《Elemental - Sisters of the Moon》


 The Belly of the Beast

    The heavy fog shrouding the small town of Bozwick hung eerily low, making the garish signs marking the stores look even more sinister than the proprietors had intended. An onlooker from above might have sworn that the fog was moving through the square with intense purpose, touching every window and door as if it were leaving its mark on the gothic-style buildings.


    Fenwick''s Elemental Forces of Nature store''s lights flickered on and off violently as the mist moved past it. The hanging sign outside The Wicked Spoon restaurant waved back and forth while the awning on the Twisted Threads clothing store opened and shut forcefully. When the fog had made its way around the square, touching each shop, it began to gather and swirl in the darkness.


    The swirling stopped suddenly, and a woman in a dark cloak stood before the town''s biggest attraction¡ªan ancient well named The Belly of the Beast. Surrounding the well were four huge boulders. For as long as anyone could remember, people came to throw their wishes and coins into the well, hoping for favorable outcomes. The crowds were largest during the town''s celebrations that followed the witch''s Wheel of the Year.


    "Ah, at last," the woman cooed as she lowered the hood on her cloak, revealing a cascade of fiery red curls and a gaunt, pale face. She slowly walked around the circle of stones, stopping to look down into the darkness and sighing, "Soon." Her eyes narrowed as she took a close survey of her surroundings, shaking off the feeling that someone was watching her.


    Backing away from the well, she uttered, "Advoco!" and clapped her hands loudly. As soon as the words left her mouth, a man''s body appeared crumpled in a heap beside her. A slight grin tugged at the edges of her mouth as his body began to tremble, and his eyes burst open. He moved his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, his bright blue eyes registering shock and horror.


    The woman brought a sharply manicured nail up to her mouth. "Shh," she giggled, moving to grasp the man beneath his shoulders. Exhibiting strength that seemed well beyond her small frame, she lifted him above her head and threw him into the well. Deep in her mind, she could hear him scream, and she felt his terror in every muscle of her body. She let out an orgasmic sigh.


    A puff of foul, dark green smoke rose from the well, momentarily revealing a monstrous face. Its hideous eyes appeared pleased and satisfied. The smoke wrapped itself around the woman, and inside her head, she felt a rush of power. Her body trembled again with pleasure. Just before the smoke receded into the well, she clearly heard the words, "Well done, daughter."


    A delighted squeal passed her lips when a beating heart rose out of the well and hovered before her.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "For me?" she whispered, her grin wide and eyes misted. She reached her hand out and grasped the heart. For a moment, she held it, her body quivering in delight as she closed her eyes and squeezed it in her palm. Pulling the flesh close to her face, she inhaled deeply and lapped at the dripping blood before taking a generous bite. Her eyes rolled back as she savored every morsel. She then gently pulled her hood back over her head and, raising her hands, murmured, "Aveo!" She vanished as the street sign that read Devil''s Corner fell to the ground.


    A near-invisible presence walked out of the darkness towards the well. When it reached the well, it dropped a small bundle into it and shimmered away. A dark, low, rumbling sound erupted and slowly dissipated from within the well as a streetlight''s bulb blew out.


    <hr>


    Holly Fenwick stood in the upstairs hallway of the farmhouse that her family had owned for generations and made a sudden stop when the flooring creaked beneath her feet.


    "Mother! Shh! This work must go undisturbed," she uttered into the darkness. "Adarna!" she hissed in a low tone. As the word left her mouth, a mournful birdsong wafted through the air. "Ah," she added, and her shoulders relaxed.


    A loud, ugly meow was released behind her. Turning around, she glimpsed the muted gold eyes of her huge old Bombay, Gypsy. Her countenance instantly softened.


    "My friend, you know those aren''t real birds. I just need a little privacy," Holly said, tightening the belt on her baggy robe. "Well, privacy and a little light," she added before putting her right hand out and whispering, "Shine!"


    As soon as the words left her mouth, a small ball of light appeared in her hand. She descended the stairway in the back of the old Victorian farmhouse. Once she reached the kitchen, she moved to stand before the enormous spice cabinet. She placed her free hand on the doorknob of the cabinet and closed her eyes.


    "Aperto," she said loudly, and the house groaned. The doorway she had her hand on began to dissolve into thin air. Crossing the threshold into the room, Holly smiled weakly. Sweat was making her loose, burnished curls stick to her face. "Thanks, Mother," she said, patting the doorjamb. The house made a low moaning sound in return.


    Holly quickly glanced back and forth across the large room. Before her sat four mahogany altars. Each altar was adorned with a unique symbol, representing the element it commanded. The symbol on the altar furthest to the left was an upright triangle. The altar next to it had an upside-down triangle. The third one had an upright triangle with a line through it, and the last altar''s symbol was an upside-down triangle with a line through it.


    Behind each altar were endless bookcases loaded with ancient-looking books. Each bookshelf had all the symbols carved across the top. Holly pointed at one of the bookcases behind the center altars, and a book moved from the shelf and hovered before her.


    "Videor!" she said, and a larger altar appeared in front of her. As the book settled upon it, she moved in closer, and the book began to swiftly flip its pages. When the pages stopped, Holly put on the glasses that were hanging on a chain around her neck.


