by John O'Riley
“Well, I don’t think you’ll like this one.”
Josephine sighed loudly. “Just tell me who it is.”
“Robert Miller,” Helen said quietly.
“That two-timing slime ball!” Josephine exclaimed, shocked that her ex-husband would become her new neighbor.
She accidentally unleashed a short burst of energy which made the lights flicker for several seconds.
“Why would he choose to live next door to you?” Alice said.
“He probably doesn’t realize I live here,” Josephine replied.
“Well, he’s in for a big surprise,” Alice remarked.
At least Josephine wouldn’t have to see Robert with his wife since she’d dumped him several months ago. He was probably having severe financial problems and was forced to sell his house which probably explained why he was downsizing to a condo.
“Maybe it’s not too late. If he discovers I live here, he’ll probably change his mind about that condo,” Josephine said.
“No, the mortgage has gone through. It wasn’t in the weekly until everything was finalized,” Helen said.
When Helen and Alice ended their visit, Josephine tried calling Gary but he wouldn’t pick up. She left him a brief message then hung up the phone. Josephine gazed out the window and could see dark clouds gathering in the azure sky. She drove down to the Siesta Key beach hoping to run into Gary. She walked along the shore and tried to ignore the tempting power waves emanating from the vortex and brushing seductively against her. She walked briskly from one end of the beach to the other but didn’t see Gary which was a big disappointment. She’d wanted to know more about her abilities and wanted to know what Gary had experienced. Josephine returned to her car and drove to a busy restaurant which was located about eight blocks from the beach. She didn’t find it challenging at all to tap into the vortex. Power instantly flooded through her. Her body felt relaxed and invigorated at the same time.
She could sense the myriad trace energies milling about and random impressions danced in her mind. Josephine gasped in surprise when an image of a thin, pale, young woman rocking on the floor appeared. She wore jeans and a pink tee shirt and had a crazed look on her face. Her brown eyes brimmed with madness and spittle dripped down her chin. Josephine recognized this category six as Brenda Kirkland from the picture in the history books she’d read. Brenda was the infamous wizard who’d caused the Disaster and unwittingly ushered humankind into a new state of being. In Josephine’s vision, Brenda was frantically muttering something to herself as she rocked more and more violently. Abruptly, she lost the image which was replaced by other impressions. Josephine tried to get it back but couldn’t. She was surprised that a trace energy of Brenda Kirkland had existed for so long.
“Interesting,” Josephine said to herself.
She was still tapped into the vortex and could feel her mind expanding further. Surface thoughts of nearby humans and wizards buzzed in the background. Josephine lost track of time and soon felt as though she was floating. She reached out for any trace energies similar to the one that had caused the vision of Brenda to appear. It was difficult to focus as her attention scattered in multiple directions the longer she stayed connected to the vortex. Another vision appeared of Brenda in a small bedroom with a minimum of furniture. She huddled in the far corner of the room wearing jeans and a white tee shirt. A wizard was approaching her with his wand pulled out and a shield in place. Brenda abruptly rose to her feet and the plastic bracelet around her wrist broke into pieces that disintegrated into a sandy substance as it fell to the floor.
The plastic bracelet had contained the aequitas enchantment and she had somehow managed to destroy it at that moment. The wizard who entered the room was short with sandy hair and green eyes. He was one of her care-takers who watched over her to make sure she didn’t escape and expose the humans to magic. Wizards had still lived in secret during this time period.
“You want to kill me!” she screamed shrilly.
“Everything is okay,” he said reassuringly. “I’m just here to help you.”
“You’re a liar! You’re here to stop me from completing my Mission!” Brenda shouted furiously.
Two more wizards slowly stepped into the room with their wands pulled out and shields already in place.
“You need to calm down. Everything is fine,” the man said calmly.
Resolute determination reflected in Brenda’s pale face as she stared the three wizards down. They all fired knockout spells at just about the same time and all of them bounced harmlessly away from her. She held her arms out in front of her with palms extended toward them. The protection enchantments of all three wizards melted away.
“How’d she do that?” one of the wizards asked.
In the next instant, all three of them crumpled to the floor as she struck them all with a knockout spell. Brenda turned toward the window which was protected by steel bars to keep her from escaping. She had been preparing for this moment for months. Josephine could sense this in the vision. More wizards were racing down the hall toward the room. Brenda raised her left hand toward the door and it slammed shut. She turned her attention back to the window and the glass shattered. The steel bars screeched loudly as they slowly twisted and tore out of the frame. The vision wavered and vanished before Josephine could see more. A pervasive chill and a sense of dread washed over her. She hadn’t realized she had this potential. The history books had never described exactly how Brenda had escaped from her prison in the house.
Josephine maintained her connection to the vortex but dismissed all thoughts of Brenda. She no longer wished to see anymore of this madwoman’s plight. Josephine abruptly realized she was floating a couple of inches above her seat. She lowered herself back down so she wouldn’t draw attention to herself. Another vision took hold and she could see Brenda walking toward a shopping mall. Before the Disaster had occurred, the mall had been entirely encompassed by the power vortex of Seattle, Washington. Brenda had a Mission to perform. She would save humanity from destruction. She walked purposefully toward the mall and was transfixed by the swirling blue, silver, and green lights that surrounded the mall. Many customers were milling about and browsing inside the many stores and others were outside either leaving or entering the large building. She reached out with her mind and tapped into the vortex.
