Page 12
Commission Impossible
C auldron Falls trembled on the edge of chaos. The giant cross towered in the town square, its shadow stretching ominously across the cobblestones. Tandy strutted toward it in her designer pumps, carrying a clipboard she'd hastily labeled "OFFICIAL STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT" in glittery purple ink.
"Coming through! Professional with construction experience!" she announced to the workers, flashing a laminated business card as if it were an inspection badge. "Just need to make sure this baby won't topple over and squish anyone important---I mean, anyone at all!"
The workers exchanged dubious glances but stepped aside. One leaned to another and whispered, "Isn't she just a real estate agent?"
"Yeah, but she keeps saying she used to be in construction," his colleague shrugged. "And honestly, none of us knows what we're doing either."
Tandy circled the massive cross, making exaggerated hmm-ing noises and scribbling nonsense on her clipboard. Occasionally, she'd tap a support rope, squint dramatically, and mutter something that sounded vaguely technical.
"This northernmost support needs additional... tensional... counterbalancing," she declared, pointing to the very rope she intended to sabotage. "The gravitational... load bearing... tensility is clearly compromised."
As Tandy examined the rope, a memory flashed unbidden through her mind---herself at thirteen, standing before the Cauldron Falls Witchery School examination board.
The test had been simple: light three candles.
The other students had completed it with ease, their candles flaring to life with confident gestures.
When her turn came, she'd tried so hard---concentrating until her head pounded, whispering the incantation perfectly. But only the faintest wisp of smoke had appeared on the first wick. Nothing at all on the other two.
"Perhaps," the head examiner had said with poorly disguised pity, "you should consider a career that relies less on innate talent. Real estate, perhaps? My cousin did quite well in that field despite her... similar limitations."
The laughter had been soft but unmistakable---the kind adults use when they think children can't recognize mockery clothed in politeness.
Twenty years later, the memory still stung. She blinked it away, focusing instead on the sabotage at hand.
"Is that even a word? Tensility?" one worker whispered behind her.
"Sounds smart, so probably," another replied.
Tandy smiled tightly. They might question her terminology, but soon, when the falls water enhanced her abilities, no one would question her magic again. She'd make sure of it.
When the workers turned their attention elsewhere, Tandy quickly pulled a small vial of orange liquid from her purse. She glanced around furtively before applying a drop to the rope---then froze when she realized she was being extremely obvious, standing on tiptoes with a suspicious vial in hand.
She immediately pretended to be applying lip gloss, smacking her lips loudly. "Can't inspect crosses with dry lips! That's just Construction Inspection 101!" she announced to no one in particular.
A passing warlock gave her an odd look but continued on his way.
"This cross needs to fall exactly---" she muttered, then caught herself as a worker glanced her way. "I mean, this cross seems very sturdy! Tremendously sturdy! No chance of collapse!" She punctuated this with a high-pitched laugh that caused several birds to flee from nearby trees.