Over the next week, DeMain learned a lot more about Avery, though it was mostly because his enrollment in the nearest school was still processing, and he didn't exactly have anyone else to talk to. Plus, Avery had a gaming setup and tons of extra controllers. How could he refuse?
Avery was a really big fan of anything fantasy, and DeMain had gotten hooked on a singleplayer game revolving around a warrior braving a cursed land and purifying it or… something. He didn't really understand the storyline, but Avery insisted it was intentionally vague. The game was hard too, but it wasn't impossible. The feeling of overcoming a goal after working at it for a long time was sort of addicting in a way he didn't think his own life had been good at replicating. Avery let him play for as long as he liked too, with him even passing out in his bed while DeMain played. DeMain's mother had initially chewed him out, but she stopped halfway through and congratulated him for making a good impression. She'd been so busy with Diane on the other end of the house that he forgot she was still here sometimes. It was just he, Avery, and Avery's pet mouse named Char that Avery sometimes liked to pick up and take around the house with him.
Gaming wasn't all they did though. Avery liked to walk through the woods in the back of the house, sometimes finding old bones that he put up in chimes or made into sculptures so they didn't go to waste. DeMain made the mistake of coming along closer to the evening, where the forest's canopy hid all of the roots, roots he spent most of his time tripping over. They talked for quite a while though, and DeMain's opinion of Avery was gradually improving. He was weird, yeah, but he never came onto DeMain like he was trying to prove himself, or like he had it out for him like so many other people had. He was sure of himself in a way he hadn't really seen in the other kids he'd gone to school with. A lot of them were concerned with looking good and acting superficially that it was refreshing to find someone he could have a genuine, deep conversation with. Avery never really touched on it, but DeMain knew the look in his eyes when the conversation turned to Mr. Olsen and Avery's mother that something similar to his dad had happened to her. There was a silent, unspoken agreement that they were the same in some way or another, and neither of them spoke of it for the rest of the walk.
"You said your religion was paganism, but you never said what kind." DeMain said, skipping a stone poorly into a pond.
"Oh. How do you know there are different kinds?"
"I'm not dumb, and you also told me the password to the house computer."
"Oh. Yeah."
"…so what kind is it?"
"It's not really a 'kind'. I'm not really sure if there's even a name for it."
"Well… what do you do in it?"
"Well, I usually do…" Avery froze, trailing off.
"Do what?"
Avery refused to move and started backing up suddenly, getting into a loose fighting stance. DeMain glanced over and saw what he was afraid of. A massive buck was glaring at them both, only a good ten feet away. Its antlers were fresh, and it didn't look very happy to see either of them. Even less so with another spare antler Avery had grabbed to bring home. DeMain recalled Avery mentioning they had to be careful during rut season, but he didn't think that meant this season.
The thing charged them both, preparing to gore. Avery threw DeMain to the side and rolled out of the way, saving them both from an early death. It didn't stop the ground from hurting though, it was all pine needles and rocks.
"Run back to the house! I can probably climb a tree or something!" Avery cried, getting into a low stance to attempt to dodge again.
"That's stupid! I'm not gonna leave you alone with that thing!" DeMain shouted, an intense feeling of helplessness overcoming him. Helplessness…
His father shouted, pleaded in front of him with the shadowy figure. But it meant nothing as his holes riddled his head. DeMain screamed and charged forward, his vision blurred by tears and hatred.
It felt like a haze. DeMain shook his head slowly, a headache forming. As his vision cleared, he saw Avery looking at him with an expression of… fear? DeMain looked down.
Between them was the remains of a buck, a mighty one. A hole had been drilled through its neck perfectly, a clean, circular wound which bled onto the ground. DeMain looked around for a hunter or a trap that could have done this, but his gaze only found Avery, who stared back at him.
"What—whatcha lookin' at, man?"
"You." Avery said blankly.
"Why… why me?"
"You… you did that. You didn't see it, I don't think."
