At the witch's house

Magick

Chapter One: Magick

It's the final race. Lap 53 out of 54, his heart is pounding hard inside his ribs and he hears it above the engine noise and Simon giving him instructions. Daniel Ricciardo is inside of his yellow Renault and goes on 4th. It's his chance as Charles Leclerc's red Ferrari is closer. He tightens the chase and his foot sinks into the pedal. Everything around him becomes blurry as electricity chirps in the air and it floods everything, everyone, everywhere.

Suddenly there's a voice in his ears. It's singing softly and his vision blurs slightly. Disbelieving of what he heard tries to focus again blinking fast and grinding his teeth. A mistake could be mortal in this moment.

Fire cracking in its home, a raven is croaking and Daniel becomes dizzy.

Impossible, he thinks while chuckling. I should have drunk more water or something before the race.

The motor is roaring again, and then the voice calls his name. It's singing nonsenses and his head spins. What the fu...

Last night

A loud knock on Max's doors wakes him up at three something in the morning. The Dutch driver gets up cursing like a sailor but gets surprised when he sees his old teammate and friend on his doorstep.

-Hey, it's late, are you okay? You look like shit, man –Greeted the Red Bull racer his Australian friend.

-Ah, y'know, I'm shining!

Awkwardness fell as Max invited Daniel with a silent movement.

-Actually, I don't know, mate. I feel disconnected. Like I'm not here and I... You'll think I'm crazy but I smell woods and wet all the time...

Daniel looked at his hands, tanned and tattooed. What was he doing? Was he going nuts? He felt Max staring at him, his concerning palpable on the air.

________

Suddenly his head is spinning but it's not only that but the whole car, with the man inside. He lost control going out of a curve in the Yas Marina circuit. There's screaming, the noise of the engine and the crashing are just deafening. His hands act on their own and let go the wheel to grab the safety belt around his body as the car spins in the air and crashes onto the ground.

Cold wind rises and caresses his skin. Eyes closed as he smell pine, moss and smoke. Where am I? I'm at the race, this is a damn joke. I'm so fucking done.

He squints his eyes and the marshals are running around the car, turning off the fires. He is hanging upside down again in the Yas Marina circuit but his mind is coming and going. It couldn't stay in the here and now, something drags him outside his body and far from the hot desert weather. And into the woods.

BOOM. The explosion wave engulfs him. Am I dead?

His back feels wet and soon his curly hair gets damp. His absent mind is slowly clearing up as a gentle drizzle pours on him. Am I dead? he asks himself again as he slowly peers his brown eyes. A headache is pulsing in his head. He soon discovers he's laying spread in the middle of a forest glade, near a mountain.

He difficultly tries to gets up but his body feels like jell-o and keeps shaking in coldness. His head is still spinning as if he were in the car. He's naked and the temperature is getting sharping cold as the sun sets behind the mountain. I'm going to make a rather sad impression if someone finds me here.

-You finally got here, aye? You good? –A firm female voice cracks behind him and a thick blanket falls on his head. –Put that on or you'll freeze. It's raining season here. And we should probably get going, mate, the wolves are hungry.

Daniel covers up and tries to look at whoever is speaking but he sees the back of a fluttering cape embroidered with gold symbols.

-Come on, it's getting late and the Forest would love to devour you.

Wolves? Devour ME? His legs automatically get him up as fast as they can so he follows her in a safe distance, as if he could crash into her. After a few minutes of fast-pace walking they get to a wooden cabin with soft light coming out of it and a nice veranda. It feels homey but slightly neglected. The Australian get distracted by it and out of the blue she stops and he crashes onto her.

She's about half a head smaller him but definitely sturdier and thicker.

Before Daniel apologizes or even open his mouth, there's a stick pointing to his long face, from the tip of it, sparkles and heat.

-Listen to me, aye? This is my place; it has my rules. This is the forest I live and if you dare to hurt me or the woods in any way, I'll chop you into pieces and you'll never go back to your dimension. Aye? –Her voice is low and dangerous. He shivers and a big smile forms his mouth. A mischievous sparkle shines in the tiny woman's eyes and he just think it's amusing.

-Understood! –He says as he adapts a military pose and she snorts.

-Rules: Don't touch my crystals, my cards nor anything mine. Don't wander too far from the cabin and if you use any dish or cutlery, you wash it, aye? I'm no man's maiden.

Daniel hums in acceptance when a droplet falls down his neck and the mans shivers again. Or was it because of her? Amused but under warning, he nodes and looks into her eyes. They're dark as the night and sparkly as a river. Cheesy motherfucker. She turns her back to him and they resume walking but he stops and stares at her back. He feels queasy again, as if the grounds were shaking.

-Oi, sheila, my mum told me to never follow a stranger into their creepy ass house!

She turned to look at the naked man outside his house, with a puzzled yet amused look. Her laugh crossed the airs like bells and he shivered again. This place made him feel lost. He maybe was.

-It's Ophelia.

-Any last name? Anything else besides Ophelia?

-No, mate, it's just Ophelia. Come on in, you know my name and I invite you into my home –She said as she touched the wooden door with the wand.

A tune comes from the back of his mind. O-Ophelia. You've been on my mind, girl...