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CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Earlier, I asked Jennifer and Alex to meet me after school at my place.
 
I needed to tell them everything about the witches, including what happened when I took out Whitehill and what just happened now.

I looked at my watch.
 
It was just before three.
 
If they were there, they hadn’t been waiting long.
 
I told Jim to stay safe and to contact me if anything happened.
 
Then, I teleported myself behind some trees near my apartment.
 
They were waiting in Jennifer’s car.
 
I walked over and could see by the look on Jennifer’s face that I obviously had seen better days.

They got out of the car.

“Are you alright?”

“Just some dirt.”

Alex shut the door.
 
“What happened?”

I checked the amulets to see if there was any trace of warmth, but they were cool.
 
“I was in a fight,” I said, sticking my key in the door.
 
“Let’s go inside.
 
I’ll fill you in.”

I imagined soft drinks for all of us and then I told them everything about my experience with the witches, from me felling thirty-foot trees in the forest behind the McDonald’s to me punching a hole in Anna’s back in an effort to rip out her spine.
 
I told them about the spiders that attacked me in the locker room, the way I electrocuted and burned the witches during Mrs. Pearson’s Latin class, and then I told them what happened just moments ago.
 

I left out nothing because I couldn’t leave out anything.
 
Anna specifically mentioned my friends twice.
 
First in the note tacked to the locker room’s door, then in person.
 
I knew she’d come after Jim again and I also knew that she’d likely target Alex and Jennifer.
 
They needed to know that they’re lives were at risk because we were friends.

Alex was no fool.
 
When I finished, he asked what this meant for him and Jennifer.

“Anna promised me a war.
 
A bloody one.
 
Because you’re my friends, I have a feeling you might be drawn into it somehow.
 
You could be used as leverage.
 
So could Jim.
 
They could seek out any one of you because they know I’d do anything to protect you.
 
Even give up the amulets, if that’s what it takes.”

“You can’t give them up,” Jennifer said.
 
“If you do, there’s no telling what they’ll do to all of us.
 
You’re going to have to fight them.”

“Jennifer’s right,” Alex said.
 
“If they come for us, I don’t think they’ll kill us, at least not right away.
 
That would be pointless.
 
They’d use us to bait you.
 
And then it would be up to you to help us while fighting them.”

“That could happen,” I said.
 
“But there’s an angle you’re not seeing.
 
They could kill one of you to prove to me that they’re serious.
 
Say that person was you, Alex.
 
Then, they’d take Jennifer hostage and demand that I give them the amulets in exchange for her life.
 
It would be the most powerful thing they could do and they’d know I’d give them up to protect her.
 
Or you.
 
Or Jim.
 
Whichever way it played out.”
 

He ran a hand through his hair while Jennifer sat on the couch.
 
“When you decapitated them today—”
 
She stopped herself.
 
“I can’t even believe I just said that.”

“It’s what happened.”

“I get it.
 
I’m still trying to wrap my head around this, okay?”
 

“No pun intended,” Alex said, trying to lighten the mood.
 
But she was having none of it and glared at him.
 
I couldn’t blame her.
 
Because she befriended me, her life now was on the line.

“What were you going to ask?” I said.

“When you did that, how quickly did they turn to ash?”

“Instantly.”

“So if they brought in others and you did your thing, would that be the end of them?”

“It would, but I think it’s more complicated now.
 
Before, I didn’t know how to kill them.
 
Now I do know—and they know I know.
 
Because of that, it’s going to be difficult to get close to them, especially if I’m alone.
 
Today, I had Jim with me.
 
I was lucky.
 
I thought I’d lost him for a minute, but I didn’t.
 
It was only because he shot them in the face and stunned them that I was able to get close and do what I did.”

“Then we have to get guns,” Alex said.
 
“We’re all eighteen.
 
We’re old enough.
 
We can do what Jim did.”

“Right, but we need them now,” Jennifer said.
 
“There’s a waiting period to buy a gun.
 
You have to sign papers and be approved.”

“Most have to,” I said.
 
“The good news is that we don’t.”
 