    "Yes, the time has finally arrived," she said with a heavy sigh as she ran her hand across the page.


    A bright sphere of light appeared, and Cassia Fenwick, Holly¡¯s mother, walked through it. Her skin was translucent, and her long silver hair trailed behind her, waving along with her white gown.

 The Key

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 AIR

    "Shoo! Go away!" Sage Fenwick yelled at the crow frantically hopping around her feet as she twisted the key in the door of her family''s shop, Fenwick''s Elemental Forces of Nature. She slipped inside, trying to keep the bird from following her.


    "What is wrong with that thing?" she muttered, flicking on the lights. Her eyes immediately landed on the boxes her sister Penny had left the night before. "Pen, you better get down here and help me with this stuff," she grumbled.


    Sage and Penny had practically taken over the shop since their mother, Holly, had grown progressively weaker in the last few months. It wasn''t new for them to work there. She and Penny, along with their other two sisters, Pepper and Poppy, had worked in the store and the town''s quarterly festivals since they were kids. They would either sell wares from the shop, read fortunes, or perform magic tricks.


    Running the metaphysical store wasn''t hard most of the time, but the big festivals were another story entirely. Sage had never really been involved in the business side of things, and God knows it wasn''t Penny''s thing either.


    How are we going to manage this? she whispered, rubbing her palm across her forehead. The Samhain Festival was fast approaching, and the store would soon be packed from open to close for the whole week¡ªespecially the weekend.


    Boswick had built a reputation as a place with four spiritual vortexes. These, along with the wishing well in the town square, ensured a constant flow of people passing through. The number of spiritual seekers that flooded the small town had become overwhelming. Everyone, from the mildly curious to the deeply devoted, visited year-round. The town''s Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Midsummer festivals had become known worldwide, and the new Yule festival was quickly gaining popularity.


    "Of course, I''ll help out, Sage! But I need to finish the corn dollies and necklaces before the festival!" Penny had called over her shoulder before leaving early the day before.


    Sage huffed, starting toward the boxes, but stopped as the clapboards on the store windows clattered.


    "What the hell?" she yelled, heading outside to check the shutters. By the time she made it out, the noise had stopped.


    "Hmph!" she grumbled, tugging at the wooden knobs that were stuck. "What is going on today? Geez!" she said, taking a deep breath before yanking them hard. "There. Still undefeated," she smirked, glancing up at the sky. Gray-black clouds had begun to roll in.


    "Yuck, what an ugly day," she muttered, frowning.


    Just as she turned to go back inside, a crow fell at her feet.


    "What in the world?" she whispered, kneeling to check the bird. "Oh no."


    She stood and looked around to find crows perched on every open spot of the well. They''re everywhere. The birds covered tree limbs, signposts, sidewalks, and the tops of buildings. Every shop awning had at least one black bird, all cawing loudly. Shocked shop owners began streaming out of their stores, staring in amazement. The birds barely moved.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "What the hell is happening?" Sage asked, partly to herself, partly to the others on the street, and partly to the birds.


    "This can''t be good," Whitney Adkins muttered as she slammed the doors of her bakery, The Mad Batter, shut. Stepping over and around several birds, she shook her head slowly.


    Sage cocked her head, observing Whitney amid the chaos. Her raven-black hair and all-black outfits always made her look like a stereotypical witch. Whitney''s words echoed in Sage''s mind as other shop owners tried in vain to shoo the birds away.


    Sage watched for a moment before covering her face with her hands. "You''re just scaring them! They won''t fly away if they don''t want to," she blurted, instantly regretting it.


    Boswick  was known for its quirky residents, but even in a town like this, the Fenwick family had always been the subject of whispers. Their status as one of the town''s founding families only fueled the gossip.


    "Oh, Sage, will you ever learn?" Whitney said, closing her pretty brown eyes and shaking her head toward Mairi Boswell. She seemed unfazed by the birds.


    "I guess not," Sage replied, shrugging.


    Whitney had been Sage''s friend since grade school. Outside of her sisters, she was her only friend at the time. When Whitney left for culinary school, Sage had been beside herself. Whitney had begged her to come along.


    "Come on, Sage! You know you want to get out of here! Together, we could take on the world! You''d be winning awards for your writing, and I''d be winning them for my bakery."


    "Whit, you know I can''t leave Mom right now. With Pepper gone and Poppy''s trouble, I can''t leave Penny to handle everything."


    "Okay, but you''ll regret this decision."


    "I already do, Whit, but I don''t have any other choice."


    Two years later, Whitney returned to Boswick to open The Mad Batter, and though Sage never asked why, she was overjoyed.


    Sage knew Whitney was right about provoking Mairi, though. Their encounters never ended well. Mairi had made the Fenwick girls her sworn enemies since her thirteenth birthday party when Pepper spun Sage around so many times before the pi?ata that Sage destroyed Mairi''s prized birthday cake¡ªa model of the town, complete with the well and dry ice smoke. Even a decade later, Mairi hadn''t forgotten or forgiven.


