by Vega Lizzie
Liam snickered, “You’re smooth, total sympatico. Ollie tells me you have been practicing. When we get to the loft, you can show me how far you’ve gotten. We’ll all meet in the alley and go in together.”
“I’ll text Terra and see what she’d like for dinner,” Oliva smiled as she dug out her phone, “I’m sure this is maybe Mom overreacting or maybe thinking it’s like a drill or something.”
“Terra may be, um offline until we get there,” Liam suggested as he swung the car through the parking loop to begin the drive through the city. Olivia just smiled then casually looked around the neighborhood to see if she could detect any supernatural movements along the street. After a moment she settled, confident that Terra had likely been close to school as a precaution.
Oliva sighed as they piled out of the car, “Wouldn’t a normal garage be so handy right now? We get the alley and the ever-so-fragrant dumpster.”
“It’s edgy and dark,” Karly teased, “Just like someone I…” She stopped midsentence, then grabbed hard onto Olivia’s hand. A deep thump shook the brick walls of the alley, the broad windows along the second story of the old building rattled for a moment.
“What the hell.” Liam exclaimed, just as the security door to the loft swung wide open, seemingly on its own A bright red orb shot through the doorway, followed by two pulsing green ones that impacted the bricks crating a scorched mark along the wall.
Olivia tried to turn but Karly held fast, throwing her arms around Olivia “Get back,” she whispered with a hard grimace, then pushed, forcing the two of them to collide with Liam as he turned. A second red orb rocketed by and then disappeared right in front of them as they heard a subtle thump of impact.
A split second later, Terra stepped out of the void at the end of the alley. With a quick look over her shoulder for traffic in the street, her protection shield generated as she ran toward the loft door, “Stay here,” she shouted to Liam, “something’s triggered the sensors. Protect Karly.” But as she approached the open doorway, a second trio of orbs brushed by her and shot down the long alley, one of them seemed to strike a moving target. A second green orb ricocheted off a drainpipe, then shot up above them to bounce against the steps of the fire escape.
“I can’t see anything,” Liam shouted to Terra as he waved his arm to generate a protection shield of his own. Still holding tight to Olivia, Karly gasped and pointed, “There, along the wall, it’s…” her arm shot up as she tracked the unseen threat. “It’s going up-” She stepped toward the entry to the alleyway. Only then did she let go of Olivia. Her eyes were wide and fixed on the moving shape, “Black…purple…” she said in fascination, “a thread of…white. Unbelievable.” She turned back to her friend, only to see Liam lunge to keep Olivia from collapsing to the concrete.
Terra was at her side in seconds, “the last orb…I didn’t see it come down.” She reached her hands out tearfully, “Ollie…Ollie, can you hear me?”
Karly stepped back in shock, her hand to her mouth, “I shouldn’t have moved…what happened...it’s my fault,” she cried out tearfully, “I held her too tight. She couldn’t react.”
Liam’s hand snaked out to grab Karly’s, “No,” he said sternly, “Not your fault. Absolutely not, it’s gonna…” Issac came running up behind them, “A red orb. It came down from the fire escape and hit her. It wasn’t full speed.”
Suddenly Olivia took a deep choking breath. She arched her back in pain, her eyes trying to focus, “I’m fine,” then reached for her shoulder, “Owww.” Her moaning was quickly drowned out with Karly’s bursting into tears.
Liam snapped his fingers in front of Karly’s face, the sharp sound quieted her instantly. “Focus,” he said, then looked to Terra, “Get Ollie inside.” He nodded subtly to Karly, “We will investigate.”
“Got her.” Terra said soberly, then shared a soft smile with Olivia’s shaking friend, “She’ll be okay. Only spend a couple of minutes, okay?”
Watching Terra slowly escort her friend to the loft doorway, Karly’s chin quivered until the door closed. Liam put his hand gently on her shoulder, “Wasn’t your fault,” he said quietly, “if anything, it was mine. We should have been more careful.” He looked back to the alley entrance to see Issac in a sprint.
“We’re okay, mostly,” Liam pointed to the door, ‘There was an intruder. Ollie took a stray orb off the shoulder. We’re fine. Terra’s with Olivia.”
