The Salem Concord Book 1: Interview for a Wizard
Page 27
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Jesse swung the front door open. The bell turbulently rang. He leaped from the porch onto the sidewalk and ran across the street to the old movie theater. He ran down the alley to the back of the theater, and stopped. He desperately looked around as he caught his breath. A short distance away, behind the large, green, garbage dumpster, Jesse discovered an abandoned shopping cart full of trash bags and old clothes. He cautiously approached; his heart beating faster with each step, his mouth dry, and his hands sweaty. Then he saw along the side of the abandoned cart, a pair of old sneakers facing up, and as he drew closer, he saw the legs that once walked in those shoes. Jesse stopped. He called out “Hello," hoping that a response would follow. There was none. Jesse reluctantly drew closer. The homeless man lay on the ground, his arms stiff, outstretched above him in a protective position. The eyes and mouth were wide open, his eyebrows revealed horror and dread. He was dead -- frightened to death. At his side, an empty open box delivered by UPS from Alivan’s Wizards and Witches Corner Store.
Jesse sat on the porch of Alivan’s Wizards and Witches Corner Store and watched the ambulance drive away, without flashing its lights. Jesse remained staring at the corner long after the ambulance was gone.
Was he next? Was that going to be his fate? He would never fall asleep again. But, how long could that last? Jesse experienced enough horror movies to know that none of the victims could stay awake forever. Eventually, everyone falls asleep and then, the nightmare. Jesse gulped. The thought of being swallowed up by a huge mouth with stale breath wasn’t the way he wanted to die; scared to death by ingestion. Worn out, Jesse rose and entered the store. The bell rang. Inside he found the wizard standing with staff in hand and wearing his pointy, grey hat. The crystal ball was back in its original place.
“BEEP”
Jesse ignored the order notice. He ignored the return of the crystal ball. He couldn’t get beyond the thought that soon he would be the next on the list of those scared to death. Jesse never felt so distressed. His shoulders ached and his neck felt extremely sore. He dragged himself toward the wizard, not sure why. His head hung low, and his eyes swelled up with tears. The wizard didn’t hesitate and met him half way. Beifar took Jesse in his arms as if he was his own son. Jesse sighed heavily, releasing all the stress he bottled up inside.
“Will I be next?” Jesse gently pulled back from the wizard. “Will I die also?”
The wizard removed his hat, and let his staff stand alone. He took Jesse and held him by the shoulders, at arm’s length, looking him straight in the eyes. “You are not going to be killed. You are not going to die from this spell.”
Jesse wasn’t convinced.
“Listen, we took care of it. My cousin Ana, the witch, was not here for the crystal ball. I brought her here to protect you.” Jesse looked up at Beifar confused. “I was concerned, and I brought her here to cast a counter spell to keep you safe.” The wizard straightened up to explain. “She wasn’t performing magic on the crystal ball. That was all a cover up so that you wouldn’t worry. She wasn’t able to eradicate the curse, but she was able to keep you safe from being scared to death. Unfortunately, you’re still going to suffer from those nightmares until we stop Claw. I’m sorry, but that’s the best we could do, it’s a very powerful curse.”
Jesse sat in his chair hopeful. He felt comfort knowing that he wasn’t going to die in his sleep from a nightmare, swallowed up whole in one huge gulp. He looked up at the wizard and gave a slight smile.
“BEEP”
“BEEP”
New orders were coming in through the website.
“You’re going to have to change the invitation to the store on your website. It’s a loophole that allows wizards and witches in, without setting off the Emunio Concutio,” the wizard told Jesse. “That’s probably how Claw has been getting into the store at night. The faster you change it, the safer you will be. It’s how the witches got in and took the crystal ball; and it’s how I just got in.”
Jesse agreed and went back to work.