Bad to the Crone

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Well, that’s great,” Rooster commented, wiping his hand over his forehead as rain drenched us. “That is just ... awesome.”

  “I hate it when my hair gets wet,” Marissa groused. “It curls when it’s wet. Do you have any idea how difficult poodle hair is to deal with?”

  Whistler snorted. “Poodle hair. Now that’s funny.”

  “The storm won’t last forever,” I warned, drawing everyone’s attention. “We have to be quick.”

  “The rain is great for getting them off the street,” Rooster said, “but that won’t stop them from looking out their windows.”

  “No,” I agreed. “But they won’t be able to see anything. The storm is a glamour. It obliterates what we’re doing. I designed the spell so it was two-fold, a way to give us cover and also a way to protect them, keep them away from the action, so to speak.”

  Bonnie’s mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding? That’s some freaking deep magic.”

  “We’re definitely going to talk,” Rooster stressed. “I mean ... it could take days at this rate.”

  “I can’t wait. For now, though, we need to get through the barrier and to that mirror. I’m guessing they didn’t move it. They thought the barrier would be enough to keep us out until they finished whatever ritual they’re enacting.

  “Look at the windows,” I instructed. “A few people are watching from inside. Notice they didn’t come out to greet us. They’ll be the ones standing between us and the mirror.”

  “We have to be careful,” Gunner intoned. “The people inside ... some of them aren’t our enemies. They’re simply misguided souls who were bamboozled. The problem is going to be deciding who the enemy is. Does anyone have any suggestions on that?”

  I automatically raised my hand.

  “Oh, I was afraid you were going to be the one with the suggestion,” he lamented, briefly pressing his eyes shut. “I just ... you’re so much work.”

  I grinned at him. “We’ll drop a sleeping spell on them. It’s basically a modified version of a fairytale sleeping curse, only they don’t have to eat or drink anything. I can tailor it to put the innocents to sleep so we’ll know the people left standing are truly evil.”

  “And how do you know how to do that?” Marissa asked, incredulous.

  I shrugged. “I read about sleeping curses when I was a kid and tried one in the group home where I lived. It worked like a charm ... except for the fact that the two people who were left awake were murderers and I had to take care of them before anyone else woke up.”

  Rooster shook his head. “Geez. I just ... geez.”

  I flashed a smile. “It’s okay. There’s no reason to get worked up. I know what I’m doing.”

  “You’re terrifying,” he muttered.

  “She’s also our best shot at ending this,” Gunner noted. “We have to follow her lead. She’ll get us past the barrier ... and knock out the innocent people. Once we get to the mirror, do you have any suggestions for destroying it?”

  I’d been thinking about that, too. “I don’t know. I’m hoping we can just break it and call it a day.”

  “Like ... with a hammer?” Bonnie asked.

  “Why?” I was intrigued. “Do you have a hammer with you?” I flicked my gaze to Gunner. “We totally should’ve brought a hammer.”

  “I have one in my truck,” Whistler offered. “Should I get it?”

  “That would be great.” I beamed at him. “See, we’re completely prepared. Is everyone ready for me to take down the barrier?”

  “I know I am,” Marissa said. “I want to get home and hide my poodle hair as soon as possible.”

  “Will you shut up about your hair?” Rooster barked.

  “I wish you all would shut up,” Gunner muttered under his breath. I was the only one close enough to hear him and I slid him a sidelong look.

  “What?” he complained. “This day already feels endless and it’s barely started.”

  “You need to chill.” Instinctively, I reached over and squeezed his hand. “Everything will be okay. Trust me.”

  He returned the squeeze. “I do trust you. I’m freaked out by what you can do, but I totally trust you. Now, let’s get this show on the road.”

  I released his hand and strode closer to the barrier, extending my fingers until I found the wall. “Back up,” I instructed everyone, glancing over my shoulder to make sure they weren’t crowding me. I shouldn’t have been surprised that they were increasing the distance to laughable lengths. “Yeah, you guys have faith in me,” I muttered, turning back to the barrier. “Here we go.”

