Part one: All things Supernatural

Chapter Three: Reveal

Did it always rain on funerals? Grace wondered this as the preacher’s droning voice went on and on into the dully dressed crowd. She sat perfectly still and couldn’t even feel her muscles. What use were muscles? Where was Grace going to go with her Grandmother gone? Her eyes were so clouded with tears she couldn’t tell if her vision was blocked by the rain or not. It was her turn to speak; her surly aunt was nudging her to stand. Grace got up and walked slowly on wobbly legs towards the podium. She ignored the man with the umbrella who was trying the shield her from the rain and stepped onto the stage. She looked out as best she could over the crowd, family members she knew and didn’t want to know. Her paper was illegible, the ink had run together and the words were all muddled. But it didn’t matter, because nothing on paper was adequate.

Grace was about to tell everyone they could go home, that her Grandmother wasn’t really in the coffin, that no amount of tears would bring her soul back. She was about to spoil the delusions of everyone Heather had left behind when she spotted the person who had left her behind. A small blonde woman with a veil over her head stood underneath an umbrella in the back of the congregation. A tall man held the umbrella and a boy bout a few years younger than Grace stood between them. So when Grace opened her mouth all she could say was.

“Mom?”

“Grace…” Mercedes called. “Grace, honey, wake up.”

A hand nudged Grace into waking and she sat up. Sunlight attacked her eyes and she squinted while trying to recollect herself. She was in the backseat of Amber’s vintage firebird…. Right, they’d been going to Bayville high.

“Did you drool on the leather?” Amber asked. “Because I will make you clean that up.”

“She didn’t drool on the leather. Are you all right? Your eyes are blood shot.”

“I just had a very emotional dream.” Grace said and stretched as they parked. “I’ll be fine.”

The girls climbed out of the car and walked up the front stairs of the school.

“I can’t believe I’m back here.” Amber muttered. It had literally been three years. Unable to stay in a place that was so frightened of them, the girls had all transferred to different schools. It was therefore slightly surreal to see the building after so much time. So many memories were built inside the walls because this had been where it all began. Security, which hadn’t been there three years ago, asked the girls for ID and escorted them to the office. “This is ridiculous.” Amber muttered.

“I know you don’t like authority figures but could you cut the rebellion for a few minutes?” Mercedes pleaded. At the office they walked to the receptionist desk to state their purpose. “We’re looking for Ann Reynolds. She called us to a meeting a few days ago.”

“Oh, yes she’s been asking for you.” The receptionist confirmed. “They can go straight to the office.” She told the guard.

The three girls sat on a bench outside of Annie’s door. About twenty minutes later the door opened and three young ladies walked out. They had to be freshmen and made direct eye contact with the witches on the bench. The younger girls were all dressed in black and a very eerie pact was sealed between the two groups.

Meanwhile, Annie stood in the door taking the girls in. Something about them was as if they’d never left. Amber was slumped down against the wall as if she’d been waiting in the hot sun for days with no water. Her shades were still on her head and two ponytails of long black hair tumbled messily over her shoulders. She wore a blue skirt but had no regard for discretion; her legs were wide open, resting on the heels of her blue and white sneakers and her elbows on the bench. Mercedes was the first to look to Annie and smile. She stood, her long skirt flowing and her sandals padding on the ground. She was just as beautiful as when she’d left the school, her long hair in two tight buns at the side of her head and she wore something like a beach bag on her shoulders. She hugged Annie when she saw her and Annie hugged back. Amber nodded and stood and Grace stood after her offering Annie a smile and nothing more.

Annie found Grace to be a bit more intimidating than she was in high school. Where there used to be that hint of white in her outfit, no white was there at all and her light blue eyes were now haunting since no headband held her golden locks from her pale face.

“Come in.” she ushered the girls to seats in the room. “I was just meeting with some students. You know, I almost thought you wouldn’t show up.”

“We almost didn’t.” Amber said.

“That isn’t true. We just wanted to be prepared for whatever we were going to hear.” Mercedes said.

“I wish I had better news.” Annie offered. “But I need your help. I’m sure you’ve heard about the deaths here.”

The girls nodded.

“Well, do you remember sergeant Maxwell?”

They nodded again.

“He died.”

“What?” Grace asked shocked.

“Mmm..” Amber smirked.

“Amber!” Mercedes shook her head.

“He was put on the case since he supposedly did so well with the last supernatural occurrence.” She explained referring to the incident three years ago. “And for days they couldn’t get in contact with him. Then they found him, right outside this school, nothing but charred remains. A few days later those ten students died. Some were from another school but several were from here.”

“What is the school doing?”

