Magick (The Unwanted Series Book 1) (6 page)

Chapter Seven

C
abin fever is setting in; it’s been three days since I’ve been to school. Thank the heavens it’s Saturday. Father is back to work, although staying home as much as he can. I’ve been catching up on school work and practicing my magick when I can. Mrs. Scott and I have been catching up on reality television in-between all the work stuff. For some reason she is fascinated with the Bachelor and Housewives.

The senior camp trip is tonight. My dad has been putting protection spells on the property, but somehow, some way, I need to figure out how to escape the house. I miss my friends, and it could be one of the last things I’ll get to do with them. Plus, Daniel, we’ve been texting and I just really want to see him. I haven’t mentioned this to father, because why let him say no?

I enact my plan with counter spells to place my heat signature on Duke, while I trade only with my clothes so it will allow me to leave without the firing squad of alarms. I work on my homework, because for the time being I’m considered on leave until further notice due to a family event. Like a private school really cares — especially when you’re funding most of their projects and buildings.

It’s 9 PM, and the time has come. I put on my favorite hoodie. I have Duke happy and content on my bed, and I turn on my computer and put on a music loop. My backpack in hand, I decide sneaking out the back door is my best option. When I get to the yard’s perimeter, I take a deep breath and step outside the spell protection borders.

I exhale. No alarms, no smoke, no fire. All clear.

Self-satisfaction beaming out my body, I take off at a run to where Emily and Lucy are waiting for me. Operation Free Willow is a success! Emily is jumping up and down while Lucy waits smiling in the car.

Emily hugs me when I get to her.

“Dang Wills, it’s good to see you. I’ve been having wild dreams lately.”

I smile at her, “you too huh?” She laughs and we get in the car.

Emily has parked her Camry on the north interior side of Salem Woods, in one of the few parking spaces left. Lucy and I gather our gear from the trunk and hike into the clearing, guided by music and lots of laughter. You can’t say private school kids don’t know how to have fun, ’cause here we are, per tradition that started long ago. Class leaders every year apply with the park rangers for this weekend. It’s all legit, although it still feels like we are rebels. Oh, the privileged.

“Come on! You two are so slow!” Emily trots ahead with the tent on her back, slinging a small cooler in one hand and a bag in another. She doesn’t seem bothered at all by the weight she is carrying.

Lucy laughs. “She’ll trip soon, I swear, and then we’ll catch up.”

“She’s definitely over-caffeinated tonight,” I respond. I rearrange my hold on the bags of food and my backpack.

“I think it has more to do with Marco. He’s more flirtatious than usual,” Lucy says.

“Oh really?” I laugh easily. I miss the mundane gossip. I really missed my friends.

Emily makes her way toward the other edge of the clearing, where the fire pit is lit up with a crowd of students. I see Daniel coming out of a nice-sized tent with Marco, toward the back left corner. He spots me, smiles and waves. I wave back. He looks great in flannel. I’ve never seen him in flannel before. He looks rugged.

“You’re so lucky,” says Lucy.

My trance of staring at Daniel is broken.

“Why do you think I’m so lucky?”

Lucy nudges me with her shoulder as we keep walking. “Uh, one of the cutest, nicest, most all-American guys is, like, totally in love with you. Nope, not lucky at all. I take it back.”

“Okay, hisso.” I nudge her back.

Yeah, Daniel is great. It’s funny, though. I would think most girls’ parents would like Daniel, but for some reason, my father doesn’t. At first I figured it was because he wasn’t wealthy, but that idea was put to rest when Mrs. Scott informed me that he would feel this way about anyone I was dating. I remember back to when I dated a boy named James in 8th grade, who took me to a dance and kissed me on my front porch step. Father was grumpy about that too… so I guess it’s just a father thing.

We get to the spot, and Emily is already unpacking the tent. We all pitch in and get it up in under 10 minutes. The various fire pits are glowing in the clearing. There’s a large one, near the concrete pavilion in the middle, and several small ones around tent groups. The music is bumping at the front of the clearing, and set up in the middle is a keg over by Steve Carlin’s tent. Steve is the typical jock party boy, and friends with everyone — but too friendly with most of the girls.

As soon as the tent is done, Daniel grabs me by the hand and leads me to the side of his tent.

“Hey you.” He says, holding my face.

