by D L Blade
“That’s not like Cami. I wonder what’s going on.” I knew we girls had a bad week from time to time, but we never let anything bother us to the point of being rude to our friends for no reason. She hadn’t even responded to my voicemail about my mother dying. There was no “sorry for your loss” or “I’m a shoulder to cry on.”
Thirty minutes later, Riley finally joined us.
“So, who’s the new hot guy with Jessica? He’s so cute.” Shannon’s voice pulled Riley and me out of our side conversation.
I looked behind me, confused, and saw Jessica with the one person I didn’t expect to see her with—Caleb.
Jessica was by far the loudest person at our school. You could hear her telling someone a secret from a hundred lockers away. Jessica was shouting a joke in Caleb’s ear and it was obvious he was trying to get my attention by his fake laughter.
Jessica had been in my biology class this past year and I had talked with her a few times at parties over the summer. She looked stunning, but her features were gigantic. Even her eyes were huge, like a cartoon character. She had long brown hair, and unnaturally bright blue eyes, which we all assumed were colored contacts.
Shannon tilted her head to check out his butt as he bent down to pick up Jessica’s purse, which she had probably dropped on purpose.
“I’ve never seen him before,” I lied.
Caleb turned around in our direction as soon as I had said that. “Hey, Mercy. Funny running into you like this,” Caleb said, now standing by our booth. I didn’t look up. I’m not going to play this game. “I’m Caleb.” He reached out his hand and greeted both Shannon and Riley.
“So, Caleb, how did you and Mercy meet?” Shannon asked.
“We met a long time ago, actually. I came back into town and we ran into each other on Main,” he lied for the both of us.
I sighed with relief.
I finally looked up. “How did you meet Jessica? You didn’t go to our school.”
What I really wanted to ask him was what kind of game he was playing.
“After you so rudely drove off after I brought you back your necklace, she was on the side of the road, trying to change a tire all by herself. I helped her and she wanted to repay me by buying me dinner.” He flashed a huge grin and Jessica’s cheeks turned red.
He continued. “Jennifer has been the only person in town to show me hospitality.”
“Jessica,” Jessica mumbled under her breath. Shannon laughed out loud, nearly choking on her bite of pizza.
“Are you done now?” I snapped. He was really pissing me off.
“Why are you acting like you care so much what I do?” he asked.
“I don’t. You’re just incredibly annoying.” I turned my back to him.
I thought about that. Why did I care so much what he said or did? I didn’t want him. He was arrogant and dangerous. Yes, I was attracted to him and we had some relationship history, but none of that mattered. He manipulated me into taking my powers from my mom, without telling me what would happen. He forced a kiss on me, just so that I would use my magic. I couldn’t trust him.
He turned to Jessica and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She turned red again.
“Jessica, are you ready to go?”
“Ready when you are.” She perked up and glanced around at us, hoping to see that we cared. No one looked up. No one cared.
He looked back at me and winked as they walked out the door.
“Can anyone be more annoying?” I complained once they left.
“I thought he was charming,” Shannon admitted, tilting her head as he walked away, checking out his butt again.
Riley huffed. “I didn’t.”
Of course he didn’t.
I looked out the restaurant window and saw Caleb and Jessica getting into his car.
Where is he taking her and why do I care so much? Ugh, I care. And I hate myself for it.
As everyone talked during dinner, I tried not to think about him. Tried being the key word. It just wasn’t possible. I kept picturing Caleb with Jessica and wondering if they were still hanging out. Did he want to date her? Was he just trying to make me jealous?
We had been at Mario’s for over an hour and it was getting dark. I needed a distraction. “We should have a bonfire tonight,” I suggested to Riley and Shannon.
“That sounds like a great idea.” Shannon was already whipping out her cell phone and sending out mass text messages to everyone she knew. And she knew everyone.
Just then, Cami barged over to us, practically pushing people over on her way.
She stopped inches away, glaring at me. “Look at you, Miss Perfect. Now you have two guys who want you. How are you going to play this game with them?” she snapped.
I stood up and put my hands up, putting distance between us. “Cami, what are you talking about?” I asked.
“You’ve broken up with Riley and yet you still torture him by constantly being in his life. Then, this new guy comes around who clearly is using Jessica to get to you. Well, aren’t you lucky.” She looked around at the restaurant. Everyone was staring, and it only fueled her. “Look everyone, Mercy Brawling, the tease.”
This isn’t Cami. This can’t be the girl I’ve known for the last four years.
“Cami, you can’t be serious right now. How long have we been friends? Are you even hearing the words coming out of your mouth right now?” I asked.
“You’re messing with his head. Riley deserves better,” she snarled.
“I know he does,” I admitted, while holding back the tears I knew were about to come.
Everyone looked uncomfortable with her outburst, especially Riley. Cami started to say something else, but Shannon jumped between us.
“Shut up, Cami. A little insensitive, don’t you think? Her mom just died and you couldn’t even call her back. What the hell is wrong with you? Daniella was like a mother to you!” Shannon was now inches from Cami’s face.