Issac slowed long enough to touch Karly gently on the shoulder, his ever-present calming expression already in place, “Are you all right?”
She nodded, drawing a ragged breath, “I, um…saw something come out of the loft. It was all…electrical.”
Issac exchanged a quick glance with Liam, “I’ll go help Olivia. You and Liam investigate. Good work, Karly.”
Inside, Terra had Olivia perched on the sofa as she worked her sweatshirt over her head to inspect her shoulder. Once removed, Olivia was able to move her arm with some difficulty. Her brief stupor quickly changed to anger as she jerked back from Terra.
“Leave it,” she grimaced, flexing her arm back and forth, “I’m fine. What the hell was Karly thinking?” She groaned, then continued, “She got in my way, I coulda…fffuck this hurts.”
“Ollie,” Terra snapped back at her with a glare, “I’ll give you that one, but knock it off. You’re missing something here. She’s scared to death. She thinks it’s her fault.”
“But she-”
“Stop it,” Terra hissed, “You’re upset and hurting, I get that, but don’t you dare say one bitchy word to your friend, got it?”
“But…”
“Not one word. You do anything to hurt that girl’s feelings and I’ll put you over my knee on the spot.”
“Huh? What, are you kidding me?”
“You have a right to angry, but think.” Terra took a deep breath to calm herself, “Just think. All hell breaks loose outside and what was the first thing she did?”
“She grabbed on to me. I could barely breathe.” Olivia looked down to the floor.
“Seriously?” Terra came back, “You’re upset, I’m upset. Your Mom is gonna lose her shit when I call her in a minute.”
“Don’t tell her I’m hurt. Tell her we were doing magic stuff and I overshot on something.” She rotated her arm, suddenly choking back tears.
“Not your best idea. I’m going to get you something to ease the pain a bit and then I’m going to give Karly an ice pack and you are going to let her take care of you.”
“Fine,” she sniffled, “maybe Issac can do a calming spell. Karly probably needs one.”
“Right, yeah. I think he can manage at least two and…Oh my God,” Terra’s eyes flared, “the studio. Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
Walking quickly into the open art studio, she passed the divider bookcase and spun, only find the studio floor strewn with books and folios where Shannon stored her sketches and art references. Terra quickly spun to run up the loft steps to find their upstairs bedroom in the same condition.
Quickly coming down the steps, she handed Olivia a tank top and gently helped her out of her school shirt and into the tank. Stepping back to inspect her shoulder, she finally smiled, “Not bruising too quickly, I’d say it’s gonna be sore for a few days. I’m gonna see what the others are up to and then call your Mom.”
“The studio is trashed. She’s gonna be so frustrated being stuck out there. I’ll talk to her too.”
“Now, you’re thinking. Plus, you and I are going to have a little chat later. I’m sorry I got so short with you. I’ll try to explain myself once Karly goes home.”
“What’s goin on in the studio? You kinda flew up the stairs.”
“Your mothers’ grimoire seems to have disappeared. I think that’s what this is about.” A sudden commotion behind them alerted Terra and Ollie as Karly sheepishly walked into the living room with Liam and Issac. With a quick look to Olivia, Terra replayed their entire conversation with her raised eyebrow. Olivia nod
ded.
Terra took Karly into the kitchen. Olivia could hear water running and ice being dispensed from the fridge. As Liam sat down beside her, she ignored the quiet conversation in the kitchen.
Terra brushed Karly’s hair off her face, “Sweetie, you were amazing. During all my years in school, I never had a friend that would move so fast to protect me. I’m proud of you.”
“But I let go of her,” she sniffled, “I saw the colors come out of the loft and I, uh I got kind of excited that I could see it.”
“I’ll bet you did. I couldn’t see it. I know Liam couldn’t. That was really something.” She handed Karly the ice pack, “Put this on her shoulder. A minute on and a minute off for starters. If she’s crabby, it’s not at you, I guarantee it. Have her move her arm back and forth and around.”
“Is she going to have to go to the doctor?” Tears began to flow again.
“Nope, I’ll have Issac do one of his famous calming spells and Liam can do a little PT, later, but I think it’s just a bruise. She can be pretty tough and honestly, she’s had worse.”