“Hey…”

He kisses me like he’s starving and I respond, so eager to see him and missing him. It’s familiar and electrifying his touch, his kiss. Daniel makes my knees weak. My hands are wrapping around his neck and I’m pulling him closer and his hands drop to my waist, when we get interrupted with a high whistle — we turn to see Marco sporting a big grin on his face, with Emily and Lucy walking toward the center pavilion.

“We’re heading over, come join us all when you are um… yea — finished.” Marco laughs and turns around to walk away.

Daniel is looking at my lips. I whisper to him, “are we finished?”

I feel like the air is gone from my lungs when he leans down and kisses me one more time softly and sweetly. His smirk catches me off guard when he pulls back and he whispers, “for now.” Clasping my hand, we round the tent and head over and chat with Steve and some of the others while enjoying our Solo cups filled with the beer. Everyone is having an excellent time, laughing and carrying on about the upcoming school year. No one asks why I haven’t been there and it’s easy and fun.

Daniel has his arms around me. I love that he is taller than me and can hold me like this. I see Emily off to the side, laughing and poking at Marco, who is returning the favor. I ask Daniel, “So, I hear Marco may finally return Emily’s advances? Is that right?”

Daniel kisses me just under my ear. “Maybe, I dunno, but he’d be silly not to. They flirt like crazy. Might as well just get it together. Everyone thinks they’re together anyway.”

“Yeah, true.”

I’m looking for Lucy and spy her talking with Coral. Ugh! Coral looks like a model on a camping trip, dolled up ridiculously. If they walk over and she is in heels, I may hurl. Yep, they are walking over, but I don’t see any heels. I guess I get to save my vomit for another situation, and the beer might just do it. I dump my cup out on the ground.

“Hello, Daniel… and Willow.” Coral says my name like it’s causing her physical pain. Wouldn’t that be nice? I notice her teeth seem to be fine, so either she’s already fixed the imperfect chip that happened on the first day or she didn’t chip a tooth after all.

“Hey,” Daniel responds. His arms are still around me, and he kisses my neck again.

I try not to gloat on the outside, but on the inside it’s full on ‘in your face’ celebration. You’re his ex. Get used to it! It’s Willow and Daniel now and has been for close to a year. I pull it together.

“Hello, Coral,” I respond and immediately look toward Lucy. “Hey, Lucy, we’re gonna head back to the tents. Come over later and join us.”

Yeah, Coral, you’re not invited. Don’t come, I say to myself. She leaves and heads straight to Steve, who I’m sure will relieve her of any misgivings.

Daniel puts his arm around my shoulder and walks us back to the tents where our small fire pit is glowing. Both done with our Solo cups, Daniel tosses them into the fire where the plastic burns quickly and folds in on itself, producing gray smoke. It smells awful, the plastic burning. The smoke curls and twists like an arm. I shake my head, just as Lucy is walking in with Marco and Emily, who are chatting away and laughing.

I feel an itch on the back of my neck.

“The bugs, right?” Lucy says. “Don’t worry, I’ve got a little sage stick that should solve the problem!” She dives into our tent and returns with a small bundle that she lights up. It starts to smoke white, and she whirls it around until Emily snatches it from her and starts dancing around the fire.

“Are you a witch, Lucy? Seriously, this is a witchy thing to do.” Emily eyes her as she waves the smoke around. I sit up a little straighter in Daniel’s lap.

“Are you okay?” Daniel asks me.

I nod. “Yeah, just adjusting.” I snuggle back into Daniel, but all I can think about is the rehab dream and Emily’s presence in it. I haven’t talked to her about it, outside of saying she was in a dream of mine. It sounds crazy to speak of a psych rehab unit and say, “Oh, by the way, you were there with me!” It’s bad enough my BFFs know I see a psychologist on a regular basis, anyway. Lucy says all the rich and famous do, and I shouldn’t sweat it. It’s just that I’m not the rich and famous type — or, at least, I like to reject that notion. I rub my hands up my arms and feel the secret pocket of my hoodie has something in it. I realize it’s the pills from the dream. OMG. It was a dream right? I pinch my arm and feel the hurt.

The music is dying down, and those who aren’t staying over in the camp are starting to leave. The crickets are louder, and the temperature is getting colder. I’m happy to have the extra blankets.