  I pressed my eyes shut and murmured under my breath, calling the ice magic I’d used several nights prior to freeze Tim. It was my interaction with him — the explosion of sorts that happened after the fact — that had convinced me of what I needed to do.

  The barrier hardened quickly, turning into an icy igloo that covered the church. The rain bounced off it, causing the ice to steam. This was going to work, I realized, as I took a step back and waved my hands, fire burning at my fingertips.

  “What is she doing?” Marissa asked from behind me.

  “I think I know,” Gunner replied. “She’s going to blow a hole in the barrier now that it’s solid.”

  “How?”

  “With fire.”

  “Oh, well ... .” Her statement died on her lips.

  The fire magic whooshed out and slammed into the ice. I thought it would take time for the magic to wriggle through the solid structure I’d managed to create, but instead it was like a bomb detonated. The barrier shattered, like a snow globe dropped on the floor, and I had to shield my face to keep the smaller ice fragments from cutting me.

  “Good grief,” Gunner grunted as he grabbed my arm. I hadn’t seen him break from the rest of the group to join me. “Did you know it was going to do that?” He had a shallow cut on his cheek, and I swiped at it when I straightened.

  “Of course,” I lied. “I have everything under control.”

  “Uh-huh.” He didn’t look convinced. “Well, it’s down. Are you ready for the next part? It’s time.”

  THE FACES AT THE WINDOWS had drawn together into a protective circle when we barreled into the church. I heard the whispers, felt the dread, and there was no doubt the congregants believed they were about to die at the hands of evil.

  “I’m sorry about all this,” I offered. “You don’t realize it, but you’re being used. The people in the back, the ones who left you out here to fight, they’re hoping you’ll serve as battle fodder and hold us off for a few minutes so they can reap the rewards.”

  “We know what you are, demons.” A woman, brown hair pulled back in a severe bun, held up a crucifix and pointed it at us. “We will not bow to your evil whims.”

  “Oh, that was a little over the top.” I smiled at her. “For those worried, by the way, you can calm down right now. Nothing is going to happen. I just need you to remain calm and things will be over before you know it.”

  “Demon!” the woman shrieked and pitched the crucifix at me.

  Gunner, his reflexes top notch, reached out and plucked it from the air before it could strike me. The woman’s eyes went wide, but I was already humming to put her to sleep before she could respond.

  Most of the people in the circles began swaying as the humming increased in intensity. Then, just as a wave coming to shore, the spell rolled out and knocked them over. The only one left standing was a man in the middle of the circle, and he looked absolutely terrified.

  “Why am I not surprised that you’re the one left standing, George?” Rooster shook his head. “I should’ve seen that coming.”

  “George is the former mayor,” Gunner volunteered for my benefit. “He was fired from his position for appropriating township funds.”

  “I was framed!” George shrieked.

  “He couldn’t be prosecuted because the prosecutor took a payout right before the arrest came and refused to bring charges.”

  “Tha
t’s a lie.” George’s eyes darkened. “Why is everyone else dead? Why did I survive?”

  “They’re asleep,” I corrected. “As for why, it’s pretty simple. We wanted to make sure those who were innocent didn’t get caught in the crossfire.”

  “Are you saying I’m guilty of something?” he challenged.

  I shrugged. “If the black hat fits.”

  “Well, I’m not guilty,” he barked. “I’m innocent ... totally innocent.”

  “The spell says otherwise.”

  He straightened, his eyes turning murderous. “Why do I even care what you think? Can you answer me that? You can think whatever you want about me. It doesn’t matter. I know you’re the real demons.”

  “Yes, well, you should feel right at home then with them trying to raise a demon in the back room,” Rooster noted. “You need to step aside, George.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Then we’ll make you.” Rooster was matter-of-fact. “Do you want us to make you?”

