Swimming for Air

by Winnie Winkle

  “Haseya,” his voice rasped from the dust and the crush within his heart. “I want to keep going. Help me live.”

  “Then we continue, Theo. I must repair your nerves before I can mute your pain. I honor you, warrior.”

  Haseya resumed the tracing and reconnection of the severed nervous system as Theo, agonized beyond screaming, endured, limp in the dust.

  TINA ARRIVED AT HER firm with Puddles in tow and set him up in her office. “I’m heading to court, MP. I’ll be back to get you and we’ll go see Sean, OK?”

  Puddles wagged his tail as she pulled the door behind her.

  After an uneventful morning of filing motions to protect a banker, whom she thought was juuust this side of not guilty, Tina headed back with a Publix roast beef sub. She split it, fed Puddles and picked at hers. Why in the hell am I doing this? How do I know in my bones I have to run? What is happening here?

  Puddles looked at the door and growled.

  I’m losing my damn mind, but I’m following it right down the rabbit hole. “OK, MP. You don’t have to tell me twice.”

  Decision made, she grabbed her briefcase and the leash, heading down to the Senior Partner’s office.

  “Winston, I have a family emergency, I need to leave right now. I’ll transfer my cases to Rodriguez unless you have another preference.”

  “He’s good. I like how you are bringing him along, Tina. Go take care of your family. Call me if you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Winston. I appreciate that. I’ll be in touch.”

  Tina and Puddles stepped into the elevator, the door closing as the other one opened and Pirro stepped through, heading for the receptionist.

  “SEAN, I NEED TO LEAVE a message for Rafi. Please don’t put his name on it. This is weird as hell, but humor me, OK?”

  “You OK, honey? You look like a ghost took you to lunch.”

  “I’m fine, Sean. A lot on my mind is all. Here’s the note, please let no one but Rafi see it.”

  Sean took the paper and tucked it into his wallet. “Consider it done, Tina. Drink?”

  “N-no, thanks Sean,” she jumped as Puddles growled again. “Back door?”

  Sean pointed. “Go. Through the keg room. Keep the dog outta my kitchen, please.”

  Sean picked up a rag, polishing bottles as the door jingled. Pirro entered.

  “Afternoon. What can I get for you?” Ah, this guy. He gave me the creeps the first time I saw him.

  “I have been here before. I am looking for Tina. Have you seen her?”

  “Tina? Oh, sure. She’s been a regular for a couple years. Nice girl. She shows up for happy hour a couple nights a week. Stick around, you might get lucky.”

  “I will drink a Guinness while I wait.”

  Sean began building the Guinness. “You from around here or just visiting?”

  “I am doing contract work here for a while.”

  Sean finished the pour and set the beer down. “You want to start a tab?”

  Pirro laid a ten on the bar. “Keep it.”

  “Thanks, my friend.”

  Sean moved down to the far end and checked on the drinkers. Against the polished wood, his father glowed, unseen by all but Pirro.

  “HOW DO YOU FEEL?”

  “Hungry,” Theo answered, surprised. “I’m starving.”

  Haseya smiled. “Good! Move your wings for me.”

  Theo flapped his wings, rising a foot off the ground, knocking things off shelves and hitting his head on the top of the hut.

  “Oh!” With a quick flex of her mind, Haseya expanded the hut fifty-fold. “Please, try again.”

  Theo rose, rolling, landing, lifting and trying small dives. Landing with a thud, he looked at her. “My body is perfect. Not a twinge, no pain, I am strong. Hell, invincible again.”

  “It’s the moment of truth then,” she said. “I’m unsure if the attack paralyzed you in human form. Shift when you are ready.”

  Theo blew out a puff of smoke, looked at her calm eyes, and initiated the shift.

  “Here,” she said, thrilled to see him standing. She waved a hand and a loincloth wrapped his hips. “Now, walk.”

  Theo walked, moving to a jog, then a full sprint. His whoops of joy bounced in the hut, and Haseya clapped, happy for his wholeness.

  “I’m good. Better than good, I am myself again! Thank you, Haseya, for not letting me fade.”

  Her teeth flashed, and she held out a hand. “The baby is with Topper. Shall we deal with Pirro?”

