Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I spent the next twenty-four hours in and out of awareness. I welcomed every single pain shot when it came, for it offered me a mental release from my anguish. The doctor had been in to visit with my parents again, and I was scheduled for surgery first thing in the morning, if the second scan showed I was ready. They were going to put some titanium around my vertebrae to help keep it together properly.

Grandma had returned to Sedona and was organizing the search for Vance with the remaining numbers of our coven. I knew our powers were greatly diminished with the loss of Vance and Marsha, as well as Dad and I not being there.

Mom said the police were still looking for Vance as well. He was the only one unaccounted for from the school. All the kids in attendance had been shuttled down to the football field after the explosion, and police had interviewed every single one before releasing them to their loved ones.

My mom cried when she told me I was the only survivor from my class, and I cried for an hour straight. Everyone at home was calling my escape a miracle, but I knew the only reason I'd been spared was because of the magical shield that protected me from the falling debris. I felt undeserving.

All I could think about was how Maggie and I had been laughing one minute, and she was dead the next. She was probably buried right next to me. I imagined her lying under the rubble while people walked on top of her to get to me, and the guilt was excruciating. Dad kept telling me it wasn't my fault, and Maggie was probably already dead before the rescue people arrived. It didn't help me feel any better.

Grandma called to say the school was closing early for the holidays. Christmas was only two and a half weeks away, and the school board felt the kids needed the next month to get through the trauma they had experienced. It would also give them time to repair the school. Grief counselors would be available at Verde Valley Medical Center for anyone who needed them.

Grandma also said she located a witch in Phoenix by the name of Sandy who had healing powers, and she was on her way to Flagstaff to offer her services. Dad thanked Grandma profusely and said he would keep an eye out for her.

When the woman arrived, the nurse's station called my room saying I had a visitor, and my dad went to get her. I liked her as soon as she entered the room. She was an older woman with short, salt and pepper hair. She had lots of smile lines around her kind eyes, and there was simply an air of goodness about her.

"I'm so glad I could come and help you," she said, reaching for one of my bandaged hands, the glass recently picked from them.

"Thank you for coming." I smiled.

"Oh! I see you have quite a lot of pain and not just from your injuries either."

"Yes," I replied, my thoughts going instantly to Vance.

"Well, let me see what I can do."

She began running her hands across me, similar to the way Vance had done. Every time she hit a sore spot she lingered a little longer. Then she reached underneath me and placed one of her hands under my broken spine.

I groaned at the pressure.

She placed her other hand on my stomach, and I began to feel a change as white light started glowing from beneath her hands. Instantly, soothing warmth flowed through me, and I knew without a doubt the bone had been repaired. There was no more pain from my injury.

She removed her hands. "I left the cuts in your skin, but removed the pain. I figured one miracle would be enough for the doctors to fuss about."

"You're wonderful," my mom said, getting up to grab the woman by the hand with unshed tears of appreciation in her eyes. "How can we ever repay you?"