Enchantment

by Charlotte Abel

  “Alright. Let’s focus on kissing without lust. How do you propose we do that?”

  “Maybe we can desensitize ourselves if we …” Heat crept up Channie’s throat and flooded her cheeks. “… practice touching?”

  Josh chuckled, lightening the mood. “That might work for you, but the more we touch, the more I want … well … more.”

  A pile of blankets in the northeast corner shifted, startling Channie.

  Josh bolted across the room and dialed the lights all the way up. He groaned and said, “Elijah, what are you doing in here?”

  Elijah’s eyes were as big as silver dollars. He pointed at the Book of the Dead and said, “Can I see it?”

  Channie clambered to her feet and said, “No, it’s too dangerous.”

  “Then why are you guys messing with it?”

  Josh said, “That’s none of your damn business.”

  Elijah’s eyes lit up as a wide grin spread across his face. “Am I a wizard, too?”

  “Of course not, dork. What makes you think you might be a wizard?”

  “Harry Potter didn’t know he was a wizard until Hagrid told him.”

  “Jeeze! Harry Potter isn’t real.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. But I saw that book glow and I heard the spell you read.”

  Josh said, “We were just messing around, there’s no such thing as magic.”

  “He already knows, Josh. There’s no point shutting the barn door after the horse is gone.” Channie needed to find out how much Elijah understood about what he’d seen. She wasn’t sure he’d tell her if she just up and asked him so she went at it sideways. “Do you have any questions about what you saw or heard while Josh and I were using the magic book? I imagine it was pretty scary.”

  “It was cool.” Elijah’s grin faded as worry creased his brow. “If Josh kisses you, will you have to marry him?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I heard you talking about true love’s kiss. I just wondered if it was like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White.”

  Channie smiled. “It’s sort of like that.” Maybe it was exactly like that. Maybe, if they broke the chastity curse with a pure, chaste kiss, it would break the rest of the spells too. Maybe she wouldn’t have to marry a mage after all.

  “Did an evil witch put a spell on you?”

  “She sure did.” Channie didn’t want to explain a Chastity curse to an eight-year-old boy. Besides, ‘evil witch’ was one of the nicer things Channie had called Momma lately.

  Elijah said, “If Josh kisses you — are you going to love him forever?”

  Josh bit his lip and pulled it through his teeth then clenched his jaw and stared at her with his mouth pressed into a thin, hard line. And once again, just like at the race, a thread of golden energy spiraled out of Channie’s heart-of-hearts, opening a conduit of magic between them. But this time, love wasn’t the only thing they shared. The intensity of Josh’s heart-ache nearly overwhelmed her.

  She focused on the spark of hope growing inside her chest and pushed it along the golden thread of their connection. When it broke through the wall of his pain, Josh sucked in a quick, shallow breath.

  Elijah’s question hung in the air … If Josh kisses you, are you going to love him forever?

  Channie’s eyes filled with tears as she reached for Josh. “I already do.”

  ~***~

  Channie and Josh stayed up all night, going over the spell, looking for loopholes or hints of how they could manage a pure, chaste kiss before the next full moon.

  She said, “Maybe if we kiss really fast? And don't give ourselves a chance to think about what we’re doing, we can avoid feeling lusty. Or we could close our eyes. I’ll pretend you’re Eric. And you can pretend I’m Old Lady Windsor.”

  Josh hunched his shoulders, scrunched his face and shivered. “I’m already scarred for life just imagining it, but if it works, it’s worth it.”

  “Maybe we should try touching first, you know, skin-to-skin, just to be sure.”

  It was a good suggestion. It was also good they were alone in the soundproof media room. If anyone would have heard their screams of agony, they would have thought they were trying to kill each other.

  They cut class the next day and tried everything they could think of to obliterate their lust. They took a cold shower together — fully clothed. They watched “Saw,” “Friday the 13th,” and “Resident Evil.” They had no success at all until they stood beside an open dumpster behind La Petite pre-school.

