“This is it,” I said as we came up to a gated floor. It was closed off unlike the rest of the floor and I could tell just from the feel that it was pitch black down here. I tapped the lanyard key against the door, seeing the small green button light up before the doors magically unlocked from the top to bottom. Without hesitation, I pulled my phone out to use the light but paused when I realized the light wasn’t working on my phone. Not even the screen.
“It is truly forbidden,” Ayira whispered. “They do not want anyone down here.”
The door was wide open, and it looked like we were stepping into the true color of pitch black. You could not see yourhand in front of your face type of black. So she took a deep breath, inhaling hard before bits of blue light escaped through the corners and cracks of her teeth and mouth. She stretched her hand out and the small bit of flame burning bright orange released like a small ball before growing into a steady flame that lit up the darkest section of the library.
“We are going to have to make this quick,” I whispered.
The door suddenly slammed shut behind us as the locks could be heard clicking back into place. We kept close as we took a few steps forward, seeing the tightly packed shelves stuffed with books on either side of us.
“What is the name of it?” She whispered. “The book?”
“Oh um…” I dug into my bag for the note as she held her hand against the shelves to read.
“Tongue binding,” Ayira began to read out loud as she walked down the row of books. I had to follow given she was the only source of light, and every so often to keep the fire lit, she would release flutters of flame either through the corners of her mouth or nose like a soft exhale as the flame grew stronger in her hand. It was as if she was holding her breath and would come up for air every so often. “There is a book called The Devil’s Auction…Coven Wars…”
“The book is called Bloodwork…The Ritual of Red Binding…” I read out loud. “By Daniel Hammond. A law student at Montclair…back in 1986. He supposedly wrote a book about the darkest spells and curses known to man and the legalities of creating a contract with them.”
I followed as she used her other hand to touch a spine that said the Old World of Sakuran.
“This is my home,” she whispered with a smile. The low-lit flame danced in her eyes when she glanced at me. “This is where I am from…Sakuran…He was the king before my father, my grandfather.”
“Well pull it out,” I said. She pulled the book out just as we both jumped back at something black tipping across the spine. She dropped the book as we heard the tiny legs of a spider crawling back into the darkness of the shelves. There was a sudden sound of a door above opening and closing shut as we froze and looked up at the distant red lights of the levels above. We quickly stepped further into the shelves where the ceiling started as she covered the flame with both hands to keep it low to her chest. Her eyes closed; she remained completely still while I did the same. I could hear walking and a few voices before the door closed again and it became silent. Ayira opened one eye, showing the bright flame of the sun before they blinked back to its natural color. Her mouth opened for a second like she was finally able to breathe, and you could see the ball of flames go from bright yellow to blue as she released another breath to ignite the flame in her hand.
“You’re like a literal oven,” I whispered in awe. Reaching down to grab the book, I told her we needed to move quickly. We started to move around the shelves, winding in that slow circle that wrapped the lair of books, looking for the name Hammond, Daniel Hammond.
“Here,” Ayira whispered as she pointed to the small corner where she sat her things down. “It would have to be close to here…Let’s sit down and see.”
We sat down and began to read the row of names on the bottom shelf until we came across the exact book. DanielHammond. Smiling, I started to yank it out before remembering the spider creeping behind the spines and pages.
“Blood contracts, blood contracts,” I muttered, going through the pages. Ayira held her hand in the center, exhaling another breath of flames through her nose as the flame continued to grow. She sat her book in her lap and began reading in her language as she flipped through. “I found it!” I hissed excitedly. “It says…No spell is truly unbreakable, but the cost is unimaginable…these are his notes! He wrote down his actual notes about a blood contract…”
“What else does it say?”
“Blood work is one of the oldest forms of human magic…It binds wills, manipulates identities, and can cross several generations in the form of a contract or deep spell…This is meee!” I hissed with excitement as I tapped her knee. “This is it! It says…only a witch…. can do and undo what is done…”
I grew quiet, feeling somewhat discouraged as I continued to read.
“I cannot hold it this long,” Ayira whispered before shaking her hand loose to cool off as it went pitch black. I could hear her release a shaky breath as we sat in darkness for a moment.
“Do you hear that?” I whispered, looking back. I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear what sounded like…something crawling. “You think this place has rats?” I whispered as I scooted closer to her. Something was scurrying on the floor.
“I do not like this,” she whispered before muttering what sounded like a prayer in her language. When she became quiet, that’s when the noise stopped. I could hear Ayira lean forward as she gently released the smallest flame that had the biggest glow. It was enough for us to work with but when she looked up at me,she gasped with the light going out just as I felt a hard grip on my shoulder of a dark hand with lengthy fingers. Before either of us could scream, our bodies warped into the air, completely disappearing from the library altogether.
Xavier Martin
“If we do not control the powers to be! If we don’t call them out! A civil war will break out! Marvin Holmes may be held but what about the rest that are in hiding?!”
My words echoed in my head before I slipped my air pods in my ear and stretched my legs for my morning run. Classes would start soon with the sun rising from the east, I tried to squeeze a cardio workout in before a heavy load of school work. The fields of Cedar Park were vast. Spreading far and wide, past the school limits. I was sure there would be backlash for arguing with the granddaughter of Dr. Marvin Holmes, but to my surprise, the dean called me into the office to speak with me.
She was a petite woman with a short pixie cut and shapely figure in her skirt and blazer set. Attractive, most likely in her early to mid 40s with a thin coating of red lipstick. The office was decorated in soft pastel colors with pictures of nothing but her on the wall and her achievements. Dr. Vaughn. The newest dean and the first woman to lead this school. I sat down before her large white desk as she smiled.
“I understand my actions from arguing with–––”
“No, no no no,” she started with a wry smile. “Please…” She put her hand up, silencing me. “It takes courage to stand up to the First Family. You're a Martin, yes?”
I nodded proudly.
“Your family is famous,” she said. “I grew up hearing stories about the women in your family. You come from a strong line of women who carry black magic in their veins.”