    Across the square, Mairi was in front of her family''s store, Vexes and Hexes, wildly kicking and swatting at the crows. Their shop was similar to Fenwick''s but without the homemade items. It catered to visitors interested in darker magic. The Boswells were another of the four founding families.


    Mairi stopped her flailing to glare at Sage.


    For fuck''s sake. Not today, Mairi. Nope. Don''t come over here.


    Sage involuntarily shuddered. Mairi straightened and began stomping through the birds toward Sage, her wild blond curls blowing behind her, icy blue eyes blazing.


    Come on, birds! Fly away! Now! Sage screamed internally, her body starting to tremble.


    I. Said. Now!


    Her body tensed as she felt the energy surge. A light breeze rustled the leaves, then swept through the square. The crows cawed loudly as the breeze became a brisk wind. Sage''s thick russet curls whipped across her face, and the broom Mairi had left outside toppled over. Mairi halted mid-stomp, turned, and grimaced at her store.


    Sage closed her eyes and sighed. "At least one thing went right today," she mumbled.


    The bird Sage thought was dead began to flutter its wings. It cocked its head as if to ask her a question, then took to the sky, followed by the rest of the crows. They circled in unison before disappearing.


    "This town just keeps getting weirder. But hey, it''s good for business," Whitney smiled as she turned and went back into the bakery.


    Sage shrugged at Mairi, who scowled before storming off. She hurried inside, slammed the door, and pressed her back against it.


    "What the hell just happened?"

 First Call

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

 EARTH

    ¡°Come back to now, back to now,¡± Rosemary Fenwick repeated, trying to shake off the strange feeling that something was very wrong. Glancing back at the farmhouse, she saw the early morning sun casting a brilliant golden shine over the landscape, bathing the garden in soft, warm autumn light. The large white farmhouse seemed to have its own arc of light surrounding it.


    She smiled at the peeling white paint that needed attention and the ivy climbing up the porch columns. The house stood like a guardian against the backdrop of the forested mountains. Rosemary could hear the faint rustling of leaves as a gentle breeze passed through the towering oak trees lining the property. Even Gypsy, sprawled lazily on the porch, seemed to melt into the quiet serenity of the scene.


    She sighed and turned her attention back to the garden.


    Rosemary slid off her weathered brown sandals and wiggled her feet into the soil. She closed her eyes, imagining the energy of the earth flowing through her, feeling the pulse of life beneath her toes. The heady scent of damp earth mingled with the crispness of fallen leaves. Every breath felt like a silent prayer, as though she were drawing strength from the very ground that had nurtured her family for generations. She whispered prayers of gratitude, her fingers gently caressing the leaves and stems of the plants she had grown since spring.


    Releasing another wistful sigh, she squatted next to a large cabbage, twisting it until the vegetable gave way. As Rosemary pulled the cabbage from the earth, she remembered her mother¡¯s gentle hands teaching her how to garden when she was just a child. ¡°If you listen closely, Ro, the earth will speak to you. You have to listen,¡± her mother would say, guiding her small hands into the soil. ¡°She¡¯ll tell you what she needs.¡± Holly had a way of knowing just what each of her daughters resonated with. The other girls never quite understood why Rosemary always had her fingers and toes immersed in the soil.


    Gardening wasn¡¯t just a task¡ªit was a sacred practice, a way to stay connected to the cycles of life. She hoped her mother would feel proud of the way she had kept that tradition alive.


    Rosemary closed her eyes again, trying to imagine herself as one of the plants with roots shooting deep into the ground.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this such a melancholy time, my friends?¡± she said, rubbing her palm across the soil before taking a generous scoop in both hands. She held it close to her nose, inhaling deeply. ¡°Thank you, Gaia. Your bounty is most appreciated. You are dearly loved, adored, and cherished.¡±


    The thought crossed her mind that her mother would be pleased with her devotion¡ªafter all, it was Holly who had taught her to love the earth so deeply. Rosemary¡¯s lips curled up at the thought.


    Holding the soil out above her head, she said, ¡°Bless this earth so that while it rests, we know that it will be ready again for divine partnership come spring at Imbolc.¡± She lifted the soil higher before bringing it down in front of her face.


    But when she opened her eyes, her heart lurched. The soil in her hands was full of maggots.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    A wave of nausea hit her. She stumbled back, her heart pounding in her chest. The sight of the maggots¡ªwrithing, pulsating¡ªmade her skin crawl. She shook her hands violently, trying to rid herself of the dirt, but the image clung to her mind. It felt like a sign, something sinister and serpentine lurking beneath the surface.


    ¡°Ugh! Ick, ick, ick!¡± She shivered, wiping her hands together vigorously and shaking them off. But before she could process what had just happened, she felt the ground beneath her start to tremble.


    At first, the vibration was so faint that Rosemary almost thought she had imagined it. But the tremor grew stronger, tearing through the soil like an unseen force awakening from a deep slumber. The trees swayed, and the once peaceful garden seemed to pulse with chaotic energy.


    ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s happening?¡± she whispered, her voice trembling as much as the ground beneath her. She could feel the earth shifting, groaning, as though something deep within was stirring, trying to break free.


