Something Wicked - Independence Day

[Asarasa]

At Evelyn's sudden appearance, Banner gave a single, sharp bark, followed by a quiet whuff, the huge dog leaning hard against Jordan's thigh. Jo's blue eyes widened in surprise, going from the red-head to the Kangal shepherd and back. The breed was known to be watchful, and little seemed to startle Banner, not without him having something to say about it. Banner appeared to be more surprised at being surprised, than surprised itself.

Magic was too easy an answer for everything unexpected, but Jo didn't have a better answer for Evelyn's sudden arrival - they should have seen that red hair in the crowd a hundred yards off. As for Hannah leaving for Savannah and Darryl coming from there, didn't look like magic to Jo, even if Hannah moving was unexpected. Jo shrugged a broad shoulder. "Not so strange, 'bout Savannah. Blairsville's small, but Savannah's one of the biggest cities in the state."

Evelyn's subtle hint went over the tall blonde's head, a wry curve to the witch's lips as she gave a subdued shake of her head. On the other hand, spending more time with Darryl, having him over to the Cabin for real this time, sounded like a great idea to Jo. Swimming this time instead of just dipping their toes in the water, and maybe Darryl would let her take a turn driving his motorcycle.

"Ah'd like that lots," Jo agreed, giving Darryl's shoulder a bump. Irritation at Roach already mostly forgotten, Jo added what she knew of Darryl's bike. "It's green. His bike, I mean."

[Nina]

Evelyn stepped over and crouched down to scratch Banner’s chin “That’s a good boy.

Maybe we ought to wait until the weekend before we go to the lake. It will be late before the fireworks are done and a weekend at the lake needs preparation. Being spontaneous can be fun, but it can also lead to unforeseen troubles.”

 

Everyone, except Darryl and the others not in the Circle, could hear that she was choosing her words with care to convey a double meaning. “But we have a whole day ahead and this is the most amazing thing I have ever been too I want to play games and ride rides!”

 

The rest of the kids were a bit amused at Evelyn’s childlike excitement, yes this celebration was way bigger than most of them had seen but not that much. When asked she explained that in New England, where she was from, she had not been allowed to attend fairs like this due to her upbringing, and the private school she had attended there. She fended off any more questions about that and led them away from the raucous band stand and into the carnival itself.

 

For the rest of the day, they rode rides, played games, and ate way too much fair food. Other kids from the local High school, came and went, but for the most part the Circle stayed together. Darryl stayed because this was the first time in a very long time that he had been excepted. These kids treated him like a friend they had known all their lives not someone that they had just met.

 

As evening slipped into night and the crowds moved into the field where the fireworks were set up the Circle, now just the seven of them, counting Darryl, plus Dylan, found a nice spot on a small hill with a great view and all to themselves. Darryl noticed as the found seats on the hill, him between Jo and Quinn, that from somewhere Evelyn had acquired a largish black cat which curled up in her lap where the red-haired girl was sitting on the other side of Jo’s enormous dog.

 

“There now,” Evelyn said as she stroked Isis’s back, and the sounds of the crowed seemed to fade, unnaturally, to a quiet murmur, “I think that today has been very successful and fun. In fact, I don’t think I have ever had so much fun.”  She looked past Jo at Darryl and smiled, “It wonderful that you could join us Darryl, I wish that we had had more time to get to know you, but I think your going to fit in just perfectly.’ She gave Jo a smile and a look, then set her gaze upon Roach who sat past Hank by Silas and Dylan.

 

“Roach, uncle is going to be busy politicking all night so why you don’t tell us what your…research uncovered…so far.”

 

Spoiler

Anyone may post if they wish if they want o elaborate on the day or the circle on the hill just don't go beyond Evelyn's question to roach. 

 

[Malachite]

For Silas, the day went in a haze of warm sunlight, fried foods, stares at him and Dylan that he resolutely ignored in favor of just enjoying the afternoon. Google got drug along - powdered sugar staining on one side a lighter blue now and the black nose just a little red from lingering ketchup. Silas was looking forward to a proper lake sleepover, and Evelyn was right - it would be better with just a little bit of time to set up. 

