Night of the Living Bacteria [Old version]

Chapter Twelve (Part Three)

(Jayden POV) 

"Wait," Olivia says. "This means we could try out that spell!"

"It's not as easy as that. Magic is a strong, untamed force; I don't think any old person can cast a spell." Ashley says, sighing. "But, I want to do this as much as you guys do, so I don't see where a tiny spell could hurt anything." She looks up at the skylight in the main room. "Tonight is the ideal night to cast a spell. It's a full moon." She continues. "Energy and magic will be the strongest then; though I'm sure witches with experience can cast spells whenever they want."

"We should still be careful," I say. "Who knows what legends all of this is connected to." Ashley nods.

"We'll come back at midnight when the moon passes through both of the skylights." She pauses. "For now, we should get some rest."

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The three of us stay silent during dinner, watching the conversation and relaxed crowd. I'm sure we're the only ones who feel out of place here. I think, pushing the tray of food away. After dinner, all I can do is watch hopelessly as the moon rises above the horizon, meaning that it's almost time. Suddenly, I get an idea. I grab an unused notebook from my bag and begin writing. If anyone else ends up in a situation similar to ours, they'll need this. My pencil flies across the paper as I write about the journals and the tunnels, the spells, too.

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There's a knock at my door. Only two people could come to my dorm this late without getting caught. I grab my jacket and the notebook I wrote in earlier that night. Outside, Ashley and Olivia are waiting with the spellbook, and a small, empty petri dish; the object we agreed on.

"Ready?" Olivia asks. Ashley nods, pulling a black hood over her head.

"Why the long coat?" I whisper. She smiles.

"Looking the part is my specialty. I couldn't resist getting the chance to wear this." She leads us to the huge iron vent where we can enter the tunnels. She lifts the heavy door and climbs inside. Then, she pushes the vent open for us. "C'mon, quick!" It takes us a while to reach the central room, but when we do, I stop. There's something eerie about this place. A pure white moonlight cascades over the middle of the room, bouncing off the walls, landing right in front of each tunnel. Ashley grabs the spellbook. Olivia places the petri dish under the moonlight.

"This is what we say," Ashley says. "We need to stand on the purple squares and place one hand over the circle. She stands on a darkened tile, placing her hand over the spot; lit by the moon. Teagyn follows, cautious, yet excited. I walk to the third visible purple tile.

"Should we really be doing this?" I ask, placing my hand in the center, moonlight illuminating my hand.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Olivia asks. Then, she looks at Ashley.

"I'll lead you guys," She says, taking a deep breath. "Huius bring formare adhuc viveret," Olivia repeats, and I have no choice but to follow. " Non tenetur ad terminum a materia," The circle begins to glow, an aura casting purple, black, and white shards of light across the room. A star lights up in black, and suddenly, faint lamps light along the walls near the tunnels. That must be the magic star, I think.

"Renatus fuerit anima mea in vobis erit!" Ashley exclaims, Olivia's voice echoing, and mine following. The star glows even brighter, consuming the petri dish and glowing. Suddenly, the dust starts floating, suspended in the air; the tiles, shiny and polished once again, reveal their power then. The strange light casts a weird glow over our faces, yet all of us watch as the petri dish reappears, and the star's light scatters across the twelve tunnels. The dust floats to the ground, and we're back in the old room. Ashley crouches down on the ground and gingerly picks up the petri dish. "Woah." She stands and walks over to one of the lamps near the tunnel we came from. The petri dish is filled with a white-and-black mold. The tunnel gets dark again, the flames from the lamps lighting only so much of the room; the full moon is over. Olivia picks up the spellbook.

"Look at this!" We crowd around her. She holds up the notebook, a golden star, like the one on the floor just moments ago, sits glowing on the front of the brown leather journal. What is happening?!