Strange Magic

Chapter 9

Lilith sat perched on Mary Wardwell's bathtub, hidden in plain sight, as the woman wretched on the floor, her body exhausted from how ill she had been. It had been two days since she had dinner with Zelda Spellman and she'd been forcefully expelling the contents of her body ever since. Was it something she ate or perhaps the wine? She wondered if Zelda was ill too, then remembered she hadn't ever called her back after she called her on Friday night to let her know she'd made it home safe. Finally, she lay down on the floor, the tiles cool and refreshing against her flushed face. It looked like blood and felt like soil that she was vomiting but she was so tired she couldn't truly tell. She closed her eyes, glad to have a moment's break from the horrible sensation that she'd be ill again.

Lilith could feel Zelda summoning her but she ignored the witch, keeping careful watch over her beloved Mary instead. She was annoyed- no, beyond annoyed- with Zelda, anyway. She'd caught on that the earth demanded a soul yet instead of doing anything about it she appealed to her queen? Was her high priestess going to show such weakness at every turn? This was a test; Zelda's first of many, and so far she was failing it.

Mary couldn't simply give Zelda the answer. If Zelda was to lead her coven and eventually witches everywhere into the worship of Lilith then Lilith needed her to be cunning and resourceful, to think on her own without asking her permission at every turn. Zelda would have to stop treating her power as if it were fragile and own it.

"My dear Mary.... my sweet sister," Lilith cooed, wishing she could help the woman in front of her. Sure, she was a demoness, but she wasn't heartless. Unfortunately the only woman who could help Mary Wardwell was Zelda Spellman and time was running out.

After a long moment Mary opened her eyes and began the long crawl back to her living room. She was too weak to stand, but she needed to get to the phone. She needed someone with her before things got any worse. Slowly, painfully, she put one hand in front of the other and rested on her knees, winded from the effort of moving her already frail frame. The old wooden floorboards of her house creaked underneath her weight and kept her grounded, awake, as she made the impossibly long journey. When she finally reached the living room she grabbed the cordless phone and leaned herself against the back of her favorite chair, another wave of nausea hitting her. God, she couldn't be sick again. She wouldn't make it to the bathroom in time.

Mary used what little strength she had to roll her eyes, then took a deep breath. She couldn't fathom making her way into the kitchen to retrieve a pot in which to get sick. It simply wasn't possible. She hit the redial button on the phone, unable to remember anyone's phone number and not thinking clearly enough to dial 911.

"Spellman Mortuary," the voice practically purred and Mary was instantly embarrassed. Of course Zelda was the last person she had dialed- on Friday night, when she got home from their dinner date. Well. Zelda did ask her for an update.

"Zelda?" Mary croaked, her throat raw from vomiting. She tried to maintain some sense of decorum and waited for a response even though all she wanted to do was beg the woman for help and Gatorade.

"Mary? Is that- are you alright?" Zelda questioned, immediately concerned.

"No..." she muttered, allowing herself to sink back down to the floor, "I need help, please, I am so ill."

"Of course," Zelda nodded, though Mary couldn't see her. "I'll be right there." Zelda hung up the phone before Mary had a chance to argue with her and rushed through the kitchen to grab her keys off the hook where they lived, "Hilda, I've got to go. Keep Sabrina IN the house, please, and... stand by. I may need your help."

"Whatever happened, sister?" Hilda questioned, concerned, as she watched her sister pull a coat on. "Is everything alright?"

Zelda did her best to keep her patience with her little sister. It wasn't her fault and she didn't deserve to be yelled at. "No, everything is very much not alright. I am going to Mary's house. If I phone you, come immediately. Something is wrong, though what, exactly, I don't know yet." Hilda nodded and watched her sister depart, then went back to her novel. It was no use to intervene; between Zelda and Lilith Mary was going to be alright until Zelda called on her to come.