"No fucking way I did that. Do you see a gun on me?"
"Didn't need one."
"Fuck kinda cryptic shit is that?"
"I… I need to make a call."
"Wait wait wait, hell no. You're explaining this, and you're not calling the CIA or whatever to turn me in because you think I've got freak powers." DeMain said, rushing forward and putting his hand over Avery's phone.
"I'm not calling the CIA! I don't even know how I'd get in touch with them."
"Mhm, sure. So who are you calling?"
"My friend Ethel. She can explain this all better than I can." Avery said, trying to fight for his phone back. Failing.
"Ethel? Is that like, code for some kinda military complex?"
"No, dumbass. She's just a girl I know who has experience with this kind of thing."
"She's experienced deer dying out of nowhere?!"
"Well not exactly that, no. But similar things."
"What the hell does she get up to that she's seen this sorta shit before?!"
"Stop freaking out, please. Just for a second."
"I… yeah, you're right, I should be totally relaxed. Man, I just killed a deer with I think my bare hands. You better be fucking with me. Got a gun in the back pocket, just in case?"
"I would love to tell you that I do and that it's just a joke to mess with you, but all I have are the bones and sticks I've been picking up."
"Fine, whatever. Make your stupid call. Just make sure the doctor who dissects me is a hot lady."
"I don't think they'd even bother to keep you awake if they wanted to do that…" Avery mumbled, beginning the dial.
"So it is a setup."
"Shush."
It was a tense moment until 'Ethel' picked up. DeMain was surprised service even worked out here, but the cell towers were probably a lot better than the old ones around the city. Avery was considerate enough to put her on speakerphone, for DeMain's sake. A strangely alluring, feminine voice came through the other end, certainly a little older than either of them. She almost sounded disappointed.
"Avery?"
"Yes."
"I told you not to call me while I'm working."
"Yes but you said to call you if something important happened, which it did."
"Oh? Are you going to elaborate or should I wait for you to find the words?"
"Nono, I can… okay, so… we found another one, like us. Except I think he's… more powerful? I dunno. He saved me from an angry buck."
There was a long pause from the other end. Avery hadn't really explained it gracefully, and DeMain was getting worried. She finally spoke in a low tone. It sounded like his mother when she got serious.
"How did they save you?"
"Hole, straight through the neck. Pretty clean too, but he says he doesn't remember it and he thinks I'm going to dissect him or something."
"No." DeMain argued. "I said the hot lady would dissect me."
"Is he talking about me?" Ethel chuckled.
"No. I don't know what he's talking about. Just… we'll come over if we can. How about an hour or so?"
"That's fine. I'm just at my shop, you know where."
"I uh… I don't remember the address." Avery said, whispering hushed to the microphone.
There's a long sigh from Ethel's end, who mumbles something inaudible to them both.
"Fine, I'll pick you both up. You still living at that dump, Avery?"
Hearing Ethel refer to Avery's mansion home as a 'dump' gave DeMain a very odd sensation. If she thought something as expensive as that was a dump, what would she think of his old home?
"Alright. I'll get us ready to leave. Although, we kind of already are? We're dressed at least." Avery says, looking between his dirty clothes and DeMain's old sweats.
"You… might want to arrange to stay overnight. Just so he knows absolutely everything."
"Oh yeah, true. Sorry, forgot how it worked for newbies."
Newbies??? DeMain just killed an animal with sheer willpower and he was a newbie? What kind of fucking powerscaling was this?
"Hold on, hold on. I'm a newbie? What do you mean? Does this happen every day with you guys?!" DeMain interjected, frantic and confused.
"We'll explain when we get back to my place. It's… easier than trying to just tell you." Ethel implied vaguely.
"Just tell me now! Stop doing riddles!"
"Avery, please give him the shortest version you can. I'm about to be driving and I am not dying on the road because Mr. Questions won't shut up and wait for a second." Ethel snapped, suddenly ending the call. Avery gulped as all attention turned to him.
