THE LUNAR CODEX by ANNIE O'CONNELL

Author:ANNIE O'CONNELL
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ANNIE O'CONNELL
Published: 2021-05-18T00:00:00+00:00

The Fix Is In

As I sat there, still reeling from what I had just experienced, a flood of questions rushed to the forefront of my mind. Aunt Lilly was still grasping my forearms, while my Aunt and Uncle held each other behind her. Meeting my eyes, Uncle Roman breathed a long sigh, tension draining from his shoulders.

“Oh, thank God!” he said.

Aunt Cora let go of Uncle Roman and rushed to my side, but stopped just before she made contact. Cautiously, she moved to hug me. Seeing her hesitation, I pulled her to me, needing the hug as much as she did. As though a floodgate had opened, she let loose years of pent-up tears on my shoulder. Unsure of what else to do, I held her there and let her cry to completion.

When she settled, Uncle Roman moved closer to us. Gently, he touched her, and she pulled away, still wiping tears and sniffling as she did. Aunt Lilly offered her a tissue from a pack she had in her pants pocket.

Sitting back on the couch, I surveyed the room. The once pristine room was in complete disarray. Potted plants had toppled, and the curtains were hanging askew. Some pictures were off-center, while others had completely fallen off the walls. Even the people in the room showed signs of wear.

“Wha- what happened?” I asked, motioning to the wreckage around the room.

“You did, kiddo.” Aunt Lilly chuckled.

“You’ve got some power pumping through you. I’m not sure what kind of witch your mom is, but she passed on some serious genes. No wonder they had to hide you.”

My Mom! As she spoke, I recalled my mother’s words and I jumped up off the couch, which visibly startled everyone in the room when I did. Realizing that, I stopped mid-run and turned back to see three wide-eyed adults staring blankly at me.

“I promise, I’m not running away,” I said. “But I’ll be right back.”

I ran through the kitchen, into the foyer, up the stairs, and into my room with Buddy chasing behind. I kneeled next to my bed, and pulled out the drawer, fishing for my sacred box in the back. Finding it tucked in its usual corner, I pulled it out and opened it. The first thing I saw staring back at me was the picture of the three of us from my last birthday. After today, I had a new-founded appreciation for that picture. They were no longer static figures from a forgotten, long-ago day. They were real, and alive, somewhere. I held the photo close to me and drew warmth from that thought.

Putting it on the bed next to me, I saw my Dad’s ring and my mother’s necklace. I immediately placed the ring on my right ring finger. I remembered that was where he had worn it in my memory. Glancing back in the box, I saw my mother’s necklace by itself and felt compelled to take it with me. Would it be weird for a teenage boy to be wearing a charm that says “Mom” on it? Probably, but I didn’t care.

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