“Many children’s parents have taken them out but most stayed. We heightened security, too.” She sighed. “But I know it’s not enough. I don’t know much of what’s going on, I thought maybe you recognized the symbol?” she pulled a notebook from her drawer and leafed through it. When she turned the notebook to them it showed a very elaborate marking. “This was the best I could do, the police are very secretive but I managed to catch a glimpse.”

Mercedes held it up but shook her head she showed it to the others.

“Looks like a demon symbol.” Amber said.

“How do you know?” Mercedes asked.

Amber shrugged. “I read a book. Demon symbols usually stress an unevenness in markings on either sides and this symbol has less markings on one side than on the other. Also it’s derived from a good symbol, yin and yang and the idea of a circle, then it’s corrupted with other images.”

“Demon?” Annie asked. “There’s a demon in the school?

“Well…he’s around.” She laughed.

“This isn’t funny.” Annie snapped. “People are dying. Why would a demon be here?”

“Have they identified any of the students killed?” Grace asked.

“Of course.” Annie rattled off some of the names. “That’s all they’ll say, though, are names.”

“Well, we’ll do the best we can…” Grace offered.

“How long does the best take?”

Amber smirked. “Sorry we’re not working fast enough for you.”

“You’re the only people I know who can help!” Annie stressed.

“Well, if we’re not meeting your standards, Mrs. Reynolds. Maybe you should try meeting new people.”

Annie smirked. “Get back to me as soon as you can, please?” she asked.

The girls promised they would and left the office.

“So much for catching up with old friends.”

“She’s just stressed out.” Mercedes defended her.

“She’s still wearing our pentacle.” Grace smiled. “We’ve probably been protecting her ever since.”

“Then she owes us money.” Amber joked.

Age of innocence is over… Grace stopped in her tracks and turned around. “Does anyone else…sense something?”

Mercedes and Amber looked puzzled. “I guess I kind of feel…” Mercedes trailed off.

The age of innocence is over…

Jean? Grace asked.

Yes…

“Oh, another old friend.” Amber said looking at someone they couldn’t see. Jean was in the hall watching them. Seeing her with her blacked out eyes and mouth was still strange.

“I feel like she’s trying to tell us something.” Mercedes said.

“She is.” Grace opened all their minds to hers. Yes, Jean?

The Age of Innocence is over. The witches of old must walk the earth again, to fight the enemy….to fight the enemy…must walk the earth again…

“She’s such a broken record.” Amber muttered.

“You remember what happened the last time you got her angry. Don’t get her angry.” Grace insisted.

“As I remember it, it was both of us that got her angry.” Amber countered.

Fight the enemy…must walk the earth again…to fight the enemy…

“She’s repeating that section on purpose.” Grace said. And, as if that were the magic key, Jean disappeared.

“Are you ladies looking for something?” The security guard asked, spotting them standing suspiciously doing nothing.

“We’re just leaving.” Grace said and grabbed her sisters’ hands.

In the car they sat in the parking lot for a while.

“Why would she repeat that one section? ‘Must walk the earth again to fight the enemy or die trying?’”

“Well that’s obvious reference to us.” Grace said. “We’re the reincarnation of the Trinity power. Maybe she’s telling us that it’s time, like, the time is nearing for us to fight the enemy.”

“I mean that’s helpful.” Amber said, leaning back in her seat. “But is that really all?”

“Why not?” Mercedes asked. “These deaths are a perfect sign that something is going on. It’s time for the Trinity to step up to the plate.”

“Wait…” Grace trailed off. “I think I’m…” suddenly her body went stiff and everything went bronze.

“I hate it when she does that, it’s like she’s going to sneeze.” Amber said while they watched Grace have her vision. Grace was seeing flashes of cloaked figures just like three years ago, she was seeing faces of kids, some of which were printed in the paper; she was seeing one particular figure, which gave her the creeps. He was hooded too but not in a way that seemed all right. He was holding out a hand and suddenly flames burst up in front of Grace and she screamed, hearing the screams of several other people. Suddenly the vision stopped and she was drenched in sweat. She sat there panting heavily.

“You a’ight?” Amber asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah…yeah I’m fine.” Grace took a deep breath.

“What was the vision?”

“I’m not quite sure but I think I can offer one more explanation for Jean repeating that part of the prophecy.”

“Yeah…?” Amber urged.

“What if no one knows we’re the Trinity?”

“Okay, I’m with you…”

“Wouldn’t they just go around killing witches until they found whichever ones actually were?”

“You think all those kids who were burned were witches?”

“Probably. And the idea of leaving those symbols is like leaving bread crumbs.” Grace said excitedly. “Even if the right witches aren’t killed, they might just see the murders in the paper.”

