2 A Charming Cure

by Tonya Kappes

  Loaded with my armful of goodies, the cashier told me that the items in the store were free to the Dean’s family members. So taking advantage of my new title as niece, I accepted it. I was eager to get back and start the cure. After all, not only did Faith rely on it, Eloise did too.

  Chapter Seven

  After getting back into my room, I took Madame Torres out of my bag while Mr. Prince Charming stood at my feet watching every move I made.

  Twisting the cauldron up at all angles, I tried to figure out if it had a switch since it was geared toward the newbie potion makers, but of course, it didn’t. Since it was small, I would use it like my big one at home, with much less ingredients.

  I grabbed a tissue off my desk to wipe it out, which reminded me to nab the cauldron cleaner from Eloise’s classroom. Having something that worked would really be nice.

  Taking each spice out of the bag, I lined them up alphabetically.

  Meow, meow. I swore Mr. Prince Charming was mocking me.

  “You can never be too careful with these potions.” I wagged my finger at him. “See what happened to Faith.”

  He paid me no attention. He jumped up on the bed, finding his way to my pillow, and kneaded it a few times before he finally lay down and curled up.

  “Allspice, cinnamon, mandrake, rattlesnake’s rattle, and sage.” I tapped each one, hoping to get some intuition on what to put in first. Nothing was coming which meant that there was something missing, but what?

  I tapped my temple and really concentrated on Faith. There was no way I was getting anywhere near her to figure out what I needed. This was so much easier at Charming Cure when I could physically talk to the person. The only interaction between Faith and I had been our first meeting, and that didn’t turn out too well.

  All I could picture was her greedy little prissy self, grabbing the ladle full of sleeping potion from Eloise and downing it like a shot.

  “Seriously?”

  I spun around and clenched my chest. The voice had me jumping out of my own skin.

  “Hahahhaa!” Madame Torres cackled as she glowed a brilliant pink. She pointed her long red fingernail at me and threw her head back. “I scared you!”

  My stomach clenched and my eyes narrowed. My own crystal ball mocked me.

  “You don’t appear when I want you to appear.” I pointed back. “You appear when you want to appear. Those days are over!”

  I stomped around the room trying to ignore the little snide remarks she was making under her breath. There was an ingredient I was missing and I had to figure out what it was, not fight with my crystal ball.

  “Is that right?”

  “Yeah, that’s right.” I turned back to the cauldron and grabbed the allspice. Opening the lid, I shook a couple dashes into the pot.

  “Fine. I was going to tell you that you are missing the main ingredient.” Her voice was snippy. “The one ingredient that has been shoved back in the back of your brain.”

  Was she baiting me? I thought, glaring at her. I couldn’t help but wonder why she had picked me to own her. Did she only want someone that she could make fun of?

  Who was the psychic here? I waved my hand, ignoring her. But that was impossible. Time was of the essence.

  “Ugh!” I turned toward her and planted my balled up fists on my hip. “Fine. What is it?”

  “So now you want me help?” Madame Torres spoke slowly, throwing her words like stones.

  “You know what, you better tell me now before I take you to the Locust Grove flea market when we get home.” I threatened. “You are my crystal ball. I tell you when to work. I tell you when I want to see something. You don’t go around deciding. I will sell you at that flea market and the buyer will never know what you really are. I will silence you forever.”

  “You wouldn’t?” Her cheeks sucked in at the near mention of going to a flea market.

  “Try me.” I went nose to glass with her. “Now tell me the ingredient. Eloise and Faith depend on this.”

  “You need something personal from the recipient. Just like you see them in person in Whispering Falls and know exactly what they need. Only Faith is in a coma.” The globe went black. Madame Torres’ feelings were hurt and she was only going to give me what I asked for.

  Something personal. I racked my brain. Something personal? What was more personal than something from Faith’s room?

  The cauldron circulated and mixed on its own and wasn’t doing anything important, so going next door to Faith’s room shouldn’t be that hard.

