THE ONE WHERE THEY ALMOST DID IT
The creepy doll stared at me so I had no choice but to stare right back at her.
Cassie was looking around at random objects, clutching to her bag as if the first person to walk by would run away with it and Faye was caressing some knives by the creepy scorpion somewhere over there.
I hadn't realized Cassie had taken Faye's place until the brunette came out with a sort of feathery tiara on her head and-
''Oh my god! Faye!'' She turned to me and put both of her hands on each of her collar bones, biting her lip slightly on the way.
''What do you think?''
The necklace was large enough so that it covered her whole chest but left very little to the imagination about down below and her back.
''Those are ancient artifacts,'' Cassie's agape mouth formed a sentence, ''they're not a... costume.''
Faye spread her arms and pointed to the necklace that stood just about her belly button.
''Whatever. I'm a sexy witch doctor.''
''Take it off. We shouldn't be attracting attention to ourselves.''
Cassie clutched her bag tighter and strode to the next bunch of artifacts, leaving us girls to go back to her creepy knives in another aisle.
Faye waited until she was around a table before turning fully to me.
''So, do we have a positive vote?''
She inquired and put her hands on the necklace as she smirked down at it but her lopsided smile couldn't have fooled me or anyone else for that matter.
She knew I was still mad at her over Nick's wake and I had done my best to avoid her so far, doing amazing at school and showing up early -because she was always late- at the abandoned house.
''It's nice.'' I could have added that Cassie was right but it would have got a reaction out of Faye and then this reaction would have turned into a conversation and I definitely didn't want that to happen.
I turned and walked around and toward new artifacts, as far away from her as I could.
She huffed but strode over to Cassie and started making conversation with her instead as they walked through the store.
I did the same but in the opposite direction and just as I looked back around, I caught sight of a pedestal a little farther aside from the others, one that the sun seemed to be shining on significantly brighter.
Inside the glass were different artifacts, all of which were scattered around in a circle, as if trapping the very artifact in the middle.
This one, unlike the others, was propped up on a tiny pedestal of red velvet, way too big for what it was.
I studied it closer and surely, under the object was a squared paper with the exact description of it.
LeBlanc family's ring
This artifact belonged to the LeBlanc family from the early thirteenth century to the seventeenth century.
The legend has it that this ring was made by the Devil himself and offered to the early centuries' wealthy family as a gift in exchange of their souls.
After the fire that killed eight of the nine members of the LeBlanc family in 1689, the only survivor, Josephine LeBlanc was convicted of witchcraft and burnt at the stake on the public place on May, 3rd, 1691.
Since then, all the owners of the ring have constantly complained that it was talking or even go as far as to say that it screamed the way Josephine had when she was executed... will you be brave enough to bear the Curse of Josephine?
I paid much less attention to the last sentence than the others above and looked back at the ring cautiously.
If it were true, that meant that it had belonged to a family of witches.
Could it be some sort of an enchanted artifact?
In a pawn shop?
Well, if there was one thing that pawn stars had taught me, it was that you could find the weirdest stuff in this kind of shops.
''Technically, it's an antique shop.''
I nearly fell over the glass at the voice that boomed behind me.
I wondered if I'd spoken aloud but I turned around to see none other than Calvin Wilson, the owner.
''Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you.''
He apologized but I shook my head and put a hand to my still fast beating heart.
''No worries. I was daydreaming.''
He smiled and turned his eyes to the pedestal but I was more surprised that he'd decided to hop off his counter and back into the real world.
''Damn. I don't even know why it's here,'' he took two steps forward and went behind the pedestal, fishing keys in his pocket. ''It's supposed to be out back. Nadine forgot. Don't worry, I'll get this fi-''
''Hm, actually... can I buy it?''
Calvin's head snapped up when I cut him off -even though I was as surprised as him- and I was worried I'd said something bad.
''Unless, it's not up for sale?''
''It is.'' His arm had stopped in the middle of opening the glass door and the keychain dangled from his hand.
