Dear Readers,

A couple of months ago, I uploaded a series of chapters that I titled "Witch." It received a strong response, so I naturally started writing more of the story. Since I'm almost done the novel, I wanted to upload a third part.

Feel free to voice your opinions and constructive criticism. It can only make the story better.

It will be uploaded to Amazon as an e-book after I'm done posting it here for your reading pleasure.

Leslie
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Chapter Twenty-One
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The following week, a dozen visitors came to Polly’s house to see me. Mom encouraged everyone to make themselves comfortable. I was asked to help. I brought out drinks and snacks.

The crowd was made up of Vamps and Witches, all were researchers from different parts of the world. Mom insisted that discussing my Zone was fine but no tours. Throughout their visit they all asked the same questions about my Mother and Father. Mom helpfully provided documents about both lineages, but no copies or files.

It became obvious to me that they were holding back, but it wasn’t my show. I was just the lab rat. Any time there was a lull, I asked questions. I wanted to know why the scrolls were scattered everywhere on the Earth, and why I could read them. I wondered what power I’d been gifted with to be capable of translating any and all of them. I asked them what they knew. They all shook their heads, and no one answered. This totally sucked, and I felt like a circus act to be stared at.

I looked at Polly and sent her a private message. ‘I wonder if these talents are a curse, and I’m uncovering the Apocalypse. Everyone wants more from me, but no one has any answers.’

I was losing patience and blurted out to the gathered crowd. “Okay. If you don’t have answers, how about theories?” That’s when I heard them finally speak.

The first words came from a Warlock who’d dedicated his life to the black arts. He came because he’d hoped some of the scrolls might have the answers he was seeking.

Before he spoke, he turned and faced everyone.“The scrolls prove that our kind lived side by side with different kinds of demons. The dark scrolls reinforce the idea that Humans existed, but not on the same plane. Those skins were remnants of wars between human groups, retrieved by Witches. The writing, the various languages, and the significant distance between discoveries only demonstrate that these groups were masters of time. They could travel anywhere on the planet and probably spoke many human languages.”

All the others were shaking their heads and mumbling their disagreement. I had to admit that his theory was pretty out there, and I don’t see where my big reveal helped his case.

Another scholar stepped forward, a Vampire. “I think Anna’s talent is that she’s a conduit connecting our present with the past and possibly the future. We need to be cautious moving forward. I wonder if part of her connection is her Zone. I’d like to visit there with her.”

Polly shut that down immediately. “Nope. The only passage we have found to her Zone is through her head. That’s off limits for now.”

After eating together, they all left. I found out later that Polly was limiting my exposure to all the scientists. And this group was her compromise, letting them prod and probe me for a limited time.

Sitting with my Mom and Polly, I asked them what they thought.

Polly shrugged. “When the smartest minds don’t have the answers, it seems like speculation is just letting all their imaginations run around in circles chasing tails. I wasn’t impressed.”

Mom was nodding. “I think that Anna deserves a life. I don’t want her to be a lab subject.”

I cheered. “I’m sorry I’m not more help. But I’m still in the dark here. And my Zone seems to be a link.”

“No one is going through your head. No one. We’re going to limit the visits. I do want to talk to Walter about the Zone.”

Mom agreed with Polly. “Well, I think that from now on, Walter will be our only conduit to the scientists. We’ll keep Anna close by.

I didn’t hear from Walter again, but assumed that he and Polly were heading up this big search and trying to make sense out of the dozens of scrolls I had translated. I would have liked to heard back if they found anything interesting.

But one thing stood out about whenever I translated a scroll. I fell into a fugue. I blanked out, and no one was filling me in on the details of what happened. Every time I’d translate, I fell into a dream state. I don’t know where I went while I was translating. It made me wonder if I was the only one inside my head.

I had this general idea of what happened to me when I read the ancient documents, but no one was ready to talk about it with me. I tried to keep some thoughts out of my mind, but I couldn’t. I’d watched the videos of me translating, but there were no apparent changes in my behavior after I woke up. But just thinking about it made me crazy.

Then I heard from my Mom. ‘Honey, I felt your heartbeat going wild just now. Wanna talk?’

I sighed. ‘Yes. If you can, how about my room in ten minutes?’ I thought I was being selfish, making demands on Mom like that. But I sensed that something was really wrong and I was scared.

‘Mom, since I woke from the trance translating the scrolls, things are different.’

‘Different?’

‘I'm feeling different. It’s like some change happened inside my heart and brain.’

‘Pain?’

I shook my head. ‘No. I’ve just got a bunch of different feelings running through my mind. I think whoever entered my brain when I was translating changed me. It’s not something I can identify, but I definitely feel like I’ve been given a purpose.’

Mom reached over and held my hands. ‘Was this feeling like a religious experience?’

I thought for a minute. ‘Well, maybe. But I really don’t know. It’s like, I’ve become a piece of a puzzle. I feel like I have a role to play. It’s just that I don’t know what it is.’ In my mind, I thought back on the movie, The Matrix. The main character turned out to be sent to free mankind from enslavement. In the last episode, he died. I shivered thinking about him being blinded and crucified.

And then something strange happened. Mom did not speak. As a kid, that’s a really unsettling feeling when your Mom just stares at you and then looks off into space. I realized that she didn’t have an explanation, or maybe something worse.

Mom took a deep breath and finally spoke. ‘Honey, can we involve Polly? She might have some answers.’

‘Sure.’

One of my favorite stories came from French history. I was starting to wonder if my life was predestined. All I could think about was Joan of Arc, who believed she received messages directly from God. She sacrificed herself for what she believed in, leading God’s army to save France and crown a king. Ultimately, when she stopped winning battles, France abandoned her, and she was captured by the British. They held a public trial, declared her a witch, and she was burned at the stake.

I pictured myself as a tool. I was being used by the Covens, the Vamps, and maybe even demons, like God used Joan. Solving the mystery of the scrolls was that breakthrough, or maybe there was more to do. After that day in the Library, I was given strict orders not to go anywhere without Luna and Fluffy. And after someone tried to kidnap me, I was grounded.
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Chapter Twenty-Two
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From then on, Becky and I rode in Polly’s limo every day. I noticed that our driver was armed. From that point on, there was no walking, no busing. My family worried about me being stolen. In my fantasy, I’d be an innocent school kid, kidnapped and held for ransom. Derek would rescue me, like in any good romance novel. His shirt ripped, revealing his muscular torso, torn by the monster’s claws. Naturally, I’d use my Witchy healing powers, rubbing myself all over his body.

Suddenly, Becky started laughing. “You’re sitting so close to me, I can see your fantasy in high definition. Is that the best you can create? Seriously, a heart-throbbing gothic romance or a silly Hallmark Movie? You’ve become such a girly-girl, all helpless and weak. C’mon, woman! How about saving yourself by using your own powers?”

Well, when Becky called me a girly-girl, it struck a nerve. Doug and I were both insulted. Girly-girl! Well, in a way, she was right. My crush on Derek had not waned. And Doug expressed displeasure when I dreamed of sitting in lab and making out.

Every time her Vampire snuck in to see Mom at night, I purposely opened my screens and took in all the pheromones coming from my Mom’s wing. Oh, the fantasies I had drifting off to sleep. We’d be making out, going hot and heavy. Then Derek would take control and I’d loose myself in waves of orgasmic pleasure. Doug stopped watching altogether.

But one morning, Mom pulled me aside. ‘Do you realize that the pheromones coming from the two of us are addictive, right?’

That stopped me in my tracks. Mom’s excitement? I was getting off on my mother’s pheromones! Whoa. That was so perverted to suck up my own Mom’s lust! So for several days, I swore off everything and closed my shields completely. It made it tough to sleep. I was stewing when I mentioned it to Becky. She laughed and got a big kick out of it.

‘Hey, Anna. Pheromones are pheromones. There’s no such thing as "boy" or "girl" pheromones! I can prove it to you. We can run a test!’

I was wary. ‘What kind of test?’

Becky blushed as she leaned over and whispered, ‘We can investigate my pheromones!’

I swallowed and nodded. ‘Sure. Come on over to my house, and we can do homework together. I’ll tell the cook to add another plate for dinner. Maybe we can get a little privacy tonight without setting off any alarms.’

That night, we tested Becky’s theory several times. She was right. Pheromones were pheromones. And Becky had some good ones.

Two days later, Mom pulled me aside. ‘You are still using pheromones,’ she said.

I didn’t say anything. You don’t have to when your Mom reads all your thoughts and hears everything you say.

‘Anna, it’s dangerous and can mentally paralyze you. Sex is a powerful addiction, probably the most insidious drug, because it goes straight to your brain’s reward center and immediately makes itself at home. Each time you flood your receptors, your brain starts to need more and more of it. You’re headed down a dangerous road because eventually pheromones become more important than life itself, and you find yourself struggling to function. It’s worse than becoming an Opium addict.’

I listened to Mom’s stern warning about pheromone addiction. It was hard to hear those words because I knew that nothing felt better than lying in a stupor where your whole body was floating in pleasure. I guess that an Opium den was a fitting description.

I nodded and shrugged. ‘Uh-huh. I figured something that good has got to be bad for you. But Mom. It’s a perfect escape, and no one gets hurt.’

‘Except for you. You’re thinking more and more about it and less and less about yourself.’

I knew that Doug had spent a lot of time “rubbing one out” during his life. Seriously, boys had it easy. In Anna’s case, I’d tried hot baths, showers, and simply playing under the covers. But I just couldn’t do it anymore without pheromones. Opening up my shields to Mom’s lovemaking left me breathless and very satisfied.

But Mom was right, and I needed to hear what she said. And my response wasn’t quite logical. ‘Okay, I hear you and agree that it’s addictive. But right now, everyone is depending on me, and I don’t feel like I’m getting a break. The soccer team wants to win every game, and I’m supposed to score goals. The scientists need me to read the scrolls. I’m supposed to be learning how to amplify and control my power with you and Polly. And everyone thinks that it’s easy to be a fourteen-year-old girl. I’m supposed to want to date human boys when Doug’s brain is in love with Becky! I can’t relax, and sleep is impossible without Derek’s pheromones!’

