We parked the Volvo in a public lot downtown and soon enough we were pulling open the front door of Toni's. The combination bakery, sandwich and pastry shop was already buzzing with its usual crowd of hungry community college students. Thankfully, one of the park bench styled tables was clean and unoccupied. The counter was packed with its usual supply of baked goods and a sign above the register listed out the normal fare alongside its famous, possibly infamous, sandwiches such as the Jellyfish, the Gobbler, and the Reverse Meatball.
Lucas's favorite was the Uncle Ray, but as I waited for my turn to order I realized I was at a loss for what was actually on the sandwich. I eagerly read its listing on the menu board, which described it as a classic grilled cheese loaded with bacon and finished with a heaping scoop of crunchy peanut butter. My heart and stomach were churning with doubt as I approached the register. Was I remembering it right? Did Lucas really like this sandwich? The sound of the door startled me causing me to jump and reflexively swivel around. My eyes met Dan's as he got in line just behind me. A few incredibly awkward seconds later he started gesturing vaguely toward the counter, and I found the line was gone. Chris and Sarah must have ordered already. After a final moment of hesitation, I requested my past self's usual fare, paid, and in short order I held the object claiming to be a sandwich and joined my friends.
A drop of grease fell from my dubious meal's wrapper and splattered on the floor as I slid into the half bench next to Sarah. Chris settled in across from us, and eventually Dan joined him. Chris was grinning as he unwrapped what appeared to be a club sandwich on wheat, Dan had already torn into his Ruben, and Sarah's Italian on ciabatta looked divine. They had all ordered normal sandwiches. What the hell was I even doing?
"Lucas, what is this farce of a 'food' craving that you have cursed me with?" I muttered under my breath.
The fried object on my tray was supposed to be incredible, well, according to my recollection anyway. I picked half of it up and carefully dug in. I barely managed to keep the viscous goo within the sandwich from coating my face by minimizing my bite pressure. The flavor matched Lucas's recollection and it was incredible. Despite the unconventional mix of ingredients, extremely greasy texture, and the fact that it was named after Lucas's quirky boss, I still found that I liked it. I almost choked on a mouthful of peanut butter as I realized that I was technically still employed. Uncle Ray was my quirky boss now.
"I totally forgot about my job with everything else going on," I muttered.
"The video rental place, right?" Chris said.
"I am going to have to tell my boss about... uh... that I am trans," I said with a sigh. "I am confident that I will still be able to perform my duties if he gives me a chance, but I just..." I trailed off.
"Laura, not everyone is like Tommy," Dan said reassuringly.
"Look, even if only one or two people out of a hundred are as bad as he is, the danger is still real," I said, consoling myself with another bite of the paradoxically good disaster zone of a lunch.
"The Video Zone is right down the street, and we're all here. Do you want us to come and back you up while you straighten things out with your boss?" Dan asked.
I slowly shook my head while my mouth was full.
"Yeah, Laura, please let us tag along, it's really no trouble," Sarah said easily.
Maybe they were right. The backup would help, and I needed to tell my boss eventually. It was not like I was planning on turning back into Lucas anytime soon. I doubted it was even possible, and I would hate it, if I was being honest. After a few moments I finished chewing and said, "Okay, fine. I give up. That is a good idea. Thanks. I could also use some help coming up with an explanation for my prolonged absence, since we definitely cannot mention the mess we have gotten ourselves into."
"Well, you could blame it all on this history test this Tuesday. Just say you're cramming because the class puts you to sleep. Has the benefit of also being true," Chris offered.
"I have to be careful with excuses like that since my employment is contingent on keeping good grades," I said.
"Really? One of my friends who graduated last year said the head manager at the Mighty Mackinac Coney Island keeps scheduling him for extra shifts that conflict with his college classes. I thought bosses didn't care about school at all," Dan said between bites of his sandwich.
"People who finish their degrees tend to quit their minimum wage jobs. His boss is probably trying to sabotage him to get him to stick around as long as possible. " Sarah said.
"Uncle Ray is more of a friend than a boss, I guess. I plan to keep this job after high school and into college. I need it, in fact. My dad is already working himself to the bone," I said.
"We'll be glad to give you some support Laura. It's no problem. We're a team after all. Speaking of teams, how is football going, Dan? Is the gridiron still treating you right?" Sarah asked with a smirk.