    ¡°What the hell is going on? We don¡¯t get earthquakes,¡± she spat, looking toward the mountain range. ¡°I bet that¡¯s what they thought every time another mountain blew its top. I better get to Mom.¡±


    The steady shaking of the ground slowed every step she took. It was as if the earth itself was holding her back. When she realized she wasn¡¯t making any progress toward the house, she stopped and waited for the quaking to subside. She kept her stance wide, bracing herself. Eventually, the tremors slowed and then stopped completely. The air felt heavy, the silence eerie in the wake of the shaking. Rosemary rummaged through the pocket of her smock, grasping several stones and some corn silk she had gathered to make dolls before finding her phone. She shakily opened it and hit Sage¡¯s name.


    ¡°Are you okay, sis?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Did someone tell you about the birds? Because¡ª¡±


    ¡°Birds? What? No! Shit, the earthquake! Did it mess up the store?¡±


    ¡°Rosemary, I don¡¯t have time for one of your freakouts,¡± Sage sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve got enough on my plate trying to run this place.¡±


    ¡°Sage, listen to me,¡± Rosemary insisted. ¡°This wasn¡¯t a freakout. I saw maggots in the soil¡ªactual maggots in my hands. And then the earthquake. Something¡¯s not right. I can feel it. The energy¡­ it¡¯s all off.¡±


    ¡°You always feel something¡¯s off,¡± Sage replied, though there was a hint of concern in her voice. ¡°But I¡¯ve got nothing up here but birds¡ªlots of them.¡±


    ¡°Earthquake. Right. What are you smoking this time, Rosemary? We don¡¯t have time for this. No jokes, we have to get the store ready.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me, Sage, something weird is going on up here. I haven¡¯t had anything since the bagel this morning. I swear it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see an earthquake happening up there and not reaching here. Maybe you stayed in the sun too long? It is a weird day, though. You should have seen the massive number of crows down here earlier. Just crazy.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God. That¡¯s an incredibly bad omen.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Besides, you know I don¡¯t believe in omens.¡±


    ¡°Well, they believe in you. Perhaps it¡¯s the energies of the changing season. But damn it, that was beyond strange.¡±


    ¡°Well, is the earth still moving? Because I could use some earth moving in my life.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t funny, Sage.¡±


    ¡°I know. I believe you. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m down here, overwhelmed. You said you¡¯d be down to help Pen,¡± Sage sighed.


    ¡°I meant it. I¡¯ll be there asap! It just felt like the right time to bless the earth. The corn dollies are mostly finished. I¡¯m just going to check on Mom before I head down.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do what I can until you get here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sis. I¡¯ve got your back. I should be down by one. Late lunch?¡±


    ¡°Deal. Love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡± Rosemary held the phone until she heard the line click. She looked around suspiciously. ¡°Everything looks okay. But something is definitely off,¡± she murmured, thumping the phone against her side.

 The Square

    The Square


    ¡°You know we could have walked to the square instead of taking the squad car,¡± Tristan¡¯s words drifted off when he noticed the irritated tick on Matt¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Hmph! Since we¡¯re apparently in a Hitchcock movie, we should be appropriately dramatic,¡± Matt muttered.


    Tristan chuckled. He knew Matt was right; the station was only a block away from the square. Still, the Sheriff was in no mood to joke.


    As they drove, Tristan glanced up at the sky. ¡°Maybe the birds are acting weird because of the weather. The sky sure is looking mean today.¡±


    Matt followed his gaze, noticing the unusual clouds gathering in strange, layered circles. ¡°Does the weirdness include UFOs?¡±


    ¡°Nah, those are lenticular clouds. They form off the mountains when the wind¡¯s right.¡±


    Matt raised a quizzical eyebrow. Tristan returned a wounded look.


    ¡°What? I can¡¯t know stuff, city boy?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a weird thing to know about,¡± Matt replied.


    ¡°My mom was into weather. I mean, really into it.¡±


    ¡°You mean like a meteorologist?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. When you live on the side of a mountain, you see some weird cloud formations now and then. Freaks out the festival-goers. Some leave here swearing they¡¯ve made first contact.¡±


    Matt laughed, shaking his head. ¡°I can see that happening.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. No aliens¡ªjust clouds. Weird, but natural.¡± Tristan stretched his lean body as they pulled into a parking spot just outside the square. ¡°And we¡¯re here.¡±


    They turned the corner into the square and spotted the only person outside: Mairi Bozwell. She was furiously sweeping at the ground, though there didn¡¯t seem to be anything to sweep. Her back was turned, but the moment Matt and Tristan stepped into the square, she stiffened.


    ¡°Shit. Here comes trouble,¡± Tristan muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Mornin¡¯, Sheriff. Tristan,¡± Mairi¡¯s voice was sweet, almost syrupy, as she spoke without turning around.


    ¡°How the hell?¡± Matt whispered.


    ¡°Reflection,¡± Tristan whispered back. ¡°It¡¯s too early for this town to be giving you the willies.¡±


    ¡°Matt Lowell,¡± Matt introduced himself, extending a hand as they approached.


    Mairi flipped her burnished reddish-brown curls over her shoulder and smiled, though her eyes didn¡¯t match the warmth in her expression. ¡°I know who you are,¡± she said, nodding once at Tristan. ¡°Tristan.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Bozwell,¡± Tristan croaked, his voice tight.