Mom hugged me. ’You know, he likes you.’

‘Who? Derek?’ Suddenly I was paying close attention.

‘He enjoys your innocent manner and your backstory. The fact that you are naive and gifted at the same time amuses him. He marvels at just how complex you are.’

I got angry! ‘He’s laughing at me! But how does he know all this?’

‘He can see you.’

‘See what?’

‘You have a powerful Aura that immediately draws attention.’

‘How come I can’t see Auras?’

‘Polly decides just how fast your training goes. She’s keeping your knowledge limited for now. I know she wants to keep control of your powers until she’s confident that you can survive yourself.’

‘What’s that mean?’

‘You have power, a lot of power. And you need to learn self-control, too.’

‘I’m under control.’

‘No, you’re not. Let me give you some examples. You toyed with those awful men who wanted to rape and kill you and Becky. You were torturing them before you fed them to your Familiars. And that girl on the soccer field who intentionally tried to kill Becky. You had your Familiars rough her up and incapacitate her.’

I felt defensive and angry until I realized that Mom was right. I had not even thought about the damage I did. I used power in anger.

From then on, I did my best to seal my screen so no pheromone could get past. I was shaking inside. I knew I needed to stop oversexing myself. ‘Mom, you know, I think I need help with my pheromone problem. But who could I talk to?’

Mom gave me a big hug and held me tightly as I cried into her shoulder. ‘Mom, I’m so confused. I thought everything was going okay, but maybe it’s not. I mean, hurting people is wrong, but I’m not having any regrets about hurting that girl on the soccer team and torturing those bad guys. And that’s not good thinking. Maybe I shouldn’t have any power. But yeah, it’s like, I’m strung out and can’t sleep unless I open my screens to Derek. Everything is driving me crazy.’ I really sounded pitiful.

As I cried, another body surrounded me with a second hug. I knew it was Polly and was shocked when she touched me. In all the times I’ve spent with Polly, I only got one hug when we first met. I continued to sob, but felt this warmth grow inside. As this feeling grew, I stopped crying. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by a deep feeling in my heart and mind. It was a lot more powerful than a hug.

I suddenly had clarity, and everything started to make more sense. Rather than having no powers, Mom and Polly were sharing some of their knowledge with me, and it came in the form of more power. My workouts with Polly were nothing compared to what was happening now. I was submerged in a bath of knowledge and power that energized me all at once. It was happening in a calm and controlled manner. As this power flowed through me, it changed me from head to toe.

I pushed myself back from their embrace and gasped like I’d been holding my breath. Staring at both of them, I could see them through magic eyes. Their Auras were amazingly complex and beautiful. Now I understood what an Aura was and how it helped to translate what was inside both of them. And I suddenly understood a lot more about the Coven in New York and the one in Chicago. I could see individual faces and now knew each Witch intimately.

I was trying to sort all this new knowledge out in my head. ‘Does everyone see what I see?’

Polly smiled. ‘No. Your Mom and I are the only two witches with this much ability. All Witches have power and see faint Auras. But our family has much more and we are definitely different. And of course, you share it. We just unlocked you to help your frustrations. It’s okay. This is not the time to question yourself. Sure, we all make mistakes, and you’re allowed to mess up, too. But you’re growing.’

Mom stared at me. ‘You were right about yourself. And you are part of a much bigger picture. I know you didn’t sign up or volunteer, but you’re part of The Plan. Your Grandmother and I are also part of it, too.’

Okay. Did anybody else wonder if I’d walked into some ninety-minute B-rated movie? We could call it The Plan, even capitalize the P, and suddenly, this naive kid is bathed in magic rays and gains immense power. So the movie would have capital letters: The Plan. I would be a hero and loved by all as I saved the world from a secret organization that was trying to dominate everyone.

‘Stop it, wise guy.’ Mom did not share my sense of humor.

I looked at both Mom and Polly, who were frowning at me. But I wasn’t done. ‘Okay, so I’m one month old, and you are both shooting me right between the eyes with all of this.’ I stared at Polly. ‘Seriously, maybe you should just turn me into a hamster and feed me to Luna.’ I tried to smile to show them that I was kidding and just being a smart ass. Hey, I’m not even fifteen yet, and they were laying it all on me when I was at my lowest.
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Chapter Twenty-Three
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At that point, there was a knocking at the front door, and Judith opened it. Neither my Mom nor Polly seemed surprised when my Father walked into the room and greeted them both. Then he turned to me. ‘Anna, you are looking well. I heard that it was time. Polly told me that you are ready to start. I am here to share.’

He looked at Polly. ‘How much?’

She must have answered him. Before I could say a word, Richard swept me up into his arms in a bear hug. Suddenly, my Father passed along something that heightened my awareness even more. His energy was different. I felt stronger, more confident, and better able to deal with my worries. And I knew, with certainty, that I was a lot more powerful. Richard Franklin’s family was powerful and wise. And they were strong.

The next thing I remember was Mom tucking me in. I woke up long enough to kiss her goodnight and fall back to sleep.

While I slept, I found myself back in my Zone. I stood in the archway and smelled that fresh air and marveled at the gold spots that I thought were fireflies. I looked down at my Familiar and saw that Fluffy, Mom’s short-haired black cat, sat with us, too. As I scratched the back of her head, I looked out and tried to understand the fireflies and what they meant. I started grinning when I thought maybe they’re just fireflies.

And maybe my Zone was just a peaceful place to catch my breath.

In the morning, I wanted to share. I told them about my trip to the Zone and the thoughts that I had.

Polly clapped her hands. “Well, whether it was caused by our sharing of powers or just your Zone calling, there doesn’t seem to be any pressing danger. But thank you for keeping us posted.”

I ate a spoonful of oatmeal. “Speaking of that, have you heard anything back from our visiting scientists about the scrolls?”

“Yes. Other scientists are interested in talking to you and having you revisit the Library. One Witch believes that you might find other scrolls that talk to you, too.”

Mom looked at Polly. “I wonder if we aren’t overloading her. Everything happening is new.” She turned to me. “I know you’ve inherited traits from two powerful families, but I think we need to let it all settle in. I think we are rushing everything along too fast.”

“Mom, did you have a baby with my Father because you wanted to make a super baby?”

I watched Mom wipe a tear from her eyes. “We talked about what you might inherit, but never thought we would create something dangerous or bad.”

“I’m not bad. I know that. I’m almost fifteen and really smart. But I’m still brand new. I want to call a moratorium until after my birthday. I want to just live my life, talk to my friends, play soccer, and love all of you.’

Polly looked at Mom, then back at me. “Anna, I think that you have a good point. We will give you a chance to digest what you have become. But I still want to train you on Sunday afternoons.”
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Chapter Twenty-Four
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On Monday, I downloaded my assignments and listened to my teachers go on and on all telling me the essential things humans should know. But my imagination kept interrupting me as I wondered about using human skin as paper.

And then there was gym class and running laps on the track. Half of Mrs. Cook’s class would be running again this afternoon in soccer and cross-country track. But warming up to play basketball was part of her curriculum, and that’s what we did.

As we ran, my mind wandered into a full-on fantasy. I watched as Mrs. Cook suddenly split open and a shiny gray eight-foot demon with six arms burst through as her dead husk fell to the floor. In my imagination, everyone watched in horror as it grabbed three students by their necks and opened its large mouth. But before it could eat them, Becky and I shot blue flames from our fingers and incinerated the demon on the spot. Luna and Fluffy had a big job: cleaning up the scattered demon mess and erasing all the students' memories. The hardest part was getting rid of the smell of the electrocution. But fortunately, there was a gentle breeze.

Becky smiled at me as we continued running the track. ‘Thank you for including me in your fantasy. I enjoyed burning that demon back to Hell. Fun. Of course, Pumpkin’s gonna be bent out of shape that she didn’t get to play.’

I smiled, noticing that Mrs. Cook was still standing there holding her stopwatch and clipboard. The gym teacher never knew that in my crazy, creative juices she’d been possessed by a demon, then saved by two teenage Witches.

Becky was laughing. ‘You think Cook will bump my grade up to an A, since I saved her from a demonic possession in your imagination?’

Laughing, moaning, and shaking my head, my feet continued to run laps. I was so bored.

After school, as we were running more laps before practice, I listened to Olivia talk about her brother. “Okay, so I’m supposed to be the messenger here. My brother goes to a different school, Maynard Douglas. Our parents sent him there for a Math and Science specialty. After he saw you at our last game, he asked me to ask a question. They’re having a Fall Dance at his school, and he wanted to know how you feel about going with him on a date.”

My first thought was to say “Thanks, but no thanks.” Then I remembered how cute he looked at our soccer game and how he kept trying to look me over. So I said, “Olivia, my first impulse is to say no, but then I had a better idea. Tell him that I want Becky to go, too. So he has to find another handsome boy, and we can double date.”

I watched Olivia smile. “I have the perfect guy in mind, and he’s Kelly’s best friend, Mike. I’ll text him when practice is over. Should I give him your number?”

I nodded while Becky was yelling in my head in the background. ‘Anna, how could you do that? You just arranged a blind date for me without mentioning it! You’re making me sound like your needy girlfriend. C’mon, you make me sound lame!’

I laughed at her. ‘Lamo could be your new nickname.’

Becky stopped and stared at me. ’Anna, I’m no longer your friend.’ But then she turned to Olivia and smiled. “I want to see a pic of this guy, Mike. I dunno, maybe he wants a date with me!”

Mike would have flipped if he'd known he was being given a date with a beautiful fourteen-year-old.

After our scrimmage, I apologized to Becky. “I didn’t think of it that way. I was just being selfish and wanted to be with you that night. You’re right. Saying it out loud sounds pretty gay, but if you say yes, maybe it will be fun.”