As Brenda’s consciousness expanded, she sensed the danger around her as a large group of wizards arrived in the parking lot. She created a large dampening field that would hopefully fend off any magic attacks. Brenda breathed deeply and focused on the spell which would allow humankind to ascend to a greater existence. She was doing God’s work and knew that was her very purpose in life. That was why the wizards had locked her away. They were jealous of her abilities and brainwashed by the antichrist. Once she accomplished her Mission, everyone would know that she was their savior. The complicated energy matrix formed within the vortex itself and interacted with it. Potent, red tendrils of energy commingled with the blue, green, and silver swirls. The wizards launched a massive telekinetic spell at her. Brenda’s attention split between her work and the incoming attack which seemed to occur in slow motion.
As the combined telekinetic waves struck her dampening field and dissipated the destructive spells, she could see that it wasn’t enough. Brenda flicked away the remaining pieces of the telekinetic spells which hurtled violently in the opposite direction. The windows of several cars shattered and a wizard was thrown backwards into the air. Brenda strengthened her dampening field at the same time as she worked on finishing the energy matrix of her spell. The energy of the vortex was now dominated by angry tendrils of red which twisted violently. A smile of accomplishment spread across Brenda’s face as the energy matrix of her spell snapped into place. She finished casting the powerful enchantment which caused a huge explosion of energy to rush out in a powerful wave from every vortex in the world.
No one in the mall or parking lot had time to register the fact that they were in m
ortal danger because they died instantly. Brenda didn’t realize the folly of her ways as she, too, perished in the angry wave of red energy that swept over her. The vision abruptly ended and Josephine realized she’d cried out in horror. She severed her connection with the vortex and squeezed her eyes shut. She breathed deeply and calmed her thoughts, struggling with her guilt and self recriminations. She was putting everyone in danger by messing around with the vortex. She shouldn’t be doing this. It would slowly drive her insane in the same way that Brenda’s sanity crumbled away over time. Brenda had snuck to the vortex in Seattle and had tapped into the vortex many times before she’d been caught. Josephine couldn’t believe she was making the same mistake.
She started the engine and carefully backed out of her parking spot. She would stop making these trips to the beach and would make damned sure she never tapped into the vortex again. It just wasn’t right to continue doing this. Josephine arrived at her condo, went into a deep meditation to calm herself, and fell asleep early in the evening.
Chapter 8
Josephine, Alice, and Helen ambled through the bakery section of the grocery store Josephine decided she’d buy a couple of cinnamon rolls. Usually she tried to keep away from desserts because it was too tempting to overindulge. Alice had wanted to look at the cinnamon bread but had changed her mind after inspecting several loaves. She grabbed a package of carrot muffins instead.
“These look kind of good,” Alice said in a noncommittal tone.
“I’ve had them before. They’re very tasty. Of course, practically everything in this bakery is delicious,” Josephine said.
“I’ve been thinking about getting a cat,” Alice said.
“Why?” Helen asked.
“I think it would be nice. I heard they’re good for your health.”
“That’s just a myth,” Helen said.
“No, I think Alice is right. I’ve read some articles that show cats can help calm a person with mental disorders or depression,” Josephine said.
“I don’t have any mental disorders,” Alice said indignantly.
Several nearby customers glanced over at her speculatively. Alice frowned at them as she left the bakery. Helen was pushing a cart instead of riding in one of the electric ones today. This was a good idea because Josephine believed when people reached a certain age, they should be careful to remain active. That was why she insisted on going to the gym on a regular basis.
They ambled on down the aisles until they reached the produce section and Helen began perusing the various vegetables. Josephine had no intention of buying anything from this area except for maybe some juice. She strolled away from her two friends to look at the drinks. She picked out a couple of tropical blends and placed them in her cart. Helen was still laboriously trying to decide on which zucchini to purchase. After a time, she finally set one in her cart and moved on. Josephine felt a wave of compassion for her friend as Helen frowned at the display of lettuce. Life was becoming more difficult for both Alice and Helen as they grew older.
When they returned to their retirement complex, Josephine helped her friends unpack their groceries then she returned to her condo. She dug out a spell book from a desk drawer in her living room that she hadn’t touched in years. Alice had given it to her many years ago as a birthday present. Josephine had only spent a few months perusing the book when the phone rang. She swiftly crossed the room and picked up the receiver.
“Hello?” she said.
“It’s Alex. I’m at a crime scene and I need your expertise.”
“Okay. What’s the address?” Josephine asked. She jotted down his reply on a notepad. “Is this the serial killer?”
“It looks that way,” he replied.
The dial tone sounded in her ear and Josephine hung up the phone.
“That was rude,” she said.
