Witchcraft, page 4
I smiled. That was great news. “That’s awesome! We’ve already made some great progress on this case and now we’ll be able to get even further.”
David’s smile faltered a little. “Well, you guys have made great progress. I’ve just been riding on your coattails.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re just too hard on yourself.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I just don’t want to miss my shot. All of the best job opportunities are going to go to members of this task force and I don’t want to be the one considered the ‘wrong decision’ on Professor Nelson’s part.”
I let out an exaggerated sigh and hit him with a pillow. “Oh, perfect David. Whatever will we do if he is not the first one to crack the case?”
He grabbed the pillow from me and gave me a gentle whack back. “At least now I’m starting to recognize Madison again. You really scared me today, you know.”
I gave him a weak smile. “I know. I’m sorry. I guess you aren’t the only one who the pressure is getting to. What do you say I get dressed really quick and we go grab a burger before we dig into that Cloud account?”
He laughed. “Okay. But only if you buy. Last time I offered to buy burgers you killed me with those toppings.”
I shrugged. “Hey, a girl has to have her cheddar, swiss, avocado, bacon, jalapeno…”
Before I could finish, David groaned and headed into the living room to wait for me.
Fourteen
Once I was dressed and ready, we decided to walk to the nearest burger place. I thought the cool evening breeze might help wake me up and focus my mind. It was a fun place that allowed you to order your burger and then build it yourself from the bar of toppings. As much as David liked to tease me, I was a girl who liked my food and I really loved a burger with an assortment of toppings so it was perfect for me. Plus I was starving from not having eaten all day and I could have eaten three burger baskets on my own.
After building our burgers, we grabbed a tall table with dual stools. David had already grabbed his soda from the fountain when we got our food but I had been worried about having a free hand for taking full advantage of the toppings bar. I left my burger and fries with David while I took my cup back to the fountain to get something to drink.
I clearly was still sleepy from my earlier endeavour because I forgot to put ice in my cup before filling it up to the top with Dr. Pepper. I looked at it for a moment while debating pouring it out into the spill basin and starting over with ice but I hated to be that annoying person. I decided I could just deal with it but I really did wish I had put ice in it first. I was really craving a cold Dr. Pepper to go along with my burger.
At first I thought it was just my imagination getting the best of me but it looked like my cup was starting to frost over. It was almost as if there was a chill going into my beverage from my hand, as if my power of mental suggestion had been enough to make it happen. I looked around nervously to see if anyone else noticed what was happening but the entire restaurant was chatting and laughing, completely oblivious that my normal plastic cup had turned into a self chilling machine when I touched it. I tentatively took a sip and it tasted like ice cold Dr. Pepper.
I switched my cup to my other hand and looked at the offending hand that had worked its magic on the Dr. Pepper. To my relief, it looked just like my normal hand. I had been afraid I would magically change into a character from Frozen or would have frostbite on it. To be honest, I had been even more afraid that it would be somehow tattooed with the word “witch” on it and everyone would know what had happened. But it seemed like I was the only one who had any idea that something was up.
I made my way back to the table and David gave me a glance. “You get lost on the way to soda machine or something, Madison?”
So David had noticed that I was gone a while. I laughed. “No but I was dumb enough to not pay attention and put orange soda in first without realizing it so I had to drink it down before refilling with the good stuff.”
I was getting a little nervous about how easy it was becoming to lie to David. He had been the closest thing I had to family for a long time and I didn’t want to push him away through all of this. At the same time, it wasn’t like I could tell him that I was communicating with beautiful blondes in my dreams who were starting to convince me that I might be a witch. He would think I was losing it and insist that I see someone. Maybe I am losing it. Either way, I need to figure out how what I think about all of this before I bring anyone else in.
We both finished up our burgers and I finished up both of our fries before we started to walk back to my apartment. The night air was even colder than when we had left and I pulled my jacket a little tighter.
David put his arm around me and pulled me towards him. “Keep me warm, Madison. I think I’m going to freeze to death before we reach your apartment.”
I laughed it off but I was a little surprised. David had always been just a friend and he had never touched me in that way before. To be honest, I had always had a suspicion that David might even be gay. But there was something about the way he had playfully held me on the rest of the walk that made me feel like he didn’t mean it as just a friend.
Fifteen
David followed me into the apartment. The warmth was a nice change from the outside air and we both shrugged off our jackets and tossed them onto the chair in the living room. I glanced at him and caught him smiling at me. I told myself it was just because he was anxious to get started looking at Jane’s Cloud data.
I looked at the kitchen and then looked back at him. “I’m going to turn on the Keurig and make myself some tea before we get started. Would you like some?”
David wrinkled his nose. “I’ll take some coffee instead.”
I nodded. “You’ve got it.”
I headed into the kitchen and turned on the machine. For a moment, I resented the latest technology for the simple fact that it no longer took a lengthy amount of time to prepare a hot beverage. Once the machine was on, it took just a few quick movements to make a perfect cup of coffee followed by a delicious cup of gourmet tea.
