WICKED { #Wattys2016 }

Chapter Ten: The Circle

Indigo and Nina stood up at the same time, "I'll stay." They said eagerly, one after the other like siamese twins, before glaring at each other.

Matthew and Carly got up and left quietly, and so did a handful of other people. Kyle got up too, and walked over to where Cordelia, Kendra, and Ethan were seated, "I'm gonna go home, you guys coming?" He asked in a whisper.

Ethan shook his head no. Cordelia said softly, "I think i'm going to stay for awhile." Kyle looked like he was going to protest, but kept his mouth shut.

"Kendra?"

"I came with Cordie. I'll go home with her." She answered, smiling apologetically.

Kyle nodded and disapeared into the woods, muttering.

Vanessa followed suit, she wanted to stay but she had a curfew she explained. Anyone who knew Vanessa's religious parents however knew that, she was probably uncomfortable with this.

Cordelia cast a look at Cal as people left. He was sitting with his knees bent, his elbows resting on them. There seemed to be no tension in his body. He just watched.

Indigo, Nina, Ethan, Kendra, Tiana, Nathan Brown, Alex Sherman, and Marisa Ziegler stayed, so of course Marisa's younger sister Madeline stayed. Jade Gorman hesitated but stayed, so did Wyatt Payne, and Drew Silva.

There were thirteen people left when everyone else had left.

"Cool," Cal said, standing and clapping his hands together. "Thanks for staying. Let's get started."

He proceded to grab a stick and draw a large perfect circle in the ground, around the fine. He ushered everyone inside before closing the circle as if he were shutting a door.

Kendra and Cordelia exchanged a look and a tentative smile.

"Okay now, let's join hands," Cal said, holding out his hands.

A wave of shyness rolled over Cordelia as she realised she was closest to his right hand. He reached for her hand and held it. Indigo was on Cal's other side, and took his hand firmly. Kendra was on Cordelia's left, and holding Kendra's right hand was Ethan.

Cal lifted her hand, and their arms were raised to the narrow patch of clear sky above them. The others followed suit.

And then Cal started to...chant. Not only that, but he was chanting in another language. One Cordelia didn't recognise. She had never heard anything like it. It was completely foreign, and sounded ancient.

Slowly but surely, the rest of them caught on and started chanting with him, at first softly and timidly, but slowly gaining more confidence till they were all but shouting.

Cal's hand was rough and strong, gripping hers as hard as possible without hurting her. She wondered whether her hand was limp and clammy in return.

Cal's body gently pushed her counter-clockwise and a few seconds later they were all doing a wiccan version of ring-around-a-rosy.

It felt less weird after a couple of minutes, and soon Cordelia felt oddly exhilarated, practically running in a circle, holding hands under the moon. Kendra looked happy and alive.

A while later, it could've been minutes or hours, Cordelia noticed she was starting to feel dizzy and strange.

Cal suddenly said, "Indie? What would you banish if you could?"

Indigo smiled before gleefully calling, "I banish small minds!"

"Nina?" Cal asked as they moved in their circle.