Uncle Joe was the only choice. I would rather try my luck with Maryland’s wildlife...
I stepped foot in Baltimore, finding its morning breeze a few degrees cooler than that of the southern states.
I took a deep breath and dialed.
“What do you want, kid?” said Joe.
“I’m in Baltimore,” I said. “Where are you?”
“You’re what? You crazy, kid? Who’s manning the café?”
“I took care of it,” I said. “Hopefully being here is proof enough that I’m serious.”
“Serious enough to do what? Throw away your life? Yeah, kid, you’re not helping your case much.”
“If you’re not convinced today, that’s fine,” I said. “I’ll rent a room and stay there, calling you every day until you’re convinced.”
“You’ll run out of money. What then?”
“I’ll find a way,” I said. “Maybe offer the Twisted Cauldron at the bank? That could net me a few more weeks of groveling, at least.”
I could hardly believe the words coming out of my mouth. Offering the one place where I really belong as collateral, just so that Joe could tell me where to get started finding a girl.
“You’re an idiot,” he said. “But you win.”
“I—what? It was that easy?”
“If you were willing to offer up the Twisted Cauldron over a girl, who knows what else you’d do. You might end up getting yourself killed. Or worse, get me in trouble.”
“You’ll meet me?” I said.
“Wait in front of the airport. I’ll be there in an hour,” he said, hanging up the call.
That went better than I ever expected it to. I took my duffel bag and waited inside the airport’s franchised coffeeshop. The mocha I ordered reminded me of Tessa and her sweet tooth.
A few months ago, I never would have ordered such a sweet drink. Now, I can’t deny that it’s richness provides a more flavorful alternative to the macchiato. Just another way that the witch changed my life, I guess.
Uncle Joe arrived an hour and a half later than scheduled. I waved to the red sedan that stopped in front of me on the airport curb. It had myriad scratches. Pulling open the door made it swing wildly, as if a little more force would have yanked it free of its hinges.
“Don’t go all Superman on me, kid,” said the man in the driver seat. He was a clean-shaven man with greying hair, cut to resemble a faux-hawk. Aviator sunglasses rested over his narrow nose.
“Sorry about that,” I said. I hadn’t seen him in years. He looked grey and a little on the thin side, but otherwise he was as I remembered him.
“Let’s go back to my place and have a talk,” he said.
“Can I roll the window up?” I said. I held onto the dashboard with both hands, as Joe aggressively weaves through traffic. I tried pressing the button, but the window didn’t rise.
“Doesn’t work,” he said. I sighed. Nothing to do but let the wind slap my cheeks.
“I know how to get inside the colony,” I said. “Tessa told me.”
“Getting in is the easy part, kid. It's what you do once you're inside that counts.”
“What do you mean?” I said.
“There's witches crawling all over the place, kid. powerful witches. They'll know you’re inside the second you step foot through the barrier.”
“And how do you get through? Come to think of it, you've never really explained how you're associated with witches.”
“That's a story for another time, kid.”
When I wasn't fearing for my life, I was appreciating the view from my window. The area around the airport was nothing but flat greenery, stretching as far as the eye can see. back home, putting one foot outside of the airport put you right in the middle of downtown.
I sent Elise a text message, making sure that everything was okay. She responded a few minutes later with “All good! Slow day today.”
After a few minutes of driving on the highway, Uncle Joe made a wild right turn into a parking lot. In front of us was a series of blue and cream-colored apartment buildings, only 4 stories high. the grass was freshly cut and the paint surrounding the buildings had a nice Sheen to it. Was this really where he lived?
“Where are we stopping here?” I said.
“Are you stupid or something, kid? I live here.”
We walked down the clean cement pathway that cut through the complex and stopped in front of first floor door.
The apartment was spotless. Its living room was as big as my entire studio. My eyes turned to the kitchen, hosting a top-of-the-line personal espresso machine. Above it were wooden racks with jars filled to the brim with coffee beans. Each jar had a label that identified the country of origin, including Guatemala, Brazil, and Ethiopia, to name a few.
“How can you afford all this?” I said. I walked over to admire the machine but got hissed at for treading over his rug.
“The rug’s worth more than your apartment,” he said.
“Answer the question, uncle.”
“I do stuff here and there,” he said, putting away his sunglasses. “I manage.”
“Alright,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “How are we doing this?”
“Coffee first,” he said.
“Can I use it?”
“Knock yourself out… just not on the machine, please.”
I ran my hand through the titanium frame. The Distruttore was a stellar espresso machine that carried an even more stellar price tag. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself using one.
"You okay there, kid?" He said.
"Sorry, I got a little carried away. Remind me to ask you for more details about these side gigs you talk about."
I used the nearest coffee grounds I could find and brewed us each a single espresso. In a separate container, I added milk and used a battery-operated stirrer to turn it into foam.
"One macchiato," I said.
Uncle Joe drank it all in one gulp. He then brought the cup down onto the granite counter, a big smile spread across his face.
"You've gotten pretty good at making these," he said. "Guess I really did choose wisely."