“Of course, it’s yes. I saw Kelly when he came to our game, and if Olivia says that Mike is good-looking, maybe it’ll be okay. It should be fun to go to a dance.”

Dance! I suddenly realized that I had no idea how to dance or whether I had two left feet. ‘Becky, do you know how to dance?’

‘Sure. Hey, tell me that you’re totally clueless. And now you'll have to be nice to your lamo friend if you don’t want to look too geeky on the dance floor. Hah!’

‘Becky!’

‘No, remember. I’m not Becky anymore, my name is Lamo!’

‘Becky! I’m really, really, really sorry. C’mon! I never meant to hurt you. Do you want me to cry out here on the field in front of all these people? You are my best friend, and I love you with all my heart! Please forgive me, please.’

‘Okay.’

Before I started another rant with the same begging theme, she let it go. “That’s it, you forgive me?” I realized that I needed to shut my mouth and just thank her for being my friend.

‘Becky.’

‘Anna.’

‘I’m sorry, and I need to get down on my knees and thank you for being my friend even though I have unresolved issues and a shitty personality.’

‘Yeah, well, I love you, and if you love someone, you can forgive them over and over again. So one stupid, dumb-assed insult rolled off my back because I have done everything to help you and I have succeeded in making you comfortable in this school.’

‘Huh?’

‘I cast a spell over you, shit head. I wanted everything to be smooth sailing for you, so I created a “Like Me” spell and cast it over you.’

I walked off the field and sat down on the bench. I couldn’t see very well because I was sobbing. Everything was a mess. I was a mess, my life was a mess, and my future was a mess. Everything that had happened since I became Anna has been unreal and scripted by a Witches spell. I never asked to be the center of attention and felt like everything was being piled on me.

I looked up and wiped the tears out of my eyes to see a figure standing over me.

It was Coach Howard. “What’s wrong, Bradford? Is it that time of the month?”
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Chapter Twenty-Five
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That was it! Just thinking about my first period had me spinning. Suddenly, I knew I was going to be sick and needed to find the bushes quickly, or I’d be vomiting right in the middle of the bleachers, on my shoes.

As I was vomiting into a small evergreen at the end of the field, I felt Becky’s presence.

“You know that bush you’re throwing up in the out-of-bounds field marker. I’m sorry, Anna. I didn’t mean to push your buttons and add to your misery. There’s no spell, I made that up.”

I looked back up at her while I was wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “Why’d you say that?”

“'Cause I heard your mom tease you with it, and I was just getting back at you for the lamo crack.”

“How’d you know that she said that?”

Becky shrugged. “When we’re close, I can see your thoughts and interactions, especially with your Mom. You keep rehashing everything over inside your head. I thought your Mom was making a joke, so I did, too.”

I stopped throwing up but started crying. “Becky, I’m so fucked up. Everything is crazy. I can’t keep up with all the shit everyone is tossing at me. It’s like I’m in some arcade game where all sorts of stuff is constantly being thrown at me, and no matter how fast I dodge, I keep getting hit smack in my face.” I sent her a list of everything that I had gone over with Mom that was killing me. “And now, they infused me with more Witch stuff and supercharged me. I thought that was pretty crazy. Then my Father comes by, and he powers me up with all the Witchy stuff he inherited.”

Becky looked at me curiously. “Wouldn’t that make it better since you got smarter and more powerful?”

We were walking back to the field together, so I switched back to talking in my head. ‘I don’t know. I feel like I drank a gallon of coffee and a dozen cans of Red Bull. I’m wired up on all this power that I haven’t digested. All I want to do is hide away somewhere. Mom said I’m not doing enough good stuff, and try to stop acting like a wise ass.’

‘So, how hard is that? You’re nice to everyone.’

‘I don’t know. Evidently, Mom says I’m making bad choices.’ I flashed her a mental image of me electrocuting the rape and murder guys and directing our Familiars to trip up Red Card. ‘Mom says I need to practice using my head before I harm any innocent people.’

Becky looked up and grabbed my arm. She pointed me toward Coach Howard and the team, then gave me a shove. ‘C’mon, let’s go get the ball rolling.’

“Good pun.”

“What?”

“You know, good pun. Ball rolling, soccer…”

Becky shook her head and looked at me. “Doofus. You’re still a doofus.”

I turned to her. “Doofus! I’m a doofus?”

Becky grabbed my elbow and leaned in closely. “You’re a doofus because you’re running afraid. Suddenly, you’re afraid of being beautiful, powerful, and a Witch. Afraid of dancing? Afraid of your own shadow? The next thing you know, you’re going to forget how to play soccer. That’s the definition of a doofus. At least, Doug had a pair of balls.”

I looked at Becky and smiled. “Balls. That’s it. I still have a pair of balls, I mean, not physically attached between my legs, but mentally, Doug is still me. So, maybe you’re right. I need to stop doubting myself. But…”

“But, what? Tiger?”

“I still need to learn how to dance.”

Coach Howard heard us and was laughing. “Okay, Anna. Did you clear your head and your stomach? Are you ready to scrimmage?”

I was ready and beat myself into the ground in a non-stop attack on Becky’s defensive squad. I was everywhere and scored twice. Afterwards, the coach reminded us that our game on Thursday was part of the big, city-wide Chicago tournament. She said she was giving us the day off tomorrow so we could step back and see what it would mean to bring a trophy to our showcase.

Becky and I piled into Polly’s car and motored home. We dropped Becky off, and as she got out, I whispered that I would be her doofus forever.

That night, after my shower and dinner, I spent some time online watching kids dance. I would single someone out and watch and watch and watch. Then I’d try it. I realized I needed to listen to more music and let it flow over and through me. I needed to find the rhythm and the beat.

After an hour of hopping around, I felt much better about the date. I was looking forward to an evening with Kelly.

‘Mom.’

‘Yes, Anna.’

‘Do humans give off pheromones?’

I heard her laugh. ‘Of course. But they’re not like ours. You have to search for them.’
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Chapter Twenty Six
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I looked up and smiled as Mom came into my room to kiss me goodnight. “I have a date with a boy named Kelly. He’s taking me to his school dance. His best friend Mike is taking Becky.”

Mom smiled. “Good. Naturally, you’ll both take your Familiars so everyone has a safe time. How’s the dancing coming along?”

I laughed. “Baby steps. I’m working on it. But it was never in Doug’s repertoire.”

“Well, good for you for teaching yourself. Are you going to Becky’s house to practice?”

“If you can let me out of my high security prison for one night?”

“Sure. I really like what Becky said to you.”

“What?”

“About growing some balls.”

Knowing there were no secrets with Mom, I just assumed she knew every word and every thought that was me.“She’s right. I’ve been playing the hurt little girl, and it’s not going to work. I need to start training with Polly more often, and I can talk my Father into sharing some time to help me, too.

“I’m sure if you asked him nicely, he would be delighted. He could even help you to practice dancing.”

“Father?”

“That’s one of the ways he swept me off my feet that night. He is very charming when he wants to be.”

I tried to picture my Mom being swept off her feet fifteen years ago by a Warlock. It was still hard to see Mom flirting that way.

Reading my thoughts, Mom chuckled. “Yep, your Mom is just an old woman. I guess that was a long time ago.”

I took a deep breath. “Mom, how old are you?”

I watched her hesitate, then smile. “I was one hundred when I gave birth to you.”

I was still coming to terms with everything around me. My world had changed so much in the month since Anna was revealed. Doug was just a placeholder. My mind quaked.‘Maybe we should give poor Doug a fitting burial. The guy never knew what hit him.’

Mom hugged me tightly. ‘Doug was just your chrysalis. He played an important role in your life. When Anna broke free from her spell, Doug came with her.’

‘Was he eaten?’ I pictured how some insects eat their chrysalis when they emerge.

‘No. No such thing. He was absorbed. Every bit of Doug is still there. Anna waited and lived inside Doug until everything changed. But you haven’t forgotten one second of those years. Those memories are part of what makes you so special.’

Special, I thought. Maybe I don’t want to be special.

When the whistle blew on Thursday, we faced a championship team from across town. This was a first-round elimination; the winner moved on, and the losers went home. We were ranked seventh, and last year’s champion Lions were ranked second because they’d lost one game this season. Everyone assumed that we’d get our asses kicked.

When the game started, our midfielder, Christina, passed the ball to our right wing, Olivia. I started running straight down the left sideline. Before I could be called for an offside whistle, Olivia passed the ball over my head so I could pick it up and dribble.

I was immediately swarmed by three Lions, so I hit the brakes and passed. Now, Olivia and River flanked me, and as we moved toward the Lion defenders, we were keeping the ball in front of us, carefully moving it back and forth. When I passed to River, the Lion defenders moved away from me to follow the ball. River immediately shot it back to me while the defender tried to backpedal. I took a long shot on goal, and their defender deflected it out of bounds, giving us a corner kick.

Becky was our best foot. She took the corner shot, and in the scrum around the goal, we scored. We celebrated, but knew a one-score lead would not be enough.

1-0

After that, both teams settled into a defensive battle in which the ball rarely entered our territory. At the halfway point, we were still leading 1-0.

The second half started out with a bang. The Lions came out on fire and tied it up in the first few minutes of the second half, but we came back and responded, going to our right side. Evidently, that was their weaker side. We worked hard and came back to take the lead with another score. And that’s how the game ended, 2-1.

Our team was overjoyed to win and move on to the quarter-finals. As we gathered around our bench, I saw my Mom coming over to greet me. She was laughing and shouting just like the rest of the parents.

“Mom, we did it! We won!”

“I was proud of you becoming a team player. I saw you pass it to that other girl who got the winning goal. You did great!”

“Well, maybe I’ll get the next one. But how about our defense and Becky? She was a monster!” I heard Becky’s laugh, then her growl like a beast.

I looked around for my Father and Derek. ‘Where are your men?’