"Today has been great," Silas said softly to Dylan and nudged the boy still clinging to Google. "Enjoy yourself?"

[Asarasa]

With night falling and a gentle breeze rising, the day's heat was softened. Jo lay back on the patch of hill commandeered by her friends, her Circle - it still felt strange to think that - one hand behind her head, the other scritching deep in the thick ruff at Banner's neck. The dry grass prickled against her mostly bare legs as she waggled her feet, the thick muscle of her massive thighs rippling with each motion.

 

It had been a good day, a fun day.

 

There had been good times with Dex, but looking back, she hadn't ever been as comfortable, as easy in his company, as she was with Darryl.... Not that he was her boyfriend or anything... though give it a bit, and she was sure she wouldn't mind if he was. Even if her breakup had been bad and just over a month ago, the oversized blonde was finding she was missing having a boyfriend... in certain ways.

 

Anyway, Darryl didn't seem to mind that she was much taller and stronger than he was, or at least was better at faking it than Dex had been. At the time, she'd been blinded by the flattery of the older boy and the fact Dex was a really good kisser - good at other things too, in her limited experience - but looking back at it now, Jo realized how stupid she'd been.

 

When they had started dating, she'd been just a bit shorter than Dex, but she was pretty sure even then, she'd been stronger than him. But it hadn't even been two months before she'd grown as tall as him, and just over three before it was unmistakable that she was taller and he'd found out she was stronger, and she could see now he hadn't liked it even though he had pretended that he had.

And he really hadn't like it if she was better than him at anything. She was an athlete and competitive by nature, and she hadn't even realized she'd been unconsciously trying not to let him see how good she was at anything physical or athletic. Dex hadn't even ever gotten her a gift, not really. Darryl was nonchalant about it, but it had taken Jo a lot not to squeal in delight at the small stuffed animal he'd gotten her. It meant more to her than anything she could remember Dex doing for her.

And ever better, Darryl seemed amused and impressed in his understated way rather than angry or dismissive when she promised to win him a bigger one and then did just that. The guy at the Strength Test wouldn't let her play again since she had already won the top prize, but she did well enough with the milk bottles to win a decently sized stuffed hog that she presented to Darryl proudly. His bike might not be one that could be considered a 'hog', but it was close enough for her.

 

She was bigger than most guys, she was more active than most guys, so she ate more than most guys. Dex hadn't bothered hiding his embarrassment watching her eat, which in turn had made her embarrassed, so she had started making sure she ate at home so she didn't need to eat around him. On the other hand, pigging out at the BBQ PIt, Darryl looked bemused rather than disgusted. Which was good, because the stuff there was so good, Jo hadn't really cared about what anyone thought about how much she ate.

Darryl seemed like a keeper. Evelyn seemed to think so too, which was kinda weird to Jo, since even Evelyn was new to the Walsh Street kids herself. Then again, witchcraft was new to all of them except Evelyn and forming a circle seemed to help to make accepting the weird easier.

 

Jo turned her head, glancing up at Darryl sitting next to her. In the gloom broken by the stars, moon, and dimmed lights of the fair, she couldn't make out his eyes, but could just see the small smirk curving his lips. She wondered if Darryl was a good kisser too... and good at... other things... and desperately hoped he didn't notice the red flaming her cheeks before she turned to look away.

[SalmonMax]

“Roach, uncle is going to be busy politicking all night so why you don’t tell us what your…research uncovered…so far.”

 

Roach shook her head and said, "Uh uh. So...oh shit."

 

Quickly she fished her phone out gave it a stare, then glanced skyward as she worked over how long it had been and how fast the progress bar had been moving. Then she looked back at everyone else.