Cami looked at me and then back at Shannon. She had tears in her eyes, but her face remained hard. She was fighting the tears and trying to stay mad, but I could tell she hated what was coming out of her mouth.
I stepped closer to Cami and whispered. “Stop, Cami. This isn’t you.” I spoke softly and placed my hand on her shoulder. She flinched and poked me hard against the chest with her forefinger.
“Watch your back,” she warned. She then walked out the door, leaving us and her date.
My jaw dropped. She had never acted like this before toward me, or to anyone. What was wrong with her?
“Thanks a lot, Riley,” I snapped at him.
“What was I supposed to say, Mercy? Anything that came out of my mouth would have just pissed her off more.”
I shook my head, realizing he was right.
Once everyone calmed down, we agreed we needed to get to the bonfire while we still had light so we could get it all set up. We also needed that distraction, now.
We arrived at the cliffs in Newport slightly after seven thirty. The firewood and drinks were already taken care of, so Riley and I rushed over to help build the fire. I was now scanning the incoming crowd for Cami. I wanted her to show up, so we could talk about what had happened at the diner. I refused to lose one of my best friends over literally nothing.
Caleb pulled up in his black shiny car an hour after we arrived. He emerged from his vehicle as I approached.
“No Jessica?” I asked.
“You know that’s not who I want.”
I gulped. Butterflies fluttered around in my stomach. How could I hate him so much, but also get excited when he says stuff like that?
He scanned the crowd at the beach. “I need to find Cami.” Of course, that stung. Had I read this all wrong?
“I’m trying to find her, too. But please, Caleb. Leave her alone. She’s going through something and—”
“I have to find her. Don’t go anywhere.” He turned and headed toward the cliff along the shore line.
Of course he was
n’t going to listen to me. What did he want from her? He had shown no interest in her so far, so this had to be part of his stupid mind games.
I then felt a hand on mine.
“Sorry.” Riley quickly apologized and retracted his hand.
“No, it’s okay. I’ve actually been fine lately with contact.”
It was weird. Touch was no longer bothering me, except when Caleb kissed me, but that was for a completely different reason. I wondered if it had to do with my healing powers that were stronger than ever now.
“Well, that’s good.” He smiled at me. “You up for a walk?”
“Caleb told me to wait … oh forget it, let’s go.”
I zipped up my hoodie. We linked arms and headed toward the beach.
We walked along the water and didn’t say anything at first, but then I decided this silence thing wasn’t working for me.
“Hey, Riley?”
“What’s up?”
“This isn’t going to be weird, is it? Between you and me?
“No. Not unless you make it weird.” He smiled and I relaxed. “We’re too close.”
I wasn’t sure if my next question was going to make things awkward, but I still needed to ask. “What Cami said at Mario’s, is that how you feel? Does it bother you that I still call you and need you in my life?”
He shook his head and smiled. “Are you kidding me, Mercy? You’re my best friend. Being in your life is the only thing that helps me get up in the morning. And I don’t mean that to put pressure on you or make you feel obligated. What Cami said about it torturing me? That’s a lie.”
I let out a deep sigh of relief. I knew what Cami said was irrational, but her words made me think about what my actions were really doing to the people around me.
I looked up at my best friend and knew I could trust him more than anyone and I needed someone to talk to. I had to tell someone about what was going on with me.
“I need to tell you something. Something only a few people know.”
“You can tell me anything.”
We stopped walking and sat on wooden rickety stairs that led to the sand from a beach parking lot.
No reason to beat around the bush.
I bent down and moved the sand around, grabbing a seashell that had a small chipped piece on one side of it. I took the sharp part from the chip and placed it on my skin, dragging it slowly to leave a small cut in the center of my palm.
“What are you doing? Mercy, stop.”
“Wait,” I said.
After a few seconds, the wound healed.
His eyes widened. “Whoa. How?”
“I’m a witch and one of my powers is the power to heal.” I waited for a response but he just stared at me. “Witches are real. Like, not just stories in books or movies, but, like … real. The Salem witch hunt happened to real witches.”
“Are you messing with me?” He half smiled, but when he noticed I wasn’t smiling, he dropped his grin and lowered his brow. He looked back at my palm. “That’s not a trick you’re doing there?”
I shook my head. “It all started in 1674.” I then told him the short version of everything, from me being born centuries ago, to Caleb and our connection, to what really happened to my mother and why she had tried to kill me.
He looked like he had seen a ghost and wouldn’t say a word. So, I kept talking.
“You know,” I continued. “I’ve always felt like there was more than this, more than what we could comprehend. My mom and dad moved to East Greenwich a few years before I was born. All my ancestors are from Salem. I’m from the same bloodline as my original body.”
“You’re a witch.” He said. It wasn’t a question. He believed me. He knew I wouldn’t lie to him, even with something this weird and unbelievable. Also, the wound healing the way it did couldn’t be unseen. That happened. It was real.
“Everything Caleb has told me has been true so far, but I don’t know if I can trust him completely. He didn’t even tell me that my mom was going to die once I took my powers back. I felt completely betrayed.”