  “Hell, yes.”

  AFTER LEAVING THE STATION late in the night, Sylvia hit an ATM and crashed at the nearby Microtel, her thoughts whirling in a continuous loop. Theo is missing! Tina and Puddles are running. Rafi is gone. Despite Theo’s warning, the next afternoon she took a cab to her house, letting morbid curiosity win the mental argument against going.

  I don’t know what to do anymore. She paid the cab and stood, looking at her blasted house. It’s all lost. Pirro vanquished my life like a candle in a sinking ship.

  She blew out a tremulous sigh, turning and walking in the early evening sun towards the reservoir. The buildings and the plant were empty. They’ve all gone, these jobs are going away with the water. She lifted the caution tape and stepped down into the sandy basin, picking her way to the exploded rocks around the hole that claimed the water, pulling it through to the bowels of the earth.

  Finding a flat stone, she sat and rested her hands on the rocks, a growing hum thrumming through her body, pulling loose ends, trying to connect. From within the hole, a bubbling sound grew louder. Water rose from the hole, seeping across the sands towards her feet.

  I am pulling the water back! The water recalls, a single flow, to me. She looked down at the faint blue tinge on her arms, shocked. That means I can fix this travesty. Me.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Magic, New Mexico Sheriff’s Office. Is this an emergency?”

  “No. This is Detective Max Boggus of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. Sheriff Bravian has been here visiting and we believe he’s missing after a violent situation at one of our hotels. Has he checked in since the day before yesterday?”

  “Hold, please.”

  Frost, covering the station in Theo’s absence, looked at the magical map of Magic’s residents. Theo’s dot had been missing for two days, but now his, Haseya’s and Zayn’s were all clustered near Tampa, Florida. What is up with that?

  “Thanks for holding. We have not, but can locate and have him call you. What is your best number? Uh-huh. Got it. Thank you.”

  Frost looked at the map, eyes sliding to Egan. “I think this calls for a talented witch. Can you ask Topper to pop by? She’s at home.”

  Egan nodded and headed out the door.

  Frost leaned back, staring at the map. What are you three up to? Or, up against?

  SEAN RUBBED HIS EYES and took a second look. A gorgeous Native American woman returned his gaze, her dark eyes wide and calm. Dressed from tip to toe in buckskin and beads, she wore her long hair tied in two buckskin wrapped tails down either side of her face, topped with a headband across her forehead. Whoa. Next to her was an enormous dude, 6’ 8” easy, with dark hair down to his waist. Double whoa. My bar is home to giants this week.

  “Sean, I’m looking for my sister, Sylvia. Have you seen her?” Theo leaned in, speaking low over the boisterous happy hour crowd.

  Sean tore his gaze from Haseya and turned his attention to Theo. “No. I saw Tina earlier, she was looking for Rafi. That friend of his, the big guy with the long curly red hair showed up after she left, looking for her. Y’all ever heard of cell phones?”

  “Lost it. We’re trying to regroup. When did Pirro, the red-haired guy, leave?”

  “Oh, ’bout half an hour ago. He friend or foe?”

  Theo’s gaze, calm, appraised Sean. He replied, “Foe.”

  “Thought so. I got him to stay for two beers, gave Tina about an hour’s head start. Something scared her. Had Sylvia’
s dog with her. I like that mutt, Sylvia brings him to our beer garden when the weather’s cooler.”

  The door jingled, Theo, Haseya, and Zayn spun about, the air popping with magic, ready.

  “Rafi! Brother,” Zayn said, clasping his hand and bumping a shoulder.

  Rafi offered a hand to Haseya, kissing the back of hers, and then clasped hands and bumped shoulders with Theo, giving him a big grin. “Brother, I am pleased to see you well.”

  The air is weird in here. Sean pulled out his wallet and handed Tina’s note to Rafi.

  Some detectives showed up and took S. I don’t know why.

  She insisted I take the dog and go.

  I’ll call Sean’s at 7. I hope you will be there. T

  Rafi murmured low, “There was no one at Tina’s, and Pirro left the house undamaged.”

  He passed the note to Theo, who read it and looked at Sean. “Bring me five burgers, please. We’re gonna hang, and I’m starving. Anybody else hungry?”

