A Witch Like No Other (8 page)

“
And Marlon?”
asked Miriam, and Ted smiled.

“
Dreamer had a
ring. Pure gold- unisex. That would be Marlon’
s gift.”

“
What will you
do if the ring appears for Marlon, Ted?”

“
I… I
don’
t know, Miriam. I
don
’
t
know.”

Pandora bolted upstairs as the front door rang. Annoyed,
Marlon called “It
’
s just James,
‘
Dora! Jeez!”

“
Ready for
game, Marlon?” said James happily, holding a football under his
arm. “You know we cant afford to mess up this time.”

“
Ready as
ever,” Marlon said determinedly, fastening his shin pads. “Dad, I
wont be back till seven this evening.”

“
Ok,” said Ted
from the kitchen, not really paying attention. He was deep in
conversation with Miriam about Pandora.

“
Does she
always run like that when the doorbell rings?”

“
Always,” said
Marlon bitterly. “If only she’
d come out with me, I
’
d-”

“
Go and ask,”
said Miriam. “Do you think she’
d say yes?”

Everyone shrugged, Marlon saying “I
’
ll try get her to
come.”

“
I
don’
t think
football
’
s her thing,” started James, and Marlon answered “Tell the
coach something important came up.”

“
But- all
right. Can I come too?”

“
No, idiot.
It’
s a brother sister
thing.”

“
No, camel
mouth.”

“
Come on
‘
Dora!” whined Marlon.
“Please!”

“
No.
I’
m not coming out with you
and your stupid boyfriend. ”

“
James left ten
minutes ago- and he’
s not my
boyfriend, Pandora!”

“
Well you seem
real close for just friends,” Pandora said from inside her bedroom.
“I’
d bet all my money
he
’
s
gay.”

“
Well
he’
s not,
he
’
s
got a girlfriend.”

Pandora paused at that. “He- he
’
s got a
girlfriend?”

“
Yep.”

“
Why does he
want to help me?”

“
He sees you
like a sister, silly. He’
s
always telling me to help you.”

Marlon
’
s heart sped up. “All right what?
You
’
ll
come?”

“
Yes.”

“
Dad! Dad, she
said all right!” said Marlon happily, beaming at Ted, who was at
the foot of the stairs. “She’
s
coming!”

“
So hyped,”
muttered Pandora as she grabbed her jacket. “Jeez.”

“
This is where
we saw the black swan,” Pandora told her brother as she pointed at
the lake. “It just appeared.”

“
D’
you really think Mum
might be alive, Pandora?”

Marlon was the eldest. He
’
d always thought he had
to set an example, be mature even though he wasn
’
t. And missing Dreamer
as much as he did, he couldn
’
t help asking his little
sister what she thought.

“
I… I
don’
t know. Miriam said
it
’
s
just wishful thinking, but I don
’
t think she meant it.
She
’
s
as scared as Dad is.”

“
And you?”
probed Marlon impatiently: that wasn’
t a good enough answer. “Are you scared?”

“
No,” Pandora
said. “She’
s our Mum,
remember? Why should I be?”

“
That’
s what I think too,”
Marlon said, smiling. It felt so good to be out and about with his
sister again. “Dad and Miriam can hear her.”

“
I know.
It’
s not fair.”

Marlon nodded as some girls walked past, smiling at him.
Pandora rolled her eyes as he smiled back, and they giggled. Taking
her brother
’
s hand, she glared and said “He
’
s taken
already.”

“
What the-
Pandora!” said Marlon, stunned as they all walked off with their
noses in the air. “What did you do that for??”

“
We’
re meant to be
spending quality time together, remember?”

“
Slipped my
mind,” grumbled Marlon as the sun revealed itself at
last.

“
What’
s that?”

“
What’
s what?” said
Pandora curiously, but he didn
’
t answer as he left her
side, staring down at the grass. Pandora looked at her mobile, at
the only four names in her contact list. Ted, Marlon, Miriam, and
James.

Pandora decided to text their father, knowing
he
’
d
be anxious.

“
I
hope she
’
s having a good time,” Ted said to Miriam worriedly.
“Pandora and Marlon aren
’
t compatible for more
than an hour.”

“
Yes they are,”
said Miriam thoughtfully. “Marlon loves his sister very much.
Pandora loves him too, she just enjoys being defiant.”

