Writing Inktober 2021

*Day Nineteen- Loop

(A/n you may need to reference days 6, 10, 15, 17, 18)

The next Monday John and Natalie walked to their classes silently in thought. By the walk to lunch they couldn't hold it in anymore. They met up from their separate classes in the hallway.

"What are we going to do?" John asked Natalie in a quiet voice.

"I don't know what we can do? JC is gone and we have no idea how to reach her. I think we may just have to figure it out for ourselves." Natalie said. "Though, thank you for including yourself and being so willing to help."

They then went to their own tables with their own friends. The whole time thinking of a plan. For the last few minutes of lunch the duo go back into the hallway to continue talking. They ponder and ponder. A student walks past them and John's eyes follow the dream catcher on the book bag.

"Oh, I might have an idea." John said suddenly.

"What!" Nat was eager for anything.

John lowered his voice. "Do you know Agatha Welsh?"

"Um... yeah" Nat said. "She is in one of your classes, right? Weird, she kinda has a witchy name.... Oh no! You are not thinking that!?" Natty hissed.

"Hear me out. This is not me assuming because of her name. Look, last October she was acting off. It got pretty bad. She passed out in the hall one day! I heard rumors, and I got want to assume, but she may be our best chance."

"I am not sure, John. This sounds very suspicious." Natalie said. "These are just rumors you heard. They is no proof. But, what did happen after..."

"Well it all surrounded Halloween. That adds to the odd circumstances. Anyways, after Halloween, she was still different. Healthy now, but a different different. You know what I mean? So, after that, she didn't really talk to anyone for a while. She was quiet and secluded. Most of her friends kinda left her. After Christmas break though she started talking a little more. Her style also changed. She started wearing more witch-like clothing- you know that kind of spirit, supernatural stuff. Just the way she has been acting ever since and after everything I have heard; I think going to her is the best option to work on the situation with the ghostly friend we have."

"Well, maybe. I guess it wouldn't hurt to go to her kindly and respectfully and see if she can tell us anything about our...special problem. Okay, fine." Natalie relented, though still worried.

"Sweet! I will see if I can talk to her later about meeting." John said.

As Natalie was about to say, 'I just don't want to cast judgment.'. 

"What are you guys talking about?" an accusing voice asked from behind them.

"Oh, Kinsey, we weren't gossiping or anything!" Natalie defended herself after they did a 180.

Kinsey was also in John's grade. She was actually Natalie's age though. Kinsey was very smart, so she skipped a grade. She was one of Agatha's only friends now.

"Look I heard more than I should have, but meet me after school in this hallway." Kinsey said.

John and Natalie look at each other. They shrug and then nod to the girl.

--------------------------------------------------

Right as school was about to end the duo went to the hallway. Kinsey was also early. They start walking.

"It has been awhile since we talked, Natalie." Kinsey broke the ice.

"Yeah, years." Nat asked a little awkwardly.

"Ya know, it was all because our older brothers started a band together." Kinsey reminded her.

"Oh, right! They were pretty good." Nat remembered.

"Loop was their best song in my opinion." Kinsey said.

"Oh, yeah I remember that one. It was pretty good. I guess that all stopped when they went to college." Natalie said.

"Yeah, I miss my brother. He taught me how to ride my bike when I was younger." Kinsey said.

"Sounds fun. My brother and I were never that close. I mainly stuck to the block kids my age anyways." Nat said with a smile to John.

"Did you even hear about how the band came to be?" Kinsey asked.

"Well, Kyle came to Rob, my brother, because he knew that Rob played the piano and was interested in a band. But, no, I don't know about the others." Nat said.

"Well," Kinsey started, "Kyle and Micheal, my brother, were friends for a long time. When my brother was younger he was being bullied and Kyle stood up for him. That is why they are such great friends and did so much together."

"Cool." John said, "well the being friends part."

They then made it into a room of the school neither John nor Nat knew about. Agatha was waiting for them. She was sitting at a small circular table. She gave a nod to Kinsey, acknowledged Natalie, and examined John with an odd look. She looked back to Nat with a knowing expression.

"I knew something felt odd when I came to school today." she said.

"Hi, Agatha." Nat said nervously. "We think you may be able to help me with something."

"Yes, yes, dear, I can. You have been chosen. You will have great power." Agatha said with her voice growing in excitement. Nat sat at the table.

"We already knew that." John said.

"Agatha, how do I control it or know what I can do and why me? Also, is it true what you are?" Natalie intervened the potential disagreement.

"I can help you to control it. I do not know yet why you and have very little ability to tell you what you can do as of now with these resources. That will take time and things I do not have right now.

As for your other question, yes I am a witch. I have been blessed with an ancestral power. That is, from my ancestors. It took me a while to get comfortable with my magic, but I am very grateful for it. You, though, have different magic. I can feel it, and that actually means something. Your gifts are not because of family or in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is not that you stumbled across something. For some reason- someone from somewhere has chosen you for something that not even my grandmother and aunt could answer." Agatha went on.

"Um..." Natalie was scared.

"Well, that was something." Kinsey said.

John put a comforting hand on Natty's shoulder. She smiled up at him. The nervousness in her eyes was electrifying.

"I promised you, and I won't break it." he reminded her.

Agatha gave him another pondering look.

(A/n Again, DO NOT do anything like this in real life. Please)