Dead End: Midnight Hollow

by Penn Cassidy

  “Our girl, dumbass,” Freddy growled out as he shoved everyone aside. He picked me up, swinging Jessica and I around as she let out a peel of laughter. It was a balm to my heart to hear that laughter, and I couldn't help but join her.

  “This calls for a celebration! I’ll get the cider!” Auntie Pip declared, slapping Cal on the shoulder as she strode by.

  He was standing there awkwardly, and when my eyes connected with his, he offered a smile while rubbing the back of his neck. He couldn't meet Maddie’s gaze as she stood off to the side with her arms crossed, tapping her foot as she glared at him. The marionette appeared at his side, his trench coat blowing in the light breeze as he tipped his hat at me. I couldn’t tell if he was smiling or not, since his lips were painted on. I wasn’t sure where I stood with him, as he’d been following me around in plain sight. Seemed Maddie had enough of the bullshit, though. She stopped tapping her foot and pointed her index finger at him.

  “So how about you tell us, Cal, what’s with—I’m sorry, I didn't catch your name.” She glanced down at the dummy in confusion.

  “Friends call me Roger, doll.”

  “Right…” she deadpanned. “What’s with Roger following us around for two weeks?” Maddie raised a suspicious brow and narrowed her eyes at a nervous looking Calvin as he shifted his amber eyes over us all, his face turning slightly pale.

  “He was just keeping an eye out for you guys. You're new to this world, and I wanted to make sure you were safe. I’m not supposed to talk about the Society because it’s a sacred secret tradition.” He held his hands up in a calming manner and took a step back as a dark blue bundle of static zipped between Maddie’s fingers that she still had pointed at him.

  “That’s bullshit,” she snorted. “Everyone knows about the Society, I just thought you wouldn’t have joined something that lame. You seemed so much cooler than that, but I guess not. You’re just like your weird old man, it would seem.”

  Maddie took a step forward, backing him into a tree, but she tripped over her own two feet and went crashing down, a shot of magic flying from her fingertips. I watched with my mouth hanging open as Cal made a dodging leap and the magic smacked into a wide eyed Roger, absorbing into his porcelain skin. His skin cracked and shattered, becoming the real soft flesh of a human. We stared at him with our mouths agape, wondering what the hell just happened.

  His bright blue eyes went wide as he yelled, “I’m a real boy!” Patting down his body, he jumped in the air with his heels clicking together and that ridiculous duster coat flapping.

  Auntie Fe gasped and started muttering under her breath as a white orb formed in her hands. “Reformandam!” she said. I knew that word. She was remaking him, undoing the accidental spell.

  She shot the orb at a dancing Roger, the white light disappearing into his flesh, and we all watched in stunned silence as his skin hardened back into porcelain, as if it had never happened in the first place.

  I looked at Fe in question, and she shrugged, saying, “It’s unnatural, and sooner or later, it would have driven him mad. Trust me, I’m doing the puppet a favor.”

  “Ah, shucks.” Roger tried snapping his fingers together, but the glossy material of his hands just slipped by like butter. “A dummy can dream, can’t he?”

  “What the hell am I watching?” Norman asked, shaking his head in bewilderment, and pulled me close, running his nose along my neck as he petted Jessica’s head with his thumb. Billie was perched on his shoulder, and I watched the little bat hop down his arm until he was nuzzling Jessica.

  “Not fucking clue, but I say we go hunting. The clown has to pay.” Freddy cracked his knuckles and ignored how pale Jason went at the mention of clowns. Even after all this time here, he was still terrified of them.

  The sound of clapping came from the front gate, and when I looked over, I saw the mayor leaning over the iron gates with a large smile on his long, handsome face. Once again, he was dressed like a circus ring leader. He looked like he took clothes out of a coffin from the eighteen hundreds and slipped them on all wrinkly and dusty.

  Auntie Pip stood near her sister as they blocked his view of the rest of us, but that didn’t stop him from leaning to the side to stare at me. I had to wonder how long he’d been quietly standing there.

  “That was most impressive, Miss Hallowell. It would seem you take after David after all. So happy to know the Grimm family will live on a while yet.” His smile only grew and his gaze shifted over to Cal for a second, but I swore his eyes hardened as he made eye contact with his son.