    ¡°If you¡¯re here about the plague of birds, as you can see, it¡¯s over and done,¡± she said, waving her hand around the square.


    ¡°I see that,¡± Matt replied. ¡°But it must have been quite a sight¡ªenough to get someone to call it in.¡±


    Mairi¡¯s lips twisted into a sneer. ¡°I don¡¯t know who would call the police over a bunch of birds, but if you¡¯re looking for troublemakers, I¡¯d start over at that Elemental store. That¡¯s where it all started.¡±


    Matt raised an eyebrow. ¡°And why would you say that?¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Before Mairi could respond, Tristan jumped in. ¡°The Fenwicks are good people.¡±


    Mairi¡¯s face reddened, and she glared at Tristan before turning back to Matt. ¡°Ask anyone who was here this morning. The first bird fell dead right on their doorstep. Sounds evil to me¡ªworth investigating, at the very least.¡±


    Matt placed a silencing hand on Tristan¡¯s shoulder before he could speak. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Bozwell. We¡¯ll check things out,¡± Matt said, tipping his hat slightly.


    As they made their way toward the well in the center of the square, Matt couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°This town gets more interesting by the minute.¡±


    ¡°So, do you have history with her?¡± he asked Tristan, gesturing back toward Mairi.


    ¡°Hell no! Well¡­ yes. But hell no.¡±


    ¡°Which is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never touch that woman. Her whole family is poison. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Inside the store, Sage Fenwick glanced nervously at the door, already anticipating trouble as she recognized the sound of the bells chiming. She stood, dusting off her hands.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything to do with those birds, and you know it, Mairi!¡± she called out before turning. Her words caught in her throat when she saw Tristan and a tall, handsome stranger standing there instead.


    ¡°Hi, Sage,¡± Tristan stammered.


    ¡°Oh! I thought¡­ um, never mind. Hello, come on in,¡± Sage said, heat rising in her neck as embarrassment set in.


    ¡°Have you two met?¡± Tristan asked.


    Matt stepped forward and offered his hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t had the pleasure. Matt Lowell.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you, Sheriff. I¡¯m Sage. Sage Fenwick. Sorry about the mess and the outburst. I thought you were someone else.¡±


    ¡°This seems like a laid-back kind of town,¡± Matt said, looking around. ¡°Not exactly the formal kind. And please, call me Matt.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Matt,¡± Sage smiled. ¡°But you¡¯ll find this place feels a lot busier during the festivals. It¡¯ll be like you¡¯re back in Chicago.¡±


    Matt raised an eyebrow, grinning. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve heard about my background.¡±


    ¡°Small town. Any news is big news,¡± she replied, realizing she was still holding his hand. She quickly pulled it away, knocking over a box in the process. A shrunken head rolled out between them.


    Matt raised an eyebrow as Sage kicked it back under the boxes, her cheeks reddening.


    ¡°They¡¯re getting ready for the Mabon festival,¡± Tristan explained, breaking the awkward silence.


    ¡°Mabon. I¡¯ve heard of it. One of the smaller festivals, right?¡± Matt said, turning back to Sage.


    Sage squirmed slightly. ¡°This will be your first festival here, right? You¡¯ll see¡ªit gets wild. We get a lot of different kinds of people.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard. Sounds like there¡¯s plenty of mischief,¡± Matt grinned, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong,¡± she replied, smiling despite herself. ¡°Bozwick is a great town, but the festivals bring all sorts of people. Some come for a party, others for spiritual reasons, and then there are the thieves, fakes, and liars.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like any carnival I¡¯ve ever been to,¡± Matt said. ¡°People just want a little escapism. Can¡¯t blame them for that.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s the spiritual seekers I feel the sorriest for,¡± Sage continued. ¡°They¡¯ll come here, throw their money into the well, and hope for something that¡¯s never going to happen. It¡¯s sad.¡±


    ¡°There are times when Sheriff Harper had to call in help from the next county,¡± Tristan added.


    Matt¡¯s gaze shifted back to Sage. ¡°So, you¡¯ve lived here your whole life, selling shrunken heads and dealing with all this magic¡ªand you don¡¯t believe in it?¡±


    Sage shot Tristan an angry look, her posture stiffening. ¡°Why did you stay in Chicago for so long, Sheriff?¡± she snapped. ¡°Every place has its ups and downs.¡±


    Matt raised his hands in surrender. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. You¡¯re right¡ªevery place has its reasons, good and bad.¡±


    Sage¡¯s posture softened. ¡°I¡¯m protective of my family. We¡¯re the black sheep around here, even though my mom¡¯s done so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have your reasons,¡± Matt said, bowing his head slightly. ¡°Now, back to today¡¯s murder investigation,¡± he added, smiling slightly, though his cheek twitched in frustration.


    Sage sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why anyone would call you here. Yes, the birds were acting strange, but they flew off. That¡¯s what birds do.¡±


    Matt nodded. ¡°That is what birds do.¡±


    Tristan chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s right, Matt. Birds do bird things. Doesn¡¯t sound like any crime I know of.¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Matt said. ¡°Nice to meet you, Sage. Sorry for the trouble.¡±


    ¡°No problem at all. And if I¡¯m going to call you Matt, please call me Sage,¡± she said, giving him a nervous smile.