“What has Lily said about him? You said she knew about your life before this. She must know something about him.”
“She wasn’t sure. She said my mom saw us together in her visions, and saw me do terrible things with him.”
“Then you need to stay away from him.” He grabbed my hand gently.
“I wish it were that easy. He won’t leave me alone and I’ve seen what his magic can do.”
I went to speak again when we heard several high-pitched screams echo from the direction of the bonfire.
We both jumped up and ran back to the fire as fast as we could. When we approached the bonfire, I saw Cami lying on a blanket, covered in blood.
Oh my God. Oh my God.
Peter from my school was pacing back and forth with Cami’s blood on his hands.
He stopped pacing and turned to me. “We heard a scream and saw Cami falling over the cliff. It took all five of us to get her back up the trail. She’s alive, but she isn’t responding to us. She must have slipped. We were going to leave her in case her neck or something was broken, but the current was starting to flood over her. She would have drowned.” His voice was trembling.
“I am on the phone with 911 now. They’re close,” I heard a female voice say, but I didn’t look to see who it was.
I looked down at Cami. Through the pool of blood covering her body, I could still see her chest rising. She was alive.
She opened her eyes as I walked closer to her. Once I was a few inches from her, she looked up at me and grabbed my arm firmly. “He’s trying to kill you.” Her voice was soft and weak.
My eyes widened as I looked around the crowd. Everyone looked at each other, trying to figure out what she had just said.
“Cami, what are you talking about? Who’s trying to kill me?” I asked her quietly, so only she could hear.
“He’s coming for you.”
“Who?”
Her eyes slowly closed.
No, no, no! Cami, wake up!
Panic was rising in my chest. I couldn’t control the sobs that were forcing their way to the surface. “Cami, wake up!” I shook her shoulders. “Wake up!” I put my fingers on her wrist and felt a pulse.
There’s a pulse!
I looked up just as the paramedics arrived. I stepped back to give them space and backed up into Caleb.
I turned around and shoved him back. Several people looked our way, but I calmed myself down long enough for them to lose interest and look back at Cami.
“I had nothing to do with this,” he said calmly, so as not to draw any more attention.
“You went to find her and then this happened. Come to think of it, everything crazy that has happened in the last few weeks has happened since you came into town. What do you expect me to think?”
“I expect you to trust me.” He gritted his teeth.
“You make it really damn hard.” I took a deep breath and wiped the tears from my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt. I looked back over toward Cami and saw that the paramedics were taking her away.
Caleb wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, pulling my back into his chest. I froze but didn’t pull away. He lowered his head toward my ear.
“She’s under a spell, Mercy. She’d been possessed. There’s nothing we can do but find the witch who did this to her.”
I turned around, facing him and he released his grasp. “Another witch did this?”
He nodded.
I was frozen, realizing what this meant. They weren’t just stalking me, they were hurting the ones I love to get to me.
“I will find out who did this, and I won’t stop until they’re dead,” I warned, my voice steady and firm like the ground beneath my feet.
My own words scared me. Was I willing to kill someone to protect the ones I love? In that moment, there was no doubt in my mind I would.
The scene at the hospital was a nightmare. Everyone was crying and Cami’
s mom, Laurie, was barely functioning while waiting for updates about her daughter. She had been drowning herself in the vodka she always kept disguised inside her water bottle. She only fooled the ones who didn’t know her.
The doctors had told us Cami was in a coma and they weren’t sure when she’d wake up. But we knew she had been put under a spell. The only ones who knew the truth were the ones who knew our secrets.
Caleb and I were back in my room and he waited for me to shower and get ready for bed. I sat next to him on my mattress, curling my feet under my legs to get comfortable.
For the next hour, we tried to make sense of what had happened. Caleb was convinced that she had been possessed for several days now, which would explain her aggressive behavior toward me, and the fact that she hadn’t returned my call after hearing of my mom’s death. He felt dark energy surrounding her that he was able to detect after years of being around the supernatural.
Caleb suggested that whoever did this was doing it to get to me. They were trying to use Cami to hurt me, to destroy me. But who? And why? Aside from my mom, who would hate me enough to want me dead?
“So that wasn’t you I saw watching me from the window? You haven’t been following me before the day you approached me at the park?” I asked.
He shook his head, and the unsettling feeling of being watched again twisted in my stomach.
“What kind of person was I back then?” I asked.
Caleb looked down and fiddled with his ring, which bore his family crest. After a long pause, he looked up and brushed my hair behind my ear. He was holding back again. He wanted to tell me something, but he couldn’t. Or wouldn’t. Again, what was he hiding?
“What happened to Cami could have happened to you. This is why I fight so hard to help you with your powers. If you don’t know how to defend yourself against the supernatural, you’ll lose.”
“I didn’t ask for this,” I said sharply.
“Neither did I.” Caleb looked over at my window and sighed. “I have a few leads I’m going to follow up on.” He tilted my chin up so I was looking at him. “I love you, Mercy.” He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “I’ll call you once I know more. Don’t do anything reckless. Stay close to Lily. She’ll protect you until I return.”