  The halls were empty when I opened my door, but I tippy- toed anyway. The police tape was crisscrossed across Faith’s door to hinder visitors.

  Taking no chances, I used the edge of my shirt to turn the knob. I had seen in too many movies how they can trace fingerprints, and that was the last thing that I needed. I might only be a potion psychic, but I knew for sure that ‘breaking and entering’, and ‘tampering with evidence’ charges were not in my future.

  I looked to my left and right to make sure the coast was clear before I went in, because clearly, the police did not want anyone in there. I went in anyway, and quietly shut the door behind me…using the hem of my shirt.

  For a moment, my ‘magic wannabe’ syndrome kicked in. I really wished I had Hili’s gift of touch to light the candles, and since I didn’t, I was going to have to feel my way around for a switch.

  The room was filled with earth-tone colors, which sent me into a bit of a shock. Faith was not the muted type at all. Her laptop sat on the desk as if she was just using it, and her room was neatly waiting for her to come back.

  Wait! I thought there were no electronics. Besides, wasn’t the computer the first item the police takes? I eyed the pink laptop, taking it under my arm in a weak moment of knowing that I needed to learn all about Faith in order to figure out who would harm her and why.

  The bed was neatly made and sat underneath the two large windows that faced the front of the house. She had a wall of photos that I quickly glanced through but none of them seemed unusual. A picture of what I assumed were her parents and siblings hung in the middle. Faith was front and center in the shot, smiling ear-to-ear next to a dark haired girl with pigtails. They looked to be about the same age, which made me wonder where her sister was.

  The parents appeared to be prim and proper. The gentleman, dressed in a suit, looked to be about six foot tall with neatly slicked hair to one side. The woman had a modest calf-length red dress that hit at her calf and low-heeled shoes. They all seemed to be celebrating something special. Maybe even a magical achievement. Faith was holding up a small wand.

  It reminded me of something a mortal family would have, like a first communion or preschool graduation. She was quite cute really, the cutest of the two.

  Glancing around, there didn’t seem to be anything out of place. It looked like she was a typical college student. Some items hung on the wall that boosted the Hidden Hall extra-curricular activities. There wasn’t any sign of a newspaper being secretly produced, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t happening somewhere else in Whispering Falls.

  The manicure set neatly tucked on the edge of her desk nudged my intuition. . .DNA. Sure, I could use hair from her brush, but something with her fingernails would be the perfect ingredient. Or at least that was what my intuition told me.

  Careful not to damage the DNA ingredient, I didn’t touch it. My eyes followed the fingernail file dust to the edge of the desk, and then down to the wastebasket.

  No, June. You wouldn’t. My subconscious mind told me I was a sicko, but I did it anyway. After all, it was for the sake of Eloise. She would’ve done it to save Darla or me.

  I reached into the garbage and took the liner with Faith’s fingernail clippings resting on the top. With the laptop and garbage bag in hand, it was time to get out of there.

  Once safely back in my room, I pulled a chair up to the wall and unscrewed the air conditioning vent. Faith’s laptop fit nicely into the hole and no one woul
d find it if they came looking for it.

  My intuition told me there was some important information on there, but first things first. If I could find a cure, now was the time.

  “Well, well.” Madame Torres decided to make another appearance. There was laughter in her eyes. “I see that you took my advice.”

  “Flea market!” I yelled over my shoulder as I replaced the screws and went to work with my tweezers in the garbage bag.

  Purrr, purr. Mr. Prince Charming didn’t even lift his head off my pillow.

  The cauldron had begun to boil which was a sure sign that all the ingredients had been aligned.

  One-by-one I used the tweezers to drop Faith’s fingernails into the pot.

  Swoosh! The cauldron glowed with a shiny potion that turned yellow with orange streaks running through it like lightning flashes.