“Oh god…” Mercedes said. “The longer we wait, the more people die.”

“HEY!” Someone yelled, knocking on the window. All three girls screamed. A security officer peered into the car. “You can’t loiter here.”

“FUCK OFF!” Amber yelled and sped out of the parking spot. She zipped out the lot and into the street before they could catch her license plate.

“Amber, you’re going to be arrested…again.” Mercedes said. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“To the town archives. They have a list of all the recent deaths and we can track down the families of the dead. They can probably tell us if their kids were witches or not.” Amber said.

“That’s invasive.” Grace protested.

“Do you want to figure this case out or not?” she asked. Grace just sat back in her seat. “Exactly.”

--

“That’s the third person to slam their door in my face.” Amber grumbled, walking back to the elevator of the tenement housing project.

“That’s because you can’t just keep asking people if their dead kids were witches, it’s upsetting!” Grace said.

“Think you can do better?”

“It’s not that hard considering you haven’t made any progress.”

“Can we try using constructive criticism?” Mercedes asked. They made their way back to the car, Grace riding shotgun to give directions to the next house. Grace and Mercedes approached the door since Amber couldn’t find a place to park. They knocked and a man answered the door.

“Hello.” He said with expectance of them to provide their names.

“Hi, my name is Grace Hollows and this is my friend Mercedes Toshida. I was wondering if we could have a few moments of your time.”

“I don’t want to take a survey or buy anything.” He began to close the door.

“No wait, sir it’s not like that.” Grace insisted. He paused. “We went to Bayville high, we were wondering if we could talk to you about your daughter.”

“What’s your angle?” he said giving them an accusing look.

“No angle-if you don’t want to talk to us then don’t. But we don’t have any paper, or tape recorders. What you tell us will be in complete secret.”

“Why do you want to know.”

“We think we might be able to help.” She said.

He paused for a minute and then opened his door to let them in. They followed him into the living room. Where he poured them glasses of lemonade from a pitcher on the coffee table. They sat down and stared at each other for a minute. “How would you be able to help? Who are you exactly?”

“We attended the school in our freshman year. Three years ago…” she trailed off and let him fill in the blanks.

He nodded. “So you were there the first time when…”

“Yes.” Mercedes said softly.

“Well…what’s your angle?”

“Are you sure you want it bluntly?” Grace asked.

“I don’t have all day and I’m not a man who pussy foots around subjects.

“Well, we think your son Ethan might have been into witchcraft.” Grace said simply.

“Ethan?” the man said, surprised. “I don’t know if my son would mess with anything like that.”

“Well, let’s explain what we mean and then maybe you’ll see a similarity?” Grace offered. “We’re talking about the old religion, often referred to as Wicca. Anyone who practices Wicca is a witch, male or female and take part in witchcraft.”

“It’s like going to church for Christians.” Mercedes said.

“Right. Wicca is the belief in the God and Goddess and the following of the revered Wiccan Rede. ‘And harm ye none do what ye will’. Wiccans don’t worship the devil because Wiccans don’t believe in satan. Your son, if he was Wiccan, isn’t a devil worshipper or a bad person. He believed that any bad spell he cast would return upon him three fold so it’s likely he wouldn’t do anything wrong.”

The man listened trying to digest it. “Are you telling me there is no such thing as bad magic?”

“No, not at all, sir.” Mercedes shook her head. “There is plenty of Dark Magic but Wiccans don’t practice it. Wiccans believe in meditation, magic used as channeling our own energy and putting it into the world for good.” She explained.

The man was silent and took a sip of his lemonade. The sounds of the outside invaded his home as they waited for him to speak. “Ethan used to hand out with two other kids, Janice and Kyla. They all wore those pentacles around their necks. They were witches too, huh?”

“Yes. And if they hung out in threes they were, unfortunately, in more danger.”

“But if this Wiccan stuff is safe why would they be killed?”

“Because we think there might be someone looking for three very powerful witches and is just killing all witches until he can find them. He probably knows those witches are in New York and he probably knows they’re young, since only children in this state have been killed.”

“Why would he want good witches dead?” the man asked. “Well unless he’s evil…”

The girls nodded.

“My goodness.” He sat back in his chair. “Forgive me but I can’t fully believe all of this.”

“Its fine, sir. We just needed confirmation that this was the case. Kyle and Janice…they died as well?”

He nodded.

“Do you think you could give us their addresses?”

--

Claudia came into the storage room at the end of the day and thumb tacked a few more papers to the board, which was nearly overflowing. She knocked on Damien’s door.

“Damien, honey? You’ve been in there nearly two hours you have to get up.” There was no answer. “Damien?” Claudia reached for the bolt to the door but thought better of it. She knocked again.

