A Witch to Live

by Glenn Bullion

  Tyler perked up. “Hawkins' literature class? Does everybody have to do one?”

  “No, Tyler, just me,” she joked. “Of course everyone has to do it. I'm doing mine on Lady Macbeth.”

  Tyler chewed on a pencil, deep in thought. “School projects are starting earlier this year. We students are lazy. This might be a good time to try to catch our paper writer.”

  Rachel rolled her eyes. She'd given up on that dream story last year.

  Everyone knew there was a student–or team of students–writing papers for others and charging a decent amount for it. Rachel was disgusted by the idea of someone paying to cheat, but she knew it happened every day.

  She always had the dream of outing them over the website and school paper.

  They weren't easy to catch.

  Whoever they were, they operated completely by word of mouth. They only accepted cash, and the drop-off spots were always changing. Rachel actually got a hold of an email address one time, right before junior prom. She had the idea to request a paper. The email address changed not long after, and she never got a chance to try again. Everyone knew she was a reporter, and the kind of student who would pay to have a paper written for them certainly wasn't going to talk to her about it.

  “I wouldn't worry about it, Tyler,” Rachel said. “People want to cheat to get ahead in life, whatever. There's so much more we can write about.”

  Tyler laughed. “Like the scouts that will be at Friday's game to watch John Crowe?”

  She furrowed her brow. “Is that what you're working on?”

  “Yeah. Not my choice, believe me. So, a group project? I'm surprised they didn't try to give all their work to you.”

  She laughed. “Actually, they did. But Kevin Mishnar...”

  She trailed off as she thought about Kevin. He barely looked at her in their group in literature class. They shared many of the same classes over the years. He seldom talked to her. He would smile and nod in the halls, but nothing more. She knew they weren't friends.

  Still, no one had ever come to her rescue before.

  “Hello?” Tyler prompted. “Kevin Mishnar? The guy with the brown jacket?”

  Kent finally turned around in his chair. “Dude, have you seen his sister? She works at my mom's office. She's smokin' hot.”

  “Oh, I've seen her. The things I would do to her.”

  They bumped fists. Rachel rolled her eyes.

  “Uh, anyway. Guys, I have a weird question for you.”

  “What's up?”

  She hesitated a moment. “Do you think it's possible for someone out there...to be able to like...heal somebody?”

  Tyler and Kent looked at each other.

  “You mean by touching them?” Tyler asked.

  “I don't know. Sure. Or maybe be making them drink something.”

  “Rachel, that sounds pretty stupid.”

  She lowered her head. “Yeah, I guess it does, doesn't it?”

  “I don't mean to bust on you. I'm sure there's a lot of weird things out there. But come on, something like that would be hard to keep a secret.”

  Tyler held up a hand. “You know what is real, though. Vampires.”

  Rachel held in a laugh as she looked at Kent. What she wouldn't give to be a sophomore again, and believe everything she heard.

  “Here we go with this again.”

  “I'm serious, guys. I know I've shown you the video.”

  Kent smiled. “Yeah, like fifty times.”

  “It's true, I'm telling you. That terror threat at Camden Yards last year? All bullshit. It was a vampire attack. Let me pull it up again.”

  Rachel and Kent made faces at Tyler as he turned around to use a computer. He ran a quick search on YouTube.

  “They took the video down. See? What does that tell you?”

  “That the video sucked?” Kent said. “The special effects were terrible?”

  Rachel finally laughed.

  “No. That they know it's real, and have to hide it. Well, no worries. I have the video on my personal space on the school's server.”

  “Are you serious?”

  Tyler was.

  Rachel watched the video one more time. She couldn't deny it was cleverly filmed. It was shot from what looked like a cell phone camera. She recognized the baseball field of Camden Yards in the background. People ran around in a panic, being attacked by other people with long teeth, what she assumed was supposed to be vampires. The camera whipped around wildly, but settled down every few seconds to show people dying in the stands. It was some inventive camera work, as there were some upside down shots, making it look like someone was running with the camera at their side. The camera caught a gorgeous redheaded woman with fangs running through the shot. In another shot, there even seemed to be a flying vampire in the background, complete with bat-like wings.

  “You probably think The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield were real too, don't you?” Rachel asked.

  Kent burst out laughing. Tyler closed his video and gave them both scathing looks.

  “Laugh all you want. But I'm not the one asking about touchy-drinking-healing people.”

  Rachel held up her hands in defeat. “Okay, okay. Point taken.” She started gathering her books. “Do we have anything to talk about concerning our jobs? You know, writing and drawing stuff?”

  Tyler shrugged. “Not me. Did you finish that article on Homecoming you were working on?”

  “Yeah. Mister Daly has it now.”

  “Then we're done. Let's go get something to eat. Or maybe go watch the girls' soccer team practice.”

  “I will skip on the girl watching, guys. I'm gonna go home. I'm supposed to go to the library tonight.”

  Kent wrinkled his face. “Oh yeah, that's right. Group project. Have fun with that.”

  She rolled her eyes and pushed a strand of hair out of her face, only for another to take its place.

  “I'm sure I'll have a blast.”