  I stepped back in case a few sparks flew with the other ingredients at the ready. After a few more dashes of this and that, the cauldron shut off, letting me know that the potion was complete.

  With my nose in the air, I took in a deep breath, hoping to catch a hint of a scent. The potion was intended for Faith and knowing what she really liked would’ve helped. But there was nothing out of the ordinary. I chalked it up to her current state of the coma. She wasn’t probably in any shape to like anything at the moment.

  Dang. I sat on the edge of the bed feeling a little elated that I might have a cure, but a little defeated in the fact that there was no smell. This wasn’t a guarantee, but definitely worth a shot.

  I reached over and pulled my purse closer. I didn’t have to dig too far to grab a Ding Dong. Having a little treat might jog my insight on what I needed to do. When I bit into the yummy goodness, I realized I didn’t have anything but my empty coffee cup to put the potion in. Like magic, the treat was gone in a couple of bites.

  It was time to test my real skill and get the potion for the intended recipient. . .Faith.

  Chapter Eight

  The framed retired professors hanging on the wall seemed to never sleep. They watched my every step as Mr. Prince Charming and I darted down the stairs and out into the empty street.

  It was late, and hopefully no one would be around to see me or to tattle on me to Aunt Helena. She was the last person I wanted to find out that I was making a cure, let alone one for Faith. Especially when the rules clearly stated that you couldn’t make potions on your own, or at least on University property.

  We slipped into the hospital and into Faith’s room unseen. Faith remained in the same position since I last saw her. The tubes connected to her made the machines beep at a steady pace.

  Looking at her, I’d sworn she was a goner. Dark circles under her eyes made her pale skin appear as if she had two big black eyes. Her ashen skin was no longer the gothic pale that made her features stand out even more, making her the exotic looking creature that she was.

  Even her fingernails had grayed.

  Mewl, mewl. Mr. Prince Charming jumped up on her bed. He was as uncomfortable as I was.

  “Sicko, I know.” I hated to admit that this was not my finest hour. I ran my fingers from the bag of the IV to where it entered into her hand and wondered how in the world I was going to get the potion into the little tube.

  If only. . .my magic wannabe struck again. I wished I could just wave a magic wand and bring her back. Unfortunately, magic didn’t work that way. At least mine didn’t.

  “Potion maker, not doctor.” I whispered, reminding myself that this concoction probably wasn’t going to work.

  There was no way I was going to inject something in her, so I stood over her lifeless body and parted her lips with one hand. With the other, I tipped the used coffee cup that was filled with the potion, into the opening of her mouth. The thick liquid fell in one big drip.

  A zap went through my hand. An electric shock traveled through my body, propelling me against the wall, and then down to the floor. Mr. Prince Charming landed next to me.

  Hiss, Hiss. Mr. Prince Charming batted at the door. The light underneath the door gave way to shadows of someone’s shoes.

  “Some fairy-god cat you are. Come on.” I crawled to Faith’s bed, and then rolled under. I couldn’t risk someone seeing us. Mr. Prince Charming ran under too.

  The door flung open, the lights flipped on, and two nurses rushed in. One punched buttons on the machine that was beeping much faster than it had been when I first got there, and the other did some sort of diagnostic test on Faith.

  Please don’t let me have done her in, I thought with my eyes shut tight and hands clasped in praying position. All sorts of thoughts began to flood in.

  What if I wasn’t a real psychic? What if I just fed her a deadly concoction? What if Eloise really did do it? What if my intuition really isn’t that great?

  “She still has a pulse.” One of them said.

  “This is the strangest thing. Her fingernails. Look.” The other’s voice raised an octave.

  There was a collective gasp between the two. The only thing we could see was the shuffling of their feet as they went around the bed.

  “We need to get the doctor.” Their white nursing shoes proceeded to run out of Faith’s room.

  “Let’s go.” I rolled out from under the gurney bed and Mr. Prince Charming followed.

