Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 22:44:46 -0500
From: Lee McDougal <leoinbama@gmail.com>
Subject: Under your Spell Chapter 7

I really should have made note of this chapter being the big reveal
chapter.  Anyway, surprise!  You will finally learn who the shadow person
is.  If you guessed it right from the start let me know.  Either way let me
know what you think of the chapter and the rest of the story.

                             Under your Spell

                                 Chapter 7

                           When one door closes

There were three books that we managed to obtain from Allen.  One book was
entitled charms and curses.  That book seemed almost childish, and mostly
useless.  The second book was called dragons blood, and it seemed to
contain a lot of useful tricks and spells.  I found the stuff Allen was
doing in that book.  It seemed pretty flashy at the moment, but from what I
could tell his magic wouldn't hold up to mine.  He was taping into magic,
my magic came from within myself.  The third book was a history book of our
town.  I knew it would probably be the most useful, though clearly the most
boring of the bunch.

We decided to go to Daniel's house to read the books, since Allen wouldn't
know where Daniel lived.  He had moved into his home sometime after I
stopped dating Allen.  With luck he wouldn't be able to use magic to find
us.  The reading was going pretty slow though.

"I can't read anymore!  You said we'd switch after 30 minutes."  Daniel
argued.

"Fine, I'll read the history of town some more.  Did you find anything else
other than the long history of all the boring people that lived and died
here?"  I asked.

"Not really, but I did notice something funny.  Let me show you right
quick."  He said.

Daniel showed me that a few of the pages were miss-numbered.  In paticular
in the chapter titled the origin of a town, it would go from page 35 to 38,
38 to 41, 41 to 44.

"That is strange.  Every other page is missing?"  I asked.

"No, the story all flows exactly as it should.it's just numbered like pages
are missing."  He said.

"I wonder if maybe it's a code.  The missing numbers are 36, 37, 39, 40,
42, 43."

"That's too many numbers to be a combination isn't it, like on a lock I
mean?"  He asked.

"Probably so, they usually only have 3 numbers I think.  Zip codes have 6
numbers though.  What if we add the numbers together and get.9,10 or 1
maybe, 12 or 2, 4, 6, 7.  912467"

"Let me look it up on the computer.  That sounds like it would be a
California Zip code, if it is a Zip code at all." Daniel said.

"Okay, I'll look around for anything about California in this book."  I
said.

"This shouldn't take long."  Daniel told me as he logged into his account.
"Hmmm.nothing on the official list of zip codes."

"Try googling the number."  I said.

"Hmm.I got a hit.  It says there was once a town named Craven in
California."  He said.

"Once was, what happened to it?"  I asked.

"It says the town died out, literally.  Almost everyone in the town died in
a mysterious plauge.  Everyone experienced some severe form of anemia."  He
said.

"So wait you mean they died of a loss of blood?"  I asked.

"I guess, but the site pretty much says the whole thing is just an urban
legend made up to scare kids."  Daniel said.

"If it's just a legend, then why the zip code?"  I asked.

"Good question, do you think this is something to check out?"  Daniel
asked.

"Probably, wasn't Craven the family name Allen mentioned yesterday?"  I
asked.

"Yesterday, have we been reading these books that long?"  Daniel sighed and
yawned.

"Yeah, it's 6 in the morning.  I guess we should get some sleep.  We may
have to make a trip to California when we wake up."  I told him.

"Sounds fun.  I bet your magic will work a lot better than any of the map
sites online."  He joked.

"Hopefully.  Maybe there's more about this town somewhere in this book."  I
suggested.

"I think we can wait till we get some rest before we look through that shit
anymore."  Daniel said.

"Agreed, I'd fall asleep if I had to read anymore."  I admitted.

I crashed in Daniel's guest room, and I wasn't asleep for very long before
something woke me.  Allen finally managed to find us.

"Wake up sunshine!  It's too late to be sleeping!"  He said shaking me
awake.