  Josh was able to hold Channie’s cheeks in his palms for a few precious seconds. But even as they gagged on the stench of rotting garbage and dirty diapers, they still couldn’t keep their lust for each other under control long enough to kiss. Channie screamed as Josh ripped his hands off her burning face. He darted behind the dumpster and retched. As soon as Channie heard the contents of Josh’s stomach splatter the pavement, she leaned over and puked into a barberry hedge.

  They pushed their bikes halfway home before Channie felt strong enough to ride.

  Ever the optimist, Josh said, “That almost worked.”

  Channie pressed the back of her hand against her mouth to keep from gagging. “And like most things in life … almost doesn't count.”

  They rode the rest of the way home in silence. When they rolled their bikes into the garage, Josh said, “I have an idea. But you aren’t going to like it.”

  Channie lifted her helmet off her head and shook out her hair. “What is it?”

  “The book said … True love’s kiss will set you free, but pure and chaste it must be … It didn’t say I had to be the one to kiss you.”

  “But I don't want to kiss anyone else! Besides, I don’t think any other boy will be any better at keeping his thoughts pure.”

  “I was thinking of Elijah.”

  “Elijah! But he’s only eight! No way!”

  “Think about it. He’s the perfect age. He’s old enough to fall head over heels in love with you — even if it’s only puppy-love — but young enough to still be pure and chaste.”

  “I won’t use him like that.”

  “What choice do we have?”

  “I don’t know, Josh. It just seems really … mean.”

  “Will you at least think about it?”

  Channie didn’t need to think about it. She hated the idea, but it made perfect sense. It was no accident that Elijah was involved. The damn book took perverse pleasure in torturing people. Elijah had witnessed the book’s magic when she and Josh opened it. And now he would pay for that momentary thrill with a broken heart.

  ~***~

  Channie felt like the worst sort of criminal as she flirted with Elijah over the next few days. The kiss had to be Elijah’s idea. It was the only way she would even consider it. But she had to create the proper climate. Elijah wasn’t shy, but he was perfectly happy just holding her hand and sitting next to her as they played video games and watched movies.

  When Elijah still hadn’t kissed her by Friday evening, Channie and Josh came up with a new plan. Saturday morning, Channie pretended to be too sick to go to Josh’s race. They didn’t even have to ask Elijah to stay behind. He volunteered to keep Channie company. If he didn’t kiss her today, she doubted he ever would.

  Elijah grew more confident over the course of the day. He even managed to maneuver himself under her arm and huddle against her side as they watched “Coraline.” For an animated kid’s movie, it was pretty creepy. She vigilantly monitored his energy field to be sure that she didn’t inspire any inappropriate physical desires in the boy. Not only would it ruin the opportunity to break Chastity’s curse, it was just plain wrong. All she found was pure, chaste devotion — and love.

  But he did not kiss her.

  He went to bed at eleven thirty, well before the rest of the family came home. Channie read him a few chapters from “Sleeping Beauty,” then kissed him on the cheek and said, “Goodnight little prince.”

  His eyes widened for a moment then crinkled a
s he grinned up at her. “Goodnight, Channie.”

  She knew that a kiss on the cheek wasn’t going to break the curse, but it was as far as she was willing to go. She went back downstairs, made herself a cup of tea and sat at the kitchen table, waiting for Josh to come home.

  At a quarter past midnight, he burst through the door with another giant trophy in tow, and searched Channie’s eyes. “Well?”

  She stood up, pressed her lips together and shook her head.

  “Damn it.” Josh slid his hand across Channie’s back, settling his fingers in the dip of her waist and pulled her against him in a one-armed hug. His voice was nursery-room quiet and full of concern. “Hey. You okay?”

  “Yeah, just tired. And disappointed.”

  “Me too. Let’s go downstairs and watch a movie.”

  “It’s late and—”

  “I know what time it is. Come on.” Josh moved his hand to the small of Channie’s back and gently herded her downstairs.

  The combination of soft music, dim lighting, and a day of racing proved too much for Josh. He laid his head on Channie’s lap and closed his eyes.