Josephine would like to set a few jinxes on Alex but knew that wasn’t a possibility. She heard some pounding and loud voices in the hallway as she headed for the front door. Josephine wondered what was the source of the commotion as she stepped out of her condo. She immediately saw three men carrying a couch toward the opened door beside her condo. Obviously, Robert Miller was moving his belongings into his new home. Josephine sighed with annoyance at the reminder of her new neighbor. The movers heaved at the couch as they tipped it at an angle to try and slip it through the door. Josephine could see that it wasn’t easy.
“Okay, guys. It’s time to use one of our teleportation enchantments,” one of the movers said.
Teleportation enchantments required massive amounts of power to generate and unless they were crafted by an expert, they were limited to small distances. The three men carefully set the couch down and one of them pulled out a wand. He pointed it at the couch and it vanished in a flash of gold light. Instantly, a gold flash emitted from inside the condo. The three men stepped into the living room and shoved the couch against the far wall. Josephine continued on her way toward the elevator which had just opened to reveal her ex. He gaped at her with disbelief but recovered and stepped forward.
“Hello, Spot,” Josephine said.
“What are you doing here?” he said warily.
“I live here.” Josephine rushed past him so she could enter the elevator before the doors slid shut. She was amused to see the look of dismay on his face and she was further pleased that she had gotten the last word for a change. She got lost twice trying to find the house where the murder had occurred. Finally, she pulled up in front of the correct address. It was a small beat-up gray house with an equally small, unkempt yard. Howie stood at the front door keeping vigil. He smiled a greeting as Josephine approached him.
“How’s it going?” she said.
“It’s kind of freaky,” Howie said.
“What do you mean?” Josephine asked.
“You’ll see,” Howie said.
Josephine stepped into the living room which was trashed. The television screen had shattered, the lights had blown up, and the entertainment center had two shelves which had somehow caved in. Gary sat on an armchair with his arms crossed over his stomach in a protective gesture. His face was pale and his expression haunted. He didn’t seem to be aware of anyone in the room. Jake waved his grandmother over.
“What’s going on?” Josephine asked.
“Gary is having an incident,” Alex said.
Josephine stepped around the body which showed no signs of damage. It was a young woman with brown, short, curly hair wearing a green t-shirt and jeans. She was sprawled face down in the middle of the floor. Josephine dragged her attention back to Alex.
“What’s wrong with him?” Josephine nodded at Gary.
“We were hoping you could tell us,” Alex said.
Gary’s eyes rose to meet Josephine’s. “You’re here.”
“Yes, I am,” she said.
“Be careful,” he said.
“Excuse me?” Josephine asked.
Gary’s eyes lost their focus and he no longer seemed aware of her.
“It must have been a violent attack on this woman. The psychic trauma must have put Gary in a fugue state or something,” Josephine said.
“None of us could pick up on anything with our psychometry,” Alex said. “And the broken lights and furniture was done by Gary when he was reading the trace energy in the room.”
“So the room wasn’t trashed before he started?” Josephine asked.
“No.”
Josephine opened her second sight and furrowed her brows in concentration. The trace energies were faint but they seemed readable. Josephine began to read one of them and immediately heard a shrill, blood-curdling scream as agony coursed through her body. The room twisted savagely and folded in on itself. Josephine retreated from the trace energy but it was too late to protect herself. It was an excrucio lector enchantment that was causing this torment. Josephine could barely think straight as she worked at separating the energy matrix that had wrapped itself around her. She struggled to extricate the e
xcrucio lector enchantment from her etheric body. The screaming and whirlwind of voices continued to thunder at her mind as the pain wracked her body. The room suddenly snapped into focus as she rid herself of the spell.
Josephine breathed heavily and realized she was being held upright by Howie and Jake. She drew away from them and smiled weakly in reassurance. Her legs felt weak and shaky as she stood there trying to regain her voice. Her body felt cold and fatigued. Gary was still staring off into space.
“The killer managed to set an excrucio lector enchantment on the room. There is absolutely no way I can read the trace energies without being hit again,” Josephine finally said.
“Excrucio lector?” Alex asked.
“It’s very difficult to cast that type of spell. It’s like the ignotus enchantment except that any trace energy that remains is bound with an extremely painful psychic residue,” Josephine said. “I’ve only experienced this one other time in my life.”
“The wizard who performed this spell has to be at least a category four. He’s probably a category five,” Jake said.
“Yes, probably,” Josephine confirmed.
“Can you help Gary?” Jake asked.
“Yes, I can remove the excrucio lector enchantment from him.” Josephine centered her attention on Gary as she opened her mind to the subtle energies in the room. She made sure to keep away from the dangerous trace energies as she felt out the patterns of angry energy that had enmeshed themselves over Gary. She abruptly halted her efforts as she noticed something strange about the victim. Josephine’s attention swerved to the victim and she gasped in surprise. “That woman is alive!”
“What?!” Alex exclaimed. He shook his head emphatically. “That’s not possible. They checked her for a pulse. There was nothing.”
“But her body was kind of warm, wasn’t it?” Josephine asked.
“It was just cooling down but still kind of warm,” Alex said. “She’s definitely dead.”
“No, she’s alive. She’s in a coma,” Josephine said.