Before the days of instant gratification, it would have taken me some time to put on a tea kettle and start an old coffee machine. This would have given me some time alone in the kitchen to try to figure out how I felt about the weird moment outside with David. In my mind, there had always been a clear line of friendship between us. This was the first hint of any kind that there could be differing feelings on either side of the equation.
I looked down at the steaming cups in front of me. If I stalled any longer, they would quickly turn cold. I prepared David’s coffee exactly how he liked it without even thinking. By pure instinct, I pulled the coconut milk out that I kept in the fridge just for him and add two tablespoons and one packet of raw sugar before mixing it all together.
I carried the mugs back into the living room and found David sitting on the floor in front of my coffee table with both of our laptops lit up and ready to go. I placed his mug down next to him before taking my seat next to him. I silently found the email with my log in to the Cloud account and quickly got in so that I could get myself oriented. Staying on task would be a great distraction from my David issue.
David took a drink from his mug. “Perfect. Thank you.” He put the mug back down next to his laptop. “I have a feeling a lot of these emails and texts will be basic run of the mill type correspondence. But it will also give us a good idea of Jane and how she communicated with people.”
I nodded. “Good point. If we have a good feel for how she usually phrases things and who she usually would talk to, then we might be able to notice a pattern indicating stress or conflict.”
David smiled. “Exactly. I think the other task force members plan to skim through to try to find only things that would indicate possible suspects but I really think that tactic would make for a missed opportunity.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I told you that you just needed to relax to hit your stride. This is a genius plan and one that is going to pay of ten, twenty-fold. This is the kind of thing that is going to have the CIA, the FBI, AND everyone else going to war over you!”
David blushed. “Well, I just don’t want to miss anything.” He turned back to his computer and a series of text messages popped open on his screen, capturing his attention.
Something had definitely shifted between us. I couldn’t remember the last time, or anytime for that matter, that I had seen David blush. A big part of me wanted to sigh out loud and just release these uncomfortable feelings but that would just draw even more unwanted attention to the situation. Instead, I opened up my own string of Jane’s text messages and got to work.
Sixteen
Jane: Hey! How’s it going?
(878) 383-2463: Good. How’s work?
Jane: So good. I’m loving the kids I teach. I want to keep them all forever! LOL!
(878) 383-2463: Aww! You are such a good teacher! Are we on for drinks tonight?
Jane: Let’s do it! Meet at my place at 7P?
(878) 383-2463: Perfect! C U then!
___________________
(878) 383-2463: OMG! Last night was so much fun! But I have a killer hangover!
Jane: Haha! That’s because you were drinking tequila! I’m glad I stuck to wine!
(878) 383-2463: Worth it! That guy you met was HOT! Did you get his number?
Jane: No. I was too scared to. But he was pretty cute.
(878) 383-2463: I can’t believe you let him get away. You do know you aren’t Amish, rite?
Jane: Very funny! Gtg teach now!
___________________
(878) 445-8790: Hi. Is this Jane?
Jane: Um… yeah. Who is this?
(878) 445-8790: Oh, good! Hey! This is Kyle. We met at the bar last night. Ur friend Casey gave me ur #.
Jane: OMG! I’m going to kill her. Haha! Hi….
Kyle: Please don’t commit a felony on my account. It’s my own fault for not having the guts to ask for myself.
Jane: Still, she should know better. It’s girl code. LOL!
Kyle: Let me make it up to you. Dinner tomorrow night? We can even meet there if you feel safer but it’s my treat.
Jane: Well, I can’t argue with that. Deal.
___________________
Jane: Oh, you are sooooo dead!
Casey: Why? What happened? Did someone tall, dark, and hot text you or something?
Jane: Maybe. And maybe asked me out for tomorrow night!!!!
Casey: Jane Phillips, if you didn’t say yes, I’m going on your behalf!!!!!
Jane: Casey Hampton, you bet your butt I said yes!
___________________
I sat up and stretched. “Okay. It was easy to identify Jane’s number since the Apple store gave us that info beforehand but this is harder than I thought. So far I found the number of a friend, Casey, and a guy that she was seeing, Kyle. I’m guessing that she kept seeing him because the number seems to keep popping up.”
David nodded as he looked over to my screen. “Yeah, both of those numbers keep popping up in my section too. We’ll need to make a master list of who is who as we go through these so we can identify everyone.” I pulled up a spreadsheet on my computer and started a small list of names and numbers. So far David had been able to identify her parents’ numbers so we had made some progress.
I sat back and looked at my own phone. I had no parents or any other family in my life and David was my only real friend. I still had a phone full of text messages and emails. I couldn’t imagine someone sitting there trying to piece my life together based on those seemingly insignificant messages. Besides, it’s not like they could calculate the magical communicates happening in my dreams.
Seventeen
After David finally left around midnight, I took a hot shower and got ready for bed. Even though it was a short day of being physically awake, it felt like a long one. There is only so much that one person can process in twenty-four hours and I had far exceeded those capacities. However, I knew that it was unlikely that I would be getting a restful night’s sleep. Instead, it was much more likely as soon I closed my eyes, I would be transported back to that bakery, or even to the woods again, for another chat with one of coven. At this rate, I was never going to get a moment to myself to think everything through.