Mom grinned. ‘I told them to both stay home and let me enjoy watching my daughter play. That way, I didn’t have to babysit my big boys.’

‘Mom, the whole team is riding the school bus over to get ice cream and pizza. May I go?’

‘Sure, you deserve a break. After being here for a month, what do you think of Chicago pizza? Have you adjusted to deep dish?’

‘It’s okay. But they frown on ketchup on their hot dogs, hamburgers, and steak sandwiches.’

‘I know. Heathens! We superior East Coasters know better. Now enjoy yourself and make sure that Fluffy and Luna are on guard the whole time. Tell them they can feed when they get home. I don’t want them distracted.’

‘I’m sure they heard you.’

It had been a while since I had ridden the bus. The best part was that we made it to and from Giordano’s without an incident. I had fun with the team and felt like I finally belonged somewhere. It was nice, and I wondered what Doug would have thought about hanging out with all the beautiful, sweaty soccer players. On the way out of the restaurant, I ordered a big bag of takeout, which I immediately shared with the Familiars on the ride home in Polly’s car.

On Friday, we were the school heroes. They even made an announcement over the public address system, lauding our victory over last year’s champions. It felt good that we’d played a fair and honest game without using any witchcraft or asking our Familiars to help.

Our next game was away, and even though the team bus was full of coaches, players, and cheerleaders, three invisible Familiars stayed close to our sides. This time, Polly asked Pumpkin to join us. Becky and I were the only ones to see our demons floating around.

As we all exited our bus onto their field, Becky grabbed my arm and whispered. “They have a witch!”

I immediately reached out with my senses and found her. She was the coach!

A strong voice entered my mind. ‘Hi, Anna. Nice to meet you and your friend, Becky.’

My initial thought was that she was going to cheat.

The same voice returned. ‘C’mon, Anna. I believe in playing a fair game. And all of my players are human.’

Becky and I looked at each other. I spoke, ‘Okay. So we agree to use no spells or powers.’

‘Seems only fair. Question for the two of you. Did you use any magic to beat the Lions?’

Becky’s voice was firm. ‘Didn’t need to. We just scored one more than they did.’

‘Well, good luck today. My girls are ready to play. We’ve actually studied film of your team. We are prepared to win.’

I held up my hand to Becky and touched heads. All I was thinking about was putting in a heavy screen so we could talk privately.

When I was sure that Becky was zipped up, I leaned close and spoke. ‘I still don’t trust her. I could feel it in her bones. She wants to win and sees our team as an easy victory.’

‘Well, maybe that’s good. Maybe we should play back on our heels and give them too much confidence. They’ll see us retreat, and then we can pass over their heads and catch them sleeping. We can wait until their offense crosses the midfield before we attack.’

When we went back to the Coach, I told our team about my idea to help whip a team that was too confident. Everyone thought it was a great idea.

“Uh, what happens if we let them cross and they come down on us while you're laying out your sneak attack? It could backfire.”

“Okay. Let’s play for a few minutes, and then we’ll signal each other with a clap. When everyone claps, we go to plan A.”

When the whistle blew, we tried the last game’s play of me running down the left sideline and Olivia and River flanking me. But this time, Becky charged down the right side instead of playing defense. Now our midfielders had a choice of left or right. And their team had an extra player to guard.

Their team saw me charging and immediately moved their forces toward me. Olivia and River checked out their defense and kicked it to Becky. As she dribbled toward the right, I stayed left and caught her eye. She timed the pass perfectly, and suddenly I was alone with the ball facing the goalie. I blinked my eyes and quieted myself. I found my Zone and saw the goalie favor the right side. I faked a kick to the right, then kicked it straight at the left corner.

I didn’t see where the ball went because one of their defenders, angry that they’d been caught sleeping, plowed into my back. For a second, it felt like I was flying until the same bruiser pretended to get tangled up with me and crash the air out of me as she fell.

There were many loud voices. Everyone had seen the low shot to my back and the fall. There were so many ways to interpret it that both refs called time.

They met both coaches out on the field and discussed keeping this game under control. Neither coach argued, as the defender was red-carded and sent off. Naturally, the goal stood, and we’d start with the ball at midfield.

1-0

We played a tight game for a few minutes until I heard Becky clap. Within a few seconds, everyone had clapped, and our player seemed to struggle, passing it back to the goalie to reset.

As planned, we let their offense come in and try to box the ball inside our own territory. As our defense did its job, our offense moved closer to the Panthers’ goal. A big kick from Becky, and again we caught them sleeping. We were able to push a kick through with overwhelming feet.

2-0

As everyone sat on the bench at halftime, I heard their coach admonishing her team for not playing their best. She then mapped out the following three plans, which our Coach was mapping out with us at that exact second.

Becky tightened her grip on her screen and brushed my shoulder. ‘She’s cheating and using her amplified hearing to read Coach Howard’s plays. She’s already creating counter-plays that will take advantage of our plays. She knows what we’re going to do.’

‘Cheating. She’s cheating ‘cause she’s losing.’

I went up to our Coach. “I think they know what we’re going to do. They’re seeing the plays you’re mapping out. I think they have someone, or maybe a drone, reading your lips and seeing your whiteboard.”

The Coach looked at me, totally rattled. “Okay. What do you suggest?”

I whispered and mapped out a play on the palm of my hand.

The Coach nodded. As we were finishing up with a last drink, we all played Whisper Down the Lane, whispering the play to each other. And you know that by the time the last ones got the play, it was different, defeating the Panthers’ attempt at cheating.

They started with the ball at midfield, and we let them come through. But before they could attack, Olivia slid and kicked the ball out from their player’s feet, sending it back to Becky, who fired a big foot to three of us running down the field. We didn’t know who Becky would pass it to, and when Yancy took the pass, and took a shot on goal. But that also meant two of us were there when the goalie had to come out to defend. I got the block, slammed it back to the goalie, and we scored.

3-0

At the end, we knew that we were headed to the championships for the first time in ten years. It would have been a pretty exciting moment if I hadn’t been kidnapped again.

This time it happened while we were all hugging and screaming together. As Becky told me later, one second I’m there, and the next second I’m gone. “You just disappeared.”
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Chapter Twenty-Seven
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I was chained tightly to a steel chair and couldn’t move. I tried tugging on my bindings to release the ties around my ankles, waist, or hands. As I pulled, I was trying to use my energy to heat the chains. That’s when I discovered they were cast with spells. Witch, I thought. There’s a Witch involved. I took a deep breath and tried to assess the situation.

It didn’t help that I was blindfolded, and a hood was tied around my neck, cutting off my sight and smell. The hood was made of thick black material that made breathing an effort.

I decided to find out who was out there holding me hostage. I yelled. “This is stupid. Hexing ropes, but using a blindfold and a bag on my head. Who’s the dumb ass who thought of this?” I was hoping to figure out how big the room was from the sound of my voice.

Someone hit me on the side of my head so hard that it caused my ear to ring and my jaw to hurt. “Oh, goodness! Dumb Ass is angry and hits a defenseless girl. Whoa, such power.”

I expected to get hit again. I was ready this time, and when the blow came to the side of my head, I turned and bit down hard on the hand through the bag on my head. Maybe I overdid it because I heard a bone crunch. The shriek told me that it was a man that I bit.

“What’s the matter, Dumb Ass? No fun when they hit back.” My senses were all back. Whatever they used to knock me out was gone, and I was alive with energy. Even though I was blindfolded, I could use my ears and nose to find him. A Warlock? I was about to throw some energy and cook my captor when I realized that there was someone else in the room. My senses immediately told me that it was not a person. It was a demon.

The demon stood back against the wall of this large room. It could have been a small warehouse. God, I thought to myself. This is really a cliche. Held captive in a warehouse, being beaten up by some human while the demon watched. I knew that by awakening my power, Luna couldn’t be far behind.

Then a female voice spoke out loudly. It was a voice that wheezed and sounded very old. I pictured a dying woman lying in a hospital bed, except this one came from the demon in the corner. “That’s it, Anna. Urge your Familiar in here so I can torture it before I end its existence, too.”

I wondered why a demon was using an old woman’s voice. Then it struck me. The demon was inside the woman, but not just any woman. It had to be someone who spelled these ropes that were binding me to the chair. Then it all came together.

I yelled out at the top of my lungs, “Gladys, welcome home. I’m your grand niece, Anna Bradford! We’ve never been formally introduced. Speaking of Familiars, your old Familiar is now mine. I call her Luna. She’s great!”

At that point, my hood and blindfold disappeared as if they were never there. I squinted until my eyes adjusted to the fluorescent warehouse lights. The man I bit was lying on the floor, bleeding out from where his head had been torn off. I realized Gladys and her demon lacked a sense of humor. But what really got my attention was the woman floating about eight feet off the ground directly in front of me. I didn’t recognize her, but knew pieces of her backstory.

I looked up straight into the eyes of this demon-great aunt of mine. “What happened, Gladys? When you left the Coven and disappeared so long ago? You know that Polly looked for you for years.”

“Polly is a self-centered know-it-all big sister who had no problem stealing all of my boyfriends from me. She always used her magic to make herself more beautiful, and I know she filled my boyfriends heads full of lies. I could never win because she was the older one. And when I complained to our mother, she told me to pay attention to Polly because she knew best. I can’t tell you how many times I heard that.”

“But why did you leave?”

“Leave? I was pushed out. Polly started bad-mouthing me when I was still in high school and before I grew into my powers at eighteen. All of the other girls in the Coven believed her when she told them I was crazy. They were lies, and Polly convinced everyone there was something wrong with me.”

She started flying around rapidly. I watched her grow agitated and wondered if she would strike out. I asked myself what I’d be able to do against a crazy old witch and a demon combo.

But she couldn’t stop ranting. I guessed it had been all bottled up inside over the years.“There was nothing wrong that a little love couldn’t have cured. Even my mother turned against me and listened to Polly. It was always Polly this, or Polly that. Then one night, in the heat of an argument, my mother questioned my sanity. I remember that moment like it happened yesterday. That’s when I left home. I said goodbye to everyone who hated and distrusted me.”

