HEX

by Stacy Charasidis

  Clutching Elanah’s book, and a few psychiatry compendiums, she walked to the librarian’s desk where Luke was checking out books and rating them at the same time. The kids waited in line nervously.

  “Good, good, boring, good, not bad, too old for you,” he said, taking a racy romance novel out of the girl’s stack.

  “Hey!” she said, frowning in outrage. “I’m old enough!”

  Luke frowned back. “You are not. Plenty of time for that kind of action, WHEN YOU’RE OLDER,” he said sternly.

  “What! That’s not fair! You can’t stop me Luke Barrington,” she said, reaching for the book, but Luke was faster.

  “Oh yeah? How old are you? Fifteen this past June? So old. Get your mom in here and have her read page 113 for a start, and if SHE thinks it’s okay, then I’ll be happy to check it out for you,” Luke said disapprovingly.

  “Really!” the girl huffed in disgust. “Forget it. Keep the book,” she said, taking her bag and books and stalking out.

  Sadie was trying not to smile. “Er…wasn’t that…”

  “My best friend Dean’s younger sister, Ella. She’s a brat. Has middle child syndrome, like me.” He laughed and added, “but I’m not a brat.” When he was done checking out books, they started computer searches for the topics they couldn’t find. Books on astral projection and possession were non-existent in Barrington’s library. Luke and Sadie searched the online catalogues to see if any of Barrington’s sister libraries had some.

  “Limerick’s library has some good books on astral projection and incantations,” Luke told Sadie. He was paging through book lists on the computer. Sadie stood there quietly, watching behind him.

  “I’m requesting the Barrington Library borrow them. They’ll send them to us as an interlibrary loan,” Luke said, filling out the request form on the computer.

  “Don’t bother with the books on incantations. I’ve got a good book here,” she said, showing him Elanah’s book.

  Luke took it from her and looked at it. “You got this off the shelves? This should have been locked in the room with the rare book collection.”

  “Obviously someone was looking at it. Maybe it was mistakenly put back into general population?”

  “Certainly wouldn’t have been me or Liz.” Luke shrugged. “Well, finders keepers. I’ll let you borrow it. I know you’ll take good care of it.”

  “I will,” she said, secretly pleased at his instant trust.

  “Superstition has a very large religion section with many books on possession.” Luke looked through the list and selected a few. “I’ve read some of the writing…these two are probably your best bet to get started. Samuel de Rochefort was a practicing exorcist, and his book ‘Possession’ describes his experiences in detail. He also includes some theory.”

  Wonderful, Sadie thought with a mental sigh. “So, you read romance novels and books on possession in your spare time?”

  Luke blushed, but quipped back. “Isn’t being in love like being possessed? I was doing research for when I got older.”

  “Right,” Sadie said dryly.

  Luke laughed. “I’ll also bring in a book of witch rituals. Can’t hurt,” he said cheerfully.

  “I thought that Superstition didn’t have computers,” Sadie said.

  “They don’t. The librarian at Superstition sends the Limerick Library a list of new or removed books for electronic recordkeeping once a month. Limerick keeps Superstition’s library listing separate.” Luke was typing at breakneck speed.

  “Why would they do that?” Sadie asked curiously.

  “Because Superstition has quite a few rare and out-of-print books that need keeping track of. They allow the Limerick Library to lend them out. Gives them some prestige, I guess.”

  “Thank you Luke,” Sadie said quietly. She gathered up her books, which Luke had checked out for her. “I appreciate the help.” Sadie hesitated and put her hand on Luke’s arm. “Also, if we could keep this to ourselves, I’d appreciate that as well.”

  Oh my God, Sadie has her hand on MY ARM! Luke thought wildly. He was trying not to hyperventilate but remain calm. SADIE WAS TOUCHING HIM! Don’t freak out, man, he thought to himself. “Um, sure, no problem Sadie,” he managed to croak.

