BeSwitched, Paranormal Romance (14 page)

Chapter 17

A police car sat on the curb outside of Idis’s. At the front door, a lady officer talked with a Chinese woman who wore a red trench-coat. “So, what you are trying to tell me is, you were suddenly transformed into a… puddle?”

“Yes!
Crazy Americans. I tell Gramma ’bout this one. First prane to China!” Two dirty shoe-prints marked the back of her coat as she scurried off into the night.

The officer put out her fist to knock on the door, but it creaked open on its own. It was Marilyn, but he was different now. His black hair was combed back into a neat, small, ponytail. His eyes were a pretty gray-green, and even more, his whole Gothic wardrobe was gone. He stood there in a preppy striped sweater-vest and beige khaki pants. “Hello.” His voice was rich and smooth. “What can I do for you?”

“Well,” she started. “I got a ‘disturbance of peace’ call and …,” she paused from what was about to be said, “a spinning house. Can you tell me of any strange occurrences that may have happened in this house?”

“Now I’m going to tell you the honest truth here.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “All I remember is, one day I was having a drink with a very attractive and famous woman. We were getting very drunk,” he continued, “and woo! She told me she was
like
a virgin…”

“Yeah.” She had no idea where this story was headed, but her eyes showed obvious curiosity anyway.

“So, of course I was very taken by her. I mean, this very attractive woman was interested in me and I remember she looked deeply into my eyes and said that I must be her lucky star. Then, in the next moment, I am a huge rock star and my name isn’t Marvin Manson—it’s Marilyn Handsome.”

“Uh huh.” The officer was still interested, but said, “What’s it have to do with tonight?”

“I’m getting to that part.” He smiled and leaned an arm against the door-frame. “Well, life as a rock star was not what I thought it would be like. It didn’t make me happy. I dreaded the word ‘fun’ and hadn’t cracked a smile in four years. All I remember about tonight is… I was turned back to my old self.”

She laughed in response and said, “Well, now that you aren’t a famous rock star anymore, what do you plan on doing?”

“Oh, I’m going to Disneyland!”

She heard the seriousness in his voice but laughed anyway. “Is there anyone else here I can talk to about tonight?”

“…Other than twelve possessed witches, I don’t… Wait, the witches are already gone.”

She laughed some more. T
hen the sound of metal clanking caused Marilyn to turn toward the inside the house. “I guess there
is
someone else here.”

Dressed as a knight, a man with brown
, long hair took off his helmet and greeted Marilyn and the officer. “My heavens, I feel splendid.”

“Interesting costume. It looks very authentic,” Marvin said.

“That’s because it is authentic, my fellow. The name is Vladimir.” He extended a hand to them both, one at a time. “What a great night.”

The officer then began to question him for her report, but he had nothing to o
ffer except to say he wasn’t a ‘mere reflection’ of anyone else anymore.

“So, I don’t understand. Why would I
receive a disturbance of peace call? You two seem like very well-mannered men.”

“I don’t know…” Vladimirror worked his heavy armor off, to which he now bore a delicious physique.

Marilyn answered, “Maybe it was all the cats meowing.”

“It was probably a prank call then,
’cause why would someone see a spinning house anyway, unless they were watching The Wizard of Oz.”

“Wait, actually, this does look like the back door.” Marilyn pointed out the plastic cat-door. “And where’s the driveway?”

Within the next couple of seconds, they heard a motor start, then a yellow station wagon sped from the backyard, to the front and down the road.

Vladimir cut into the perplexing moment by saying to the officer, “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“I, uh, don’t think so. But your voice sounds very familiar.” She worked on putting a loose strand of curly hair back under her hat.

Slowly, he reached his hand forward
and pulled off the hat. Out plummeted a mound of beautiful blond strands.

Quickly, Vladimir’s eyebrows raised in realization. “Cindy?”

“Uh, yes,” she said, confused.

He then said, “Cindy? 1-555-Cuff-Me?”

She blushed and Marilyn stood there silent, looking at the two in curiosity.

“Well, I guess I’ve got my report.” She arched an eyebrow.

“Hey, why don’t I escort you to your car.”

She accepted, and as Vladimir opened the driver-side door for her, he added, “I always keep your number on redial.”

“How long have you been interested in police procedure?” Marilyn heard her say.

Chapter 18

What’s going on in each of the characters’ lives:

Pussface, a
fter setting Idis’s broom on fire and sending it through the sky like a shooting star, became a hero. He still had to go back and live with Gretchen, which he doesn’t mind. The relationship they had was much better than Surla and Idis’s. On occasional visits back to Cathy’s town, he still pursues Diamond, and thinks she will finally come around.