  “So you’ve heard about the sacred law that was broken tonight, Ichabod? What will be done? One can not get away with killing a familiar, it is forbidden to mess with such creatures,” Auntie Fe said, crossing her arms as she glared up at him.

  He quirked his finger at his son, and we watched as Cal blew out a shaky breath and walked to his father’s side painfully slow. I didn’t like it one bit. I might be mad at him right now, but something just didn’t sit right with me, and Ichabod just gave me bad vibes every time I’d run into him.

  “Not to worry, ladies and gentlemen. Payton is being dealt with as we speak. She’s been removed from the Society altogether and will be leaving shortly to live with some relatives a few towns over. Not I, nor the town’s council, will stand for this kind of behavior,” Ichabod said. His voice was dark with a hint of anger, but I didn’t think he was upset about Payton, more annoyed than anything else.

  Fucker.

  “If you’ll excuse us, my son and I must be off. We have to prepare for the festival tomorrow. I do hope to see you there,” he said with a dramatic, douchey bow, his maroon robes snapping behind him, but he was looking at only me the whole time.

  He grabbed Cal’s shoulder and waited for Roger, who also took his time making his way to their side of the gate. He tipped his hat at me just as Ichabod pulled out a vial. He smashed it on the ground, and they were gone by the time the smoke cleared.

  “City hall is like two blocks away, he could’ve walked…” Michael muttered.

  “Let’s head inside and sit by the fireplace for a spell.” Auntie Pip ushered us inside, and it took a lot of energy to stand on my own two feet. Luckily, I had Michael to support me, as he let me lean on him the whole time.

  Jessica was asleep in my hand, and I felt like a mother hen checking her pulse every few seconds, but she’d scared the crap out of me tonight. The living room fireplace was roaring by the time we walked in, the room toasty and leaving me comfortable as I plopped onto the couch with a blanket thrown over my feet. Jessica peeked her eyes open with a yawn, her tusks snapping shut as she glazed up at me with adoration.

  “I thought you were visiting family. I didn’t know, Jessica, but if I had, I would’ve rescued you in a heartbeat. I almost thought you were getting sick of me and needed a break from all my drama, that’s why I never questioned it.” I bit my lip, telling myself not to cry because she was here and safe.

  “No worries, Tobs. I’m happy to be back, and I actually love the drama. It’s been fun watching you try and act like you don’t love your boyfriends. Most entertaining, if I do say so myself.” She sounded smug, and I just shook my head.

  “I find it funny they haven’t figured out you can read their minds yet. Even I noticed right away. I can sometimes feel you right here, and we’re connected even more since I came back. Being your familiar already gives us a bond, but it’s stronger now.” She pointed her little spider leg at her head. “They should have felt it the moment they woke up from the crash.” Yawning again, she stood up and crawled up my neck to hide behind my hair.

  It went so silent, you could hear a fart in a thunderstorm, and I was glancing around the whole room, staring at anything I could latch onto, anything but them.

  “Boyfriends huh?” Jason teased, playing with my hair. He tugged to get me to look at him, but I just couldn’t. I wanted to melt into the wood flooring and stay there.

  “Read minds?” Freddy asked.
“Well shit.” He started pacing by the fireplace and chuckled under his breath a few times.

  “I want to experiment with that later,” Michael whispered in my ear, and I was really glad the aunties weren’t paying us any attention, because my breathing picked up as the possibilities ran through my mind.

  Fe and Pip kept glancing up the staircase with worried expressions and whispering to each other as they gestured wildly with their hands at one another.

  “How much is too much mind reading?” Norman asked with a small grin as he rubbed his chin, staring me down with darkening green eyes.

  “I-It’s only here and there… I can’t control it,” I stuttered, then jumped in my comfy cushion as a loud knock echoed through the house. I was almost glad for the distraction.

  “Okay, somebody better tell me what the hell that is once and for all before I lose my mind. I’m sick of the knocking and not knowing!” Maddie demanded, stomping over to the aunties as they glanced at each other before nodding.

