Toil & Trouble

V of Cups

Santa Carla, 1987

October watched upside as Jess hefted the leather bound book up in her arms and closed her eyes. She recognized the book for what it was as well. A malleus maleficarum, and from the way the lights flickered and how the house shook; it was a real one.

Whispers echoed around the room as the spell resumed.

This might actually kill me, she thought to herself.

"You can't do this! Please, stop!" she cried out, writhing in agony.

Black ichor welled up along the deep gashes on her arms and her eyes rolled back in pain.

No...it can't end like this. I can't lose the boys again. I just got them back...

"YES! It's working!" Maud exclaimed in triumph as she dropped the effigy and held out her hands. "Your magic is mine."

The inky black ichor trickled down October's arms, pulled in Maud's direction like a magnet. Rivulets of ink stretch up, up into the air, detaching from her body completely and reaching for Maud's awaiting fingertips... before it splattered against the dirty basement floor.

Maud blinked in confusion. "Jessica, what just hap-"

The little girl no longer held the malleus maleficarum. Instead, in her small hands she clutched an effigy that looked exactly like Maud.

"I'm sorry, sister, but you brought this on yourself. May Hecate have mercy on your soul."

October and Maud looked on in horror as Jessica reared back her arm and sent the effigy into the cement wall where it shattered on impact.

October's passed out to the sound of her sister's screams.

+++

A few days later...

Jessica Sanford had known she couldn't simply return to her life as though nothing had changed. Although, on the other hand, a spell to dissuade her parents suspicions and they were none the wiser as to their twelve year old daughter's recent nocturnal outings. Still, there were others out there she knew would not let her escape back into a semblance of normalcy so easily. And on the fourth night they finally came for her...

Night had fallen moments ago as Jess put away the last clean dish from dinner. The entire meal her parents had needled at her to start preparing for school to start again.

"I hope you enjoyed your summer sweetie, because with school starting next week, things are going to have to change around here," her mom informed her between bites.

Jess rolled her eyes.

Now that she could use her magic, school was going to be a cake-walk from there on.

And besides, school was the last thing she was worried about after everything that had gone down at her sisters beach house.

"I think we need to revisit your curfew too, Jess," her father shot her a meaningful look.

Jess groaned, earning an amused chuckle out of her parents, the sound expected from their budding teenage daughter. In reality, however, Jess was not looking forward to having to use more magic on her parents on the occasional night that would inevitably sneak out. She hated having to do that mostly because it ruined the illusion that she was just trying to maintain a normal childhood.

"Sounds great," she said sarcastically.

Her unfortunate tone led to dish duty that night and the entire time she spent scrubbing the dishes, she couldn't help glancing out of the kitchen window into the swiftly darkening yard.