Spellbound

The Town

Avery wakes me about the same time the sun comes up, rummaging through drawers, opening cabinets, and throwing things to the floor.

"Do you ever sleep?" I groan.

She ignores me like always, becoming louder still. I pull the pillow over my head to block my ears—but it's not enough to drown out someone banging on our door. I should've left.

She exchanges muffled words with someone, before setting something on the stand beside my bed. Without any other words, she leaves, slamming the door behind her.

No matter how hard I try, I can't will myself back to sleep—especially not when it sounds like half the Pyro dorms are awake at this ridiculous time.

It's still mostly dark outside, as I pull the covers from my body and force myself out of bed. I kick my toe on something hard as I fumble in the dark searching for the light. After some colourful word choices, my eyes finally adjust...though I wish they hadn't. The room looks like a disaster zone. Mostly, Avery's side of the room is in complete disarray. Drawers half open, clothes scattered all over the floor, posters almost falling off the wall—And randomly on my bedside table, a teapot and matching cup...

Philly, hope you like it. —Lilith

I stare at the note for a moment. There's another teapot and matching cup beside Avery's bed. I pour myself a small cup of the fragrant tea. It has more of a bitter aftertaste than I'm used to, but still thoroughly enjoyable to drink as it warms me from the inside out, and makes me feel slightly less irritable than before.

Avery is unlike any person I've ever known. One minute, slightly helpful—the next, inexplicably waking me at dawn...

Between sips, I kick her clothes to her side of the room—leather jackets, black jeans, socks, all of it. When I get to the last jacket, shimmery paper falls from the pocket onto my toe—an image flashes in my mind, too blurry to make it out.

Against all my better judgement, I take the shimmery paper bearing a four-leaf clover in my hands. Instantly, the chill of the room fills my body, and my blood freezes within.

A flash of light blinds me, and then everything goes dark. More images I can't place, blur through my mind before I can stop them—

There's a woman—she has skin like Avery's and hair like midnight. Her face is severely scarred. She lies in a hospital bed surrounded by crystals—

"Stop!" I scream, my knees crashing to the floor beneath me.

The paper falls from my frozen fingertips. My heart pounds against my chest and every breath hurts as I try to make sense of the images in my mind. But I don't have to make sense of them—not really. Because I already know.

The pamphlet sprawls out beneath me and everything I think I know, is confirmed.

~Clover's Care Centre~

Not all wounds can be healed, and not all spells can be undone.

Our goal at Clover's Care Centre is to provide the highest quality of care

to help your loved ones maintain dignity with the greatest possible comfort during their last days with you.

Let our healers watch over your loved ones in your time of need.

Clover's is here for you, we truly care.

~Blessed Be~

My hands shake uncontrollably and my mouth goes dry. I want to take it all back—I want to put the pamphlet back where I found it, and forget I ever read it...But I know I can't. Avery's Mum is dying...and I'm a terrible person.