Page 20 of Black and White, Twice the Might (Cadenbury Town #8)

E rnest opens his eyes, practically shoots up and flings himself into Adhan’s arms. “Oh! Thank God. Please tell me the others are alright.”

“Everyone is fine, look,” he says, pulling back.

Ernest looks. “Thanks, Sly,” he says, sending him a small smile.

“You’re welcome. It would seem only dark magic could bring you all back.”

“All back? Wait, did we all have the same dream? Haunted House, dead bodies?” he asks.

“Yeah, we did,” Temp says. He’s standing wrapped in Ben’s arms.

“Sly and Justice rescued us,” I tell him.

“How did you know we needed rescuing?” Ernest asks Sly and Justice.

“Ebby always wakes first. But this morning I did. I waited for Ebby to wake, but something felt wrong. I used my magic to look for him and found him trapped in a dream at the Haunted House. I pulled him out, and a few moments after he woke up, I heard the brothers shouting for help. I figured everyone might be trapped in that house. Ebb went to help Titus, and I went to help Sal. When Ebb couldn’t get to Titus, he realised only dark magic could bring you all out.

Justice got himself out and then helped. ”

“When you all vanished from the Haunted House, I figured the dark witches had done something, but still, seeing and finding dead bodies was crushing,” Justice says, sadness reflected on his face. “My magic went practically black, and I managed to shatter my dream and wake up.”

“I was never so happy to see one of us as when Sly came running into the clothes flying room and pulled me out of there,” Temp says.

“I was in the attic. Justice got me out,” Titus said.

“I was in the dining room,” Ernest says.

“Me too. Sly got me out,” Nix says.

“I was in the clothes room. Justice rescued me.” Sal says.

“I was in the clothes room. Sly rescued me.” I add.

“I was in the attic,” Justice says. “I know it was only a dream, but, yeah, that’s going to stay with me for a while.”

“Same,” we pretty much all say.

“Let’s go downstairs. I think we could all do with coffee,” Adhan says.

“So much coffee. I’m gonna be needing a vat of coffee,” Nix says.

“I’ll make sure you have some, baby,” Cam says, leading Nix out of the room, the others following.

We’re sat around the kitchen table, all of us troubled. Us witches by what we saw and the Stones because there isn’t anything they can do, except hold their partners. None of us are talking for the moment.

Thankfully, the boys and Nora are in the lounge having breakfast and watching TV with Connie.

“They actually found the perfect way to unsettle us,” Temp says softly. “Kill us one at a time.”

“I’ve never felt as helpless as I did in the Haunted House. Nothing I did worked,” Nix says.

“Once I figured out what was happening, I tried blasting my way out of the dream, but nothing I did worked either until Justice showed up and pulled me out,” Titus tells us.

“Your magic is almost back to your light grey,” Ernest says, looking at Justice.

He nods. “It is. Being with Alfred helps it lighten up quicker.” he picks Al’s hand up and kisses the back.

“Love you too, my Doc,” Al says, leaning into him.

“We need to redo the wards around town today, then have the BBQ,” Ernest reminds everyone, but he doesn’t sound very enthusiastic at the thought.

Molly rushes into the kitchen looking worried. “What happened? All I picked up on was death and sadness. I’m relieved to see you are all alive.”

“Coffee, Molly?” Emily asks her.

She shakes her head. “No thanks, lovely.” She sits down and looks around the table at us, concern on her face.

“We were pulled into a nightmare. We all had the same dream of some of us dying in the Haunted House. Sly and Justice rescued us,” Ernest tells her.

“I know it was just a nightmare, but at the time it was so real and so horrible,” Temp says. “Only dark magic could pull us out of the dream.” Ben puts his arm around Temp and pulls him close, Temp leaning into his side.

Molly looks at Justice and nods.

“I thought our dreams were protected,” Ernest says, looking at Molly.

“Dark magic young’un. New charms will need to be added, so this can’t happen again.”

“What the hell!” Kean suddenly exclaims, looking at his clothes. He’s now wearing a red wedding dress. Not just any red dress, but, if I remember my films correctly, the wedding dress Lydia wore in Beetlejuice. Titus is now dressed as Beetlejuice, minus the face paint.

We all burst out laughing.

“Stand up, bro, so we can get the full effect,” Ben says, laughing harder.

Titus glares at Ernest. “Really?” he asks, before he bursts out laughing.

Thank goodness for Ernest. We all needed this, and as we laugh, the atmosphere starts to lighten.

Kean finally stands up and does a twirl, making us laugh even more. The ruffles make the dress look bigger. He is even wearing the veil.

I see Cam pull his phone out of his pocket and snap some pictures.

“This is a lot of dress,” Kean says, laughing, using his hands to ruffle the sides of the dress up and down.

“You look so pretty, handsome,” Titus tells him.

“Not sure I really want to wear this to our wedding, though.”

“Party pooper,” Temp says to him.

Tie clicks his fingers, and now both he and Kean are wearing their original clothes, but it has done the trick. We’re all laughing again.

“Thanks,” Tie says to Ernest.

“You’re welcome. Now, let’s eat.”