  After Sadie left Luke ran to the window and watched her walk down Main Street and turn the corner onto South Road. He sighed. A whole morning with Sadie, and more to come! He already couldn’t wait to see her again.

  When Sadie got home she went straight to her room. Her aunt was in the yard digging. She was spending a lot of time collecting and preparing herbs lately. Sadie sat at her little desk and skimmed through the psych books, but in the end they weren’t much help. She didn’t feel like she had a psychological condition. It was more, spiritual. The spell book she’d look at later. What could it possibly contain that would help her?

  Sadie spent the next few days in the library with Luke helping her. During the summer he worked mornings in the library during the week. Miss Liz loved him because he shelved books faster than anyone she had ever met. He also had read practically everything in there, so he knew where everything was and could make great recommendations. Luke certainly knew where to look to get the information she needed. They searched for other sources like medical papers, articles, obscure magazines, even documentaries, but the research was going slowly. They were looking at general topics because Sadie didn’t really want to tell him exactly what she was looking for and why.

  She returned all the books because they were dead ends.

  “Sadie, this would go a lot faster if you would be a bit more specific,” Luke said to her after three days of helping her search for information. He despaired when Sadie only looked at him coldly and left.

  The next day she was back in the library. “I apologize for my behaviour yesterday, Luke,” Sadie said, “and I do appreciate all your assistance.” She was still frosty, but the biting cold manner was gone. Luke was cheered by the breakthrough.

  She looked at Luke. She wanted to tell him about all of it, but she couldn’t. It was ridiculous, even crazy what she was going through. But…she’d trust him with one part, just the normal stuff. Then, with uncharacteristic fluster (she rubbed her hands through her hair), she blurted out, “I want to investigate the circumstances around the Kellar burning and the hex,” she confided to him.

  Luke looked at her, perplexed. “Okay.” Understanding dawned. “That’s it? That’s the big secret?”

  Sadie’s eyes drew together in displeasure. She leaned towards him and put her hands on his desk. The room seemed to darken and Luke instinctively backed away from her. She looked directly at him. “There is a stigma in this town regarding the witch, Willow Kellar,” she said softly and coldly. “My aunt and uncle claim there is no relation to avoid unpleasantness, but there is no doubt that I am a direct descendant.” Her icy violet eyes narrowed. “I’ve never told anyone my lineage, nor do I plan to claim her as my ancestress. I have enough problems with the girls in this town without them thinking I have delusions of grandeur regarding my heritage, despite the fact that being related to that witch would not fill me with pride.” She waited for him to say something.

  Luke smiled, breaking the dark mood that had settled over the library. Once again the sun was shining and birds were chirping. “That is so…COOL!” he said with glee.

  Sadie stared at him, surprised. “We’re supposed to be mortal enemies,” she said loudly.

  Liz, who was in the children’s section helping a little girl, turned to look at them—interest lighting her face.

  Luke dragged Sadie to Liz’s office and shut the door. He took Sadie’s hands in his. His were warm, hers were like ice. He searched her tight face. This admission had been hard for her, but he wasn’t sure why. “Sadie, lots of people are fascinated with our town’s history. It’s not an unusual topic to look up here.”

  “That may be true, but I’m not just any person, Luke.”

  Luke stared at her. “Very true. Alrigh
t, not a problem. Since it bothers you, I won’t tell anyone about what we’re doing, Sadie. I’ll help you search the archives, okay?”

  Sadie nodded, looking slightly mollified as she stared at their clasped hands before she removed hers.

  “And let’s be clear,” Luke said firmly, “WE are not mortal enemies,” he said, taking her hands again and bending towards her. “Willow and Jacob may have been, but Luke and Sadie are not.” He was whispering fiercely in her ear. His face was so close his cheek brushed hers. If she turned her head even the slightest bit their mouths would touch. She didn’t move but Luke…

  “Hey!” Liz banged on the door. “No need to whisper! I can’t hear, out here, locked out of my office,” she yelled.