"You never really explained why you handed the Twisted Cauldron off to me."
"I saw that you are depressed, and I wanted to get it off my hands. Two birds, one stone."
"Still, you put a whole lot of trust in me. For months, I thought you'd come back one day and demand that I give it back to you or say that I was doing something terribly wrong." I said.
"Truth is kid, I wanted to get out of there and fast. If anything, I used you."
"But why?"
"For years, there was something eating me from the inside. When your mother died, I thought it was finally time to make my move."
"Was that when you came here?"
"Yeah, that's right," he said.
“I still don’t get what my mom’s death has to do with anything,” I said.
“Sheesh, you sure like asking questions. Will ya shut up if I tell you where the colony is?”
I nodded. Uncle Joe produced a small map from his pocket. It was folded into a tiny square, with edges yellow from overuse. He spread it over his coffee table.
“We’re here,” he said. “The colony’s a bit peculiar in that its “inside” is static, but the entrance changes location every few months. According to what I know, it’ll move to Backbone Mountain soon, deep into central Appalachian territory. It’ll be pretty much impossible for us to cross inside. Right now, it’s over here by the Washington National Pike.”
He pointed to a random road about 50 miles away.
“How long until it changes location?” I said.
“At midnight, tonight,” he said. “If we let it change locations, it’ll be impossible to get there by car. We’re talking about hours of walking on foot. We might find a few black bears on the way there, too.”
“Tonight?” I said.
“That’s right.”
“No rest for the weary, huh,�
�� I said. I came here knowing it would be hard, but I figured I would have a few days to figure things out. Now I come and it’s all or nothing.
“Getting in is the easy part. If what you’re saying is right, and Tessa is inside wanting you to come in, then you’ll be able to walk through the barrier. Normally, once you’re inside, the guard witches will capture you and take you to the council. There, there’ll be a hearing and the person living inside can vouch for you. Tessa, however, was pretty much taken against her will… so I don’t think your case will go as smoothly. If I had to bet, I’d say that Tessa’s pleas will fall on deaf ears and you’ll be gentled.
I swallowed hard. I had an inkling of what ‘gentled’ meant but I wanted to be sure.
“When you say that, you mean…”
“That they’ll wipe your memories of not only your visit there, but of Tessa. Of course, Tessa’s got a big presence inside that bonehead brain of yours, so removing that might make you permanently stupid. And as soon as they take you back, they’ll hunt down other people that have memories of Tessa.”
The thought of having every memory of Tessa yanked out of me was horrifying. To lose the image of her smile would kill me. Not only that, I would be putting myself and those around me in incredible danger. All to quell my own selfish desires.
“Say that I manage to evade the witches and find Tessa, what then?” I said.
“If you get that far, the next thing will be to make a run for it. As long as record of Tessa is in the library, witches could continue to track her. You need to go there and destroy her record.”
“Witches visited my home before. Won’t they know to find me there?” I said.
“Ah, kid, don’t you see? That’s the magic of the records. You destroy that and erase every memory the witches inside have of Tessa.”
“That’s too much,” I said. To rip Tessa away from her home and erase any sign she was ever there would be too cruel. “Besides, what if I get there and she’s not interested in doing all that? If I were in her position I would definitely hesitate.”
“You’re right,” he said. “By trying to get out of your own impossible position, you’re putting her in one too. She might decide it’s not worth it, forcing you to go home empty-handed.”
“There has to be a way,” I said. “A way to have her be happy without sacrificing everything.”
Uncle Joe laughed. It wasn’t a chuckle, but a gut-busting row.
“What’s so funny?” I said.
“You remind me of myself too much, kid. I fell in love with a witch once.”
“You… what? Why mention this now? Can’t you help?” I said.
“No can do,” he said. “My situation is a little different. I’m afraid I won’t be of much help.”
I balled my fist, but quickly eased up.
“That’s alright. You’ve done so much for me already, Uncle Joe. I need to do this by myself.”
“Heh. Maybe you have grown after all, kid. One day I’ll tell you about everything.”
We pushed our coffee cups aside and worked out a plan. Tessa, I’m coming for you. And if you’d rather stay back, then that’s something I’ll have to live with. But I need to know! I need to give her the choice, at least.
We drove to the Washington National Pike after sundown. Uncle Joe stopped next to a large, open meadow. Through the pitch-black night, I managed to catch a glimpse of a dense forest a few hundred yards out.
"Well, this is it," he said. "It's through that forced over there."
"It's a little hard to see, don't you think?"
"Better to go at night when the chances of people finding you are slim. You sure about this? It's not too late to turn back."
"I'm ready," I said. As ready as I'll ever be, at least.
I walked through the meadow, the wet grass crunching under my feet. As soon as I reached the forest, I took out my phone and turned on the flashlight. Uncle Joe said that the entrance to the colony would be located next to a tree with a circle carved into its bark. I walked carefully, making sure that I lit every tree I could find. The last thing I wanted was to miss the midnight deadline because I was too hasty. After 15 minutes of searching, I found the tree. I put one hand into the carved part of the tree, with the other hand holding onto Tessa's letter. This was my one shot.