"Allen, how did you get in here?"  I asked.

"I picked the lock.  It was pretty easy, and you were both asleep.  Not
very wise really."  Allen said.

"I think you'll soon find you are the one that isn't very wise."  I didn't
move an inch, but instead envisioned that he was handcuffed to the bed.

"Oh kinky, it's about time you came around.  Are you going to have your way
with me now?"  Allen asked.

"Oh yeah, but I don't think you are going to like it much!"  I said and I
pulled his hair back and pulled a knife to his throat.

"Where the fuck did the knife come from?"  He asked panicked.

"You don't know much about real magic do you?  Just your little parlor
tricks.  I can do anything I set my mind too.  Right now I'm wondering why
I shouldn't kill you?  You might ought to talk fast."  I said.

"Fine, I know something about Brody."  Allen said.

"Spill it out now!"  I ordered.

"The cave you talked about.  It's in California.  An old friend of mine
used to talk about a magic cave where he used to play when he was younger,
before he moved."  He told me.

"What's this friends name?"  I asked.

"I can't tell you that, go ahead and kill me.  I'd rather die than have to
face him."  He said.

I tried to read his mind, but I guess that wasn't one of my powers.  I at
least knew we were on the right track earlier.

"Okay, I'm going to let you go, but I'll make you this promise.  If you
ever come near me again, I will kill you.  And I also promise you this,
they will never find the body."  I said.

"You-u-u don't mean that.  I know you better than that.  You would never
kill anyone."  Allen responded.

"You aren't anyone.  You are the monster fuck that tried to rape me.  In my
eyes I can't even see you as human anymore.  Get out of here before I
change my mind about letting you go."  His handcuffs were gone, and he got
moving fast.

"Did I just hear the door slam?"  Daniel asked waking up.

"Yes, our friend Allen came by to let us know it would be fine if we kept
the books for a bit longer."  I said though I'm sure he could tell I was
lying.

"You look strange Anthony."  He said.

"I almost killed him.  I can't believe it, but I did.  I was just so angry!
How can anyone do what he tried to do to me."  I said and I cried.

"It's okay man!  I would kill the bastard myself if I had half a chance.
He's got all that magic shit though, so I'm not much of a challenge for him
I guess."  Daniel said.

"His magic isn't anything but parlor tricks.  If you study that book of his
you'll be able to do anything he can."  I told him.

"I'd rather not to be honest.  I don't have anything against magic, but I
really rather not be linked to anything Allen."  He said.

"I can totally understand that.  I'm just glad Brody can use our powers to
protect himself wherever he is."  I said.

"I don't think that's the case though.  I didn't want to say anything about
it, but I think he can only tap into the power when he's with you.  I mean
you don't have to be touching, but if you aren't at least in the same zip
code I seriously doubt he has any powers at all."  He told me, and then the
fake front of confidence I had about the situation really started to
dwindle to nothing.

"This just keeps getting better.  He's out there in California with no way
to protect himself?"  I asked.

"Yeah, Cali is a long way from Alabama, so I seriously doubt he still can
tap into the power."  Daniel said.

"Okay, then we have to get to Craven right away.  It is the only lead we
have.  I'll do a search in the book for more info on that family."  I
decided to try converting the book to a text file for the pc.the spell
worked wonders and soon it was online.

"Okay now all I have to do is type in craven and hit find."  I told him.

"Why didn't you think of doing this last night?"  He asked me.

"I wasn't as desperate last night, desperation brings inspiration
sometimes."  I stated.

It didn't take long to find a reference to the Craven family.  They moved
to Alabama in 1960, and were a huge part of the community for years.  They
mainly disappeared in 1998.  That was the year I graduated from High
School.  I tried to remember back if anyone moved that year and I realized
that was the same year David died and his family moved away.

"Could this have to do with David's family?  Do you remember that guy David
who died in a fire back in 98?"  I asked Daniel.

