by HMC
‘Hmmmm. Not very safe,’ Mum muttered.
‘She’s a witch, Mum. She’s not scared of us.’ I unlocked the sliding door. ‘In fact, I’m sure she’s delighted by intruders. Straight into the spider’s web, or lion’s den, or whatever they say.’
‘True,’ said Anna. ‘Be on guard.’
We were in. Anna grabbed my hand gently, and pulled herself forward. ‘Let me lead, Mouse. Stay close,’ she whispered.
The dimly lit rooms revealed nothing but ordinary, albeit eccentric furniture and trinkets. I could smell chlorine as if someone had left swimming clothes out, and all we heard was the soft tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the hallway and our feet shuffling over tiles and carpet.
Down the hall, the giraffe lit up. A yellow glowed from its eyes. Anna stopped by a door. We stared at each other. ‘Could it be Megan inside?’ I said.
‘It feels like some kind of protection spell,’ Anna whispered. ‘What do you feel, Mouse?’
I closed my eyes. I felt it, too. ‘Yep, I think so. But why would Aidah want to protect Megan? Shouldn’t it be more like a barrier spell? This feels positive. As if Aidah is trying to protect a loved one.’
Anna nodded. Mum frowned. I pushed the door open.
We entered a bedroom with books lining an entire wall on the left, and on the right, the shelves reached the ceiling and were covered in toys. Action figures mostly, still in their boxes. There was Superman, Alien, a collection of Walking Dead dolls, and a large arm sticking out with The Flight of the Navigator alien glaring back. It moved, and we all jumped. Mum put a hand on her heart. ‘S’okay,’ she said. I ran my hand over a beautiful old typewriter in the corner. Hamish had been writing something that looked like a short story. He had given himself the penname, George Charles Devol, Jr.
The room smelled like lollies and aftershave. ‘This is Hamish’s room,’ I said.
‘It definitely has the feel of a young man,’ said Anna.
‘This Hamish,’ Mum started. ‘He seems nice.’
Anna and I frowned. ‘You feel something?’ I asked.
‘No. A boy who is reading all these books is a good boy. Looking here, he has the Bible.’ Mum pulled the book off the shelf, as if she’d sniffed it out the moment she entered.
‘Mum, you can’t believe that anyone who reads the Bible is good,’ I said.
Mum furrowed her brow. ‘He a good boy. I know it. Why else his mother have a protection spell on his room? She know he a good boy.’
‘It doesn’t make sense to me,’ I replied. ‘Why would Hamish need that kind of protection in his own home with her around?’
Mum stared at me like I was buffoon. ‘Modesta, this spell is not for outsiders.’
Anna folded her arms. ‘What do you mean, Connie?’
‘This is protection spell she does to save Hamish from herself.’ Mum nodded as she fingered through the Bible.
Anna looked at me and winked. It made sense. After all, he was her son. ‘Clever, Mum. Very clever.’ Anna was rifling through his stuff now. ‘Anna? What are you looking for?’
‘The giraffe glowed when I stood here.’ She pulled out a bound black notebook from Hamish’s drawer. ‘This is important. It has to mean something.’ She unwound the string at the opening and sat on Hamish’s bed.
‘Let’s not get too comfy, eh?’ I said. My arms prickled.
‘Yes, Mouse. I’m sure they won’t be back for at least another hour,’ said Anna. She was probably right. We sat beside her.
‘What you see?’ said Mum, peering over Anna’s shoulder.
‘Lots of pictures, some art, and notes. Like a visual journal. You see?’
‘Like telling the stories through the pictures? He is talent in the art,’ said Mum as she pointed to some of his sketches. They were mostly natural landscapes.
‘Mum, stop.’ I shook my head. ‘He’s the bad guy. I’m sure of it.’
Anna turned the pages. ‘It looks like most of the photos are just Hamish and Aidah.’ Aidah stood smiling, with clear skin and bright eyes. One particular photo caught my attention. She kissed a sevenish-year-old Hamish on the cheek as they stood on the beach. ‘Look at this,’ I said.
‘Oh, adorable.’ Mum smiled.
‘No it isn’t.’ I frowned at her, ‘Mum, stop that. Hamish probably has a Bible to make himself look innocent to those he chokes to death in their sleep. Anyway, the point is, really look at the photo. What do you see?’