  “She’s noisy for a librarian,” Sadie commented quietly as she pulled away.

  Luke sighed. “She sure is.”

  They agreed to meet the following day to inspect the archives. When Sadie arrived, Luke took her to the library’s basement and told her where to look. “The Kellar witch trial took place on June 21, 1595,” Luke volunteered helpfully.

  “Oh, I know the date,” Sadie said quietly, looking around her. The basement was dark and dusty and packed with…junk.

  “The boxes are usually organized by year, but since this is the fifteen hundreds, you need to find the boxes from that century. I’m not sure how much stuff we have from that time.”

  “Shouldn’t documents like that be in a museum or something?” Sadie asked, moving through the shelves and starting to check dates.

  “It is likely that all the valuable books were removed, or put into private collections, but it can’t hurt to check. Sometimes important things are missed. I’ll look for any historical records upstairs. What you need is a firsthand account or some diaries to rifle through,” Luke mused. He stared at Sadie. She was dressed in a knee-length black cotton dress, buttoned to her neck. She looked so fragile. Her white skin was almost blue under the basement lighting.

  “Luke!” Liz bellowed from above.

  “Whoops, gotta go. I shall return,” he said and bolted upstairs.

  Sadie had been down there for hours when Luke finished his shift and came back. The archives weren’t in the computer yet but luckily they were neatly arranged by century and decade. She found five boxes shoved at the back of one of the upper shelves labeled fifteen hundreds. She was absorbed with the contents of one box and was working through the documents. She had Luke get the other four down for her. He obliged, but before she could move on to a second box, Luke stopped her and insisted Sadie take a break and have some lunch. It was early afternoon and he was starving. It looked as if Sadie could use a meal as well. She was so thin.

  He dragged her, protesting, over to The Fry Diner for lunch. At the counter he rubbed his hands together while Sadie stood by quietly, clearly uncomfortable. “What do you want?” he asked as he scanned the menu.

  “Water,” she said. Her chin was up and her hands were clasped tightly behind her back.

  Luke looked at Sadie then abruptly took her hand and walked out of the diner yelling, “be back Fred.” Sadie, taken by surprise, did not have time to react and had to skip to keep up with him.

  Outside the diner Luke looked at her disapprovingly. “You want water? That’s it? Are you anorexic? Bulimic? You haven’t eaten anything all morning. No one can go that long and not be hungry. You need to eat food.” His eyes swept her thin frame.

  Sadie looked at Luke coldly and hissed at him, “I don’t have to eat if I don’t want to.” She tilted her chin up with pride as she said it, “and you’re making a scene!” People were staring. They were generating a lot of interest these days.

  Luke took a step back and considered her. In a split second he knew what her problem was. Her dress had no pockets and she had not come to the library with a purse. I’m such an idiot, he thought to himself. Money was never a problem for a Barrington. They were rich. He thought fast.

  “Sadie, you need my help, and I’m willing to help you in any way I can. But I’m a teenager, a growing boy. I need constant sustenance, and I don’t like to eat alone. So, you will do me the honour of joining me for lunch,” he said in his sternest voice.

  “That’s how you invite me to lunch?” Sadie asked, coldly.

  Startled, yet pleased, he smiled as charmingly as he could. “I’m starving,” Luke wheedled, praying his puppy dog eyes would work as he blinked at her. “Would you please have lunch with me?” He fluttered his eyelashes at her.

  He got a small smile out of her. “I have nothing to offer you in return,” Sadie said a little stiffly. “As one of the librarians it’s your job to help me. Lunch is not included.”

  “You do repay me, Sadie, with the utter pleasure of your company,” Luke said with a grin. “You are the prettiest girl in town. Everyone will be jealous of me.”

  Sadie laughed spontaneously and was startled by her reaction. She hadn’t laughed in…what…months? Luke’s outrageous behaviour was wearing her down.

  “Seriously Sadie, it’s not a big deal unless you make it one. Let’s eat, okay?”