"Yeah, his last name wasn't Craven was it?"  He asked.

"No, but maybe he was related to them.  His last name was Tanner.  Let me
search for that."  I answered.

The search for Tanner was a no go.  However, when I tried searching on the
regular internet I found a family tree website that linked the tanner name
to the Craven name, but what did it really mean?  Was someone related to
David trying to hurt Brody for moving on?  Did they expect him to grieve
David forever?

"I don't get it, what's the connection here.  Why would someone linked to
David want to hurt Brody?"  I said.

"What if they aren't trying to hurt him, what if this is about you?"
Daniel suggested.

"Like he's the bait to a trap?"  I asked.

"Bingo.  I don't like this at all."  Daniel said.

"I know what you mean, but look I found a picture of craven, the town that
is, it's not much, but it looks like enough to go on.  We better get
going."  I said and like that Daniel and I were standing in an old deserted
town.

"You could have warned me before you did that you know?"  Daniel said he
had fell flat on his ass.  He was sitting at the time we left.

"Sorry man, I just didn't want to wait any longer than I had to.  We gotta
find that damn cave."  I told him.

"Shouldn't we come up with some kind of plan first though?  This place
looks like an old west town, except slightly more modern."  Daniel
commented as he got up and we both looked around.

"Yeah I guess that was the time period it was from.  I hope it isn't a
large town."  I said as we started walking down the street that seemed to
be the main road of the town.

 It was not much more than a dirt road though.  We passed an old buggy that
looked like it needed a horse, a bank sign, and finally a saloon.

"Okay we are walking down a tv set I just know it.  Where's the little
church on the outskirts of town."  I joked.

"I don't know about that, but there seems to be a good bit of trees over
that way."  Daniel pointed out a forest in the distance.

"I wonder if it's the forest from before.  I bet it is!"  I said excited.

We rushed towards the forest but just as we were about to enter it's
border.*pow* we hit what felt like a brick wall.

"Damn it, not again with this force field crap!"  I said as I picked myself
back up off the ground.

"Hmmm.there has to be some way in."  Daniel said.

"What's that old saying, when one door closes find a window?"  Grandmother
said appearing before us.

"A window, what do you mean?"  I asked.

"There's another way into that forest.  I think you'll find some answers if
you check out the town some more.  I would love to just tell you, but
what's the fun in that?"  She asked.

"You do know Brody's in danger right Grandma?  Just tell us!"  I argued.

"Brody is safe for now, but you are right in hurrying.  His captor grows
tired of waiting.  I wish I could tell you more, but I can't.  I'm sorry
dear."  With that she vanished.

"Wow, that was really weird.  She didn't really look like Grandma to me."
Daniel said.

"Yeah, I think she looks younger now, maybe in her 20's or 30's instead of
the Grandma age we knew her at."  I told him.

"I guess that would make sense.  Let's look for some clues I guess.  How
about a library?"  He suggested.

"Great just what we need more books!"  I said disgusted with the idea.

"Let's just look around and see what we see."  Daniel suggested.

We walked back towards town.  We had hardly got back into town when I saw
the funniest thing.  It was a white rabbit wearing a top hat.

"Am I seeing correctly, or is there a rabbit in a hat over there?"  I asked
Daniel.

"What are you talking about?  I don't see anything."  Daniel answered.

"Look its right there, wait its running away.  Let's catch it!"  I said.

I started chasing the white rabbit.  The irony of it all hit me about the
time I fell down a hole.  Wonderland here I come!

"Are you okay man?"  Daniel asked rushing to the hole.

"I'm okay, at least I think.  I fell pretty far, but I don't think
anything's broke.  I think.I think I'm in a tunnel."  I told him.

"Okay, wait right there and I'll see if I can find a rope or something to
pull you out with."  Daniel said.

He rushed off before I could tell him that I didn't really need help
getting out.  I could just use my powers.  However, he wasn't gone long
before I spotted the damn rabbit again.  In the back of my mind I knew it
had to be a trap, but I decided to play the part of Alice for now.