  Chapter 4

  Rachel left the school and crossed the senior parking lot. She was halfway to her Mustang when a soccer ball flew by her head, obviously on purpose. Her books fell to the ground as she shouted in surprise.

  “Oh, sorry about that! I didn't see you there.”

  She knelt down to gather her books, not even bothering to look up to see who was shouting. Something flew by her head nearly every day as she headed to her car. Footballs, soccer balls, softballs. Miraculously, no one ever saw her.

  “I'm sure you didn't, bitch,” she muttered.

  She climbed in her Mustang and left as fast as she could. The school year was just getting started, and she was a popular target for comments and standard high school torture. It was only last week that someone broke into her locker. Not to steal anything, but to simply move her stuff three lockers over.

  Homecoming would be a blessing. That was usually when everyone's attention was focused elsewhere.

  She made a right turn out of school, but didn't get very far. There was road work at the end of the street, blocking off the road completely. She sighed as she made a three point turn in the middle of the street, only to get stuck at a red light one block away from school.

  He eyes fell on someone familiar walking along the sidewalk in her rear view mirror. It only took a moment to recognize the jacket.

  She waited for him to catch up before winding down her window.

  “Hey, Kevin. Do you need a ride?”

  He looked around for a moment, not sure where the voice was coming from. Noticing Rachel, he took a step toward her car.

  “Huh?”

  “A ride. Do you need a ride?” she repeated. “Come on, before the light turns green.”

  Kevin seemed to think it over and come to a decision.

  He reached for the door handle, but stopped at the last second.

  Rachel felt her lip twitching. She was near her breaking point for subtle digs and insults for the day, as well as soccer balls flying past her head.

  “Just get in
the car,” she called. “No one's gonna see you. Your reputation is safe.”

  The car behind her started honking after the light turned green. Kevin quickly climbed in and threw his backpack on the back seat. Rachel pulled away before the car behind her could irritate her further.

  “What are you talking about?” Kevin asked.

  “I'm offering you a ride,” she said. “Just take the damn thing. Don't look around like you're afraid someone will see you with me.”

  He laughed. “I don't care what people think. I actually thought it was a joke. I'd reach for the door, and you'd move the car up a few feet.”

  She looked at him. He was serious.

  “Hey, uh, thanks for this morning.”

  “This morning? What about it?”

  “In literature class. For not letting Donna and Paul push all the writing on me.”

  “Oh, no problem. You've got to stand up for yourself. Don't let the asses in school get you down.”

  Obviously he hadn't dealt with what she had her entire life.

  “Yeah, right.”

  Kevin admired the Mustang, a smile crossing his face.

  “This is a very nice car.”

  She laughed. “Thanks. My father got a BMW, so he gave this to me when I turned sixteen. I make all the guys I date sign a waiver before I let them ride with me.”

  “I'll bet you do. They probably bug you to drive all the time.”

  She cast him a sideways glance. “I was joking. I don't really date...nevermind.”

  It dawned on Rachel that the last time she had a passenger was nearly a year ago, when she had to take her mother to a doctor's appointment. It wasn't a fun task to fold up the wheelchair and stuff it in the back.

  She noticed Kevin zipping and unzipping his jacket constantly, just a few inches.

  “Nervous about something?”

  Kevin only smiled. Rachel realized this was the longest conversation they ever had.

  “You live in Blue Ridge apartments, right?”

  “Actually, you can drop me off at the grocery store on Hammonds Lane.”

  “The store? You need to do some shopping?”

  “Yeah.”

  He said nothing else.

  Rachel shrugged. “Sure.”

  She pulled into the grocery store parking lot, drawing a few looks from older couples as she slowed her loud Mustang down. She had to wait for an elderly woman to cross the lane before stopping near the front door.

  “Thanks,” Kevin said. He gave her a cute smile and reached for his backpack. “I owe you.”

  “Wait,” she said. “You're gonna go grocery shopping, then walk home?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Like, carry everything with you?”

  “Yes,” he said, irritated. “My sister works. I do the shopping and cooking.”

  She moved the car before he could get out.

  “Whoa. What are you doing?”

  “I'll go with you,” she said as she parked. “Then I'll drop you off.”

  “You don't have to do that.”

  “I know. Call it payback for being my hero this morning.”

  Kevin watched her as they climbed out of the car. She smiled and tried to push some hair away from her face.

  They walked side by side as he grabbed a cart.

  He gave the store security guard a wave as they went inside.

  Kevin looked at Rachel. “I'm not messing up your day, am I?”

  She laughed and gave him a look. She thought it was common knowledge that she had very few friends and even less of a social life. Donna and Paul hinted at such right in front of him in literature class.

  “No. I don't do a lot after school. I work on the school newspaper and website, and just hang out with my mom.”

  Rachel caught her tongue, refusing to say anything else. Very few people knew about her mother's multiple sclerosis and she wanted to keep it that way.

  He laughed as they made their way down the first aisle. Kevin grabbed items and dumped them in the cart. Rachel noticed the unusual looks they were getting. She guessed it wasn't everyday people saw two teenagers shopping together for food.