“She’s kind of amazing, isn’t she?” Karly whispered, then sniffled.
“Yeah, but don’t tell her that too many times, she’ll just be annoying.”
Walking into the living room, she watched as Liam was working Olivia’s arm through a series of gentle movements. After a minute, Liam beckoned her over, “No ligaments torn, nothing broken, a lucky miss. The ice will do wonders.” He stood to let Karly take his place, “I’ll be in the kitchen.”
Karly sat down on the edge of the sofa. Olivia turned to her to see tears streaming down Karly’s cheeks, “I’m sorry,” Karly said softly and reached up with the ice pack, “I got…in your way.” She put her hand down and hung her head, “I let you down.”
“You were awesome,” Olivia whispered, her lower lip trembling, “You wanted to protect me.” She reached out with her good arm, “Thank you.”
After a tearful hug, Karly began the on then off ice relief sticking to an exact timetable as instructed. Terra and Liam watched from the kitchen. “Two minutes,” he whispered, “I want to show you something outside.”
With a quick glance to the girls, Terra went with Liam out into the alley. Leading her down to the street entrance, he waited for a group of restaurant patrons to pass by, then gestured up the side of the old brick building. A dark stain had sprayed from above, the thick red blood had begun to dry into old mortar. “Score one for Shannon’s orbs,” Terra remarked as she continued to look up the side of the building.
“I was thinking almost the same thing until Karly saw something else.” Again, he gestured up the building wall, “she could either see it, or sense it. I’m not sure which, really. Neither is she.” He pointed to a dark streak that had pooled along a short ledge then had dripped down onto the sidewalk. Amidst the stains and dirt of the busy walkway, there were three large drops of what looked to be oil. Terra knelt, smearing one of the small dots with her finger, “God dammit,” she sneered, rubbing the greasy substance between her fingers. “It’s a little like the void membrane but…stickier.” She held it to her nose and frowned, then offered her fingertips to Liam, “It’s not unpleasant, pine?”
“Exactly,” Liam agreed, “like using a plant for healing properties. Reminds me of Peru. I can look into it.”
“That would be great. I need to tell Shannon about what’s happened. It’s bad,” she sighed, “but this makes it worse.”
“Whatever Karly has been practicing, she’s highly intuitive for as young as she is. Her aura sensing probably saved this from being worse than it was.”
Terra nodded, “She’s very advanced in other ways too. Ollie is really going to struggle with that.”
“Ollie rarely struggles with anything,” he smiled, “I wish I had been as gifted when I was her age.”
“Gifted, she’s that for sure,” Terra said softly, “and I could be wrong about something, but in one way, Ollie is still...” Terra paused, searching for the right word, “a beautiful little girl, that missed out on something important when she was truly innocent of all this. She’s getting…hardened, a little insensitive during a time when she should be over-sensitive.”
Liam looked clueless, then, “Ohhh, I, um, I got nuthin.”
Terra smiled, patting him on his muscular shoulder, “Yes, Liam, in your own way, you most certainly do. Let’s go check up on those two, then I have a phone call to make.”
“Shannon will flip.”
“Got that right.”
Chapter 16
Terra chose her words carefully, “Bottom line, we’re all okay but there’s been an incident. Don’t get ahead of me.”
Shannon was surprisingly calm, “I have a bit of news as well. You, first.”
“Someone broke into the loft. The studio was trashed, and somebody got your grimoire. I’ll have some awkward detective work to do.”
Shannon’s reaction wasn’t what Terra was expecting, “That’s just fine with me, but maybe wait until I get back,” she said flatly, “It all sort of fits with my day.”
“The proximity sensors tripped big time,” Terra continued, her voice beginning to strain, “Um, Ollie’s gonna have a grapefruit size bruise on her shoulder, but otherwise good. Karly sorta came to her rescue.”
“Karly? Oh God what did she see?”
“Funny you should ask. Liam and Ollie, along with Karly were just ahead of us and something came out of the loft, orbs following right behind it. Karly saw it, tracked it even. Liam and Issac are here now. It’s quiet. I think it’s over for now.”
