Magic Spawn Origins

Magic Spawn: Chapter 5

by Meredith Skye

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The campground was busy for the Halloween Patrol, looking a little like a Ren Fair. Kyran had vanished into the tent as soon as they'd arrived. Rian milled around, saying hi to all the people who'd shown up so far.

"Want to play a game?" said Harlan cheerfully. "We're playing Monty Python Flux!"

"Sorry, I don't have time for that," said Rian, a little annoyed. He didn't come here to play cards. There was work to be done.

"I have the walkie-talkies," smiled Grandma Baggins, looking old and stodgy in her black and white frock, hair completely covered with linen. Several sets of walkie-talkies sat on the table.

"Thanks," said Rian.

"Where's Edward and the others?" Rian asked Harlan.

He waved out behind the pavilion, so Rian headed back that way. Kyran must have stayed behind to talk to Anya. She was just a few years older than him.

Just then, Rian nearly ran into his friend, Westin. He had sandy brown hair, not too long and a slightly goofy, disarming smile. He wore a simple dark green tunic with a bit of gold trim. Not fancy but he had sewn it by hand and done some viking stitching on the hem. A neat touch.

"Hey, Rian," said Westin.

"Hey," said Rian, relieved to see him here. Westin was the one reasonable person in the group. They'd known each other for years.

They talked for awhile, mostly about school. But also about Westin's family and his job.

"How's it going with your Dad?" asked Rian. Three weeks ago, Westin's father had been convicted of stealing money on a regular basis from the Millersfield Five and Dime. It would be two years until his dad got out of jail.

"Okay, I guess," said Westin, some stress showing on his face. He'd been pretty shook up by it, as he hadn't known his dad to ever do anything like that. Since Westin was already 18, he was old enough to be considered an adult and he refused to move home to his mother's house in Virginia. His mom was unemployed and also in and out of rehab. She'd never been there for Westin.

Lauretta had invited Westin to live at their house, but Westin was independent. He had a job and so, instead, moved into an abandoned cabin near town.

In all of this, he never missed a fighter practice.

Rian noticed Kyran and Anya emerge from the pavilion, looking around. No doubt they wanted to recruit him to go trick-or-treating. Like he had time!

While they chatted, Kyran caught up with them, following quietly at Rian's elbow. Kyran always seemed uncomfortable at these kind of gatherings and tended to stick close to Rian—probably because he feared someone would engage him in a conversation. Anya came along too.

"Hi Kye," said Westin, giving him a smile. "Hi Anya."

Kye looked at him and nodded, the most reaction anyone got out of Kyran when they greeted him. Westin was one person that Rian felt Kye actually liked in the group. Often Westin came over to their house for gaming night, for Catan, Risk, or the occasional D & D game.

"Hello Westin," smiled Anya.

They came up to Edward and Ray, who were sword-fighting on the lawn not far from the pavilion.

The guys waved at Rian and Kye. "Hail, Gollum!" the two said in chorus. This was a nickname they used for Kyran because of his pale albino skin and grey eyes. Rian frowned at them. "I told you not to call him that."