He saw the little dude come out of the cabin next to the one he stayed in, with a bucket and a rag. He had a bandanna wrapped around his head and a black tank top even though it was getting cold out. “Morning, Forrest.”
“Hey, Lucas. How’s it going this morning?” Lucas watched as Forrest put down his bucket and grabbed the chair from the cabin he had been cleaning. He picked it up and carried it to where Lucas sat, making himself at home on Lucas’ small porch.
“Would you like some coffee?” Lucas asked.
“Sure. Thanks, man.”
Lucas stood, setting his mug on the seat of the chair he’d vacated. The screen door squeaked as he opened it. Lucas closed it gently behind him. He went to the small kitchenette and got a cup off the rack thing on the wall.
“How do you take your coffee,” he yelled out to Forrest, his voice carrying easily through the open screen door.
“Just black. Thanks.”
Lucas carried Forrest’s mug of coffee outside and handed it to him. He picked up his mug off his chair and sat back down.
“So, what brings you into town?”
Lucas knew he stiffened at the question but couldn’t help it. “This and that,” he said, not knowing what else to say.
“How long are you in town?”
“I don’t know.”
“Not very many witches leave their circle for any lengthy period of time. Your magic is stronger when you’re together, right?”
Lucas’ eyes widened. “Circle?” He guessed he didn’t have one of those.
Forrest looked at him as if confused. “Well, you probably should talk to Ramsey if you’re gonna stay any longer than you already have. It’ll piss him off if you don’t.”
“Wait. What are you talking about? Why would I have to talk to someone named Ramsey? Why would he care?”
“Because this is our territory.” Forrest sat back in his chair and frowned at him. “How did you go your whole life without knowing this custom?”
“Custom? Okay, I’m so confused right now.”
“Didn’t your circle tell you this stuff?”
“Umm.” Lucas had no idea what Forrest was talking about. He could guess what a circle was, but he wasn’t sure what sort ofcustomsForrest referred to. No movies he had ever watched, had prepared him for the finer details of knowing how to function as a paranormal.
He bit his lip and set his coffee on the ground at his feet, grabbing Forrest’s hand. Reading people was something he practiced wheneverhe could. Focusing on other people, finding out what was on their mind, was something he’d discovered he could do. He could learn quicker if he peeked into Forrest’s mind and found what he needed to know.
Forrest pulled his hand away abruptly. “Hey man. That’s something you need to ask to do. You don’t just look into someone’s head. Jeez, you really don’t know any of this, do you?” Forrest sighed and shook his head. “Okay, I’m going to make this easy for you and just have you talk to my mom. She’s a witch, just like you, so she can give you all the 411 on our ways.”
Lucas expected the itch to pop up in the center of his back, but it didn’t happen. “How do you know I’m a witch?”
“I can smell it on you. You smell a little like my mom and another witch that comes through the area from time to time.”
“So, that means you have a superpower too. Just like me?”
Forrest chuckled. “Right, because I’m Batman. Dude, don’t say to another paranormal that you have a superpower. Some might take that as an insult.”
“Sorry. I didn’t grow up with this or anything. It just sort of happened to me.”
“You were born a witch, Lucas. Just like I was born a shifter. It is what it is, man. But my mom will be able to tell you more about that. She’s a great lady.”
Lucas nodded and didn’t say anything.
“Hey, can I ask you something without it offending you?”
