Season of the Witch

Part 10

Auggies' turn!
My second favorite boy<3
Word count: 2019
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While you were exhilarated by the accomplishment of bringing Tommy back into his human form and wanted to keep going, to bring Auggie and Chuck back right away, you reasoned you couldn't do it all on the same night. Stella didn't want to take the chance of messing up the 'ritual' aspect of it and said that Sarah started with one story each night, so should you. You hated this plan. You wanted your friends back as soon as possible, particularly Chuck.

Waiting another day or more felt inhumanely cruel, but you knew Stella was being cautious. Furthermore, you had to think practically about the set up. Tommy was easy enough to work out; an empty field at night was the ideal place to set up. However, to get the others back, you'd need to be in their locations as well.

Auggie's was somewhat simple, as you were close with him and could make up some story about wanting to see his room for comfort. You hadn't tried to tell Auggie's mom the truth. She had been travelling and he suddenly went missing; a supernatural cause without his own words to back it up would be a hard sell. Perhaps when he was back, you could all break the truth to her together, but the important part was getting him back from the hellish abyss the corpse had dragged him into.

Stella had also reasoned that, if they wouldn't let you into the house or his room, they'd likely go out to the town's Veteran's Day celebration and you could sneak in. Chuck's rescue would, unfortunately, need much more plotting and time. He wasn't in a neutral, home-bound location. You'd have to go back to the hospital where you were likely banned or wanted criminals still. Even with Mr. Nichols' help, it would still be a tough quest.

The next evening, your group arrived at Auggie's house with the book hidden in Stella's satchel. His mother and stepfather were indeed going to the parade and fireworks show in town, but they allowed you to enter. His mother was definitely distraught and looked much different than you had ever seen her.

She was much like Auggie, always well put together. However, now her cheeks were sallow and her eyes were dull from many sleepless nights. Her hair was swept back haphazardly rather than in pristine precision as it usually was. She led you into Auggie's room, which had been searched by police and they had found the claw marks leading under his bed, but no trace of him.

His parents had since put his room back into its original condition, hiding the dents in the floor with a rug. It was a perfect time capsule, a monument to Auggie to be preserved until he came home...which you hoped would be tonight.

"Take as much time as you need, but please lock up when you leave. You can just leave the key under the mat on the front porch," his mother told you kindly but numbly. You agreed and they left. Mr. Nichols waited just outside the closed bedroom door in case his assistance was necessary; however, the incident with Tommy went by without much danger. The most jarring aspect was Tommy accusing you all of witchcraft and swearing at you. But you had seen the headlines on the paper this morning, about him being returned home and the search for him being called off, the focus instead now on Auggie and Chuck, and you knew you had done the right thing.

You took your seats once again in a triangle formation, a few feet in front of Auggie's bed on the floor. Stella took out the pen and prepared to write her third story with her blood. "Wait," Ruth said before she could administer the prick, "Maybe we should use our blood too, or instead. It can't be good for you to waste all of yours. Auggie always liked me and took care of me, maybe it should be me." You also sensed that maybe she still felt guilty not believing Auggie was gone in the first place, or believing Stella when she first told her that all of this was happening.

Stella hesitated for a moment; She wasn't sure if it would work if she wrote with someone else's blood. But maybe it would, maybe the life force and the sacrifice was the important part. Or perhaps it could be a mix, as Ruth suggested. Stella gave in and handed the pen to Ruth. When it was delivered back to her, she added a few drops of her own blood, just to be safe.