''Wow, okay. I guess it's no use asking for different colors, right?''
He didn't get my joke and only kept on staring at my face, doing so for a few minutes.
At last, he cracked a smile.
''No, no, sorry.'' He put the key in but the lock seemed to be jammed. ''Oh, look at that,'' the keychain fell from his hands and onto the floor, ''Minor problem. Just go to the counter, I'll meet you there.''
I nodded and cast another quick glance at the ring before walking away toward the register.
Cassie was already there, a plastic skeleton in hand.
''Found anything?''
''Just an old ring. My mom's crazy about old things and her birthday's coming up next week.''
I pointed to the skeleton, ''You did too?''
''Yep,'' she held up the skeleton by it's skull, ''Faye's making me buy it.''
I nodded and fished my wallet, ''I got it.''
Cassie smiled and held the thing away from her. ''Thanks,''
She opened her mouth and her eyes roamed around the ground, proof that she was wondering what to say until she looked back up to me.
''Are you guys okay? I mean you and Faye. What's the deal?''
I looked to her and checked the price tag on a rib of the skeleton. ''She can be bitchy.''
Cassie nodded and pursed her lips ''I can definitely relate. And, if you need anyone to talk to-''
''You're here. You and the others, I mean.''
She smiled and nodded just as Calvin came back behind the counter, the ring in hand.
''Together?''
He asked and I nodded and looked for my credit card.
''Is everything okay?''
''Yes but I can't seem to find my card. Hold on I got ca-''
''It's fine, I got it.'' Cassie had already put her own card down on the counter and my hand felt limp at my sides.
''I'm sorry, I suck,'' She laughed if off and Calvin took her card and did the trick.
''It's what friends do for each other.''
''Blake?'' Calvin brought the card closer to his eyes and let his fingers run on the printed letters, ''Any relation to Amelia Blake?''
Cassie smiled sadly as her gaze lost itself on the plastic skeleton, ''She was my mother.''
His face scrunched up a little and something moved in his throat. But that was definitely not a reaction that I expected from Calvin.
''Oh.''
Oh?
He handed Cassie back her card and as she took it, their hands brushed against each other and a mirror split behind the counter as he turned to it and back to us.
Shit.
☾
''Just a surge, then?''
''My grandma seems to think like it.'' Cassie turned around with a witch hat on her head.
''Nice.''
''At least she put in some effort.'' Diana wrapped the boa farther up her neck and continued to unload the groceries.
We'd come in early, ditching Faye on the way and we were now setting up the decorations at Cassie's house for the Halloween party.
''I'm excited for tonight. Thanks for coming over to help set up.''
I took a few items that Diana had dropped on the counter.
What is this monstrosity?
''No problem. I love Halloween, Ivy's here for the punch,''
''Fair.'' I nodded and picked at the fake spider as Diana went on.
''And I could use the distraction.''
''Have you and Adam talked at all since the wake?''
I looked down at the decoration I was unpacking;
Oh! Look at that, two for the price of one!
''No,'' Diana looked down and took the fake snakes from my hands. I barked at her and she narrowed her eyes into slits, much like the snakes.
''We should get help somehow.'' Cassie moved over to a cabinet and checked what was inside.
''I don't even want to talk about it. I shouldn't have brought it up.''
''It's fine, D.'' I assured and reached out in the paper bag.
''Of course. Sorry.''
''Can we move on to less depressing things?'' I took a seat at the stool just beside Diana and fidgeted with the boa around her neck.
''Sure. Ivy, what's the deal between you and Faye?'' Her smile was back on her face as she turned to me with glee.
''I wouldn't hit that, if that's your question.''
Both the girls rolled her eyes in my direction but the brunette added a dramatic sigh overall.
''It wasn't. You know what I mean. We've all noticed how closed off you've been since Nick's wake. You're avoiding her.''
''No,'' I picked at her boa, ''but I need to cool off. Her antiques are really going to be the death of me someday.''
