by Rose Pressey
The sight of all the damage made my stomach turn. I hoped that Tom hadn’t been seriously injured… or worse. I didn’t even want to think about it.
I slipped to the back and called out, “Tom, are you here?”
There was no answer. The back door that led to the alleyway was open. I made my way around all the debris on the floor and over to the door. When I peeked out, I immediately spotted Meredith and Ron running toward me. How had they gotten here so quickly if they were on foot? And what had happened to Mary Jane’s car?
Panic took over and I turned to run out of the sop. As soon as I made it to the front door, Meredith and Ron entered in the back. I burst out the front door and onto the sidewalk. When Grandma Imelda spotted me running, she pulled the car further up the street to meet me. Mary Jane opened the door and then jumped over the backseat. I leapt into the car and slammed the door shut. Grandma Imelda peeled away from the curb just as Meredith and Ron raced to the car. Once again they were just short of getting me. I turned around and saw them standing in the middle of the road.
“I can’t believe you got away from them.” Mary Jane shoved the book toward me. “Here, take this thing back.”
I took the book and placed it on my lap. “We have to get out of town. I don’t think they have a car.”
“What did they do to my car?” Mary Jane asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. And what happened to Tom’s car?” My phone rang and I looked at the screen. “It’s Tom.”
“Oh, thank heavens,” Grandma Imelda said.
“I thought for sure that they got you,” I said when I picked up the phone.
“You were right. We did get him,” Meredith said.
Chapter 26
Her words knocked the air right out of my lungs.
“What have you done with him?” I asked.
“Oh, no. What happened?” Grandma Imelda fidgeted.
“That isn’t important. What is important is that I get that book right now,” Meredith said.
“You seriously think I am going to just hand over the book to you?” I said. “You’re crazier than I thought.”
“I have something you want, am I correct?” She asked in a mocking tone.
“What have you done with Rory and Tom?” I demanded.
“So I do have something you want.” She cackled.
“If you knew the answer to that question then why did you even ask?”
“I’ll give you what you want if you give me what I want,” she said.
Now I was in a big pickle.
“I just saw my car back there,” Mary Jane said.
I whipped around. “What?”
“I think they’re back there but they stopped at a light. They’re looking for us,” Mary Jane said.
“Are you there?” Meredith asked.
“I’m still here,” I said.
What was I going to do? The whole town was now counting on me to save the magic. But I had to find Rory and Tom. “Do you have Reagan as well?”
“Who?” Meredith asked innocently.
“Don’t play games with me. I know by your tone that you know where she is. Have you hurt them?” I asked.
“Define hurt,” Meredith said.
That made my stomach turn.
“So are you going to give the book back?” she asked.
“You’ll let them go?” I asked.
She laughed. “Oh, no. There must be some misunderstanding.”
“What do you mean? I asked.
“I didn’t say you could have all of them. You have to pick just one.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could anyone be so evil? How would I pick between Rory and Tom? I couldn’t and I wouldn’t. “I won’t agree to that,” I said.
“Okay. Why don’t you think about it for a few minutes and then let me know,” Meredith said.
“There is nothing to let you know. I just said I wouldn’t agree to that.”
“Fine then. I will just have to take the book from you and you won’t see either one of them ever again,” she said.
The line went dead. I looked at the phone. She had actually hung up on me.
“What happened?” Mary Jane asked.
“She wants the book.”
“Well, people in hell want ice water too,” Grandma Imelda said. “But they sure ain’t getting it.”
“What else did she say?” Mary Jane asked.
“She said that I had to pick between Rory and Tom. She would release one of them for the book. Or if I didn’t give her the book she would just come and take it. So I can’t win in this scenario.”
“Oh, no.” Mary Jane’s expression got even worse.
“Where do we go from here?” Grandma Imelda asked.
I had hoped she would have the answer to that. “Since I can’t give the book back and I have to help get Rory, Tom, and Reagan back, then we will have to try magic.”
“What kind of magic?” Grandma Imelda asked.
I tapped the book. “Maybe we’ll find something in this book. We could use a potion. Maybe put something in coffee. It would be easier in this situation. We need something that’s fast.”
“How will you get them to drink the coffee?” Mary Jane asked.
“Well, drinking the spell might be the easiest, but if they won’t do it, then we’ll have to try something else,” I said.
“Like dumping the liquid on their heads,” Grandma Imelda placed her hands on her full hips.
“Exactly.” I looked back. “Do you see their car?”
Mary Jane glanced back. “I haven’t seen them again.”
“Okay, how about we go back to the café and look at the book?”
“Don’t you think they will come looking for us there?” Mary Jane asked.
“Probably, but if we get a spell together quickly then we can use it on them. They’ll be walking right into our trap.”
Grandma Imelda punched the gas. “Then I guess we need to hurry.”
“Don’t wreck the car, Imelda,” Mary Jane said.
“I’ve been driving since you were in diapers, young lady,” Grandma Imelda said as she ran a red light. “Are you sure that they have Reagan?” Grandma Imelda pulled up in front of the café.