  “It’s time, I suppose. We’ve held off this long, but watching you grow into your powers and who you've become lets me know you’ll make the right choice.” Auntie Pip nodded her head in determination and started climbing the stairs.

  “Follow us, dears.” Auntie Fe lifted her skirts, flashing some ankle and raced up after her sister, oddly spry for a lady of her age.

  I didn’t say anything for a minute, as I was bone tired, but I knew whatever was making that loud, annoying knocking sound was most likely an integral part of this future of mine that kept shifting all over the charts.

  “Carry me?” I pleaded with a pout up at Freddy and was rewarded with a lopsided grin as he bent down and wrapped an arm under my legs and upper back before straightening up.

  “Silly girl. I’ll always carry you,” he mumbled into my hair, sniffing me as he effortlessly carried me up the stairs, the guys and Maddie hot on our heels.

  Once we reached the landing, Freddy was huffing teasingly, as if he was out of breath, and chuckled when I smacked his bicep. Then I couldn’t help stroking the strong muscle, because hello, it was a bicep to be worshipped.

  My aunties were standing at the end of the hall of the second floor, between the closet door and Freddy's room, wringing their hands nervously.

  “Okay, good, this is good. Gather around, because it’s time to make a decision,” Auntie Fe said, waving her hands so we kept stepping closer.

  “Decide what?” Jason had his head tilted to the side and whipped his gaze behind the aunties when another loud knock sounded, shaking the house with a small tremble.

  “If you want to stay or go,” Auntie Pip reluctantly admitted and sighed as she turned around, muttering a spell under her breath. “Idcirco praecipio tibi ut aperta.”

  At first, nothing happened. I looked at the aunties, about to ask, when the hallway looked like it was suddenly expanding on a deep inhale and the walls shuddered back into place. I stared in shock as a red door appeared in front of Auntie Pip. The arched wooden doorway was moving as if someone was pushing in the other side.

  “Open it,” Auntie Fe said, stepping back and waiting for one of us to gather the courage to open a door that was breathing.

  “Fuck it.” Norman shrugged as he stepped forward and grasped the knob, but once it blew open, he moved with inhuman speed back to my side.

  Freddy tightened his grip on me as Maddie and I gasped at what was on the other side. I could only stare in shock and awe. Swirling colors in an endless loop formed a tunnel, kind of like a horizontal tornado. Beyond it was a galaxy of stars that never seemed to end. Honestly, it kind of reminded me of Micheal’s eyes when they changed while he used magic. Purple and grey clouds crashed together with lightning and thunder as a storm came from within, trying to suck what was on the other side in.

  “What is it?” Michael asked, unable to look away. He stepped closer to it until Jason stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

  “It’s a portal that can go anywhere, even the mortal realm. It’s open all year long, not just Halloween.” The aunties said the last part at the same time in an eerie, practiced way.

  I wondered how that worked. I’d learned about the city bus that transported you to the mortal world on Halloween night each year. As far as I knew, the price to go back and forth was pretty steep. But this... This was some other kind of magic.

  “Why does it make that knocking sound?” Maddie asked, peering at the portal curiously, black hair whipping around her face.

  “To let you know it’s still here. It can feel anything living in this house, because it too lives and breathes,” Auntie Fe explained and shot a worried look at her sister.

  “It’s time to make a decision,” Auntie Pip said and gestured to the portal.

  It was quiet, as all we could do was stare at the swirling colors. I grew up on that other side, made friends, fell slowly in love, had my heart shattered when my parents died, then lived a year alone as I isolated myself. I never found myself until I came here. The truth was I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t feel like the mortal world was home anymore. This was where I felt most like myself, and my stomach curled with dread at the thought of returning.

  “I’m staying,” Jason said in a sure voice, staring at me already as I looked over Freddy’s shoulder.

  “I actually kind of like this place. Feels like home,” Micheal declared next, twirling a lock of my orange hair around his finger with a soft smile.

  “Fuck, you guys know I’m in. I think the moons keep my wolf somewhat sane. Plus, you need my crazy ass for a little comic relief. Y’all are so dour sometimes.” Freddy squeezed me closer to his chest as tears welled in my eyes.

