Black Magic Women

89

Almost as soon as Zelda was out, Hilda straightened up and moved onto the still unconscious Mary, who had been abandoned at the appearance of the missed Spellman. Hilda didn't know where her head stood, overwhelmed with the task at hand. She didn't know who to deal with first, both women out of it.

"Come on, now is a good time to wake up," Hilda said and Sabrina just looked at her aunt in confusion.

"But she won't wake up. You killed her," Sabrina pointed out what was obvious to her and yet she just got a laugh in return, confusing her even more.

"No, I didn't, silly. Well, of course I did but she's not dead dead. She's just temporarily dead. She's an immortal. She can't just die," Hilda said and it all started to make sense in Sabrina's head. The dots finally started to connect in her head and she felt as if her world had been ripped apart once again.

She didn't know what was real and what was imagination anymore and so she just held her aunt's hand and watched her face relax as unconsciousness took over her beaten up form. She knew that whatever damage had been done to either of them may be irreversible and knowing that their lives could change forever, broke her heart even further.

She didn't want things to change. For all she knew, nobody had seen Zelda as happy as she was with Mary and it made Sabrina content to know that her aunt had someone to share her life with. Knowing all the pain that had been brought upon them was due to her foolishness made her feel beyond guilty.

She couldn't stand seeing the people she loved hurt and despite her constant worry to always do the right thing, nothing seemed to be going right. She had tried so hard to not do the wrong thing and all she had done seemed to be the worst solution to her problems possible. She had caused so much hurt and pain upon her family and those she loved.

"Come on, Mary... You can sleep enough when you're dead," Hilda said and listened for the silent but steady breath that assured that the woman was still alive. Of course she knew that the brunette was immortal but there still was that small little voice at the back of her head, questioning what would happen if Mary didn't wake up from her slumber.

"You need to get your revenge on him. For doing this to you and Zelds. Who else is going to do it, if not you?" Hilda said and Mary's body suddenly erupted in a coughing fit, Hilda's hand immediately going to her back to support the woman. She tried to make the fit as gentle as possible and felt Mary soon relax into the ground again, lowering her gently.

Mary didn't dare move a single muscle, knowing fully well that everything hurt like hell. After the beating she took, no wonder. She winced at every breath she took and the overwhelming pain that was coming back to her with twice as much force almost made her want to die again.

"We all have to work together if we want to beat him," Mary said and with a bit of magic, a wet cloth appeared in Hilda's hand and she started wiping off the blood and dirt on her forehead.

"Welcome back," Hilda said and avoided all the deep cuts but made sure to clean everything carefully.

"How do you feel?" Hilda asked, trying to keep the brunette conscious as she realized that she was slipping away from her again. The last thing she needed was Mary unresponsive again.

"Like I've just been killed," Mary said sarcastically and Hilda laughed softly.

"I am sure we'll have you up to your normal health in no time," Hilda said and pushed her shoulder gently back down when Mary tried to lift her upper body. Hilda assumed that it was the need to know how her significant other was doing that drove her up and into hurting herself by attempting to lift her body way before it was ready.

"Just rest a bit more. Zelda is out again. I suppose the pain was too much to bear. The poor thing," Hilda said and Mary sighed in relief. So her short death was at least worth it.

"Is she okay?"

"She seems to be quite fine. I can't really tell since you've got me occupied here."

Both women chuckled and Mary allowed herself to move slightly, feeling soaring pain rip through her bruised body. She moaned in agony and felt her head throb.

"Will the pain ever stop?" Mary asked and Hilda exchanged the bloodied cloth against a new, fresh one.

"It will. As soon as we've got you both home, we'll make sure to give you some relief so you can get some much needed sleep," Hilda said and moved on to the visible cuts on Mary's body, feeling like she was intruding on something. Last time something like this happened, Zelda had been there to take care of everything private but with her sister out, she had no choice but to take care of the forbidden land herself.

"Didn't you just say that I can sleep when I am dead?"

"Of course, but I just wanted you to wake up, so I won't be convicted for murder. That would be awfully inconvenient," Hilda said and both women appreciated the denial of the seriousness of the situation. The past few days had been filled with enough sorrow and pain and all of them could need a good laugh.

"How do I look?" Mary asked, half wanting to know the truth, half wanting to be lied to.

"Nothing that won't heal," Hilda said, avoiding the question altogether.

"I appreciate the sugarcoating," Mary said and Hilda chuckled.

"You have gone through this once, you can do it again," Hilda said, trying to find the small positive in a big negative.

"You make it sound like a walk through the park. Being beaten up and having several broken bones is rather a fall from heaven," Mary said and Hilda finished up the first aid, deciding it was time to move to the house.

"Sabrina?"

"Yes, auntie?" The confused teen said and Hilda saw the tears just continuing to stream down her face, feeling bad for all the misery the teen had to endure.

"Do you think you are able to help me teleport us back to the house or is it too much for you?" Hilda asked, knowing she wouldn't be able to do it on her own. At the same time she was well aware that Sabrina's mind was all over the place and her help wasn't guaranteed. If anything, a young Hilda would have been right out of it with the rest of them.

"I can try," Sabrina whispered, her voice giving up on her.

"Come over here and give me your hands. You know the spell, right?"

"It's the silent one?"

"Yes, exactly."

Hilda tried to give her niece an encouraging smile but she couldn't muster up the energy to give her more than a weak one. They took each other's hand and Hilda closed her eyes, both starting to cast the spell.

Hilda wished for it to work, for them to be surrounded by the familiar warmth as the other option would be to carry them home by foot. Zelda in her weakened state wouldn't be too much trouble but the intense pain Mary would be experiencing was reason alone to wish for it to go right.

"I am sorry, auntie. I can't do it," Sabrina said and broke into a fresh set of sobbing.

"It's okay, sweetie. We'll figure out another way," Hilda said and looked at Mary pitifully.

"This day can't get any worse, can it?" Mary, who had read the look correctly, said and sighed deeply, knowing exactly what was to come.