“Meredith didn’t say she did, but I assume that she does. I don’t know what to believe though.”
We jumped out of the car and raced for the door. I looked around but to my relief didn’t see Meredith or Ron. We just needed enough time to figure out a spell. What kind of spell, I had no idea. I was hoping that we could get an idea once we looked inside the spellbook. I clutched the book tightly in my arms as Grandma Imelda opened the door.
We raced back to the kitchen and I placed the book on the counter.
“Now what?” I asked as I peered down at the tome.
Grandma Imelda scooted the book closer to her and flipped open the cover. Sparks zinged across the room and we all jumped back.
“Wow. That’s a powerful one,” Grandma Imelda said. “They probably don’t use it enough and that’s why it has so much energy.” As Grandma Imelda flipped the pages more sparks zinged through the air.
“What kind of spell should we look for?” I asked.
“Well, we need something that will make them not be able to do magic,” Grandma Imelda said.
That seemed like a tall order, but I guessed we had to give it a shot. Mary Jane and I watched as Grandma Imelda looked from page to page. She read a few sentences on each page, shook her head, and then flipped to the next page.
As she read on, she paused and looked at me. “I think this one will do it.”
I waved my hand. “Whatever it is, we need to try it. What do we need for the spell?”
Grandma Imelda looked at the shelf full of spices. “I hope we have everything we need.”
Chapter 27
I followed Grandma Imelda over to the shelf. She pulled bottles down and handed them to me before grabbing a handful herself.
�
�I hope this spell works,” I said as I placed the bottles on the island.
Grandma Imelda grabbed a big pot and set it in the middle. “You have to have faith. If you think it won’t work then it definitely won’t.”
I knew she was right, but it was hard to think positive after everything that had happened. Grandma Imelda filled the pot with water and then started dumping the spices in. I handed her the bottles like a surgeon’s assistant.
“I wish there was some way I could help,” Mary Jane said.
“Just being here with us helps,” Grandma Imelda said with a smile.
After adding about twenty spices to the water, Grandma Imelda began stirring. The more she stirred the more sparks flew up from the big pot. Mary Jane and I ducked to avoid being hit by the bright yellow lights. Grandma Imelda’s stirring slowed down and with it so did the sparks. She placed the big wooden spoon on the counter beside the pot. The energy flowed from the top of the pot, but the sparks had subsided.
We looked at each other as if we had no idea what to do next. Maybe that was because we really didn’t have a clue.
“We need to plan our attack,” I said.
Grandma Imelda tapped her index finger against her chin. “Well, like you said, they won’t drink this stuff, so we will have to dump it on them. That’s why I made the spell so strong.”
“So we should rush them when they come in the door. Just splash it on them?” Mary Jane asked.
I nodded. “I think so. We don’t even know how long we will have to wait for them to show up.”
“I don’t think we’ll have to wait very long,” Granma Imelda said. “Now help me carry this out to the front of the café.”
Mary Jane and I lifted the heavy pot and lugged it into the dining room.
“What if they come to the back door?” Mary Jane asked.
“We’ll leave the front door open for them,” Grandma Imelda said.
We placed the pot down on the floor.
“Stand by the door so that you can get them when they walk in.” Grandma Imelda gestured. “I’ll stand here so that they can see me.”
Grandma Imelda was acting as the bait. As soon as they looked in the door, they’d see her holding the spellbook.
Anxiety ran through my veins as we stood by the door. I wasn’t sure how long I would be able to handle the stress. Movement caught my attention. When I looked out the window, I spotted Meredith and Ron rushing up the sidewalk toward the café.
“Here they come,” I said a little louder than necessary.
“I’m so nervous,” Mary Jane said.
“It’s okay. Everything will be just fine,” I said.
“Are you ready, ladies?” Grandma Imelda asked.
Mary Jane and I lifted the big pot.
“I hope we don’t accidentally spill it on ourselves,” Mary Jane said.
I wished she hadn’t said that. Now I would be worried about that the whole time.
“Here they come,” I said.
My hands were shaking, not only from the weight of the pot, but from my nerves. The door swung open and Meredith and Ron ran in. Their eyes were wide and their faces fuming red. They were staring straight at Grandma Imelda.
“Give me the book,” Meredith yelled.
I nodded at Mary Jane and we tossed the contents of the pot on Meredith and Ron. They screamed as they slipped and fell backwards onto the floor. They were covered with the watery mixture.
“Run.” Grandma Imelda yelled.
Mary Jane and I had to avoid the wet floor or we would be lying there next to Meredith and Ron. They were struggling to get up, but they couldn’t get their footing because of the slippery tile. Plus, as I looked back, I noticed that their actions were considerably slower.
“I think the spell is working,” I said as we ran through the café and toward the kitchen.
We reached the back door and Grandma Imelda unlocked it and we ran out. She had the spellbook clutched in her arms.
“Give me the book, I can run faster with it,” I said.
