A Witchy Mess

"Come on, Chase," Amelia prodded.

"Look, Amelia, I've already told you, no. I can't; I'm not strong enough," I replied, feeling more sympathetic than angry.

Amelia had been begging me ever since her cousin's funeral. Her cousin, Karley, had been like a sister to her. Karley's brutal murder had really changed Amelia's demeanor.

"Chase, you ARE strong enough! You're the most powerful witch I know!" she whispered excitedly.

"I'm the only witch you know," I replied, smirking.

She laughed. "Well, that's all the more reason." Her faced turned solemn.

"Look, I'll think about it, okay?" I replied, hugging her.

Tears formed in her eyes. "I just want to know what happened to her."

I held Amelia tighter. "I know, Amelia, I know."

I really would think about it, but honestly, I had no clue what the right thing to do was. Amelia wanted me to contact Karley's spirit and ask her what had happened. I had never held a séance and did not know if I had enough power.

I was the descendant of a long line of witches, very powerful ones at that, but I had only recently acquired my powers. I mean, I'd had them around a year, but that was no time compared to the average witch.

"You can do anything you really want to do," Amelia stated, releasing my hug and looking into my eyes."

I stared at the ground. "I'm not so sure. I can try, but I can't..."

"Really? You'll do it?!"

"Yea, but.."

"I love you so much, Chase!" she exclaimed, almost crying from joy.

"Yea, but I can't make any promises," Chase finally answered.

"I know you're powerful enough though." Her eyes gleamed. "When are you going to do... it? What's it called anyway?"

"It's called a séance. Well, I have get the altar set up and stuff. Maybe on Friday. You could spend the night too."

"Okay, sounds like a plan!" she said just as the bell rang to release us from the cafeteria.

I picked up my water bottle and slung my messenger bag over my shoulder.

"Faggot," some kid murmured as they "bumped" into me and sent me spiraling to the cafeteria floor.

Ugh. High School- it's just so wonderful. I was as used to this behavior as much as I would ever be used to it. It was hard for me to fathom how teenagers could be so immature and cruel.

No one bothered to help me up. Amelia was long gone- she liked to beat the crowd. I grabbed my water bottle once again.

After being called a faggot at least ten more times, the school day was finally over, and i was headed to my car in the student parking lot. When I got there, Amelia was waiting for me.

"Hey, Amelia." I fished my car keys out of the bottom of my bag.

She smiled. "Hey, Chase. Friday, right?"

"Yea, Friday." I smiled again. This was the happiest I'd seen her since the afternoon before her cousin died.

"Can you drive me home?" She asked, taking her cell phone out of her pocket.

I wiggled my keys in the air. "You know I will. Get in."

She walked to the passenger's side and sat down in the car. I put my stuff in the back seat and handed her the keys.

"Start it up. I'll be right back." I shut the door and heard her start the car.

I usually drove to the other side of the school on Wednesdays, but I didn't want Amelia to know what I was doing.

Little did Amelia know. I walked around the school building and saw Cody standing in our usual meeting spot.

As soon as I was in his reach, he pulled me to him and kissed me. I kissed back but felt nothing. Cody really liked me. I felt guilty for it, but he was nothing more than a quick fix for me.

We continued to make out, and just before things started to get too steamy for a public place, I stepped away from him.

"Amelia's waiting in the parking lot," I said, hinting at the need for me to get back as soon as possible.

He took out an Altoids container and put it in my pocket. I turned away to leave.

"I love you, Chase."

I turned my head and smile at him but quickly ran back to my car. Before I'd even put on my seat belt, Amelia looked at me.

"Where'd you go?" she questioned.

"I went to close my locker. I forgot to shut the door," I said, putting my belt on.

"That's just like you," she smiled and I put the car in reverse and drove away from the school. I hated lying to her.

Before I knew it, it was Friday afternoon, and I only had a few more hours until I had to contact Karley. I was utterly terrified. Once again Amelia was waiting for me by my car.

"Hey, Mel. You ready?" I questioned, already knowing the answer.

She smiled, "Of course I am."

I opened the trunk and put her bags inside it.

"Vámonos," I said, still suffering from the effects of Spanish class.

We climbed into my '99 Honda and casually drove to my house. It was an almost-awkward silence the entire ten minutes, but Amelia's excitement filled the car.

We arrived at my house and carried our stuff upstairs to my room.

"Where's all your stuff?" Amelia questioned.

