Before I knew it Jacob had whirled back into my life, but it didn’t make my heart beat any slower. I could feel it pounding in my chest like a caged animal wanting to get out. My jaw hung open and it took all my effort to put it back into place.

“Now do you see?” He asked, like he had just showed me how to do a math problem, instead of showing me that he could do something I had been told wasn’t possible since I was a little kid.

“Umm… okay. Care to explain?” I was now glad he forced me into my chair, as if I had been standing, I almost certainly wouldn’t be now. I rocked back in forth in the chair, causing the old wood floor to creak in a constant nervous rhythm.

Jacob picked up a book, almost certainly because he wanted something to do with his hands, and started his tale. “I was born this way. I am a splitter.”

I flipped off my wedge sandals and sat crossed legged, preparing for a long story. Jacob absentmindedly leafed through the pages of “A Brief History of Splitting over Time”.

“Splitters originated in Europe, where there were many small cults of them. During the time period, they were often confused as witches, and were burned at the stake. But the few went on grew stronger, there are still many Splitter groups today, like here.”

“Many of the original Splitter group (as far as we know, at least they were the first known ones,) had to move to the Americas to escape from execution. But we also picked up something else on the way.”

I listened like the very best student as he carried on in a soft voice. “Magick,” he inserted a grand pause for effect. “Not like anything major but we do have some spells. Mostly for protection or healing. Like the Wicca most of us only believe in using it for peaceful purposes.”

“But there are always some that don’t isn’t there? The world is a delicate balance of good and evil.”

“Right you are about that,” he closed the book and put it back into this cute little antique book shelf. “That’s why we came here. There are all kinds of protective spells on this place. We will be safe here.”

I bit my lip trying to take it all in, “But who are we running from? Who’s out there?”

“The rogues. They are a select group of Splitter “royalty” or basically just the powerful families. They use there powers to get ahead, and disagree with our peaceful method. They try to kill us off to put it bluntly.”

“I see. That’s just great. You said you know where Bridget is, were you lying?” I asked, trying to put all the pieces together.

Jacob sat down across from me and rested his head on the peculiarly small table. He was wearing all black as usual, and he looked every so cuddly and warm in his oversized hoodie. “Well I suspect the Rogues have her. One family in particularly wants to see me suffer.”

I stroked his hand gently and kissed his forehead. I hate seeing my sweet little Jacob upset. “So they took Bridget?”

“Yes I believe they did, thinking she was you. They like to do whatever they can to hurt the peaceful Splitters.”

Then he got quiet. We were quiet a lot the pair of us, Jacob was the only one who had that effect on me. Our eyes met, and we just knew something was going to happen. I yawned slyly and laid down on the floor. Before I knew it he curled up with me and all my problems were gone.