  Stuffed into a booth near the back, with a perfect view of the front door, Theo inhaled his food, his body better with every bite. Mid-chew, Topper materialized, her impish grin under subdued honey blond hair as sassy as ever.

  “That’s low-key hair, Topper,” Theo noted, wiping his mouth.

  “This is me in normal mode,” she laughed, passing him his phone, wallet, and badge. “It’ll be pink again before the night is out. I popped over to check the damage at your hotel. Impressive. The clothes, wallet and room key you left at the parking ramp have now disappeared from the evidence locker and the evidence log. I retrieved the rest from the room. Sylvia must have her purse with her.”

  Her bright glance moved around the little group, settling on Haseya. “If you need help, Sister, just ask, but I think there’s enough firepower at this table to take out one little wayward Djinn.”

  “Agreed,” Haseya smiled.

  “Thanks, Topper, this saves us a lot of time.” Theo’s eyes crinkled.

  “Oh, I almost forgot! The sheriff’s office here called looking for you. Might want to get in front of that.”

  “It’s always something. Topper, can we see where Sylvia is?”

  “No, she doesn’t show on your map yet. I hope she’s managing.” With a smile, Topper vanished.

  Rafi’s eyes glowed red for a moment. Theo saw Sean wave and nudged Rafi.

  “Lose the monster eyeballs and go answer the phone.”

  Rafi pushed back through the crowd to the table, bending low to mutter, “Tina got a call from Sylvia. She’s driving over to get her.”

  “Where?”

  “The Chiles.”

  “Dammit. She’s isolated there. Let’s go.”

  Theo tossed money at Sean, the three followed Rafi out the back door. The Djinns smoked and shot across the sky, while Haseya took Theo’s hand, twirling into nothing, headed to Sylvia.

  TINA EASED TO A STOP, then turned the car around, pointing back down Martin Street. Ready for a get-away. I never think like this. Guess I’m a little scared. “Come on, MP. Where’s your Mama?”

  Puddles headed for the reservoir, tugging on the leash. He ran to Sylvia, standing at the edge, and his joyful jumping made them burst out laughing.

  “I’m glad to hug you, Sly. Everything is weird.”

  “Things are weird. I don’t understand most of it, Tina.”

  Puddles growled, fur on end, and they looked up.

  “It’s that dog again!” Sly’s voice shook.

  They stared at the huge black dog, snarling and approaching as Puddles yanked the leash out of Sylvia’s hand, lunging towards the dog in full attack mode.

  “D-d-did MP just g-grow?” Tina’s eyes were huge, staring at the dogs.

  Sylvia jumped. Mr. Puddles is huge! He was larger than the black dog and blocking him from the women.

  Sylvia wrapped her arms around Tina, staring in amazement as the two dogs continued growing, first the black, then Puddles, surpassing him each time.

  “P-p-puddles is forty-feet tall,” Tina whispered, looking like she was about to pass out.

  From the grove of trees, the four looked on with various shades of amusement.

  “Good spell,” Theo’s brevity made Haseya smile.

  “I will pull them away now,” she replied. Haseya’s body turned black, matte except for her shining black eyes. Silent, she fell into the earth, traveling though it to reach the women.

  One moment, there were two women and two monster dogs, and the next there was only Pirro, who threw up his huge head, eerie howls of frustration filling the emptiness.

  “Time to go,” Theo murmured as Haseya materialized in the grove with a normal-sized Puddles, a dazed Tina, and Sylvia. The grove emptied, the leaves moving in the breeze, devoid of magic.

  “DETECTIVE MURPHY, MY office said you were looking for me.”

  “We found your wallet at the scene of the incident at your hotel. We’d like you to come in.”

  “My wallet? My wallet is in my pocket, Detective. Are you sure?”

  “Hang on, Sheriff.”

  The line went silent and Theo held, waiting for Murphy to find out they didn’t have his wallet in evidence or a log of it ever being there.

  “Sheriff Bravian, you are correct, your wallet is not here. However, I would like to speak with you over a beer. Can you meet me?”

  “Yup. Same place? Twenty minutes?”

  “See you there.”