 

"Okay, I think the...program...I cast..." her eyes cut to Darryl and she could barely restrain a gleeful grin, "...on my computer should be about done by now. Normal search engines and public records came up dry. And I mean dry. It looks to me like she's had someone backfill an obnoxiously normal backstory for her. But like...conspicuously normal, you know? Everyone has a little dirt, a few things that would be embarrassing floating around."

 

"But this...proooooooogram..." now the grin was out in full force, still full of crazed pride that she'd pulled it off, "...it should be checking deeper. Way deeper. If this was a physical search, it would be all up in her business, if you get what I'm saying. Gynecologist style. You guys wanna come and see?"

Edited December 28, 2020 by SalmonMax

[Shameless]

Hank looked at Roach and sighed, which seemed to be the most normal way he reacted to her.   "After the fireworks, okay?"   He looked at the others.  "If we all suddenly disappear beforehand, it might raise some flags with our families.  Best to at least watch the finale Mr. Clairburne has planned though.   It'd be rude not to."   He offered a smile to the others, he'd enjoyed the night, with the varied surprises, including Darryl's apparent addition to group, that seemed to just sort of happen.

[Nina]

The decision to meet up after the celebration at Roach’s,  freed everyone to sit back and enjoy the shows. Dylan edged closer to Silas but resisted putting his arm around him, he had noticed the looks that some of the people they had walked by during the day, read the looks, and recognized them and the ugliness that he could remember from another life. He did not want to subject Silas to that.

 

Soon the music gave way to the fireworks and after a last speech from the mayor, the first rockets shot into the air.

 

The Fireworks burst above, searing their brilliant light and vivacious color into the retinas of the spectators. Each one drawing a pattern in the sky, something unique and breathtaking, never to be repeated exactly no matter how many would fly and explode. The blazing lights cut through the black super-imposed on the night, the stars behind only a backdrop brought in to highlight the spectacle. The smell of the powder permeated the atmosphere and left a lingering scent which coated every nose and would bring the memory of this night back to each and every one of them whenever this smell came to them again in the future.

 

But all to soon seemingly with the speed of a camera flash, it was over. They  hot sparks drifted into the air, or to the ground until they were gone.

 

The crowds filed away to their cars, and the people of county went home satisfied and happy with troubles forgotten at least until the morrow.

 

The circle split up to find their families and they too went home. Some cajoling and even some sneakery and at a little after ten o’clock Roach was letting her friends into her house and taking them to her computer to reveal what she had discovered.

 

Spoiler

Max get with me before you post. everyone else you can post anything you want about getting out after the celebration and getting to roach's but don't feel that you have to post  at the moment

 

 

[SalmonMax]

Most of the kids had at least SEEN Roach's house, even if none of them had been inside it in recent memory. As a rule, she visited other people. No one had been invited over in...well, in awhile. It was not as large as most of the other places on this stretch of road, and was on a much smaller stripe of property. The front lawn was patchy and brown; in dire need of extensive maintenance, and the house itself had flaking paint on the boards out front and the blinds were sun-bleached white from being closed all the time.

 

In contrast to the run-down vibe of the house itself, the garage was not only more maintained but had even been added onto, with an extension on the right side that made the roofing look a little funky but made a one-car into a two-and-a-half car sized edifice. Other than the two cars, the extra space was mostly stuffed with boxes and parts and other clutter though.

 

Roach waved everyone to a stop and then unlocked her front door and yelled, "Hey dad! I'm home!" Then she paused and listened. "Mom?" After another couple of moments she seemed satisfied and closed and locked the door again, then ushered everyone into the garage, to the door that led into the house.

 

"Okay, everyone follow me."

 

The inside of the McKendrick home looked very dark at first as everyone had their sunlight eyes. All the shades drawn, all the blinds lowered. It smelled, oddly, slightly antiseptic...perhaps recently cleaned or something. Though Roach didn't urge anyone to be quiet, it was hard to miss how she immediately and instinctively stepped lightly inside, making as little noise as possible as she flitted through the small laundry room that adjoined the garage and around the corner past the kitchen and living room into the narrow hallway that had her room in it.