  George worriedly glanced between faces. He was a coward, outnumbered, but he was hedging his bets. The people in the other room frightened him more than we did. “I’m not afraid of you.” He said the words, but there was little strength behind them. “I won’t let you pass.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Rooster was menacing as he stepped closer and faced off with George. I left him to fight however he wanted and strode into the nave. It was empty, which didn’t surprise me. I heard chanting from the back of the church, and knew exactly where to go.

  “You should stay here,” I instructed Gunner, putting my best “I’m being reasonable so you should listen to what I say” face in place. “I’ll go in. You can catch any stragglers as they escape.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Right. You want me to let you go in there alone and deal with the stragglers out here, where it’s safe.”

  “We don’t want anyone getting away.” I thought I was being pragmatic. He obviously thought otherwise.

  “I’m not leaving you.” He was firm. “We’re doing this together.”

  “It’s not about leaving me to fight on my own,” I argued.

  “I know. You don’t want me to see you get down and dirty. I don’t care about that. We’re doing this together.”

  I stared at him for a long beat, wondering if I could change his mind. He was as stubborn as me in most ways, which meant he wouldn’t back down. “Fine. Don’t be afraid if I go all ‘woo-woo’ and scare the crap out of them. It would be best if you didn’t react.”

  He pursed his lips, a hint of amusement flitting over his handsome features. “I’ll try to keep it together.”

  “Good.” I sucked in a breath and glanced over my shoulder to where Rooster was still fighting with George, and Bonnie and Marissa were watching me with trepidation. “This is going to be fun,” I promised. “Just let me do all the talking.”

  “I think that’s definitely best,” Bonnie agreed.

  I turned back to the door and grabbed the handle. It was locked, but the hold was weak and I easily blew past it with my magic. Now was not the time for finesse. We were well past that.

  “Hello, kids.” I greeted the four people in the room with what I hoped was a trustworthy smile. “How’s it going?”

  Father Bram and Cecily held hands in front of the mirror. The glass was swirling, telling me they’d completed whatever ritual they were conducting and simply waiting for the outcome. I didn’t recognize the woman standing to the left. She had an interesting dark countenance, but she didn’t speak. The other person in the room was Gunner’s beloved wrestling coach, who took a lumbering step in our direction as he moaned.

  “Kill them,” Father Bram ordered Fred, his demeanor calm. “Kill them and we will fully bring you back to life.”

  I slid my eyes to Gunner to see how he would react. As I expected, he was shaken ... but resigned.

  “They’re lying to you, Coach Fred,” he called out, watching the mummy with hopeful eyes. “They can’t bring you back. What they’re doing ... well ... it’s not for you. They’re trying to raise a demon.”

  “Yeah, what’s up with that?” I asked Father Bram, keeping one eye on the mummy as Gunner tried to reason with a man who wasn’t entirely there. “Why would you want to bring forth a demon?”

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Bram was haughty as he squared his shoulders. “You’re the demons in this scenario.”

  “I’m a witch,” I countered, blasé. “What you’re dealing with in that mirror is different. In fact ... .” I trailed off, something occurring to me. “Mammon. You’re trying raise Mammon.”

  “Who is Mammon?” Gunner asked, making sure to keep himself between me and his coach as the mummy paced back and forth, clearly confused. Whatever part of the coach that remained appeared to remember Gunner ... and it was torn.

  “Mammon is a fallen angel in mythology,” I explained. “That’s mythology, not theology. He was supposedly one of the brightest and best ... until he became enamored with wealth and lost his soul in the process.

  “The story goes that he got so greedy the other angels joined together to banish him,” I continued. “He was sent to another plane of existence, where nothing of wealth could be achieved, and where he would spend the rest of his days thinking about what he’d done.”

  “How do you know all this?” Bonnie asked from behind me.

  I shrugged. “I read a lot.”

  “We’re going to turn your attention to a nice romance,” Gunner said. “For now, I don’t like the way that glass is swirling.”

  He wasn’t the only one. I had a feeling I understood what was to come. “You finally cast the spell to bring him forth even though you’re not sure it will work. Hal tried the spell, too, right? He realized what the mirror was and tried to bring forth Mammon for his own needs.”