    ¡°Well, we should be on our way. I look forward to meeting the rest of your family,¡± Matt said, tipping his hat as he and Tristan exited.


    As the door shut behind them, Sage knelt and retrieved the shrunken head from under the boxes. ¡°Really?¡± she muttered, blowing a stray curl out of her face.


    Outside, Matt looked up to see the strange clouds had disappeared. A lone crow circled above, cawing loudly. ¡°Where¡¯s your flock?¡± he muttered before adding, ¡°Cute girl. A little flighty, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Sage is a beautiful, strange bird,¡± Tristan replied with a smirk.


    ¡°I see what you did there,¡± Matt said, cocking his head thoughtfully. ¡°Any history between you two?¡±


    ¡°Nothing worth mentioning. Let¡¯s head back. You¡¯re about to meet the petty thieves and fake prophets of Bozwick. Welcome, Sheriff¡ªwe¡¯re just getting started.¡±


    Matt grimaced, swallowing hard. ¡°Sort of rockier than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°Oh, just you wait,¡± Tristan chuckled.

 FIRE

    Why would I listen to you? You''re a liar and a cheat!" Pepper Fenwick growled, slamming the book she had been holding onto the coffee table with a resounding thud. The sharp noise echoed through the small apartment, and her mouth twisted into an angry scowl.


    "Jesus, Pepper, you''re going to break something!" Joshua North stammered, raking his long fingers through his dusty blonde hair, his frustration barely concealed beneath his calm facade. His amber eyes, usually so charming, looked troubled now. "Your bad temper is what got us here."


    "My bad temper?" she spat, her voice rising with each word. "No, Joshua. You screwing your teaching assistant is what got us here." She glared at him, her eyes burning with betrayal.


    Joshua shifted uneasily, running his hands through his hair again. "You''re right," he admitted, his voice softening. "But you have to admit, things haven''t been very exciting for us in a long time."


    Pepper''s blood boiled. "Exciting?" She took a step closer to him, her fists clenched. "You think helping you research and edit your bullshit book while working my ass off to get my teaching license¡ªall while working at the library to pay the bills¡ªisn''t exciting? I could have finished two years ago if I hadn''t stopped for you, you selfish bastard."


    Joshua saw the storm brewing in her eyes and sensed that she was about to grab something to throw. He quickly closed the gap between them, taking her hands in his own, trying to diffuse the tension before it exploded. His voice dropped into the soft, manipulative tone that used to work on her.


    "Pepper, come on. You''re an adult. You have to realize that sometimes relationships just run their course. The right thing to do is to just let go."


    Pepper''s anger faltered for a brief moment as she stared into his amber eyes. Those green flecks that used to mesmerize her now felt like shards of glass. How had she ever fallen for his lies?


    "This is all just a game to you, isn''t it?" she said, her voice trembling, not with sadness, but with rage. "Every few years, pick a new girl, groom her, use her like a toy, and then toss her aside when you''re bored. You''re disgusting. I should''ve listened when your wife warned me about you."


    Joshua''s calm mask began to slip, a flash of irritation breaking through. "This isn''t about Jessica. This is about you and me," he said, his voice tight, his usual charm now coated with anger.


    "The hell it isn''t! It''s about Jessica, it''s about me, and now it''s about your shiny new toy¡ªSherry. God only knows how many others there have been or will be. You''re garbage, and I am glad it''s over," Pepper snarled, grabbing her two suitcases from the floor, and heading toward the door.


    "Goodbye and good luck with your life, Pepper," Joshua hissed behind her, his voice dripping with venom.


    Pepper paused at the door, her hand hovering over the handle. Part of her wanted to turn around to shoot one last insult at Joshua. She wanted to make him feel a fraction of the pain and disappointment he had caused her. But the larger part of her was exhausted from their constant battling and just wanted to walk away. She had nothing left to give. Her whole body trembled with the effort of holding back tears, but she wasn''t going to let him see her cry¡ªnot now, not ever.


    Come on, Pepper, you are stronger than this. Don''t give him any more of your power. The thought almost seemed to come from outside her mind. With a shaky breath, she pulled her shoulders back, steeled herself, and walked through the door, slamming it behind her as if to say, this is final.


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    As she stormed down the hallway, Joshua''s voice echoed after her. "Really mature!" he yelled, though the words sounded distant and childish now. Mrs. Mueller from the next apartment cracked her door open and smiled at Pepper.


    "That''s my girl," Mrs. Mueller said with a nod. "You''re better off without him. He''s a jerk."


    Pepper managed a weak smile, fighting the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. "Thanks, Mrs. Mueller," she whispered before hurrying out of the building. The chilly wind hit her flushed cheeks like ice as she stepped onto the sidewalk, and she pulled her coat tighter around herself.


    She looked up at the dark, brooding clouds swirling overhead. The sky seemed as angry as she was.