 

At first glance, her bedroom was messy, it was chaos. Cables twined along the floors, shelves had been attached hither and yon to the walls and were stuffed with what looked like random things, much of it in paper bags or little boxes or cubbies. Her bed was a bunk bed that had had the lower bunk removed. In the space that the lower bed had been was now her computer workspace. Two desks were pushed up against the wall near that area, each covered in electronic parts and screws and tools and all kinds of things.  It took a careful eye and second look to see that there was order in the madness. The cables were color coordinated and had little tags on them. The containers on the shelves had alphanumeric designations. Even the mess of parts on the desks were...arranged somehow, though the specific ordering criteria was hard to decode.

 

Rochelle pushed through to the computers under her bed and rotated one monitor around so everyone could see it.

 

In green ASCII text, it proclaimed, "COMPLETE."

 

When she sat down and started pressing keys and moving her mouse, new things popped up...mostly what looked like just a long list of names and places and numbers. Roach yelped, "YES," on seeing it and eagerly typed more. Then, finally, excitedly, gave everyone the translation they were waiting for.

 

"The spell WORKED," she enthused with bright, savage energy. "Witch bitch got CRACKED like a WALNUT. Check this out."

 

Roach leaned over so she could reach around the monitor facing the other kids and point to things.

 

"These are her names. Aliases. BUT...THESE are the dates. Sixteen-fucking-hundreds! This is what she was hiding! There's like twenty-odd names here, going from...uh...1652 to 1692, then a bit of a break...then a bunch more start cropping up again from the end of the 1690s all the way up through now. She's not too imaginative either. It's always something LIKE Dorothy, or Solart, or...like Satan related..." Roach snickered at that. "You know, once having a  Satan related name wouldn't get you MURKED in the STREET."

 

She scrolled a bit more. "Some of these names have associated titles, like 'witch,' like...no fricking duh...or 'Bride of Satan,' because the 50's want their horror movie names back...'Keeper of the Black Flame.' And, hey...pics or it didn't happen."

 

A bit more mousing and typing, and the page turned to show digital images splay out over the monitor. The older ones were paintings or drawings...but as the dates marched forward there were old-timey sepiatone prints and then grainy black and white photographs and finally a few color shots. Most of them showed the woman who'd come over and accosted Roach before, but in various 'occult trappings' that were different in each picture. Skulls. Black candles. Pentagrams. That kind of thing. There were even a couple of videos labeled things like 'Black Mass 2006' and similar, that showed that same woman, looking pretty much exactly as she had in other images, doing some kind of occult ceremony or ritual.

 

Rochelle looked over at the others, grinning happily. She focused on Evelyn then and said, "So...you know anything about her? Seems like witch stuff is up your alley."

Edited January 15, 2021 by SalmonMax

[Nina]

Evelyn had leaned close to see the picture which she found fascinating, but she shook her head at Roach's question. "No never seen her before although that name does sound familiar. As for those others, the titles and stuff, I know that Keeper of the Black Flame is a title use in the church of satan, but that's not real witchcraft. Though It is a front used by covens sometime."

 

As Evelyn spoke, Silas felt Dylan stiffen beside him and felt sudden tension in his boyfriends demeanor.

[Malachite]

Silas watched the parade of portraits and pictures with fascination - how had she managed to stay alive this whole time? Magic, obviously, but still. 400 years? That was something. A terrifying something, honestly, when he thought on the experience this witch probably had and that she was poking around on their street and clearly bad news.  

He felt Dylan stiffen and slipped an arm around him, asking quietly, "Do you know her?"

Dylan flinched at the unexpected touch and question, his mind having been elsewhere. He quickly looked around but everyone else seemed focused either on Evelyn or the computer. "Yes, that's the witch, from Savannah."

