Awakening - The Last Science #1

Interlude I - A Year in the Life of Hailey Winscombe - VII

VII.

Mid-May, about five months later, on a rainy afternoon, at Hailey's apartment.

  Hailey loved the clouds, but hated the rain.

  A breathtaking layered wall of clouds rolling through the endless expanse of blue was something to be cherished, but this solid blanket of grey? Where there was no light to be found, and sheets of water fell in droves to soak everything through? This was just depressing.

  It didn't help that she was staring out the window of her small kitchen with the smell of burned chocolate fudge filling the room. Hailey had been stirring a batch as a treat for Jessica's birthday, which was coming up soon, but she'd gotten distracted by a fleeting glimpse of a bird on the balcony. She'd rushed to the door, trying to catch it by flinging a pocket of air around it, but it had jumped away too fast. Hailey had only just managed to clip off a few feathers as it took to the skies.

  They'd attempted the ritual several times since December, with no success. Jessica's current theory was that the feathers they were using were no good, and that it had to be from a wild bird, or perhaps the right type of bird. She'd drawn out several different species for Hailey to pursue, and the red-tailed hawk on the balcony had definitely been on the list. Hailey was shocked it had perched so close—from what she'd researched online, she hadn't expected one to come to her. She only hoped the feathers she'd managed to gather were enough.

  More importantly, she hoped that she wouldn't let Jess down again.

  Hailey still wasn't sure if the ritual was failing because of the feathers. No, Hailey believed it was her own fault. Every time they started, Hailey took one look at Jessica, whose voice she was actually beginning to forget, and her heart seized up. She lost all confidence, all drive. Without it, the ritual may as well have been a wish on a star for all the good it did.

  Hailey clenched her fist tight in frustration. A wind picked up in the kitchen, the edges of papers flapping noisily. She flicked open the window latch and slid it aside with her mind, and the air quickly carried out the scent of burned fudge before it could spread through the house and Jessica noticed it. Hailey would do it again, and do it right this time.

  Just not right now, Hailey sighed as she heard a thump from upstairs. Jessica was rushing down to meet her. Must have smelled it anyway. But to her surprise, Jessica wasn't looking for the source of the smell. No, she was holding a fistful of feathers from the red-tail that Hailey had scared away only moments earlier.

  "You caught it, Jess?" Hailey asked, pointing at her. Jessica nodded, miming catching something out of midair with her hands, then pointing to her head with a flutter of her fingers. "With magic. Nice."

  Jessica drew a circle in midair, then cocked her head to the side with a "Hmm?"

  Hailey sighed. "I don't know. I really don't think it'll make a difference." She shrugged. Jessica shook her head and grabbed Hailey's arm, pulling her to the staircase. "All right, all right," Hailey conceded. "I'll give it another shot." She let Jessica lead her upstairs to the empty bedroom, where their ritual circle awaited.

  A near-permanent dusting of chalk in various colors formed a neat, perfect circle in the center of the wooden floorboards. Jessica had taken to decorating the room while Hailey was out with various gemstones set in silver candle holders, while actual candles formed a large ring outside the circle. A twinned set of astroids surrounded the circle, with empty holders at each point where Jessica could fill them as needed. Various pouches and boxes lined the edges of the room with all the different stones and materials Jessica had ordered online (through the concerted efforts of Hailey and the least entertaining game of pictionary imaginable).