Two Sides of the Same Coin: An Owl and a Wolf

Chapter 11: Enact Those Lies With Friends

Luz was setting up some board games on the living room table when there was a knock on the door. The door slammed open as Hooty opened it, leaving Willow and Gus startled "Luz you have some guests! Hoot!" Luz looked up from the table "hey guys, come on in."

The two walked inside, looking around the room curiously. The door closed behind them, Luz set a bowl of snacks down in the middle of the table and gestured to the room. "Welcome to the Owl House, guys. We've got snacks, games, and music!" Luz put her arms back down and put the needle down on a gramophone, which produced an evil cackle.

Willow was looking at the walls while Gus was rummaging through a chest. "look at all these human treasures!" He then pulled out a skull. "And actual humans!" Willow walked away from the wall and next to Luz "And best of all we have actual friends to do the conjuring with! This is so exciting!" She clasped her hands together in excitement.

Luz smiled "So how does this conjuring stuff work?" Gus walked back over with a bucket on his head excitedly "we've got a bucket!" Luz gave him a thumbs up, unsure of how to reply and turned her attention back to Willow. "Well first, we find something to animate. Since it's our first time we should pick something meaningful." She walked over to some purple flowers. "Something beautiful."

"Like this strangely buff little man!?" Gus interrupted, bursting through the flowers with an action figure. He tapped the figure's stomach "I'm half beef, half Bob!" The toy exclaimed.

"Fine by me." Luz shrugged, Willow deflated a bit. "That's not exactly what I meant by beautiful..." Gus pulled the action figure back and gave Willow a pleading look. Willow sighed "fine, buff boy it is." Gus cheered "tonight he shall be risen!"

For the next two hours the trio mostly played board games, Willow and Gus having to teach Luz how to play, and eating snacks. Luz couldn't fully let herself have fun with her friends though, glancing up at the clock then to the windows for any sign of Eda.

"So when should we start the conjuring?" Luz asked as she watched Gus move his piece across the board of the current game they were playing. Luz picked up the dice and rolled, moving her own piece but landed on a space that required her to move back a couple of spaces.

"Well the moon's power is strongest at its highest point, so midnight." Willow replied, rolling the dice. Instead of getting a number though there was a picture of a card. She picked up the top card on the deck and grinned, "sorry Luz." She said as she swapped her piece with Luz's piece.

"Aww dang it, I was actually winning this time." Luz complained, making Willow and Gus laugh. They continued their game for a few more minutes, until Gus got a card and he cheered moving across the finish line and winning the game. "I went from first to last in less than three minutes." Luz flopped onto her back, dramatically.

"Don't worry Luz, I'm sure you'll win next time." Gus told her, Willow nodded in agreement. "You better not be planning to go easy on me next time." Luz said, sitting back up. "Us? Never!" Gus exclaimed, the three of them laughed.

Luz looked at the clock again and to the window. "Well, it's almost midnight, so we should put this away." They started gathering the pieces and putting it way, placing the box and empty bowl of snacks on the table. Under Willow's direction, they cleared some room for them on the floor to do the conjuring.

Gus placed Beefy Bob on the ground between the three of them. While Luz finished lighting several candles around them. "According to the conjuring books I've read, we say the incantation and make a connection with the doll." Willow informed, as Luz sat down with them in their little circle.

"Figurine." Gus corrected as they all held hands to start the conjuring. "Moonlight, we call, we sing. Moonlight take this chance. Moonlight come tie the string. Moonlight start the dance!" Willow and Gus chanted, Luz tried to follow along but gave up halfway through.