by Rose Pressey
Just then, I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. I thought for sure that it was Jack. Had he been in the dining room listening to my conversation with Elizabeth? That was weird. Did he know something about the note or the other things happening to Deedee? I would confront him and ask. What did I have to lose other than another guest? I rushed over to the dining room, but when I stepped into the room he wasn’t there.
The swinging kitchen door was moving. He must have gone through there. Was he trying to hide from me?
“Jack? Is everything okay?” I hurried into the kitchen.
He wasn’t there. That was weird. How could he have gotten away so quickly? Things just kept getting weirder by the minute. I hurried over to the back door and peered outside. It was such a beautiful day with the sun shining brightly in the cloudless sky. If he wasn’t in the kitchen, then that meant he had to have left out the back door. I opened the door and stepped outside.
Placing my hand up to my brow, I shielded my eyes from the bright sun. He must really be fast if he’d gotten away so quickly. I supposed he didn’t want to talk. Maybe I could catch up with him later.
I peered around a little longer, wondering if he would return. Maybe he’d gone for a walk. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye again. Unfortunately, this time it wasn’t Jack. The little bunny had returned. It was nice seeing something so sweet for a change after all the drama I’d had. I figured if I stepped any closer the bunny would hop away, so I stood still.
“Hello, bunny. Are you enjoying eating my pansies? It took me a long time to plant those, you know?”
I didn’t have the heart to chase the bunny away. I suppose I would just have to plant more flowers. The bunny was enjoying itself so much.
Just then, a loud bark rang out and the bunny dashed away. The big dog ran past, chasing the rabbit.
“Leave the bunny alone,” I yelled.
The dog didn’t listen. Luckily, the bunny was fast and ran under the tree branch into the woods, blocking the dog. The dog remained at the entrance to the woods for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to get the rabbit. Finally, it gave up and ran away.
When I made it to the front of the house, I spotted Deedee. She had her bags clutched in both hands and was walking down the drive. I assumed she was headed for the main road.
I ran up behind her. “Are you walking? Those bags will get heavy after a while.”
“I called for an Uber,” she said, not looking over at me.
“At least let me help with your bags,” I said, grabbing one from her hands.
This would give me a chance to talk with her. Maybe I could convince her to stay.
“Thanks,” she mumbled.
At least she was still somewhat talking to me.
As we walked along, I said, “Is there any way I can convince you to stay?”
“No,” she answered.
I was expecting that.
“I really don’t think anyone is trying to hurt you. I can stay with you more. I’ll walk with you everywhere. Kind of like your own personal bodyguard.”
She looked over at me, casting a long stare at me. Then she laughed.
“Hey, I can do some damage if I have to. Remember I’m a witch?”
“Yeah, I guess you do have that going for you.”
“You’re just mad right now. Things will get better,” I said.
“Yes, better when I leave,” she said.
Just then sound came from behind us. When I looked back, I spotted Jack. Now I knew what I could say to make her stop.
“I think there’s someone who wants you to stay.”
She didn’t say anything as she continued her walk.
“Jack is watching you. He obviously wants you to stay.”
Deedee stopped. I knew that would work. She looked over her shoulder and spotted him. A few others had stepped out to see what was going on.
“Great, now everyone is watching me,” she said. “Now it’s too embarrassing to go back.”
“No, don’t pay attention to them. Don’t you want to spend some time with Jack? Plus, if you leave then Elizabeth is here alone with him.”
Fury flashed in Deedee’s eyes. “You’re right. What was I thinking? I can’t let her win.”
“Exactly.” I motioned for her to follow me back to the house.
Deedee and I made it back to the front of the house.
Jack smiled when we neared. “Glad to see that you decided to stay.”
I shooed everyone away. It looked as if Jack wanted to talk with Deedee alone. I stepped away so that they could talk in private. That was when Jack and Deedee walked away from the house.
I picked up Deedee’s bags so that I could take them back to her room. When I looked to the left, I spotted Elizabeth and Ruth. They were standing together, talking and watching Jack and Deedee. It looked as if they had started a friendship. When they noticed me watching them they turned and walked away.
I had to talk with them. As much as I hated to, I would have to ask Elizabeth to leave. She was causing too much trouble.
After dinner, I decided to have the conversation with Elizabeth. I played over the words in my mind. Of course I knew they sounded much better in my head. How awful was I for kicking out a sick woman? But how long could I allow her to stay when she was causing such problems? I was torn on what to do. Obviously she would have nowhere else to go. I supposed I would see what happened during our conversation. Maybe she would see how her behavior was wrong and would change. Then she could stay until she got on her feet.
I made my way down the hall. A lump sat in my stomach. I didn’t want to do this, but I knew it had to be done. I stopped in front of her room. When I knocked on the door, it opened.
I eased it open even more. “Elizabeth?” I called out.
She didn’t answer. The room was dark other than the soft white glow the moon cast into the room. Where could she be? Maybe she had decided to leave. I’d thought she would at least say goodbye before taking off. Where would she go?
