Spellcaster series #5: The Sage

Reunion

HEIDI

A quiet place. Green foliage all around me and grass underneath my boots. A path of trampled and balding earth led to a familiar-looking suburban house in the middle of the forest. I walked up the steps and onto the porch. The door was unlocked. I opened it.

A staircase to my right and a dining room to my left. Footsteps that didn't belong to me emitted from the dining that connected to the kitchen. I was confused but my heart was at ease—like I was supposed to belong there.

A woman emerged from the dining. She stopped in her tracks with a bowl of popcorn. She eyed me warily but her face was friendly.

"Can I help you?"

Her voice was unmistakable. She had black hair that went past her shoulders, a pair of full lips and brown eyes. She lifted a tan hand and waved.

"Are you lost?" She asked as she took a step forward, eyes darting back and forth.

I felt tears coming but I didn't care. "Mum?"

She dropped the bowl and popcorn scattered everywhere. Her eyes widened as she made her way to me, holding out her hands to my face.

"Heidi?" Her voice broke. "My baby?"

She pulled me in to hug her. My heart was racing and my cheeks wet. Then she pulled away.

"You're so...young!" She held my face in her hands, a trace of worry in her voice. "What did they do to you?"

I took her hands and tried to recall. Before I could, another voice interrupted. He stood on the steps, halfway down the stairs with one hand on the railing.

"Heidi?"

"Hi Dad."

He raced down the steps and pulled me into his arms. My mother joined in and the three of us stood there for a while before he pulled away to ask.

"Did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"We heard that Synto is gone...for good."

I looked around me. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Land of Souls, Heidi," he replied with regret in his tone.

My head spun. "Am I...am I dead?"

My mother bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes again. "I'm afraid so, sweetie. Either that or your soul is still lingering between here and the Worldly realm."

Ada. Mrs. Embers. Vicky. I felt my stomach turn.

"No," I shook my head, feeling incoming tears, "I can't be here, I have a daughter and—"

"There is someone you'd want to meet, sweetie," my father interrupted like he didn't hear me.

They led me further into the house where the living room was. In it, an elderly lady sat on a sofa, focused on knitting a small blue sweater. I gripped onto my mother's hand, not knowing when the last time I remembered that feeling.

"Mother," my father called and the elderly lady turned. My heart swelled at the sight of her. "Look who's here!"

Grandma stood from the sofa, her hazel eyes wide and tearful. She then wrapped her arms around me. I felt her warmth and the familiar whiff of lavender that she loved so much. She began to weep into my shoulder, pulled away to look at my face and wiped my tears. Then she eyed me from head to toe in disbelief and pain.

"You look so young. Too young!"

"Something must have happened," I said, trying my best to recall the sequence of events. "I think the djinn killed me first."