Spells, loneliness and bad weather

CW: Coercion and grooming behavior involving a minor

Crimson ink shot across the previously blank parchment. A young witch wined, adding the spoiled paper to an ever-growing pile. “Fuck this”, Enid cried.

Muffled giggles crept under her dorm room door, a not-so-subtle reminder of teenage isolation. A neon purple message drew her attention to her phone,

“How's it going?” Finally, Damain had messaged her back.

“It's not working :(“

“U must not be trying hard enough,” he responded, “ Maybe this spell needs more commitment?”

“Like what?’

Enid rolled onto her bed, re-reading Damien's spell instructions for the billointh time. His spell was supposed to make her transition to boarding school easier, but so far, it has only ostracised her from her classmates. Prepubescent rumours spread faster than a wildfire. The girl in room G27 was a witch, they whispered. Enid didn't mind the rumours; they were right, of course, and soon they would love her for it. Her appearance only added to this rumour, scraggly black hair, dark circles under her eyes and a misshapen nose. Her uniform was permanently creased, and her white shirt was always a tinge yellow.

“Like what?????”

The smallest seed of doubt crept in. What if it will never work? No, she was a witch, so spells are real, too.

No response, Enid threw her phone onto the humongous pile of clothes that congregated in the corner of the room. Then immediately went to pick it up again.

It was a crisp Saturday morning, and the other girls in her building were out and about; most had caught the first bus to town. And she was here, waiting for instructions from her semi-present internet friend. She had actually met Damain before, in person.

She first saw him at her boarding school’s open day. He was tall and had thick black hair that covered most of his left eye. An older boy, probably in his final year. He looked to Enid like he had crawled straight out of the Vampire Diaries. He loomed over her from his position at the occult societies' stand. A club where he seemed to be the only member. They chatted for a while. He was soft spoken but charismatic, and Enid was beyond happy to have the attention of an older boy.

After that, they texted most days over the summer. Damain told her of her hidden power, how he could tell she was different, how she was so mature for her age, how he couldn't wait to finally have a vice president for his club the following September.

When she finally started school, she couldn't spot her elusive friend. Eventually, she came across him while sitting in the school's cafeteria. Enid scuttled across the floor towards him.

“Found you”

He looked down, his gaze shortened her. The group of alternative teens he sat with muttered to one another.

“Sorry, kid, got the wrong guy”, he said.

Such a small statement, yet Enid felt her young heart shatter. Full of defeat and on the verge of tears, she retreated to a dingy bathroom stall. Her pink Hello Kitty phone blew up with messages. “I’m so sorry”, he said, “I cant let the others think I hang out with first years, they wouldn’t understand” Through hiccups and tears, his excuse made sense. What they had was special; she was a witch, of course, and they had to keep her powers a secret.

Another message popped up on her screen, pulling her from reminiscing.

“Wanna meet up?” Damian's proposition was enough to pull Enid out of her funk.

“Yes!!!!!!”

“Meet me behind Tesco's in an hour”, he responded.

The young witch threw on an ensemble of black and purple garments, squealing with delight as she did so, flicking through different outfits, trying to curate something that could make her look older. She pulled out a dark black lipstick and applied it, along with slick, long black cat-eye eyeliner. Her excitement was uncontestible, even against the time her parents finally let her watch Twilight. Beaming with delight, she skipped down to the dorm building's exit.

Just as she reached the door, the dorm head stopped her.

“How old are you, little miss?” she snapped, catching Enid off guard.

“13 and a half”, she responded. Sheepishly trying to avoid the gaze of the older woman.

The lady tutted and shook her head

“1st years cant go to town on their own”

Enid's heart dropped to the ground; she couldn't think of anyone who would go with her.

A soft voice interjected

“I'm heading in, miss. She can come with me”

An older girl, dressed in bright colours and smelling of something oddly sweet, walked forward. Enid had seen her around campus; she was pretty sure the girl was on the student council. She must be in the same year as Damain, Enid thought. The girl smiled down at Enid, her demeanour as soft as the colours she wore. Enid wasn’t sure of this. Damien wouldn’t meet her if he saw her with this girl, yet without the girl, he wouldn’t see her at all. Alas, the dorm head nodded, and both girls made their way to the bus stop.

‘I’m Olka, I’m in my final year, what’s your name?” The girl’s voice was so pretty, she almost sounded musical.

“Enid.. first year.”

“Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Enid. I’m surprised I haven’t seen you in the dorm before.”

Enid didn’t respond. A weathered metal hunk of a bus pulled up, and both girls hopped on. Olka, assuming the younger girl was shy, continued talking.

“It’s a bitterly cold day, isn’t it? I’m actually heading into town to get a new scarf. What about you?”

“Just getting snacks.”

“Now that sounds like a good idea, I might have to join you for that, haha.”

Enid felt her face go red. She didn’t want to hurt Olka’s feelings, but she knew staying with her diminished any chance of meeting Damain. She decided to lose her once they got off the bus.