Suddenly the door flew open with such tremendous force she thought she’d get sucked into the room. Damien stomped past her and towards the bulletin board.

“I’ll quit you know.” He warned.

“Damien, give me time. How am I supposed to just find people?” She turned around. “You know, you really get the easy job out of this. You never have to interact with the people, you don’t get to see their scared and worried faces or tell them they can’t have their money back if it’s not really a ghost.”

Damien went from the bulletin board to standing right in front of her as if he’d teleported. She gasped. “You have another week.” He warned and then stalked off, his boots touching the floor heavily.

--

“I don’t get why we couldn’t tell Annie we were coming.” Mercedes said.

“I just personally think it’s better if she doesn’t know.” Grace said as they approached the back entrance of the school. The security guards were everywhere even though it was nearly midnight. “You know the drill.” Said to everyone as guard approached them.

“Sorry but you can’t be here right now.” He said. Grace quickly blasted him with mental waves. He grabbed his head in pain and then passed out in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Grace stood there staring at his body.

“Did you kill him?” Amber asked.

“I…don’t think so…” Grace said slowly.

“He’s not dead.” Mercedes promised. “Come on.” They only had one more encounter with a guard before they reached the door. Amber grabbed both their hands and phased them through to the other side.

“I don’t know how you do that, Amber,” Mercedes said clutching her stomach. “That makes me feel so sick.”

“It’s not for the faint of gut.” The girl quipped, removing her shades to the top of her head. “Now what?”

“We split up and see if we can find this thing. He’s got to still be here since he hasn’t exterminated all the witches in the school yet.” Grace said.

“See, we know my theory on splitting up.” Amber began.

“The black chick always dies first.” The other two girls said in unison. Grace continued. “I know, Amber but this is the only way to save time.”

“Or we could combine our forces. That would save time.” Amber suggested.

“That’s true.” Mercedes agreed. She nodded over to a more secluded place in the hall. She sat and motioned for them to do the same. Let’s all hold hands. Amber will project us as one entity around the school. I’ll use my powers to sense anything unusual and Grace will do the same.”

“I don’t know…” Amber began. “Projecting can be problematic…”

“Remember what I wished for and what the Trinity said?” Grace pointed out. “Have faith in us and our power.”

Amber nodded and rolled her eyes. “A’ight let’s do this.” She said and closed her eyes. They all closed their eyes too and breathed until their breathing was synched up. Amber slowly lifted from her body, still holding hands with her sisters and lifting their spirits as well. Soon they hovered over their real bodies. They looked down in amazement at the silver cords connecting them.

Amazing… Grace thought to them loudly and clearly.

I feel like this is how I should always be! Mercedes exclaimed.

We need to focus. Amber warned. I’m down with all this have faith in your powers and stuff but reality is I can only support us for so long.

Grace and Mercedes nodded and focused. Alright, everyone needs to merge together and act as one. She instructed. Soon they were moving through the halls and Mercedes and Amber could feel Grace searching the heads of every one present. The guards were all guards and that came clear in the way they moved. But soon Grace’s mind got stuck on two beings that weren’t guards. Mercedes read the auras.

Supernatural. One is familiar but not something I can read. The other is definitely dark magic related but not a natural power. She said. Amber can you trace any of that?

Amber led them to the locker rooms and they zoomed around that section.

Something is definitely strong in here. Mercedes said, sure of herself. Just then they all felt a tugging.

I need to let us go. Amber said and slipped them back into their bodies. The shock of travel was immense for the two girls who weren’t used to it. They collapsed on contact. Amber watched them, completely unsure of what to do. She herself was a bit dizzy and weak but that was all. She stood slowly. “You guys all right?” she asked, leaning over them.

Mercedes and Grace slowly pulled themselves together. “Yeah…I’m alright. What about you, Grace?”

“That was really weird. My body kind of feels like it’s too big now.”

Amber laughed. “That’s a good way to describe it.”

“Let’s head to the locker room.” The blonde girl said leading the other two to the emergency stairs. Mercedes lit the dark halls while they walked, passing the gym and entering the locker rooms. “Which one was it? The boys or the girls?” she asked.

“Shit, we totally didn’t think about that.”

“It’s not like we can’t just go into both of them.” Mercedes said pushing open the door to the girls’ locker room. She used her light to find a real switch and the florescent bulbs flickered on.

“Y’all remember that movie about the track team that died, right?” Amber whispered.

“This isn’t the time.”

“I’m just sayin’ this looks like their locker room.” She said.

“But it still isn’t the right kind of comment to make right now.” Mercedes insisted.

“Why? Are you scared?” Amber teased.

