Page 111 of The Neighborhood Witch

“Hey,” a familiar voice yelled from upstairs. “What’s going on down there? I’m fine, by the way. No need to check on me.”

“Should we go check on her?” Hugo asked.

“Let her wait a little longer,” Alice answered, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

She leaned in closer. An invisible force pulled them together. Closer. Eyes locked. Smiles wide across their faces. With desire in her eyes, Alice bit her lower lip. Hugo wanted Alice, and he knew she wanted him. A fleeting thought of picking her up once more and carrying her upstairs entered his mind. He could feel her warm breath on his lips.

“Where’s Gally?” Alice asked.

Hugo’s joyful expression faded into somberness. Alice’s smile was a distant memory, replaced by panic and fear.

“What’s wrong?”

“Alice…” Hugo struggled. “I’m so sorry. I think… I think Gally’s dead.”

Alice cleared a lump in her throat. Her breathing quickened. She shook her head in disbelief. “Where is he?”

“I’ll go get him,” Hugo said as he stood up.

He kissed Alice on the top of her head before leaving through the front door. Hugo sprinted down the front steps, heading to Alice’s SUV. He grasped the back door handle. He paused for a moment, hoping, wishing, praying his buddy would be moving around, excited to see him.

He peered through the window and saw the brown broomstick. The slanted, charging head. The black streaks. The tan knots. The worn, brown, saddle style bicycle seat. The silver metal footrest he gave Alice as a present last Christmas. The black broomcorn with streaks of red and purple. His eyes welled up. There, laying motionless on the back seat, was the horse dog broomstick that flew him to find Alice.

He opened the door. He nudged the broomstick once more, but it didn’t move.

“Oh, Gally. I’m so sorry.” Tears fell down his face. He picked up the broomstick, cradled it in his arms, and held it close. The saddle seat pressed against his chest. “You were a good flying buddy. You rescued me when I fell. You looked after me. We flew all over, and you took me to find the best witch of all. I’ll miss you.” Hugo squeezed once more and carried Galahad into Alice’s house.

Alice swung her legs off the couch and sat up as Hugo entered. “Oh, Gally,” she cried. She stood up and rushed to Hugo.

He handed her the lifeless broomstick. Alice embraced the cold hickory handle. She rubbed her fingertips down the slant of its head and back up. Tears flowed down her face, falling to the hardwood floor. Shewiped them away.

Tears welled in Hugo’s eyes. “Can you fix him?”

Alice’s grip on the hickory handle tightened. Weeping, Alice answered, “I can’t.”

Sniffling, Hugo wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “He was a good horse dog. A great horse dog. He pulled up and took the full brunt of it. He saved me. What was that?”

Sporadic gasps between her running tears, she managed, “It was an anti-magick wand. She used it to cause me great pain, but on Galahad—”

She paused before continuing, “On Gally, it stripped him of his magical abilities. I can’t… I can’t bring him back.” She clutched Galahad close to her chest. Her head rested against its head.

Hugo pulled out the black, twisting wand from his jacket pocket. Alice’s eyes drew toward the twisting point. Hugo grabbed both ends of the wand. His thumbs pushed up the center. His hands pulled the ends down. The wand bent, but it was unrelenting.

He pushed harder, and small cracks appeared. His nose flared. Anger burned in his eyes. A vengeful rage filled him. He pulled it closer to his chest, using it as leverage for his thumbs. There was a snap and then a crack before the wand shattered into pieces. Small bits of the center fell to the ground.

“There,” Hugo said, holding the two ends in his curled fingers. “It can’t hurt us anymore.”

A half smile returned to Alice’s face. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for everything.” She carried Galahad into her living room. Hugo followed.

“Hey,” the voice yelled from upstairs. “Don’t forget about me.”

Chapter 30

The Neighborhood Witch

There was a knock at the front door. Three distinct knocks echoed through the hallway. Alice left the kitchen to answer it. She already knew who waited on the other side. One knock, a slight pause, followed by two rapid knocks. Alice picked up her pace.

“I’m coming,” she yelled. “I’m coming.”

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