Strange New World Chapter 4 roughV5

8/9/2019 Strange New World Chapter 4 roughV5

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Chapter 4

Back in the den, Emma was wiping her face with a Kleenex. She looked at me,

fresh tears overflowing. So this is really real? she asked.

I nodded. She wiped her face again. I looked at Alex. She was still staring at the

screen. Are you okay? I asked her.

She looked up at me, a little surprised. Yeah, Im fine, she said, her voice

trembling a little. She cleared her throat. Im aces. She looked back at the screen. She

was beautiful, wasnt she?

Yeah, she was, I murmured.

Alex pushed the chair back. I think Ill stay home tonight, she said. She

shrugged and looked up at me. Maybe look through the grimoires, you know?

I nodded, trying not to smile in relief. Thatll be fine, I said. The sooner we

learn about our magic, the safer well be.

As Alex started getting up, a door slammed. Mona flew through the den to the

stairs, yelling, Im taking your car!

When I realized what she meant, I yelled, No, dont But the front door was

already closing. I clenched my fists and tried not to scream. Alex grinned a little and

went to her room.

Im gonna get ready, Emma said quietly.

I nodded. Good idea, I murmured. Emma scooted around me to the twins

room and closed the door. I closed the media player and took the CD out of the drive.

Then I went up and got breakfast for myself. I leaned against the kitchen counter,

eating, and waved to the twins as they went out the door. The motor of the van started


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and they drove away. I was left without transportation, meaning I had to take the bus in

very cold weather. Figures.

I tried not to think about Mona and her idiocy, but it was very hard. I was still

angry about the fight and smarting over her stealing my car to drive herself to work. I

tried to concentrate on other things, like what else the grimoires might contain, but it

kept leading me back to Monas reaction.

Witchcraft doesnt exist... Mom was lying. I shook my head. How could Mona

ever think that of her own mother? ...

Before I got ready for work, I sent a text message to Roses cell phone telling her

that Id already told the others about being witches. Half an hour later, I got a reply:

Thats fine I guess. See u tonite.

I trudged through the front door and shook the snow off my jacket and boots.

Someone was playing loud music downstairs, and upstairs the TV was on. I went

upstairs and found Emma sprawled on the couch. She saw me and quickly turned the TV

off. Are we going to look at the grimoires tonight? she asked, hopefully.

I smiled. Sure, I said. Is Rose home yet?

She shook her head. I nodded and stuck my head over the banister to call Alex up

from downstairs. As the music shut off, I went to my room and brought out the

grimoires. When I came back out, Alex and Emma were waiting for me in the living

room.

I dropped all three grimoires down on the coffee table. Here is everything we

need to know about our familys magic, I prefaced. I sat down on the floor by the coffee


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table. Emma stayed on the couch and Alex sat in one of the armchairs. She leaned

forward and grabbed Dads binder while Emma picked up Moms.

Should we just read to ourselves? Alex asked.

If you want to, I said, shrugging. If you find anything interesting, you can tell

us about it.

She nodded and we started reading from the books in almost complete silence.

Id gone a couple pages into Grandmas grimoire when I realized how silent we all were.

Both Emma and Alex were deeply absorbed in their reading. Neither of them hardly

moved, except to flip the page. It was the exact opposite of the chaos the twins usually

lived and revelled in. Come to think of it, I didnt remember any time where the three of

us had been together in one place with such silence. I had to smile before I turned back

to my book.

A car drove in. I checked the clock. It was still hours away before Mona would

return home, so I didnt have to worry about another ugly scene. But then again, Rose

hadnt exactly seemed enthusiastic about me telling the others about witchcraft, so I

could be in for another argument.

Emma went to the window seat and looked out. Its Rose, she told me quietly. I

nodded and she sat back down on the couch, stretching out her legs across the length of

it.

When the front door opened, I got up and went to the top of the stairs. Rose

stomped her boots to get the snow off. She saw me and gave me a small smile. Darn

snow, she muttered.


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I nodded. I came down a couple of steps to be more level with her. I already told

them about our magic, I said, keeping my voice low. I know youd wanted to leave it

for tonight

No, its okay, Rose said quickly. I dont know what I was thinking. Its good you

told them. How did they take it?

Alex and Emma seem fine with it, I said. Theyre in the living room, reading

from the grimoires. Mona flipped out though. We had a fight.

Rose sighed. Yeah, well... she trailed off. Shell come around eventually.

Shed better, I thought. I followed Rose up the stairs. She looked surprised to see

the twins reading quietly. Alex looked up at her and frowned. What? she asked.

Oh, um... nothing, Rose said. She gave her a smile. Its just nice to see you guys

so quiet.

Alex rolled her eyes. I tried not to laugh. Rose went into the kitchen, muttering

something about making dinner, and I sat back down on the carpet by Emmas feet and

hoisted the grimoire back on my lap. The usual clattering of dishes and pots came out to

us from the kitchen and I tried to ignore it.

