Animagus

Chapter One-Hundred-One: Condition Terminal

~Beacon County Sheriff's Department~

Lydia and Parrish are at the Sheriff's station, and Lydia is playing with a lighter. Parrish looked at her, "You gonna do a magic trick?"

She looked up at him critically. "No... but you are."

"I only know one trick, and it's with a playing card," Parrish said.

"Well, this one involves a lighter and your hand," Lydia replied.

"This is sounding less like a magic trick and more like assault..." he said.

Lydia shrugged, "It's a little dangerous, yes. But it's not as bad as being lit on fire in a deputy Sheriff's car... Which, by the way, you walked away from unscathed." Lydia admitted.

"Not entirely! I had to pay for the uniform." Parrish said humorously.

Lydia looked at him with seriousness, "Give me your hand."

He put his hand out for her, "I think I've seen something like this is a movie..."

"Lawrence of Arabia," Lydia replied.

"Remind me what the trick was?" Parrish asked.

She flipped his hand palm facing down. "Not minding," she said, flicking the lighter as the flame reached his palm. After a few seconds Parrish pulled his hand away in pain. "Ow! Son of a—"

Lydia looked at him disappointed. "You can last longer than that. This time, I want you to do something different. Don't think about the flame. Don't think about the heat. Don't think about it hurting. Don't even look at it." Lydia instructed.

They try again, Parrish stares directly at Lydia, and the smoke begins to rise from his hand. Lydia yelped in pain, and Parrish instantly became worried. "What? What happened?"

"Oh, it was too hot! My thumb got too close to the flame." Lydia said, rubbing her thumb.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you? Did it hurt?" Lydia asked. Parrish turned his hand over and wipes away the black soot. There was no burn or mark. They looked at each other in shock. "When you were looking at me... You're eyes kind of—drifted. What were you thinking about?" Lydia asked

"A dream."

"What dream?" she asked curiously.

Parrish sighed, "I've had it here and there for about six months. I'm walking in the woods, carrying a body... but it's completely burned. I can't see who it is or who it was." he explained.

"Where are you taking it?"

"A clearing. There's a huge tree in the middle of it. You'd think it was a thousand years old... but it's been cut down. It's just a stump." Parrish described the place.

Lydia's eyes widen at the description, "It's real. It's a real tree, in a real part of Beacon Hills. It used to be the center of a grove of trees called a Nemeton."

"Whats a Nemeton?" Parrish asked.

"A sacred place for Celtic Druids. They were scientists and healers thousands of years ago." Lydia explained.

"I've never seen this place..."

"But that's why you're here— It drew you here. That's what it does. It's a beacon for Supernatural creatures. It might even make them more powerful. What else happens?" Lydia informed.