Dan let out a long sigh and said, "Sarah, it's March, football is a fall sport. I feel like I've told you this before."
"Still, you must be doing practices or training if you're gonna be on the college football team, right?" Chris asked.
"Those aren't starting up until after we graduate, even for my teammates with early acceptance letters. Believe me, there's plenty of time between May and September for more training," Dan explained.
"Did you get yours yet?" Sarah prodded.
"Nope. My mom said normal letters should start arriving in the middle of March. So, I'm just waiting," Dan huffed.
"Well, I'm planning on transferring somewhere after going to TCCC, my grades need the lift," Sarah said referring to the local community college.
"What about you, Chris? I bet you have a full conference of colleges in line to demand you attend them," Dan said quickly after Sarah finished.
"I didn't send any paperwork early. I didn't see a point. My parents just want me to go to a big-name school and knowing I'm in earlier I think will make them even more annoying. I just applied for normal admission at State and U-of-M," Chris said easily. I knew his grades were stellar and he would easily be accepted. "My parents wanted me to apply to Purdue, Boston, and a bunch of other high ranking business schools." He rubbed his forehead as he continued, "I just, ugh, I don't want to get into that. At least they've been mostly leaving me alone since my grades are high. It's like I'm invisible unless I'm talking about business or classes about business." Based on my past-self's memories I knew Chris's parents were successful managers, even if I had no idea where they worked, and the pressure they had put on Chris had clearly been weighing on him.
"Is there something that you do want to do then?" I asked. As soon as the words left my mouth I knew that Lucas would not have pressed. I asked anyway because the same question had been nibbling at the edges of my thoughts.
"Actually, I was considering something," Chris said while motioning to his wrist. As he gently touched his fingers to the spot where his deflection ward had been, but as he did a worried expression spread across his face. "Oh, it's gone."
"Bet it saved your life," Dan said with a wide smile. "Impressive stuff, Chris, especially without... help." Dan gave him a gentle slap on Chris's back.
"I'll need to replace it, especially with the trouble we keep getting into," Chris added uneasily as he rubbed his wrist nervously. Copying his motions, I checked my own copy of the enchantment and was surprised to find it too had been expended. "Good thing I threw a bunch of supplies into the trunk. I figured we might want to copy or try some of the new circles we find." At Chris's mention of 'circles' Dan glanced around, clearly nervous about our nearly open discussion of magic.
"I will need to restore mine too," I added, gesturing at my own wrist.
"Anyway, my point is knowing it's real that means I could do it instead. It would be way more interesting than a business degree and somewhere like a big university has got to be a good place to start looking for people who might know more," Chris said excitedly. He was right, it did sound like a lot more fun than his parents' plan. Lucas had been vaguely thinking something in the field of history or maybe even English, but nothing had felt quite right. Now that I was missing a pile of history knowledge, the idea of pursuing that degree was extremely unsettling.
"I should do that too," I said quietly. "I should find out if there are other people here in Thread Creek who are both in the loop and on our side. Maybe before you all go off to college, we can meet some of them."
"Just make sure you have a backup plan. I'd wager that these folks you're looking for still have day jobs to pay the bills. Any athlete will tell you the same. Don't get stuck doing something you hate. Also, don't forget, we've got stuff to do today," Dan said. He was antsy, he had balled up his sandwich wrapper already and kept glancing between our remaining food and the door.
"Oh, relax," Sarah said. "And you Laura? Still doing that gap year?"
My plan for the future was nebulous compared to my friends. Lucas was going to work for a year before starting college to save up money. But that had been Lucas's plan and not my plan. Fortunately, that meant it was not set in stone. I was a completely different person now, if I wanted to be. In the back of my mind, distantly, I had been playing around with the idea of doing something else and there was a tiny voice pleading that I needed and had to do something different. For now though, the current strategy functioned as a passable answer.
"Yeah, and working at The Video Zone during it, so I need to keep the job. Then, starting at TCCC next fall. Maybe I will have a class with you eventually," I replied with a smile.
"Hopefully," Sarah said, mirroring my expression.
I disengaged from the rest of the conversation to focus on finishing eating. The sandwich was weirdly wonderful, but a complete mess to eat. I had to be constantly vigilant to keep peanut butter from gushing out all over my clothing. Even with my focus fully devoted to eating, I was still the last one to finish.