Diana scoffed and dropped the paper back, ''If demons aren't.''
First Halloween without Nick.
I hadn't quite gotten over his death just yet but I'd taken back the picture I'd given for the wake and surely needed time before I could separate from it.
''To be fair,'' Diana noticed the somber aura around and lightened it up, ''considering how fast you don't run, it'd be just natural selection at this point.''
Cassie choked on a laugh and rummaged for plastic bags in the cabinet, while I tightened my hold on a stray feather.
''You do know that I just have to pull a little bit more and...'' My eyebrows danced together, ''Broken neck! Totally Halloween style.''
''And you do know,'' she took the boa out of my hands, ''that I am a very powerful witch.''
Ha! You don't say!
Both my hands came on the left side of my chest as I feigned shock.
''Oh my god! You never told me that.''
Her lips formed a smirk just as Faye entered the room, a bunch of pillows in each hand.
Although, once she was closer, I noticed that not only was Melissa with her but that they weren't pillows.
''What is that?'' Diana dropped everything that she was doing.
''Uh... a zombie?'' Faye Chamberlain holding a zombie bridal style.
Somehow I'd always pictured it the other way around.
They kept talking and I took Diana's place, unloading groceries.
''What do you think, Ivy?'' I looked up to see Faye, a hand on each shoulder of the zombie -which had been put down to sit on a chair- and much as it was, staring directly at me.
I barely even cast her a look as I answered with a simple 'nice.'
''Are you going to answer that to every question that I ask?'' I ignored her and took two more boas out of the bag, just when someone else gasped in the room.
''Oh my god!'' Cassie suddenly ran to us, a piece of cut off wood in her hands.
''This is part of the blade that girl used to attack me. It must have broken off.''
Diana flipped it over and looked to the pattern on the other side of it as we all circled up around her and the newfound treasure in her hand.
''That's the crescent moon symbol she burned in the ground.''
''Please, tell me they're not a secret society of killers who see themselves as messiahs.'' I groaned and held back a small burp as Cassie squeezed the piece of wood in her hands.
''I may have an idea.''
☾
The doll kept bouncing back and forth as the chair swung as well and I couldn't help but stare at it.
I'd only come across Diana so far and she'd run the other way right when Adam had come in.
I wasn't in the mood to party so all I'd done tonight was straight up only roaming around the hallways, looking at family pictures, even as people were dancing their asses off in the middle of the living room.
''Hey.''
I turned around, nearly knocking over my drink in the process as some guy called for attention. I eyed the deserted hallway and cast a glance to the first door on my left through which you could catch slight glimpses of partiers.
''Nice costume.'' I finally said, looking back to him eyeing the newcomer up and down, from his pig mask to the cape he had on.
''You're one to talk,'' he chuckled and I paid no mind to it and turned around, having already noticed that he was drunk.
His eyes granted me the same inspections that I did him and he took something out of his pocket.
''Witch. How original.''
''Wait what-'' but I couldn't finish because he'd already knocked over my drink and wrapped the cloth around my mouth.
It took less than five minutes tops before I stopped struggling all together and suddenly I could no longer feel so much as the floor beneath my feet. Everything else faded into oblivion.
☾
''You bleed just like us,'' The voice started faintly as my eyes blinked up a few times on their own.
''But you're not.''
My head throbbed and my eyes went up around and twitched even before I could open my lids.
The first think I saw was dark. Then, slithers of moonlight.
The first thing I felt was a sore throat and throbbing head, along with burning wrists.
I tried to bring them up front but they were tied tightly behind my back, tearing and pushing my shoulders back.
My hat was off and nowhere in sight and my heels were just killing feet.
''That's enough.'' Another voice boomed at the first one, ''Finish the cruid.''
What?
Cruid?
Steps echoed behind us, moving from Cassie over to me. As I looked around to my sides, I realized she and I weren't the only ones tied in this dark place. There were Melissa and Faye too.