I let out a loud sigh of aggravation and let myself fall back into the pillows and the comfort that the bed provided. Part of me wanted to stay awake just long enough to have a moment that was all my own but my eyes were too heavy to fight any longer and I felt myself falling into a deep slumber.
The first thing I noticed was heat. A lot of it. And then there was a peaceful whooshing sound like water. I opened my eyes and saw that I was on a beach. It was a beautiful sight and my breath caught in my throat as I took it all in. Then there was a brief moment of panic as I realized what I must be wearing. I looked down and was relieved to see I was in cut off shorts and a yellow tank top.
A rumble of laughter next to me caught my attention. I looked over to my right and saw Rose sitting on a towel under a beach umbrella. “You didn’t really think we would put you in a bikini, did you? Come on, now. The goal is to communicate - not piss you off.”
I smiled at her and walked over to have a seat on the towel next to her. “Where are we?”
She tipped down her sunglasses at me. “Mexico. I wanted you to see one of the benefits of being one of the Thorn of the Crown. Instant luxury travel without having a crying kid constantly kicking the back of your seat in coach is just one of those benefits.”
I flexed my toes in the white sand and relaxed a little. “I have to admit. I needed this. Between all of the stress with school, the task force, and, well, this coven stuff, I needed a little break from life.”
Rose nodded. “I figured. It doesn’t have to be so hard, you know.”
I looked at her. “How so?”
She shrugged. “You’re getting stronger every single day. Use your powers when you can. Just don’t get caught.”
I sat up. “I think I actually did yesterday. It happened for the first time. I forgot to put ice in my cup and I was wishing that my drink was cold and suddenly it was.”
A smile grew across her face. “That’s how instinctual magic works. There’s a few types of magic that we can work. Instinctual magic is like with the cup. It is where you want something and your magic is released into the world to make it happen. Next is the magic you mostly read about in novels: spells and chanting. That is where we use items of the Earth and incantations to borrow magic from the world around us to direct the flow of magic into what we want to happen. The final form of magic is the coven itself. It is where we gather to channel our sisters of the coven and our ancestors to become one being and combine the strength of our magic together to accomplish something masterful.”
I nodded. It was a lot to take in yet instinctively it was like my mind already knew the information somehow. “So, if witches are real, does that mean that all of it is real? The werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and everything else in the movies? What should I be afraid of? I mean, you said I was in danger?”
Rose took off her sunglasses completely and put a hand on my shoulder. “Right now, I think we’ve given you enough to think about. And you’re right about one thing, you need your rest. Sleep now, young one. We’ll talk again soon.”
Eighteen
For the first time in over a month, I slept through until my alarm. There was no 3:00 AM wake up time for me. I knew it had something to do with Rose and I didn’t know or care what she had done to make it happen. I was grateful. I needed the respite desperately. I was beginning to lose track between the real world and my strange dream one.
Today was my first legitimate day off from work and the task force in a long time. Every year the Dean would proclaim a day of school spirit and cancel classes so that everyone could gather in the quad and paint themselves in the school colors and partake in grilling and cheering before the annual rivalry basketball game between our team and Blue Lion State. David and I were not huge on the school spirit aspect so we would usually take advantage of the day of festivities to catch up on sleep and get ahead in our classes.
This year would be somewhat different. So far, thanks to Rose’s intervention, I had been able to catch up on sleep but I would have to settle for staying on par with everyone else in my classes this year. I needed to use every available hour in this day to get caught up on the Cloud data from Jane’s case.
I didn’t even bother to change out of my pajamas before making myself an egg burrito and cup of coffee in the kitchen. I grabbed my grub and headed into the living room to settled down on the floor in front of the laptop once again. Once I put everything down I grabbed the hair band from around my wrist and wrestled my unbrushed hair into a top knot/messy bun combo. I took a long sip of my coffee and waited for the rush of caffeine to hit my bloodstream as my laptop brought the Cloud data to life.
A string of text messages came up on my screen and I knew without checking my cheat sheet that the other number corresponding with Jane was her mother. I could tell simply from the tone of the conversation. Her mother was asking after her well-being, making sure she was eating right and getting enough fresh air. It was clear from both the apartment and Jane’s various receipts that her favorite pastime was staying inside with a cup of tea and a good book so it was no surprise that her mom was so concerned about her getting out and about when not at work.
Jane’s replies seemed to reassure her mother but didn’t mention the new relationship with Kyle. I sat back and tried to imagine if I would have discussed a new budding romance with my mom if I had known her. I wondered if she would have been the kind of mom that I would have stayed up with talking about things like boys and friendships or if she would have been a stickler for rules and chores. Jane seemed to have the first type of relationship with her mom but still didn’t mention Kyle weeks after dating him. Maybe she just wanted to wait to see if it would last?