  When a snore escaped his softly parted lips, Channie gently shook his shoulder and said, “Josh. Go on to bed. You’re exhausted.”

  “No.” He sat up and pulled her onto his lap, but instead of setting her sideways like he usually did, he scooted to the edge of the sofa, slid his hands to the back of her knees and wrapped her legs around his waist. That was new. He ran his hands up and down her arms then slid them behind her back and said, “I missed you today.”

  “I missed you too.” Channie put her hands on his chest as she leaned back against his arms.

  Josh opened his heavy-lidded eyes halfway and said, “Is it okay if I put my gloves on?”

  She trembled and said, “Why?”

  He smiled sheepishly and said, “Can’t blame a boy for trying.”

  “You haven’t used gloves since …”

  “Forever?”

  “Since that horrible fight in the tunnel under Cherry Street.”

  He closed his eyes, yawned and rolled his head, cracking his neck. “It’s just that the girls at the race were …”

  Channie froze. Not a single muscle so much as twitched. Not even her heart. Somehow, during all the scheming to get Elijah to kiss her, she’d forgotten to add the itches-for-bitches spell to Josh’s shield this morning.

  Josh said, “uh-oh,” and opened his eyes.

  Channie climbed off his lap and said, “The girls at the race were what?”

  “They were just really friendly ... and it made me miss you even more.”

  “What the hell happened at the race?”

  “Nothing!”

  “You better tell me the truth, Joshua Abrim or I swear I’ll skin you alive. And don’t you dare lie to me!”

  Josh sighed and ran his hands through his hair, making it stick out in all directions. “It wasn’t my fault.”

  “What wasn't your fault?” Channie’s fists clenched instinctively as if she could fight off the bad news coming her way.

  “I got a few invitations to join some of the girls in one of their trailers.”

  “And?”

  “And I turned them down! Jeeze, Channie. I think you need to quit using that moon-spell on yourself. Being on the rag all the time has turned you into a … never mind.”

  Channie narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

  Josh licked his lips and said, “Seriously, I’ve never done anything to make you, or anyone else, doubt how much I love you. Why don’t you trust me?”

  Channie took three deep breaths before speaking, but her voice still shook with rage. “Explain to me … how getting propositioned by a bunch of whores made you miss me!”

  “I’m a guy! I can’t help it if having a bunch of girls wanting to jump me makes me horny.”

  Channie darted towards the door. Josh grabbed her wrist. She spun around and slapped his face with her other hand. The skin-to-skin contact was brief, but it was enough to scorch her palm. This time, when Channie bolted, Josh didn’t try to stop her.

  ~***~

  Josh’s comment was insulting, crude and hurtful, but it was also correct. Channie was tired and irritable all the time and more than a little anemic. Aunt Wisdom would be horrified if she knew how Channie was interfering with her natural cycle. It was one thing to curse the other girls occasionally, but this perpetual bleeding was reckless.

  Channie released herself from the moon-curse, cried herself to sleep and dreamed of kissing Josh. It was the sweetest, most chaste kiss without even a hint of lust. But it felt wrong. She woke up with a start and gasped. “Elijah?”

  Her sleep-fogged mind was confused by the juxtaposition of her dream over the strange reality of Elijah leaning over her in his flannel, Harry Potter pajamas. “What are you doing?”

  “I kissed you awake. Just like Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty. Will you marry me, Channie?”

  “Oh no.”

  “But … You have to marry me. I broke the evil curse.”

  Had he? Chastity’s energy wasn’t active, Elijah had no effect on it, but it was still there. Enchantment was still trapped inside her heart-of-hearts. Channie’s throat tightened as her heart sank. Her disappointment was tangible and left a bitter taste in her mouth. “I don't feel any different.”

  Elijah leaned over and pressed his lips against Channie’s. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away from her. “Cut it out!”

  “I don’t understand. Why don’t you love me?”

  Channie sat up and tucked the covers under her arms. “I do love you, Elijah.” She switched on her bedside lamp. Her heart ached for him as tears filled his big, blue eyes. She reached out and took his hand. “But it’s the same kind of love I feel for Savvy, Zeal and CoCo.”