    "What the hell am I going to do now?" she muttered, her voice barely audible over the gusts of wind. Her gaze shifted to the two cars parked at the curb¡ªboth hers and Joshua''s. His sleek, white BMW sat next to her fire-engine red Nissan, gleaming despite the stormy weather. She held the keys to both cars in her hand, and for a brief moment, she considered taking his car. It would serve him right.


    Just as she weighed her options, Joshua''s voice broke the silence, yelling from the fifth-floor window. "When will I have the final edits, Pepper?" His words were laced with the arrogance that had infuriated her for so long.


    "Aah!" Pepper screamed, the frustration boiling over, and her voice raw with frustration. As the almost primal scream left her mouth, a bolt of lightning split the sky, the air quivering with an ear-shattering crack. Lightning hit Joshua''s pristine white BMW, and for a brief moment, time seemed to stop. The car lit up, glowing in an eerie white light before bursting into flames.


    The smell of burning rubber filled the air, mixing with a metallic scent left by the lightning. A low rumble echoed down the street as smoke billowed from the wreckage, and the heat of the flames was so intense that Pepper could feel it warming her face. People on the street stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the spectacle in wide-eyed shock.


    Pepper''s eyes widened in disbelief as the flames danced across the wreckage. The sky above her roared with thunder and then suddenly cleared. A strange mix of shock and exhilaration raced through her body, and for a moment, she felt¡­ different; her heart was beating furiously. It wasn''t only from shock; she was feeling a strange rush of power pulsing through her veins.


    She looked down at her hands, half expecting to see sparks there. "Oh my God," she whispered, her breath catching in her throat. Was it just a coincidence? Or had something inside her responded to her anger?


    That''s ridiculous. You''re starting to sound like Mom. She shook off the thought that she could have had a connection to what happened, but deep down, she knew that this wasn''t normal.


    Within seconds, Joshua had raced down to the street, his face contorted in panic as he alternated between clutching his head and pacing in circles around his burning car. "Jesus Christ, my car!" he screamed, his voice breaking with hysteria. "What the hell?!"


    Pepper bit her lip, struggling to suppress a laugh. The irony was too delicious. "I''ll send for the rest of my things," she called out sweetly, her voice dripping with mock concern. "Goodbye, and good luck with your life, Josh." She threw him a saccharine smile before picking up her suitcases and getting into her car.


    As she drove away, the adrenaline started to wear off, and the tears she had been holding back finally broke free. They streamed down her face as she pulled onto the highway, the lights of the city fading behind her. "Home it is, then," she muttered to herself, wiping at her cheeks with the back of her hand. "After two years, they ought to be really stoked to see me."


    She slammed her fist against the steering wheel, her sobs coming in gasping breaths. "Damn it, Josh! You were supposed to be my ticket out of that circus," she said, her voice cracking with the weight of her frustration. She had worked so hard to build a life away from Bozwick, only for it to fall apart in a blaze of fire¡ªliterally.


    She pressed harder on the gas pedal, speeding down the empty stretch of highway. "Here goes nothing," she muttered, her foot almost instinctively pushing the car far above the speed limit as if racing toward an uncertain future.


    Storm clouds gathered overhead and seemed to reflect her turmoil. Flashes of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the road ahead in eerie bursts. For a brief moment, Pepper wondered if this storm¡ªthis chaos¡ªwas her doing.


    No, she told herself, shaking off the thought. It was just a coincidence. It had to be.


    But deep down, a part of her knew better. Something had changed. Something inside her was waking up.

 WATER

    "It''s not that I want to go," Poppy Fenwick said, her voice tinged with exasperation as her eyes stayed glued to the scuffed linoleum floor. It was easier to stare at the familiar imperfections beneath her feet than to meet the heavy emotions radiating from Lela Johnson, whose presence seemed to fill the small room with a suffocating sadness.


    Lela wiped at her tear-streaked cheeks with the back of her hand, her voice cracking. "It''s just... I mean, we need you here, Pops."


    Poppy cringed at the nickname. She hadn''t realized how much she had grown to love it over the past two years, how much it had become a part of her identity. Her hand trembled as she rubbed the back of her neck, trying to maintain her composure. "You, Nate, and Rach¡ªyou guys are the ones who do all the real work. You''ve kept this place running and helped me more than I ever deserved. How do you think I got and stayed clean for two whole years?"


    "Two years, six days, and seventeen hours," Lela mumbled, her red-rimmed eyes brimming with fresh tears. The calculation of Poppy''s sobriety wasn''t just a number to either of them¡ªit was a lifeline, something they both clung to as proof of survival.


    "Hey, hey, it''s not like I''m not coming back," Poppy said, forcing a smile that didn''t quite reach her eyes. She reached out, cupping Lela''s chin and gently tilting her face up so their eyes could meet. The tears clinging to Lela''s lashes made Poppy''s heartache in a way that felt almost unbearable. She leaned in, brushing a soft kiss across Lela''s lips, the warmth of it lingering between them. "We''ll see each other again. Soon."


    Lela''s shoulders heaved with a sigh, her body trembling. "I just thought¡­ we have something, you know, Pops?" Her voice cracked as she kissed Poppy again, this time planting a tender kiss on the small mole above the left side of Poppy''s lips, a spot she had memorized after countless goodbyes, each one harder than the last.