“
She does open
up to me,” said Miriam, a little smugly. “After all, I am her
mentor- and godmother. She does love her brother, Ted.”

“
It’
s Pandora.”

“
Is she all
right? Where is she? Are they-”

Ted
’
s broad smile stopped her sort as he said “Look at
it.”

park, and he
’
s riled for that, ha ha.

“
Ted,
that’
s lovely.”

“
It is,
isn’
t it?” he said happily.
“She
’
s
really coming along.”

“
Shall we go
and meet them with some sandwiches?”

Ted and Miriam both opened their mouths to call them,
Miriam holding the basket of food and drinks. Then Miriam pulled
Ted into the trees as soon as she saw Marlon
’
s frightened
face.

“‘
Dora! Pandora, come here!”

“
You’
ve got to see this,”
said Marlon as he bent and picked something shiny off the grass.
“It
’
s
the… it
’
s-”

“
The ring,”
breathed Marlon. “Mum’
s ring,
look!”

“
No
way.”

“
Yes way! What
should I do with it?”

Pandora smiled, saying “I don
’
t know, Marlon. Why not
chuck it in the lake and forget all about it? We wont mention this
ever again, all right?”

“
I cant
just-”

“
We’
ll tell Dad first, ok
idiot? But whatever you do, don
’
t let him take it off
you. Mum wants you to have it, obviously. Try it on?”

Marlon hesitated, then slipped on the ring.
Pandora
’
s green eyes widened as it began to glow on his finger,
Marlon staring down at it.

“
It’
s a magic ring,” he
said amazedly. Without warning, he whirled round and pointed at the
lake. The great circle of water rippled at once, the birds startled
as they were buffeted around.

“
Nice,” said
Pandora, impressed. “You’
re a
wizard.”

Marlon shook his head. “It
’
s the ring, not
me.”

“
Oh yeah? Take
it off and do it again.”

“
And you act
like magic doesn’
t
exist!”

“
Shut up
‘
Dora,” he muttered. “I
thought it was the ring.”

“
It only glowed
because it acknowledged your power, Marlon.”

“
You know a
lot!” he said, then he paused. “What about you?”

“
Me?” she said
tonelessly. “What about me?”

“
Don’
t play innocent. I
know you
’
ve been doing magic in your bedroom,” said Marlon, smirking
at her. “I saw the box glowing.”

“
So?”

“
So I want to
see you do something. Come on ‘
Dora, I know you can.”

“
And get in
trouble? Hell no.”

“
Promise?”

“
I promise,
Pandora. Now show me the magic!”

Pandora pulled her wand out of her inside pocket, pointed
it at a swan as she thought of that Disney film Bambi and
said
“Alterio!”

“
Marlon!
Pandora!”

They whirled round, staring at their
father
’
s angry face.

“
Give me the
wand, Pandora.” Ted held out his hand. “Now.”

“
No.”

“
Now!”

“
No!”

“
Give me the
wand!”

“
Don’
t shout at her!” said
Marlon angrily, pulling his sister away from Ted.
“Don
’
t
give it to him, Pandora. He
’
s jealous.”

“
Jealous!”
spluttered Ted. “You think I’
m
jealous of you two?”

“
Yes!” said
Marlon angrily. “What’
s wrong
with being-”

“
Nothing,” said
Miriam desperately, thinking of Dreamer. “Nothing!”

“
Don’
t encourage them,
Miriam!” said Ted angrily, glaring at her.

“
I’
m not, Ted.” Miriam did
her best to stay calm, using her mentor technique. “Dreamer was my
friend at school and college; I
’
ve seen worse than what
Marlon and Pandora was doing.”

“
You’
re not helping,” he
said furiously. “Give Dreamer
’
s wand,
‘
Dora!”

“
It’
s mine now, Dad!”
Pandora pocketed the wand, backing away. “Mine, ok?
You
’
re
not taking it away from me!”

“
Pandora-”

“
Stay back-
stay back or I’
ll hex
you!”

“
Ditto,” said
Marlon, joining his sister’
s
side. “Stay right back, Dad.”

“
I’
ve lost my kids in the
blink of an eye.”

“
No you
haven’
t-”

“
Do you know
why I cant stand magic? Do you?”