Brewing Fun Read online

  Brewing Fun

  by

  Sara Bourgeois

  Chapter One

  It was a dark and stormy night…

  Just kidding. It was actually a sparklingly beautiful day, and I was driving to work, dancing to the radio, and smiling like a fool. This particular day would have been a good one for me to have been a psychic instead of a witch.

  I wonder if I could conjure up psychic powers for myself?

  Anyway, I was driving to work and part of my trip was on a twisty section of highway where you can’t really see what’s ahead of you. That’s where the psychic powers would have come in handy.

  So, I was driving along, minding my own business and the road, when a truck came around one of the curves halfway in my lane. I laid on the horn, but I’m pretty sure the driver was texting.

  I grabbed the wheel and jerked it toward the shoulder. I know. I know you’re not supposed to do that. But, given the situation, I didn’t think that a slow, measured adjustment would cut it.

  In the last second, I closed my eyes and tried to picture time slowing down. Unfortunately, this gave me about three seconds more because the impact was already milliseconds away.

  As the front end of the truck made contact with my Jeep, I finally saw the driver look up. Get this. He honked his horn at me.

  After the honking sound, there was a thump and a loud scraping sound. At that point, my Jeep went spinning off onto the side of the road while the truck slid into the median. It was like when you were a kid, and you’d crash your toy cars together. Except this was adulthood, and this type of accident could be expensive. Oh, and deadly. Someone could have been hurt.

  Like the guy who was texting and driving. He was lucky it was me and not Esme. She would have shredded him. All I wanted was to use a little magic to fix the damage and erase the dude’s memory of the accident.

  It was true. I hadn’t really done that before, but if the guy didn’t want to be my guinea pig, he shouldn’t have been texting and driving. It wasn’t like I would hurt him.

  If the spell didn’t work, all that would’ve happened would be that he remembered the accident. He wouldn’t tell people that he saw me fix the Jeep with magic because he’d have to reveal that he’d caused an accident too.

  Then, I realized I couldn’t repair the damage in front of him and wipe his memory because he’d just go back to texting and driving. Ugh, I was going to have to handle this like a normal person would.

  So, I got out my phone and called Brad. He met me on the side of the highway about ten minutes later. Interestingly, the man in the truck who’d hit me hadn’t crossed the road to talk. He’d just stayed in the median next to his truck.

  I’d wanted to believe that the guy knew he’d messed up, but the way he kept glaring at me told a different story. I was thankful when Brad finally arrived because the dude had started to make me nervous.

  Brad pulled his patrol car up behind my Jeep and got out. “What happened Lenny?”

  “Oh, sure! Talk to her first!” The guy yelled from the median.

  “Sir, are you injured?” Brad called back.

  “No.” The man responded gruffly.

  “Then, I’ll be over there after I’m done speaking with the lady,” Brad said sternly.

  Brad turned his attention back to me. “So, are you okay, Lenny? Tell me what happened.”

  “The guy was texting and driving. I tried to swerve out of the way, but he hit me anyway.” I said.

  “You saw him texting?”

  “Yeah, a couple of seconds before he hit me. He was holding his phone on the wheel. It was evident.”

  “I can get his phone company to verify that as long as you’re willing to sign a statement,” Brad said. “I’m going to go talk to him. Wait here.”

  “I got your back if he gets frisky,” I said and laughed.

  “Simmer down, killer.” He said with a chuckle and started toward the man.

  I watched Brad try to have a conversation with the guy, and from what I could see and hear, it didn’t go well. I’m pretty sure at one point, Brad had been ready to Taser the guy.

  The man yelled, and his face turned bright red. He threw his phone down on the ground and stomped on it, and I heard Brad tell him that it wouldn’t stop the police from getting the information.

  After a while, Brad came back and asked if I needed a tow truck. I told him no and that my Jeep would still run. He insisted that I get in and start it before he would leave.

  I pulled away and cursed myself for not calling Charles to explain why I’d was running late. I couldn’t even consider using my phone while I was driving, and pulling over again would’ve just taken more times. So, I figured I’d just get there as fast as I could without endangering myself further.

  He’d wanted to have a meeting first thing upon my arrival, and I’d stopped on the way to work to get us both a mocha. Charles didn’t start drinking them until he met me, but I had him addicted.

  Fortunately, they hadn’t spilled. The coffees might have been a little cold when I finally got to work, but a little fire magic in the parking lot would clear that issue right up.

  With warm coffee in my hands and my best I’m sorry face ready to go, I walked into the office. The music coming from Charles’ computer told me he was playing a video game, and that he thought his headphones were plugged in. Honestly, I didn’t know how he could never tell that nothing was coming through them.

  “Busy day today, eh Charles?” I pestered playfully.

  “I’m working about as hard as you.” He countered.

  It was good to know he was still in a happy mood and that I wouldn’t be getting lectured for my tardiness. Who was I kidding, though? Charles had never scolded me once in the entire time I’d worked for him.

  “Sorry about that, boss man. I was in a bit of a fender bender on the way here.”

  “Oh, my. Are you alright?” He asked and clicked off his game. “I’m sorry, Lenny. I shouldn’t have teased you.”