But I could tell there were more people that were tied up to chairs but my sight didn't reach that far.
When I glanced back before me, there was a man that stood there. He had salt and pepper hair and a nice and clean straight suit on.
He stood tall, hovering above us all but harbored no expression as his gaze passed onto each and everyone of us.
Beside him, there was a table with four jugs filled with herbs and a crimson liquid that looked a lot like blood.
''Ow,'' something cut deep into my wrist and blood dripped from my arm onto something very soft by the sounds of it.
The footsteps moved away from me and the faint breath I'd felt on my neck disappeared as blood poured out of the gash and slid along my arm.
''What's going on?'' My neck snapped as far as it could to Cassie as she asked what I too longed to know.
''Witch hunters.'' Someone answered behind me and I almost broke my neck trying to turn to him.
''Adam?''
''Oh, God. Ivy's here, too?''
''You guys are facing away from each other.'' Diana's voice appeared, confirming my suspicions.
That meant the whole circle was here.
''Anyone else feeling really powerless right now?''
''Faye, for once in your life, shut up!''
Cassie struggled against the restraints on her wrists and I did the same to mine but to no avail. They were way too tight.
The man with grey hair looked to Cassie as he explained something about iron cuffs and then turned to me, still with the same expressionless face.
''To stop your powers.''
Damnit, there was something about iron in Diana's book of shadows and how, if used correctly, it could stop a witch from doing magic.
''We havn't done anything wrong!'' Cassie tried to reason with him.
''But you will,'' he shook his head stubbornly, obviously not that much bothered by the fact that he'd just kidnapped children.
''You don't even know us! How could you be so quick to burn us at the stake?'' I struggled further onto the ropes around my wrists but stopped once the rope cut into my skin, drawing even more blood.
My head snapped to Faye who seemed like she wanted to cry.
''Luke!'' Cassie called her ex-date, ''Please! Stop this. Tell them that we're not a threat.''
Luke was here too apparently, -and on the wrong side regarding our situation- but he didn't even miss a beat.
''You bound your circle, Cassie. You have no one to blame but yourselves.''
''We trusted you!'' Adam trusted you, more like it nevertheless Luke turned his chilly gaze to me.
''Just like the fly trusts the spider before falling into its web.''
''Oh, so at least you admit that you're the spider!''
He stayed calm, which seemed to piss me off even more, and started to talk about his childhood traumas.
''It's what my father did. And his father. You're not the only ones born into a legacy.'' He looked around the whole circle with a disgusted look. ''At least I can be proud of mine.''
''Killing people! Bet daddy gave you a medal!'' I sneered and glared daggers at the witch hunter that he was.
''That's enough.'' The leading man replied, oddly calm as he crossed the circle of us before leaving, ''Finish it.''
''Watch the witch,'' Luke started once I heard a door close behind me, ''but never trust it.''
''We could easily say the same about you!''
He ignored me and stepped closer to the table with what I imagined were the famous witch cruids.
''For its every thought is a sin and every word a lie.''
I heard something behind me, like a continuous cutting, but paid no mind to it, too busy that I was watching Luke stare at the cruids.
He picked up one randomly and walked to us.
''Luke,'' Adam's voice sounded behind me.
''Don't! Look, I'm your friend!''
''It's why I wanted to be the one to do this,'' he now stood in the middle of us so I couldn't see him anymore. ''I'm freeing you from a life of sin.''
''A friendship bracelet would have worked, just fine. Nutjob!''
I heard footsteps step closer to my back as Diana and Melissa pleaded for their lives.
''Ivy,'' Luke now stood directly behind me.
''Ivy Celestin and her capacity for empathy. I was bullied in seventh grade, remember? Tyron picked on me because I spent my time quoting Hemingway. One day, you told him to go off and he never bothered me again.''
His breath sent shivers down my spine but not the kind that I liked.
''You've always been kind to me, Ivy. And today, I intend to return you the favor.''
