Oakbrook - The Portal

Spring Equinox (Pt 1)

Spring Equinox

Kate curled up in the corner of the sofa with her head in a book. It was dark, and she was waiting for midnight.

It was one of her favourites, "Tea with the Demon" and this was the battered copy she'd read over and over. The pristine unread copy on the shelf was signed by the author.

She slowly uncurled her numb feet and rubbed at them to bring feeling back. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was approaching midnight. She tottered into the kitchen on unsteady feet that felt too thick, stamping and flexing her toes to try to restore circulation. It was Spring Equinox, one of the two days each year, where the day and night, the light and the dark, are in perfect balance.

Kate didn't really understand it other than that she knew spring was definitely coming, the daffodils were showing at the edges of her lawn. The seasons were changing, and so was she.

Lily was due any minute, and Sam was asleep upstairs. But Lily's instructions had been clear. They needed to be up at midnight to be sure of being at the woods before sunrise, so they could open a magical portal as the sun rose. Apparently that might help. Kate wasn't sure what she believed any more, choosing to place her trust in Lily, who seemed to know what she was doing.

So Kate had stayed up, knowing if she went to sleep she'd not be awake when they left. She heard a car pull up outside as she stumbled into the kitchen, yawning. Lily let herself in as Kate was filling the kettle.

"Tea?" asked Kate.

Lily nodded and sat at the table in silence. She was clearly worried.

"It has to be now?" Kate asked, anxious as well and wanting to talk, to fill the silence.

Once again Lily nodded but said nothing.

That in itself was enough to worry Kate even more. She finished making a pot of tea and put it on the table. Three mugs were soon sitting beside it along with a jar of sugar and a bottle of milk. Lily was still sitting in silence.

"Want to tell me about it?" Kate suggested.

"No." Lily shook her head slowly. "Well, yes, but I can't. I have no idea what to say. It's got so complicated. I'm sorry." Lily refused to meet Kate's gaze. "Can we talk about if, when, we get back?"

Kate nodded, noticing the hesitation, the change from if to when.

Lily reached for the tea pot and helped herself to a mug of tea. "Would you go and wake Sam please?" She asked Kate softly. Kate stared at her more worried than ever now. Lily was too calm, too controlled, holding in something so huge it might tear her apart. It was so unlike Lily. She was normally the one who held Kate together, the rock in the raging storm.

She opened her mouth, took a breath to ask Lily to explain, she could take it, she could understand, she could help. But, she said nothing. Kate did as she was told. She went upstairs to wake Sam.

Kate eased the bedroom door open and gazed fondly at the relaxed form sprawled across the bed. Sam lay on her back, one arm behind her head, cradling it. The other arm was flung out across the pillow, relaxed. Kate gently sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to wake her.

"Sam?" She called softly, reluctant to wake her but knowing she must. Sam's grey eyes opened and slowly focused.

"It's time?" She asked, smiling, knowing the answer.

Kate's throat tightened, this was beginning to feel like goodbye.

"We've done what we can, we are as prepared as we can be. But I don't know if it's enough." Sam was brutally honest, ran her hand through her hair, brushing it a little tidier. "I don't know what our chances are. I don't want to make promises I might not be able to keep. But I will do my best to come back if I can, for Susan." She paused for a moment, reached out to take Kate's hand. "Kate, don't look like that. I have to do this."