The soft murmur of her fellow passengers’ conversation made Enid’s thoughts grow louder. Even if she could meet Damain on her own, how would it go? He had been avoiding her for months, and the only outcome of his “spells” was a heap of disappointment. She twisted her legs together. She couldn’t articulate why, but all of a sudden, this all felt wrong. Enid stifled tears; she was so desperate to see him, to see anyone.

A yellow glove tapped her shoulder.

“Are you alright, Enid?”

“Y-hic yah”

She turned to see the once cheery girl now painted with concern. She pulled a pastel packet of tissues from her butter coloured jacket.

“Take this. Look, you seem a bit sick, maybe the cold got to you? It’s a Baltic day, and it looks as if it will rain again. If you feel poorly, it’s best we go back home. I have some hot chocolate in my room and-”

“No!” Enid shocked herself with her own harsh response. “No, sorry, I have some things I need to do in town”

Just then, the bus screeched to a halt, before Olka had the chance to respond, Enid hopped off and darted down a bustling street. Murky street puddles splashed into her tights as she ran, and the sharp wind pulled at her hair. Infantile drops of rail began to push against her. She felt horribly guilty. Enid stopped a street away from the Tesco. Bitterly chilling gasps of air scratched her throat; her act of rebellion ate at her as she caught her breath. Enid told herself it was necessary; maybe she could apologise later, but she had to do it.

“ping”

Her phone chimed out, reminding her of the time.

“I’m here, little witch, where r u ?”

“Coming, wait a sec”

Enid gingerly walked on, telling herself it would all be fine; she couldn’t lose her only friend.

She spotted Damain leaning against a concrete wall. One hand typing away at his phone, the other sporting a freshly lit cigarette. “He’s so cool”, Enid whispered to herself.

“Hey, Damain”, Enid blurted.

Damain turned, smiled down at her, took a performative drag of his cigarette and said, “Well, look who decided to see me”. Enid hung on his words; she had wanted to see him long before now, but she had been ignored; nevertheless, they were here now.

“I-I’m sorry for being late, t-the bus took a while.” Enid cursed herself as she pathetically stumbled over her words.

“Well, that's alright, you can make it up to me”

Enid blushed. Damain really was her friend; maybe she shouldn’t have doubted him as much. Her gaze fell to the cigarette in his hand. She knew he was older, but smoking was such an adult activity. The smell pricked at her nostrils. Damain pushed off the wall, towering over Enid. With a swift motion, he began to stroke her damp hair, weaving his fingers in and out. He then lowered his second hand, hovering the cigarette just before Enid’s lips. She felt herself freeze up. He looked at her as if she were a shrew, stuck and vulnerable. Enid wanted him to like her more than anything. She opened her mouth and pursed the cigarette between her lips; the smoke violated her throat, causing a coughing fit.

“I cough, sorry, sorry,” Enid sputtered. Damain looked at her and laughed.

“You will learn.” His gaze was predatory. Enid shivered, the putrid taste staining her mouth. This was all too much. She looked up. Damain was so much taller; he really did make her feel like a child. He smiled before grasping her hand and pulling her forward.

“Where are we going?”

“Back to mine, the weather is shite, my parents are at work, dont worry.”

“What, why?”Enid gasped, pulling against his grasp. The older boy grinned at her.

“To practice your spells, of course.”

“Look, I’m really not supposed to-”

“Come on, Enid, I liked you because I saw something in you. Real friends dont bail on each other.”

Enid felt salty tears drip down her face, merging with cold raindrops. She wanted a friend, but something in her gut was screaming at her not to go. All she had wanted was company. Not this.

Damain began to pull her forward, his grasp on her wrist tightened and began to hurt. The wind began to howl, drowning out any protest. Once, gentle raindrops now scraped past. Enid realised how empty the back of Tesco’s was. Her legs began to meekly follow him. Every step was followed by the squelch of wet stockings.

Without warning, a bright yellow glove grasped her shoulder. Yanking her backwards. Olka stood behind her, her eyes locked on Damai.n

“What the fuck are you doing?” She gasped. Her face twisted with fury. Small beads of sweat danced down her forehead. Enid thought anger was an unusual expression for the calm older girl.

“God, nothing, Olka, back off, we are just hanging out, she wants to be here.”

Olka shook her head and pried Enid away. Placing her other hand on her shoulder.

“She’s thirteen, you creep, and did you just give her a cigarette?”

Damain looked sheepishly down. “Fine fuck off then, both of you.” He said as he walked off.

When he turned the corner, Enid began to properly cry, an ugly, childish cry. Friendless again.

The older girl pulled her into a comforting hug. The warmth of her character and body momentarily shielded Enid from the weather.

“Are you ok?? I was looking everywhere for you!”

“I’m sorry, h-he, we were friends”

“Oh, Enid, he didn’t want to be your friend, boys….” Her voice trailed off, pondering her next words. “Some people dont always have our best intentions at hand.”

They chatted for a while. Enid told her story while Olka patiently listened. Comforting the little witch. The weather, almost graciously, began to calm.

A few hours later, the metal hunk of a bus pulled up once more. Enid and Olka took the same seats.

"I still have that hot chocolate' Olka said.

"I'd like that", Enid replied.