I squeezed my eyes shut and let the tears flow freely, mixing with the sweat and snot already present on my face.
I'm so sorry, mom.
''You have a good heart. But it's not enough to keep you from your true nature. I'm sorry.''
Something scratched onto something else behind me and a light appeared. He'd lit up the match.
Oh, God.
''It's Okay. You'll meet your dad.''
But before anything else was heard from Luke, Cassie let out a huge scream.
A sound that sounded like glass shattering was heard and Luke screamed out.
He dropped something and went to look for another witch cruid.
But, I was still alive?
I felt alive.
He lit up another match and went to stand behind Cassie in my stead.
She screamed again and I thought about it for just a second.
Luke let out an ear shrinking scream.
The room was suddenly a lot brighter and I could turn my head just enough to see Luke, lighting up like a torch.
Once Luke's burnt body was on the ground, Adam somehow broke out of the rope and went to untie Diana who then went to untie Faye and Melissa.
The second Faye had taken off my ties, I'd thrown myself into her arms, choking on my own crying.
''It's okay. It's okay.''
She kept repeating the same three words and patting my back while squeezing me against her like there was no tomorrow.
The whole circle came around us and hugged me right before we all moved out of the house and onto a secluded part of the dock.
''Are we in a fishing village?'' My voice was still cracking at bits but at least my throat didn't feel so sore anymore.
''Somewhere by, apparently.'' Adam took Diana's and I's hands as we only then noticed the guy on the floor.
Adam ran toward him, letting go of our hands as he arose from the ground with a groan.
It was Jake.
☾
Turned out, Jake had been jumped by the witch hunters too but had struggled enough until he was rendered unconscious on the ground. We'd gone back together at Cassie's house and I'd asked her if she'd like me to stay and clean up the mess of the party with her but she'd urged me to go home and honestly, I hadn't pushed it too far.
After the day I'd had, almost dying and all that, I just wanted a bed and my mom.
The second she opened the door, probably wanting to catch me skipping my curfew, I engulfed her into a hug, efficiently catching her by surprise.
''Hi, sweetie. Have you seen the ti-''
''I love you, mom,'' I tightened my hold, so much that I almost crushed her, ''So much.''
''Well, I love you too, honey.'' She broke apart and studied my face under the moonlight.
''Oh, my god! Ivy, are you okay?'' The tear stained cheeks and my hair all over the place probably answered that alright.
Her eyes wandered and searched my face for one more second and she reached out and wiped my cheek with her thumb, hurrying me into the house.
☾
''Honey?'' Mom knocked on the door and I put the book away swiftly.
''If this is about another batch of cookies, I swear I'm going to-'' I looked up, my words dying on my lips instantly as I caught sight of a brown head behind mom.
''Faye?''
''Your friend dropped by to see you,'' mom made a dramatic pause and looked pointedly at me, gauging my reaction.
She stepped aside as Faye strode into the room, and held the doorknob tightly.
''I'll let your girls talk. Faye?''
''Yes?''
''Would you like anything to eat? Drink? I've just baked some amazing cookies, no matter what Ivy tells you.''
I rolled my eyes and shook my head as mom grinned at Faye.
The brunette shook her head too and adjusted her bag on her shoulder, flipping her hair on the way.
''I'm good, thanks Mrs. Celestin.''
''Let me know if you need anything.'' She closed the door on her way out and Faye finally turned to me.
''Did she call you?''
Faye dropped her bag on my bed and looked around.
''I actually came by myself. After the night you had... how are you?''
I shrugged and placed the book I'd been reading back on my knees.
''As fine as I can be after almost getting killed,'' I made a short pause as her eyes roamed around even more, ''You know, I really thought he was going to do it.''
''So did I.'' She sighed as our eyes met and looked back down again before plopping down on the bed.
''Look,'' she sat down on the bed, facing me, ''I know we're not the best of friends right now, but, for what it's worth, I'm sorry.''