I decided to ask questions and stall for time. I figured that eventually I’d be rescued. “How did you allow yourself to be consumed by a demon? Did it promise you wealth, fame, and maybe a break from the voices shouting in your head?”

“Don’t be a wise-ass child. I could take you down to your knees in a wave of my hand. No, when I wanted to disappear, Hell seemed a good place to hide out. And then, I heard about your conception. That’s when the demons helped me hatch a plan to kill you. But then you disappeared. So I decided to wait and do a side job of working for the government.”

I tried to act respectfully, wondering what would happen. “Why did you kidnap me, Gladys?”

“I want to punish Polly. She’s tried too hard to create a legacy for her famous family. She’s had one child and now a grandchild. They knew to hide that child away because I would come back to kill it. Fourteen years ago, I rose from Hell to come back to finish my mission. I wanted to kill your mother and you right in front of Polly’s eyes. I really wanted her to know the pain she put me through for all those years.”

“How did you merge with a demon? Isn’t that dangerous? Aren’t you afraid that he’d kill you?”

“Hardly. I am a powerful witch and have made myself useful to Hell and this government by killing for them. And they have treated me very well.”

“But where does the demon come from?”

I watched her pause. “Long ago, I sort of went crazy and became a little self-destructive. But he stepped in and saved me. He cleared my mind of confusion and pain and let me rest until I got stronger.”

“That was long ago, wasn’t it?”

Gladys looked at me. “Yes. I rested for a long time. But he let me rest and recover in his own house.”

“Is that why Polly couldn’t find you when she searched all over the earth?”

“Yes. I was tired and rested for a long time.”

“Did you rest in Hell. Was the Devil your savior?”

“He’s a good one. He never said anything critical of me after he saved me from myself and brought me to his palace. He encouraged me to stay as long as I liked.”

I was wondering how involved Gladys was with the Devil himself. And who was the demon she was sharing her body with? If it were Satan himself, well, I’d lose that fight.”

“And then he woke me from my slumber and told me that you had been born. Now was the time to act. He even arranged for a demon to help me regain my strength. The two of us bonded, and I went out in the world looking for you and your Mom. But you had left Chicago and disappeared. So I kept the two of us together and went to work for the government. My demon loved the kills.”

“But a month ago, you appeared out of nowhere and came straight back to Chicago. I watched and waited until the right time. My first attempt was broken up by my own Familiar, but she didn’t recognize me because I had changed so much while I was with him. I shared my body with a demon to give me strength but I wasn’t the same Witch from long ago.”

“I don’t know, Gladys. I think that you’ve been duped. I think that this demon works for his master. His master doesn’t want to kill me; he wants to capture me and use me like a tool. I think that now that the Devil has me in his grasp, no one needs you anymore.”

Gladys shrieked, much louder than a witch, more like a demon who has finally gotten what it wants. It was a celebration for it and a death warrant for Gladys. The demon screamed again and released my great-aunt from its hold. I watched her flounder until she stumbled to her knees. Gladys was now a mere shadow of a Witch, without the demon keeping her vital. I only had a second to watch her before the demon rose to its full height and made itself known.

My demon was about ten feet tall. Broad shoulders, six strong arms, a head like a bear's, and a powerful body covered with red fur. It was a much better look than I could have ever imagined.

Suddenly my bonds were released, and I stood up to face this apparition. Then I felt an invisible hand folding me down to my knees and pushing my neck so that my head touched the ground.

The demon’s voice was heavy. “Respect, young Witch. First rule.”

The voice was deep and echoed through my head. But the whole thing was way too hokey. Seriously, other than pushing me down and holding me there, it had been a nothing burger - no meat, no cheese, and just a bun.

I was allowed to rise. I looked up at its furry face and gave it a little nod. I looked down so it wouldn’t see me laughing.

Suddenly, I felt like my whole body was being squeezed by a huge hand.

“Respect, not laughter.”
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Chapter Twenty-Eight
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I nodded my head and felt the grip ease. Then I spoke. I imagined myself as a big Hollywood, know-it-all agent. “Yo, buddy. This whole presentation really lacks everything that could make it great! Let's start over from the top.

The demon glared at me and looked puzzled. I wondered just how smart it was.

But I had its attention. “Hey, if you don’t want my help or advice, keep on, keepin’ on. I’m not the one with the image problem.”

“Image problem!” He roared so loudly, it felt like all the air in the room had been sucked out.

“Sure. I’m not the one who’s been hiding in an old witch's body for over a decade. Doesn’t look all that powerful on your resume to me. Not very demon-like, hanging out with God’s children working for the CIA.”

He roared again and continued to glare into my face. This whole time, I hoped that somebody was listening in and would come rescue me.

He kept shrieking and carrying on. I just stood there, wondering what I could do. Impulsively, I reached out and grabbed the demon, wrapping my arms around it. I knew it wasn’t expecting any movement from me. But as soon as I latched on, I started squeezing, reaching out with as much voltage as I had inside, which must have been a lot.

Suddenly, there was an explosion, and I was blown backwards. Whatever consciousness I had disappeared. When I woke, I was still lying on the warehouse floor. It took me a second to center myself enough to stand. When I did, I looked all around the empty warehouse. The beheaded man was still lying there. He’d bled out and was white as chalk.

I stepped around him until I found a big black mark on the floor. It looked like there was a pile of ashes all over it. I looked down and saw a slug crawling through the blackened mess. The slug was covered in red hairs and had six legs. Without thinking, I stepped on it, hearing the satisfying crack of its outer shell and a squish under my shoe.

My shoe. Ugh. I was still wearing my cleats, and this demon bug was going to ruin my equipment! Oh, well, I thought. And stomped as hard as I could until I was satisfied that the slug was reduced to a gummy, yellowish-green paste.

Within a minute, Luna appeared. I laughed. ‘Hey, Luna. I just saved your life. This demon was waiting to ambush you when you came to rescue me.’

Luna looked around, then chuckled, ‘Doesn’t look like you need rescuing. But what’s that smell?’

I shrugged. “I don’t know, but I think that’s what’s left when you electrocute a demon. I crushed a strange slug, too. Which I’m guessing was its essence.”

Luna smiled. ‘Our ride is here. Polly sent her driver.’

I heard a moan and remembered that Gladys was still here somewhere. I saw her trying to crawl, hurried over, and looked down at her body.

She glared at me. “Oh, fuck you, you little snot-nose thinking that you’re so hot that you could fry a demon.” I watched her cough. It did not sound good.

“Gladys, what can I do for you?”

“Just go away and let me die in peace. I spent almost a century in Hell waiting for a purpose. I’d promised the Devil loyalty in exchange for one last opportunity to make my mark."

I just looked at her. She really did look like she was dying.

She spat blood at me, and some of it stained her lips. “Yeah, it was gonna be great. One last blow against my sister and her whole fuckin’ lineage. If I destroyed you and your Mom, I could watch her suffer.”

I shook my head. “Guess it’s not gonna happen, Gladys. I’m encircling you in a spell that will hold you, but keep your powers neutralized.”

I heard her scream at me in frustration. She did know how to curse. And if she’d buy the nonsense about the spell that I couldn’t cast, it would give me some time to be rescued.

I heard a really powerful engine and figured that another car had arrived. I hoped it would be someone who could seriously neutralize my dear, great aunt. I wondered if she was going to die, or if it was just a witch thing. I decided to stall for time, hoping that no more demons appeared. “Hey, Gladys. What’s it like in Hell?”

She glared at me. “You little fuck. It’s nothing. No torture, no punishments, no nothing. I was bored shitless for all that time. My punishment was boredom. And I had no powers in Hell. You can’t hurt anyone or do anything. You just wait, wait, wait.”

“Are you sure that was Hell or just a mental institution?”

“Wise assed kid. Boy, I wanted to find you and your mother and kill you both. But after you went into hiding, and I needed the strength of a demon to kill. It was supposed to give me power enough, but that didn’t work either until we bonded.”

I watched her coughing so much that it hurt.

Then she spat at me and continued. “I made a deal with the CIA, and they gave me freedom as long as I killed a few humans once in a while. It allowed me to wait until you finally appeared.”

I shook my head. “This is so anti-climactic. That’s it? Not much of a plan, Gladys. Oh, yeah. I’ve never killed anything before, and now I’ve killed a demon, whew! Pretty cool. You know, Gladys. Do you think my soccer team misses me, wondering where I’ve gone?”

Then I heard a voice that I recognized, ‘No. That’s not happening. We’ve just sort of taken care of that time thing for you.’

I looked up away from my great aunt, and there were two figures just coming in. ‘Hey, Mom! Good to hear your voice. Who’s doing the whole time thing?’ Then it dawned on me. ‘Uh, thanks, Derek. Appreciate the help. Now, can we take care of Gladys so I can get back with the team? I’m sure we’re all going on the bus to celebrate!’

‘Sure. Don’t worry. I’ll tidy things up.’

As they both came close, I grabbed Mom around the waist and gave her the biggest hug. While I was doing that, I was staring at my dream man. I laughed and said, ‘Three years and one month.’

Mom smiled at Derek, then back at me. ‘Polly’s car is out there waiting to take you and your Familiar to the bus. Have fun. Oh, yeah. No time elapsed since your team was celebrating.’

As I ran out of the warehouse, I noticed Derek’s transportation. Doug would have shit to see that the Vampire drove a black Porsche GT-3. ‘Oh, fuck! What a nice set of wheels!’

‘Language, daughter.’

I laughed as I climbed into Polly’s big SUV and said, ‘Yes, Mom.’

I was sucking the bottom out of my double chocolate milkshake, making gross straw noises. Three Scoops of chocolate ice cream, big hits of chocolate syrup, and a grating of dark chocolate on top make it the best.