Tiffany
hasn’t been seen at school since the embarrassment she made of herself at Washington and Jefferson High’s Halloween Bash. Chrissy says she still sees her come out of her house to get the mail. Right at this moment, Tiffany is working with a tutor in the privacy of her own home. She’s on Independent Study.

Craig
hasn’t been able to get a date in months. The news spread around school about what he did to Cathy on their date, and now girls don’t even want to look at him. Right now, he’s spending a Friday night home alone, watching Jeopardy with his mom.

Chrissy
had the pictures developed from the party. She decided to sign up for Journalism next semester, so she could help write and choose photos for the yearbook. The one of Cathy and Todd dancing will be placed right next to the one of Tiffany dropping her carnations with mortification in her eyes. Right now she is laughing for her hundredth time about that night.

Marvin Manson
did go to Disneyland and had a blast riding Space Mountain over and over again. He has written a book about eating sushi with meditation and it will be released next June.

Vladimir
has been seeing the officer, Cindy, for the last couple of months. They aren’t interested in a serious relationship; they’re too wild and flirtatious for that (give him a break, he’s been a mirror for the last couple hundred years). It turns out, he is interested in the entertainment industry as well. Right now he is tearing off his shirt for a wrestle-mania championship.

Surla is still
best friends with Cathy and she hopes it will last forever. She can be found lying on the porch with her two other friends,
Pussface
and
Diamond,
on sunny afternoons. Lately, her thoughts have been on the deeper meanings of magic and the influence it has had in her life and others’.

Cath
y is still with Todd. She became homecoming queen and is thinking about being a veterinarian some day. All she wanted in her teen-life is finally piecing itself together. Right now she is brushing her hair in front of her mirror, which is plastered with pictures of her and Todd at different events together.

Todd became h
omecoming king and is thinking of becoming a pro football player. But if that doesn’t work out, he wouldn’t mind being a professor of Chemistry. He has stayed madly in love with Cathy since the night of the Halloween party. Right now, Todd is on his way over to pick up Cathy for another date.

Idis was brought to the morgue on the nig
ht of the Halloween party. The coroner could have sworn he saw her big toe twitch. Right now, Idis is…

THE END

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Legend of The Lost (coming soon)

A sneak peek into

BeSwitched Witch (BeSwitched, #2)

ABOUT:

When sassy black cat, Surla, ends up crossing paths with her ex-witch, the outrageous and hot-tempered Idis, it triggers again the curse of being BeSwitched

Idis was supposed to be dead in a drawer at the morgue, and Surla was supposed to be having some bonding time with her new human best friend, Cathy. Instead, these two enemies are forced to get along while in search of the last spell book, or stay switched forever. If only the curious and handsome new guy in school, Jax Morreau, would stop distracting Surla from their plan.

SAMPLE
(first 2 chapters):

Chapter 1

In the wee hours after Halloween:

It was dark in the morgue. The clock at the reception desk showed “2:00 a.m.”

Idis
’s eyelids popped open, revealing her glowing green eyes. She didn’t blink for a long seven seconds. She tried to look around, but it was to no avail—she couldn’t see anything but pitch black. It was very cold and she felt the little hairs on her arms stand up.

Where am I
?
The last thing I remember was Pussface and the neighborhood black cats doing the hokey pokey or some nonsense
. She attempted to sit up, but found she couldn’t. There was a barrier. She put out her hands to feel her surroundings, but was prevented by some sort of thick plastic bag. The space was barely bigger than her own body.

Idis went to feel her hair.
That’s strange. It seems as if my hair has been cut.  And what is that horrid odor of smoke?
She sniffed.
Brimstone and fire? Am I in Hell?
she wondered.
Hmmm… Well, if I am in Hell, I do hope I can meet Dracula!
She remembered his picture she kept in her sock drawer, torn from an old book. Dracula had signed it for her over a hundred years ago at an Annual Witches’ Ball. She thought of his fangs, and how attractive they were. “Oh, this is ridiculous! I am not in Hell. Maybe in a coffin. Buried alive?”

“
Hello?!” Idis called out. All she heard was her own voice bouncing off the box she laid in.

Idis
’s thoughts flickered around a series of frightening memories. She remembered a giant black cat—so large it barely fit in her living room—with fangs like swords. That caused her to shiver. Then, she remembered sitting on her broom stick, holding to it so tightly with her eyes closed. It soared through the air like a torpedo, her bum feeling the heat of the bristles’ blazing fire. Her last memory was seeing a bunch of teenagers at Revere Park down below. Then, her mind when blank.

Skitter
… skitter… sniff… sniff… squeak!

I know that sound anywhere!
Idis panicked. “Rats!” She clawed at her bag until she found an opening. She banged on her metal container until it suddenly sprang forward. “Ew!” She jumped out the large drawer and slammed it shut. “There, now you are stuck in there and I am out here.”

