“Nothing. No, I’m fine. I just… it’s been a long day.” I was trembling and sweaty, like a virus engulfed me. But Brianne had kids to get to, and I didn’t want to talk about Gabe. I’d had enough failure for one day.
“House, could I trouble you for a glass of water?” It arrived in my hand, cool and crisp. Brianne lifted an eyebrow in shock, but didn’t say anything further. I drank it down, motioning her away. “Go pick up your kiddos. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to our dinner Friday night, Simone.” Brianne gave me what I now considered her patented compassionate smile. “Ithink it might do you some good to see what anormalfamily looks like in Treater’s Way.”
Female friendships were a difficult thing to maneuver once you reached a certain age. I’d had college friends, my old roommate and a girl who’d been my lab partner senior year, but they were surface-level relationships at best. Jeff and I had couple-friends as well, but I never saw the partners outside of group outings.
Having someone to talk to would be really, really nice. And she was right, like always. It would do me good to enjoy something mundane, even if I hated that word.
“I’d really like that.”
As she hurried off, I scraped at a bit of chipped wood on the banister. The house looked so different on the outside. I didn’t understand if that was by choice, or if that had to do with its dwindling magic supplies while it held two Ephemeral Supremes in place.
“House, do you supply my magic, or do I give you some of my own?” I don’t know why I expected an answer. I sat at the aged rocker, taking a sip from the water glass that was now full again. “I love the lack of humidity you’ve created. I guess, when I think about it, we all feel different on the inside, don’t we? Some folks are better at masking it, but ultimately, it’s still a mask.
I let my eyes drift closed, enjoying the calm of a small town. No cars sped past. No horns honked. Occasionally, a gaggle of mothers with their children passed by. They’d wave and smile, then continue on their way.
It was peaceful. Not that I could hold onto that peace. Grabbing my phone, I scrolled to my text messages with Gabe. He wasn’t answering them. I couldn’t blame him.
I’d been so distraught when I caught Jeff cheating. And alone. Without a friend to rely on, I’d called the last person I should have reached out to. That conversation did not go well.
“I really want to repair what I broke with you, son.” I murmured the words aloud as I typed and sent them, tears dripping onto my screen. With a hasty wipe, I set it aside, hoping to latch onto the peace in the air surrounding me.
“THIMONE! WHERE THE THUCK ARE YOU?”
I bolted out of my chair at the rusty creak of the front gate opening.
Jeff stumbled into the yard, barely taking two steps before he yelpedin pain. Locking eyes wilder than his hair with me, he jabbed a swollen hand in my direction.
“YOU CRAZY BITH!”
Jeff looked like he hadn’t slept in a week, which I had to admit gave me a little bit of glee. He wasn’t wearing shoes. Crusted mud and something I couldn’t identify caked his toes. His feet were red and puffy, as if he walked around barefoot all the time.
He bared his teeth when our eyes met. In the gape of his mouth, his tongue shone silver. Droplets of dried blood coated his chin.
“UNDO THITH THIMONE! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME? THOODOO?”
Thoodoo? I didn’t even know what that was.
Force of habit had me rushing down the steps to tend to him. But there was something in his expression, an untamed rage I’d never seen before, that held me back. I stopped at the base and held out one hand.
“Jeff, what’s happened to you?” He marched forward, tripping and landing on his knees with a loudoof.“I didn’t do this. How could I?”
There was an odd sense of doubt in my voice. I hadn’t done this, had I? The memory of Gumbo and me at my mother’s grave flitted back.Be careful, Simone. Your words have power.
Was thoodoo… voodoo? Jeff thought I’d cursed him. I took in his disheveled appearance and filthy clothes. I’d wished his clothes would stay dirty forever. I’d wished he’d bite his silver tongue every time he spoke.
He was on his feet again, struggling to reach me. A foul stench, sour bile days old, wafted toward me with each step. Oh, no. I’d hoped he would step in vomit every time he tried to wear shoes.
Ihadcursed him. A bubble of laughter popped on my lips, the sound so hysterical I was surprised it was mine. I clamped my hand over my mouth, hoping he hadn’t heard. His glare told me he had.
“YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, THIMONE!”
Jeff attempted to lunge at me, his hands outstretched like claws. I didn’t have time to feel bad for what I’d done. My pulse leapt into my throat, and instinct took over. I turned and bolted up the stairs, running for the front door.
“House, do not let him in!”
My hand froze on the doorknob when I heard the growl. It was themost terrifying sound I’d ever encountered. My hair stood on end. A chill covered my body. I turned in slow motion.
