Conjured

"Jackie."

"Not now, Rachel."

"Yes, now.  You know we have to do something soon.  It's hungry.  Do you have the list?"

I slammed the locker door louder than necessary.  "I said not now." I stressed through gritted teeth.  "We will talk about this after school by the fountain."

"But . . ." Rachel started to protest.

"There is too much chance that someone will overhear something here.  I said later and I meantlater."  I preempted her, my tone leaving no room for argument. 

"Exactly what is there for me to overhear, ladies?"  James came out of nowhere, leaning over my shoulder questioningly. 

"Nothing you would be interested in."  I gave Rachel a cold I-told-you-so glare before walking away.

 

After school, I sat on the cold concrete of the fountain in the school courtyard.  The famous statue stared down at me as if trying to communicate through its blank eyes.  The water had been drained for the cold season and now only a few dry leaves danced  and swirled in the wind where water once ruled.  "Did Darcy and Tammy get the message to meet us?"

"Yes - there they are now." Rachel had spied to the two goth girls coming towards us.  They wore baggy black clothes that didn't reveal much about the figures underneath.  The many studs on the clothing caught the sun and reflected it back at us in little dancing spires of light, competing with the many facets of the peircings the two had on their faces.  Heavy black makeup obscured all but the most basic of their features.    The inky black hair that was obviously a dye job hung greasy  across their faces in similar fashion.  In full costume, their own mother's might not recognize them on the street. 

This is how we dressed at school, changing our clothes and removing the makeup and piercings before going home to our suburban normalcy.  All of us lived the lie.  It was an easier life without all the questions and suspicions that accompanied our appearance.  If our familes noticed our extreme aspects, they might look closer at our latest activities.  That could spell disaster for us all.

"Did you make the list?" Darcy asked without preamble as she reached Rachel and I.

"Yes, but . . " I hesitated.

"But what?"  Tammy  always had a chip on her shoulder, ready to argue, ready to accuse.  "We already discussed this . . ."

"I know.  I know.  It's just that I've been thinking.  Are you guys sure that there isn't another way?"  I hedged, still not sold on the course we had chosen. 

The Summoner made it clear. Jack.  If we don't choose someone, he'll choose for us.  We won't have any say and you know how bad that could be.  It could be our families, someone we know . .  We have been all through this.  If we make a list and choose who it should be, well, I just know that we will choose a lot more judiciously than he would."  She looked down at the crack in the sidewalk.  "I-I think he likes them young and - and innocent."

I fought back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes and smear the caked makeup.  "But what we are about to do . . .  There isn't any coming back from this, Darce.  Up till now, it has been nearly harmless, playing with the spellbook, crossing over in the dark, calling the spirits . . .  Until we brought him back here, to this dimension, we hadn't really hurt anyone.  But this . . . what he wants us to do is - is - is murder."  I stuttered over the word.

"Cut the crap.  You knew the score as well as anyone. " Darcy said caustically.  "We all knew who, and what we were dealing with when we summoned him.  He's here and now we are bound to do his bidding and there's no escaping . . ." 

"But what if there is?" I interjected.  "We brought him here.  Let's send him back!  Now, before anyone gets seriously hurt.  We can do it.  I know we can!"  I was desperate to convince them.  Rachel remained silent, nervously making smudges in the dirt with the toe of her heavy black boot.  She had been my only hope of an ally.  I knew Darcy and Tammy would be hard sales.

"Grow up!"  Tammy sneered at me.  "We don't have that kind of power.  At least not yet.  He has grown in strength since we  performed the ritual.  He would know in a minute what we were doing.  Instead of being his providers, his beneficiaries, we would be his sustenance.  Don't make the mistake of thinking he would spare us out of gratitude, he could devour us whole.  You must be insane!"

"Not yet.  He's not that strong yet.  If we banded together, we could take him by surprise.  I know we could do it.  Guys, we have to do it."  I put my face in my hands, my emotions overwhelming me.  I knew from the last few horrific nightmares I had been having that I could not live with the blood that would be on my hands.  I had let it go too far and I must find a way to convince them to help me stop it.  Who knew where it would end?  We might all perish anyway, consumed by our own creation.

Darcy looked blankly across the street, contemplating what I had said.  "Maybe your right.  I just don't know.  It's so risky . . ." she trailed off.  Tammy looked incredulous, but said nothing.  "How about we think on it . . . just for tonight?  He'll give us another day.  He's patient as long as he knows the reward is coming.  Maybe there is something we could try."  Darcy suggested.

I met her eyes, grateful.  "Thank you.  For considering it.  I know it won't be easy."

"Whatever.  Let's talk about it tomorrow." 

"Okay.  Later."  I walked away, a heavy weight lifted from my shoulders, wiping at the dampness around my eyes.  I hadn't spoken to my parents in weeks, brushing them off as I passed them on the way out the door or on the way into my room, locking my door behind me.  I had ignored their attempts to communicate, unreachable and giving them only the barest responses and clipped explanations.  But now, I had an overwhelming desire to go home and sit down and have a normal, boring family dinner and be with my family.  I grinned as I reached the curb and glanced back at the trio I had just left.  They all shifted and half-heartedly waved.

 

"Rachel?  Did she give you the list before she left?" 

"Yes."

"Let me see it." Darcy demanded.  Rachel obediently handed over the folded notepaper with a list of seven names scawled on it.  Names of potential victims.  They had tried to come up with a deserving list, including the vilest, most horrendous people they all collectively knew.  They originally had been going to choose a name from the group at this meeting.  Choosing a sacrifice for him to slay.

Darcy dropped her bookbag to the ground, digging through the change of clothes and couple of textbooks to grab a pencil at the bottom.  Then she scratched something on the list.  Tammy smiled.  Rachel gasped, but didn't protest further.  She was a follower.  She also knew that if she did object, her name might join Jackie's at the top of the list . . .