“Amber, shut up!” Mercedes insisted and then the lights went out. For a second no one moved, they stood still in the darkness and listened to the silence. “Look what you did now.”

“How the hell can you blame me? I wasn’t anywhere near the switch.”

“But you were being loud and now whomever was near the switch heard us and knows we’re here.” She scolded. “Luz.” There was a pause and then her hand lit up. They immediately screamed because a cloaked figure stood in front of them. It was male, they could briefly see his nose and chin. He grinned and then blew and Mercedes’ light went out like it was fire. They backed up and started running.

“Guys, the door is the other way!” Amber said.

“So is the creepy cloaked guy, now run!” Mercedes said. They went until they hit wall.

“Okay so now what?”

“Energos!” Mercedes yelled and released a wave of energy through the room. They heard the crunching and slamming of lockers into benches and the door flew from its hinges. Mercedes wobbled a little. “It’s been a while. Luz” Her hand lit up again and they took in the damage of the room. No one was there any more. “Where did he go?”

“I don’t know…” Grace whispered.

“Guys, I don’t know how I feel about this.” Amber whimpered.

“Maybe he realized who we were and left.” Mercedes said.

“Wishful thinking.” A voice said behind them. They looked up near the window where the man sat on the ledge. This time it seemed an unspoken agreement that the girls didn’t yell. Grace attacked immediately but the man didn’t even flinch. She gasped. “That’s not going to work on me, poor thing. You’re a mere witchling, your power is useless.”

“Don’t listen to him, Grace.” Amber warned.

Grace narrowed her bright eyes and attacked him once more this time she focused on his head completely. He seemed to have some kind of shield. They would have to somehow catch him off guard.

“Run.” Mercedes decided and they took off to the door of the locker room. They made it through and towards the stairs.

“Which way do we go?”

“It doesn’t matter.” The man laughed from inside. Suddenly a huge ball of flame came barreling at them. Amber grabbed both girls and dematerialized them. The fireball went through them and hit the banister, which broke down and fell onto the metal stairs. They backed away from the flame and ran up the stairs to the second floor. They emerged and walked backwards, their eyes on the stairs.

Let Mercedes attack first then I will. Amber, you’re on defense. Grace planned.

The girls agreed and they waited for the man to come through the door. When moments passed and he didn’t, they considered that perhaps he would appear magically without warning as he had done so many times before. But after a few minutes he did come through the entrance, the door flying off of it’s hinges. They jumped but stood their ground as he appeared.

Alright, go!

“Energos!” Mercedes shouted and the energy from her hand shot out in waves rippling the air. The man stood still through it all. “How is he resisting our power?” Mercedes demanded.

“I don’t know…’ Amber replied. “Try again, maybe-“ she was cut off as the man held up his hand to attack. The girls panicked as they felt a burning on their skin. Amber held up an arm and saw the flesh crack with heat. “Oh my god…” she started.

Grace panicked and attacked from the pure anger that her friend was in pain. She screamed as she released the surge of mental energy, which caused the man’s head to snap back in pain. Just then another figure zipped into existence and slammed him against the wall. The girls immediately recognized the dread-locked figure as Damien.

Amber, meanwhile, busied herself with writing the healing rune on her and her sisters. Their burns healed quickly with the counter spell. Damien tackled the man to the floor.

“Are you girls all right?” he asked and they nodded.

The man on the floor hissed. “Trinity…the next time you won’t be so lucky.” The cloak emptied as the man disappeared and Damien held up the empty piece of cloth and cursed.

The girls looked at each other.

“Not that I’m not happy to see you,” Amber began. “But what exactly are you doing here?”

Damien focused his dark eyes on them. “I could ask the same of you, Trinity.”

--

“You really went from door to door telling people about Wicca?” Damien asked the girls. They sat in the bottom room drinking tea with him and Claudia.

“It was the only way to figure things out.” Grace laughed.

“You guys have a lot of heart.” He complimented. They took notice of the dimple in his cheek when he gave his usual, charming half smile.

Amber watched Grace blush and lean into the table. She rolled her eyes and stood. “Okay, we have to go now.”

“Amber!” Mercedes and Grace protested in unison. “What is your problem?” the latter one articulated.

“My problem? My problem?There is a witch and some freaky dude with super powers who know we’re the Trinity, that’s my problem. I liked it better when it was a secret.” She spoke with her hands on her hips.

“Oh.” Damien interjected slyly. “You think now that it’s out, it makes you less cool?” He teased. Amber knew he was teasing and didn’t like it.

“You don’t know me, Rasta-Boy, watch it.” She slammed a palm on the table and leaned in, but not in the flirtatious way that Grace had. Damien leaned in only inches from her face, expecting her to shy away but she didn’t even flinch.