Shannon sighed, “I wish you were here with me right now; I could use a shoulder.”
Terra smiled, “I figure it’s about a minute to you. I could come. The guys are here, you know. Just for a minute.”
“That’s okay, I just need to turn in and collect my thoughts. It’s been quite a day. Tomorrow would be good. Things are going to heat up soon, I’ll tell you then.”
“Okay, but Shan, they have your book. The studio is trashed, and the bedroom is a mess. Both nightstands are…all over the place. That can’t be a good thing.”
“Normally no. But Marcus was over last week, we did a little baking.”
“Are you alright, you’re not making sense. I mean, our private sketchbook maybe just got its’ first review.”
“Well,” Shannon chuckled, un-nerving Terra further, “That’s five stars for sure. Yes, I am making sense. We made a batch of cookies. Oatmeal raisin.” Terra instantly stood and walked down the steps, pausing shortly to pat Olivia on the head and wink at Karly as she walked by them on the way to the kitchen, “Oatmeal, right? You hate oatmeal.”
“Right?” Shannon chuckled, suddenly confirming Terra’s suspicions. She opened the cupboard door over the microwave to see a row of rarely used recipe books. One larger one was turned with its spine to the wall, “You little shit, that’s genius. What’s Marcus have to with…?” Terra grinned, “There’s something extra in the fake one, sweet.”
“Yep, I’ll chat with him regarding a location. This will be interesting and especially good timing since we only completed it last week.”
Terra chose to keep one part of the episode to herself, “Yes,” she agreed, hoping to sound as casual as Shannon, “It certainly will.”
“Have him keep an eye on the book to see if it does any major movements, I can’t imagine the ruse will last for long.”
“But not everyone can open it, right?”
“Just me, under normal circumstances,” Shannon replied then laughed, “not that those apply anymore. We did a little cut and paste on the front cover to discourage any tinkering.”
“So devious,” Terra snickered, “I’m kinda proud of you.” She cleared her throat, “More so than usual, of course. Would you mind if I pop out there in the morning? Maybe early?”
“I have another meeting with Chloe at nine-thirty, will that work for you?”
“Mmmm, yes, that’s perfect,” s
he said softly, “I’ll be there at six. I miss you, plus there’s something else going on with Ollie.”
“Anything having to do with Karly?” Shannon asked softly, “I’ve been wondering about that. Nothing bad happened, did it?”
“No, but I did lay into Ollie a little for being a little, what…bratty to her. Once she realized how things played out in the alley, she was better but Karly…she has a big heart and I think Ollie might be a big part of it now.”
“Ollie has no idea, does she?”
“Nope, but we can talk about it more in the morning. I should go and check on them. I’ll run Karly home in a little while.”
“Gonna say anything to her on the way?”
“I’ll be supportive and empowering,” Terra said, “and see if she’s feeling talkative. She did something pretty startling with her budding powers.”
“Budding,” Shannon repeated, “How appropriate. She’s such a sweetheart, we have to be careful…”
“Like I said, hun,” Terra interrupted, “I’ll be a sounding board if needed. She’s a smart girl but also has a deeper sense of perception than most. She proved that this afternoon. I’ll tell you about it in the morning.”
“The later morning,” Shannon offered, “after our wake-up time. I miss you too.”
As Terra came down the step from the bedroom, Olivia was pulling her sweatshirt back over her head. After stretching a few more times, she flopped back into the sofa next to Karly and pointed the remote at the TV.
“Maybe a quick show for you two, and I’ll run Karly home. It’s been kind of a big day for all of us.”
“Not really,” Olivia said with cluck of her tongue, “We’ve had bigger.” Terra let the comment go, only to share a smile with Karly. “I’m gonna straighten up the studio. Give me a half hour or so.”
“Sure, it’s safe?” Olivia asked. There was a subtle undertone of sarcasm and Terra quickly chose to not let it pass.
“I am. Karly was able to detect something quite remarkable out in the alley. That, combined with something your mother has done, will make this mystery fairly short lived.” Terra’s tone gently pushed back to Olivia and she sighed, pushing the remote to bring up a streaming menu, “I wish we had time for more than one.”
