The Psychic Next Door

[First Draft] Chapter 10: Pieces

The pieces of this overwhelming puzzle were starting to fall into place, I could almost make out what it was supposed to be... but there were still large, daunting chunks that had yet to be deciphered. The elation of new information mingled with the fear of the mysterious woman's verdict: cursed. I was cursed.

That somehow made my predicament all the worse. I was more lost than ever. It seemed with every answer, there were a thousand more questions, until I felt like was drowning in them.

However this information seemed to have the opposite effect on Polly, giving her purpose and direction. The news cemented Polly's conviction that Luc was behind it. After all, curses weren't random, someone had to cast them on someone else. And I was that someone else, unfortunately.

I wasn't so sure how much I trusted the idea of spells and curses. My logical side still fought this new information, the further I got into this new world. Sure, I could believe in transparent monsters that attack unseen and come and go as easily as fog... but spells? Somehow that was still beyond me, and I couldn't completely trust that the contents of the book would help.

But Polly was dead set on putting this book to use.

"Couldn't hurt to try something, right?" she reasoned with me. It was almost funny how quickly she had settled into this world of magic and paranormal. Once she had accepted that the creature that was tormenting us was a reality, everything else just followed suit. A book of spells seemed perfectly logical to her, and she was delighted by finding one that could help us.

I couldn't object against that; though I was still skeptical about the spell book, I was also tired of doing nothing. I didn't want to wait around for the Beast, fearing every corner I turned that I would face it again. I hated living in this constant, suffocating fear.

The spells in the book fit the descriptor on the front; they were all of the protective nature. Blessing a room or house, protective amulets, potions, protection in dreams... spells for things I didn't even know you would need protection for. This book had them all, collected together, lining the pages in delicate and tiny handwritten script. The book was handmade and pages were yellowed with age, but they felt resilient. I wondered if this book had a protective spell of its own.

Of all the selection the book offered, the one that interested Polly the most was the Binding Spell. The spell, according to the book, was to protect yourself from a person who meant you harm. If they were using magic against you, you could use the incantation and it would sap them of their powers in all matters involving you.

It was miraculous-even suspicious-that it was this easy. The book had literally fallen into our hands, containing a spell was exactly what we needed and-at a quick glance-it seemed simple enough. Too simple. But what else was there to do?

I fought against my nagging logic, the tiny whisper that doubted it all. I needed this to work, there weren't any other options. But the doubt still dug at my resolve, hissing its suspicions. Even if this book was genuine, would something so simple be able to stop something so strong?

"So what do we have to do?" I asked. We stood in the aisle of a store a few doors down from our hotel. We decided to start on this right away; there was no sense in waiting.

Polly scanned her surroundings as she pulled the book out of her purse. Since finding it, she had been careful to keep it on her person at all times, protecting it. Even though I didn't quite believe it would work, I also feared the idea of losing it, so I didn't judge her paranoia.

She had the page in question dog eared for quick reference, and after flipping it open, she scanned the description. She traced the ingredients with her finger as she read aloud.