Silas swallowed hard. "She's the one that-that you went to? Then one that's why you were a ghost?" The arm around Dylan tightened and pulled the older boy closer as if the appendage could somehow shield Dylan from the consequences of an enormous youthful mistake. I died owin' on my soul, Silas Walsh. The phrase from Dylan echoed in Silas' mind.
 

Dylan's reply, "Yes," was barley audible even as close as they were, and the former ghost never took his eyes off of Dorothy Good.

"Dylan," Silas said, concerned now, "we'll protect you from her, I promise. Okay? We'll figure it out." He pulled the other boy into a proper hug, trying to break the entrancement the pictures seemed to have over him. "We'll figure it out," he repeated softly.

Dylan leaned into Silas, even turned his head and nodded. But one eye was still on the screen.

[Shameless]

Hank looked at the screen but saw nothing,  well nothing he could really do anything about.   Then he heard the conversation between Dylan and Silas.  "So you're saying she's been around all this time?"   

[Nina]

Dylan flinched again at the question from Hank. He hadn't realized they had been overheard. He straightened and pulled away from Silas, "That's her, she was calling herself Mattie Hopkins, she was a dressmaker in Savannah but that was just a front. Everyone knew she was a witch but it was the 20th century you know no one really believed any of that. But being a Clairburn I knew better."

 

He looked over at Evelyn, "I had no idea she was that old."

[Malachite]

"So, she was poking around Hannah's house and didn't know it'd already been sold. Does that put Daryll's family in danger?" Silas asked Evelyn, glancing over at the new boy who was probably debating between bolting from the crazies or looking for the hidden cameras at this point. 

Daryll was supposed to be a part of the Circle, that had been made clear. And being part of the circle would paint a bullseye on his back for other reasons, but if Daryll's family was already in danger from the centuries old witch, then they needed to move fast: get Daryll in the circle with whatever magic he'd get and get him trained in some wards or something to protect his family from getting moved around like Hannah's family had. 

[SalmonMax]

Rochelle's eyes narrowed a little as the conversation leapfrogged away from the important parts, like how she'd cast a spell, and gotten dirt on an enemy, and how none of this could have happened without her. She hadn't invited everyone into her goddamn bedroom, her sanctum, to have them jabber about the new kid.

 

"Okay, everyone out," Roach said abruptly as she shut off her computer and swiveled the monitor back to face the desk. She stood up and made shooing gestures, following them towards the door to her room. "We're not talking about any of this in here. We can do it outside or somewhere else."

[Malachite]

Silas blinked at the abrupt tossing out. "Uh- um, okay. Where do we want to go? Just hanging out outside on the street is going to get us caught. Evelyn, can we go to your place? Or meet up tomorrow, I guess, but it seems like we should do something. . ." he trailed off, glancing over at Daryll. 

"Thanks for digging all this up, Roach," he said as he stood up to leave. "That was a pretty awesome first spell and let us known what we're up against." He wasn't sure why she was making them all leave when they already gathered up at her house, but credit where it was due: they wouldn't have known that lady was anything more than a creepy 50's wannabe without Roach melding tech and magic like she had. He certainly wouldn't have thought of it and hopefully the witch wouldn't expect it either. "We really need to spend some time practicing how this magic works for us. At least, I know I do. And Daryll needs caught up on everything."

The last was added a little belatedly but it was also very true.

[Nina]

Evelyn who had been staring at the pictures of the witch, wracking her brain as to she seemed familiar. She had only half listened to Silas and Dylan, but Silas's thoughts and worry about Darryl came through loud and clear.

 

"You need to write all of this down or print it out if that is possible, then erase it," she said to Roach, ignoring the invitation to leave. She looked back at Silas and Dylan, pondered the revelations, then glanced at Darryl. "Darryl give me your hand please."

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Kelindel]

Darry waited out the rest of the fair with the others, sneaking occasional glances Jo's way, his lips curling into his standard smirk here and there at some comment someone made or another before falling back into a relaxed stance. The talk of spells quirks his eyebrows, but he just shrugged, must be some game they were playing, LARPers or something. Still he was bored and when everyone started to move to Roach's place he followed along quietly, glad for a chance to ditch his parents for longer.