My eyes met the floor and back the book but didn't read anything new as she went on.
''I mean, really. I was being a bitch to you and even though that's normal Faye behavior I-''
''I'm sorry, too.''
Her head tilted to the side and she readjusted her crossed legs beneath her as I cut her off.
''You are?''
''Yes,'' I assured, ''You were wasted and even if there are half the things I don't understand about you,''
''Worst apology ever.''
''We can't beat each other up. We're a circle. A coven.''
I reached out for her hand, the other still holding my book on my lap, ''I'm sorry that I snapped at you and avoided you and pushed you away. You didn't deserve that. I was on edge and-''
''It was my fault, Ivy.''
I took my hand back so suddenly that I'd have thought she'd had burned me.
''It was?''
''Yeah,'' her gaze met her lap too and she started picking at her nails, ''After you left, Melissa explained some things. Some things that I definitely hadn't understood before. I realize that not everything is always about me. I'm sorry.''
I nodded and put the book on my bedside table.
''Tell you what,'' I pointed to her hand on her lap and she stopped the picking.
''You promise to look at the whole perspective before judging and I promise to-''
''Be less of a pain in my ass?''
''That,'' I nodded slightly and we both reached over -I with no particular emotion but I could see that she did it cautiously- and linked our pinkies together.
''We need to give Cassie the whole attention she deserves anyway.'' Faye leaned back and took the book on the bedside table, flipping through the pages without a care in the world as she leaned back against the end of my bed.
''Speaking of which, did you see what happened?''
''What do you mean?''
''Well that old guy back there said we couldn't do magic and then she just screamed and Luke went up in flames?'' Faye wondered and she seemed to think for a moment as her eyes turned upwards.
''Maybe he was wrong. Maybe our energies connected together and we all did magic without noticing it.'' I theorized and Faye hummed for a moment, rather unconvincingly but I shrugged.
''How is she holding up anyway?'' I continued, changing the subject right away.
Faye cast me a brief glance up from the book.
''She's doing fine. Dropped by her place, earlier,''
Oh, would bitchy Faye have feelings after all?
''Don't get any ideas,'' She slapped me lightly on the arm with the book and rolled her eyes.
''I just happened to have lost my bag there.''
Oh, right, the one I'd slipped under the bed the night Heather had died. Sorry.
I nodded and my eyes wandered to it farther away on the bed.
''Faye?''
She hummed and licked her finger, flipping the page over with it.
''The other day at Cassie's, I tripped over your bag and accidentally saw a picture.''
Faye immediately stopped reading and turned her whole attention to me.
''There was my mom in it. And your mom and -''
''Your dad,''
''Yeah,''
She nodded and put the book down, leaning further to me.
''Hudson Fields, months after we were born.''
''I didn't know you were that sentimental.''
''I'm not.'' She reached over and fished something from her bag, ''It's just a nice picture. You look so tiny.''
''We were babies.''
The piece of paper was a little crumbled and a white line in the middle showed it had been folded since last time I'd seen it but otherwise it was just as beautiful.
''You were so tiny.'' She repeated and smiled at the babies.
''Says you. Is that a bit of drool on your face?'' I pointed to her cheek and she slapped my arm lightly.
''Okay, give that back.''
I laughed and put it in the middle of us on the comforter and turned to Faye.
''You're not the only one who's got this thing about memories.''
''Now, who said-'' she started but didn't get a chance to finish because I'd already reached over and taken the picture out of my drawer.
''Is that-''
''Our day in Hudson Fields with Nick. Although I guess it's more Slushee Throwing day for you.''
She picked up the picture and analyzed it all with her eyes.
''You really pissed me off that day.''
''I was eight!''
''Well, so was I!''
Not fair, Faye.
She stared a little longer at the dress I was wearing on that day and the wet stain the slushee had left on my clad stomach before dropping it back on the bed and shrugging at me.
''Well, I am most definitely not sorry about that.''