Mum and Anna cocked their heads sideways in perfect unison. After a while, Anna clicked her tongue. ‘Look at Aidah’s swimmers.’
I nodded. ‘Norma Jean swimmers,’ I said. ‘The pointy boobs, the high waist. It’s classic 40s and 50s era swimwear.’
‘Maybe this not them? Maybe this is relatives,’ Mum said.
‘No,’ said Anna. ‘No, this is them. Look.’
‘How old are they, then?’ I said.
‘Old.’ Anna nodded. ‘Really, bloody old.’
‘This is not a family of Sacmis,’ Mum whispered.
‘What do you mean?’ I glanced over at her.
‘This is Sacmis.’ Mum bit her bottom lip. We studied the photo in silence. Anna turned a few more pages. As she turned, it seemed time turned back with her, and the photos spanned centuries. The same woman and child stared back. Every now and then there would be another child with swollen eyes and an unfamiliar face. Maybe they were the Megans, and the Sonnys of the world – those who were destined to shake hands with a hell-hag who liked to devour the souls of little children.
‘They’ve been together for a long time,’ I said as I stood. I walked over and ran my hand across Hamish’s ‘toys,’ while Mum and Anna continued looking at the journal. It was strange that Hamish should collect anything at all. It was like finding out Jack the Ripper had a toy poodle collection. Creepy. I moved over to study his books. Bryce Courtenay, George Orwell, even Martin and Rowling sat on his shelf next to a little HP Lovecraft, and Dostoyevsky. I ran my finger along the hardcover version of The Philosopher’s Stone. My fingers tingled. I opened the book and leafed through the pages. At the back of the book, there was handwriting scrawled across the last few, empty pages.
Contact Spells
Jasmine, Rose, oil, candles, mirror.
“In quiet dreams I come. You see the truth.
Things can’t be undone. But see the way.
I await your saving grace.”
‘What is that?’ Anna said in my ear. I jumped and dropped the book.
‘Damn, Anna,’ I whispered harshly.
‘Oh, sorry, kiddo. Shouldn’t sneak up on you like that.’
I picked up The Philosopher’s Stone and went to the back. ‘Look at this. It was Hamish.’
‘What was Hamish?’ Mum came over to take a look. I held up the page.
‘He writes neat for a boy,’ said Anna.
‘Well, he’s had like a thousand years of practise. Anyway, he’s the doofus who sent a message of Aidah through my mirror. The one who didn’t know what he was doing. He meant to send a message it seems, but he didn’t specify what in this spell here. He just wanted someone to see the truth. That someone ended up being me.’
Anna shook her head. ‘Why didn’t he just say so when you saw him the other day?’
‘Something about not being able to speak aloud,’ I whispered.
‘Look at these symbols.’ Anna pointed.
‘All I know is the ankh,’ I said.
‘You see this one at the top. I drew this the other day at the school, Mouse. It’s a symbol to protect the children.’
‘You see,’ said Mum. ‘He a good boy. I tell you this.’
‘Anna,’ I said. ‘Look at the upside down triangle around the ankh. It’s the symbol for water.’
She nodded. ‘So it is. The symbol for water and the symbol for life. Looks like he was trying to direct his message.’
‘To me?’
‘To someone powerful, and like his mother. Sorry, kiddo, but like attracts like. Your
aunty had the same problem.’
‘What problem exactly?’
‘We need to keep looking for Megan,’ Anna said, and it snapped me out of it. She was right – enough stuffing around. We returned both of the books and we walked back into the hall.
We spread out and scoured every corner, every cupboard, every wall. There was nothing.
‘She’s not here,’ said Anna, as we stood in the living room. The giraffe in her hand did nothing but look ugly.
‘Maybe we too late. I’m sorry, Modesta.’ Mum put a hand on my shoulder.
Then, I heard it…
‘Ssssss sssss, sssss sssss, sssss sssss, ssssssssss.’ Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
It wasn’t Megan, but it was someone. ‘Can you hear that?’ I said. Mum and Anna shook their heads. It was coming from nearby. I leaned over toward Anna and put my ear closer to her. It was the giraffe. ‘Give me that thing, will you?’
‘Sure.’ Anna passed me the giraffe. It felt hot in my hand. I turned in one direction and the sound grew soft. I turned in the other and it was louder.