  Norman snorted at his brother but then speared me with those jewel green eyes that saw deep down to my soul. “Where you go, I go.”

  They stared down at me, gathering closer as they waited for my answer. The aunties let us have this private moment as they backed away, but I could see them leaning forward to eavesdrop. They didn’t want us to go, and something told me that if I returned, they’d go with me.

  “I’m finally home and where I belong,” I said with confidence, smiling at my boyfriends. “I fucking love you guys.”

  Freddy whooped, squeezing the breath out of me as Norman kissed my hairline with a deep, relieved breath. Michael grinned widely, rubbing his hands together as he winked, mouthing, I love you too. I knew that kinky fucker was planning more ways to fuck me in public. I rolled my eyes at him but smiled.

  “You sure about this?” Jason placed his hands on my cheeks, staring deeply into my eyes as he looked for a sign I didn’t want to stay, but he wouldn’t find any.

  “Positive. Besides, I don’t think the mortal realm would approve of me dating four guys at once,” I said cheekily and felt my face warm as his eyes sparkled with hot desire, the naughty demon showing through with a flicker of yellow eyes and a forked tongue slithering out and back in.

  I felt like I was floating on cloud nine and was never going to come down. The aunties clapped and did a little Irish jig as they lifted their skirts to spin in circles. I glanced around for Maddie and saw her standing at the doorway to the portal with a sad look on her face. She must have felt my stare, because she turned her head and took a deep breath as she slammed the door closed.

  “Guess we’re here to stay.” Maddie dusted her hands and skipped over to us, wrapping her arms around the guys and gathering us close together as she giggled.

  It felt like old times, with all of us together again, and I felt at peace with the decision to stay.

  This was home.

  I woke up the next morning to the smell of something awful. Cringing, I pulled the pillow over my head and groaned. Pip was cooking…again. At least this time, I knew she wasn’t cooking us breakfast, but rather brewing up a potion for the competition held at the festival.

  “Maybe I should have stayed dead,” Jessica grumbled. She was perched on the branch next to my bed. It was so relieving to see her
there.

  “That’s a little dramatic,” I said with a straight face. “And after I went through all that trouble…”

  “Wow…” Jessica deadpanned.

  “Too soon?” I chuckled, ignoring her grumbling.

  Smiling, I managed to roll out of bed, grateful it was empty. Freddy had slept with me last night. I made them promise to take turns every once in a while so I could have a little room on the bed. Also, Jessica liked to hang out with Albert and Billie sometimes in Michael’s room. Freddy and I got a little alone time last night, and I needed it badly.

  My thighs tingled, remembering the way his mouth had played over them last night, the way that skilled tongue swirled around my clit, making me shake. I’d held in my moans behind a pillow as he made love to me until I was nearly in tears, and he looked extremely pleased with himself afterwards. These men were going to be the death of me.

  I was still reeling from the changes to this whole dynamic. Just a couple weeks ago, they hated me. Or at least they tried to make me think they hated me. It had worked better than they’d hoped, but now that I knew the truth behind their motivations, I couldn’t fault them. Their methods may have been a tad undesirable, but it did the trick in the end. Their constant harassment kept my head from spiraling into a dark place. They kept me on my toes for a whole year, making sure I didn’t recede into myself. Deep down, I knew my parents would have hated watching me break like that.

  I showered and primped for the better part of an hour, meticulously straightening my hair until it gleamed. Eyeing that pesky white streak framing my face, I contemplated dying it, but then I thought better of it. That streak was a product of bringing the people I loved back to life. It was a signature of sorts, a reminder of my power. I’d keep it for now and wear it like a badge of honor, celebrating my father and the powers he’d passed down to me.

  I glanced at Jessica as I walked out of the bathroom to grab my costume from the wardrobe. She was still perched on the branch, and I thought she might’ve been sleeping again, so I moved silently. My heart sank every time I looked at her, remembering the way she’d lain there lifelessly in my hands. Payton still had to pay for what she’d done to my familiar, banishment or no. I’d figure it out somehow. There had to be some kind of punishment set in place for harming people’s familiars. I’d have to talk to the aunties about it, but eventually, she would get hers.