiously onto the ground.
“Never let go of your broom,” Natasha instructed. “At least, not here. The whole time you’re on this island, never let go of your broom, no matter what happens.”
“Where are we and what’s going to happen?”
“Shh... .have to be quiet. You have to be quiet, you have to wait and see how to help.” “Help? Someone’s after us?”
“Someone’s going to come for us.” Natasha whispered. Dorothy nodded, her eyes big as she looked around in the dark.
“Watch yourself on these rocks over here.” Natasha climbed along the rocky area until she chose a spot where they could watch the sea in the moonlight as well as an expanse of the beach. The water rose up where it was sandy. The sand bar spread along the shoreline then quickly turned rocky. The rocks grew more jagged and dangerous the further along they went.
“Who’re we waiting for?” Dorothy asked in a whisper. She hugged herself. Natasha adjusted her damp cloak and touched Dorothy’s hand. Natasha’s touch was chilly, and Dorothy thought for a moment about how warm Oscar Dominion’s hand would be. If only she was hanging out with him somewhere instead of on this island full of mystery and darkness.
“Do you think there’re bugs on these rocks?” Dorothy asked since Natasha didn’t seem to want to tell her anything. “I bet there are bugs on these rocks,” Dorothy continued. “Going to get bitten all over. Then I’m going get high off those bites and going to be all itchy and disgusting.
“You—we really shouldn’t be sitting on these rocks,” Dorothy said after a moment. “There are sand fleas and blackflies and God knows what else could be here. What about mosquito larva in those puddles, they’re probably hatching right now. Do mosquitos hatch at night? Do blackflies sleep?”
“Shush, stop your babbling and stop being foolish. Not a smart ass or an actor. Aren’t you old enough to know better?” Natasha hissed angrily as she spoke, and Dorothy sensed more than anger, more of an animal fury, a badger cornered, ready to strike. Natasha finished. “Let’s wait and watch and see what’s going to happen next.”
Dorothy nodded silently as she attempted to settle in among the jagged, damp rocks with hard bits of coral and slippery bits of seaweed making it hard to be comfortable. Was this island submerged at high tide?
Natasha looked over at Dorothy. She sighed. Her harsh face softened as the moon slipped behind a cloud. When it reappeared, Natasha was crouching closer to her.
“OK. First, let me help you,” Natasha whispered. Natasha raised her long, slender pale hands and held them high over Dorothy’s head. Dorothy felt a soft heat emanating from her. Slowly, Natasha drew her hands down in the air on both sides of Dorothy until D
orothy was inside a translucent bubble. The glistening sphere shimmered for a moment, then melted into itself. As the energy seeped into her clothes and skin, Dorothy stared down at herself.
“What did you do?” Dorothy asked.
“Simple things,” Natasha said, turning her focus back towards the ocean. “You should do it for yourself, and I don’t know why you don’t.”
“What?” Dorothy asked. “Do what for myself?”
“All of it. Like casting a simple “Bug Be Gone” spell. All you need to do is cover yourself in a bug-free zone bubble.”
“I don’t know how much power I need tonight,” Dorothy said firmly.
Natasha put a finger to her lips.
“Shhh.”
Dorothy nodded and lowered her voice. “I’ve been practicing a lot of stuff with my powers and sometimes they get depleted. I didn’t know where we were going, and I didn’t want to waste it on a bubble. I don’t even know how to use the energy to make the broomsticks take off. I have to get used to that power, too.”
Natasha scoffed.
“You worry so much, I’m surprised your hair isn’t totally grey by now.”
“Well, what they probably say is how no one has seen the real color in years,” Dorothy laughed then smothered the sound into her hands.
“OK, don’t get smart now.”
“I’m just nervous, I don’t understand what we’re doing here.”
“Quiet,” Natasha said.
The waves kept crashing against the beach. She noticed the odd bug zinging past Dorothy’s ear. The sounds slowly and rhythmically drew her in, almost into a trance. Ebbing and flowing, she imagined all the seaweed rocking back and forth in the darkness, and what might be tangled up in it all.
There was splashing. Splashing from the beach. It sounded like an animal emerging from the water.
Dorothy looked over towards the sound. It was so dark with other shadows of the rocks and trees around the beach area. The splashing grew louder, followed by slithering, shuffling sounds.
And then Dorothy saw them.
She saw them flopping along the beach.
Seals?
Walruses?
The creatures were writhing and grunting, dragging themselves along the beach by thin arms with long huge fish tails in place of legs.
Mermaids.
“What are they doing?” Dorothy asked. “Why are they here? Are they coming for US?”
“We have to stop some,” Natasha said. “You’re not going to like this but we must do Lucy’s bidding. They come to shore every now and again to raid the precious plants just beyond the beach. This island is secluded and forbidden. Well, not forbidden, nothing’s forbidden, but... regular humans wouldn’t come here. The water’s too treacherous to get through the ring of rocks that surrounds the island. The waves would destroy any boats. The mermaids walk or crawl up-and-over the outcroppings to get in to the beach.” Natasha never took her attention from the mermaids that continued to drag their way along the beach and towards the rocks.
“What plants?” Dorothy asked.
“There are plants that only grow here and, unfortunately, the plants are quickly used once they bloom by witches and mermaids. The plants work in spells, giving those who can harness them a boost like nothing else can. You ever wonder why Hermana is so magical and mystical? Part of it is because we are powered on these plants.”
“How come I never knew about this before?” Dorothy asked.
“Because we can only know when we receive a broom,” Natasha said. “Those who have a broom must keep guard of the plants. It means your powers have evolved enough to join the fight.”
