R/Nosleep (Get Spooked)

I Didn't Think Things Could Get Any Weirder In Blessed...(Suburbia Part 8)

By u/firesidechats451

Francesca and I talked late into the night. She explained that when I disappeared, she suspected something . . . supernatural was at work.

"The police had nothing," she said between sips of coffee. "There was no sign of a struggle, no indication of why your car had gone off the road—they had no leads. It didn't sit right with me."

For six months, she scoured the news for similar disappearances. Eventually, it led her here, to Blessed.

"There's a barrier around this place," she explained as I poured her a refill. "Magical. But it only affects those under the spell—everyone else can move through it. I got in, no problem. And the HOA have been coming and going ever since I found this place."

"But if I try to go through," I said, tapping my fingers against my mug anxiously. "I'll end up like Barbara."

"Exactly. So we either have to bring down the barrier or break the spell. Either way, we'll need to defeat the HOA."

I chewed on my lip, an idea pestering me. "If it's a spell . . . would true love's kiss break it?"

Francesca looked startled, but her face soon resumed its usual cool expression. "It doesn't work like that."

"How do you know? Shouldn't we at least try?"

Francesca looked away. "That sort of thing is just in fairy tales. We need to focus on practical ideas."

Now, I may not remember my past with Francesca, but I do know her. I know her tells when she's being evasive. And there was something else that was bothering me.

"Are you afraid of what it means if it doesn't work?" When Francesca gave me a confused look, I continued, "Before, you hesitated when you said we were together. You corrected yourself. Why?"

For a moment, I thought she wasn't going to answer, but at last she sighed. "Honestly," she said. "I don't know if we were still together when you disappeared. We had a fight the night you left, the biggest fight we ever had. You were . . . frustrated with me. I don't like talking about my childhood or my family. And you respected that. It's a sore subject for a lot of gay people, and you've always been understanding. But I guess . . ." Francesca sighed again and leaned on the table, chin resting on her clasped hands. "You said I was being secretive. That sometimes it felt like you were living with a stranger. We had a big fight, and you were going to your parents' house. You said we'd 'have a talk' when you got back. But then . . ."

"Then I never came back."

Francesca nodded, looking into her coffee. "And as important as I think that talk is, we've got bigger things to worry about." She lifted her gaze, her expression taking on that familiar determined cast. "I want to get down into that chamber and get a better look at those sigils. If we can figure out what kind of magic they're using, we'll at least know what we're up against." She downed the rest of her mug and stood, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. "Now—I need to see your basement."

*

I led Francesca down the basement steps, anxious about what we might find. As expected, everything looked completely normal, with no sign that only an hour ago, it had led to a secret subterranean tunnel. I turned to Francesca, about to ask what we should do, but she was already pulling a piece of chalk from her pocket and approaching the wall.

"What are you doing?" I asked as she started sketching symbols onto the concrete.

"A spell to reveal what's hidden," she said, not glancing up from her work. I waited for her to elaborate. When she didn't, I asked, "How do you know how to do that?"