  Theo slid into the back booth they’d used before, watching the door. Murphy came through the door and headed straight back, signaling with two fingers to the bartender who poured two whiskeys neat, setting them on the table in silence.

  “Theo, OK to call you Theo? No idea how your wallet isn’t there, and I don’t want to know.”

  Theo sipped his whiskey.

  Murphy blew out a sigh, took a drink and looked into Theo’s eyes. “I got one word for you.”

  “What’s that, Murphy?”

  “Djinns.”

  Theo leaned back and looked at Murphy. Oh, perfect. I knew he was smart. “You’re a good detective, Murphy. If you talk about Djinns, you’ll get fast-tracked back to a beat cop.”

  “Shit. Don’t I know it. You got a handle on this, or is this my problem?”

  Theo’s long finger tapped the edge of his glass. “Take a back seat on this one, Murphy.”

  Murphy spun his glass on the table, then looked at Theo, his decision made. “I feel things. So, what in the hell are you?”

  “I’m the Sheriff of a little town in the middle of nowhere.”

  “Theo, I took the statements at the hotel. I guess there’s only one more question.”

  “What’s that, Murphy?”

  Murphy leaned in. “What’s it like to fly?”

  Theo drained his whiskey. “Thanks for the drink. If you’re ever in New Mexico, look me up.”

  PIRRO LAY IN THE BASIN, his smoke rising into a roiling fog, fuming.

  I had them both right here! What pulled them away? I destroyed Rafi. Theo is dead. The dog could only defend. Something protected them.

  He let his smoke settle onto the floor of the basin. This sand is wet, but it hasn’t rained for days. She did this! That water bitch tried to raise the water, to undo my justice. The wind picked up, uneasy and greasy. She, a nothing, thinks to usurp me. Me.

  A creepy keening rode the wind around the basin, silencing every living thing. Each hid, waiting, uncertain, grateful to remain unseen.

  I am Djinn, a power of smoke and wind! The older, greater race, formed before humans. God’s power, unleashed. How dare He cast us away for refusing to bow to quivering, fearful man as the angels did?

  Pirro’s wail, the bewildered sound of the Djinn as they fell from heaven, the forever scream of separation and loss, intensified.

  Djinns cover the Earth. Our anger and chaos seed oppression among the pitiful humans.

  The shrieking wind became a gale as Pirro roared.

  God, you err with foolishness and I, P
irro, reject you! You are meaningless.

  Leaves shredded from trees, tumbling toward the basin, then rotating in disquiet around it.

  You are a pointless God of these stupid humans you value so much. I will kill them and laugh, for you are puny in your weakness, in your love. Love is nothing. Nothing! Pirro pulled trees toward him, their creaking protests muffled by the wail. Love has no power, it saves no soul. I rise in vengeance, to smite forever this mockery of holding love before all else.

  The skies boiled with the skin-crawling wail. Lightning cracked with fury as Pirro, copper and blue electricity cracking through his smoke, rose into the storm, laughing in the face of God.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Sylvia, we can’t do that.”

  Theo’s eyes were kind, but his voice meant business, which worked on everyone most of the time. Everyone except Sylvia, whose eyes stormed, the threat to swamp him imminent.

  “In reality, we can, Theo. And, we should. The Compton will recover with rainfall, but the damage to the Chiles is permanent unless I call the water and you seal the bottom.”

  “Pirro will not let you walk in there and undo it, Sylvia. He would like very much to kill you,” Rafi interrupted. “His intention is plain, his spirit broken and festering. I doubt he will honor any code of the Djinn. He decided trying to kill Tina was acceptable. This is something the Djinn do not do. We foment unrest so humans kill each other, but our hands hold no human blood.”

  “Rafi, you are changing. Pirro is too. While still in balance, the space between you is widening,” Haseya interjected. “You cannot address new paths with old thinking.”

  “Are you saying my change drives his?”

  “The reverse is also true. It is the way of nature to force the complementing reaction, Rafi.”

  Rafi looked down at his hands, quiet. Sylvia moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “You’ve lost your brother. I see your heart, Rafi. You love him but see him leaving on his chosen path. He is making the stand he believes in. As are you. If I could erase your heart’s pain, I would, my love.”