"So, uh, are we going home? I also have to fall asleep, or pretend I've been sleeping, within the hour."
Holly leaves quietly, but she doesn't go home. instead, she goes back to the graveyard, sitting in the same spot she was when this had all began, looking through the book, trying to find any solution.
After one last glance at the bloody bed, Steve walks back home. His house is still empty when he gets back, and he manages to fall asleep before his mother comes back.
Holly, it looks like you're doing the right thing. Find someone who has been cursed, cleanse them, have the curser show remorse. You just need to find that poor boy who received the third curse before it's too late.
Anyone else have something they want to do before we cut to tomorrow?
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The next day:
Other than Maggie, does anyone have a scene they want to tackle before class?
Maggie
Crusted with salt water, you struggle to wake. You make your way out of your room and into the shower and when you emerge from the shower and wipe away the steam...you see the curse as turned you invisible! Perhaps clearing one curse has transferred another onto you?
Oh God, not again, freaking... magic! What did I do?
Maggie freaks out, but does so silently. Alright, invisibility. If it's another curse, I have to go break it. Won't be hard to sneak out, but- how will it work with clothes?
She quickly gets dressed and checks again in the mirror, looking for a reflection of clothes.
Strangely, your clothes fail to appear either.
Give me a difficulty 8 brains roll.
Unsurprisingly, Steve wakes up late. He gets ready, shoves some dry cereal into his mouth, and runs past his mother in the kitchen.
Since she had just come back from a weeklong work trip, he certainly owed her a greeting. But all of her long absences had gradually made it more uncomfortable. "Uh... bye. I'm running late for school," he says between bites.
Steve, your mother stops you. Not so fast, mister! I haven't seen you in a week. Have a seat. I can call you out of first period.
She motions for you to sit.
So, what have you been up to this week? How's practice been?
Steve sits down reluctantly, and tries as hard as he can to avoid a prying conversation. "Nothing," he says blankly. Except for cursing someone to death, breaking into his house, and a saltwater bath in the middle of a graveyard. "Practice was good."
Fatou is a zombie. Lack of sleep and her prescription deaden everything out to dull noise. She'll probably miss band practice. When she's done cutting her waffle, she stares down at it and watches the butter and syrup melt into the bread.
Steve
Your mom clicks her tongue. None of that 'Good' nonsense. What's going on in your life? I feel like you've become a stranger. Do you have a date for the dance coming up?
Fatou
Your mother looks concerned. Fatou, are you sick? You're barely eating! Is...is it your medications again?
Fatou looks up. It was hard to see her mother worried. Hard because it made her conflicted. Her mother had let her father send her away -had practically insisted on it. At the same time, it was hard to be mad at her. The older Fatou got, the more it bothered her that her mother felt so defenseless and alone, cooped up in the house.
Fatou shrugs. "Couldn't get much sleep. Thinking about the dance."
It was a lie, and it was not. With Holly cleaning up her own mess, the whole ordeal was a win, for the most part. Magic was real, the circus were witch hunters, but the omens and stuff must have been pointing to Holly's curse. Once that's taken care of, they all can be friends again, and Fatou will go to the dance with a football player. Her father will be pleased.
Fatou manages to put a piece of waffle in her mouth and starts chewing.
"Oh, Steve Dimin asked me to the dance. I forgot to tell you." Fatou wasn't sure what her mother would make of that. Fortunately, she could just watch her react rather than trying to puzzle it out.
Mom nods. I didn't know that you and Steve were still...in contact. Is this a date?
You calm your panic a bit and realize that you can see yourself when you look down...it's only in the mirror that you're invisible. That should help you function and move around, if you can see yourself.
"Oh, yeah. He's in football now, and I'm in the marching band. We go to some of the same events." Fatou pauses to eat another piece of waffle. Was it a date? A part of her said a school dance was a date by default, at the same time she wasn't sure. Maybe it was two friends going together. Maybe Steve just felt sorry for her. Maybe it was all a prank. Fatou swallows. "Of course it's a date, ma. It's a school dance. I hope he's got a driver's license."
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"I've been... doing homework. We have a project about Slavic folklore. The dance is in a week or two. I don't remember the day. You know it's about to happen when everyone in school starts talking about it."
"Oh, the date." Fatou smiles to hide the internal panic. "Eight o'clock, Friday. We can double up on your bike if you don't have a car... We could go eat somewhere, then catch that new Nightmare on Elm Street movie? Are you headed home from here?"
Holly hasn't really slept, lying awake, alternating between reading her grimoire, and lying listless.A bit of makeup beneath the eyes disguises this fact, as she quietly goes downstairs, to join Joey, Abby, mom and Ted. She sits silently, and started spreading butter and grape jelly over a peice of toast.
Ted looks up from his paper. You ok Holly? You're...quiet, even by your standards.
"I've been... doing homework. We have a project about Slavic folklore. The dance is in a week or two. I don't remember the day. You know it's about to happen when everyone in school starts talking about it."
"Oh, the date." Fatou smiles to hide the internal panic. "Eight o'clock, Friday. We can double up on your bike if you don't have a car... We could go eat somewhere, then catch that new Nightmare on Elm Street movie? Are you headed home from here?"
I'm fine. Just a little tired. Holly said. the last thing she needed was for her parents to get "Concerned" again. She didn't feel like having to scare off another therapist.
That doesn't really make sense. My eyes can see myself, as well as my clothes, but those same eyes can't see me in a mirror? Ok, I have to check whether Mom and Dad can see me, without startling them as a voice out of nowhere if I really am invisible...
Maggie walks downstairs as silently as possible, holding her shoes in her hands, until she's sure to be in her mother's vision field. Then she waves at her.
Maggie:
Your parents aren’t home. They left a note that they had to open the store early.
Holly
You should go to bed earlier. I thought I heard you stomping around late last night...
I'm fine. Holly says, eyes trying to bore into her stepfather's skull. Why the hell do you care? she almost says, but restrains herself, taking a too-large bite out of her toast, and putting jelly on both her cheeks. Not like I'm part of your real family.
Better. I can try on somebody else who won't freak out as much.
Maggie pours herself a small bowl of milk and cereals, her stomach somewhat closed by anxiety.
On her way to the school, she stops by the paper kiosk. "Can I have the Post, please?"
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You stomach the food, but just barely...
This is the suburbs. There’s a coin operated newspaper box, but not a newsstand.
You could certainly look, but you might be late for school.
Is the curse that every damn person in this city disappeared? The custodians will work just fine, if it's not like that.
Maggie hurries towards school, stopping to hello to the first custodian on the way and gauging their response.