And once again, I was dipping my hamburger into a pool of Heinz Ketchup I had poured onto my plate. All my teammates kept telling me it looked disgusting, and I kept offering it to them to try. Of course, I was also acting like a total Doug, talking with French fries in my mouth.

But the best part was when Coach Howard called Becky and me over to a table away from everyone else and looked straight at us. “Okay, what was going on, and how did their coach really know what I was saying?”

Becky was fast and sounded really confident about her lie. “Parabolic mic. You know, the kind they use on TV for football games. Their coach was wearing an earpiece, and one of her assistants was pointing a directional mic straight at you.”

I was nodding and supporting Becky’s tale. “That’s why we had to change the plays and move on. It turned out that their team was trying to guard plays that would never happen. They were so busy thinking they knew what was going on that they totally missed what was really happening on the field.”

Coach Howard was laughing. “I love you guys. You’re both so talented and smart. I know you’ll both get invites to play Varsity next year. I’m going to miss both of you. It’s crazy to say this, but you two bring some real magic to this team.”
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Chapter Twenty Nine
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As we talked about our double date, Becky had a great idea.

“Cocktail dresses! Short and sweet! Block heels to match. Off the shoulders, nipped in waists, metallic finish. I’m going to wear my hair up to accent my neck.”

I thought about it and smiled. “You’re going to have to be my fashion coordinator on this responsibility. I’m not bringing a lot of experience to this project.”

Becky smiled and grabbed me tightly. “Of course! What are friends for? Arrange transportation and make sure you get your Mom’s credit card and Polly’s dress store recommendations.”

Mom was enthusiastic. “Getting dressed up for a fall dance! How wonderful! Let me know what I can do.”

I asked for advice. “Do you think cocktail dresses are too much for a school dance?”

Mom was grinning from ear to ear. “Oh, no. Getting all dressed up for a dance is part of all the excitement. It takes confidence to show off your beauty.”

I asked her for recommendations on where to get Polly’s dress shop for our hunt. An hour later, we were being chauffeured to a department store and to the teen and Junior’s party-dress section. I was glad Becky gave me a heads-up on the proper underwear.

I stood in front of the full-length mirrors and grinned. This was so not Doug! Anna was leading the charge on this event. And maybe I was ready to expose my bare shoulders to the world and Kelly. Yeah, I was doing a lot of daydreaming about feeling his hands caressing my flesh.

We had so much fun trying on dresses. After a few tries, we agreed on little cocktail dresses. I picked out a blue number and matching clunky heels that I’d never walked in before, but oh, they looked so amazingly cool.

Becky went with the ultimate LBD. It was deep, rich, and cut so perfectly to her excellent form. She also went with the stilettos.

We laughed all the way home. And then we walked, walked, and walked in high heels. And after we could walk, we danced.

Up until now, my only make-out session was with Greg, and it was okay. My big science experiment was good, but I was looking forward to trying it again. The best part was that Kelly attended a different school, so my limited experience wouldn’t be broadcast throughout my school when the evening was over.

Becky and I discussed all of this at great length. French kissing, how much tongue, no hickies! Hands. First base, maybe second base, but watch the short dress. Pantyhose to protect my virginal flesh. And pheromones. I never noticed any coming off of Greg, but maybe I wasn’t looking. Was Kelly going to be the sophisticated seventeen-year-old who would sweep me off my feet and lead me to start a real relationship? Then I thought of poor Doug, totally forgotten in all the excitement.

I was getting anxious and maybe had some cold feet. I was torn. I really liked how pretty I looked. Blue was definitely my color. But this was all too much. “I don’t know. What if this turns out to be a disaster?”

Becky grinned. “Nah. We’re going to make a big impression on our dates. Those boys will never know what hit ‘em.”

When Kelly knocked on the door, Mom answered. I was ready, but I was getting incredibly shaky, panicking over what I was doing. Suddenly, Doug entered my brain yelling at me, “What are you wearing? Is that a dress? And you’ve got makeup on and those shoes! Don’t they hurt your feet?”

I looked in the mirror and talked back to Doug as I walked into the living room, where Mom was entertaining my date. When I walked in, I wasn’t disappointed. He was taller than I remember and maybe even cuter. Kelly was wearing a grey suit, a European-cut tailored for a hip look. His shirt was buttoned up but open at the collar, and he had no tie. Oh, thank goodness that he didn’t look like a banker, but a really handsome high schooler.

Kelly reached out and took my hand. “Anna, you look stunning. I’d forgotten just how beautiful you were since the last time I was trying to catch your eye.”

He turned to my Mom and smiled. “Of course, then I was just a spectator coming to watch my sister Olivia play soccer, and there she was.”

Mom smiled. ‘He’s cute, but maybe too full of himself. Well, you’ll see. You do look good, and standing with a seventeen-year-old, you don’t look fourteen.’

‘A month from now, I’m turning fifteen, Mom. He is handsome and probably nervous about being examined by a beautiful Mom. It’s probably hard on him.’

Mom spoke. “Well, Kelly. I hope you and Anna have a good time tonight. When is the dance over?”

“Eleven o’clock, but if you have no objection, I was hoping Anna and I could get a bite to eat and talk. I promise I’ll have her home at a reasonable time, twelve-thirty?”

I watched Mom’s face and thought she was going to pop a blood vessel. “Well, Kelly. I’d like to see Anna home by twelve. And you are responsible for her safety. How long have you had your driver’s license?”

“A year, Mrs. Bradford. No points, no tickets, a clean slate. I’m driving my Mom’s Volvo station wagon, which is considered a safe car. And yes, Anna will be home before twelve.”

I kissed Mom on the cheek and smiled. ‘Wish me luck in those heels. Doug was flipping out earlier, seeing me all dressed up.’

“Bye, Mom. I have my phone and will text you every hour to let you know that I’m safe and haven’t been dismembered.” I smiled at Kelly. “Just joking. I wouldn’t have to break your arm with my Karate skills.”

Kelly held my hand as we walked out to his Mom’s car, which was very new and shiny. I looked at his car and wowed. “Jeez, Kelly. You must be rich! What do your parents do?”

“Mom’s a lawyer, and Dad is some financial genius with stocks and bonds. I’ve been lucky growing up.”

“Is Olivia your only sibling?”

“No, I have a younger brother and sister who are twelve and fraternal twins.”

At that point, Kelly’s phone rang. He held it up so I could see that it was his friend, Mike, calling. “Hey, buddy! What’s up?” He had it on speaker phone.

“Yeah, guys. Becky and I are heading over to the High School now and will meet you there. Yeah, we’re good. Anna and I were just walking out of her house. We’ll probably beat you there.”

I looked at Kelly and smiled. “I thought this was a double date. You know, the four of us.”

Kelly smiled. “Sure, babe. We’re going to meet up at the dance, and maybe we can do something together afterward. That’s why I’ve got my Mom’s Volvo station wagon. Seriously, look how big this thing is.”

It’s a shame he was holding my hand and I could see his thoughts as he spoke. Maybe because I had my arm looped inside of his. Good old Kelly pictured us all romping around in the back of the wagon together without clothes. He also pictured me totally out of it on drugs and alcohol while he got what he wanted. I gave it some thought and talked it over with Luna.

‘Is Pumpkin with Becky tonight?’

‘She is.’

‘Is she too far away for you to talk to her?’

‘No. I can always talk to the other Familiars. There’s no range.’

‘Okay. Please relay the message to Becky that I think these guys have other plans for us. I think they believe that we want them to take advantage of us and do bad stuff.’

Luna responded. ‘Becky is livid. She says that she’s angry that we went to all this trouble to look pretty, and all these guys want to do is wrestle. She wants to know what you want to do?’

I shook my head. ‘I don’t know. Until they overstep their boundaries, it’s just a matter of seeing how things work out. We can just wait and see. After all, we hold all the power.’

When we arrived at the school, I was introduced to Mike, and we went in. It was a pretty nice dance, which meant all the girls dressed up and the boys tried to clean up their acts. At least our guys wore suits.

Becky dropped back and gave me a look.

I shrugged and spoke to Becky. ‘I’m going to give Kelly the benefit of the doubt. That could be how he typically thinks but when he acts, I’ll be ready.’

Kelly smiled and offered to get us a punch. He opened up his jacket to reveal a pocket flask. They were ready to start drinking.

I spoke privately to Becky. ‘Eww. I’m not getting dosed with anything tonight.’

‘I don’t think that’s a problem as long as we don’t drink what they bring to us.’

Becky smiled. ‘I don’t want a drunk driving me around tonight either.’

Suddenly, I heard from Mom. ‘Hey, girls. Derek and I are driving around and heard you two talking. How about if we help you out? We can always give you both a ride home if the boys are drinking.’

I was shocked to hear Mom’s voice. But considering the circumstances, I felt better. When the guys returned with punch, they had written our names on the cups. Cute. ‘Mom, what do you suggest?’

‘It’s done, honey. Derek stopped time long enough to fill their cups from what they intended to give to you. Derek gave you straight punch. They have no idea that they got the ones that have alcohol in them.’

Becky fanned her face. ‘Thank goodness for your Mom and Derek. Thank you, Derek!’

After drinking some of the punch, Kelly confided in me. “My flask is filled with grain alcohol. It’s like three times as strong as whiskey but with no taste.”

I smiled and made a show of emptying my cup, and the guys did the same. “I want to dance!”

The four of us were out on the dance floor, and I had a chance to show off my hard work. I did my best to capture the beat in my head and actually had fun until Becky messaged me.

‘I think Mike has pills in his pocket and hopes to get us all sex crazed, too.’

‘Yeah, that goes along with Kelly’s plans to get us naked in his Mom’s car. You know, we definitely need to have fun with this. These bums' evil plans should backfire in their faces.’’

‘Do you think that your Mom and Derek will have a problem with giving us a ride home?’