  “Hal was not a true believer,” Bram replied. “He was a pretender to the throne.”

  That was rich. “Really, Brian?” I smirked when he jolted. “You’re a user who was taught by a grifter. You’re not exactly a true believer either.”

  “Who is Brian?” Cecily asked, confused. I couldn’t get a true read on her. Potentially, she was dangerous. Of course, her brother said she was “nutty.” She could be innocent in a lot of respects. There was a possibility she didn’t understand what she was doing or saying.

  “This is Brian.” I jerked my thumb at Bram. “He’s a grifter from Minnesota. He’s been bopping around for years. His father was a confidence man who romanced women for money ... until he tried to get in with the wrong woman and her son killed him.”

  “How do you even know that?” Bram asked, frustrated. “I put that life behind me.”

  “Wait ... it’s true?” Cecily furrowed her brow. “How can that possibly be true? You’re a prophet. I mean ... you are a prophet, aren’t you?”

  Bram growled as he shook his head. “I’m a prophet. I already told you that.”

  “He’s not a prophet,” I argued. “He’s a man trying to find an easy button for life. Where did you find the mirror? How did you discover its purpose?”

  Bram snorted. “Believe it or not, I found it at an estate sale. I was there with a ... date ... and I couldn’t turn away from it. I thought I saw someone who wasn’t me staring back.”

  In an odd sort of way, that made sense. “You did. I saw him, too.”

  “He showed himself to you?” Bram looked surprised. “Why would he do that? I’m his vessel. I’m the one who will play host to him.”

  That’s when the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. “Oh, geez. That’s how it works. You have to meld with him. That’s why Hal was missing his face. He tried to meld with him and something went wrong. He got in but couldn’t get completely out, and the solidifying mirror sheared off his face.”

  “That is absolutely gross,” Marissa whined.

  “That’s what happened,” Bram confirmed. “I’m thankful for Hal’s attempt to betray us. We learned fr
om it.”

  “Yeah?” I felt sick to my stomach. “Well, he got his. Something tells me you’re going to get yours.”

  “The ritual has begun,” Bram shot back. “There’s nothing you can do to stop it. In a few minutes, Mammon and I will join and then I’ll be rich beyond my wildest dreams.”

  “Good for you.” I slid my eyes to Cecily, who looked legitimately confused. “You didn’t know that, did you? You thought he was a real man of God.”

  “I ... .” Cecily managed only the one word before falling silent.

  I exchanged a quick look with Rooster, who had blood on his shirt. “I don’t think she realizes what’s happening,” I offered.

  He nodded. “Yeah. I’m right there with her. We’ll get her to her brother. He’ll know what to do.”

  “That’s smart.” I turned back to Bram. “As for you ... .”

  “There’s nothing you can do,” he repeated, raising his voice to an uncomfortable level. “I am the resurrection and the light.”

  “Right.” The conversation was going in circles and I was officially sick of it. “Well, I guess I should leave you to your business.”

  Hope momentarily flared to life on Bram’s face. “Really?”

  “No. Not really.” I took the crucifix Gunner still clutched in his hand, the one thrown at me in the nave, and wrapped my fingers around it. Metal and heavy, it made an impressive weapon. I gathered my magic, wrapping it around the crucifix and turning it into a spinning ball that flew into the air and careened toward the mirror.

  Bram realized what was happening too late. He tried to throw himself in the path of the projectile, but he couldn’t move fast enough.

  The crucifix hit the mirror with such force it almost sounded as if a grenade exploded. Glass shattered in a million different directions, a low growl emanating from the world behind the mirror before the connection died and the swirling ceased.

  “No!” Bram grabbed his hair and stared at the wreckage. “What did you do?”

  “Honestly, not much.” I was blasé. “It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.” I turned to Gunner, who was on the floor next to his coach’s lifeless body. His hands shook as he held the shell of a man who once meant a great deal to him. Apparently destroying the mirror had severed whatever spell tethered Fred between this world and the next. “Oh, I didn’t know.” I moved toward Gunner, my heart heaving. “I’m sorry.”