My round end table and some chairs were missing, but my lamp and seat cushions were piled up in the corner.

"They're in the woods behind the house," I said while grabbing a box from the top of my closet.
"Wait. Don't tell me we're going out there?" She pointed to the forest. "I'll kill myself before we even get five steps into the woods!"

Leaves covered the grass in my entire backyard and hid all the holes and rocks. Amelia was super clumsy and was known for tripping when she was just walking down an open hallway. The forest would be a giant maze for her.

"You'll be fine. I swept most of leaves away from where we'll be and cleared a path. It'll be okay."

She still looked doubtful. "Why can't we do it in here?"

I sighed after already having this conversation with myself earlier.

"There isn't enough room. And I don't want my mom to know what I'm doing."

"Really? Ugh. Fine, but if I get hurt, it's all your fault." She said while pouting.

We headed down the stairs and out the back door. I grabbed Amelia's hand and led her through the forest until we reached the altar I had set up. The end table was placed in the middle of three trees that formed a circle. Two chairs were around the table and the other two sat beside one another outside of the circle of trees.

A bowl sat on the table and was surrounded by three candles.

"What's the bowl for?" Amelia questioned, as I sat the box down on one of the chairs.

"It helps attract spirits. I've got chicken noodle soup to put in it. The aroma will help draw Karley near."

She looked into the box. "Hmm. What can I do to help?"

I pulled a thermos and some matches out of the box. "You can put the soup in the bowl," I said, handing her the thermos. "While I light the candles."

She opened the thermos and set the lid on the other chair. She walked to the table and poured the soup in.

"Mmm. That's smells good." She laughed. "I guess that's the point."

I smiled. "You got it." I came up beside her. "Go sit down while I light the candles."

"Okay," she replied, following orders. "What's the point of having the candles?"

I lit a match and started lighting the three white candles. "I can channel them and draw extra power. Not much but some." I blew out the match.

Amelia looked up at me and smiled. "That's pretty cool. You're the best, you know that, right?"

I sat down in the other chair and smiled back. "So I've been told."

I took a deep breath anxious for what was about to come. "Okay, Mel, hold my hands," I reached across the table and her hands closed around mine. "Close your eyes and say the chant with me. You have to concentrate, focus on the outcome- focus on Karley."

I watched her close her eyes then closed my own.

I concentrated with all my being and thought of all of the power surrounding me in the trees and candles. I felt the candles' flames expand.

I started chanting, "Our beloved Karley, we bring you gifts from life into death. Commune with us, Karley, and move among us."

Amelia began chanting with me. "Our beloved Karley, we bring you gifts from life into death. Commune with us, Karley, and move among us. Our beloved Karley, we bring you gifts from life into death. Commune with us, Karley, and move among us."

A tap sounded in the distance. I continued concentrating as Amelia became silent. "Karley is that you? Tap again if it is." A tap sounded in the distance again.

I became unable to speak or move, wrapped in the power I was absorbing.

Amelia let go of my hands, but the feeling didn't stop. "Oh my god! Karley! Karley!" I heard her yell but was unable to do anything. My eyes were closed, but I felt her emotion just as if I was seeing it.

The tap sounded again. Amelia jumped from the chair and knocked the table over. I could feel the flames getting hotter, bigger, becoming one with the leaves on the forest floor, but was still mesmerized by the power, the enormous power.

Amelia screamed. I heard her didn't really hear her. The sound merely echoed in my ears, not my head. The power, the power was too great.

Amelia screamed again. "Chase! Chase, help me!" She cried out in agony. "Chase, please! Help me!"

The power finally let go of me. I opened my eyes. "Amelia!" I yelled.

All of her body but her foot was outside the original circle now outlined by fire. The fire was swallowing her foot all the way up to her ankle.

She began sobbing. "Chase."

I jumped out of my chair and ran towards her. Tears poured down my face as I saw Amelia. I could almost feel the antagonizing pain.

I bent down and tried to get her foot out of the fire. I couldn't touch her, there was some sort of barrier. "Amelia, it will be okay. I promise." I said, crying ten times harder.

She was bowing her head but looked up. Tears covered her face. The tears stopped pouring and fear covered her face. "Chase, watch out!" she yelled.

"What?'" I looked behind me.

A creature was heading straight for us. I tried to jump over the fire, but the barrier refused to recede. The flames became even stronger. The creature was coming straight for me, and I had no where to go.