I backed out of the room and headed down the hallway. Jack’s door was open too. What was going on around here? Didn’t anyone sleep? I liked to be in bed by ten. Sleep was one of the best things for stress and rejuvenation. When I got to Jack’s room, I didn’t even have to open the door further. It was wide open. Had he left too? I glanced over and saw that his belongings were still there. Maybe he was with Elizabeth, but where would they be?
I backed out of his room and stepped over to the window at the end of the hall. I peered out. Darkness covered the night, but the moon lit up just enough that I could see a little. That was when I spotted the deer bounce across the yard and into the woods. It looked as if Deedee wasn’t in her room either. Apparently nighttime was when she wanted to play. What about the others? Jack was a Shifter, but I’d never discovered what kind. Just then I spotted movement. When I looked to the left, I saw the bear.
Fear raced through my veins. Oh, no. What if the bear went after Deedee? I had to help her, but I didn’t want to confront the bear either. I supposed she could run fast. Maybe if I made a lot of loud noise I could distract the bear and give her time to get away. I ran down the hall and into the kitchen. I grabbed pans out of the cabinets and opened the back door. My pulse thumped in my ears. This was risky. The bear could easily come after me. I hoped if it did that I would have time to race back inside before it clawed me to death.
Standing by the back door, I peered out into the darkness. I couldn’t lose sight of the bear now. What if it had already taken off into the woods after Deedee? What would I do now? When I felt that I was being watched I looked to my left. The big bear was out there. It looked as if it was just standing there like a human. Perhaps trying to decide which way to go? That was odd. I didn’t know if I should make noise or just keep quiet. I guessed the bear wouldn’t just leave us alone. It was obviously hungry.
When the bear moved slightly, I panicked and started banging the pans together. This wo
uld wake up everyone. Well, everyone who was actually trying to sleep. The bear stopped and turned toward me. We made eye contact. Okay, it knew I was out there now. I had successfully captured its attention. I wasn’t sure what to do next. My instincts told me to run, but I was there to help Deedee. Maybe I should call the police. The bear didn’t take its eyes off me. It was probably thinking about what a delicious meal I would make.
The bear didn’t run toward me. Its movement was slower, as if giving me a chance to think about what was going to happen to me. The animal didn’t take its eyes off me. I was frozen. Should I run now? Why weren’t my legs moving? It was as if this bear had me in a trance.
Just then the dog appeared next to the bear. I figured the bear would attack the dog. That didn’t happen though. The dog and the bear moved in sync, as if they were a team. They knew each other. They were together. How did this happen? As they moved closer, inch by inch, I realized what I’d thought was a dog all along really wasn’t. It was a wolf.
That was when it hit me. They were Shifters.
We were in a staring contest now. If they were Shifters, then who were they? The only Shifters around here that I knew of were Jack and Deedee. My suspicions had made me question if Jack was the bear. If he was the bear, then who was the wolf? I knew Deedee was the deer.
The way the bear was looking at me made me uncomfortable. This wasn’t a friendly stare. Maybe Jack wasn’t so nice after all. They inched a little closer. I sensed they were trying to scare me. It was working. I was seconds away from running, but I had to help Deedee.
“Don’t come any closer,” I said. “I know you’re Shifters. What I want to know is why you’re acting this way. What is your problem? Jack, is that you?”
Of course I didn’t get an answer. At least they had stopped moving closer to me. Just then the bunny hopped out from the nearby bushes.
“This is not a good time, bunny,” I said. “Go hide.”
Unfortunately the bunny didn’t listen. Why didn’t anyone listen to me? Was the bunny a Shifter too?
The bear and the wolf moved even closer. My heart thumped faster. Just then the bunny hopped forward. It was now between me and the bear. The bunny seemed to be staring at the bear. So the bunny was a Shifter after all. Who was the bunny?
“Whoever you are, you have to get out of here. You are no match for a bear and a wolf.”
Not that I was either, but the bunny didn’t stand a chance. I tried to shoo the bunny away, but it didn’t budge. I knew the bear and the wolf were getting ready to attack.
Movement caught my attention. Deedee stepped out from the woods in her deer form. The bear and the wolf turned their attention to Deedee. Now that they were distracted, this would give me a chance to do something. But what?
When I glanced down the bunny was gone. That was for the best. The less I had to worry about right now the better.
Deedee stepped closer to the animals. They were staring at each other. Deedee made some kind of noise. The bear roared and the wolf howled. Were they talking to each other? It sounded as if they were preparing for their fight.
Just then the wolf bounced forward and attacked Deedee. I screamed out, but I didn’t know what to do to stop it. Deedee was no match for the wolf. I banged the pans together, but the wolf didn’t even look my way. I sprinted closer to them. I thought for sure the bear would attack, but it seemed as if the bear didn’t really want me. They were just focused on Deedee. What had she done to make them mad? I rattled the pans again, but it didn’t work. Did I have time to cast a spell? Did I have enough magic to make the wolf stop?
Just as I dropped the pans and raised my arms to attempt a spell, Jack appeared. He yelled at the wolf and it stopped the attack against Deedee. I couldn’t believe that had worked. Banging the pans had done nothing to capture the wolf’s attention.