Emily and Marco at the same time announce: “Ghost stories! Lucy, tell one!”

Lucy looks mortified. “What? Are you kidding me? I don’t do ghost stories!”

Marco whines, “But you’re the one who reads all the time. Come on! You’ve gotta tell us one.”

“I’ve got a great story to tell.” Emily gets very animated and lifts her arms towards the fire, as if she is trying to make it rise.

“You know we are in Salem Woods. These were the very woods where several witches were burned at the stake. And in their damnation, there were incantations said that continue to linger.”

Marco laughs. “Em, seriously? We live here. All the stories we heard in elementary school and even junior high are just whack!”

She gets a serious look on her face. “I’m not kidding you. My stepbrother, Charlie, knew this girl. She was a grade older than him. She came out to these woods with a bunch of friends, and they were hanging out having a good time together, not that different than tonight.” She waves her hands around, and the fire seems to respond to her. I tuck my arms into myself. “Someone said a chant as a joke, and the next thing they knew this girl went comatose and started to float.”

Daniel sits up and begins to tap his leg, as if remembering something. “Oh yeah, my sister was just a grade under at that time, and she remembers that story. I totally didn’t believe her, because she was always saying stupid stuff.”

Emily continues. “Oh, it was real, all right. Charlie knew her boyfriend. They were on the football team together. The boyfriend was devastated. The girl’s parents blamed him, and even took legal action against him and his family. She was admitted to a mental institution, and to this day she hasn’t spoken or said a word.”

Everyone is hanging on Emily’s every word, listening. I wonder, what if I did something wrong tonight? I bite at a hangnail absently. Which of my friends would be pulled into my fate by accident? Father has taught me more control, but all of a sudden I’m filled with guilt. I’m out in the open, for selfish reasons, and not only am I taking a risk, but I’m also taking a risk with my friends’ wellbeing.

Damn it, I suck.

She continues, “Now, the wild part is this: last year a medium came to these woods. I remember Charlie said the family hired her to help their daughter.” Em shakes her head to clear her thoughts. “The medium came to the woods and stayed here for hours, and then retreated to town all upset, and said this girl was payment to the debt owed.”

“Ah… no,” Lucy whispers, raising her hand to her mouth.

“Yes. The curse was lingering, and finally found a member of a family that it could take vengeance on. The saying goes, if you step in these woods, beware of the family toll.”

Emily’s voice drops. “The toll must be paid, Willow.” She starts to rock back and forth with her knees tucked to her chest. She repeats it several times.

I’m stuck. I don’t know what to do. OMG, is she really possessed?

Daniel hugs me protectively and says, “Cut it out, Em.”

Marco pushes her to the side and says, “Real funny.”

I hold my breath, and I feel the air shift and change.

Emily breaks the silence, yelling “Rrrahhh!” She jumps up and tags me on the shoulder.

“Gotcha!”

Everyone joins in laughing, but the air shift is still there. I smile and try to play along, but inside I’m falling apart. Emily is a joker, but what if I have a family toll? The air, the change in mood… someone is watching me. I feel that creepy, icy feeling that tingles down your neck. I don’t consider myself brave in the least, but I’m not going to let my friends, Daniel, get hurt. My own lack of safety I can accept, but theirs? No way. I wish I could lay down some protective spells without anyone noticing.

“Hey, I’ll be right back. I need to use the facilities,” I announce.

Daniel grabs his flashlight. “I’ll go with you.”

“I can handle it,” I say, taking the offered flashlight. “I’ll be back in a few.”

Daniel tries to change my mind, and Lucy offers to come as well. I finally get them to head back to the fire pit with my stubborn response. Out of all the tents in the clearing only a few fire pits have teenagers around them anymore.

The cold air licks at my face, as I head down the pathway and pass one of Coral’s cronies, who looks drunk as she wobbles her way past me then a boy I don’t recognize wobbles his way a minute later. I stumble as I get to the edge of the bathroom facilities. The lights flicker. A vision flashes before my eyes, I reach out and the building I was near is no longer there. I’m in the woods as a little girl in my pajamas and coat, holding my arm to my body. There’s a deep voice calling me a little witch. They are taunting me, and then I see my father. He has blood all over him, but he’s there to help me. He swoops me up and we hug each other tight. This was the accident, again. I blink several times and the vision is gone, but my goosebumps remain.