I should have picked something less gimmicky.
The four of us cleaned up our table and headed for The Video Zone where I occasionally worked. Thread Creek's downtown area was tiny so the walk between the shops was a short one. As I pushed open the door I heard the familiar greeting from my boss behind the counter, "Welcome to The Video Zone! Don't mind the fish out front, he's just our movie-loving mascot!" My mind drifted back to the sign out front featuring a large cartoonish fish. It was a bit out of place, but I had long since grown used to it.
"Uh, hey, Uncle Ray," I said uneasily. He was not my uncle, but he insisted on being called 'Uncle Ray' by everyone. This and many more features of his peculiar personality were notorious enough to result in him having a sandwich named after him. His gruff and loud demeanor had been off-putting at first, but he did seem to really care about me and my performance in school.
"Young lady, I'm sorry, but I don't recognize you," my boss said, his confusion evident even with most of his face covered by dark sunglasses. Uncle Ray had become blind at some point after opening the video rental store, but he was not going to let that stop him from running his dream business.
"Um, I am, well, I transitioned, I guess," I stammered. "I was Lucas, but I go by Laura now."
"You certainly sound different. I bet you could get some serious voice acting roles if that's really you kid," Uncle Ray said with a wry grin.
"I have been really busy with my classes. We are right in the middle of a pile of tests. Midterms for single semester classes and the last test before finals for full year classes. I was focused on studying. I know the rules, school comes first," I said hoping that overexplaining would reduce the number of questions hurled at me. My shifts were usually restricted to weekends and the last two of those had been filled with fighting for our lives against shades and a murderous witch.
"Well, Laura, if Lucas wanted to give his job to his crush he didn't need to come up with such an elaborate story," he said with a laugh. My face burned with embarrassment. How was I supposed to respond to that? Then he muttered, "Why did he have to copy one of those absurd genre plots."
"She's telling the truth," Dan said bluntly. True to his word, he was backing me up. It felt a bit preemptive though, did Dan not realize Uncle Ray was joking around? Or ... did I really sound unbelievably different than before the transformation? Was Elizabeth not living proof that one's voice was malleable? Maybe it was not common knowledge?
"Oh, you brought friends to back you up on your wild plan?" Uncle Ray's grin somehow grew even larger.
"I think you have watched too many movies, sir," I said uneasily. Uncle Ray's reaction was a bit silly, but it did not seem like the negative reaction I had feared. I was not sure, but I hoped he was only having a bit of fun. A glance at Sarah and Chris told me they were unsure what to make of Uncle Ray. I continued, "I was nearby and figured I should tell you I was planning on doing a shift this weekend."
"Well, will you have your tests all done by then? And you gotta' be caught up on homework too, don't forget," Uncle Ray said.
"The last test is on Thursday. Chris, which day is the history test?" I said, trying to set up an easy excuse to leave because I was not sure how much more of my boss's impromptu skit I could take.
"Tuesday," Chris quickly answered.
"Well, we better get studying, then. At least it is not on Monday," I said turning back to the door.
"I'll be expecting you or the other you for your shift on Saturday evening then," Uncle Ray said. "I guess it doesn't matter as long as a Loranger shows up."
"I thought you said she was supposed to be the girlfriend, not the sister," Sarah said.
"I just call them as I hear them, I guess," Uncle Ray replied with a shrug. His joke seemed to be falling apart.
"I will see you Saturday," I said and I turned and left.
As soon as the door closed, I felt a sudden release of tension I had not even been aware I was clutching onto. I took a few steps away from the store and breathed deeply. Why had I been dreading that encounter? I knew Uncle Ray was a bit eccentric, and he had never given me an indication that he might be unaccepting but telling him had still been incredibly stressful.
"Laura, are you okay?" Sarah asked. "That felt a bit abrupt at the end there. And I'm not sure if he believed you."
"I am okay," I said. "When I show up for work, he will know it was not a joke. Or he will think I gave my own job to myself. I am not sure it matters." I was about eighty percent sure he was joking.
"Well, I'm heading out. I'll be looking for you on the county road in about two hours," Dan said.
"Are you sure you do not want help?" I asked.
"I'll be fine by myself. I'm just going to pick up some plywood, a shovel, and some other odds and ends. It'll be quick, the drive is going to take the longest," Dan said with a shrug. "See you there." With a wave, he walked off towards his father's truck.
