Page 86 of Blood & Bone
Instead of chucking it into the trash, I slipped the chain over my neck.
Since I had issues with electrical equipment, I never used the lights, phone, or television in my hotel room. Instead, I lit candles and read books. Unsure what to expect, I lifted the remote control and pressed the power button. Immediately, the television came on. Slowly, I approached it, expecting the usual sparks and flashes that accompanied my proximity to any device that used electricity. Nothing happened.
When I reached out and touched the screen, the television kept working, not even a flicker of disturbance due to my presence.
I stared in disbelief, shocked that the witch had taken the time and effort to make an amulet that would allow me to interact with the outside world. She knew nothing about me except the fact that I had helped her kill my brother. When Cornelius died, I’d left, thinking that I would never see or hear from the witch and her friends again.
It seemed I was wrong.
From the time she sent me the amulet to now, at least once per month, a little gift would arrive. Most of the time it was a DVD or a CD, but occasionally Kerry sent pictures. No matter how much I moved around or where I went, she always seemed to know exactly where I was.
It should have worried me, but somehow it was comforting. I’d been lonely for so long in this world, always hiding what I was and evading my brother. I’d never had a friend, and when I touched the gifts she sent me, somehow I knew that Kerry Gayle considered herself my friend.
The package she sent me today was larger and heavier than the others.
Curious, I tore it open, staring in surprise at the box that fell out. It was a cell phone. I hadn’t bothered to buy one since I had no one to call. I lifted the lid and removed the little device. It felt odd in the palm of my hand. There was a note attached to the top with an arrow and the wordsPress here to turn the phone on.
I followed the directions, watching as the screen lit up and the shape of an apple popped up. A few seconds later, I stared in wonder at the tiny screen, full of icons.
Before I could even touch it, the phone began to emit a ringing noise and I saw Kerry’s name flash on the screen.
I tapped the green button and lifted it to my ear.
“I see you got my present,” she said.
“I did.”
She paused and when I didn’t say anything else, she chuckled. “You’re supposed to say thank you when someone gives you a gift.”
I smiled. The witch wasn’t scared of me in the least. “Then thank you for my gifts,” I replied.
“You’re welcome.”
“But I do wonder why you insist on sending them,” I said.
She didn’t reply right away, the silence stretching between us. “I have a feeling that we will see each other again, Rhys. And when you need me, all you have to do is call.”
“I doubt I would need a phone to reach you should I really need you,” I quipped, my tone dry.
She laughed, the heaviness of the moment dissipating. “No, you wouldn’t, but you might want to call someone else sometime soon.”
Unsure how to take her cryptic response, I didn’t say anything.
“I’m always here if you need me, Rhys,” she stated quietly. “Whether you like it or not, I’m your friend. And I like to keep in touch with my friends.”
I heard the slight click as she disconnected and took the phone from my ear. Despite her attempts at lightness, I sensed the undercurrent of fear beneath her words.
As I stared down at the tiny device, I wondered what the witch had foreseen that worried her.
Whatever it was, it was obvious that she didn’t intend to let me face it alone.
~The End~