“I could say the same to you.” He said, narrowing his eyes. The two held a tense stare for a while.

“Will someone get this clown a comb for his naps?” Amber said straightening up. “And lets get the hell outta here.”

“My naps compared the rat-hair weave on your head?” Damien countered.

“What? Hell no”- Amber cursed and dove for him across the table.

“Inanima!” Mercedes froze her in place. “Amber, I’m going to need you to behave.” She said calmly. Damien snickered. “The both of you.” She stressed and his laugh died. She moved Amber back a few inches and unfroze her, grabbing the wrist of the hand that was meant to punch Damien.

“I can’t believe this.” Amber said folding her arms but not sitting back down.

“What can we do to get you to trust us?” Claudia asked.

Amber stood stubbornly facing them for a while before she spoke. “It’s not a trust issue.” She said finally.

Everyone waited for more.

“Then what is it?” Claudia asked when it was obvious Amber wasn’t going to speak.

“Whenever someone finds out our secret they are automatically in danger. And yes, I know you’re a witch and you’ve both got powers and that’s wonderful, but we’ve been here before and we know what we’re up against. I just don’t want blood on my hands.”

“It looked like you did a pretty good job of protecting Annie.” Damien pointed out.

“Annie?” Mercedes asked puzzled. “She told you we were the Trinity?”

“No but she was wearing a pentacle that looks like the ones you guys have. I assumed she called you for help and you gave her that.”

“We’ve known Annie for years. We used to go to Bayville high.” Mercedes explained.

Damien nodded. “Why did she call us then? Beltane knows I don’t need any more work.”

Mercedes shrugged. “She was scared and I guess we weren’t working fast enough.”

“You seemed to be doing a good job last night.” Damien laughed. “Speaking of which, you ladies wouldn’t be looking for jobs would you?”

“Damien, stop that.” Claudia grabbed his arm.

“We are actually…” Grace said.

“Well then how about working for Claudia? I could use some help out in the field and she could use some help in the store. We’ll all rotate, it’ll be great.” He grinned. Claudia buried her head in her hands.

“I’m sorry girls, I’m sure you have enough to worry about being who you are and what not.”

“No, it’s a great idea.” Amber said surprising them all. They turned to look at her. “Well this way we can stay together and protect the people who know our secret.” She glared at Damien. “Even if they don’t deserve it.”

Mercedes turned to Grace. “What do you think?”

The thin girl’s brow furrowed for a moment while she spoke. “I think it sounds good. I’m just a little worried about those women who live on our street. This is just pure fuel for their fire.” Grace said.

Amber grinned. “So what? I like the heat.”

--

Within less than two days news had spread that the girls had taken a job at the witch store. So it only took a week for Ethel and her friends to show up at the girls’ door. It was a nice morning, not too hot, not too cold and Grace was just going to get the paper. She opened the door before anyone knocked and jumped a little to see them standing their, their blouses all matching, their skirts different colors like name tags.

“Hello…” Grace knelt to lift the newspaper. “Can I help you?”

“You didn’t really meet us last time.” Ethel said. “I’m Ethel, this is Maggie, Rachel, Gladys, and Diane. We live along this street.”

Grace nodded. “Do you want something?”

“Well, I just wanted to talk to you, you know woman to woman.” She smiled.

Grace didn’t let them in. “About?”

Ethel fidgeted but understood Grace wouldn’t let her into the house. “Well…Maggie here has expressed her concern about you girls and that witchcraft store in town. Now we know you’re all grown up and living on your own but we feel as older people it’s our moral responsibility to make sure you girls do alright.” She smiled.

Grace didn’t smile back. “My tea is getting cold.”

“Tea? We love tea!” Maggie exclaimed. Grace ignored the hint.

“Then you understand how I would like to get back to it before it losses it’s charm.” She said dryly.

“Right, well, I just wanted to express our opinion that you try to stay away from those crowds. Witchcraft is a dangerous thing and if you’re not careful…” she watched the dangling pentacle around Grace’s eyes, those light blue eyes that were making her more and more nervous as she stood there. She tried again. “You should just be careful of the company you keep…because….well people may begin to think…”

“I grew up in a household that taught me not to care what other people think of me, Ethel.” Grace responded. “I’m much happier when I’m only trying to please myself…and the goddess.” She laughed. “Have a good day, ladies.” She closed the door.

Ethel fanned herself with her hand.

“Are you all right, honey?” Rachel asked. “You’re all flushed and hot looking.”