"I want to see Tessa Karrabine. I want to find the witch that stole my heart, and let her know how I truly feel."
The surrounding trees started to blur. Soon, everything but the tree was surrounded in a brilliant white light. I shut my eyes.
Chapter 13
When I opened them again, I was inside the witch colony. It was as Tessa had described. Stone houses with thatched roots dotted the landscape. Behind them, tall mountains blocked away the outside world. It was crazy to think that just a few moments ago I was a few minutes away from the major highway. I put on the robe that uncle Joe provided me, making sure that the hood covered much of my face.
Flaming torches lit up the night sky, leading me to the city center. There weren't many people around, and the few people that mingled in the town kept to themselves. The men wore the same robe I did, while the woman wore black knee length dresses and which hats that resembled the one Tessa loved so much.
Uncle Joe told me that the best place to look for Tessa would be in the dorms. According to him, those would be on the northeast end of the village. As I traversed the cobbled streets, a man flew out in front of me. He had short-cropped brown hair, and reeked of alcohol.
"Go home Henry," said a large man from an open door. "Come back when you'll stop picking a fight."
The man in front of me struggled up, massaging his back. Seems like witches have bar fights too.
“These bastards... I wasn't lookin' for no fight. Besides, the ale’s trash!”
“If it’s so bad, why d’you keep coming back? Probably because we’re the only pub in town that hasn’t banned your sorry ass.”
“Mr. Karrabine,” said a man a year or two younger than me. He rushed out and handed him a set of keys. “You might need this.”
“Thanks, lad,” said the man. “Make sure you don’t grow up to be a stingy loser like yer dad, alright?”
I couldn’t believe my luck. Mr. Karrabine… Could he be Tessa’s father? He tried to take a step but stumbled, held up only by my own effort.
“Are you alright, sir?”
“Yes, I’m fine, thank you… Who are you?”
Mr. Karrabine looked into my eyes for a few seconds. The witch colony didn’t seem like a particularly big place, so newcomers like myself must be a rare sight.
“I’m Raul, sir, and I’m here looking for Tessa.” I said. Better to be honest and upfront about it.
“Tessa? My daughter?”
“I think so, sir.”
“And you’re telling me she’s back? These good-fer-nothin’ witches never tell me a thing. When they shipped her off to the outside, I didn’t get so much as a goodbye. Are you from around here? You don’t look familiar.”
“I’m not,” I said. “I manage the café that Tessa worked at while she was outside the witch colony.”
“You’re an… an… outsider?” he said, staggering back a few steps.
“Don’t make such a fuzz!”
“Conspiring with an outsider… If there was ever a reason to cut off my head, this would be it.”
“Let me explain, sir.” I said. “Tessa came into my life and she changed everything. But then, one thing led to another, and she was taken here against her will. I came here to help her escape… if she wants to.”
“Got any proof?” he said. I produced the letter from my pocket and showed him. The man held it close to his face. Even in his drunken stupor, he managed to read and return it to me.
“That definitely sounded like something my Tessa would write. I had no idea. To think that she fell for a man outside of the colony… Way to go, Tessa!”
The man threw his fist in the air and celebrated, shouting ‘woo-hoo’
over and over again.
“Uh, sir… They might hear us.”
“Oh, right,” he said. “My bad. It’s just that nothing brings a smile to my face more than Tessa stickin’ it to the witches. Come with me, kid. I’ll make you some tea.”
I followed him to his home. It was less a stone house and more a stone hut, barely bigger than my own studio apartment. I tried to ignore the rank smell, but to little effect.
“Make yourself at home,” he said. “Want some tea?”
“Sure…” I said. Mr. Karrabine took a wooden stick hanging from his wall and left. He came back a second later with the same stick, one end very much on fire.
“Is that safe?” I said.
“Sure is. I do it every night. Witches ain’t let us use any of the outside world’s machines, so they let us use the fire from streetlights every night.”
He sprinkled leaves into two copper cups.
“Tell me, how did my Tessa fare outside?”
“She was great,” I said. “Adapted faster than I ever could. I think the Twisted Cauldron customers liked her more than me.” Mr. Karrabine laughed, slapping his knees.
“That sounds like her, alright. Tessa has a way of being everyone’s favorite. That’s something she inherited from her mother. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss her.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said. I had repeated that phrase far too often recently.
“It’s been two decades. Nothing to do about it,” he said, sighing. “Tessa’s power manifested a little later than most other girls, but once she did it baffled all her teachers. A girl who could understand people almost as well as she could understand herself. They were scared of her.”
“Scared? I don’t understand,” I said.
“Good question. There were witches that could burn down the village with a flick of a wrist, and yet they feared an eight-year old kid. She can read people’s feelings, so she can understand who’s guilty and who isn’t better than any witch out there. Tessa can understand if anyone inside is plotting something they shouldn’t. She’s the only girl who can read in a city full of books.”
A Witch's Guide to a Good Brew Page 13