 

Perhaps more than anyone else he picked up on the automatic quietness of Roach's movements in the house and followed suit instinctively, falling back into bad habits. He also let himself just survey the house, trying not to judge, but judging none the less. In the room he leaned against a wall and just watched, his eyebrows arching upwards. Eventually when he is being discussed more he finally breaks his silence and he asks, "What is this, some sort of ARG, RPG, what?"

A small smirk comes to his lips and he flicks his hair back with a small sharp movement of his head. His gaze goes to Evelyn and arches an eyebrow, but shrugs and decides to play along, giving her his hand. "I'll need it back though. it's my favorite one."

[Asarasa]

Jo didn't remember the last time she'd been in Roach's house, but it must've been at least a foot and over eighty pounds ago. Her room was full of... stuff, stuff that would be easy to break or trip over, especially with all of them crammed into the tight confines. The huge girl stood just inside the room, her tall, muscular frame filling the doorway.

Maybe it was a spell, maybe it was just fancy computer programming stuff, but Jo was impressed all the same with what Roach had found out some woman just trying to buy Hannah's house. Everything really was on the internet, if you know how to look for it seems. That idea was almost as scary as knowing magic was real.

Roach must've been feeling cramped too, telling them all to leave. Jo was surprised Darryl had been invited too, at Evelyn's insistence, brought into the Circle, they'd just met after all, but she was glad. She liked the way he looked at her when he thought she didn't notice. She surely hoped he didn't think she - all of them - were crazy when he found out what he'd fallen into.

When Silas said Darryl needed to be caught on and Darryl asked what was going on, she was about to tell him they were witches, her lips curved into an uncertain smile, not sure if Darryl would believe it or not. She knew she wouldn't have, not without a demonstration or something. She'd barely tried any so far. But her admission stifled in her throat when Evelyn asked for Darryl's hand, figuring the more experienced witch was going to show him a vision or something, like they had just a little time back.

Edited January 20, 2021 by Asarasa

[Nina]

Evelyn took Darryl's hand and turned it palm up. "Darryl and i are cousins, distant but still cousins  so the blood of the covenant flows in his veins, in fact Darryl has blood from two of us, Quinn is also a cousin as they share an ancestor.

 

I bet all this sounds strange Darryl but if you listen with your heart you'll know I speak the truth. You see Darryl, we are witches and we all have a terrible birthright."

 

With that she pokes Darryl's palm with her fingernail drawing blood. "Does anyone object to Darryl taking his place in the circle?"

 

Spoiler

Only post if you have an objection otherwise tomorrow I will finish this part of the  scene. darryl is probably too shocked to react yet and no it did not hurt when she drew his blood

 

[Nina]

Darryl was too stunned to do anything but stare where the girl who said she was his cousin had poked his hand drawing blood.  And stare he did.

 

Evelyn looked at each of the circle all remained silent but each gave a nod for her to continue, "Blood of my blood, blood of our blood, into the circle we draw, what we have lived you see!"

 

The blood on Darryl's palm swelled into a large drop then swelled again until it covered his whole palm and Darryl fell in.

 

It was chaos with order. Visions of times long past and times recent. Those around him and some he had never seen whose clothes were centuries out of date. Events that had already occurred unfolded before him as if he had been there but he had not. Then all was still. He stood on a plain with a sky burning with fire, he stood beside his motorcycle. He knew it was his even though it was nothing like his, this machine was sleek, big, all black metal and chrome. Before him a crossroad and he heard the girl, his cousin, Evelyn, speak from faraway. "You are one of us and as long as you and your family live here in the house in this circle they shall be protected safe from the harm which we will shoulder for them. You, Darryl,  have a choice. Except your place among the circle completing it and making it strong, or step away. You have seen what we have seen know what we know. the choice is yours."