“So... what we have to do to force them back into the ocean? Spook them?” Dorothy asked.
“No,” Natasha said.
“Do I shoot them? Murder them? What has to happen?” Dorothy asked.
“We have to make sure they don’t come back, at least for a while. They always return eventually.”
Dorothy watched them grunt and slide along the sand, getting too close to them for her liking.
“We have to make sure that not just the ones who come here but all the ones below waiting understand that this is not the place to raid these plants from. They have to find somewhere else.”
Dorothy asked, “Why don’t we just find somewhere else?”
Natasha looked at Dorothy with disdain before returning her attention to the mermaids.
“These plants have grown here for hundreds of years. Witches have flown here over the centuries on their broomsticks to collect the plants for the most powerful and secret of spells. These plants are sold at witch markets and are used in caldrons everywhere. But most don’t know what they’re actually getting when they buy from a store, for this plant has been secretly infused into many potions that are prepared by the ancient ones who know best how to use the elixirs compounded from these plants.”
“Why can’t we share them with the mermaids? Surely the entire island is full of such plants and so that should be enough for everyone.”
“You know how witches are,” Natasha said. “We don’t want to share. Besides, even if we did, there wouldn’t be enough for everyone, for everyone’s populations only grow larger, never smaller. The plants would run out and then the witches would be rendered powerless.”
“We wouldn’t be powerless. We’d just need to grow some more plants. Why can’t we grow them in Hermana? Why do they have to be on this island?”
“No one is sure. Believe me, many have tried to grow them back in their homes, in their flowerpots and their flower beds, on their farms and in their apartments. No one has been able to do it successfully. In fact, we have to make sure the plants are dead before they leave the island because even the sprouts and seedlings are deadly.”
“How can we even see these plants in the dark? What do they even look like?”
“We don’t need to see them. They just look like any regular plant. That’s why it’s also difficult and why you’ve never noticed them before.”
“You’re not being very helpful.”
“The plants are green, with smooth leaves that are round on one end and with a point at the other. Just a typical plant, like an ivy, perhaps. I’m not big on gardening,” Natasha said.
“I was just curious; I want to be able to recognize them.”
“Of course, I get it... but we have to be quiet. We have to be ready.”
The slithering and splashing grew louder. Natasha tugged at Dorothy’s arm.
“I think I think we’re going to have to go now.” Natasha said.
“And what do we do?” Dorothy asked
“Just follow what everyone else does.”
“Everyone else?”
As Natasha stood up and marched over to the mermaids rolling on the sand, crawling their way towards the shrubs, Dorothy realized that they were not to the only witches on the island. Other witches popped up from the rocks, shadows clutching brooms.
Dorothy walked carefully, trying to make sure she didn’t slip. The waves and fog made the rocks slippery, and it was dark. She took a deep breath and raised herself slightly above the patches of seaweed, careful not to use too much power for such a simple task.
As the first witches reached the mermaids, the mermaids let out an unbearable sound that pierced through Dorothy’s mind as if a power drill was boring into her skull.
In return, the chorus of witches shrieked a high-pitched melodic sound that they performed in unison. Dorothy realized it was yet another type of spell that she hadn’t known.
I’m so ill-prepared for all of this. Why didn’t Lucy or Natasha or someone train me?
The mermaids screeched, their hands pulling them faster towards the rocks where the plants lay beyond as the witches formed a line in front of them. Dorothy looked around and saw there must have been at least 30 witches. There could have been more, there could have been less for the witches were all shadows in the darkness, glowing in the moonlight. Since there wasn�
��t a full moon, there could be so many more in the shadows.
Dorothy stayed by Natasha, following her lead, heaving her broomstick in the air, pitching her own voice to match the sounds the other witches made.
She now recognized their chant.
She now recognized the words.
Words that Lucy had taught them long ago, but their use had never been clear to her. As she shriek-sang towards the mermaids, she became aware that Lucy had instructed the coven in many things. Many tools that at the time she hadn’t really understood what they were for but now, much like when she was moving the pencil with her mind, she realized that this was all occult knowledge; secret knowledge, hidden knowledge that she would ultimately be able to draw on in times such as these.
The witches lowered their brooms and began sweeping towards the figures along the shoreline. As the brooms touched the mermaids, they screamed louder and shrank back. A mermaid grabbed Dorothy’s ankle, but Dorothy lowered her broom against the hand and the mermaid let go with howl.
The witches sang and swept, sang and swept, and sang and swept until the mermaids had all crawled or been pushed back into the ocean.
“Make sure they’re retreating,” another witch cried out.
“I will,” came the answer.
Another witch hopped on her broomstick and flew over the cove and positioned herself hovering over the rocks that the mermaids would have to slither over to return back to their ocean.
The witches stood guard at the edge of the water after the mermaids had been pushed back in. In the distance, Dorothy saw that one by one, mermaids slithered back over the underwater rocks as they presumably returned to their ocean lair. A wave danced across Dorothy’s shoe, and she stepped away, the sand coating her boots.
She looked over at Natasha who was standing guard over several of the smaller witches. As Dorothy watched, she felt something tug at her calve. Before she knew it, she was pulled into the water. The sudden movement caused her to release her broom and it stayed in the sand while she struggled in the water with the creature who had captured her. Dorothy fought the mermaid, trying to shake the creature’s grip. More mermaids swirled around her, long, gleaming teeth shining in the darkness. They pulled her hair, grabbed at her arms and legs, one bit her arm. Dorothy twisted and tried not to gasp, tried not to suck in saltwater while fighting to find the surface of the water so she could grab a breath.
Taurus: A Hearse of a Different Color Page 9