Witches Among Humans (TOH)

Chapter 17: The Astral Realm

It was Saturday evening. Luz had to put aside the turmoil she felt after the disastrous Friday night. The moon was full tonight. Tonight was the night she would try to enter the astral realm with Gus and Willow's help. According to Gus, she should be able to leave her physical body and travel to this realm with her spiritual one. 

Luz didn't tell Eda what she was planning to do. She knew Eda didn't believe that humans could practice or use magic. It was her way of scamming people, after all. Luz just said she was going to Gus's house for a sleepover. Eda was happy that the young witch wanted to have some fun. She packed Luz a backpack with a sleeping bag, pillow, pajamas, snacks, and something else...

"Eda, what is this?" Luz asked, as she pulled out a full bottle of something labelled 'vodka'. Of course, she knew what it was. She had seen Eda drink it a few too many times. She even had to help her down from the roof one time. 

Luz shuddered at the memory.

"You can't have a party with alcohol. And it's not like you'll be driving." Eda stated.

Luz rolled her eyes, as she shoved the bottle into Eda's hands, "but I might need to fly." Luz argued. "Thanks, but no thanks."

"Suit yourself." Eda shrugged. "Don't come crying to me when your party gets boring."

"I'm going now, bye." Luz stressed. She waved to Eda as she walked out the front door.

Luz chuckled to herself. It was typical Eda fashion to try something like that. 

She looked around and saw no one in the streets. She summoned her staff and flew to Gus's house. She landed in an alley nearby. She let Stringbean become sentient. The snake turned into a headband. Luz took off her beanie and put on her snake shifter.

Luz walked along the sidewalk and reached Gus's house. It wasn't too far from Eda's, maybe a thirty-minute walk. Luz just didn't feel like walking.

She raised her hand and knocked twice on the door. She barely had time to pull it back as the door opened to reveal Willow and Gus.

"Hey, Luz!" Gus greeted, "c'mon in!" 

The younger boy stepped to the side, allowing his witch friend to enter his home. His father was out for the night at work, so the three friends had the entire house to themselves for the night. It was why they all decided it to be best to hold their sleepover here.

Luz didn't know that Eda had warned the two friends not to mention what happened at the carnival the night before. They heeded the warning. They wanted to comfort their friend, as they guessed the night had ended badly. But they also knew Luz needed a clear mind for tonight's experiment. They could talk about it later.

"You ready for tonight?" Willow asked, placing an arm around Luz.

"I guess so. I just hope it works." Luz chuckled nervously. 

"It will." Gus assured her. "Manifestation is half the battle. If you believe it will work, it will. If you doubt it, it won't. So, repeat after me. It will work, it will work."

Willow joined Gus's side, both chanting to Luz. "It will work, it will work."

Luz smiled at her friends. "It will work, it will work!" She chanted with them.

"Yeah!" Gus cheered. "That's the spirit!" 

Gus led his friends to his room where they would try to access the astral realm. "Willow and I have set up most of what we need already." He explained as he opened his door.

Instead, it was a simple setup. There was a yoga mat on the floor where Luz would lie down. There were some candles on a desk by an open laptop. The crystals they had bought were in a bag on the side.