Electric Blue

by Jamieson Wolf

  "I'm scared."

  "I will be right here with you. I won't let you fall." She squeezed Poppy's hand.

  Poppy closed her eyes and tried to blank out all the sound around her. She blocked out the wind running through the grass, the sounds of insects in the distance, Alicia's breathing and the beating of her own heart. She tried to calm herself, to achieve a balance in her centre. She heard nothing but silence for some time but then. . .softly at fist and picking up tempo and speed. . .the beating of wings.

  * * * * *

  The wings reminded Poppy of the movie The Birds, of Tippy Hendren running way from the feathered flock, her green suit blazing in a sea of black wings. Thinking of The Birds brought on panic, so she started just listening to the flap of the wings inside her, feeling the power of them. She let herself float along on the sound of those wings, let herself glide with the sound they made. After a few minutes, Poppy was able to work out a soft rhythm and she swayed to it. She stretched her hands out on either side of her and stretched her fingers, longing to fly.

  "Poppy. . . ."

  Alicia's voice was soft, as if it were coming from a distance. She felt the wings and the blackness surround her in a comfortable embrace, holding her in their grasp. She felt safe there, as if she were in a womb.

  "Poppy. . . ."

  Alicia's voice again, closer this time. She felt wind on her face and felt the wings respond. She wanted to lift herself off the ground and feel the wind below her, holding her up, around her. . . . She heard a snap and opened her eyes. Alicia was looking at her with a worried expression on her face. "I was afraid I lost you there," she said. "I snapped my fingers to get your attention."

  "Sorry," Poppy said. "I was somewhere else."

  Alicia smiled. "That's the point, isn't it? So you heard it? You hear your Crow Self?"

  "Yeah." Poppy smiled, remembering. "It was scary at first, frightening. But then it was very relaxing, beautiful even."

  "Shape Shifting is a beautiful thing as all animals in the Mothers kingdom are beautiful. There is nothing to be ashamed of; you're not a freak of nature, Poppy. You are magic, one of the most beautiful things in the world."

  "I never thought of it that way," Poppy said. She thought back to everything she had read about magic and came to the conclusion that what she knew about magic wouldn't fill a pamphlet. "I guess I'm kind of out of my element here."

  "Wrong, you're right in it. This is where you belong Poppy, this is the right path. You are heading in the right direction and I will be here to guide you along the way."

  Poppy squeezed her hand. "Thanks. It's good to know I have you to count on."

  They smiled at each other and Alicia stole a quick kiss. "Aright," she said, "now you're able to hear the Crow inside you; now you have to do the reverse. Can you hear your own thoughts when you listen inside?"

  Poppy closed her eyes and focused again inside herself. She could hear the flapping of the wings and could not think why she had not heard them all along. They seemed a part of her, part of her language, her speech. Around the wings, that black noise, she felt herself. Her own thoughts were covering the sound of the wings. She concentrated a little harder and found she could separate the two; they were separate but part of the same whole, part of her. She could hear herself thinking over the noise of the wings. "I'm in here," Poppy said. "I am two but I am one."

  "Exactly . . . ." Again Poppy's voice was soft, as if it were coming from far away. ". . .Now. . .listen to your Crow. . .you will be able to change at will eventually. . .but take it slowly at first. . .ease yourself into it. . .when you're Crow, you will be able to hear your Human thoughts more clearly. . . ."

  Poppy smiled to herself and felt that warm her body. She stretched her hands out to either side of her again, fingers dancing on air. She focused on the wings, their black sound, and heard them grow louder, until all she heard was the flapping of wings. The sound seemed to grow with intensity, until the flapping was all around her, until she was breathing it in. She felt a curious sensation on her hands. When she opened her eyes, she saw black feathers sprouting on her fingertips. . . .

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Internal Turmoil

  David met Chip in McNabb Park, just off Bronson and Gladstone. Chip looked pale and worried and looked fidgety. He smiled when he saw David.

  "I'm so glad you came!" he said.

  "I still don't understand why I couldn't meet you at home" David replied, sitting down beside Chip on a park bench.

  "Because Roz is home."

