by Wendy Wang
When they returned to the hospital, Ben distracted the nurse at the nurses’ station just long enough for the five of them to slip into Arista's room unnoticed. Evangeline went first, followed by Daphne, Lisa, and a few minutes later, Jen and Charlie.
Ben stood at the counter, blocking the nurse’s view, leaning over, flirting with her. Ben could be charming, that was for sure.
Once in the room, Jen quietly closed the door and drew the curtain around Arista’s bed
"Charlie help me," Jen said as she plopped her messenger bag onto the tray table and began to unpack the necessary items for their ritual. Jen put a tiny bottle of dark amber-colored oil along with a sage smudge and smudging feather, some dried herbs, some dried clove buds, and various crystals on the table Charlie picked up a creamy white crystal and felt its weight.
"What is this?" Charlie asked fascinated.
“Selenite. For healing."
"And this one?" Charlie asked, picking up the green, sparkling stone.
"It's Fuchsite." Jen said.
“And this?” Charlie lifted the oil to her nose, uncorked it and sniffed. A deep piney scent filled her senses. Jen frowned and took it from her.
“That’s myrrh and it’s expensive.” Jen replaced the cork and put it back on the tray table. After retrieving a package of blank index cards and a pen from her bottomless bag, Jen quickly wrote down the three lines of the spell they were to chant. Charlie admired her cousin’s pretty cursive writing. Her own handwriting was little more than chicken scratch.
"Okay I think we’re ready," Jen said.
“Good,” Evangeline said. “Let's begin then. Jen I need you to smudge her body first."
The door opened and they all stood still, holding their breath, their eyes wide and listening.
"Just me," Ben whispered. He closed the door behind him tightly and he walked around the edge of the curtain. "Okay, what can I do?"
“Ben why don't you get on the opposite side of the bed from me.” Ben nodded and scooted behind Daphne and Lisa taking his place at the head of the bed next to Arista. Evangeline moved into place directly across from Ben and motioned for Charlie to come stand next to her.
Jen pulled her lighter from her purse, flicked it into life and lit the end of the sage bundle. The flame chewed through the tip of the smudge a little before Jen blew it out. White smoke curled up from the smoldering smudge and Jen took the white feather and brushed the smoke over Arista from head to toe. Ben waived some of the sage smoke toward himself breathing it in. Evangeline and the others did the same.
When she was done smudging, Jen positioned herself at the foot of the bed next to the tray table and tamped out the sage smudge in the stone bowl she brought. She took the small vial and uncorked it, then carefully measured out seven drops of myrrh oil into her palm. Jen squeezed in between Ben and Lisa and dotted Arista's forehead with the oil then dotted her chest. Gently Jen turned over Arista’s hands and anointed her pulse points. The stone Ben had put into Arista’s left hand was curled between her palm and fingers and Jen slipped the selenite into Arista’s other hand. Then put the sparkly green fuchsite on the center of Arista’s chest.
The last part of the ritual called for a bag of herbs and salt. Jen took a pinch of rosemary, cloves and Angelica and dropped them inside the small linen bag, along with a pinch of salt. She placed the bag in the center of Arista’s belly and finally took her place at the end of the bed.
"Ben take her hand and keep the tourmaline tight between your two palms,” Evangeline said. She picked up Arista’s other hand and held the crystal between their palms. Ben did as she asked. “All right, the rest of y’all join hands.”
When circle was complete Evangeline took a deep breath and opened her mouth to start.
"Wait," Jen said too loudly. She dropped her sister’s and Charlie’s hand and grabbed the notecards. "The spell.”
She handed the note cards to Charlie. “This is what we need to say.”
Each of them took a turn reading over the cards before handing them back to Jen. They each took a moment to whisper the words before joining hands again. As soon as they began practicing the official ritual, the energy in the room changed. The machine feeding into Arista's arm began to beep erratically. Ben reached over and pressed a button, to keep from drawing the attention of the nurse.
“Sorry, Evangeline. We’re ready now,” Jen said.