Time passed before Rose called, Liz? Can you come in here please?

I hefted the grimoire off my lap again and went into the kitchen. Rose was staring

at something on the fridge. She didnt turn to look at me as I came in. Whats up? I

asked.

When I got closer to her, I realized that she had paled considerably. Her eyes

were filled with fear, and her mouth hung open. I quickly looked at what she was looking

at, but there was nothing to see, at least nothing horrible enough for Rose to look like

that. Just the notes, the magnets, and the whiteboard.


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She lifted her arm, pointing. Do you see that? she asked me, her voice

quivering.

See what? I asked.

She looked at me incredulously. She walked forward to the fridge and tapped her

fingers on the whiteboard. I looked again. The message from this morning was gone and

in its place was a phone number.

I shrugged at her. So? Its just a phone number. You looked like youd seen a

ghost.

But-I-I wrote that, she said. I nodded. Dont you see? I dont know what this

number means. Ive been writing it all day! I thought I was going crazy. I kept writing

down this stupid number, over and over again. On bills, invoices, napkins. George

thought I was going nuts. I couldnt figure out why I was writing this number down and

the customers thought it was their totals. She managed a shaky laugh. I noticed Emma

and Alex were both at the door to the kitchen. I thought maybe Id stop writing it when

I came home, but look. Look! It just wont go away!

She turned and saw the twins at the door. Her face crumpled. She forced herself

to sit down at the kitchen table and put her head in her hands. I looked at the number. It

was an Aurora number, but I didnt recognize it. I looked at the twins. Do you guys

recognize this number? I asked.

Alex shook her head, but Emma hesitated. I think so, she murmured. But I

cant remember where. I feel like Ive seen it recently.

Like right now? Alex asked, pointing at the whiteboard.

No, Emma whined, before now. Im sure Ive seen it before.

Thats a big help, Alex mumbled.


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Quiet, I said, looking at both of them. Alex frowned at me. I turned to the

whiteboard. We could look it up on the internet. Im sure it would be in the phone

book.

I got my laptop out of my bedroom and brought it to the kitchen. Rose stirred,

sighing. Never mind, Lizzy, Im sure its nothing, she breathed.

I ignored her and opened Firefox. I went to Canada 411s website and typed in the

number in the reverse phone number search. As the results were loading, Emma came

into the kitchen with Moms grimoire.

Here, she said. Its right here. I knew Id seen it recently.

The back of the book was open. The last page had a list of contacts, complete with

phone numbers, addresses, and names. Emma was pointing at one specific name which

included a business address. It was the same phone number as on the whiteboard, with

the name Edward Hunter attached to it. He lived on Kennedy Street here in Aurora and

worked at a restaurant. When I looked at my laptop, the result had the same name

attached.

Maybe youre psychic, Emma suggested, smiling.

Rose smiled too, but didnt seem inclined to believe it. I grabbed the kitchen

phone off the hook and began dialling. When Rose noticed what I was doing, she

jumped up and tried to take the phone out of my hand. No, Liz, dont! she exclaimed. I

danced out of reach as far as the cord would let me go. She followed me, so I raised the

phone above me. I was taller than her, so she had to struggle to reach it. I dont want to

contact this guy. It could be dangerous.


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It could be dangerous not knowing, I told her. I noticed Alex behind her had

returned with one of the handsets from the living room. She waved it at me. I nodded

and put my phone back in its cradle. Alex grinned and pressed talk.

Rose looked from her to me, afraid. But... we should... are you sure we should do

this?

We have to find out, Rose, I told her. What if its important? This guy could

help us.

Alex began talking to whoever had picked up on the other end. From what I could

hear of her side of the conversation, it sounded like this Edward Hunter wasnt home.

Rose sagged. She took a steadying breath before checking on her food, pointedly

ignoring me. When she needed something, she turned to Emma. I sighed and went back

to my computer. Alex hung up.

Hes not home, she told us. Hes working tonight at this place. She pointed at

the restaurant name in the grimoire. I nodded.

The restaurant didnt have an address listing so I looked it up online in the yellow

pages. It too was here in Aurora, though near the outskirts. If he worked there, he would

be there all night until closing probably.

We should go there sometime, I suggested, looking at the others.

We could go tonight, Alex said, perking up. After dinner

No, Rose said firmly. Emma stirred one of the pots while Rose went and wiped

the phone number off the whiteboard. We are not going until we know more about this

world, and more about him. Okay?

I opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me off.


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No! she said firmly. End of discussion. Now, Liz, get the plates out and set the

table. Emma, Alex, go back to the living room and keep on reading from the grimoires.

She shooed Emma away from the stove and took over. The twins slunk back to

the living room with the grimoire and I closed my laptop and began setting the table.

Dinner was tense, if anything else. We hardly spoke as we ate. By the end of it, I was

already formulating a plan.

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Strange New World Chapter 4 roughV5