  "Are you two having troubles?"

  "You could say that. I wanted to talk to you privately," he said.

  "Is your relationship in trouble?"

  "Nooooo. . .not really. But there is something going on, David. Roz isn't herself; she's been acting so strangely since Valentine's Day. I don't know what to do anymore David. I'm at my wit’s end."

  "Perhaps it would be better if you start at the beginning," David said. "That way I will know if I can help or not."

  So, Chip told David everything beginning with how withdrawn Roz had been after Valentine's, how depressed she had been, shutting herself in her room. He told David about finding Roz after she had tried to commit suicide, of the drastic change that had come over her.

  "She's not herself, David," he said. He told him about her sudden mood swing, how one moment she had been dark and depressed and forlorn and the next moment she was happier than she had ever been. "That's what scares me the most, she's happy all the time now. That's even more frightening than what happened last night, like she's shut herself off in a happy bubble and I can't get in."

  "What happened last night?"

  "She started screaming about pain, how much pain she was in and then she said `I cannot see her face, but she stalks the Shifter even now, even now she is trying to find a way in. I can feel her, Chip, I can feel her, see her, but cannot see her face!' It was so eerie, David. I mean, a moment before, she had been sleeping peacefully and then she exploded."

  "Did she remember anything in the morning?"

  "No. She didn't. She didn't remember anything. I tried talking to her about it, asking what was hurting her, but she said she was fine. She thought I was joking."

  "This sounds like it’s way out of my league."

  "But do you think something is wrong?" Chip asked.

  "Very wrong." He scratched his chin. "Let's go see Cecelia."

  * * * * *

  "What you told me is troubling," Cecelia said. Chip had relayed the whole story to Cecelia, making sure not to leave a word out. They were sitting in what had been Karma's bedroom but was now Cecelia and Naomi's living room. "I wonder. . .no, I must be sure. You say your wife is pregnant?"

  "Yes," Chip said. "It's our first child."

  "Do you think that is what she meant by her insides hurting?" Cecelia asked.

  Chip paled. "Oh, god, do you think so?"

  "I don't know," The wise woman said. "I need to be sure. I need you to do something for me, Chip."

  "Anything, please, just help my wife."

  "Then you must bring her to me," she said.

  * * * * *

  "What's all this about?" Roz asked. She had been surprised when Chip had arrived home from his walk and told her he wanted to take a drive. But she would follow Chip to the ends of the earth, so she had gotten in the car with a smile on her face. She thought they were going to go to the country to look at the leaves changing colour. However, instead of driving towards Wakefield, she was a little shocked when the car started heading in the direction of David and Orlando's place. "Where are we going, Chip?"

  "We just have to go see Cecelia for a minute."

  They pulled up in the drive and got out of the car. Cecelia was waiting for them in the doorway. "Come on in," she said. "Naomi is waiting for us in the back bedroom." She led the way down a long hallway, passing the kitchen and the bathroom and stopping in front of a brown wooden door. Cecelia knocked.

  "Come in!" Naomi
said.

  Cecelia opened the door and the others filled in behind her. Cecelia closed the door when they were all in the room. Naomi was seated on the floor in front of a silver bowl that held water. Candles were lit all around the room, their brightness a soft amber glow.

  "What's going on here?" Roz asked.

  "We're going to see what's inside you," Naomi said.

  Roz put her hands protectively on her stomach. "What do you mean?"

  "We're going to perform an exorcism," Cecelia said grimly.

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Thick Silence

  "You're going to do what?" Roz had visually paled.

  "We're going to perform an exorcism," Cecelia said again.

  "Don't be silly Cecelia!" Naomi said with forced cheerfulness. She stood and came towards Roz and shot her grandmother a warning glance. "Come on over here and lie down on the couch, dear, you look pale."

  Cecelia, David and Chip moved out of the way as Naomi took Roz by the elbow and took her to the couch. Naomi shot Cecelia another warning glance that told Cecelia to keep her mouth shut.

  "It’s just what Cecelia said, I could have sworn I heard her say—”

  "That's alright Honey, you misheard," Naomi said. "Now, lie down here a minute, rest your head. You don't want to upset the baby."