“Let’s begin.” Evangeline’s gaze circled the group. “We thank the goddess above for all her blessings. May she guide us now to heal her our sister witch. So mote it be.”
“So mote it be,” the group repeated.
Evangeline closed her eyes. “Angelica, sage and selenite, use our love to restore her light. Rosemary, cloves and tourmaline, wash her soul and make it clean. Stones protect. Herbs restore. Goddess above, heal her very core.” They joined Evangeline, chanting the words of Jen’s spell over and over. The air around them crackled and snapped with electricity. The lights flickered. The energy pulsed through their hands, connecting them, forming a circle. Charlie’s fingers vibrated almost to the point of discomfort. After a moment the lights went out completely. There was a commotion outside in the hallway, nurses moving up and down the corridor, talking to each other about the darkness.
The lights came back on. Evangeline was the first to stop chanting. The rest of the group stopped too as soon as they realized what was happening.
Arista sat up straight in her bed, still holding Ben and Evangeline’s hands.
Evangeline grinned. "So mote it be." The other witches echoed the end of their prayer. “Hello Arista.”
Arista blinked, her gaze circled the group. Panic shined in her dark eyes. "Where am I? What happened to Megan?"
"You’re in the hospital," Ben said. "You were hurt. Do you remember?"
"Yes. Sort of. It’s all a bit hazy,” Arista said. She pulled her hands onto her lap. “Who are these people?"
Ben looked up, his gaze settling on Jen. "These are my … friends. They healed you.”
“We,” Jen said gently.
Ben smiled. “We.”
“How are you feeling?" Evangeline asked.
"Little out of it but otherwise I think I'm all right," Arista said. "How long have I been here?”
“Not even twenty-four hours," Ben said.
Arista glanced down at the flimsy hospital nightgown. She picked up the fuchsite crystal in her lap and squeezed it. "Where are my clothes?"
"In the closet," Ben said.
"Can you please get them? I have to get dressed and get out of here," she said. "We have to find Megan."
Ben opened the laminated wardrobe door and retrieved the clear plastic bag the emergency room nurse had used to put Arista’s clothes in. He set it down on the end of the bed. "One thing at a time. Okay? Let's get you out of here first."
"Agreed," Arista said and shooed them out of the room.
Chapter 23
Charlie sat in the backseat of Ben's old Toyota FJ50 watching the little town blur by her window, Lisa and Jen crammed into the front next to Ben. Arista sat next to her, holding a long slender wand in her hands. She kept spinning it between her delicate fingers. Charlie could feel the fear rolling off the woman, washing over and through Charlie. She took a deep breath and looked away, trying to fight the nausea. Ben turned into a planned neighborhood and small, uniform houses lined street.
"Do you really think she’ll be there?" Charlie asked.
"Yes," Arista said. “If I know my niece she’ll go somewhere she feels safe, and she feels safe in her house.”
Ben glanced into the rearview mirror and Charlie met his gaze. Charlie heard the click of the blinker and the truck slowed down and turned right. Charlie’s butt ached from the small, not well-padded backseat. She shifted and held onto the strap hanging near the window.
The house at the end of the street looked just like all the others. Cookie-cutter boxes with plank siding and covered front porches just wide enough for a couple of
rocking chairs or a porch swing. Probably built in the 90’s, Charlie thought. Only one stood out to her, and she felt it before she saw it. Just like Gabriel Curtis's house, Megan’s house pulsed. A steady rhythm of Bomp Bomp Bomp pounded against the inside of her skull.
"Charlie?" Ben asked. "Are you all right?" You look a little green."
Jen turned in the front passenger seat and reached her hand back. "You okay?"
Charlie swallowed back the taste of bile coating the back of her throat. "Yeah, I'm fine."
“What's going on?" Jen wiggled her fingers, a sign that she wasn't about to let Charlie tuck herself into her shell like a turtle. Charlie grabbed onto her cousin's hand and held it. A calm spread through her and the pounding in her head quieted and her heartbeat slowed to a more normal pace. "Can’t you feel it?”
"I can," Arista said and tightened her grip around her wand. "That thing is growing stronger."