  “Fine, yes…thank you. I accept.” Sadie inclined her head and Luke dragged her into the diner before she could change her mind.

  When they got back to the library later after feasting on cheeseburgers and fries, their research led them to a book that was constantly referenced in different documents dealing with Willow Kellar.

  “There’s no detail. They just keep referring to Dame Parquhar’s ‘Book of Record’ for information,” Sadie said to Luke. “If we want to know anything, we need to look there.” So they went upstairs to see if the book could be located.

  Luke was typing away on the computer, searching the other libraries in the area to see if the book still existed. Sadie felt full and sleepy. She was sitting in one of the eighteenth century red velvet chairs scattered around the library. She had pulled it close to where Luke was working. It was quiet and warm in the library this afternoon. The air conditioning was on but it wasn’t so strong that it made the place cold. Sadie looked around and a red haze surrounded everything. She could smell burning and hear a woman’s voice calling her name from far away, “Sadie…” she whispered…and then laughter.

  “Sadie, you alright?” Luke asked. He had turned around when she had not responded to his question to find her staring blankly into space. He got the distinct impression she had been completely absent for a moment there. He touched her arm.

  Sadie looked at Luke, slightly disoriented. The smell of burning was gone. “Did you smell burning?” she asked, looking around.

  Luke sniffed the air. “Nope.”

  “Oh,” she said lamely. She focused her attention on the computer screen. “Did you find anything?”

  Luke stared at her briefly before turning back to the screen. Sadie had fidgeted. Not a good sign.

  “I’ve requested Dame Parquhar’s ‘Book of Record.’ It’s in Superstition’s library. I had to search rare books. Normally they don’t lend this book out. We would have to go to Superstition to look at it there under the librarian’s watchful eye.”

  “But?” Sadie asked. She knew there was a catch.

  “Well, I’m a Barrington, so I get special privileges.”

  “Thank you,” Sadie said sincerely.

  They worked companionably through the next week, going through the old documents together in the afternoons after Luke finished his shift. They chatted about many different things. Luke was easy to talk to, and he made her very comfortable, so it was easy for her to open up a little.

  Sadie felt a big change happen inside her. After their first, uninterrupted afternoon together, she couldn’t wait to get to the library every day. Talking with Luke, and having his undivided attention and company, was thrilling. He was a great companion. She felt close to him immediately and she cherished the feeling. She hadn’t had one incident where she missed time, and she was feeling much more confident.

  Luke was absolutely thrilled by Sadie�
��s presence. He waited in breathless excitement every day for the library door to open and admit her. He guarded his time with her jealously, despite his mother’s attempts to get him home in the afternoons.

  “What is so interesting about being in a dark library? It’s summer! I really don’t see why I have the pool prepared at all when my family doesn’t use it…” she could be heard muttering.

  The following weekend, the books on possession and rituals arrived from Superstition with Gabriel, one of Luke’s older brothers who was living there temporarily. Dame Parquhar’s “Book of Record” wasn’t in the stack.

  When Luke asked, Gabriel only shrugged. “These are the only ones the librarian dumped on me. I’m sure your request hadn’t arrived by snail mail yet from Limerick,” he said dryly. “Trust me, Luke, Superstition’s librarian is one organized and scary woman. She doesn’t forget anything, and I believe she actually has eyes on the back of her head,” he said, shuddering.

  On Monday, Luke called Sadie to let her know that some of the books she wanted had arrived.

  Sadie answered on the first ring. “I’ll get them today,” she said hurriedly, almost in a whisper.

  “Okay,” Luke whispered back, and then wondered why he was whispering.

  At the Kellar farmhouse, Sadie brushed her hair and put on her white dress, which she had just washed and ironed. She had been up since dawn feeling restless and out of sorts. Her aunt had been up too, cooking something that was making the house hot and steamy. The smell was making her nauseous, and now she had butterflies in her stomach because she was going to see Luke. She just didn’t feel like herself today.