  “I'm all right, Charles. I’m sure the Jeep is going to be okay too. I know someone who can work magic with things like that.” I said with a smile. “Now, you told me you want to have a meeting.”

  “Yes, let’s go sit out in the great room. You’re going to want to be comfortable for this.”

  I followed Charles out of the office area and into the large room that flanked it. There was a small fire going in the fireplace, and we each took a seat.

  The cabin where the newspaper’s office was located had a full living room set and great views of the surrounding forest. It reminded me of hunting lodges I’d seen in the movies. We didn’t use it often, but it was a still a comfortable area that Charles and I used to get away from our desks from time to time.

  “What’s going on, Charles?” I asked skeptically. “Are you firing me? Don’t tell me you found someone to work cheaper.”

  He laughed. “No, it’s quite the opposite actually.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked and sipped my piping hot mocha.

  “Lenny, I don’t know any other way to say this, so I’m just going to be blunt. I’m retiring. My doctor said that my headaches are my body’s way of telling me that it’s time to slow down.”

  “You’re leaving?”

  “Yes, and the paper’s owner wants you to take my place. We had a lengthy discussion on the subject, and there is no one else I trust to keep this place running successfully. Now, you’re an amazing investigative reporter and writer, so the owner wants you to keep writing on a regular basis. That means that you’ll need to hire someone to help you out around here. Find a person to take over the columns and the less involved stories.” Charles said and sipped his coffee.

  “You want me to take over the paper and hire a new
reporter.”

  “I’ve got three candidates lined up for you to interview. Each one would be an excellent fit for the newspaper, but you get to choose which one is the right fit for you.”

  And, that was that. Charles was retiring, I was in charge of the paper, and there was the small matter of hiring a new columnist. At least I didn’t have to drum up my own candidates. I trusted Charles to find the best of the best.

  Well, the finest candidates who would be willing to move to Tree’s Hollow and write advice columns and stories on the local water district. Even if I was in charge of all of the responsibilities that came with running the newspaper, I still intended to keep all of the good stories for myself.

  With Nathan healed enough that he would return to work soon, things began to feel as though they were back on track. That was all about to change.

  Chapter Two

  While I was prepping dinner that night for Nathan and I, the knife slipped, and I sliced into my hand. I tried for a few minutes to stop the bleeding, but it was getting scary.

  After taking a few deep breaths and calming down a bit, I tried to heal the cut, but it was too much for my puny healing powers. Nathan was out on a walk. He was going back to work, and he’d been taking long walks to get his stamina back.

  I looked at the clock and realized it could be an hour or more before he’d be back. I’d told him to take his time because I was making Indian food for dinner and it’s a complicated recipe.

  So, I picked up my cellphone and tried to call him, but I’m not sure why. Even if he hadn’t left his phone on the coffee table, he would be a long way away and on foot.

  “Looks like you’ve got yourself in a pickle,” Jezebel said from the living room. “Can you drive?”

  “I think so, but I don’t want to get blood all over the Jeep.”

  “That’s what you’re worried about.” She said smarmily. “Humans are so messed up.”

  “You’re not helping,” I said as I looked around, but for what I wasn’t sure.

  “I’m not trying to.” She said and then sighed loudly.

  Abby appeared, “Oh, Lenny. Grab the big blue towel from the hall closet. Wrap your hand in that. It’ll keep you from getting blood all over your car.”

  “Thank you,” I said and then rolled my eyes at Jezebel. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Please tell Nate not to worry.”

  “I’m going to tell him you got ax murdered,” Jezebel said as she studied the blood on the kitchen floor.

  “I hate you,” I said playfully.

  “I hate you too.” She purred back.

  I pulled into a parking spot at the hospital as best I could considering that I was driving with one hand. I tried to walk quickly into the emergency department, but I had begun to grow woozy. I didn’t feel very magical at the time, and I vowed to spend more time in nature to recharge my mystic batteries.

  Once inside, I was relieved to see that the waiting room was empty. I hoped that meant I wouldn’t have to wait too long to be seen. If I could get Esme’s attention, she might even be able to get me fixed up without having to see a doctor.

  Alas, that was not meant to be. While the waiting room was empty, every bed inside the emergency department was full. There wasn’t a place for me in a room, but when I swooned and almost collapsed, a nurse put me on a bed in the hallway.

  I was laying there with my arm elevated and the painkillers starting to kick in when Esme finally stumbled across me. She almost walked right by, but after taking a second look, the light bulb went on.

  “Lenny. Oh my Gawd, are you okay?”

  “Would I be here if I was?” I said sarcastically.

  “Well, your sarcasm is still intact, so I guess it’s not a fatal injury,” Esme replied with a chuckle.

  “I cut my hand cooking. It was bleeding a lot. I got woozy.” I said matter-of-factly.

  “You’re going to need stitches, but good luck getting those around here before it’s too late,” Esme said grimly.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll find a place to take you, and I’ll fix it. I think I’ve got enough healing juice to take care of this. Just rest, and I’ll be back as quick as I can.” She said and then took off when I heard someone calling her name from down the hall.

