Siphoner

Chapter 5

~

Cari ran into her room with tears overflowing her eyes. The loud noise from her door caught Kara's attention. She sank into Cari's room like a combination of molasses and water. Cari had her face buried into her voluminous pillow.

"Cari? Are you ok?" Kara asked leaning into a seat next to her. Instead of answering in full-fledged words, Cari lifted her head and mumbled inaudible words from her tear stained face. "Remember to use your words, sweetie."

"My boyfriend was cheated on some girl with me and I didn't even know. It turns out they were dating for 5 months and then he lied to me about whether he was single or not. He lied to me and her for 2 whole months. I feel so dirty!" Cari finally wept.

"Well, maybe there is an opportunity in this tragedy. Maybe you can make a new, potential friend out of the girl who was also cheated out of love." Kara patted Cari's back. She tried to cover up her anger with positivity, but something came over her thoughts.

The next day Kara woke up to Cari screaming out about some horrible news. Her ex-boyfriend ended up in the hospital due to a gruesome car crash that left the vehicle upside down. Everyone else in the vehicle was fine. This left everyone extremely confused as to what kind of witchcraft had to have happened.

~

As Kara made her way to the living room, she was stopped by Theo. He was sitting at the table, scheme boiling in his mind. "I've spent all afternoon mixing up stones, patterns, book information. I have finally figured out how you can find a witch." Kara placed her eyes on the equipment in front of him.

"It's...just a tape recorder." She admitted.

"It might look like that now, but I put an alexandrite in it and took out all the wires. Now I just need something to ignite it. Something like..." He trailed off, making deep eye contact on purpose. Kara laughed so hard she snorted multiple times. Then she stopped when she realized he was serious with what he intended. They were finally on the same page just different feelings about it.

"Um no. You do know how I got into this situation in the first place, right? I can't activate your magical witch finding thing with my magic. I don't know how to use it." She said as he continued to dabble with the tools.

"It's only a little spark. Think of it as practice. Your first start in magic."

"What if I don't want to be a witch." Theo paused. He had never thought of that circumstance. "I'm just kidding. Of course, I wanna have cool magic. I guess I'm in, but if I break something, it's not my fault." Theo snickered quietly.

Kara inhaled deeply and began hovering her dainty hands over the recorder. Parts of her body began to tingle as if she had been leaning on them for a while. The feeling rippled up to her chest then her shoulders. Soon after, she felt it in her fingers. After moments of the feeling dancing in her veins, it stopped in a sudden snap.

"I knew I couldn't do this. It's stupid, what if I'm not actually a witch?"

"One more time."

Kara rolled her eyes and began position once more. All at once, a strong burning churned from her feet to her neck. Candles started to light on their own while Kara's hair lifted like a balloon. The pressure caused Kara to plant her hand on Theo's wrist and grip tight. Screams echoed the room even when the room wasn't known to echo. Then everything came to an abrupt stop. Candles blew out. Hair fell into gravity's hands, and the bubbling sensation disappeared.

"If that's what happens to you with one spell, then we have quite a road ahead of us." Theo joked. Kara didn't mind the comment. The only thing she was thinking of was how cool he was with her touching his arm comfortably. Even if he was bleeding from the sharp nail penetration. In the corner of her eye, Kara took a glance at the now glowing stone. "Now the witchfinder is in full use. "

"You know the perfect place to use this? Adam's 'workplace'. Now I have an excuse." Adam walked in as he had tingling senses every time his name was spoken. He placed his keys on a hook and made his way to the table.

"Are we having a meet without moi?" He asked. At first, Theo and Kara were silent. They exchanged looks, wondering if they should tell him about what just happened. In a quick thought, Kara pushed herself off her seat and stood behind it, ultimately coming closer to Adam.

"Yes, in fact, we were discussing how I should visit you at work. Since my best friend is going to wonder what happened to me since I lost my phone and all." This was a guilt trip Kara could get behind. Adam rolled his eyes and collapsed into a chair.

"Although your reasoning is surprisingly good, people will think we are dating. I already have a girlfriend, and it's not you."

"So, we tell them we're siblings." Adam burst out in laughter. His hand touched his stomach while another gripped her shoulder. Kara froze in confusion as to what was so funny.

"Oh, Kara. Sweet, not so innocent, Kara. If you didn't already know, when a killer is on the run and trying to lay low, they need to have a new identity, background, interest, etc. I've had this so-called 'job' for a year now. Don't you think I've made some friends who know many personal things about me?" Adam ranted. Kara was stuck in the same position. She didn't know why the information she was handed was important.

"Everyone thinks I'm an only child." Kara folded her arms, violently. Then she scooted closer to him as she tried intimidation. Kara wasn't going to back down even if she had to look directly above her when looking at Adam.

"You know, Caddam Greenworth? You're not getting rid of me that easily. You need to break up with your girlfriend."

"But what if I love her?" That was the cue for Kara and Theo to choke up in laughs. "Alright, alright. I'll break a poor, kind heart of someone who doesn't deserve any harm." Kara didn't blink an eye for Adam's pathetic excuse for why he shouldn't dump Miss What'shername. Kara sauntered over to her room to update her outfit. The spell attached a bizarre smell of smoke to her shirt. All her worry about it was if Adam could decipher the aroma.

"When do we have to be there, anyway?" She shouted through the walls.

"Well, I should be in the car in about...3 minutes." Next thing Theo and Adam saw was Kara's body hit rapid motion through the living room and out the door. Adam took his time when making his way to the car. All the while holding a calm grin.

The car ride was non-vocal for an elongated amount of time. It was the kind of silence that felt comfortable yet gave a shiver of stiffness. Adam had more of a pain with the silence than Kara who was dancing to a song in her own head. It was as if something was pounding in his chest and weighing down his broad shoulder. Kara had plans filling her mind. She was eager to finally find a witch who was a master of the magical arts. Also, she wanted to talk with Skylar.

When the fine-looking vehicle came to a stop, Kara popped right out the door. The night she went home with Adam came back in sections like a flashing movie she didn't want to watch. She could recall the stepping into the building with her somewhat trustful bestie, Skylar and matching her eyes with Adam's from across the room. Kara danced all throughout the workplace until she found Adam's corner before he could even set foot inside.

"Hey! You can't go near my workspace without me monitoring you. Got that?" Adam hissed.

"Woah ok. Mr. Boss." Kara teased. Adam sat down at his computer ready for work, waiting until he ran into his cover-up girlfriend. As Kara waited, she cleverly snuck into Adam's drawers. They were mostly just boring 'ol work supplies; paper, pens, calculators, etc. He must've really put effort into his fake life.