by J. A. Areces
Chapter 12
The Protective Spell
It was mid afternoon and Jesse decided to take a break after working right through lunchtime. It was better that way because the hard work kept his mind off the current events. The orders were steady and the deliveries were going out on schedule. The afternoon school crowd was coming in and out and everyone seemed enthusiastic about the Halloween festival. Jesse enjoyed the walk-in business. The customers were friendly and engaged him with nice, festive conversation. Helping and interacting with his customers was therapeutic for Jesse.
The wizard left once he felt that Jesse calmed down. They both sat on the steps for some time discussing the day’s events. The wizard explained his encounter with the three witches and the new information that they revealed. Jesse paid close attention without providing any insights. Beifar was anxious because he believed that time was running out, and he wasn’t any closer to the whereabouts of Raven Fidgewidge. Jesse knew perfectly well where this was leading him - - further and further into a deep hole.
Jesse stretched out in his chair. It was unusually quiet. He glanced out the window. Nobody was coming into Alivan’s Wizards and Witches Corner Store. Good, he thought, I need a break. He held out his hands and concentrated on concentrating on nothing. His mind rushed with many thoughts without order or purpose. It was a hurricane of images and words. Jesse breathed slowly trying to calm the mental storm. He never noticed when his mind was calm. He only noticed that he was able to feel his fingers without touching them. He stayed focused on his fingers, before trying to feel his hands, and he did. Go up to the elbows, he thought. He felt his forearms, and then his elbows. Keep going, he urged. He traveled up his arms, biceps and triceps, until he felt his shoulders. Jesse could feel his entire arms without touching them. Jesse was fully aware of the presence of his arms in relation to his body. Where do I go from here, he thought?
“Go get the answering machine,” he said to himself. Jesse opened his eyes as the feelings vanished, funny how things just pop into your mind when you least expect it. Good thing too, he thought, because he completely forgot about it even though he scribbled it on a note somewhere.
Jesse went around the building and down the alley as he did so many times before, only this time it was different. This time he felt he was being watched. He looked up to the building next to Alivan’s Wizards and Witches Corner Store. Anyone inside could be watching him as he made his way down the alley. That’s probably all that it was. Jesse got to his bike and took the answering machine out of the seat compartment. He turned and headed back up the alley to the sidewalk when he noticed a dark, unmarked car parked across the street in front of the movie theater. The movie showing tonight was Halloween. In the unmarked car sat a man in the driver’s seat, wearing dark sunglasses, intently looking his way. Jesse tried to appear inconspicuous, but he couldn’t. He kept turning to glance at the driver, as the driver followed him with his gaze. It was obvious to Jesse that he was being followed.
Nervous, Jesse entered the store. The bell rang, as he glanced over his shoulder one last time. The driver was still watching him.
“Good afternoon,” said a friendly voice from within the store.
Jesse was startled and almost dropped the box.
Inside the store stood an elderly man with grey hair, glasses and a nice, round belly. He was not too tall, and stood relaxed with his hands in his pockets as he swayed back and forth.
“Err… Hi…err… officer.” Jesse said worried. He was expecting to be visited by the police department and questioned in relation to the three new deaths, but he didn’t expect it to be so soon, or in this manner. The truth was he didn’t know what to expect. The police never questioned him for anything before.
“Chief,” corrected the officer, “Chief Fabiano.” He repositioned his eyeglasses as he introduced himself. “Sit down, Jesse Alexander; I need to ask you a few questions.” The elderly man moved out of Jesse’s path, as he instructed Jesse to sit down.
“That’s okay insisted Jesse, “I’d rather stand; I’ve been sitting all day.” Jesse went into the center of the store, and placed the box on a table that stood close to the crystal ball. The table was full of folded, different colored scarves and gloves. Jesse stood between the chief and the crystal ball, and tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans. For some reason, Jesse felt that he needed to protect the crystal ball. “How can I help you?”
“Suit yourself.” Again, the chief adjusted his eyeglasses. “My report shows that you were the one who called emergency and reported the death of the homeless man, correct?”
Jesse nodded.
“Did you see who killed him?”
Jesse shook his head.
“Does that mean no?” asked the chief.
Jesse nodded. The chief grunted. He looked down and swayed.
Jesse swayed along with him.
“Jesse Alexander, three other people died the exact same way last night,” he looked up at the young man over the rim of his glasses. “Are you aware of that? Are you also aware that the only common clue that I found is from this store? I found an empty box from Alivan’s Wizards and Witches Corner Store near each body. I keep asking myself why a homeless man would want anything from this store? ”
Jesse shrugged and nodded.
“What can you tell me then, son?”