"Well, Avery?" DeMain said, towering over him with his arms crossed. Avery began to fiddle his fingers nervously.
"Um… well, have you ever seen Star Wars?"
"No."
"Fuck. I wish I was better at history then. Uh… " Avery thought, weighing the air as if to weigh his options. Or he was buying time. Either way, DeMain wasn't pleased. After a few seconds of watching him struggle, his eyes brightened as he came to a conclusion.
"…To Kill a Mockingbird?"
Actually, DeMain had read that one. He didn't really remember the ending, and it was more of a group read in class. Memories still came flooding back regardless.
"Ain't that the one where that guy got falsely accused and executed or something?"
"Yes."
"Are you saying I'm going to be executed?!"
"No. Not… directly at least. I am really bad at explaining this, but calm down. You're not going to die. Right now at least. Everyone dies eventually." Avery rambled, laughing nervously.
"…I'm just going to wait for Ethel to get here." DeMain said, turning his head to his hands and wiping down his face.
"Yes! Let's do that. We can wait in the driveway. And not tell anybody what happened!"
Avery sped off before he could ask more questions or stop him. Or do anything really, that scrawny kid was fast. DeMain caught up with him in the driveway before Avery suddenly bolted off to the side of the lawn again, forcing DeMain to chase after him.
"Come on man! Stop running!" He panted.
Most of the following minutes were spent chasing Avery around the house to no avail, leaving both of them exhausted. When DeMain rounded the house for the last time, he saw Avery slip into a sleek, old Sedan along with who he assumed was Ethel. He couldn't make her out quite yet, but the car smelled of weed, lavender, and jasmine all at once. A far cry from what he was used to, but welcome smells nonetheless. He jumped in the backseat (the only spot left for him) and climbed across the seats to smack Avery in the back of the head.
"Dude. Running away for ten minutes? Really?"
DeMain's eyes adjusted and he could make out Ethel. She almost kind of fit his picture of her, with long raven hair tied up in a braid that went down her shoulder. Her skin was around the same color as his, though she was wearing makeup and it had been taken care of, so she looked a lot lighter. Eyeshadow allowed her bright green eyes to stand out more, her gaze shooting to Avery with the intensity of a hawk for just a moment before turning back to the road.
"You guys didn't pack, did you?" She asked, already driving away from Avery's home.
"No. Dumbass here thought to run—"
"Yes, yes I know. But I can take care of you guys at my house and you'll need new clothes anyway."
Ethel handed Avery her wallet, something DeMain would never consider doing with how many times he'd miscounted or lost things. He hadn't really noticed it, but her outfit did seem expensive. Lots of designer strips of fabric, weave patterns, and jewelry on her. For such a shabby interior and smell though, he wasn't sure if she was on Avery's level of spoiled-ness. Her attitude felt closer to the mean girls he knew from his school, and they definitely weren't swimming in money either.
"Count out two hundred for both of you. It's not a lot for clothes but you can at least get shirts and new pants later. Pool it for food if you need, but you shouldn't need to spend anything tonight. It's going to be a long night, actually…"
Neither of the two spoke to DeMain until Avery asked if he had a music preference for the aux hookup. Honestly though, DeMain hadn't listened to enough music to have a preference, and he knew they'd just repeat that he needed to be patient again and again. He'd been patient his whole life and tried to roll with the punches, but now that things were changing he didn't seem to be able to get the answers he wanted. Ever. Avery decided to put on some quiet, slow-beat music he could at least recognize as being stoner-oriented.
Were they kidnapping him? This seemed like a weird way to go about it, especially with the 200$ (DeMain had to count to make sure he wasn't being stiffed) dollars given to him. That, and even if Avery did secretly hate him, he didn't think the guy was… there enough to make any plans this complex. Ethel had a sternness to her but she wasn't acting like him being there with them was a bother.