“I…I don’t know, I suddenly couldn’t speak, I became so nervous and jumpy. You know that’s not like me, girls. I’m a very good articulator, diplomat. I went to etiquette school. I don’t know what got into me.”

“Well,” Gladys said, “You seem much better now.” They walked through the gate. “Maybe you’re just allergic to something on their property and it made you uncomfortable.”

“Or maybe she put a hex on you so you couldn’t speak well.” Maggie suggested.

Ethel’s eyes widened. “That’s exactly what she did!” Ethel decided. “Notice she said Goddess? She’s a witch, they’re all witches.”

“No wonder they wouldn’t listen to me that day I told them not to go to that store. They had bought all these herbs and things. Witch herbs.” Maggie decided.

“You guys sound ridiculous.” Diane interjected. “Here are a group of mature, intelligent women of the twenty first century playing into mythical beliefs about witches. Didn’t I tell you those girls wouldn’t do anything because it gets back to them?” she protested. “Have some sense.”

“Diane, I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt.” Ethel warned. “But you know so much you might easily be one of them. Is that what you’re trying to tell us, Diane?”

Diane rolled her eyes. “I’m not a witch, it’s called ! You know the picture that pops up on the magic box with buttons!” she retorted. “I’m going home, you ladies plot your witch hunt.” They watched Diane walk towards her house and then they dispersed. Grace watched them from the kitchen window.

“What are you doing?” Amber asked.

“Being creepy.” Grace replied. “That lady was back with all her friends.”

“Did they steal my newspaper?” Amber asked. Grace took the hint and handed it to her. “What did they want?”

“They know we work at Ostara.” Grace said. “And wanted to tell us the err of our ways.”

“Really? How nice of them.”

Grace nodded. “Speaking of which, we should go soon.”

“Word.” Amber said but didn’t move.

“Do you see anything interesting?”

“Nope, I’m just lazy.”

Grace laughed and tugged at the girl and they went to the car. Mercedes had walked into town early that morning, since she was working in the store. Grace and Amber would be going with Damien to answer the call from a pet shelter whose animals were being found dead and half eaten. At the moment most of the animals were being removed but when they were one guard was found dead. Damien explained the story briefly to them when they arrived at the store. Mercedes was organizing the shelves and humming silently to herself. She waved at them as they left.

“Whose car is that?” Damien asked.

“Mine.” Amber answered.

“Hand over the keys.”

“Excuse me?”

“I usually take my bike but I guess a car will work too.”

Amber raised an eyebrow at him.

“What?”

“No one drives Amber’s car but Amber.” Grace informed. “And maybe one of us when she’s unconscious.”

“But you don’t know where you’re going.” Damien countered.

“So you better sit yo’ ass down in the passenger seat and co-pilot.” She snapped unlocking the doors. Damien sat smugly in the front seat and directed her on which way to go.

“Mercedes says you’re not a witch…” Grace made small talk from the back seat.

“I’m not a witch.”

“So…what are you?”

“Human.” He answered with an air of bitterness in his voice.

“You can’t be human. You kicked some ass the other night in Bayville.” Amber insisted. “We barely got anywhere and we’re the Trinity.”

“I didn’t get anywhere either.” Damien protested. “Turn left.”

“I mean, that’s true. So how do you know Claudia?”

Damien paused for a minute. “We…met when I was younger, around fifteen or sixteen. She helped me through some things, some very serious things. I owe her big time, especially now since she’s letting me live with her in the shop while I look for a place.”

“Y’all fuckin?” Amber asked bluntly.

“Oh. My. God.” Grace sunk into the seat with embarrassment. “You never think before you speak, do you?”

Damien, however, was laughing. His laugh was almost musical and ran in continuous notes. “I think she’s funny.” He defended Amber.

“I wasn’t joking.”

“And therein lies the humor. Claudia and I are not and have never been romantically linked.”

“She’s into you, though.” Amber insisted.

“Since when do you read people?” Grace protested.

“Man, I don’t need magic to figure that out.” Amber laughed.

“Turn at the next street.” Damien instructed.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Amber continued.

“Why do you ask?”

“I’m trying to even the score.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend. Do you?” he nodded at her rainbow bracelets.

Amber’s lips tightened a little and she struggled to not look back at Grace in the rear view mirror. If she had she would’ve seen the girl blushing waiting pensively for an answer.

“I don’t.” Amber gave a short sound, which was something like a laugh.

“Boyfriend?”

“No. Listen, I’m asking the questions.” Amber countered. She pulled up to the shelter. “Game over.”

Damien gave a satisfied smirk and stepped from the car. The shelter looked fine and it was broad daylight-the job wasn’t as spooky as the girls thought it would be.

“So do we put on the hazmat suits and vacuums now or later?” Amber asked.

