Page 147 of Evil Hearts

Chapter Two

T he full moon will be out tomorrow night, so I work on getting everything set up. Why am I doing this? I have no idea. Because there’s nothing else going for me in life, so I may as well spend my time trying to cast spells, or whatever this is.

I go over the list again, making sure I have every item need.

One dried rose.

Amethyst, obsidian, and rose quartz.

An unscented white candle.

One feather.

Two tablespoons of water.

Two mirrors.

Everything that’s on the list is here in front of me. So now all I have to do is wait for the full moon to come out, for it to be completely dark, and then I can get to going on this. For now, I get to bed because I have work bright and early in the morning.

There aren’t many careers to choose from when working in a town like Bear’s End. It’s a good thing I like working with my hands and being fit, because an arborist isn’t an easy job. It’s taxing on my body, but it keeps me in shape, so I can’t complain. A job that comes with perks other than financial stability is nice. Plus, I don’t hate it, it’s just that some days I don’t want to do it.

Each season has its pros and cons with the job, but I do enjoy this time of year when summer is ending and fall is beginning, because it’s just cool enough that I’m not sweating my ass off, but not deep enough into fall that it’s raining all the time.

The pay is enough for my bills and to have a little extra, but that’s thanks to my parents leaving me their house. They died during my senior year in high school, which sucked. Since they were the only family I had, I’ve been alone since.

“Here’s your list of jobs for today,” Earl says, handing me a printed-out piece of paper. “Everything should be tagged already.”

“Thanks,” I say, heading out of the trailer that doubles as the office and to my truck. My supplies are in the back already.

My job is to cut down the dead marked trees and trim the ones that are getting in the way of drivers. Bigger jobs have more than one man on site, but that doesn’t happen too often around here. Usually we handle it all ourselves, even if we technically shouldn’t.

It’s hotter today than I’d like it to be, so I stop at the store before heading to my first job and grab a gallon of water.

“How are you today, Ethan?” Peggy asks once I reach the counter.

“Just lovely. How about you?”

“Oh, you know. Same shit.”

I hand her the cash, chuckling, and tell her to keep the change as I grab my jug and go out the door.

It’s ten minutes until I reach my first job, and I stay busy until it’s time to go home. As the sun starts to go down, my stomach does a little flutter. There isn’t a single reason I can think of that to be excited about tonight, but I am. Maybe it’s because it’s something new and nothing new happens in this town? I’m not sure. But when I pull into my driveway, I get out of the truck faster than I ever have before.

I grab everything I need, including the list with the instructions. I lay the items out on the kitchen counter, taking inventory before glancing out the window. There’s plenty of time because the instructions say I have to do this just before midnight. So while I wait, I make myself something to eat, then stand around and twiddle my thumbs, looking out the window every few minutes. I check the items five times, and read the instructions so many times I have them memorized. Of course, that won’t stop me from bringing the paper with me to make sure I do it all right. The last thing I need in my life is more bad luck because I fuck up some spell and turn it into a curse.

My cell rings a little before nine, which is odd. Who the hell would be calling me so late?

Hailey’s name scrolls across my screen.

“Hello?”

“Ethan! Come hang out with us.” She sounds drunk.

“Can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not feeling great,” I lie, eyes on all the stuff covering my counter.

“Oh no! Do you need us to bring you soupy chicken? I mean chicken soupy?”

I hear the others laughing in the background and I roll my eyes.

“I’m good, but thanks.”

“Okay, well, I guess we’ll talk tomorrow. Feel better!”

“Have fun.”

I end the call and drop my phone on the table. How crazy am I that I’m lying to my friends over some stupid spell? I huff out an annoyed sound, then shake my head and go to my room. The morning always comes too soon, and being tired tomorrow isn’t worth all this nonsense.

I lie in bed and stare at the ceiling, watching the shadows move each time a car passes by. No matter how hard I try, I can’t sleep. It’s a little after eleven now, and I get antsier and antsier with each minute that passes. What’s the harm in trying? I’m already awake. I’d be awake even if I didn’t do it. So, I may as well try it, right?

Having all I desire, as Madame Zella said, is tempting. Too tempting. So tempting that I’m crawling out of bed and wondering how close to midnight I need to get this done for it to work. I read over the instructions again and it just says shortly before midnight. I don’t know what that means. What amount of time is “shortly”? If it isn’t specific, it can’t matter too much, right?

Once in my kitchen, I put my hands on my hips and stare at all the stuff, then out the window. It’s pitch black out there, other than the full moon up in the sky.

“Fuck it,” I mutter, grabbing everything and going out the back door. I use my elbow to flip on the floodlight. It’ll need to be off while I do this, but I’ll keep it on while I set everything up.

I lay each item out on the picnic table in the way the instructions say.

One mirror facing up with the moon in its reflection, while the other faces down. Not sure what that’s for, but whatever.

The candle is at twelve o’clock, amethyst at six, rose quartz at seven, and obsidian at ten. The water is in a glass dish in the middle, while the rose petals and feather are in a bag because I don’t want them to fly away. Not before I need them. I sit on the bench, telling myself how stupid this all is, yet I’m still doing it.

Twenty minutes until twelve seems like “shortly,” so I light the candle before going inside to shut off the light. When I return, I lay the feather in the three o’clock spot and sprinkle the petals over the entire spread, then repeat the words written on the paper.

“ By my will and heart’s fire, bring forth all that I desire. ”

I repeat it seven times, as it says to do on the paper. Then I wait. I wait and wait. I watch the petals flutter away in the wind, and eventually the feather gets carried away, too. A short time later, the candle blows out from a gust, and I’m basked in complete darkness, which sucks because now I have no idea what time it is. At least with the light of the candle, I could see my watch, but I can’t turn the light on my phone because it says nothing, but moonlight is allowed. So I sit some more, twiddling my thumbs, until I feel enough time has passed. Hopefully I’m not wrong. I pick up the mirror that is face down and bring it inside with me. Everything else stays where it is. It’s to remain there for a full day. The mirror in my hand comes up with me to my room and is placed under my pillow. It better not break in the middle of the night and slice open my arm.

Feeling pretty stupid over the entire thing, I plug my phone in to charge, flick off my bedside lamp, and turn over to go to sleep. Only to be woken up a short time later by someone in my bed.