"Well, if we have two hours that gives us time to take care of my ward. I still need to redo it," Chris said as we walked back to his car.
"Actually, I think I need to take a shower first. Could you drop me off at my house?" I asked. "Though, I think I left my bike and backpack at your house." I had worn these clothes for nearly a day and a half now.
"Good idea, I think I'll do the same," Sarah said as she looked down at her clothes.
"I can drop you and Sarah off at your houses then pick you both up around an hour later," Chris said.
"You're up to driving, Chris?" Sarah asked with a worried look on her face.
"I'll be fine. I feel a lot better after eating something," Chris said.
"Sounds good to me," I said as I got into Chris's Volvo.
-*-
About two hours later, the three of us were all back in the Volvo and had just parked on the side of the main road a few miles north of the witch's house. Dan had yet to arrive. My father had not been home, so I had left a note that the marathon study session for history was still ongoing and that we went out for lunch. I had quickly showered and swapped my clothes for fresh ones and threw on a light jacket. For my outfit I had defaulted to some of my older clothes because there was a good chance that we might have to fight again. Images of Chris strapped to a table in the witch's basement with the floor covered in dried blood flashed through my mind. What the hell were we doing? The grim reality of my existence set in as my memories of a guardian for this town rolled over me. Our group was this town's only protection. It was exhausting. How had I been doing this for hundreds of years?
"What the hell, hundreds?" I muttered to myself. The scale of it was at once horrifying and mundane. The two parts of me fundamentally disagreed on this point and it felt weird to dwell on.
I needed something to pass the time until Dan got here.
"Chris, have you renewed your deflection ward yet?" I said, breaking the silence in the car.
"Not yet."
"I think we should do that first. In case we run into more shades. Or worse," I said.
"I believe that is pertinent before we open this box of Pandora, friend Laura," Corona said though Sarah. Despite my sour mood, I could barely hold back a giggle and almost snorted because that rhyme had been so forced.
"Corona, you really have a way with words," Sarah said with a sigh.
"I'm far enough off the road, I think," Chris mumbled to himself as he checked the mirrors, popped the trunk, and got out of the car. We had not seen another car since we parked, but I was being overly cautious, so I exited on the passenger side. Outside of Thread Creek's downtown the population density dropped off rapidly as wooded areas and farmland became more common. The closest house being several hundred feet away from where we had parked was clear evidence we were in the middle of nowhere while still being technically in the town. The area was dense with trees, but since it was March the underbrush had died back significantly. The mild temperatures this week also had long since melted the meager snowfall. This left the environment as mix of dull greys and browns, especially with the overcast weather, so I doubted that people would be staring out their windows. It also helped that the deflection ward spell was not flashy or loud. I did not want even more attention on our group.
"It could be a while before Dan shows up. I have all the stuff in here," Chris said, his head stuck into the trunk as he collected items from within. Chris handed me a piece of cardboard with a completed circle already drawn onto it and the iron focus while he picked up a long-necked kitchen lighter and candles. He placed the objects on a flat patch of grass about ten feet away from the car and plopped down. I set the cardboard in front of him, and he quickly started inserting candles into the pre-cut slots around the circle. I set the iron in the middle of the circle, dodging his arm flicking between the candle box and the cardboard.
"When did you make this?" I asked.
"Friday. I made three of them. It is the only spell I know, after all. I figured I should get some practice drawing it," Chris said, the excitement ringing clearly in his voice. "It's so cool that I can do actual magic." He carefully lit each of the candles and then looked at me before asking, "That's everything, right?"
"I think so," I said. I noticed Sarah had exited the car and she was leaning against it while watching us with a smile on her face. "Do you want to try, Sarah?"
"Corona has me covered and I don't think you want me passing out in someone's lawn. Go ahead you two," she replied.
"Okay," Chris said as he closed his eyes and lightly touched the circle with his fingertips. "I just need to focus," he whispered.
I felt the familiar rippling sensation as the arcane energy built up nearby and just as it crested to a peak I said quietly, "Now."
Chris released his fingers from the cardboard and the spell crackled to life. The scrap metal glowed faintly in the direct sunlight, the candles instantly melted, and Chris exhaled heavily. He touched the circle once more, brought his fingertips up to his face, squinted at them, and finally touched his wrist again. "Huh, it didn't hurt that time," he said, confused.