  Roz smiled at her kindness. "No, I guess you're right. Your couch looks comfortable." She smiled at Naomi again and rested her head on the pillow Naomi had placed at one end of the couch. "Just close your eyes for a moment, Roz, and take a few deep breaths." Naomi ran her hand over Roz's closed eyes and whispered a word to herself. In seconds, Roz was snoring soundly, asleep and dreaming peacefully. Naomi stood and regarded her grandmother.

  "What do you think you're doing? You could have scared her half to death, telling her we're going to perform an exorcism."

  "Well, I've never been one to beat around the bush," she said.

  "Well, in this case, speaking bluntly isn't going to do any good," Naomi said. "She has no idea that anything is wrong with her. We can't tell her that she might be possessed."

  Chip gasped. "Possessed? Is that what you think is going on? She's possessed?"

  Cecelia nodded. "It seems to be a possibility, yes. From the behavior you have described, possession seems to be the only answer."

  "Possession by whom? Who could have done such a thing?"

  "Perhaps Jethro?" Naomi suggested. "I don't know too much about him, but from what you have said, he didn't sound too nice."

  "It's the only explanation," Chip said. "What are we going to do?"

  "We have to wait for Lucia to show up. Then we can begin."

  "Lucia is going to know about this too?" Chip looked worried. "Can't we keep this between ourselves? So that not too many people know about it?"

  "The more we have here on our side," Cecelia said, "the more power we have, the more light we have the better. There is strength in numbers and we don't know what we're up against yet. The more here, the more people who love Roz, the better." She regarded Chip. "Are you going to be alright?" Chip nodded.

  "Then let's get set up," Naomi said.

  * * * * *

  The room was warm with everyone in it. David and Orlando stood to the left of the back room’s only window. The blinds were drawn to keep out prying eyes. Lucia was seated to the right of the window. The three of them were only observers here tonight, but they knew their presence was important. Chip was holding his wife's hand. Cecelia sat on a small pillow in front of Roz and Naomi was bent over her. She ran her hands all over Roz, a few inches above her body. She wanted to feel the darkness that had touched her. In order to do that, she reached out subtly with her magic. Small zaps of electric blue energy flitted from her fingers and palms over Roz's body, making Roz look as if she were being caressed by lightning. She started at the head and was slowly moving her hands down the length of Roz's body.

  "Do you feel anything?" Cecelia asked.

  "No, not yet, I—”she broke off when she got to Roz's stomach. The blue lightning stopped.

  "What's wrong?" Chip asked. "Why did you stop?"

  "This doesn't make any sense," Naomi said, "I just don't understand."

  "What, for god's sake?" Chip asked. "What's wrong with my wife?"

  "You're wife is not possessed," Naomi said.

  "That's great news!" Chip said.

  "Wait," Naomi said, holding up her hand. "There is more. She is not possessed by a demon; but she is carrying one."

  The room was silent for a moment as everyone took in what was just said. Finally, Chip spoke. "What do you mean?" he said softly.

  "I mean, the child in your wife's belly is a demon," she said. The silence in the room following this statement was deafening.

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Revelations of Parenthood

  Everyone in the room was still silent. Finally, after Chip had regained his composure, he spoke.

  "What did you say?" Chip said.

  "I said," Naomi replied, "that the child in your wife's belly is a demon."

  "That's what I thought you said. . . ." he replied. "To think that the baby isn't even mine. . . ." "But wait a minute!" David said. "How the hell can the baby be a demon? That doesn't make sense."

  "It does if the baby's father was Jethro," Cecelia said.

  Chip whirled on the old woman. "How DARE you say such a thing!"

  "It's the only thing that makes sense," she said. "You've told us what he did to you on Valentine's Day. . .we keep coming back to that day. You said he hurt you both but he didn't kill either of you."

  "David saved us in time," Chip said.

  "No, if he had wanted you and Roz to die, Jethro would have killed you, make no mistake."

  "Why don't we ask her what happened," Lucia said. "She seems to be waking up."

