Chapter 6
WALLACE
As I pull into the abandoned gas station, I can feel the tension in the air thickening with every creak of the old truck’s suspension.
“This is the last stop before there’s no more paved road. I don’t want to risk a flat tire out there in the middle of nowhere,” I explain. The last thing I need is to get estranged with Windy. Not a great impression on a first … well, I guess this isn’t quite a date.
But I want it to be.
Windy sits beside me, her gaze fixed on the desolate landscape outside. She nods silently at my explanation, but I can see the unease in her eyes.
I tried to comfort her on the ride here, but I knew if I started talking, she would see how nervous I was. Nervous that she wouldn’t like me. Nervous that I might let something slip…
It’s like a storm brewing beneath the surface, waiting to unleash its fury.
I feel a pang of guilt twisting in my gut as I glance at her. She doesn’t deserve my manipulation, but I need it . Besides, I can’t turn back now.
I know I should tell her the truth—that I know more about this town than I’ve let on.
That I know more about her than she realizes. But every time I try to find the words, they stick in my throat like shards of glass.
How can I tell her I know she’s a witch? That I can feel the power coursing through her, and I crave it.
I need it.
How do I tell the girl I like that I am pathetic — just a glorified parasite?
The gas station looks like something out of a zombie movie, a decrepit relic of better days long gone. The pumps stand rusted and forgotten, like sentinels guarding a forgotten outpost.
“Are you sure about this, Wallace?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
I swallow hard, trying to push down the lump in my throat. “Yeah,” I manage to choke out, my voice sounding angry, but I’m just scared. “Unless you’ve changed your mind?—”
“No,” Windy says quickly.
But even as the words leave her lips, I see the doubt clawing at the edges of her resolve.
Windy looks at me then, her eyes searching mine for answers she must suspect I am withholding.
“I trust you,” she says softly.
It’s not a compliment. It’s a dare. A threat. I better not prove her wrong is the unspoken sentiment.
Oh, Windy. You’re going to hate me.
Everyone does eventually.
Together, we step out of the truck and into the eerie stillness of the abandoned gas station. The air is heavy with the scent of decay, a tangible reminder of the town’s forgotten past. As we make our way towards the pumps, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched. That something lurks in the shadows, waiting to pounce.
I push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand… though I’m not entirely sure what it is, I know there’s only one outcome no matter how much I hate the idea of it. I only hope before Windy finds out what I am, she can see who I am.
“Well, here is Spells Hollow. Or what’s left of it, I guess.”
Windy and I wander through the town as she grows more frustrated.
“There’s nothing here,” she angrily states.
“What about over here?” I nod to my left.
Let me guide her where she needs to go. I’m surprised she couldn’t feel the magic flowing around us though.
I lead the way over and push through the rusted gate, the metal groaning in protest.
Beyond it lies an old building, half-covered in creeping vines and decay. As we step inside, the air shimmers, a faint hum vibrating in my bones. I know this feeling, this sensation of crossing a threshold.
Windy gasps beside me, her grip tightening on my arm. “Wallace, look,” she whispers, awe lacing her voice.
I follow her gaze, and suddenly, the world shifts. The abandoned building fades away, replaced by the bustling heart of a vibrant township. People move about, laughter and conversation filling the air. Market stalls line the streets, colorful goods are on display. It’s as if we’ve stepped into a different reality.
Windy’s eyes are wide with wonder as she takes it all in. Her gaze lands on a cluster of flowers growing near the entrance, their petals glowing with an inner light. She crouches down, touching one gently. “What is this flower?”
An elderly woman passing by smiles at Windy’s question. “Oh, those? They’re just weeds.”
Windy sighs.
“Is this Spells Hollow? I am looking for a flower that only blooms under a full moon at midnight and closes at dawn.”
“Yes, it is. This is the place hidden to mortals. Only those with witch blood can see the real Spells Hollow. The flowers you are talking about are the moon blooms,” she says, her voice warm and kind. “They’re quite rare. There’s only one place to find them…” She points off to the distance. “Mt. Celestia.”
Windy clutches the weed flower, its petals contrasting against her skin. She looks up at me, confusion and suspicion mingling in her eyes.
“Wallace, how did we get here? You seem to know more than you’re saying. You don’t seem very surprised by what just happened.”
I swallow hard, the weight of my secrets pressing down on me. “It’s... complicated,” I begin, but she cuts me off.
“No more half-truths, Wallace. I deserve to know what’s going on.” Her voice is firm, leaving no room for evasion.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself. “I used to come here as a kid…,” I offer yet another half-truth, “I thought it was just a dream, not a real memory.”
The elderly woman, who I have seen before, raises her brow at me and shakes her head before walking away.
Windy doesn’t take notice.
Windy’s eyes narrow. “And you didn’t think to tell me any of this before?”
“I didn’t know if it was real,” I lie, the truth sinking further into the pit of my stomach. “Besides, it seems you also know more than you’re letting on.”
Beside us, I can feel a witch using her power — its energy seeping into my body. I try to remain unbothered by this sudden rush.
Her expression softens slightly, but the hurt is still there.
“You’re right. I guess it’s not easy to talk about magic when no one believes it’s real.”
I nod. “I won’t pry to know your story, Windy. Just know you’re safe with me.”
Windy closes her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration. “I promise I won’t lie to you… I’m just not sure who I can trust. But I guess I can say this much. I am a witch. A cursed witch. My powers don’t work right, and I think I can find the answers to breaking that curse here.”
We share a look, a silent understanding passing between us. We both want to trust each other, but we can’t.
Of course, we can’t.
If Windy knows what I am, that I can use her powers for myself, she’ll never trust me.
She shouldn’t trust me.
“Do you remember when your powers started acting up?” I ask, hoping to piece together the puzzle.
She nods. “On my fourteenth birthday. All of the other witches in my family lost their powers when they turned thirteen. I didn’t. I hoped it meant I was breaking the curse, but anytime I do anything since, it explodes in my face. What about you? Not to pry, but do you have powers?”
My heart sinks. “Something like that.” Still buzzing with the magic I siphoned from those around me, I make a leaf float weakly in the air. “It’s not much, though.”
Windy looks around, her gaze landing back on the weed flower in her hand. “So what do we do now?”
I take her hand in mine, drawing strength from her presence. “We find this flower you need. We find out what happened to you. We were brought together for a reason… Do you know what all it is you need to break the curse?”
She blushes. “A magical flower, the moon bloom, and a kiss times three…”
“Is that why you brought me along?” I tease.
Amazingly, Windy turns even redder. “What?! No, why… um, I mean, well…”
“Windy, I was teasing.”
“Oh. Yes, of course. What do we do now?”
“Well, I think we need to get some food so we have energy. Then we head towards where the older lady said the moon bloom is located until we can find it.”
“You’re going to help me, even though I lied?”
I reach out to grab her hand. “Windy. We both held back some truth.”
I’m still holding back from you.
But I can’t tell you.
You’ll hate me just as much as the rest of the witches I’ve run across have.
“We are both to blame, so of course I am going to help you! I feel a pull to help you. Now let’s go get some food.”
I pull her with me, guiding her towards a tavern.