"So…" DeMain started, shifting forward in his seat to be closer to both of their ears. Ethel nearly slapped Avery's hand when he reached for the volume dial, but she retreated when she realized he was turning it down and not up.
"Y'all have been real nice. How do you know each other?"
Ethel shot a glance at Avery and then back at the road. He sighed, turning back to face DeMain. "We met a while ago at a… convention? I forget for what, but I think it was just a nerdcon I started talking to her about music—"
"You wouldn't leave me alone. Not that I minded, the rest of the event was pretty boring." Ethel corrected.
"Yeah, what were the events? Something like dunk tanks and cosplay runways?"
"Something like those, I barely remember. The 'cons after that were fine though, I guess they realized they should step up their game."
DeMain wanted to steer the topic back to what the hell was going on, but he sensed they chose this drawn-out topic to close any gaps in the conversation. Avery was long-winded, so it was hard for him to turn their talks anywhere but old happenings between friends. He wondered if there was something more between them, but it was hard to tell with how casual they both were about certain subjects DeMain would consider delicate. Avery was pretty open about his weird interests and Ethel had no trouble talking with him about all the weird customers who came to her shop in search of 'happy endings'.
"You run a massage parlor?" DeMain said, finding his opening in the conversation when Avery finally lost his breath. They'd been driving for a bit, and the scenery had changed from open countryside to a dense suburban area littered with taller structures further inwards. It was as if the town was halfway through a process to expanding as a city, although that was probably the truth with the amount of construction and demolition DeMain had seen over his own lifetime.
"Not quite. We're almost there though. I promise it's nothing risqué."
"Risky? Like a black market?"
"No, ris-kay. Risqué. Like… saucy, or sexual."
"Oh."
Ethel's shop, the Eyes of Selene was tucked away between two much larger office buildings in the dingier side of town, situated around a couple of family cafes that were doomed to be replaced by chain stores within the next few years. The shop itself wasn't overly glamorous or highlighted from the outside, but the inside had a warm glow you only saw in pictures around Christmas time. Warmly lit candles on the windowsills, pretty, hanging crystal arrangements, different tapestries adorned in colorful silks, it really felt like he would be stepping from the town into somewhere completely new to him. Even the polished sign had a strange aura to it, as if it were the moon on a clear night.
Ethel pulled her car into the adjacent parking spaces and stepped out. Immediately DeMain was hit with a breath of fresh air, something he'd begun to realize had been a rarity in his life until recently. The door to her shop was opened with a creak and a slam once everyone stepped through to the offbeat inside. The place smelled like Ethel's car, just with more undertones thrown in. It was a lot dimmer than it looked inside from the tinted windows, but DeMain imagined it would be a decent brightness during peak hours. Ethel had a lot of trinkets on display too, most of which he couldn't really discern. Cloths with strange patterns stitched in gold thread, portraits of unnerving scenery and depictions of people. Some sort of looked like her, maybe they were just family portraits. DeMain wanted his first questions answered before he asked any more, though.
"Can you guys please explain what's going on now? We took a whole car ride here."
Ethel strode over to a table and brushed it clean of some dust that had collected, wiping her fingers on a towel stuffed into a large jar.
"Yes. But sit down first. It's gonna be a long while." She said, patting an old wooden chair across from another, much better furnished leather chair.
"Can't you give me the short version?" DeMain said, his fingers tapping on the rim of the chair rather than sitting down fully.
"Nope. Now sit down."
He sighed, placing himself in the chair. Avery had immediately run to the back of her shop, and he distinctly heard a fridge opening. DeMain was pretty hungry too, he hoped this would be short. Ethel spoke before he could ask.
"So, what I'm about to say might seem unbelievable, or dumb, or maybe a little cliché if you've read a lot of fantasy novels. First thing's first though, how did you kill that buck? I know you put a hole in its neck, but how did you do it?"
DeMain was a little taken aback.