  They all turned to see Roz on the couch, her eyes fluttering. "She comes!" she said. Her voice was harsh and pained.

  "This is what happened last night," Chip said.

  "She comes!" Roz said again. She was clearly asleep.

  "Who comes?" Cecelia moved closer to Roz, held her hand in hers.

  "There are those that seek her, the Shifter. She is here! SHE IS HERE! Even now, she tries to seep her way in, to ooze in through the floorboards. I don't know if we can stop her!"

  "Who, Roz?" Naomi said softly. "Can you tell us who?"

  "I cannot see her face, but she stalks the Shifter even now, even now she is trying to find a way in. I can feel her, oh, God, I can feel her, see her, but cannot see her face!" Roz took a breath, the fluttering of her eyelids frantic. "Poppy has begun her quest, but something stalks her, something hunts her. I can only feel it at night, can only know of its presence. We must help Poppy! We must HELP HER!"

  Her body began to convulse, shakes that began and vibrated through her body with speed. Roz spoke again, her voice strained. "Help. . .me. . . ." she said through clenched teeth. She opened her eyes wide, looking at everyone around her. "It holds. . .me. . .prisoner. . . ." Roz shook one final time and was still, snoring softly.

  They looked at Roz sleeping peacefully and were silent for a moment. She no longer stirred, and her eyes no longer fluttered.

  "It seems we have a problem," Cecelia said.

  "Well, duh!" Chris said. "That's stating the obvious. What's wrong with my wife?"

  "The baby in her stomach is a demon, not a human." Naomi said. "Demons are famous for possession. If your wife were possessed by a demon, we'd be alright."

  "Alright?" Orlando said. "How can Roz being possessed be alright?"

  "Because we could just perform an exorcism, like Cecelia said. But this is different."

  "How is it different?" Chip asked.

  "Well, Roz is carrying that which possesses her," Naomi said. "Demons normally don't feel any ill effects when they carry their own, but since this child is housed in Roz, she is carrying it even as it possesses her. To rid Roz of possession, we'd have to rid her of the baby. It's quite
a Catch 22."

  "There seems to be another problem," Cecelia said. "She seems to be having prophetic dreams."

  "How can she be doing that when she is possessed?" Lucia asked.

  "Perhaps, when she is sleeping, she is prophetic, but the demon distracts her while she is awake?" Cecelia said.

  "Come on," Chip said. "Prophetic dreams?" he scoffed.

  Cecelia regarded him icily. "I am an Oracle, I exist for prophecies. You all heard her. Something hunts Poppy; there are those that seek the Shifter. There are two warring forces inside her right now. It would explain why she remembers nothing when she wakes, why she is refreshed. It is a mask the demon has made."

  "And that last bit, before she fell asleep?" Lucia asked. "That was Roz breaking through?"

  "It would seem so." She paused. "There were prophecies that spoke of possession at the Coven House when I was there as a young woman. But nothing to prepare us for this."

  "What are we going to do now?" Chip asked.

  "Roz must decide whether or not to keep the baby," Cecelia replied.

  "How can you even suggest getting rid of it?" Chip spat out.

  "Because, even now, it is taking over her," Naomi said. The demon will eventually drive her mad and she may die. I have seen demon pregnancy only once before, and it was not pretty." She sighed.

  "When Roz wakes, she will have to decide whether to continue with the pregnancy or not."

  "She seems to be waking up," Lucia said for the second time.

  All eyes turned on Roz, who had opened her eyes and was smiling. She lost her smile a moment of two later when they continued to stare. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Why is everyone looking at me like that? Will someone please tell me what's going on? Why am I lying down on this couch?" she looked at Chip. "Tell me what's wrong," she said.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Crow

  In the Otherworld of Ashling, Poppy was concentrating. She could feel a shadow move over her, but she was neither cold nor afraid. This shadow knew her and she knew that it would not harm her. Alicia was speaking to her from far away. ". . .Now. . .listen to your Crow. . .you will be able to change at will eventually. . .but take it slowly at first. . .ease yourself into it. . .when you're Crow, you will be able to hear your Human thoughts more clearly. . . ."