Of Lorenz Theory & Love

Spellwork at the Speed of Light

23 Spellwork at the Speed of Light

6 pm, Vera Manor Garden, She-Shed, Seattle, Washington

Macy checked on the status of crocky, the sizable exotic Deinosuchus crocodile genome, and reread the anonymous request. She noticed that the sampling process had not proceeded as fast as she expected, and exasperated, she muttered a speed spell she had been meaning to test out.

Genome, genome in the well, stir and smoke, bake and swell.

Reach completion ever faster, obey thine impatient female master.

It was not her spiffiest spellwork, but perhaps it would do. Macy stared at the machine, wondering if anything would happen, keeping an eye on the blips and customary beeps the technology made when processing the specimen.

Just then—a BANG ensued, causing crocky's remnants to plaster the she-shed's inner walls—a scientific experiment gone horribly wrong. The explosion of crocky rattled the rusted-over windowpanes and fixtures, and briefly ignited the rug beneath her feet, causing a great deal of smoke to fill the enclosed space. Mel and Maggie had already left Vera Manor for SafeSpace, and Macy was sprawled out across the floor, knocked unconscious by her very own words.

6:05 pm, Vera Manor Garden, She-Shed

Harry knew something was wrong.

For one, Macy wasn't there to greet him while she drank her afternoon coffee. For another, Mel and Maggie were long since gone, and Macy still had not reappeared from wherever in the world she was hiding, to sneak a few stolen kisses as she usually had before.

Harry called out to Macy, who was neither in her room nor in the living room, the hallways, the basement, or the back garden—or was she? He thought back to the Arlissa lyrics Macy had written adjoining a garden shed and decided to investigate.

He tried knocking on the shed door, but there was no response. Going around its sides, he went near a window, and, cupping his eyes, saw Macy sprawled across the floor of the she-shed. Oh no, oh no, oh no, he thought frantically as he ran back to the shed door and barreled into it with all of his might to rescue Macy, who was still inside and had not yet regained consciousness. Realizing Macy had likely put a doorway spell to lock the enclosure, he uttered a few words, and the door swung open.

The rug was among the first burning items Harry spotted; he stomped his foot on the lingering flame, which thankfully went out after a few precarious seconds. The rug was now singed and slightly smoking, and clouds billowed out of the room.

Macy, Harry whispered as he held her body, please hold on.

6:06 pm, Macy's Subconscious Brain

A burst of blinding light emanated; once the wattage dimmed, Macy looked around, observing a wide variety of patrons in this crowded purple-draped, rose quartz-festooned jazz club, which she heard someone refer to as "Tessera." She looked down, and instead of seeing her typical casual-but-chic home clothes, she was wearing a dark flapper-style dress with gold-scalloped sequins and beaded trim. Dammit, I'm unconscious again, aren't I? Macy mentally scolded herself for trying too hard to control everyday circumstances, yet again. Like the last time she was knocked out, it was she who was onstage, and based on her style of clothing, it was the 1940s. It appeared that gin and tonics were flowing freely in this hidden enclave for magical folk.

An announcer proclaimed, gesturing toward Macy, "And now for her solo debut, DARCY VALENSI!" The audience roared with applause, and Macy, assuming it was she they were referring to, commenced singing of her own accord, with lyrics she mysteriously knew by heart.

Hello stars, that twinkle ever-so-bright,

As you swing me closer tonight.

Hold my hand, twirl me 'round,

And keep me near, safe and sound...

Macy looked to her left, where she was shocked to see, offstage, a very handsome Harry winking at her. She readjusted her gaze, and continued singing until the end, and was met with much applause. Once she finished curtseying, she ran to Harry and hugged him, glad to see a familiar face.

"You did wonderfully, Darcy!" he exclaimed.

"Darcy?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm Jimmy, you're Darcy, remember? Miss Darcy Madalena Valensi, queen of my heart forevermore," he joked affectionately.

Macy decided to play along for the time being. "Likewise...Jimmy."

6:08 pm, Vera Manor Garden, She-Shed

Macy, Harry whispered as he held her body, please come back. He had been holding his hand above her body for at least a couple of minutes, but it seemed like forever. I'll do anything.

6:10 pm, Macy's Subconscious Brain

"Remind me again how we met, Jimmy," Macy decided to explore this whole Jimmy & Darcy bit. "Did we meet...in...a bar?"

He shook his head. "Darling, it was through Celeste, remember?"

6:11 pm, Vera Manor Garden, She-Shed

A sudden gasp of air emanated from Macy, as she suddenly regained consciousness; Harry hugged her so tightly that she whispered, "Harry, I can't breathe," and he quickly loosened his grip.

"Are you crying?" Macy rose into a seated position in the still-smoldering room. Harry wiped the stray tears away.

"I-I thought—I thought I'd lost you," he whispered, unable to look her straight in the eye.

"I'm sorry," Macy murmured. "I've been trying to start a genetics testing business in this she-shed, and crocky here exploded because I got too impatient for my own good."

"What have I told you about using magic to speed things up?" Harry shakily replied. "You tried to speed up analysis of an 82 million-year-old creature, of course it was going to take time!"

"I know...I should have listened. I think I can salvage enough to email the client their results but cleaning up isn't going to be pretty." At this, Macy rose to face Harry, and they passionately kissed. But then, a weird thought hit Macy.

"Harry, back when you were Jimmy, did you know my great-great aunt Darcy Valensi?"

"I don't think so," he answered uncertainly, "though when I became a Whitelighter, many of my memories had been erased."

"I had a vision just now," said Macy, "that I was in a 1940s magical jazz bar called "Tessera," performing while Jimmy was flirting with me backstage."

"The Tessera?" Harry questioned. "Are you absolutely certain it was the Tessera Nightclub?"

"Yup, Tessera—and when I asked Jimmy how we'd met, he said through Celeste—"

"That's where I died—" Harry and Macy's eyes met in shocked understanding. Suddenly, everything made sense.

That bitch.