  “The school newspaper. You should call it the school newsletter. The thing's like six pages, and two of them are full page artwork.”

  Rachel's face turned red. She opened her mouth, ready to defend her blood and sweat.

  Kevin spoke first.

  “I like what you write, though. You don't focus on sports, like Tyler.”

  “You...actually read the newspaper? You read me?”

  He nodded. “Every month it comes out.”

  She was speechless, surprised, and flattered.

  She studied him, again pushing hair out of her face.

  “I think this is the most we've ever talked to each other. You always struck me as kind of quiet,” she said.

  He stopped the cart in the middle of the aisle long enough to pick out two boxes of cereal.

  He smiled at her. “You notice that too? I've got plenty to say. It's just that not many people talk to me.”

  She laughed. “That's because you always sit in the back of class, huddling inside your little jacket.”

  He returned her laugh.

  As they rounded the corner to the last aisle, he held out an arm to stop her. He looked around for anyone. The aisle was deserted.

  “Want to see a game I play?”

  She smiled and nodded.

  “Okay. You get one push-off, and you see how far you can ride the cart before it steers into something. My best distance is the Brawny paper towels up there.”

  “Are you for real?”

  “Yeah. Think you can beat me?”

  “We'll get in trouble.”

  “We're not robbing the place, Rachel.”

  She hesitated, staring at the paper towels.

  “Can I try to lean my weight? Make it go where I want?”

  She blushed as he looked her up and down. She wanted to disappear inside her clothes. But he didn't frown in disgust, didn't look horrified. He simply grinned.

  “I'm not sure you have much weight to lean, but whatever. Give it a shot.”

  Taking a deep breath, she pushed off with her right foot and leaned forward on the cart. It went straight for about five seconds, and then started to veer to the left.

  She crashed into the shelf, a few feet short of the paper towels. A few rolls of toilet paper fell to the floor. She fell backwards and landed on her rear.

  She couldn't stop laughing.

  Kevin leaned on his knees, laughing right along with her. He walked down the aisle to close the distance between them.

  She rubbed her butt.

  “That hurt,” she said.

  “You were so close.”

  She was ready to climb to her feet, but Kevin surprised her by extending his hand.

  He pulled her to her feet with ease. A very simple, polite gesture, but one that Rachel never experienced before.

  Sadly, she couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun, and she was shopping in a grocery store with a guy she barely knew.

  “We'd better get out of here before you get us arrested,” Kevin said, smiling.

  “Hey! That was your idea.”

  After Kevin paid for groceries they loaded everything in the back of the Mustang.

  “Thanks again, Rachel. I really appreciate this.”

  “No problem. Anytime.”

  She drove the three blocks to Kevin's apartment complex. He gave her a quick glance as he grabbed the first few sets of bags.

  “Would you mind helping me carry this in real quick?”

  Rachel hesitated. “Uh, is anyone home?”

  “Nah. My sister's at work.”

  The last time she was in a house alone with a boy wasn't a pleasant experience. It was her last official date, when she was a sophomore. She foolishly believed him when he said his parents were home, and she followed him inside after they went to a movie. It was a lie, and he tried e
very sleazy move he could to get her clothes off. She ran out of the house as fast as she could.

  She didn't know if she was being naive, but didn't think Kevin was like that.

  “Okay. I'll give you a hand. Then I gotta get home. My mom's waiting for me.”

  He shrugged. “Whatever.”

  Kevin's apartment was on the bottom floor. He fiddled with the key a moment before pushing the door open.

  “Ah,” he said. “Welcome to our castle.”

  He led the way inside. Rachel stopped at the door to study the apartment.

  It wasn't very large. The living room was the size of Rachel's own bedroom. It didn't exactly have rooms, except for the bathroom and bedroom down the hall. The living room fed into the dining room, and the living room was separated from the kitchen only by a single wall.

  Rachel saw a medium sized television and a couch that took up most of the wall. A picture of Kevin's parents sat on the coffee table. She'd seen them enough times in the paper at the time of their death that she recognized them immediately.

  There was a copy of the school newspaper on the dining room table. He wasn't lying about reading it.

  On the couch was a blanket and pillow.

  “Ignore the couch there,” Kevin said as he put groceries away. “I would have put my bed away if I knew I was having company.”

  She dropped her bags next to his, her eyes still on the couch.

  “You don't have a bed?”

  “Nope. They charge two hundred dollars extra for a two bedroom apartment. Can you believe that? I haven't had my own bedroom since we had to leave our parent's house.”

  Waves of emotions went through Rachel. She always took her family's wealth for granted. She sometimes got mad at her father for being away from home so much. But he worked so they would be comfortable. He loved both Rachel and her mother.

  She stood awkwardly by the dining room table, looking for her chance to leave. She didn't want to leave while he was putting away groceries, but she wasn't going to help.

  Kevin noticed the message light on the kitchen phone blinking. He reached over to hit it.

  “Hey, Kev, it's Kristin. Listen, some people at work actually asked me to go out with them for a few drinks. I know, miracles happen, right? So I'll be a little late. Don't bother making dinner for me. I'll get something out. See you when I get home.”