"I… I don't know? I remember getting really… angry? I guess? Sad? A lot of things."
"Would you say things felt out of your control at all?"
"Well, yeah. There was a buck charging Avery, it reminded me of… other things. I got this weird flashback and I don't really know what came over me, or what happened next."
Ethel was silent as she studied him with those perusing green eyes, searching for something within the dark depths of his own.
"You left a hole in its neck. I can ask Avery to verify, but I can assure you he's probably not pranking you. Hitting the neck from the side would be a little difficult if the thing is charging straight at you."
"How do you know all this? You never spoke to Avery about it that in-depth."
"We did, actually. You fell asleep in the car for a bit."
"No I didn't?"
"You did! It wasn't for very long, but you started to slip once the adrenaline wore off!" Avery called from the backroom.
DeMain did sort of remember closing his eyes for a bit too long, but with them talking nonstop and it being such a light, short sleep, he didn't recognize any time had passed. He'd never had a problem with napping that way in cars though, they always made him anxious. He was anxious throughout the entire car ride.
"Did you drug me or something? I'm not sure I buy that I'd just pass out for a few minutes and wake up not remembering that."
"We'll get to that." Ethel half-answered. "But for now I just need you to listen. I don't know what 'other things' you were reminded of, but if I had to guess it would be something that either changed your life or made you feel completely helpless, right?"
DeMain sank into his chair as the sound of a gunshot rang through his head, sighing aloud.
"Yeah. That fits the bill. Why, is it some sorta secret mind power?"
"I would agree with you but no answer I give is as close as I'd like it to be."
"So what is it then?"
Ethel paused again as Avery returned and brought tea enough for the three of them in tiny white cups, beginning to sip on his own. Ethel stirred hers with a spoon, DeMain glancing down at his and then back towards her.
"It's not something you should take entirely as a gift for now. It can draw a lot of unwanted attention, no matter what it is. One thing you should know though, Avery and I are both like you."
"And we're alike because we're what, exactly?"
"Witches."
"That's dumb."
"Yeah, not everyone likes the term. Some people call themselves warlocks, snake-tongues, I've also heard shayatin and jorei, depending on where you're from. None of them are particularly nice terms though." Ethel said. All DeMain could hear was the talks about magic and card games other kids at his schools had always been bullied for. He wanted no part of that.
"Oh, wow. Great. I'm going home. Thanks."
DeMain got up to leave, but Avery was suddenly leaning against the door. His usual relaxed expression was tinted with solemnity and pity, something he'd never seen from such a laid-back, 'head-empty' guy. Now he was a bit more concerned.
"You don't wanna leave. We didn't bring you here to talk about this stuff just because. It's pretty dangerous." Avery said, crossing his arms.
"I think I know 'dangerous', dude. Look at who you're talking to." DeMain responded, ripping one of Avery's arms out from its position to move him. Avery didn't stop speaking though.
"I know your life has been dangerous. But it's going to get worse if you don't listen to us for… five minutes. Can we call that, DeMain? If we can't convince you in five minutes, we'll let you leave." Avery nodded to Ethel, making no action to take his arm away from DeMain despite his tight grip.
"…Fine. Whatever. Convince away, oh mighty witches."
"Don't be condescending." Ethel scolded.
"I'm counting the clock already."
Avery and Ethel collectively sighed, with Avery downing the rest of his tea and Ethel taking a half portion of hers.
"Fine." Ethel began, slamming her cup down rather forcefully onto the table. It actually brought DeMain to attention. Reminded him of when his mother would do the same thing during lectures if he spaced out. "You know what? Let's play a game. You can ask any questions you have. Surely if it weren't so believable, there would be holes you could poke in the logic, yes?"
"Yeah…" DeMain agreed. He already had one big question in mind, and he was sure it would tear open their whole argument. "So, I'm supposed to believe that witches, and magic, and probably demons and angels are real because you said so, right?"
