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Incense
Callie dressed warmly in her black coat. It was getting colder as autumn began to fell away and winter crept closer. The Samhain celebrations were going to be held in a clearing in the woods. The way from the school building to the clearing was lit by torches even with the full moon.
She followed her classmates as they all walked towards the clearing. It was filled with people, parents and children, mingling and surrounding the tables of food. Familiars were allowed to go to the celebrations with the caveat that they behave. Finnegan stuck by her side as he snuck covetous looks at the meat pies.The parents arrived in the late afternoon and Aubrey introduced Callie to her parents. The Parks were friendly and invited her to spend Samhain with them since she was going to be alone. She found Aubrey and Nadia sharing a mug of chicken pot pie."You have to try the food, Callie," her roommate said. "The table at the left of the bonfire has all the best pies. You have to geRelated chapters
Simmer Perish
Away from the warm lights, Callie collapsed against the trunk of a tree and covered her face in her hands. She tried to breathe, inhaling and exhaling the cold air into her lungs. She told herself she was in the dark with only the trees and the moon to see her. She could breathe better not having to play her charades and pretend she was somebody else.Finnegan was pacing back and forth, agitated. "It was my fault.""What was your fault, Finn?""My fault, my fault, my fault," he repeated. "I killed her. It was my fault."She was getting concerned with her familiar’s distress. She stood and walked over to him. "Who did you kill?"He stopped and went still as a blonde woman stepped out of the darkness and into the moonlight. She was impossibly pale and almost see-through, not quite corporeal. With a voice like she was underwater, she called out, "Finnegan.""Lucy," Finnegan cried. "I’m so sorry.""I know."Callie realized there
Simmer Prodigal
The school had a service for Trish a few days after. It was a somber affair where professors and friends told stories about how wonderful Trish had been and how tragic it was for her to die so young. They expected Nicholas to speak but he remained stoic and stayed seated. Matthias gave a speech in his place that ignited the earlier rumors about him and Trish.The school had a bench made in the clearing where they had the Samhain celebrations. Students were leaving flowers and notes on and around the bench for Trish. Everyone was affected by the unexpected death. Shipton Academy was supposed to be a safe haven for witches and warlocks and their perfect little bubble was infected with fear and grief.A few people had asked to hear what she witnessed that night and she had to give them the same story she had to the police. She was the girl that discovered the body. She had Trish’s blood on her hands as she came out of the woods. The sight of her had made a whole school go silent
Simmer Gospel
Both Aubrey and Matthias were pleased to have Nicholas finally leave his room and out into the world again. People were sympathetic and gave him his space. Nicholas went to class and was seen at the dining hall but didn’t really interact with people. He was physically present but emotionally distant.She had a feeling Nicholas was in his favorite hiding spot and there she found him in the classroom watching the view outside the windows. She didn’t uncloak herself until she was behind him and whispered into his ear, "Boo."He didn’t jump. He shook his head, exasperated with her behavior. "Hello, trouble," he said. "What are you up to today?"She gave him an innocent smile. "Who says I’m planning something?"He almost smiled back, his lips quirking up but he forced it away. "Do you know what I thought when I first met you?""That I’m pretty?""No." That made her pout and he continued, "I thought ‘there goes
Simmer Sermon
Callie's eyes widened in incredulity. "The apocalypse?""Armageddon, Ragnarok, and whatever you want to call it.""And two ghosts–"He corrected. "Witnesses.""–are a sign that the world is going to end?""It’s the first sign. There will be others.""Like?""War, famine, plague, death," he listed off. "The Four Horsemen of the apocalypse will come and wreak havoc while we’re powerless to stop it."She leaned against the bookshelf and pointed out, "You’re awfully glib about the prospect of the world ending.""Every generation is obsessed with being the last and that the Second Coming happens in their life time." He rolled his eyes. "I’m from generations of Seers who all insisted it was going to happen to them and they were all wrong."That made sense. It probably made them feel better to think they were important. People had strange priorities when it came to their egos. She once watched two demons
Simmer Altar
Callie was twelve when she woke up to her bed stained with blood. She was horrified to learn she was bleeding between her legs. There was no wound or pain and she went to her mother for help. Lilith explained to her about moon blood and babies.The concept of becoming a mother terrified her more. She imagined a baby in her belly growing like a parasite and it would burst out of her once it was big enough. "I never want to have kids," Callie declared.Lilith smiled and gently patted her hair. Her mother had moments when she was sweet and kind and Callie wished she could have her like this more. She loved her mother best when she was this way. Lilith felt like a real mother and Callie treasured these moments."I was not that older than you are when I was cursed to be barren," Lilith told her, somber. "My husband, Adam, punished me for leaving him. But how could I stay when he could not accept me as his equal? He could not love me and he hated me instead."Cal
Simmer Scapegoat
Callie ducked into the girls’ bathroom between classes. The fourth floor bathroom was her favorite as it was the least busy since there were fewer classes on that floor. She nearly bumped into the Fourth Year girls who were on their way out. She weaved around them as they ignored her and left.She went to the sink to wash her hands when she saw something silver on the ground. She bent down to pick it up and found it was a headband with cat ears snapped into two pieces. It was identical to the one Aubrey owned. There was a quiet sobbing coming from one of the stalls.She walked over to the stall, unsure of what to do. She couldn’t be sure it was Aubrey in there. She hesitated before knocking softly on the stall door. There was a pause."Is that you, Aubrey?" she asked."Go away," Aubrey sobbed. "I want to be alone."Callie looked around as if the answer on what she should do would appear. This was none of her business. She tried to be as considera
Simmer Righteous
All the avian familiars were getting sick. They were all brought to the Medical Bay where Doctor Dougal diagnosed them with West Nile Virus. Nadia’s familiar was one of the infected and was quarantined in the Medical Bay. Goblins could heal faster than regular animals but they weren’t immortal.A few of the familiars had already succumbed to the virus. Nadia was distraught as the days went by and her familiar wasn’t getting any better. Magic could only do so much and even witch doctors couldn’t find a cure. Nadia’s familiar was going to die and there was nothing they could do about it.Callie came along as Nadia and Aubrey visited the Medical Bay. The golden parakeet was asleep in its cage. It looked small and pathetic. Nadia couldn’t touch the bird as she could become a carrier for the virus and infect the other familiars so she just watched the bird sleep."Tiya’s going to be okay." Aubrey wrapped her arm around Nadia and le
Simmer Omnipresent
"Callie! Wait up!"She stopped and turned around to see Enoch running towards her, his familiar pulling him forward on his leash. They stopped in front of her. Enoch took a moment to catch his breath and she let him. She was in no rush to get to her Herbal Magic class and brave the cold."I’ve been looking for you everywhere," he said, still winded. "You’re a hard one to track down."She tried her best to be."Thank you." He grinned. "I just wanted to say thank you for what did for the familiars."She froze and her heart started beating faster as she began to inwardly panic. "What are you talking about?""You helped cure them.""What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"He tapped his temple with a finger. "Seer, remember?"Her heart beat even faster as she tried to think about what to do next. Her fight or flight instincts kicked in. How much did he see? What did he know?"What did you see?" she demanded.
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