CHAPTER FIVE

“Has anything out of the ordinary happened?”

For the nth time, I shook my head then raised my hand expecting something magical to happen but nothing did.

My father sighed and shook his head. “Did you learn the spells I taught you?”

“Well…” I thought to my room in disarray and the dark cloud that formed on the ceiling. “I’m getting better,” I said.

“Buckle up.” The car came to life as he turned on the ignition. The sun set behind as the car pealed down the quiet street.

This was the first time this week I stepped out of the house. Instead of hanging out with friends, I was learning to ‘defend’ myself from whatever might want to harm me. It was beginning to feel ridiculous repeating spells my father taught me but what I could do with magic never failed to amaze me.

“Why are we here?” I asked as my dad pulled up in front of Mama Owen’s floral store. “What do we need flowers for?”

“We don’t need the flowers,” he said, removing his seatbelt. “We need the woman who grows them.”

A bell dinged as I pushed the door open. “Mama Owen?”

Now, Mama Owen was an oddball who mumbled to herself most of the time and peered down her round-rimmed glasses. The tall woman in question stepped from behind a door in a dirt-stained apron and a wryly smile on her face.

“Oh,” she said in a small voice, looking from me to my father knowingly. “Come.”

I shot my father a nervous look but he only glanced at his watch unbothered before following after her. “So, what is going on?”

Mama Owen’s reply flew past my ears as I felt a shift in the energy when we entered the large greenhouse. The plants sat in rows, the vines growing and climbing, pulling the room in a loving embrace. A leaf slipped into my hand and a burst of green light engulfed me with serenity. The only things I could hear were the wind rustling through trees, hisses through leaves and needles, and insects humming.

My lips parted in a tired yawn. I wish I could close my eyes for a minute.

“Wake up!”

I jumped awake at the ringing voice. When I looked around, my father sported an annoyed frown while Mama Owen guffawed, gently tapping a bed of dandelions.

A flush of shameful red spread over my cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

“Be careful around the Valerians. They are quite devious and will be put you to sleep.”

‘Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Not if you want to sleep forever.”

I stepped away from the flowerbed. “What are we doing here?”

“Mama Owen will be giving you classes on how to cast spells,” My father answered with an air of finality. Lifting a finger before I could speak, he continued, “I wish I could be the one to do it but things have been pretty tough with the council these days.”

“I heard about an attack on the witches in Sunnydale.”

Sunnydale? The town was five hours away. Witches? Attack? I made a mental note to ask afterwards.

“The council is doing our best offering shelter to the rescued.” Swirling bright light appeared beside my dad as his voice turned silvery. “Let’s have a talk later. Phoebe, I will see you at home as well.”

He stepped into the swirling mist and then, he was gone. No matter how many times he did that in front of me, I could not process the how. Not even Uncle Al would explain how he does it and why I was not allowed.

“Phoebe, you see that row of roses beside you?”

I glanced at the white flower in question and nodded. “Okay?”

“Kill it.”

“What? No. Why would you ask me to do that?”

“Aura is an energy that surrounds all living things. You see them so you should be able to manipulate them.”

“That does not mean I should harm these plants.”

“Do it. Now.”

“No.” I turned to leave but remained fixed in place.

Her voice grew frighteningly lower as she said, “There are undesirables out there; vampires, demons and werewolves out there for your blood. If they get a whiff of your witchy scent, they will not hesitate to rip your vocal chords out before you can even call for help or make you bound to them. You will beg for death and will not get it. Learn to defend yourself.”

I looked her in the eye, shaking slightly. “I did not ask for this.”

“Nobody did but here we are. You have a great power running through your veins, waiting to be unleashed. The number of lives you could save with it, think about it.”

“Why should I save people I don’t even know?”

The corner of her lips turned downwards as she eyed me. She mumbled some words under her breath and the plants began to shudder and slither around, converging into a giant fist. The entire room groaned and shook, light bulbs swinging and watering cans tumbling over.

“Let’s see how you save yourself first.”

I watched with shock as the weird plant mutation lunged with an unnatural speed, rising higher then paused before crashing down. Everything shook as it landed on the floor before me. I shrieked and made for the door. It slammed close just as I touched it and locked shut.

“Stop it!” I yelled. “Stop this fucking shit right now.”

I could hear her cruel snicker in the rushing wind. The mutant came crashing down again and I dived near the flowering bed. There was nowhere to hide as the mutant turned to where I stood and advanced menacingly. I threw a pot on it only to watch the pot bounce off and crash on the floor in many pieces.

Fuck!

Was this how it was going to end? Crushed a giant plant fist?

This was all Dad’s fault. If he had told me all about being a witch and the stupid bracelet and the stupid promise to my mom, I would never have been here.

The mutation blocked out the lights, looming over me. It reared back, preparing to land a final blow as it caged me in to the wall. How was I supposed to save myself and stop this stupid plant? It came down in a long swift motion. I raised my hand over my head and made a contact with its rough skin.

Whatever happened next, I will try to explain as much as I can. One moment I was almost squashed like a tomato and then there was this burst of light and lots of terrifying cries. It was so heart wrenching that I wanted it to stop. The cries ended as soon as it started. I could hear not a single sound.

My breath left me as I felt a sudden punch in my gut. Near hyperventilating, I fell heavily on my knees and clutched my stomach, drawing in deep breaths. My chest burned as I cried in pain which made it even worse.

The light dissipated and an expressionless Mama Owen stared down at me. “That was above a fail,” she said.

“Screw you,” I grunted. Why does it hurt to even speak?

“I will see you on Monday after school hours. Don’t be late.” She pulled out a chocolate bar out of the pocket of her apron. “This is for your stomach.”

“Another test?” I asked, snatching it right out of her hand. “Is this poisoned?”

“I wish. Now, get out.”