Surprisingly she handed the book over and I took off running down the sidewalk. I wanted to get securely in the car before Meredith or Ron caught up with me. Although if the spell was doing what I thought it was, we would have plenty of time.
I reached the car and climbed in. Mary Jane and Grandma Imelda were right behind me. Mary Jane jumped in the back and Grandma Imelda got behind the steering wheel.
“Now what do we do?” Mary Jane asked.
“We wait,” Grandma Imelda said.
We stared at the front door of the café waiting for Meredith and Ron to come out.
A couple minutes passed and nothing happened.
“Do you think the spell worked?” Mary Jane asked as she leaned forward from the backseat.
“I think it was working before we even got out of the café,” I said.
“We should go check on them,” Grandma Imelda said.
That wasn’t something I really wanted to volunteer for, but I didn’t want Mary Jane or Grandma Imelda to go either.
“Hold the book, Grandma, I’ll go back and look.”
She frowned. “Okay, but be careful.”
“I promise I will,” I said as I handed her the giant spellbook.
She took it and I got out of the car. I slowly walked toward the café’s door. I looked around to make sure they hadn’t come out the back door and were now waiting somewhere to attack me. I reached the door and peered inside.
Meredith and Ron were no longer on the floor. My adrenaline zoomed again. Where were they?
I sucked in a deep breath and opened the door. I’d have to go inside and find them. They could already be headed out the back door by now. I inched inside the café, stepping around the wet spot on the floor.
At first I didn’t see them, but when I looked to my left, I spotted Meredith and Ron sitting at a table. They were rubbing their heads. If the spell had worked correctly, then I should be able to ask them anything I wanted and get the truth out of them. I could tell by the way they acted that the spell had left them dazed and confused. I knew the feeing because they had done it to me and Tom. It wasn’t fun, but I guessed karma was coming back to them. Meredith and Ron hadn’t even noticed that I was staring at them.
Now I just had to get them out of the café and into the car with us. Mary Jane wouldn’t be happy that she had to sit in the backseat with them. I guessed I could get back there with them, but since Mary Jane was already back there… anyway, back to my mission.
I inched over toward the table. I felt as if I was approaching a lion—nice and easy, with no sudden movements. Meredith finally looked my way. Her expression remained blank. Even though I knew she was under the influence of the spell, it still seemed weird to see her this way.
“Hello,” she said in a sweet tone.
I moved a little closer, but I was ready to run if needed. “Can y’all get up and come with me?” I asked in a sweet yet stern voice. Kind of the way my mama used to tell me to clean my room.
“Where are we going?” Ron asked with a doe-eyed look.
“Well, that’s what we’ll find out when we get in the car,” I said.
He nodded. “Oh, that makes sense.”
Of course it did, the spell had left them loopy. Anything would make sense. I just hoped the spell lasted long enough for us to get the directions and get to Tom and Rory.
I motioned for them to follow me. They immediately pushed to their feet and started walking toward the door. Once on the sidewalk, I walked behind them. When I looked at the car, Grandma Imelda and Mary Jane were watching us with wide eyes.
“It’s the car right there.” I pointed.
If we managed to get Tom and Rory back, I hoped that we could get Mary Jane’s car back too. When we stepped up to the car, I opened the backseat and motioned for them to get in. They looked at me for a second, but then slipped into the car.
Grandma Imelda and Mary Jane looked at Meredith and Ron, but didn’t say anyt
hing. Once they were beside Mary Jane in the backseat, Grandma Imelda asked, “Where do we drive?”
“Take us to Tom and Rory.” I looked to Meredith for an answer.
“It’s an old house just outside of town. I don’t know the address, but I can show you how to get there.”
I hated that they had to ride with us, but it was the only way that we could find everyone who was missing.
After I got in the front seat, Grandma Imelda pulled away from the curb. “Just tell me where to go.”
Meredith gave directions toward the old house outside of town. I wasn’t sure I knew exactly which house she was talking about. We turned down a narrow one-lane road. Trees covered both sides of the road, making it appear as if it was almost night. I hoped that they weren’t tricking us and taking us somewhere to do bad things. I wondered if they knew that the book they wanted was right up in the front seat.
Soon an old white farmhouse came into view. A long porch covered the front of the house. It looked as if the place hadn’t been lived in for a long time. My apprehension grew as I wondered if we would really find Rory and Tom in this house.
“This is the place,” Meredith said.
She sounded a little less dazed. I wanted to get them out of the car as quickly as possible. Grandma Imelda pulled up in front of the house and shut off the engine. After grabbing the spellbook, I opened my door. I didn’t want them to see it, but I wasn’t about to leave the book unattended in the front seat either. I moved to the back seat and opened the door for them.
Grandma Imelda and Mary Jane had already gotten out of the car. Meredith and Ron weren’t nearly as unstable on their feet as when I’d gotten them to the car. Now I was sure that the spell was wearing off. We just had to get it to last long enough for us to get Rory and Tom. If they weren’t in the house, then we were in trouble. I hadn’t even thought of a backup plan.
