A Brand New Witch

Sheila looked at the book her friend Gilli had given her. It had a typically witchy looking cover illustration and was called “Simple Protective Spells”. She felt more than a little stupid and self-conscious just having it in her hand. She opened the paper bag on the kitchen counter. It smelled vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place it.

She had tried to refuse when Gilli had brought the book and paper bag of “necessary bits and things”. 

“We both know there’s a lot going on in your life right now, and it’s not all good, no matter what you say to the rest of your friends.” As she thrust the bag and book once more towards her friend Gilli’s eyes flickered to the bruise, barely discernable under Sheila’s make up. 

“At least tell me you’ll look at it. Everything you need is there so it won’t even cost a dime to try. Worst thing that can happen is nothing. Right?”

Sheila had said she would think about it and taken the gifts her friend had brought. Her plan right then had been to take it just to stop Gilli pushing. She figured she would stick it out of site for a couple of days and then give the book back.

That had been the plan, but Gilli’s visit seemed to have woken up Geoff who had been sleeping off half a dozen beers in Sheila’s bedroom. She could still hear her friend’s steps receding down the hall when Geoff came out into the living room of the small apartment.

He crossed to her in two quick, angry strides. Not saying a word, he knocked the bag and book from her hands. A moment later he knocked her sprawling to the floor as well. He bent over and started slapping her over and over, hissing threats and profanities while spittle flew from his lips. She buried her mouth in the crook of her arm to keep from crying out and tried just to ride out the storm.

Eventually, the attack stopped and he grabbed her by the chin forcing her look at him. 

“I’ve told you before I don’t want you hanging around with her. She’s not a good influence on you. She’s a witch! How could she be a good anything? They used to burn people like her and as far as I can see, they still should.”

He kicked Sheila in the stomach making her grunt. “I’m going out and I want that book torn up, every page by the time I get back. That bag of whatever I want in the dumpster not polluting this place.”

He pulled his foot back and she braced herself but he changed his mind. He turned away and shoved his feet into his battered sneakers, grabbed his jacket and left. 

Now standing at the counter in the kitchen, instead of tearing up the book, she opened it and started reading. As she read, she took the items from the bag. There was a bundle of sage, a couple of black feathers, some dried herbs, string, salt, oil, a small bottle with a cork and a few other things. Continuing to read, she began humming softly.

Sheila was dozing on the couch when he heard the apartment door open followed by a muffled “What the fuck?”

Sitting up she looked over to see Geoff standing just outside the open door. She felt the old, instinctive fear start. Found herself wondering how badly he had lost at pool and how much he’d have to hurt her to feel like a big man again.

“Hey!”, he slurred, “Let me in!”

She stared at him in disbelief. “The door is open, I’m not sure what you want me to do.”

The usual nasty drunk look came over his face. “I don’t care if the door is open, I can’t get through it. Get your ass over here and help me.”

She was halfway to the door when she remembered how she had spent her evening.

“What do you mean you can’t get through it? Just step forward.”

He reached forward and quickly yanked his hand back with a yelp.

She moved closer. “What was that about?”

“I can’t get through the fucking door!”, he growled. “Did you or your bitch friend do something weird while I was out? I swear, if you did…” Geoff let the sentence trail off, redolent with the threat of future violence.

She moved closer to the open door. He sprang forward to grab her and was slammed against the opposite wall of the hallway. He slid slowly down to the floor a trickle of blood running from his nose.

“You bitch!”, he rasped hoarsely. “I don’t know what you’ve done, but you can’t stay in there forever. When you come out I’m gonna beat your ass so bad you’ll never even think about disobeying me again!”

Shiela smiled at him. “You can try, but the spell I cast will deflect any harm your try to do to me and return it to you three times over.”

She stepped through the door and stood over him. “Go ahead and hit me. Come on!”, she taunted, her voice rising and gaining strength.

“Why don’t you slap me, or punch me? Are you just going to lie there like a little bitch?” 

She started to laugh.

Geoff’s drunken rage overcame caution and he lashed out with his foot. He had been aiming for her knee and suddenly his own bent sideways and he shrieked in pain.

Neighbour’s doors cracked open at the noise and Shiela laughed louder. “I bet that hurt baby!” She hurled one of his favourite lines back at him and watched him flinch.

“I thought your were gonna beat my ass like all those other times. What’s the matter? You aren’t scared of a girl are you? Big, strong, vicious, cruel, petty, jealous, violent piece of fucking shit like you? Scared of little ol’ me?”

“Crawl your broken ass outta my building. While you’re at it, you may as well crawl all the way outta my city! I’m just getting started and you want to be a long way away before I’m finished.”

Sobbing with pain, Geoff dragged himself down the hallway trailing his broken leg behind him. Sheila looked at the nearest neighbour and smiled sweetly.

“So sorry about all the noise. I promise it won’t happen again.”

Settling back on the couch, she picked up her phone and called Gilli. “Wanna come over and hang out? Oh no, you can stay as long as you like, Geoff isn’t going to be a problem anymore.”

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