"No, actually. Avery, would you be a dear?"
Avery didn't hesitate, his expression slowly becoming more relaxed. A strange sensation came over DeMain, not unlike the cool calmness of those few seconds before sleep you spent in bed. Where the world seems peaceful, even if only for the moment in time you spend awake before drifting off. Worse, DeMain recognized the sensation from the car ride here. As quickly as it came, Avery's expression relaxed, and DeMain was freed from the clutches of forced exhaustion.
"What--you--you drugged me!" DeMain accused. But his point was weak, and he knew it. He hadn't had anything on the way here, and he hadn't even touched the tea yet, much to Ethel's amusement. DeMain hadn't been the type to use substances, but even he knew drugs didn't come and go that suddenly. Especially on demand. The two others looked at DeMain with their eyebrows raised. They knew even he didn't believe his own words. Ethel drank the rest of her tea and pushed his cup closer with his spoon.
"Nothing is going to make much sense unless you drink that. You know what just happened because you felt it, but you didn't see it. The tea will… open your third eye, so to speak. Some witches, like me, don't need that. Others, like Avery, have to use it."
"When would they need to use it? Why do I need to see anything else? I know what just happened. Avery made me all sleepy. Somehow…"
Ethel sighed, probably for the fortieth time today. "You know Avery just did something out of the ordinary. You did something out of the ordinary in killing a charging buck with just your bare hands--so you say. We're all trying to help you figure out what happened, DeMain."
While Avery sat back down, DeMain noticed the blond boy's hands were shaking tentatively. For the first time since they'd met, Avery was nervous, and he wasn't doing a great job of hiding it. He'd seen others react the same way to him, even when he wasn't the most intimidating person. The idea of being feared for something he couldn't control left a nasty taste in his mouth.
"... You're both scared of me, aren't you."
"Not of you specifically." Avery piped. "But an ability like what we think yours is doesn't manifest very often. It's stupidly rare and requires very certain circumstances to occur, even for those who are blessed with Witchblood."
"Fine, so I'm a witch, or warlock, or whatever. But why would you be scared of my ability? I used it to save your ass."
"You did. But early on, a lot of abilities are more volatile. My abilities are… weird, I'll admit. I don't even know the full scope of them and neither do a lot of witches for their own. So far I know I can lull people into being very tired, step into dreams, and maybe influence thoughts on a good day."
"That sounds… made up. I'd… hm." DeMain stuttered.
He didn't really know what to say. Before, if someone walked up to him and told him this he'd laugh in their face, but now he was realizing just how much potential for power Avery could have if any of it were true. DeMain knew that it was, something deep inside of him told him it'd been Avery who affected him, and nobody else. One thing struck his mind with the impact of a hammer to his brain.
"Wait. You can step into dreams? Are you the reason I had a nightmare about doors and knocking on them?!" DeMain said, slamming his hand on the table and standing. Avery immediately sank into his chair, a timid expression sliding over his face.
"Well, yes. But I didn't mean to make it so bad! I just wanted to drive home that you should knock first… I had no idea your mind would twist it to whatever it was!"
"Dude, I relived my dad's murder because you couldn't talk to me about a simple issue?!"
Ethel stood and whistled sharply, with Avery looking like he wished he could fuse into the chair and disappear forever. She spoke in her low, motherly tone, as if reprimanding them both.
"Okay, look. I'm not apologizing for what Avery did, or condoning it, but he was pretty clearly just trying to make things easier for both of you in the end. Avery didn't mean it, and he won't do it again. Right, Avery?"
She turned her penetrating emerald gaze towards the boy-chair amalgam, who nodded wordlessly.
"Good. Now, I don't have as much proof of power as Avery does, but if you drink the tea we--well, I--can help explain everything else."
DeMain struggled for a talking point or a counterargument, but again that feeling of a truth all along welled up inside of him. With an exhale, he let out his last feelings of doubt and brought the cup to his lips.