Abby And Whistler

“Down on your knees, Abby Sinclair!”

Rain poured from the freezing night sky as Abby ran down the empty ally.  Red and blue lights of the police cars flashed off the darkened abandoned buildings around her.  They were going to catch her, she knew it!  They were going to hurt her, do bad things to her, horribly bad things to her… they were…

Three more police cars pulled into the mouth of the alley in front of her – blocking her off, trapping her in! – lights flashing, sirens going!  They were so noisy!  These guys jumped out of their cars, pointing their guns at her, hiding behind their doors! 

Skidding to halt, she spun and saw one cop from behind her running towards her, shouting and order.  He wasn’t armed.  She doesn’t know how she knew this, she just did; but he wasn’t going to hurt her.  There was something about him that made him somehow safe – he was going to help her.  Abby knew he wasn’t going to make it to her in time and panic welled in her gut as time seemed to slow down.  She heard a series of pops – gunshots – from the other lot of armed cops.  His eyes widened as he dropped to the flooded ground to watch her die.

Abby turned as the good cop dropped.  She felt her heart beat slow down and her blood pumping in her ears as her left hand rose in front of her – open palmed – breathing out through her mouth, she watched as every bullet fired smacked into an invisible wall and dropped to the ground in a tinkling of bells as the rain fell with them.  She looked at the spent bullets briefly before casting a benign look at the armed cops in front of her.  Some of them lowered their fire arms, while others wanted to shoot, but didn’t.

Whistler stayed on the ground staring, he couldn’t believe it.  He had been told of her powers, but until he saw her use it, he hadn’t believed it, “Holy mother of God.” He whispered pushing himself to his feet, “Exactly what I’m going to do with her I’m not sure.”

She turned to him, “You tried to protect me.  Why?”

“You have a power which is valuable to me.” He said, then glance at the other end of the alley where the armed cops were, “But you scare the crap out of the public.”

“So, you’re going to lock me up?”

“No.  We’re going to utilise it.” He smiled, “You’re useful, but you have to learn to control your power better without almost killing yourself.” He reached out to touch her shoulder, but stopped himself.  He had heard stories that she could break bones without touching people, “Want to learn?”

“And if you’re lying to me?” Abby asked.

“You can kill me here right now, and they’ll kill you in some way.” He gestured to the cops at the end of the alley.

She looked over at them, “They were a test?”

“No, mixed orders.”

Abby nodded, “Let’s go.  But first, what’s your name?”

He smiled, “Whistler.  I’ve got powers too, but nothing like yours.”

They drove to a large house on the outskirts of the city where the two stayed for a couple of days.  Whistler needed to get some history about Abby first before he took her to the right agency who’d work with her.  He hated being a scout and he really wanted to work closely with these kids.  She was the oldest one he’d found, but he wanted to make sure she was going to be safe.

“You killed a dog when you were eight?” he almost choked on his coffee.

“Yeah.” She bowed her head, “Its owner set it on me because he hated me hanging out with his son at school.  So, while I ran – while I was terrified – I wished it was dead, and threw my school port over my shoulder further, but…”

“That move also threw the dog too.” He sighed.

“It was a big dog as well.” She looked up at him, “I didn’t mean to kill it… I just wanted to get away.”

He nodded, “It’s okay… you were little and you were scared.”

“The guy tried to sue, but that was when Dad realised I wasn’t normal; and we moved.” She sniffed, “Every time I did something weird, we moved… must have cost my folks a fortune before they just dumped me at a church one day with all my stuff and drove off.”

He reached across the table and touched her hand, “You’re wanted now.”

“I’ve stopped wondering where they are.”

“Did you get adopted?”

“No.  Well, kinda… the parents saw me and liked me, but once I did something like I did out there in the city, what you saw, they sent me back.” She sighed, “Nobody wanted a child with special powers.  It’s not like kill anyone, I’m not violent.”

“So, you do have control?”

“Yes… it’s hard, but I can do it.” She nodded, “Okay, the sugar bowl on the table, I can put it on the counter over there.”

He glanced behind himself, “Okay.”

She opened her right hand, cupping it as though she held the bowl, and moved the bowl to the counter.  But just before it reached the edge, loud gun shots were heard and she concentration broke suddenly!  It was the authorities!

Men barged in quickly!  Whistler couldn’t react fast enough, and Abby couldn’t stop the bullets as they were fired from a Police Special.  Her guards went up too slow; and instead of stopping the bullets, she threw the cops back hard against the floor and walls, injuring them.

“Oh, no!  I’m sorry, are they okay?” she stood from the table only to be slammed down next to Whistler’s body.  Her hands wrenched behind her back and her rights read to her.  Closing her eyes, she worked the locks on the cuffs, but couldn’t work them fast enough.

“They’re not the ones you’re used to, Miss Sinclair.  These are magnetically locked.” The cop said, “And you’re off to a government facility.”