When I glanced over, the bear was gone. If Jack was the bear, then why had he been with the wolf in the first place? Why had he looked at me that way? The wolf raced away, disappearing into the woods.
At this point, Deedee had shifted back into her human form.
I ran over to Deedee. “Her leg is hurt.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not bad. She’ll be able to heal herself.” Jack knelt down beside her.
“We have to get her inside. Deedee, can you stand up?” I asked.
“There’s no need for that.” Jack swept her up in his arms and carried her toward the house.
At this point everyone was standing outside to see what all the ruckus was about. Jack carried her inside the house and placed her on the sofa in the front parlor. Her leg had a wound, but it looked as if it was already healing.
Jack pulled me to the side. “I can’t explain everything right now, but you can’t let them back in.”
“I can’t let who back in?” I asked.
“Elizabeth and Ruth.”
“Why?”
“Just trust me. I will explain later,” Jack said.
“They will be coming back any time,” I said.
“Can you lock all the doors?” Jack asked.
“I suppose.”
It didn’t seem right to keep guests out. But Jack seemed adamant that I should do this. His behavior was making me panic. I glanced over at Deedee. She was holding her leg, but it seemed better.
I rushed over to the front door. Jack was lucky—some spas didn’t even have locks. See, this was why they were needed. What did he think Elizabeth and Ruth would do? Were they the bear and the wolf? If so, then who was Jack? I raced to the back door in the kitchen.
“What is going on here?” Warren asked.
“Don’t worry, everything is peachy. Just don’t unlock that door for anyone.”
“That doesn’t sound peachy,” he mumbled as he locked the door.
I ran over to the side door and locked it. The others had returned inside just in time. I would have hated to have locked them out too. Of course everyone was staring at me in a panic.
“Do we need to use our magic?” Barbara asked.
“Not yet,” I said.
I couldn’t believe I’d almost given her permission to use witchcraft. If things got really bad though, it might be necessary. Just then a knock sounded against the front door. My panic surged.
“What do I do now?” I asked Jack.
“Tell them to go away.”
“What if they ask me why? Technically, I don’t know that they even did anything wrong. Am I supposed to take your word for it?”
“Just trust me.” Jack’s blue eyes sparkled under the light, silently pleading with me to do as he said.
I figured he would never lie to me so I marched over to the door and leaned close to the wood. “You can’t come in.”
“What do you mean we can’t come in?” Elizabeth said.
“Just some things happened and I think it’s best that you leave.”
“I paid to stay here,” Ruth said.
“I will give your money back,” I offered.
“Just open the door and I’ll get my things.”
“I’ll throw them out the window,” I said.
“You’ll what? What kind of business are you running?” Ruth asked.
At this point I wasn’t even sure any more.
“We’re here to help you,” Elizabeth said.
I glanced over at Jack and he shook his head. “Don’t believe them.”
I didn’t know who to believe. Elizabeth didn’t even know who she was—how could she offer to help? Then I realized that everything was silent. Eerily silent. What were they up to? Where had they gone? I went over to the window to peek outside. I didn’t see them, but I knew they wouldn’t leave that easily. I should go get Ruth’s things and toss them out. I knew the women would be furious and I wondered if I was doing the right thing.
I raced over to the other window. “Oh, no.”
“What’s wrong?” Jack ran over beside me.
In front of the house were wolves and bears. I’d never seen so m
any.
“What do they want?” I asked.
“Me,” Deedee said as she hobbled across the room.
“Why do they want you?”
“Because of something they think I did.”
“Can’t you just tell them you didn’t do it and make them leave?” I asked.
“I wish it were that easy,” she said. “I’m sorry I’m putting you through this.”
“It’s okay, we’ll work this out.” I patted her on the shoulder.
“Maybe I should go talk with them,” I said.
“I wouldn’t advise that,” Jack said.
“Then what will we do?” I asked.
Jack and Deedee exchanged a look.
“We’ll probably have to fight,” Jack said.
“What? You have got to be kidding me. There are a hundred of them against us. There is no way we would win.”
“You want us to scare them with our fangs?” Randall asked.
I waved my hand. “Thanks, Randall, but that would probably only make things worse.”
“There is something you can do,” Barbara said.
Oh, no. I knew what she was about to suggest. But she was right. I would have to use my magic against them. It wasn’t something I liked to do, but this was life or death.
“It will be tough for me to do magic against all of them,” I said.
Barbara scoffed. “You’re not doing it alone. We will help you.”
“You’re bad at magic, remember?” I said. Not to mention that I had cast a spell against them blocking their ability to use witchcraft.
“Well, it’s better than nothing, right?” Destiny asked.
“Maybe the fire from their terrible spells will make the bears and wolves go away,” Deedee said.
Destiny and Barbara raced out of the room. “We’ll get the cauldron.”
A couple seconds later they carried the cauldron into the room. Now I had to tell them what I’d done.
“There is one thing before we start,” I said.
“What’s that?” Barbara asked.
