‘That’s it,’ she repeats.
I rummage in my jeans’ pocket for my torch. It’s a relief when I find it and switch it on. ‘So what happens now?’
We start walking towards the road. At least I assume we’re heading in the right direction. Personally I have no idea, but Kate seems sure of herself, so I follow close behind. ‘Wait and see, I guess,’ she says.
She doesn’t sound too confident. ‘How long will it take, you reckon?’
‘If the spell worked, then the curse should lift pretty much straight away.’
‘All right then!’ I allow a little excitement. Maybe this whole crazy night will have been worth the adrenalin rush, amongst other things. ‘But how will I know if the curse has been lifted?’
‘That’s pretty obvious,’ she replies. ‘You won’t be so clumsy any more and your family will have a break from their endless list of disasters.’
We come to the road and Kate walks me to my bike. There’s a lot more light now as clouds roll off, exposing a brilliant full moon. I switch off the torch. The miniature treasure chest is under her arm, and it reminds me of what we’ve just done. I suddenly feel awkward. How do I thank a witch for casting a spell that might lift a timeless family curse?
‘Look,’ I begin tentatively. ‘What happened tonight, I, er, well … Thanks, for your help.’
She smiles and looks brilliant. ‘It mightn’t work, you know. I’m only a novice, and the sorcerer who created this curse must’ve been a powerful alchemist.’ She briefly looks away. Then adds softly, ‘You have to remember it wasn’t Old Magic, Jarrod.’
‘So?’
‘We’re dealing with a curse generated by magic that lived almost a thousand years ago. There was a sense of things, then, an intensity. It’s different today, far too commercialised. It’s caused a … well, kind of weakness. Jillian can work Old Magic, but there aren’t many like her. It’s a rare few that can handle it.’
‘Well anyway, you tried and went to a lot of trouble for my sake.’
She shrugs. ‘That’s OK. I don’t get to practise powerful spells very often. There aren’t enough volunteers around here. Except for Hannah, and well, some spells are too dangerous to try on your best friend.’
She’s joking, and I know this because her eyes are laughing as she speaks, but it makes me realise just how seriously Kate is into this stuff. Magic, sorcery, witchcraft. I still have my doubts, but have to admit, Kate does have some eerie talents, like making the light out of the darkness, and the candles with flames that never burn down. Now that my brain is functioning normally again, I wonder how she managed these tricks.
I shine the torch at my watch but can’t read the digits.
‘It’s 4:00 am,’ she says.
This leaves me stunned. Have we really been in the forest four hours? ‘I gotta go,’ I say. ‘It’s late.’
‘Yeah, I guess you’d better go.’
She sounds reluctant, mirroring my feelings exactly. Even though the temperature out here has to have fallen to minus five by now, I’m in no hurry to leave. I could stand here for the rest of the night as long as I’m with Kate. This realisation hits me like a sledgehammer. I make myself move and get on my bike before I make a fool of myself. ‘Seeya, and thanks again.’
She nods but her smile is slow. Her face is momentarily like an open book. She’s wondering if I’m going to pretend she doesn’t exist in class on Monday. I give a quick wave and start cycling, visualising Tasha and Jessica, Pecs, Ryan and Pete. There’s a comfort in the vision, knowing they’ve accepted me into their group. The pull is strong.
I wish I wasn’t such a coward. I hate myself. The thought occurs to me that Kate deserves better. She’s strong, stronger than me. She’s talented and beautiful, both in utterly unique ways. It makes her different and for that she is crucified mercilessly by the inner, elite crowd, ignored by others.
And me?
Well … I can’t say I’m any better.
Kate
It doesn’t work. The spell meant to lift that blasted curse. I realise first thing Monday morning when Jarrod turns up late for class, explaining to Mr Dyson in History that he ran over an empty beer bottle, puncturing his bike tyre. He backtracked home so his mother could drive him in, but the car wouldn’t start for seemingly no reason.
‘This morning was the heaviest frost so far,’ Mr Dyson explains. He’s not angry or anything, which is good for Jarrod, who looks flustered enough already. ‘Tell your parents to put an antifreeze in your car’s radiator, it was probably just cold. All indications point to this year being a record cold winter.’