Convergence

I walked through my front door going through my usual home routine. I placed my bag on the floor next to the kitchen sink and poured a glass of cold water from the fridge. I drank it quickly hoping the brain freeze would help me forget about the incident. I had no such luck. A cold shiver ran through me as the water made its way through my body, or maybe it was the lightly damp clothes. I stared out of the front window with the empty glass in hand. What was that old woman talking about? How could she believe so much in magic? It didn’t exist, right?

I let my mind wander to escape my ordeal remembering a time one winter as a child when all I wanted was for it to snow. It was unseasonably warm and felt more like spring in the middle of December. Dad had told me there was no moisture of any kind in the forecast and to stop letting it get to me, but I was convinced that if I wanted it bad enough, it would happen. The next morning, my front yard was covered in snow, but no one else’s. It was melted by the end of the day, but the point was that it snowed. I was convinced then that I had powers, but Dad practically beat that idea out of me. He never wanted me even thinking about things like fairies and unicorns let alone telling people I had powers.

Looking out the window with the memory intact, a few flakes fell from the sky. At first, I thought it was just the cottonwood puffs being blown from their trees by the wind as so often happened (though not always lasting to the end August), but after closer inspection saw the large white flakes float to the ground and stick without melting.

I jumped back from the window dropping my glass, the crash vaguely resonating in my ear. “That’s not possible.”

I ran outside around to the side of the house to a pile of gathering snow and put my hands in it. Sure enough, it was cold and melted in my hands. A few cool flakes touched my neck and melted down my back.

“That’s not possible!”

“What’s not possible?”

I turned quickly toward the sound of the voice. Ricardo Ortega stood by the corner in his stupid T-shirt and stupid jeans both too big for his frame with his stupid uncombed black hair flapping in the breeze. I had forgotten he was coming over to help me with a science worksheet. I hated needing his help, I hated needing anyone’s help, but he had this way of explaining things in a way I understood.

“Is that snow?” he asked.

I wanted it to disappear so bad I could taste it. I held my hands over it trying to hide the pile from him not knowing what to do about the stuff falling.

“Why would it be snowing? It’s like eighty-five degrees outside.”

“What are you hiding?”

“Hiding? Why would I be hiding anything?”

He walked over and moved my hands. The pile was gone and the only things falling were normal white puffs from the cottonwoods, something far more believable than snow.

“See,” I said. “Not hiding anything.”

He tilted his head slightly scrutinizing my movements. “You look like hell.”

I rolled my eyes. “Like you should talk.”

He offered his hand to help me up, but I slapped it away. “Well, whatever. Let’s just get this done.”

Rick followed me inside. He stood in the front hall with his hands in his pockets scanning the décor. “Nice house. You live like a princess.” He lifted a statue from the hall table and examined it before putting it back.

“I am not a princess.” The comment came out sharp. I adjusted the statue until it was in its exact proper place and took in a deep breath. “Would you like something to drink or a snack?”

“Uh yeah, a soda if you got it. Some chips would be nice too.” He followed me into the kitchen, the first opening on the right.

“I was thinking more along the lines of a healthy snack and juice or water.”

He scoffed. “Well, why didn’t you just ask me if I wanted rabbit food then?” I rolled my eyes.

“I have ginger ale if that’s okay.” I gestured to the table for him to sit. “My step-mother is quite fond of it.”

“Sure, sure. Hey, what’s with all the glass over there?” He pointed to the floor.

I jumped and grabbed a kitchen towel to help gather the pieces into a pile. “Don’t worry about it. Had a case of clumsy hands, is all.” I worked frantically to clean the mess. “Just sit down. I can handle it.”

He stood over me watching me work. “A perfect princess like you having an accident? I don’t believe it.”

I growled to myself before pushing by him to the sink. I opened the cabinet underneath and removed the blue recycle bin and dustpan combo.

“Why are you wet? Did you get into a fight with the sprinkler?”

I rushed by him again to the mess and down to the ground without saying a word.

“I can help if you want. You seem seriously rattled.”