“This isn’t ghost busters and I’m going to need you to be very serious.” Damien requested, and began walking. “The idea behind Claudia’s thinking is that we don’t need any extra instruments. Claudia hires people with natural talents.”

“But I thought you don’t have magic powers?”

Damien sighed. “I don’t have magic powers.” He took keys from his pocket and opened the door. They stepped into the lobby of the building. It was eerily silent for a place that was supposed to be filled with the sound of barking dogs and mewing cats. Damien sniffled as if he had a cold but Amber noticed simply because he hadn’t sniffled the whole time they’d been with him. When he did it a few more times, she and Grace shared a knowing look. He led them through the halls as if he knew where he was going. They by-passed the elevators and took the stairs into the place where the kennels were. They were separated into groups of cats, dogs, wild life, domestic and those animals who were soon to be put to sleep. The deeper they got into the hall the stronger the smell of rotting flesh became.

“Ew.” Amber pulled the kerchief that was around her neck, up around her nose and mouth. Grace covered her nose as well.

“Shh.” Damien scolded. “We need to be quiet.” His steps slowed and the girls noticed he was unusually light on his feet. He crept forward, reaching out a hand to tell them to stay put as he kept going. Amber crossed her arms impatiently watching him pass through the light that streamed into the windows. Suddenly something burst through the glass doors of a room, tackling Damien into the wall beneath the window. The girls grabbed each other and tried not to scream.

The creature on top of Damien was nearly indescribable. It was bug like with a pointed head, huge, beady eyes and mandibles. Its mouth was filled with baleen type material, which was long and wispy. Its body was like a giant rib cage through which the girls could see organs but not the right ones. The demon seemed to be filled with intestines which were tightly packed within its rib cage and twisted into a neat tail down to the end of it’s form. It had four insect-like legs with sharp points and spikes down its back. It’s whole form seemed covered in a thin film. Damien wrestled with the creature; keeping it from stabbing him with it’s pointed forelegs, his neck strained to keep his head back and away from the mandibles.

“Should we do something?” Amber asked.

“I...I’m not sure yet.” Grace muttered. Damien skillfully lifted his legs and kicked the creature across the hall. Grace took that moment to attack with her mental waves making the creature writhed in pain. Damien removed a dagger from the back of his belt and charged forward. He countered the demon’s wildly flailing legs with sturdy forearms and one swift blow to it’s abdomen. Then he slammed he knife into it’s head.

The demon’s movements slowed to a halt and then it stopped. Amber pulled out one of the pencils with which she wrote her runes and stepped forward to write on the demon and expel it. However, the demon was faking and as soon as Amber was close enough it lashed out with one of its arms. Amber went flying back into Damien who caught her easily and set her on her feet. She doubled over in pain from the blow to her stomach.

“His skull must be thicker than I thought.” Damien said.

“Think harder next time.” Amber spat, managing to stand straight. The demon charged again but Amber grabbed Damien and dematerialized him so that the demon hit the wall behind them. Grace attacked again, hitting the demon’s physical body and forcing it into another wall.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Damien demanded.

“Showing you how it’s really done.” Amber grinned. She ran towards the demon, phasing so it wouldn’t hit her and, right when she was close enough, she solidified and jotted ‘Kenaz’ on its back. The demon writhed and hissed, it’s skin beginning to smoke. Suddenly it burst into flames and tuned quickly to dust.

Damien stood watched Amber walk across to Grace and give the girl a high five. They grinned at him.

“What?” Grace asked.

“What was that?”

“Us kicking some demon ass.”

“Going that close to a demon is dangerous.”

“You basically made out with him!” Amber protested.

“I’m a trained professional.”

“Well this was my first time.”

“But it wasn’t Grace’s first time.”

“I didn’t go anywhere near the demon.” Grace justified.

“But you didn’t warn Amber.”

They exited the building and Damien locked the door.

“In Amber’s defense she’s totally used to it. Her powers require close contact.” Grace said.

“Word, so don’t baby me. You forget, I’m your ride back.” She dangled the keys in his face and stuck out her tongue.

Damien glared at her and then, with unexpected quickness, snatched the keys from her hands and ran to the car.

“That’s not right.” Amber shook her head and took off after him.

Grace padded slowly behind them, refusing to run, but smiling in amusement.

--

“You have returned to me…empty handed.”

“The Trinity was rescued by someone”

“A mere mortal.”

“He was more than a mortal.”

“If you I do not receive the Trinity’s power soon I will not hesitate to exterminate you, Balzar.”

“I’m sorry my queen. Give me another chance.”

“You have only one chance and if you fail me…I will have you exterminated by your replacement.”