  He tried to pull away from her, but it was a half-hearted attempt so she didn’t let go until he yelled at her. “I’m not a baby!”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Channie pushed her hair off her brow and took a deep breath. “I love you like a brother.”

  “But … not like Josh.”

  “No. Not like Josh.”

  “Why have you been hanging out with me instead of him?”

  Channie closed her eyes as guilt and shame pressed against the inside of her skull. What she’d done to Elijah’s heart was unforgivable. He deserved to know the truth. “To break the curse, I needed a chaste boy to kiss me.”

  “You want me to chase Josh?”

  “What?”

  “You said you needed a chased boy to kiss you.”

  How was she supposed to explain the concept of sexual purity to an eight-year-old kid? “I need someone that can kiss me the way Prince Charming kissed Sleeping Beauty.”

  “And Josh can’t do that?”

  “No. He can’t.”

  “And I can?”

  “You have the pure heart of a prince, Elijah. If anyone can break a curse with a kiss, it’d be you.”

  “Did Josh want me to kiss you?”

  “Neither of us wanted you to kiss me. But we didn’t know what else to do. We believe that since you saw the Book of the — the magic book, it wanted to punish you too. That’s what the book does, Elijah. It hurts people. It discovers our hopes and dreams and uses them against us to create the perfect curse. It looked into your heart and found your tender feelings for me and used that against all of us. Josh and I did not want to hurt you.”

  “How will you know if my kiss broke the curse?”

  “If the curse is broken, I’ll be able to touch Josh’s bare skin without hurting him. If not, my touch will cause him excruciating pain.”

  Elijah offered his hand to Channie and said, “Come on, let’s go see if it worked.”

  ~***~

  Josh lay spread-eagled on his back with his square chin pointed at the ceiling, one long, bare foot exposed at the bottom of the sofa. Channie knew in her heart that the curse was not broken. There was no need
to prove it by burning Josh.

  But she was still hurt and angry. Chastity’s energy boiled inside her — filling her mind with vulgar and obscene images of what must have taken place at the race — demanding Channie punish Josh for his sins.

  Enchantment’s influence was weak, a butterfly in the maelstrom of Chastity’s power. But Channie could feel it, prompting her to wake Josh and tell him what had happened. She ignored the prompting and wrapped her fingers over the tender skin of his instep and squeezed, searing her palm.

  Josh’s scream of agony incinerated Channie’s anger and left behind nothing but the ashes of shame and guilt.

  She let go of his foot and righted the lamp he’d knocked off the table. “Josh. You’re alright. Elijah kissed me. I just wanted to see if it broke the curse.”

  She turned on the lamp and Josh flinched away from her. His arms, bent at the elbows and raised into a defensive posture to protect his head, did not hide the mask of horror on his face. He was terrified. And no wonder. It was bad enough to suffer the agony of the curse when you were fully conscious. How much worse to be torn from the peaceful oblivion of sleep and plunged into the hellish reality of unbearable pain.

  Josh’s dilated pupils constricted into pinpoints as comprehension replaced confusion and terror. He glanced at Elijah then leveled his gaze at Channie. “So, I guess it didn’t work.”

  Still cradling her hand in front of her body, Channie said, “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  Elijah’s angelic face crumpled into a distorted mask of rage. He pointed an accusing finger at Josh. “I’m glad it hurt. I hope you die and burn in hell forever.”

  “Gee, thanks squirt. I love you too.”

  “I hate you, Josh.” Elijah turned his tear-streaked face towards Channie and hiccuped twice before he said, “And … and I don’t like you very much either.”

  “That’s okay. I don’t like me very much either.”

  Elijah turned and ran upstairs. Channie wanted to go after him, to console him, but she needed to make things right with Josh first.

  His eyes were cold as stones on the bottom of a frozen riverbed. He looked at Channie for a moment, shook his head slowly, then rolled onto his side, facing the sofa.