    Poppy''s throat tightened, but she managed to keep her smile in place. "We do have something. We''re friends. That isn''t going to change, Lela. Nothing will take that away from us. But I have to go back now. I haven''t seen my family in years. They don''t know that I''m clean. They don''t know that I finished high school and started college. I need to face them. And I need to let my mom know how sorry I am¡­ for everything."


    Lela nodded but remained silent, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Poppy''s words hung heavy in the air, thick with a truth neither of them could deny.


    "It would be so easy to stay," Poppy thought, her chest tightening as she looked at Lela. Staying in the safety of this place, surrounded by the people who had become her family, would be just as hard to leave as it had been to get clean. But something was pulling her back home, a strange urgency she couldn''t quite shake. Something was wrong. Very wrong.


    The thought of home had crossed her mind only in fleeting moments¡ªwhen the seasons changed or when something in the air reminded her of her childhood. Now, as she prepared to go back, memories flooded her: the lies she had told her mother, the fights with her sisters, the spiraling trouble at school. Holly had begged her to stop, had pleaded with her, telling her that she was throwing her life away. At the time, Poppy hadn''t listened. She hadn''t believed she could ever be anything other than lost.


    Rehab had been Poppy''s salvation, she reminded herself. It had taken everything from her¡ªher pride, her independence¡ªbut it had also given her something she had never thought possible: a future. It had shown her that she could survive her emotions instead of drowning in them. For the first time, she had a plan. And that plan began with going home.


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    "I know, I know," Lela said, sniffling and loudly blowing her nose into a tissue. "I''m just being a needy, cowardly bitch."


    Poppy chuckled, though it didn''t reach her eyes. "Yeah, you are."


    Nate Richards'' deep, gravelly voice broke the tension in the room. "But we''re all needy cowards when it comes to you, Poppy Flower," he teased, his signature grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Imma miss you most of all," he added, pulling her into a light embrace that lingered just a moment longer than usual. Nate''s solid presence had always made Poppy feel safe like nothing could harm her while he was around.


    Poppy couldn''t help but giggle when he leaned in close and whispered, "Ooh, and this ass," giving her a playful tap on the butt. She let out a laugh that echoed through the room, momentarily cutting through the sadness.


    "You guys are so dramatic," Poppy said, rolling her eyes even as her heart swelled with affection. "I won''t be gone for long. You''ll see. You''ve all been too good to me. You''ve changed the course of my life, and I will never forget that¡ªor any of you. I love you guys."


    Nate nodded, his usual cocky grin softening into something bittersweet as Lela''s sobs grew quieter. Poppy reached for her backpack and the small tank bag that held her few belongings. She slung them over her shoulder, her heart heavy with the weight of goodbye.


    "I''ll call when I get home," she murmured, though the word home felt strange on her tongue. She hadn''t called that place home in so long, and now, the thought of it felt almost alien. Could she even still call it home? Could her family still be the same after everything?


    The thought nagged at her as she walked outside. The cool autumn air hit her face, thick with the promise of rain. The sky above was darkening, clouds swirling like a heavy blanket overhead. Poppy secured the tank bag to her bike, feeling the weight settle as she straddled the seat. The engine hummed beneath her, a low, comforting vibration that always reminded her of freedom. She glanced back at the rehab center one last time, her heart aching, before she revved the engine and sped off into the forest that lay between her and the next town.


    As the miles stretched out ahead of her, the first drops of rain began to fall, cold and sharp against her skin. But something wasn''t right. She wiped at her face, only to realize the wetness on her cheeks wasn''t rain¡ªit was her own tears. Her sobs came in ragged bursts, mingling with the sound of the wind rushing past her. The sky opened up above her, but something strange was happening.


    The rain¡­ it wasn''t falling down.


    The droplets, cold and steady, floated upward, defying gravity. They spun and twirled, shimmering in the dim light as they drifted toward the sky like small, weightless stars. Poppy blinked through her tears, her vision blurring as she tried to focus. The rain seemed to glitter as it wound upward through the air, droplets catching the light from the few lamps that lined the highway.


    A chill ran down her spine. For a moment, she thought she might be hallucinating¡ªafter all, it felt like the kind of trip she hadn''t experienced in years.


    "I haven''t tripped like this in a long time," she muttered to herself, laughing shakily as she wiped her eyes again. But the rain kept moving, spiraling upward in a graceful, impossible dance. Despite the oddness of it all, Poppy pressed harder on the gas, her bike roaring forward as if she could outrun the strangeness behind her.


    As she watched the rain spiral upward, a strange peace washed over her mingled with a faint exhilaration. Was the rain somehow reacting to her? Mirroring her confusion, her sorrow? She didn''t know how or why, but she couldn''t shake the feeling that the rain was connected to her, responding to her in a way that defied explanation.


    The rain swirled around her, cold but undeniably beautiful, spiraling up toward the dark sky as she left the rehab center¡ªand Lela¡ªfar behind.


    This is just the beginning, she thought, a shiver running through her body. I''m going home, but I have no idea what I''ll find when I get there.