“The same thing I told the officer who arrived at the scene after I called 911,” answered Jesse. “I went to the back of the movie theater, hoping to find the trash dumpster empty so that I could throw away some empty boxes. My stuff is piling up in the back and I wanted to get rid of it. That’s when I came across the dead man, and I called for help.”
The chief observed Jesse closely. “I noticed earlier that there were no empty boxes out back.”
“Oh, good,” Jesse quickly responded. “I guess the trash man picked them up already.”
“What about the pizza delivery man? He was here the night before his death.”
Jesse shrugged. “I ordered pizza.”
“Witnesses claim that they noticed both the delivery man and the homeless man rush out of this store yesterday.” The chief tilted his head and stared down at Jesse through the corner of his eyeglasses.
Jesse swallowed hard and shrugged his shoulders again without saying a word.
Chief Fabiano turned and headed toward the front door. “I’ll be personally investigating these deaths, Jesse Alexander. I have a personal interest in them, you see,” He took hold of the front door knob and turned it slowly as he opened the door, the bell slightly rang, “Some time ago there were similar deaths that took place right here in front of your store. Innocent people were murdered. They were scared to death.” He glanced over his shoulder at Jesse. “I was the investigating officer on that case.” He paused for a moment. “I suggest you don’t try leaving town.”
Chief Fabiano closed the door behind him, slowly went down the steps and across the street to the black unmarked car. Jesse ran to the window and watched him as he tried not to be noticed. The chief opened the car door, and stood for a moment facing Alivan’s Wizards and Witches Corner Store. He carefully looked up at the second floor and then back down, observing every little detail. Finally, he sat in the car and closed the door. The driver of the car also analyzed the shop before he turned the car on and slowly drove off.
Jesse rested his head on the window. The sign that read OPEN pressed against his forehead. He closed his eyes and felt his fingers, hands, forearms, and elbows up to his shoulders, and for a few moments he just rested. “Oh, no,” he gasped, “I forgot to ask Cindy out to the festival.”
Jesse returned to the center of the room, took the box and removed the contents inside. He threw the empty box away in the back room, and returned to his desk. For the next few minutes, he recorded a new message.
Jesse worked late into the evening. He decided earlier that day t
hat his responsibilities required him to work later allowing many of his working customers the opportunity to pass by at a later time to pick up their costumes. Jesse made an executive decision to work late every night until Halloween. He sent an email to Mr. Claw for his approval, and within ten minutes, he received a supportive “yes.” At nine o’clock, Jesse began to lock up. He glanced out the window and saw a small line of moviegoers outside of the theater. Good, he thought, I won’t have to go outside by myself. Jesse was scared but wasn’t sure why. He thought about it as he began to tidy up the store. He pulled the blinds down, turned the sign on the door window to read CLOSED and turned off most of the store lights. He only left on the ones he needed to get around. At least he knew that he wasn’t going to be scared to death because the witch Ana protected him with a spell. He thought about how all that multi-colored dust she threw around the room was only to cover up the true reason for her being at the store. He finally concluded that anyone who went through what he experienced the last couple of days would be scared. And, as he entertained that thought, while tiding up the store, Jesse became aware of a presence that came forth from the crystal ball in the form of a swirling mist.
Jesse quickly dropped to his knees. It was an odd reaction, very childish, but Jesse didn’t want to be seen. Seen by whom? Well, by whatever was inside the crystal ball, he told himself. Jesse carefully crawled and hid behind the wizard robes to get a safe view. The crystal ball glowed. Soft shadows whirled on the walls, and different shapes formed. Jesse could make out figures forming in the twisted fog. They were seven dragonheads, like the ones he saw before. Then it went blank, but in their place the reflections of what Jesse thought were six men. Jesse squinted hard and tried to identify them, but their reflection was too distorted. He looked around the store but the men were not inside Alivan’s Wizards and Witches Corner Store. They were somewhere else, but their reflections were on the orb. Then Jesse heard one of the men call out.
“Lord Bane?”
There was no response. All six men stood waiting. They were shrouded in long dark robes concealing their identities.
“Lord Bane?" the same man called out again. “If you are there, please answer?”
Again, there was no response.
“It must be true, my lord.” Spoke another man.
“Yes, my lord, it must be true…” The man who called out Lord Bane consented.
The other men also agreed. Jesse had no idea what was going on. He remained crouched behind the robes, his knees growing sore.
“Well, then,” spoke out another wizard. “It seems as if we need to choose another.”
“Yes,” another voice was heard coming from the group of six. “We should start the interviews for a wizard at once.”
One of the men laughed heartily. “Let the interviews begin, and let all hell break loose!”
The others joined him in laughter, as the crystal ball went blank and silence was restored. Their reflections faded only to leave behind the distorted mirror image of the store.
Jesse reached for his cell phone and called the wizard Beifar.