  The nurses left the lights on. My body froze in place. I stared at Faith. Speechless.

  Mewl, mewwl.

  “I’m coming.” I waved him off as I bent down to get a better look at the glowing hot pink nails. It looked as if Faith had just step out of A Cleansing Spa back in Whispering Falls.

  My eyes slide up her body and to her face. She still had the grayness and the black eyed looked, but the nails. . .All my what if’s had flown right out the door.

  Chapter Nine

  We ran back to the cottage dorm before the nurses came back to Faith’s room with the doctor. It was late and it had been a long day. I was tired, but the cure was more alive than ever. I was going to have to wait until morning to see if anything other than her fingernails coming back to life had transpired from the concoction.

  If I didn’t get some sleep, I’d never make it to Intuition class. Now it was more important than ever to be on time and fit in with the other students.

  The more I tried to close my eyes, the more my eyes refused to close. Haunting images of Eloise in some Hidden Hall prison cell corrupted my mind along with the unknown potion I had given Faith.

  “You know you can see her.” Madam Torres made her first appearance since our arrival and since her little tantrum on our way here.

  “Nice to see you.” I sat on the edge of my bed. A smile formed across my face. “And you fixed your hair. And I love the color choices.” I referred to her long, curly red mane that took up most of the glass globe. The green glow illuminated the ball, which made her red lips stand out on her purple face.

  “Well.” She shook her loose curls. “I’ve heard all about these college men.” She rubbed her lips together, making them a darker shade of crimson.

  Mewl, mewl. Mr. Prince Charming let us know he was there. He made three circles and plopped down. He was having no problem sleeping.

  “I’m not surprised you aren’t sleeping. Especially after the potion you just gave Faith.” Her left eyebrow cocked up in true Elvis Fashion. “I hope you brought some concealer for those under-eye circles.”

  If she thought she was being funny. . .she wasn’t.

  “After all, the Dean’s niece can’t be looking. . .umm . . .nearly dead. Plus I can’t be looking bad because of you.” She flung her hair to the back of the globe. The water swooshed to the front.

  “Whatever. I still don’t get why it’s such a big deal that I’m related to that woman.” I had no time to play pretty, pretty dress up. I had to find Eloise. “Let’s get back to what you were saying about me seeing Eloise.”

  I had done all I could do for Faith, at least until I see how the potion affected her. I did need a plan to help Eloise
, but what?

  “Hmm. . .” Madame Torres disappeared. The green globe went from opal to orange, and then brown. The drab color floated to the bottom and cleared the globe. “Your wish.”

  I heard Madame Torres, but didn’t see her. The ball showed a picture of Eloise hunkered down on a dirt floor with a chain around her ankle that was shackled to the concrete wall. She was being treated like a cruel animal. That was definitely one thing that needed to be changed…the way they treated their prisoners.

  Eloise had already been through so much. For twenty-years she had been banned from Whispering Falls and lived a life of solidarity. All because she was a Fairiwick. She didn’t deserve this.

  “Eloise,” my hush voice dripped with sadness. Tears flooded my eyes seeing her in that position. I didn’t realize I could see anywhere I wanted. I was under the impression I could only see the places I owned, like A Charming Cure and my home.

  As if she could hear me, she looked up. Her alabaster skin was even gaunter. Almost ghost-like.

  “Help me,” her lips mouthed. The ball went black.

  “Where is she?” I pleaded with Madame Torres. The globe remained black.

  “I have no idea. That is something you have to find out.”

  “Thank you.” I grabbed Madame Torres off her pedestal on the night stand and kissed all over the glass. I was glad that she showed me Eloise, even if she couldn’t give me her location. I was on a mission to find her.

  “Pweft, pweft.” Madame Torres appeared, and spit specks of silver out of her mouth. “Listen, I’m your crystal ball. A cranky one. I didn’t sign up to be a kissing ball.” The water cleared and it went back to black. “This is a professional relationship.”