I imagined a shotgun and three Glocks on the coffee table, the necessary signed legal documents associated with each and several boxes of bullets.
 

Jennifer looked warily at them.
 
“I don’t know, Seth.”

“What choice do we have?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know how to use a gun.”

“Yes, you do.
 
You’re a master marksman.
 
You’re a crack shot.
 
So is Alex.
 
Neither of you ever miss.”

“What are you talking about?” she said.
 
“I’ve never used a gun in my life.”

Alex looked at her.
 
“I think Seth might have just given us several years of experience.”

She turned to me.
 
“If that’s the case, then I need to see it for myself.
 
Take us to a field.
 
I don’t want anyone around.
 
Just us and the guns.”
 
She got up from the couch.
 
“Come on.
 
Let’s go.”

*
  
*
  
*

I teleported us and the guns to a field, but it was clear by our surroundings that we no longer were in Maine.
 

Gone were the tall pine trees and the colors of fall.
 
Now, as far as you could see were rolling hills covered in tall grass that swayed in the breeze.
 
There wasn’t a house in sight.
 
The only thing that broke the landscape were the occasional bands of trees, which appeared dark green against the onset of dusk.

“Where are we?” Jennifer asked.

“Provence.”

“You took us to France?”

“Cool,” Alex said.
 
“Better than North Korea.”

“What time is it here?”

“It’s pushing nine.
 
The sun set about twenty minutes ago.”

“And you expect me to shoot something when it’s almost dark?”

“It’s twilight.
 
And, yes, that’s what I expect.
 
I’m going to show you how good you are.”
 
The guns were in the grass at our feet.
 
“Take your gun.”

“Which one?”

“One of the Glocks.”

“Is it loaded?”

“It’s loaded.
 
Come on.
 
Quick.
 
Before it’s too dark.”

She picked one up and instinctively checked the clip.
 
She turned it over in her hands and clicked off the safety.
 
She held it out in front of her with both hands and aimed at one of the trees in the distance.
 

“How does it feel?” I asked.

“Like I know exactly what to do with it.”

Already, Alex had picked up the shotgun and was going through the same motions with it.

“How about you, Alex?”

“Give me something to shoot, baby.
 
Make it look like a witch.”

“I’ve had enough of those today.
 
In the air above you, I’m going to float a few dozen cans at varying distances.
 
They’ll be moving.
 
They’ll be all around you.
 
Some will be so far away, they’ll appear tiny.
 
Let’s see how long it takes you to shoot them down.
 
Please try not to shoot me.”

Jennifer looked at me with concern.

I smiled at her.
 
“Don’t worry.
 
I’ll have a shield around me.
 
I’m smart that way.”
 
I pointed up at the sky, where dozens of cans now were hanging in the air.
 
Some were dipping and twirling.
 
Others were shifting left, darting right.
 
Some were so far away, I wasn’t sure if they’d be able to see them in the diminishing light.
 
But we’d find out.

“Go!”

It took them less than a minute to nail every one of them.

*
 
*
 
*

Later, at my apartment, I told them how this would work.

“Since we can’t exactly carry guns around with us, especially a shotgun, none of this will be perfect, but at least if a witch comes for you, you’ll have a fighting chance.
 
I’ve told the amulets to warn me the moment they believe you’re in trouble.
 
They’ve never failed me yet.
 
They’re accurate.
 
Believe me on this.”

“What do they do?” Jennifer asked.

“They get hot.
 
Sometimes, very hot.”

“The hotter they get, the more trouble we’re in?”

“Exactly.
 
I’ve been scorched by them a few times.”
 
I lifted up my shirt to show them the marks.
 
Jennifer was subtle, but I saw her eyes trail down the length of my torso before pulling down my shirt.
 
Then, as if catching herself, she looked at me, saw that I knew she’d been checking out my body and quickly blushed as she looked away.

“So, what happens next?” Alex asked.

“I immediately teleport beside you and give you your gun.
 
You shoot them in the face.
 
I chop off their head.
 
Dead witch at our feet.”