"What do you think that means?" Charlie asked."
"I don't know," Arista said. She stared out of the window, a faraway look on her face.
The brakes squealed a little when Ben stopped in front of a cute little suburban house. It didn't look much different from the ones on either side of it; they were all painted either cream or white. Only their front doors set them apart. Megan’s door was painted a dark purple and a dark energy oozed from beneath it and over the windowsills of the two windows facing the street. This demon was strong. Stronger than the one in Gabriel Curtis from the feel of it.
"So what's the plan here?" Charlie asked.
"I have everything we need behind your seat in a duffle bag. Can you hand it to me?”
“Sure,” Charlie reached into the sparse space and grabbed an army green canvas bag. She took it and shifted it to Ben. “Charlie I think you and I should be the ones to exorcise this thing. You’re … uh, friend is coming, right?”
“Yes, he’ll come when I call him,” Charlie said.
“Great. The others should form a circle and cast a protection spell around us," Ben said.
Charlie and Jen piped up in protest at the same time. "No way.”
Anger flashed through Jen’s blue eyes. "You’re are not going in there without me." She leaned into his face. “I'm not gonna stand outside in a safe circle while you're in there risking your life."
Ben's head bent forward and he gave Jen a side-eyed glance. Charlie could see the smile playing on his lips, as he secretly gazed at her cousin. Maybe she'd had it wrong. Maybe they didn't fight on the way to breakfast. She would be sure to ask Jen after this was done.
"I agree with Jen," Charlie said. “If nothing else, Jen and Lisa should come inside with us.” Charlie glanced at Arista. The woman’s shaky hand had drifted to her throat and held onto it as if to support her head. Charlie let go of Jen's hand and touched Arista's arm.
"I don't want to go in there," Arista whispered.
"I know," Charlie said.
"I thought I could do this but I can’t," Arista said guilt creeping into her voice.
"It's all right," Jen said. "I think I’d feel the exact same way if I’d been through what you have. In fact I do." She shifted her gaze from Arista to Ben and the two exchanged a glance. "What if we did this? What if Charlie, Lisa and I go in with you, Ben, and Daphne Evangeline and Arista form the circle?"
"That could work," Ben said. He glanced in the rearview mirror again. "What do you think Charlie?"
"I think that's a great idea. I don't particularly want to go in there with just two of us. I know I'm not strong enough of a witch to back you up like you need to be," she said.
"Okay," he said relenting. "That's the plan. Let's get set up."
Ben, Jen and Arista got out of the car, but Charlie stayed behind. Jen stuck her head back in sighed. "Everything okay?"
"Yep, fine. I'm gonna call Tom." She said.
Jen gave her a quick nod and closed the door to give her some privacy. Charlie closed her eyes and concentrated. She called up the image of Tom's face. Every line, every wrinkle, the sparkle of his warm golden-brown eyes.
"Tom. I need you," she said softly.
The chill started on her left side and spread up to her neck until all the hair at the nape stood up. The air in the back seat stirred. From the corners of her eyes, Charlie could see his robes fluttering then becoming very still as he transformed. She’d never watched him directly before and still didn’t quite have the guts to do it now.
Her stomach flip-flopped when she felt the warmth of his hand on hers and the fear to look at him dissipated. He brought her hand to his lips and gave the back of it a soft kiss. "Hello, Charlie."
"I'm so glad you're here," she said. She leaned over quickly gave him a peck on the cheek.
Tom glanced around toward the back window of the truck. “Looks like we have a crowd."
"Yep, a crowd and a plan," she said.
"I’m all for a plan. Are you ready?"
"I think so," she said. "You're gonna have to go in there as a reaper aren’t you?"
His amber-colored eyes locked on to her face and he nodded. "If I'm to be of any help, I am. Are you okay with that?"
“Of course,” Charlie said.
“You know I could just go in and take care of all this. You wouldn’t have to risk your lives.” He squeezed her hand.
"What do you mean?" she said.
"I could kill her and retrieve the demon, then cart him off to where he belongs.”
