Beyond the Wicked Willow: Chronicles of a Teenage Witchslayer

WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT

Still gazing at the very same curls of smoke rising from the candle she had just recently snuffed out, Mala sat quietly at the old wooden table within her fortune-telling tent. It was as if hardly any time at all had passed since she had sent Frankie and the others on their travels into the past. With a gentle breath, she dispersed the lingering smoke and leaned back in her chair to relax. To her surprise, the rest was over before it had even begun. With an eye-opening spark, the candle flickered back to life just as it had done earlier when Frankie took his seat at the table across from her. Mala straightened up in her chair and peered at the flame.

"Curious. I do hope my enchantment took," said Mala a bit concerned.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed a shimmering glow begin to emanate from her crystal ball. Mala leaned in closely and studied the crystal carefully.

"Could it be?" she said quietly.

Just then, five intertwined filaments of ethereal vapor streamed from the ball. The vapor pulsed and swirled with all the colors and dazzle of the northern lights as the five tendrils unbraided, touched the ground, and transformed. Left standing before Mala was Frankie, Beef, Bookworm, Sam, and, yes, Tsura, too.

Tsura gazed at the others in wonder. "Where are we?" she asked, saucer-eyed.

Examining themselves, and each other, after their mind-boggling disintegration, teleportation, and subsequent reintegration, none of them had yet noticed Mala sitting quietly behind her table observing them in awe with a wide joyous grin on her face. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"My dear, dear, Tsura," she said overflowing with emotion as she tottered to her feet with the aid of her cane.

Startled, Tsura looked to Mala. She stared at her puzzled, wondering how the old woman knew her name. Slowly, Mala made her way toward Tsura until she was standing right before her. With a loving gaze, she looked Tsura over, "You have not changed a bit."

"I don't want to be rude, but do I know you?" asked Tsura.

"You do not recognize me?" asked Mala teasingly.

Tsura scanned the tent, taking note of the crystal ball, the tarot cards, and the décor. "You are a drabarni," said Tsura, which, among other things, meant fortuneteller in Romani, the language of the great Gypsies.

"Yes," said Mala, "and you are the Vadni Ratsa," she said with a mischievous grin.

Vadni Ratsa was the wild goose of Romani legend and the name Mala used to call Tsura to tease her. Tsura's eyes widened, as a wave of wonder bowled her over.

"Only one person has ever called me that," she exclaimed.

Mala gave Tsura an impishly sly glance, "Are you going to tell Father on me?" she said coyly.

The grin that blossomed upon Tsura's face seemed to light up the dim tent like a beacon. Tsura reached out and gently laid a hand upon Mala's aged cheek, "Mala, my dear twin sister, how I've missed you."

"I never lost hope, Tsura. Your love kept me alive and gave me purpose in life," said Mala, misty-eyed.

A bit teary-eyed themselves, Frankie, Beef, Bookworm, and Sam looked on in silence, aside from a few sniffles that is.

"It was your love that kept me alive, and gave me hope and purpose to survive, Mala."

Tsura embraced her aged sister and kissed her on the cheek and Mala kissed her back.

"Are you ready to return home, Sister? Reunite with Father?" asked Mala.

"I cannot wait!" beamed Tsura.