“But Whistler…” Tears fell from her eyes and stained her grubby cheeks.

The arresting officer looked at him, “Oh, don’t worry about him.  He can’t die.  By the time he comes around, you’ll be long gone.”

The Key To Avalon

He walked into my office after ignoring the pleas of my secretary that I was in a meeting, and sat down across from me.  I was in the middle of eating my dinner of a freshly-delivered pizza.  The first steaming hot piece was halfway to my mouth when I saw him sit down and just stare at me, then I put it down slowly and looked back.

“Are you Elenore?” his voice was soft, with an edge of impatience about it.

“Yes.” I nodded, “Would you like a slice?  I’m about to eat dinner.”

He glanced at the pizza and nodded, “Okay, seeing I interrupted.”

Placing a couple of pieces onto the lid and turning it around to face him, I glanced at him, “So, you know my name, what’s yours?”

“Daniel.” He picked up one piece and bit in.  After polishing off most of the slice, he told me his problem and why he approached me, “I have been trying to get a hold of you, but you’re a tough one to nail down.”

“Not really, I have all your messages, but have yet to get back to you.” I took a sip from my drink as I listened to him. 

“Will you take my case?” he asked, “I just need you to do that.”

“Sure… but exactly what is your case?  You’ve told me a problem and that I’m who you were looking for, but not why.”

“You’re not exactly the run of the mill kinda …”he cleared his throat, “… detective I’ve tried before.”

“Oh… I get it, you’ve tried the rest, now you’re going to try me out.” I smiled, “Funny.” I stood and collected the now empty pizza box, closed it and shoved it into my recycling bin, “You can go now.”

Standing, he pulled from his pocket a bottle of light blue liquid.  It shone when my desk lamp lit through it, “Before I leave, please, I beg of you, take this.”

My eyes widened as I took it gently from his fingers, and I heard myself whisper, “That’s Dragons’ Tears.  True-to-life, rare as all shit Dragons’ Tears.”

“Yes.” He nodded, “I believe you’re looking for it for a spell you’ve been working.” He pointed to the bottle, “I can get more as payment.”

Shaking my head, “But dragons are extinct, so are fire-drakes.  And by the way it’s reacting to light, it’s not fake, so where are you getting this from?”

“I can’t tell you, but trust me when I say that my name is Daniel and I do need your help with my problem.” He said.

I looked into the swirling bubbles of gorgeous blueness in the tiny bottle before looking back at him, “What do you need me to find?”

“The Key to where?” Desmay asked turning from her ancient texts.

“Yeah, I know… I’ve only heard of it, but never been there – nobody has.” I pulled from my bag the bottle of dragon tears and turned it around in my hands, “And my payment is Dragons’ Tears.”

Stepping down from the ladder which leaned against her library of books, she looked at what I had in my hand, “Holy shit.  Just look at that thing.”

“It’s real.” I said holding it up to the light and watching its gorgeous blueness turn around.  My eyes moved back to her as her blond curls massed around her face, “Can you help me?”

“Sure.” She nodded, “I’ll just fly you to the UK to and area of land where Avalon is supposed to be – but isn’t – and the key will work.” She set a box on the table and opened it with a brass key and began sorting through it, “I was given something strange about five years ago by some weirdo at a convention.  He didn’t want anything for it, but told me to protect it with my life.”

“And?” I asked.

“Well… remember when my house was broken into but nothing was taken?” she kept rummaging.

“Yeah.  That was strange.” I shook.

Smiling she pulled out a long, crème-coloured skeleton key.  It looked like a toy, “They were looking for this.” She gave it to me, “It’s the key to Avalon.”

“Does it work?” I asked.

She shrugged, “There’s only one way to find out.”

The monolith stood tall in the middle of the field as the fog rose around it.  This was the place:  Avalon.  It was surrounded Arthurian mythology and history; and yet people didn’t know what was the truth about it.  Daniel, Desmay and I had walked over two kilometres across that marshy field to the tall old ruins of what was left of Avalon.

“This place used to be something of legend… a place where magicks of long ago worked and was once real.” Daniel smiled as we all climbed up to the tall, moss and vine-covered doors stood.

I looked at him, “You know, this might not work.”

He nodded, “But you will still be paid.”

“I must bless this place first before continuing.   I can’t just open these doors without asking permission.” I pulled open my bag and laid out my Book of Shadows and Athame.

“Just use the key.”

“No.” Desmay said, “She can’t, not without blessing place first – and then blessing the key.  Being an occultist, she must do everything by the book, or something bad will come from this place.”

Daniel turned on me, “Dammit woman, you don’t get it!  I must get inside that place.”

I stopped and looked at him, “Why?”

“Because I was thrown out of there… it’s been a thousand years and a day and I’m supposed to be allowed back in!” he turned to the doors and thumped on them, “But when I asked the Gods, they denied me access.” His gaze turned to me, “Why do you think I asked you?”