‘This way,’ I said. Twinkle Twinkle led me all the way to the backyard. Somewhere we had yet to look. The swimming pool and BBQ area took up most of the space so it was difficult to see that there was an entire backyard behind it. We made our way down into the yard and the giraffe grew so loud, I was afraid the neighbours would hear, but not even Anna flinched. They heard nothing.
A dome stood just a little higher than me. A fire pit sat at the entrance. Large stones surrounded it. ‘It’s a sweat lodge,’ said Anna.
‘A what?’ Mum whispered.
‘It’s a place for sacred healing,’ I said.
‘The fact she has this here … my blood boils.’ Anna gritted her teeth.
‘Now’s not the time for anger.’ I repeated something Cat would say. I’m sure it stung, but I meant it.
‘Stay here,’ I said. Mum and Anna immediately latched onto me. ‘I mean it.’ It wasn’t quite me who spoke. I felt like the object in my hand grew so light it might disappear. ‘Stay here,’ I said again and this time, they listened. I couldn’t see their faces in the dark, but I felt their fear. ‘I’m not afraid,’ I said. ‘But guard this door all the same.’
I stood at the entry to the sweat lodge. Twinkle Twinkle had stopped but I could hear a whistling sound and fire crackling. A fire burned in my throat. The heat was almost too much. I paused. My chest was tight. I felt like I had in the visita earlier today. ‘No!’ I cried out. This time, I was aware it was a trick of the mind. I wasn’t choking, not really. It was so hard to move, but I thought of Sonny, and I pushed past the threshold.
Material brushed my face and body. Skin and fur.
Then, something wet.
Inside it was dark. Empty. I walked over the earth. Rocks were piled in the centre where the fire would go. I touched the walls. The giraffe in my hand lit up. My mouth opened. The whistling sound got louder. ‘Muéstrame,’ I whispered. Someone whispered. ‘Catalina?’ I said. ‘Muéstrame,’ I repeated. Show me. Show me.
Light filtered from an unseen source above me. A soft mist descended. The stones in the centre were replaced with a little girl on the dirt. I walked over to her. She didn’t seem to be breathing.
I jumped as she opened her eyes. She didn’t move a muscle, but she was alive. Megan gazed up at me, then shut her eyes again, as if she were too tired to move.
‘It’s okay,’ I said. ‘I’m here to help you.’ I moved toward her. When Megan sat up I saw the wreck she was. Her eyes were swollen from tears, her hair matted with dirt, her cheeks sunken as if she’d been starved. She’d been here a day and looked half dead. I imagined that snaky tongue sucking out her essence.
‘Come with me, sweetie.’
‘I can’t move,’ she said. She cried out in pain.
‘Don’t speak, sweetie. I’ll help you,’ I said. She was surrounded by spells I couldn’t even imagine existed, let alone fight off. I touched her and pulled my hand away. She was boiling hot.
Why hadn’t I sent Anna in instead of me? She was the magic one. But I knew I’d never get her past that threshold. She’d never believe the burning was in her mind –whereas I knew it wasn’t real. She’d be stuck there, in the space between, for Aidah, like a fisherman pulling his net into the boat. No, it had to be me.
Then … the smell of lilac. It filled my nose. It was so lovely I could bathe in it.
The sweetest sound I’d heard in forever filled my ears. Jon Bon Jovi crooned from the ether.
Cat.
Somehow, Cat was here with me. Somehow she got through whatever thing it was holding her back, and she was with me now. Maybe she was away not only because she didn’t want to be sensed by Aidah, but because she was conserving her power for something. Maybe for this.
I placed my giraffe beside Megan. My hands moved and my mouth opened – all on their own.
‘Invoco la luz en mi corazón.’
I raised my hands up higher.
‘Invoco la luz en mi corazón!’
It felt so natural. I sang it.
The lodge lit up. I swung my hands around and danced and sang. My body was light, and my hair was standing up on my head. A smile spread across my face. It was so wide my cheeks hurt.
Megan sucked in air as if she’d been underwater too long. I stopped and I watched her. I watched her eyes go from blank and zombie-like, to little-girl sparkling. Her cheeks filled and flushed pink. Her hair fell softly around her shoulders, and she stood.
My hair and hands both fell back to their natural places. I felt the blood in my cheeks. ‘Megan,’ I breathed. ‘I am here to take you home.’