"Maybe that is a good sign?" I said as I picked up the box of candles and stuck new ones into the still liquefied wax from Chris's casting.
"I hope so," Chris said while staring at his wrist with a huge grin.
"How are you feeling?" Sarah asked, her lips pursed.
"I think I'm okay," Chris answered. "It took a lot out of me, but maybe less than last time? Just give me a few minutes." He scooted away from the cardboard and laid down on the grass and began taking steady deep breaths.
I quickly reset the candles with new ones and executed the spell before the iron focus had dimmed. My casting directly after Chris's caused the focus to glow brightly, almost like an incandescent light bulb. After shielding my eyes from the seemingly white-hot metal at the center, I applied the ward to my wrist. As the arcane energy flowed from me, I could feel my reserves running incredibly low. I estimated that I could still cast this spell two or three more times before I close to being in danger of passing out. The ice blade spell from Aurora was even easier to cast, but fighting with such little energy was still risky.
"Sarah, if we see shades or anything like that we need to run. I will not be fully recovered for a while," I said uneasily.
"Got it. Worst case I can cover for you, I'm feeling great. You should teach Chris some of that fancy ice sword magic. When you're feeling better," Sarah said.
"I am not sure how I even do it other than copying the motions and feeling that Aurora showed me. It is not like there is a circle Chris can use," I said thinking back to the first time Lucas had pulled the ice weapon out of thin air.
I paused for a moment and considered the cardboard covered in marker, wax, and a quickly dimming piece of iron.
"I think guardian-based magic is completely different from this... circle-type magic. Witch magic?" I wondered.
"What do you mean?" Chris said sitting up suddenly. Either he had become more efficient at casting spells or somehow increased his total arcane reserve, because he did not look at all like he was about to pass out. Was using magic similar to exercising? Did using magic burn calories?
"When I cast one of Aurora's spells it feels more like an action that comes from within and is done by me directly. When I use one of these circles it feels more like the circle is providing the structure of the spell somehow," I said piecing together the vague feelings that I had been barely conscious of. The words just came to me as I forced myself to walk through the process in my head. "The guardian spells do not have a step that feels like a circle. Casting that way skips it entirely."
"That witch was using circles, but she had some way of projecting them in front of her hands," Sarah said with her eyes closed and her brow furrowed.
"Maybe to make it more useful in a fight? I don't really want to be carrying around giant pieces of cardboard all the time," Chris said.
"Makes witchcraft, or whatever we are calling it, more useful, like guardian magic," I said. "Though, I am not sure how she was able to remove the other elements of the circle. For example, this ward needs candles and iron."
"Maybe that spell just doesn't need those? Maybe it's just a circle?" Sarah said.
"Unlikely, host Sarah." Corona said. "Her skill with that specific spell was likely so great that she was able to omit certain arcane foci. Or maybe additional impetus was used to skip the necessary parts?" It struck me again that when a guardian replied to the person they were bonded to, it looked like they were talking to themselves in two different voices. Despite seeing it multiple times and remembering doing it with my own bonded it still felt weird to see someone talking to themselves in a normal speaking voice.
"No rhyme this time?" Sarah asked with a grin. Corona did not reply. Sarah's grin grew even larger and she started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Chris asked.
"I think she's sulking because she forgot!" Sarah said as she continued giggling.
I grabbed the makeshift focus and the circle coated in a thick layer of wax and placed them into the Volvo's trunk. As I did so, I heard a vehicle approaching from behind. I jumped and jerked the trunk closed rapidly to hide the magical evidence. I spun quickly and saw Dan in the driver's seat as he parked a few feet behind us.
"We have good timing," I said, rapidly relaxing.
Dan stepped out of the truck and said, "Traffic was surprisingly busy for Sunday. Are you three ready?"
"I think so," Chris said.
"Yes," I said.
"Just a heads up, we are not ready for any fighting. Especially with Laura out of commission and Chris with no way to take down shades or other stuff. So, if anything shows up, we're running," Sarah said and my face grew hot.
"Got it," Dan said as he walked around to the side of the truck and plucked out several pairs of nitrile gloves from the back. He tossed one pair to each of us. "Put these on and do not take them off while we're there. We'll also need to wipe down any surfaces we might have touched yesterday."