“Because I’m a practicing witch; and you were going to sacrifice me in your place to get in.” I smiled.

He turned, shocked, “How did you know?”

Smiling, I opened my Book as I pointed my Athame to the sky.  Thunder clapped above us, “Goddess of change, Diana and gods of All, do you wish us access to permit Daniel…” a massive thunder clap cut me off as lightning struck a nearby shrub.  I turned to the man, “Whatever you did to be thrown out pissed them off.” I turned back to my Book, “I have the Key to Avalon…”  my hand reached inside my pocket, pulled it out and held it high.  As it was held up, lightning flashed!  Thunder cracked!

My life changed forever as I was permitted access to Avalon. 

Pork Chop Night

He sat in his recliner waiting.

Where in the hell was she?  He was hungry and the sun was getting low. 

What did she expect him to do? Cook his own friggin’ meal? 

After all today was Pork Chop Friday. 

He watched the 5pm news for another few seconds before his eyes drifted to the front door again and he grunted as he pushed himself out of the comfortable recliner and walked to the old, rusty screen door.  Squinting out, he strained his ears for the car engine, but there was silence on the road.

“Dumb bitch.” He turned away, burped as he looked at the empty beer bottle in his hand and shuffled into the kitchen to get himself another from the fridge.  He threw the empty on in the sink where it clattered next to the other five he’d drunk over the last hour or so.  He’d guzzled down a quarter of the new beer before the fridge door closed, belched loudly, let off a fart and walked back into the lounge room where he was about to sit back down when the car pulled up.  He wiped his nose on his dirty sleeve as he kicked the screen door open, “Hey about time you got your lazy arse home, you dumbarse bitch!  Where’s my dinner!”

The cab driver didn’t stop for long as he unloaded the boot quickly at the front gate and drove off.  He hated it when they didn’t help her with the groceries… but then, maybe he scared the shit out of them too.

“Sorry, Dad.” Bethany’s face was down.  Shit he was drunk again, why did he have to drink so much? “Pork Chops tonight?”

“Yeah.” He snapped walking to the gate barefooted and downing the rest of the beer, then throwing the bottle across the yard where it smashed against the side fence, “Come on, I’ll get the rest in.  You start on dinner.”

She hurried inside and looked at the kitchen.  She had left him at 8am this morning and this place was tidy… within nine hours, he turned it into a pig-sty.  Exactly how he managed to do this was beyond her, but she worked fast; and had the kitchen back to its near-former tidiness by the time he came in with the bags and dumped them on the table. 

“So?” he asked standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

“What?” she turned from the sink she had just emptied of bottles.

“Where’s my fuckin’ pork chops?”

Bethany pointed at the bags, “In the bags.”

“Well cook ‘em!” he shouted taking a threatening step toward her, a fist raised.  His face began to turn red, the stench of beer on his breath, “I’m hungry!”

“I’m tired!” she screamed stomping her boot.  She threw the bag full of beer bottles on the floor where they shattered and she kicked the bag across the room.  They sounded like bad bells as she began to scream at him, “Has it ever crossed your mind that I’m your goddamn fucking daughter and not your friggin’ wife!  That I’m studying my arse off at a university across town and staying here to save money to get my arse out of this shit-arse place, and all you’re doing is drinking and screaming at me when I get home to feed your lazy, fat stomach when you could be out there doing shift work or pushing a broom around a high school or fixing a car for somebody or… or…” she burst into tears turned from him, hands balled into tight fists and bashed the steel of the sink, leaving a couple of dents in it. 

Her outburst broke his heart into a million pieces – just like his wife’s death had the year before from a sudden stroke in the middle of the night.  It had taken her so quick; and yet he had dumped the running of the house and his life and, well, everything on his wonderful, talented daughter without a second thought.  Roger turned into the most rotten father around… and how did this happen?  He simply stopped giving a rat’s arse about himself and allowed himself to wallow; and poor Bethany was left to pick up the pieces every time he drank himself into oblivion… or to bail him out at the cop shop… or pick him up out of the gutter out the front of the house on Saturday mornings.

Either way, he was running her into the ground, and this was his wake-up call.

“I’m sorry.” He whisper reached her ears as he walked toward her and touching her shoulder, “I’m a bastard and a drunk and an arsehole and you shouldn’t have to put up with me.”

Turning from the darkness outside, Bethany cried hard into her father’s smelly old shirt, “Oh, Dad what happened to you?” her body convulsed against him as he kissed her head, “I miss her too… but I’m trying to get on with it.”

He pulled away, “How about we get takeaway tonight?  Pork chops can wait until tomorrow… when I can actually remember them.”

Smiling through her tears, she nodded, “That sounds great.”

“And I’ll cut right back on the booze and find a job.” He reached over to the phone and grabbed a couple of takeaway menus, “Pizza or Thai?”