I shook my head and smiled. ‘I’m sure that Luna is giving them a full view of what’s going on. It’s a shame that these human boys will never live this down.’ I flashed her a mental image of the two of them, drunk and stoned, standing naked in the parking lot next to Kelly’s Mom's car. My guy, Kelly, had parked close to the front doors of the school under a big light.

Mom reported to me. ‘Mike was already breaking open pills into your drinks. I did a quick analysis and saw that it was a barbiturate.’

I opened my phone and did a quick read-up. Then I told Becky. ‘Your date is slipping downers into our drinks, hoping to get us stoned enough to lose our inhibitions and cause some memory loss. Mom said that Derek was reversing the contents so that they would take them.’

Becky laughed. ‘I guess we’re going to have to dance with each other!’

After a few more dances, the effects started to show on them. ‘We’re going to have to sit them down, before they fall down.’

Kelly was pawing me while I got him seated. He kept trying to pull me onto his lap. ‘I think it’s time to exit before these guys are throwing up on us.

‘Oh, good one. But I think the boys should be getting it on when the dance breaks up, so everyone will see the action.’

‘Oh, Becky. Good one. Well, we might as well enjoy the party. I want to dance!’

For about an hour, I was having a great time. I noticed that by their third drink, the guys were having trouble with their speech. “Kelly, tell me what the alcohol is again?”

Kelly was slurring his words and grinning. “Pure grain. 190 proof. You have to watch yourself. Too much and you lose your mind.”

I won’t bore you with the rest of the evening. We all went out to the Volvo and insisted that the boys lose their clothes first, and we’d give them something special. They were both pretty wasted at this point. Locking two naked guys in the Volvo was easy enough to do. Their brains were so fried that when Derek opened his shields, I guess they lost their minds completely inhaling his pheromones.

By the time the dance was over, we sat in the back of Derek’s other car, some big Maserati SUV. We briefly watched our dates doing some pretty gross acts with each other. I guess that’s what they were hoping to do with us. Unfortunately, enough of their classmates saw our boys bareback having sex with each other. Not against the law, but not good for their reputations.

On the way home, I called Olivia and told her that the guys had gotten too drunk and stoned. I said that they were sleeping it off in their Mom’s Volvo station wagon. I told her that my Mom had picked us up and I’d see her at practice on Monday.

At practice, Olivia was apologizing and giving me the lowdown. “Anna, it turns out that the two of them were both naked and carrying on in front of all the school kids when the dance was over. The school called the police after they discovered alcohol and drugs in their possession. My Dad had to go down to bail them both out. I’m sorry I involved you in all of this.”

“Well, we were never connected with all of that, so it’s okay.”

“Well, it’s not okay with Kelly and Mike. They were both expelled from their school, and my parents are furious. I think the gay naked romance was forgotten after the barbiturates and booze got them arrested and expelled. Mom says she’s never going to ride in her car again and is selling it.”

Derek and Mom thought it was funny. After we were safely away, Becky and I were fine. I was disappointed because I hoped to try out the make-out skills I’d learned on our date with the Golden Retrievers.

Olivia couldn’t stop apologizing at practice on Monday. “I’m sorry that my brother turned out to be such a perv. I think it’s okay that he came out to Mike, but I’m sorry you were involved. Mom and Dad were furious when the police found the pills and grain alcohol in their clothes. I don’t think Kelly is ever going to get to drive again.”

I shrugged. “They both seemed like such nice guys, but they were all caught up in drinking and taking pills. In a way, I’m glad that they left us and went out to your Mom’s car. At least they finally unlocked their own desires.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “They both claim that they were only out to have a fun evening, and the pills and the alcohol were just offerings for the two of you. And as far as getting all loaded and going wild and crazy with each other, they both claim that they were set up.”

I shook my head thinking about a full dose of Derek’s pheromones power.

“Yeah. My brother said it might have been you guys who spiked their drinks. They’re claiming that Becky told them to take off their clothes, and that you girls were joining them. Then he admitted that all of a sudden his mind shut down, and all he wanted to do was have sex. Mike felt the same way, too. They’re claiming none of it was their idea. They’re even saying that you guys planted the drugs on them.”

I patted her on the back. “You’re not responsible for your brother’s behavior when he gets high. But I don’t understand how you get naked with your best friend and put your head between his legs. Crazy!”
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Chapter Thirty
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Our semifinal playoff game was set for Thursday. On Monday, we were practicing hard, hoping to hold our own in the semifinals. Coach kept schooling us in calling our own plays, too. She had no idea whether the next two games would be played fairly. After the last experience where someone was stealing her signals, she wasn’t ready to take any chances.

“I want Becky and Anna to be the play callers. It would be great if everyone contributed their ideas, but one person calls the offense, and the other calls the defense.”

And that’s how we practiced. Of course, Coach Howard had no idea that Becky and I were in constant contact during the scrimmage.

‘How can we make this look imperfect? We don’t want to make it look too good?’ Becky was smart.

‘Great point. But calling plays could be fun on offense, and my people are good at it. I think defense will be harder to call. Maybe draw up a slew of plays and give them all names.’

‘Colors! We’re going to use colors and maybe a subset of numbers, too. Like Red could be a formation and that kind of stuff.’

‘Sounds good, but I would keep it simple. Maybe three to five colors or three to five defenses.

I went over and talked to the coach. I explained our idea.

“Sounds good, Anna.” At that point, Becky came over, and we both listened. “How about if Becky gets the primary colors and you can have tropical fruits?”

I laughed. “Pineapple, raspberry, and banana. I can just picture myself yelling out names. Crazy!”

Becky was nodding. “But you need to have nonsense or throwaways, too. Seriously, if all you do is yell banana all the time, they’ll catch on. Like yell coconut or guava, which will just confuse them.”

All three of us were laughing as we brought everyone in and told them the plan.

Olivia was smiling. “Throw in some serious distractions like yell out baloney, hot dogs, and hamburgers, too.”

Somebody laughed and was giggling. “My stomach is going to start growling!”

We were both sending each other thoughts as we played. ‘Becky, do you think we have any chance of beating these next two teams?’

She was grinning. ’Well, the team we just beat was state champs last year, so I think we’re capable of playing the best teams.’

‘Technically, we didn’t use any magic on the field. We just kinda scrambled their plans. So you think that there’s hope?’

Becky was funny when she replied, ‘I HOPE so.’

We practiced again on Tuesday, and the coach gave us Wednesday off. Becky suggested we do some more Witchy Trail stuff.

Becky looked me in the eyes. “This time, we can add two more witches to the group.”

“Two more? Why’d you hold back the last time?”

“I honestly didn’t want to overwhelm you.”

So on Wednesday, I said hi to Camilla and Audrey and met Claire and Leigh. They were both nice, and while they seemed a bit quiet, Becky later told me they might have been intimidated by me.

“Why me?”

“Well, when Audrey went inside your head to show you how to use your shields, she was blown away by the size of your brain and the power that it was radiating. Naturally, she told all her Witch friends what she saw.”

“No secrets, huh? Yeah, I remember her saying something, but I just assumed she was giving me a compliment.”

“Do you want to let me in to see what she’s talking about?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

When Becky was inside my head, she didn’t say anything and exited really quickly.

“You okay, Becky?”

Becky looked at me, and I watched tears rolling down her face. She hugged me and whispered, “I didn’t realize how much you loved me. You’ve been my dream girl all this time, and well, now I don’t have to be paranoid expressing the way I feel about you.”

I hugged her back. “My Mom said that it’s good that I should love you with all my heart. She also reminded me that I have a big heart and can love a lot of people.”

Becky was sobbing into my jacket. “Your Mom is amazing, Anna. She says and does all the right things.”

I squeezed Becky tightly. “Do you want to revisit my brain?”

Becky kissed me on the lips. “Yes, please.”

This time, she stayed inside and talked to me.

‘Anna, your mind is huge, and everything feels so powerful and alive, like you’re at least ten times as big as my brain. And you are keeping secrets from me about your strength.’

‘Yeah. Polly told me not to talk about that. I guess it’s just something I inherited. Neither Mom nor Polly can control the elements like I can.’

‘Elements as is…’

‘Uh-huh. Fire, Earth, Wind, and Water. Weird?

‘You’ve got to demonstrate for me, please.’

‘Of course. Polly was impressed.’

‘Oh, wow. Can I see your Zone? Will you take me there?’

I went in with her and showed Becky the door that Polly had discovered. ‘Invite Pumpkin in to join us.’ A second later, we had two cats walking around purring between our feet.’

‘Pumpkin just told me that she likes it here. She says she feels very comfortable.’

‘How about you?’

“Me? I’m scared to death. This is so strange. But if my demon likes it, well, it must be okay.’

I pulled on the brass knob that opened the door to the Zone. After I opened the door, I grabbed Becky’s hand, and we walked out together. ‘I’m not sure if you can enter on your own, but I knew it would work cause you’re here with me.’

I watched Becky look around. ‘Oh, Anna. This is amazing. It feels so magical. Everything’s so pure. The air, the sky, everything is perfect. And this is all in your brain. Wow.’

‘Well, we’re not sure if my Zone connects to someplace else. I’ve never gone any further than the threshold.’

I watched Becky reach out and touch a firefly. It landed in the palm of her hand and just stayed there. Luna and Pumpkin watched the firefly, too.

Becky spoke, ‘I just asked Pumpkin what they were, and she says that they’re Fairies.’

‘Oh. I didn’t know that! Fairies. Can you see any details, or are they just balls of light?’

In the meantime, more and more lights kept coming closer and surrounded both of us. I looked at Luna. ‘Are we safe?’

Luna gave me a cat smile and purred. ‘Yes. Becky is right, and they are Fairies. I’m glad that Pumpkin recognized them. I’ve never seen them before. But they are just looking at the two of you. I think that you two might be the first Witches they’ve ever seen.’

I looked at Pumpkin. ‘Can you talk to them?’

