Feeding Frenzy (Watty Award Winner)

A New Kind of Magic: Chapter Fifty

Tonya awoke in a strange room. Through faded curtains early morning light revealed a cheap white dresser. She was lying in an iron bed layered with chipped paint. She tried to stand but her head went woozy. She slipped her legs over the side of the bed and sat up. At her feet lay a backpack with clothes spilling out of it. Where was she?

Tonya went to the tiny window and slid it open. She inhaled the cool scent of pine. Chickadees trilled in the trees. This forest could be near Loon Lake or somewhere up north.

"Don't tell me what I can do!" The sound of arguing came through the flimsy wall. Tonya dragged her feet to the door, opened it a crack and peeked out. The modest bedroom gave directly onto a narrow kitchen/ living room where Mom and Dad were arguing with Aunt Helene.

Her parents were back from Australia! Tonya slipped into the room but her relatives were so intent on their conflict that nobody noticed.

"We can't trust you." Dad was trembling, his fists and long arms tanned.

Mom was round and dark, the opposite of her gaunt, white-haired sister. "If your enchantment didn't lift when Waldock almost killed you, we'd still be clueless in Australia. Tell me again why I should trust you with my kid." Mom's arms were crossed in front of her, a position Tonya recognized from being told off.

Aunt Helene turned her palms up in supplication. "Please..." She took a step toward her sister who backed away.

"I couldn't do it without her."

"At what cost?" Dad paced the room gesticulating broadly. "She'll be banished as soon as she's fit to stand trial."

"Let me take the blame," Aunt Helene pleaded. "Don't underestimate the gratitude of our faction."

"Our faction! You have some nerve pretending to be on our side."

"Hello." Tonya's voice came out soft and phlegmy.

All heads turned in her direction.

"Tonya!" Mom rushed to embrace her first but it turned into a four-way family hug.

When they let go Dad said: "Let's get out of here."

"Are you hungry?" asked Aunt Helene.

"We'll be taking care of her from now on." Dad glared at her Aunt.

He took Tonya by the elbow but she wasn't ready to go just yet. "Wait."

Her Aunt beamed at her. "I knew you'd pull through. You're a very strong young woman."

Tonya noticed Aunt Helene had more colour in her face, and her hair was drawn back in a tidy ponytail. Perhaps it was the low lighting but Tonya thought she looked younger too, her face less wrinkled.

"You're cured!" She hugged her Aunt.

"When we overcame Waldock, I sent his poison back into him."

"And now it's over. I have my Baby back and she's safe." Dad held a hand out to Tonya. "We're taking you to Toronto."

"You always wanted to go to university there," said Mom. "Now you can."

Tonya once yearned to go to school in the city. "I thought you wanted me to stay close to home."

"Dad found a job in Toronto. We've moved there to stay."

"Why don't you tell her the real reason you want her to run away?" Aunt Helene said.

"You," said Dad. "Maybe you meant well, but Tonya isn't safe here anymore."

"It won't prevent a trial." Aunt Helene sighed. "Running will just make her look guilty."