“I’m fine!” I snapped tossing bits of glass into the bin and shaking out the towel. I reached all around the area with the towel until I was satisfied it was clean and then swept the smaller pieces with the little hand broom. I would have to give the entire kitchen floor a proper cleaning before dinner.

After returning the items to their proper place and washing my hands, I took a deep breath trying to compose myself. I returned to the fridge and grabbed a can of soda and a bottle of water before placing them on the table. “Would you like ice?”

He reached out and grabbed my hand. “You cut yourself. Do you even know how to be careful?”

I jerked my hand away and turned back to the sink to clean the wound. “I asked you a question.”

He popped the top of the can and took a loud, deliberate slurp before sitting. “Uh, no. You gonna put a bandage on that?”

I wrapped a paper towel around it just to hold the blood in until it stopped. It’s not like it was a big cut. “Let’s just get this started.”

We did the worksheet in mostly silence, only talking when I needed an explanation. He loudly crunched the carrots, practically spewing food everywhere from his open gullet and slurped his soda. I was always amazed, however, at how well he knew the material since the notes that were stuffed recklessly in his binder had no sort of order.

“Do you believe in magic?” Rick asked nonchalantly breaking our mostly silence.

I dropped my pencil and looked at him. “W-why would you ask me that?”

“No reason, I guess. It was just a question.” He shoved another entire baby carrot into his mouth and looked back at his paper.

“Why would you ask me that? Questions like that don’t just pop up out of the blue.” I froze in my chair keeping my eyes on my pencil like it was going to roll away.

He scrutinized me. I could feel his eyes boring into my skull, judging me for being so apprehensive.

“You sure are jumpy. Kind of stuck up too.”

I glanced at him. He had a smile plastered across his face.

“I am not stuck up!”

“Sorry, Princess.”

There was that word again. “No. I don’t believe in magic.” I picked up my pencil and continued with the worksheet snapping the lead with the pressure.

I heard him clear his throat, most likely trying not to laugh. I glanced up at him, but his face was normal. He caught me staring.

“What is it, Princess? Need help?”

“No. I—I thought…never mind.” I looked away and tried to steady my bouncing knee.

There was a moment of silence.

“You thought I was laughing at you?”

I looked at him again and the corner of his lips lifted to a crooked a smile. I found myself a little flustered.

“Why would you ask that?”

“Does it matter?” he said.

“I wouldn’t have said anything if it didn’t matter.”

“Have you ever heard of the beings in the magical world?”

“What like dragons and unicorns and whatnot?”

“Sure. That’s a start. What about the fae, or faerie folk?”

“Where are you going with this?”

He shrugged. “Just making conversation.”

“This isn’t the type of idle conversation that just happens, Ricardo.”

He smirked. “I did have an agenda. I’m just not sure how to tell you about it in a way that won’t upset you or make you think I’m crazy.”

“I already think you’re crazy so just come out with it.”

He took a deep breath and started to say something, but there was a strange sound coming from my bag. I watched as a pointy little green creature emerged with the book I thought I left at that crazy store.

I gasped. “What is that?”

Rick quickly stood. The creature took off with the book tucked away in its pointy elbows and wrapped in its arms. Rick took off after it. The creature laughed showing its pointy teeth as it bounced around the kitchen. Rick was athletic, but there was no way he could catch something so quick and nimble.

“Ashe!” Rick called out. A creature about the size of a small cat materialized out of nowhere. It was white with a long, cat-like body, a cat face with and super long tubular bunny-like ears, grayish-blue socks on its feet, and the same color on the tip of its bushy, fox shaped tail.

The pointy smile left the creature’s face when it saw the white fox cat and took off out of the kitchen and down the hall. The little fox cat took off after it with incredible speed.

“What’s going on?” I said.

Rick ignored me choosing to chase after his fox cat.

I heard thumping all around the upper level along with laughter and growling. There was a crash in one of the rooms. Rick started shouting something I couldn’t quite understand. I ran up to see what broke and heard rustling from my room. When I got through the door, the little creature waved at me, wiggling his pointy fingers, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

I looked at Rick. He was kneeling and holding his fox cat in his arms. The animal was screeching an ear-piercing shrill and its foot was bleeding.

“Give me your hand!” Rick ordered.

