SCRATCH

Part 4 - Act 3

The sky had already begun to change when they arrived at Druid Hill, thanks to a storm rolling in slowly from the east. Indigo clouds covered much of the sky, casting a long shadow over the city. Despite the threatening rain, the air was still and a hint of heat was rising from the ground. Street lamps began switching on early as they exited the car Chester had booked for the trip. Ebony leapt out first, narrowly dodging pedestrians as she scampered across the pavement towards the park entrance.

"It would have been quicker if you had let me portal us here," Agatha complained, brushing some of Ebony's fur off her lap.

"I don't know how many times we have to say no," Chester sighed, stepping onto the pavement. He held the door open for Nicky as she slowly exited the car. Neither he nor Nicky was particularly enthusiastic about the portal idea. Particularly Nicky, who'd been vocal about how she felt she'd had her fill when it came to magic. "Besides, given what happened in New York back in 2012, most people aren't keen on seeing portals pop up in random places." Agatha rolled her eyes dramatically.

"That was four years ago," she moaned. "Aren't people over it by now? Those were aliens anyway, big difference." Chester stared at her, his eyes wide with disbelief, as he shut the door of the Uber. "Besides, I know how to be discreet."

"Let's go!" Nicky heard Ebony call. "I can smell rain."

"Ebony's right, the faster we do this, the faster we can go home and avoid the rain," Agatha gestured towards the park entrance. Chester turned towards Nicky.

"Did she say actually that?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow. Nicky shrugged.

"More or less, I guess," she mumbled. Anxiety over returning to the hill had crept in over the ride and she had spent much of it trying to focus her energy on simply holding it together as best she could. Keeping her trembling hands in her coat pockets, hidden away from the others, she took a deep breath and started walking up along the sidewalk.

"Lead the way, Nicole," Agatha ushered them towards the entrance. Together, they climbed the stairs up from the street and made their way along the gravel path, Nicky directing them as they went. Ebony wandered off ahead, surveying the area with intense curiosity. Often disappearing, the black cat would blend into the shade cast by the old trees that lined the pathway, only to reappear wherever weak beams of light broke through.

"Why the park?" Chester wondered aloud, taking in the scenery. The perennial trees cast dark shadows with their thick, green foliage. Other trees were showing their autumnal colors, their dead leaves scattered on the ground and crunching underfoot.

"It's convenient. Grounded. Plenty of access to different elements," Agatha explained, plainly, as a teacher would to a student. "Like the woods, they're full of life and death, just on a smaller scale. I mean, I doubt the lich would have taken Nicky out to the sticks to perform its rituals. Probably took a lot of juice just to get her here." She mindfully glanced sideways at Nicky, who shuddered slightly at the thought of waking up somewhere in the Patapsco Valley, lost and all alone.

"But why this park?" He asked. "I mean there are plenty of parks in Baltimore."

"I couldn't tell you," Agatha replied, shrugging. "Not until I see the site. Might be on a ley line or perhaps a grave site. I don't know."

"You reckon it's like an Indian burial ground?" He continued his line of questioning with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Like in Poltergeist?" Nicky tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey," she griped, shoving her hand back in her pocket. "Seriously? What's with all the questions?" Chester frowned.

"How are you not the least bit curious?" He chided her, stopping mid-stride and placing his hands on his hips. "I'm just trying to understand what's going on here."