  I laid back down after she was gone and felt the pain medicine drawing me into sleep. My eyelids grew heavy, and I let them fall. The moment my eyes were closed, a piercing howl snapped them back open.

  Staff wheeled a woman on a gurney down the hall and stopped near mine. She was writhing and crying out in pain as the nurses tried to calm her down. One of them stuck a needle into her arm, and the woman went still.

  “What caused this? What could have done this to her?” One of the nurses whispered to another.

  Once the woman was still, I saw what they were talking about. She was covered in deep scratches. They didn’t look life threatening, but the wounds did look painful.

  After everyone was gone, I did my best to sit up. I still felt woozy, but I was able to prop myself up on my elbows and get a better look at the woman. I wasn’t sure what to say, but I hated that she was just lying there alone and in pain.

  “Hi. I’m Lenny.” Was the best I could come up with on the fly.

  The top of her gurney was aligned with the foot of mine. She bent her head back so that her eyes met mine as she looked up at me.

  “I’m Calinda.” Was all the woman said, but she did offer Lenny a slight smile.

  Calinda fluffed her pillow up a bit. The hospital pillows were quite flat and entirely too hard, but beggars can’t be choosers. Right? I thought she looked sad.

  “I can’t believe I let this happen. We’re not supposed to be this weak.” Calinda said softly as she reclined onto the bed again.

  “What do you mean?” She’d definitely piqued my curiosity.

  “Oh, nothing.” Her response was quick and sheepish. Calinda had said something she hadn’t meant to spill.

  “It’s the pain meds,” I said knowingly. “They make the hurt go away, but it also loosens the lips.”

  She chuckled, and I think the laughter helped Calinda relax even more. How do I know that? Because when she did, I picked up on something. It was a faint aura that emanated from her when she giggled.

  There was earth magic surrounding her, but not a type of witchcraft. Calinda was magical, but it was something else. Then, it hit me.

  “You’re a bear.” I enthused.

  Calinda looked at me again with eyes as wide as saucers, and her mouth dropped open. She sat up quickly despite the fact that the movement appeared to cause her some pain.

  “What did you say?” Calinda said as she inched toward the edge of the gurney like she wanted to flee.

  I knew I had to think of something fast. The medicine had loosened my lips too, and I shouldn’t have just blurted that out. Finding a way to put her at ease before she ran out of the hospital was imperative.

  I decided to go with the truth. "You've got a bear inside of you. I can see it."

  "You can see that?" She whispered.

  Chapter Three

  "I can see a lot of things," I said.

  "How?" Calinda asked. "No one has ever been able to tell. I mean, other than family."

  I thought about it for a moment. I mean, it's probably a bad idea to go around telling people that I'm a witch, but this chick is a bear. "I'm a witch."

  "Nu uh." She said with wide eyes.

  "Well, you're a bear. Is me being a witch really all that weird?"

  "I guess not," Calinda said thoughtfully.

  Suddenly, Calinda's head turned as she looked down the hall. She sat up quickly and gasped in pain. After trying to stand up, she collapsed back onto the gurney.

  My hand wasn't bleeding as much anymore, so I got up to help her. "What's wrong?"

  "He's here. He found me." She whispered.

  Calinda's eyes were wide, and tears had begun to form in the corners. H
er body shook with fear, and when I reached out to take her hand, her skin was on fire with fever.

  "Who's here?" I asked, but as soon as I looked in the same direction, I saw a man.

  For some reason, I couldn't make out his facial features. He wore a hoodie, but I still should have been able to see his face. Instead, it was shadowed and blurry.

  "Cally girl. I'm so glad I found you." He called out and started to walk quickly down the hall in our direction.

  "Get me out of here, please." She begged.

  "Come on," I said and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "Put your weight on me. I'll get us out of here."

  While I couldn't heal myself efficiently, I could influence gravity a bit. I used a hint of nature magic to make Calinda lighter, and we raced down the hallway in the opposite direction of her pursuer.

  I really only knew where one thing in the hospital was located. "We're going to hide in the morgue."

  "Where they keep the dead people?" Calinda asked in a terrified voice.

  "Try not to think about it," I said as I rapidly and repeatedly pushed the elevator button.

  "You know that doesn't make the elevator come faster," Calinda said.

  "It does when you're a witch," I stated with a half smile, and the elevator doors opened.

  I pulled Calinda into the elevator, and the man pursuing us began to sprint toward the elevator. "Come on. Come on. Come on." I said while pushing the close button.

  The man reached the elevator just as the doors closed. I could hear him slam into them. "Thank goodness."

  "He moves fast. It's not going to take long for him to reach the basement using the stairs." Calinda said.

  "We'll hide as fast as we can. I've been down here before. I know where we can go."

  "Do I even want to know why you know where to hide in the morgue?"

  "It's a long story. I'll tell you sometime over a tall glass of lemonade." I said as the elevator doors opened to the basement.

  "I prefer ice tea," Calinda said with a chuckle.

  "I can work with that." I quickly found the door to the morgue. "Now, keep your eyes closed if you need to. I'll guide you to."