Magic in London

Magic in London: Whistling - Part 2

Chuck stared at the woman who was at the bottom of the stairs, not really sure how to respond to her last question. He thought the best thing to do would be to leave and just go back to the coach station, but there was something nagging him inside, telling him that he shouldn't leave the child alone with her.
"So are you just going to stand there?" she said.

Chuck shifted, and a chill in the air hit his face.

"Are you his mother?" he asked.

"What? No, I'm his teacher."

"It's a bit late to be teaching someone isn't it?"

"Very funny. Are you one of us?"

"One of what?"

"How can you see me?" she said and started walking up the stairs towards him. "You shouldn't be able to see me at all. There's practically no energy coming off you, so it's not like you're one of us. You're just a normie aren't you?"

She walked around him, going up and down the stairs on either side of him. He moved his head around to keep her in his eye line the best he could. Inside the building the security people were watching him, mocking him as if he were a drunkard who had stumbled up the steps and didn't know what to do to get back down.

"Look, I don't know what's going on here, but I've got a coach to catch. So I'm just going to leave and get on it. I don't want any trouble."

"What trouble am I giving you?" she said stopping in front of him two steps below him. "I'm just curious as to who you are?"

"I'm nobody. Just let me leave."

"No one is stopping you nobody. Certainly not me."

Chuck hesitated but took a step down the stairs towards the street. His legs were completely mushy and he thought for a moment that he was going to fall down the stairs. If he took it one step at a time, then he would be able to go and find someone. This must be some kind of human trafficking thing, he thought. As he took another step down, the child behind him started screaming even louder, his wails echoing throughout the street. Why wasn't anyone else doing anything about this, he thought.

"Hold up," the woman said. "I said hold up. He seems to scream more the further away you get. What have you done to him?"

Chuck froze on the stairs and slowly turned his head around. She was standing in the same place, hands on her hips, and looking at him.

"I haven't done anything," Chuck said feebly. "I just heard him crying and wanted to make sure he was okay, that's all. If you're his teacher, I'll be on my way."

"You know," she said, taking a step towards him. "I don't really know why you can see me, but I have a feeling you're going to be important. I don't think I should let you leave."

The blood drained out of Chuck's body and a striking chill took its place.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chuck said. "I just want to go home."

She stood there, shifting her weight from side to side while staring at him, straight into his eyes.

"Oh go then. I don't really care enough to investigate this any further. Quickly now, before I change my mind."

Chuck turned and practically fell onto the street, feeling woozy as he turned and started walking towards the coach station. He wanted to move faster, but his body wouldn't let him. It was like moving in slow-motion. Inside he was pleading with his feet to take him there faster, to join another group of people so he wasn't so alone, but there was no one around and his feet just wouldn't move the way he wanted them to.