“What? Why?”

“Don’t ask questions just do it!” He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him placing my hand on his fox cat.

“What are you…?”

He shushed me. “Just take a deep breath and concentrate on helping Ashe.”

I didn’t understand what he was saying to me, but he was really upset. The howling of the animal made it clear it was in pain. I didn’t like hearing it in pain. I felt helpless and wanted it to be okay. More than anything I wanted it to be okay.

My hand felt warm and little gold-colored balls of light came out wrapping around the animal and concentrating in the wound. The screeching started to subside and the creature calmed down. Rick held his face close to it whispering something in its ear. It made a growling sort of a purring sound before squeaking. Rick released my hand and the gold bubbles disappeared.

“Thanks,” he said. He made a sniffle and cuddled the animal close to his face. “She dropped her guard. I haven’t been training her like I should.” The fox cat squeaked and licked his face. She looked up at me and squeaked in my direction.

“You’re welcome…I guess.”

Rick made a low laugh. “I didn’t think you were the compassionate type.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Forget I brought it up.” He stood up and looked me in the eyes. “Thank you. Ashe is my most dear friend. She means a lot to me.” Ashe jumped up onto his shoulder and rested her paws on his head.

“Will you tell me what’s going on now?”

He reached up and scratched Ashe behind one of her ears. “All done, Ashe.” She squeaked and did a backflip from his shoulder disappearing in a puff of smoke. He took in a deep breath. “What I was trying to tell you earlier is that I’m your guardian?”

“My what?”

“Your magical guardian, protector, and guide to the magical realm. You are a direct descendant of a seriously powerful witch and the best custodian in human history.”

“Witches? Magical guardian? What are you talking about?”

“I’m trying to explain. How can you not know about your magical roots?”

“My dad never told me about any magical roots. He doesn’t even like the idea of magical anything at all.”

“Okay. Well, a custodian is a protector of the magical world, like the leader of the fae.”

“Fae?”

“Fairies, gnomes, you know, the wee folk.”

“Did you hit your head?”

He chuckled. “I knew this would be difficult but I didn’t know you were so ignorant of the magical world.”

“I am not ignorant!”

“Of the magical world,” he stressed. “Did you not hear me say that part?”

I crossed my arms. “So tell me about it.”

“Okay well, there’s this evil being who goes by the name of Morgan, leader of the djinn.”

“Djinn? Are they like these wee folk?”

“Uh, no. Just like there’s good and evil among people, there’s also good and evil in the magical world.”

“And djinn are evil?”

He let out a sigh. “More mischievous than evil, sort of like Coyote.”

“What does a coyote have to do with anything?”

“Not a coyote. Geez, how do you live out here and not know a single Native American....” He drifted from his thought. “Look, all you need to know right now is that Morgan wants to rule the magical world and he can do so with the information in the book that boggart just stole.”

“Boggart?”

He ignored my confusion obviously tired by it.

I stared at him. I didn’t believe a word he was saying to me, and yet…. “So, what’s in the book?”

“Your book,” he stressed. “And it contains a wealth of spells acquired over the years. Like spells to give you more power and one to take them away.” He watched me, gazing my response.

“I don’t have any magic.”

“You just healed my summon creature and earlier today you made it snow.”

I gasped. “I did nothing of the sort.”

He smiled and shook his head. “My great aunt told me this would be difficult.”

I looked around my room. Papers had been thrown from my desk and around the floor, books were pushed from the shelves, clothes were haphazardly tossed about, my bed was no longer pristine, and my ceramic cat bookend was smashed to pieces. One sad emerald-colored eye stared up at me.

He followed my gaze. “Oh, sorry about that. I’ll help you clean it up. I know you’re a neat freak.”

“Don’t bother.” My voice was breaking.

“Did…did it mean something to you?”

“It was my grandmother’s.”

There was a moment of silence.

“You know….” He started to say something but let the idea go with a deep sigh. “I should’ve been more careful,”

“Yes, you should have.”

“I’ll, uh, I’ll leave you to it then and see you tomorrow.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’ll see myself out.”

I listened to his footsteps head down the stairs and out the door before I slumped into a heap on my floor and cried.