The Witching Hour

Chapter 31 - Ghosts

The car came to a sudden and abrupt stop, the tires screeching in the process. Ivy's body jerked forward and whipped back, her eyes snapping open. Marina's fingers gripped Ivy's legs in an attempt to steady herself. Marina sat up gingerly, one hand gripping her head in the process while the other tried to shield the onslaught of sunlight.

"Something isn't right," Ella stated, putting her car into park. Zipping up her jacket all the way up, she pulled the ear warmers further down her head and jumped outside. Aura wasn't too far behind her, the car door slam rocking the vehicle.

Glancing around between heavy lids, Ivy realized that they had arrived at Calliope's house. She looked at Marina, who still appeared to be dazed. Weighing the internal struggle of joining the other two to assess the situation or staying with Marina. With one look outside, she knew her choice had been made for her.

"Marina, how are you feeling?" Ivy squared herself up, an arm snaking around the headrest of the passenger seat.

"I, I don't know," Marina stuttered, squeezing her eyes shut. Her hands gripped her face. She rocked back and forth, her head shaking back and forth. "I can't feel...anything."

Marina brought her brown eyes up slowly. Usually already a dark shade of brown, they seemed even dimmer, her inner light seemingly extinguished. Shoulders trembling, she sat back against the door of the SUV.

Ivy took in a sharp intake of breath, leaning forward to place her hands on Marina's leg. "What do you mean, you can't feel anything? Not even with the physical contact?"

Marina's head shook fiercely, dark hair flying around. "It's been turned off, just like the day we were attacked in the forest." She looked to the side with a deep breath. "That last spell was too much. Teleporting four people took too much energy."

"Let me try using my powers then." Ivy hopped out of the car, Marina following her lead. Ella and Aura had disappeared somewhere around the house, no longer standing beside the car.

Reaching out to her vines, Ivy searched in vain for a connection. She felt nothing, including their attempts to reach her. Shaking her head, she grabbed a handful of dirt. Ivy focused all of her energy on it, willing some sort of plant to grow from it. All she got was blockage.

"What the actual fuck," she muttered, rubbing her temples. "How long do you think it's going to last?"

Marina shrugged her shoulders, wrapping her arms around her torso. Ivy wondered how many times Marina had ever been left alone with her own feelings. Knowing her, Marina paid more attention to other people rather than taking care of herself. This onslaught of new internal feelings probably felt like giant tidal waves threatening to pull her under. Closing the gap, Ivy wrapped an arm around her friend – really her best friend – and held her close.

"Thanks." Marina melted into the embrace, her head resting on Ivy's shoulder.

The moment didn't last long.

Though, when did they ever?

Calliope's front door pulled back, but the old woman didn't grace them with her presence. Head hanging low, Ella beckoned them inside the house with a wave. Ivy and Marina exchanged a concerned look, rushing into the house.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when they passed through the front door. A teacup sat next to the same high-back chair she sat in during their last visit. Across the room on the dining table, a few of Calliope's spell books lay open.

A sob echoed down the hallway from the bedroom, pulling Ivy and Marina's attention. From Ella's lack of reaction, Ivy deduced that she already knew what was going on. Marina chased after the sound first, Ivy a few steps behind.