"Uhhh, isn't this a bit overkill?" Chris said.
Dan fixed him with a glare and said very deliberately, "No. It's not. While we're there, do not use names, okay? Also, if we look like we belong and we're just doing normal house repair stuff then people won't even think twice about it."
"Why do you sound like you've done this before?" Chris said uneasily.
"It was Chromos's idea and it makes sense to me. Let's get going, we're running out of daylight," Dan said.
Our little convoy drove the remaining distance over to the witch's den with Dan leading the way. First, we drove by the place to make sure it was still empty except for her car. With the place scoped out, Dan pulled into the driveway behind her car and Chris pulled in behind him. Dan immediately started pulling out sheets of plywood and dumping them in front of the broken window.
As I approached the house, Dan got my attention and tossed me a set of keys. At some point yesterday he must have grabbed them which was smart. I slowly reached out and tried to turn the handle on the front door, but it did not budge. It was good that he had not left the place unlocked. I tried the first key and found it turned smoothly in both locks. Pushing the door open slowly, I revealed the dark interior of the house. Even with the curtains closed, the frigid night air of a Michigan winter had taken hold. The faint hum of the furnace rang through the otherwise silent house.
"Plug this in," Dan called through the smashed window as he tossed the extension cord at the open door. As I did, the repeated whine of a power tool came from the window as Dan began to work. I poked my head out the door and saw Chris helping hold the plywood in place as Dan repeatedly sent screws into the wood. The two were making quick work of blocking the destroyed window. Sarah approached and I let her pass as I continued to watch Dan. There was something about seeing him work with total confidence in what he was doing, especially considering dealing with the smashed window had not even occurred to me. It was fascinating how he quickly lined up the next piece with Chris's help, smoothly plucked another long screw from his pocket, and drove it in without hesitation. He was somehow even holding the plywood up with his shoulder while using the screw gun.
"These dishtowels should work to wipe stuff down," Sarah said from the kitchen. She was pointing at an open drawer between the refrigerator and sink. "Watch out for the hole, though."
Walking a short distance from the front door, I retrieved a fresh towel while avoiding the hole Sarah pointed out. The newly added gap in the kitchen floor gave a glimpse into the dark basement. The linoleum was scorched black around the edges, and it was so out of place that it looked like something out of a cartoon. At the edge of the charring a spiderweb of branching black lines flowed outward several inches. I glanced up at the ceiling and found another scorch mark with its own branching lines, but otherwise the ceiling was intact.
"That lighting spell was no joke," I said pointing at the ceiling.
"Considering the damage that she was capable of, it's a bit crazy we're still alive," Sarah said as gazed at the ceiling.
"I think we were incredibly lucky," I said looking into the basement below. "She underestimated us."
With a towel in hand, I attempted to retrace my steps through the house and wipe down any lingering fingerprints I may have left. After waiting for Dan to finish his current piece of plywood so I would not get in the way, I wiped down the windowsill where I had clambered into the house. Then I started wiping down every doorknob in the main hallway from when we were making sure the house was empty. Sarah passed me at one point to cover the rooms that she had entered. The next place we went was the bedroom, and while I could not remember touching anything in there, I still wiped down most of the surfaces but avoided the charred parts of the dresser. Finally, only the basement remained.
I took a deep breath and opened the door to the stairway with my gloved hands. My hands would have been shaking if they had not been gripped tightly around the railing. Even with my tight hold, the gloves and cloth I was using to wipe down the railing meant I had to focus on not slipping and falling down the stairs. At the landing I flipped on the light switch which immediately illuminated all the bare bulbs hanging above me. My eyes darted around the basement as I slowly walked over to the place where I had passed out. The two tables were still here, their tops now both empty. One table had the ripped open silk skin stitcher eggs underneath, and the chalk circles still covered the floor and nearby walls. The other table, which Chris had been strapped to, was still in the basement's opposite corner atop the giant red stain on the concrete floor.
Sarah came down the stairs after me and had a nervous and scared look on her face. I figured she did not want to see the witch's body, and, if I was being honest, I did not want to see it either. She was looking intently at the first table surrounded by interconnected magic circles. Immediately, I realized something was wrong as my eyes scanned the entire basement again.
"Oh, frigid stars," I breathed.
The witch's body was gone.