She ran to me, and threw her little arms around my waist. ‘Thank you, lady,’ she said.
‘Come with me, sweetie.’ I held out my hand and she took it. ‘We have to get out of here ... quick.’
Anna and Mum stood frozen at the entry and though they’d been trying to peer in must’ve seen and heard nothing.
‘Modesta!’ Mum embraced me.
‘Shhhh, Mamá. Time to go.’
Anna took Megan’s other hand. The little girl looked up at her. ‘Principal Kirk?’ she squeaked. Anna nodded. We rushed to the safety of her Ford Fiesta up the road. We didn’t stop until we were home.
‘I want to go home, pleasssse,’ Megan said for the hundredth time, the little gap in her teeth exaggerating her lisp – she was a brunette Cindy Brady with an Australian accent. ‘Is Principal Kirk mad at me for running away?’
‘No, no, no! Anna is proud of you, little one. And you going home very soon, honey,’ said Mum. ‘You mummy and daddy are on the way.’ She pushed the plate of food closer to Megan. ‘Please eat a little.’ Megan nodded and spooned some mashed potato into her mouth.
‘She remembers nothing,’ Anna whispered to me. ‘It’s surely something Aidah does to them.’ We stood in the kitchen and stole glimpses at Megan through the doorway.
‘I’d prefer it that way if I were her. It’s for the best, Anna,’ I said. ‘I’ve seen what’s underneath that hood. Besides, even if Megan remembered the story, Aidah would never be convicted. She’s too clever. Plus the whole deal where she makes you think she’s nice as pie on Sunday.’ I shook my head. ‘You should’ve seen Megan when I first did. She was half dead, Anna. Aidah has no regard for human life. That poor little girl. I think she might’ve been dead.’ I folded my arms.
‘What do you mean?’ Anna breathed.
‘When I first saw her, I could’ve sworn she wasn’t breathing. When I said the spell, she gasped for air.’
Anna stared at me. ‘I thought all you needed was a spell to reveal her.’
‘At first. Then when I saw her, she couldn’t move from her spot. She looked awful. Just awful.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I haven’t exactly had time to give a full recount, We’ve been busy making up another story. Besides, she would’ve overheard. By the way, Megsy, I think you were pretty muc
h dead, but don’t stress, Aunty Mouse is magic,’ I huffed.
‘Sorry, kiddo. I know. I’m just a little stressed, too.’
‘No, I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘I didn’t mean to snap.’ Anna moved over to boil the kettle, and pulled out some teacups. ‘The spell was all Spanish. I memorised the words. Invoco la luz en mi corazón.’
Anna stared at me again. Then she nodded. ‘That’s Cat’s spell. She was with you.’
I smiled. ‘I know.’ Tears welled in my eyes.
Anna nodded. ‘It’s such a clever spell. She made a long time ago. It means I invoke the light in my heart.’
‘As soon as I said it, Megan was free. She breathed again. She changed back to her normal self,’ I whispered.
‘She developed it from the ancient adage, ‘as above so below…’’
‘…as within, so without,’’ I breathed. ‘It makes perfect sense.’
Anna smiled. ‘Bringing the light within means sending the light without.’
‘I’m pretty positive Cat brought her back to life tonight,’ I said as I pulled out some cinnamon tea. ‘Or at least, back from the edge.’
‘You did, Modesta. You and Cat together. Do you think…?’ Anna paused.
‘What?’
Anna stormed out into the dining room. ‘Megan, before your mum comes, I want to make sure you’ve got all your belongings.’ Anna moved over to her. ‘Can you check for me, sweetie?’ Anna bobbed down to be at her side.
Megan trusted her Principal. She nodded and looked at herself. The five-year-old looked a little uncertain, at first, but then she pulled out some items from her pocket. There was a dirty tissue, a little sand, and a black object I couldn’t really see. ‘That’sss not mine,’ she said.
‘Oh, thanks, sweetheart. That one belongs to me.’ Anna took the object and handed it to me. It was a black ankh. The resurrection ankh. The one just like future Sonny’s. I stared at it for a long time.
‘What is it?’ said Mum as she moved over to see the pendant. She studied it, then looked at the one around my neck. She bit her bottom lip.
Red and blue lights flashed through the window. I pocketed the pendant, and moved over to open the front door. Megan’s mum, Rachael, came through first, then her father. They embraced their daughter through sobs.