"But …” A cold cloud of fear swirled through her chest and she gently pulled her hand out of his. “You don't kill people remember? How many told times have you told me, you're not death?"
"Too many to count, I suppose," he said. "But there are cases where I can take life as collateral damage. Unfortunately when you separate the demon from her, she will most likely never function again as a whole human being. She may not live. Demons tend to be very hard on their host bodies."
Charlie glanced through the back window at Arista. "Her aunt is determined to save her. I don't think killing her is the right thing to do. No matter how damaged she may be when she's separated from it."
"I will do as you wish," Tom said.
"We should go join the others," she said.
The two of them emerged from the truck. Charlie and Tom sidled up next to Daphne.
"Hi, Tom," Daphne said, her voice a little too chipper but Charlie didn't expect anything else. Her cousin’s bottomless well of perkiness overflowed from her on to the others. It sometimes made Daphne seem dimwitted or ditzy, but maybe that's the way she wanted it. Maybe she wanted people to underestimate her. Daphne was no nitwit. She had a keen, observant eye and a sense of people that Charlie didn't have, despite her empathic abilities. Sometimes Charlie thought her ability to sense people's feelings and thoughts and actually impeded her judgment of them. One of the things she loved best about Daphne was her ability to cut through all the bullshit and see to the heart of a person or situation. Maybe that's why Daphne and Lisa butted heads so much. They were a lot alike in that regard.
Daphne looked Tom up and down. "You're looking good today." He wore a pair of tan cargo pants and tight black t-shirt that showed off the muscles of his chest. "I like your outfit."
Tom grinned, his eyes cutting over to Charlie for a second. "Thank you Daphne. This is one of Charlie's favorites or so she says."
"Stop it,” Charlie whispered. Her cheeks and chest filled with heat. “We've got business to attend to.”
“I just want to start this by saying thank you,” Ben said. “You have no idea how relieved I am not to have to do this alone.” Jen placed her hand on Ben’s arm and looked up at him with adoring eyes.
“Evangeline, if you wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not, Ben,” Evangeline said. “Y’all join hands.” She waited a beat while the group did as she said, then closed her eyes and lifted her face skyward. “Mother goddess, this we ask, protect us in this difficult task. Keep us safe from those who wish to do us harm and bring our sister
Megan back into this coven’s arms. As above, so below. So mote it be.”
“So mote it be,” echoed through the circle.
"You four are with me," Ben said. “Arista?”
She didn’t seem to hear him. Instead her gaze was centered on Tom.
"How did you get here? I don't know of any witches who can teleport."
"I'm not a witch." Tom held out his hand. "I'm Tom Sharon by the way. Good to meet you."
Arista took his hand and shook it. Charlie saw her visibly shudder at the connection, then pull her hand away quickly, wiggling her fingers as if she'd been shocked.
"Tom is a reaper, Arista," Charlie explained. "He wears a glamour. He's a friend of ours, so he's agreed to help."
"A reaper?" Alarm colored Arista’s voice. "I told you Ben, I want to save Megan’s life."
"I'm not here to kill your niece, ma'am," Tom said. "I am here to help capture the demon once he's been exorcised. I promise I will not harm her."
Arista let out a ragged breath but still regarded him with wariness. “How do I know you're telling the truth?"
"I have no reason to lie. I'm in another reaper’s territory at the moment. And I have not said hello yet. Let's just hope that he doesn't show up."
"Yes," Ben said. "That's the goal. Get in, get out and not draw attention from anyone. Especially not the local reaper. Nobody needs to die today."
"Except the demon," Daphne said. "Demons can die right, Tom?"
"Well, nothing really dies," Tom said. “But I will collect him and take him back to where he belongs."
"Sounds good to me," Ben said. "Everyone has their protection bags and wands ready?" A chorus of “yes” spread across the group. "Good. Let's do this.”
The four of them headed toward the house while Arista, Evangeline and Daphne stood on the front lawn, close to the cars. Charlie glanced over her shoulder and watched as the three women joined hands and began their invocation. She said a quick prayer to the goddess and hurried her pace to keep up with the others.