‘Sure, Anna. You can, too. Let me help you find the wavelength.’ Becky’s cat seemed to pause, and then she talked to me slowly. ‘Here. Now you can talk to them.’

I stared at one point of light. ‘Hi.’

I heard some giggling, and a voice came through. ‘Hi, Anna. We’re glad to finally be able to talk to you this way.’

I looked at the whole swarm of fireflies, well, Fairies. ‘Am I safe standing here with you? Am I interfering with all of you?’

‘Oh, no. We’re happy to finally meet two Witches who can talk to us. You are safe here. Fairies mean you no harm. There are other dangers out there, but you are very safe standing here close to the arch. It’s protecting you.’

‘I’m Anna, and my friend is Becky. Our demons are Luna and Pumpkin. Is there anything I can do for you?’

‘Salt.’

‘Salt as in sodium chloride?’

‘Yes, please. Do you have any to spare?’

How could I bring something back from the kitchen and take it into the Zone? I looked at Becky. ‘Do you have any suggestions on how I could bring salt in here?’

‘Can you use your mind to just make it? Oh, yeah. By the way. I’m digging this robe.’

I looked over and realized that Becky’s robe was the same deep red color as her hair. I started thinking about salt and imagined a bucket full of it. I looked down, and a large wooden bowl was filled with white crystals at my feet.

Suddenly, I heard a hundred voices all coming over and taking a share of the salt with them until the big bowl was empty. ‘Thank you, Anna. Can you make sugar next?’

All I had to do was imagine sugar in the bowl, and it appeared. The same thing happened, and it emptied out quickly. Soon, the fireflies filled the area all around us. I heard Luna’s voice. ‘It’s time to leave. Say goodbye and take Becky out. Pumpkin and I will follow.’
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Chapter Thirty-One
.
I found myself still standing there, holding Becky’s hand. We were outside on the patio where my Grandmother did her training with me. I sent a message to Mom and Polly.

‘Becky’s Familiar was able to identify the bright points of gold light hovering around my arch in the Zone. They are Fairies.’

Polly immediately responded. ‘Fairies! Did they ask for anything?’

‘Uh-huh. They wanted salt and then sugar. After that, Luna said it was time for us to leave.’

‘Where are you and Becky?’

‘On your patio.’

‘And your Familiars?’

I looked around, and they both appeared in cat form. ‘Everybody is here and accounted for.’

‘Where did you get the salt and the sugar from to give to the Fairies?’

‘I just thought of it, and it appeared.’

Nobody said anything after that.

Later, my Grandmother spoke. ‘Stick around. Your Mom and I are coming out to talk to both of you.’

Becky and I looked at each other and watched Polly and my Mom come outside through the door. It was a bright, sunny day and quite warm for October. We just stood there. I wondered if I'd done something wrong.

Polly greeted Becky and told her to thank Celeste for the pastries. Then she looked at us both. “I’ve never met a Fairy, but I think that when you provide them with something like salt and sugar, they are supposed to offer you something in return. The next time you should ask them for gold, silver, or jewels in exchange.”

I looked at both of them and nodded. “Why?”

Mom looked at Polly, then spoke to me. “I think that is a tradition with a Fairy. I looked it up and asked Walter from the Library. He confirmed it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have something waiting for you the next time you appear. If they don’t say anything, you should ask them if that is their tradition and see what they say.”

I nodded. “Do you think it was safe to take Becky down there with me? She was the one who attracted the Fairies, and Pumpkin was the one who identified them.”

Polly turned to Becky’s big orange cat. ‘Pumpkin?’

‘Yes, Mrs. Bradford.’

‘How did you know about Fairies?’

‘Over the years, I have met Fairies many times. And they have always proved to be pleasant. And you are right. Fairies like the idea of an exchange. I am sure they will have something waiting for the girls when they return.’

Mom put her hand on my arm. “Would you let me know about the next time you go to your Zone?”

“Sure. How do you suppose the Zone connects with a place where Fairies live?”

Mom shook her head. “There’s more going on than we know about. I think we need to take our time exploring this connection. We have to accept the fact that you are unique. Whether your Father’s and my contributions make you special or being hidden away for all those years is what it is. I just want you to enjoy your life and find some happiness.”

“I’m scared. It’s so hard to take a deep breath just thinking about what is going on.”

“Are you in pain?”

“No physical pain, just worried about what my future is. What if I don’t want all of this? How do I say no?”

“Simple. You say that you’re not ready yet. I will support you and whatever you want. If you want to walk away, that’s how we’ll handle it.”

We left it that way, and Mom did all the talking. I talked to Becky and began shifting my focus. We discussed the upcoming game tomorrow. When I finally went to bed, I was simply Anna, a freshman soccer player, and crushing on my best friend Becky.

We wore our soccer shirts to classes on Thursday. It was strange not to see the Varsity in theirs. But they’d been eliminated in the second round, and their season was over. A bunch of them came up and wished me luck.

And we needed it. In the first ten minutes, we were scored on twice. They were just that good. But we settled in and slowed down their attack by controlling midfield.

0-2

Finally, we started to see cracks in the defense, and we threw everything we had into scoring. Before halftime, we’d finally scored a goal.

1-2

In the second half, their defenders took out River, who was heading in to score with a chop block to her back and a trip. She took a face plant and smashed her nose.

There was a time-out, and the Cheetahs received two yellow cards. As I was helping River off the field, I used a little magic to warm her up and loosen up the muscles that had been stretched on her tumble.

After a bit of time working out the kinks, she was back in the game. The refs awarded us a free kick, and Coach Howard signaled for me to take it.

I stood behind the ball and watched their goalie. I guessed she thought that I’d go right, and I could see her shift her weight. Instead, I faked a hard right and went up the middle just over her head. As everyone was cheering me, I was caught up in visiting the Zone. I’d missed it.

2-2

River finally scored her revenge goal, and Becky's defense girls were totally focused on calling out colors and having fun. And when the whistle blew, we had won.

3-2

After all the celebratory pizza and soda, life got back to normal. Yes, the public address system announced that we were in the State Championship finals, and for a brief moment, we all smiled. Except when I was walking down the hall, I found myself surrounded by Phoebee with two e’s and two of her friends. As I smiled, I was thinking about the movie Bad Girls, but then I thought of The Craft, a film about a group of teen witches. Obviously, that’s the kind of movie that filled my head with all the nonsense I thought I knew about Witches and their powers.

“Bradford, congrats on your win. It’s nice to see the JV shine like that. ‘Course, your competition is pretty thin at your age group. Just wait a couple more years when you’re old enough to play real soccer.’

I smiled. No words could match Phoebee with two e’s sarcastic dialogue. And I really had no desire to continue this conversation, so I said, “Thanks, Phoebee.”

Of course, Phoebee with two e’s couldn’t just walk away. She had an admiring audience and felt the need to perform. “You know, Bradford. You’ve never held up your end of your bargain. I said I’d be your friend if you’d invite me over to the next party that you’re having. And what? You can’t tell me that rich people don’t socialize.”

I smiled. “That was a promise, but my Grandmother hasn’t been feeling well, so the house has been quiet. But sometimes, we go out to dinner. Would you like to come with us?”

Phoebee with two e’s looked at me strangely. “Where do you go for dinner?”

I mentioned a few places that Polly has taken us. Too many lies are hard to cover.

Phoebee with two e’s got all wide-eyed. “Seriously, Bradford? That’s where the rich dine, huh? Well, since my clothes aren’t custom-made, I’ll have to pass. Just keep me posted. I just want to see your Father and your Mom’s boyfriend again. I felt a real attraction to those beautiful men.”

I watched them walk away and wished that I could cast some wicked spell over her. I briefly had visions of blessing her with a Venereal disease or some misshapen body part. But that’s not appropriate, right?

Becky looked across the room at me in our next class. ‘I saw you hanging with your BFF, Phoebee. I was so jealous that I was being replaced by such a great girl. You really know how to attract all the really cool seniors. But when they graduate, you’ll come running back to me.’

I laughed inwardly. ‘I wish I could perform curses or spells and make Phoebee with two e’s future life miserable, but she’s going to do that all on her own without my help.’
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Chapter Thirty Two
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But all the excitment ended when two e’s left me to get through a typical Friday. We didn’t even dress for practice on Friday. Coach Howard had film and whiteboards. We looked at who we’d be playing in the finals. And the game wouldn’t be the usual seven days apart. Instead, it will be twelve days of practice and preparation.

Coach Howard summed up her strategy. “We will scrimmage when we get closer to the game. In the meantime, we’ll do some running, stretching, and all the stuff it takes to keep us in top form.”

Over the weekend, Becky and I found time to hang with a few Witches. Four girls and four Familiars all got a ride to the mall in Polly’s big SUV with everyone’s blessings. It was more than fun. And this time, I was able to beat Camilla in a couple of the Arcade games. And after a while, we had a parade going, with a cluster of guys who always wanted to walk and talk with us.

I had a great time. I realized that I had the confidence to be myself, Anna Bradford. Yeah, Doug was still there, but had recognized that it was better to just ride along. So I was enjoying a little bit of flirting with strange guys and wasn’t worrying anymore.

On Sunday, Becky called and asked me if we could visit the Zone and see the Fairies. So, her mom dropped her off and we went off out on the patio. After we got comfortable, Becky came inside and we went out underneath the arch.

Within a minute, we were attracting Fairies. Before long, the fireflies had surrounded us. They were greeting us, remembering our names, and then asked where the bowl was?

“Bowl?” Becky looked at me.

“I know. The bucket that we’d filled with salt and sugar.”

“But they are asking for the bowl.”

I had no problem creating a bowl, and placing it at our feet.

We watched as the fireflies swarmed our bowl and each one brought a tiny reflective piece of metal. We studied the metals and guessed that they were precious metals, maybe gold, silver, or platinum.

‘Thank you.’

‘We have been told that you like shiny things. So we gathered these for you.’

Everything seemed to be going fine until we heard a thousand Fairy voices screaming to run!