"I'm coming you long eared varmint."  I said walking after the furry yet
well dressed animal.

The tunnel was pretty steep and I realized it was going uphill.  It seemed
like I walked at least an hour before I saw light at the end of the tunnel.
I exited the tunnel into the forest.

"Well, not quite wonderland Mr. Rabbit.  However thanks for the help."  The
funny thing is it winked at me, before hopping off and dissappearing.

"Well that was special.  Now what, will Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb come
to guide me to the cave?"  I asked.

I thought about going back to find Daniel but just when I went to head back
to the tunnel the entrance sealed itself.  I guess I would be facing the
cave alone, just as predicted.

"You know Anthony, sometimes it's okay to be wrong about this things!"  I
said angry about the whole mess.

I walked through the woods and things started to look more and more
familiar as I went deeper in.  It seemed like it took hours, but I found my
way to the cave at last.  There it was dark and uninviting.  Unfortunately
now I wasn't nearly as alone as I had thought to be.  There in the distance
coming towards me was the shadow creature.

"No time for second thoughts."  I said aloud and I rushed into the cave.

I ran as quickly as I could and the world around me grew darker and darker.
I tried to use my magic to make a light or a torch or anything, but nothing
would work.  It was like a powerful anti-light spell was all over that damn
cave.  I could hear the foot steps of my enemy coming closer.  Then
suddenly, I ran square into a rock wall and fell onto the ground.

"At last we meet face to face after all these years."  The voice of the
shadow creature sounded so familiar now.

"What do you want?  What have you done to Brody?"  I asked.

"Brody is safe for now.  I would worry more about yourself old friend."  It
was then I remembered.  It had been years, but it was David's voice.

"David?  How can this be, you died years ago?"  I asked.

"Died?  Yes I guess it was sort of like dying, but no I'm still very much
around.  You want to see Brody?"  He asked me.

"Yes, very much so." I said and got up off the ground.

"Come, I'll take you too him."  He said and pushed me from behind to move
forward.

As we walked I sensed danger from the whole thing.  I tried to make light
again using my magic.  Then I remembered something Grandmother said.
"Light inside you."  That was when the thought come to me to change my
vision to work like night vision.

"You aren't here to help me are you David?"  I asked him.

"No, I'm here to kill you!"  David said and just then I managed to produce
a night vision effect to see his face.  He was a vampire.  His teeth were
like fangs, and he was coming towards me slowly.  There was a feeling of
fear and terror that rushed over me, and I couldn't move.  He grabbed me
and I soon felt his teeth sink to the flesh of my neck.  I tried to scream
and there was a loud scream but it was not mine.  He fell to the floor.

"What are you?  Your blood burns my insides like acid!"  He screamed in
agony.

"I'm not quite human either buddy, and from the looks of things you won't
be killing me today.  Whatever power you had over me is gone.  Now I'm
going to find Brody, after I finish you off."  I used my powers to bring a
stake forward and I was about to plunge it into his heart.

"Wait, if you kill me now you'll never see Brody again.  You'll never find
him alone!"  He said.

"Fine, you are going to lead me to him then.  If you try anything funny
you'll be dead real fast!"  I told him.

I didn't like it, but for now I had to go along with Count David.  I had no
idea till now that vampires even existed, and to tell you the truth so far
I was unimpressed.  I could only assume the reason my blood burned him was
because of the nature of my heritage.  Angel blood was probably like holy
water to a creature of evil.  That at least saved my life that time, but I
wasn't na‹ve there are other ways a vampire can kill.

                              To be continued

We are getting closer all the time to the end of this portion of the story,
but I have some exiting ideas for a new story arch.  I really hope it will
spice things up a bit.  I will give you a bit of a hint, a story I wrote in
the past will be crossing over with this one.  I hope you will stick with
me.  As usual send any comments to me at leoinbama@gmail.com