Now she could see a little bit more of where she
was. A full moon cast enough light through half-open blinds into the sterile, hospital-like room. Rows of metal drawers, like the one she was just in, were against a wall. She felt the cold, hard floor against her bare feet. A sheet was pinned around her shoulders and waist and there was a tag on her ankle. Spotting a mirror hanging on a wall, she rushed over to it to see her reflection. It was not what she expected. “Aaaaaah!”

Surla was sound asleep when she suddenly twitched, then clawed at her covers.

“
What?” Cathy said, waking up.

“
I had an awful nightmare…” She blinked.

“
Really, what was it?”

“
Idis was alive again!”

“
Surla,” Cathy sat up, “don’t worry. Remember you saw for yourself, Idis in a body-bag. She’s dead, from that fire.”

“
I know. I know,” she responded, not convinced.

“
What happened in your dream?”

“I was at a 7-Eleven
, about to get my Slurpee.”

“
Yes, and?…”

“
There she was… at the register… wearing a turban and a false mustache. I knew it was her, though. Her green eyes and huge nose can’t be mistaken for someone else.”

Cathy
smiled.

“
I didn’t know what to say, because I was so scared. Idis gave me an exaggerated smile and said, ‘Hola.’ But she said it really creepy and slow, like, ‘Holaaaaaa.’”

“Hola?” Cathy
narrowed her eyes. “But Spanish…”

“
Yeah, you’re right, but this is Idis, remember?” She huffed. “The next thing I know, she grabs me and starts stuffing me into a bag!”

Cathy let out a little giggle.

“What?!”

“
I know you are scared, my friend, but that sounds like such a ridiculous dream.”

“
Yes, well, I can see it happening. That is how ridiculous Idis is. You don’t know her like I do!”

“
You’re right. I’m sorry. If you want, I can visit the morgue on the way back from the fishing trip next weekend. It might help you.”

“To confirm she’s
dead?” Surla had some hope.

“
Yes, I’ll do that. Okay?” Cathy scratched under Surla’s chin. “Everything will be all right.”

Feeling Cathy pet
and massage her little tense neck eased her for a moment. “You’re right. I’m just paranoid. It was a traumatic experience you and I went through. I’m just a little scared I guess. After-shock.”

“
That’s right. Now let’s get some sleep. Idis is gone… forever.”

Meanwhile, Idis was making her way down a long, dark hall. The place was gloomy and there was a strong smell like rubbing alcohol. She thought of her home, with her green velvet couch. For a moment, she imagined herself plopping onto that favorite piece of furniture. How she longed to relax there and clip her toenails—one of her favorite pastimes.

She heard someone’s footsteps from around a corner up ahead. A flashlight beamed from that direction. Idis flattened her body against a wall, spread out like a chicken about to be basted.

The stranger from the corridor cast a long dark shadow along her wall. A woman’s voice called out, “Hello! Who’s there?”

“Like I am going to answer to that,” Idis blurted. She slapped her hands over her mouth and thought,
That wasn’t supposed to be out loud!

The witch
spotted a door with an exit sign several feet away. She clapped and rushed for it. As she busted through the door with a hard knock of one bony shoulder, she exclaimed, “Booyah! I’m outta here!”

Her glee was short
-lived, when she heard the woman yell, “Halt!”

Idis ignored the demand, her neck protruding forward like a turtle as she dashed away. She momentarily turned to see who was chasing her.

The woman wasn’t any resemblance to the shadow. She was very short and very round. Her hair was pulled tight into a bun, and a night security uniform accentuated her belly rolls.

“Go away!” Idis yelled back. “Suck some donuts!”

To her surprise, the little woman could run! Idis, try as she may, could not gain ground. In fact, her run started to have a hobble to it. Sticks and stickers incessantly poked at the soles of her bare feet. They were in the middle of a natural field, surrounded by trees. Idis tripped over a stone and, like a baby, grasped some wild grass and cried out.

Crunch! That was the sound Idis’s back made when a sudden force slammed against her.

“Don’t move. Hands up!”

Idis’s left cheek was against the cool dirt. She lifted her long neck to see the security guard had her pinned. Idis forced herself with every ounce of energy onto her knees to try and escape. The woman wouldn’t let go, even when Idis bucked like a wild horse; little legs gripped either side of the witch’s back.

“I didn’t want to do this!” said the security guard. “But you leave me no choice!”

In fear, Idis stopped and cranked her neck to see. The woman had a stun gun in her hand. She pointed it dramatically to the sky. The voltage zigzagged like blue lightning. Idis was frozen in fear. The woman hopped off and pressed the weapon against the witch’s right buttock.