 

As her voice faded away Darryl was back in the world, the vision seared into his brain but all his eyes saw was his hand held gently by Evelyn. He glanced around and noticed that sometime during the vision or whatever the others had all moved to form a circle around him leaving a spot open for him between Evelyn and Quinn.

 

Spoiler

Darryl's vision basically is a montage retelling of everything that has taken place in the game before he joined it. that way he has all the knowledge everyone else does.

take it away.

 

 

[Kelindel]

Darryl's breathing picked up as he started to have a panic attack. What was this? That hurt, did she poison him? This was weird and he wasn't sure what to make of any of it. Witches, circles? She was his Cousin? When finally he came back to the real world he was panting and he looked around and stared. Still unsure, no wanting to stand in the middle, yet somehow knowing he shouldn't leave he turned and made his way to stand between Evelyn and Quinn, rubbing his hand where he had bled and just seeming spooked.

[SalmonMax]

"Welcome to the crazyplaypenplace," Roach drawled to Darryl. "It only gets crazier from here."

 

She looked at Dylan then and said, "So, since you've got history with the old bag, you want to fill us in on this? Is she here for you in particular? Other than being really really old, what's her deal?"

[Asarasa]

Standing across from Darryl in the circle, Jo shrugged in a way on anyone with less muscular shoulders would have looked sheepish, giving him an apologetic, but encouraging grin. Somehow, it hadn't occurred to her that finding out about witches and stuff might scare off a guy more than a girl being much bigger and stronger than him.

"Crazy, it might be," Jo admitted. "But crazy don't mean it's all bad, Darryl."

When Roach asked Dylan about the woman she used her computer magic stuff on, Jo's big blue eyes went to Evelyn with a question of her own.  ""Bout the, um, woman, how long she lived... That something all, er... " She shot Darryl a blue-eyed glance and another almost sheepish shrug. "... witches do or a spell or something special just to her?"

 

While her mom had been a professional athlete and was still in very good shape and healthy for her age, she wasn't at her peak anymore. Jo couldn't lie - the idea of being young and vital and in peak condition forever, or at least for hundreds of years was very appealing.

[Nina]

Dylan shook his head vigorously and sweep his hand back in forth at the screen with the witches picture plastered all over it. "I don't know about anyof that. I had just herd of her and went to her for... to...," he looked helplessly at Silas, not knowing what to say.

 

Evelyn stepped in to rescue Dylan or at lest take the attention away from his dilemma. "Roach we need to see if you can put all that on some flash drive or something. We need to break the connection before it recoils back at us."  At Jo's question Evelyn purses her lips thinking, "Not usually Jo. Oh a lot of witches live to a ripe old age so maybe there is something but we still age, and we still get sick and we still die. That is nature, the way things are meant to be."  Her brow furrows, "But, there are ways. The modern notion that magic is neither good or bad is false. There is White magic and there is Black magic. Black magic specifically breaks the laws of nature but at a cost."

[Malachite]

Silas laced his fingers in with Dylan's and squeezed, saying very softly, "It's okay, you don't have to tell them if you don't want to. But you can trust them, if you want to."

He listened to Evelyn's words, frowning at the adjustment to his already rapidly changing worldview that magic could be good or evil in and of itself. "Doesn't all magic break the laws of nature? I mean. . ." he bit his lip and thought it over more. Roach's spell hadn't made the computer do anything outside of it's capabilities, he didn't think, it just made what it could do more efficient - better. When Roach had the showy display of electricity - well, that was like static electricity on steroids. You could do a small version of it with carpet and a balloon. And Evelyn's messing with the lights was just doing something normal without your hands. "So, good magic just does natural things more or differently but still within the bounds of. . . physics, I guess? While evil magic breaks nature? So good magic could make you stay healthy longer, like human peak, but evil magic could make you impossibly strong or stop aging altogether?"

By this point he'd forgotten altogether that they were supposed to be leaving Roach's room and house, too caught up in the conversation.