24: Bad Luck
"You've got to promise, ok?" Willow Rosenburg told the impatient kid.
She'd ended up in the 24 multiverse, the telemovie Redemption to be exact. The prize pupil of Okavango school, well at least Willow thought Willy was best behaved, caught her letting her magic power out for a quiet exercise.
"Show me the spells – you're a Witch!" Willy demanded, instantly in awe of the things that he spied her doing – all just by sitting down cross legged by a small stream and meditating.
Willow relented, feeling pretty good at having a student learn things – even if it was some things. Besides, it was either this or Willy would tell 'Mr. Benton' about her powers.
"Ok, we will start with the small stuff…." Willow began. After a couple of hours, they heard shouts and Willow stopped the lesson. "Ok, that's it. I'm out of here and you need to get back to school."
Willow was so panicked about being caught, that she teleported that she forgot one of the books. Willy picked the old book up from the ground. It looked big and expensive. He flipped through the pages, and found that he could read some of the stuff, thanks to Mr. Benton teaching them reading and writing as well! He cast a small invisible shield around him and he slipped back onto the campus of the Okavango School without being seen.
The next day, Carl Benton was left trying to figure out the rash of bad luck. First of all, the SAMIL 20 truck that Charles Solenz, the UN relief worker, had driven all of this time had stalled. Worse yet, Charlie was freaked; running into Carl's office, convinced something invisible held the truck. It took literally hours to calm Charlie down, who was convinced Witchcraft had caused the stall! Jack wondered also what was going on because he was picking up the back places of the campus where the kids weren't allowed to go and he was sure he'd seen a whole nest of weird colored snakes back in the woods.
"I searched the woods and I couldn't find any of them." Jack reported. "No holes, no anything."
"Jack," Carl called out. "I am really starting to get bothered by this – I really am."
Jack grinned, "Come on - Witchcraft? Solenz was just in a bind because he has a schedule to keep."
"I guess you're right Jack. Yeah, and Frank came by again – you know why."
Jack groaned. "And I hear the Hyundai engine now. I guess he needs his arm twisted again."
There were the sounds of Solenz arguing with Frank Trammel. They raised their voice angrily and Jack frowned as he realized his name was being discussed. Suddenly, there was a thunderous shriek as everyone screamed. Carl tore out of the office, unpleasant images running through his mind. Charlie was already in the SAMIl, tearing out of the campus! The kids had scattered but the Hyundai still remained and the driver was huddled near the car, shaking like a leaf. Jack reached Carl and they both saw that Frank was nowhere to be seen, but curiously, a thick broom lay in the dirt by itself, near where Frank was standing.
"Who does this broom belong too?" Carl demanded. "Did anyone steal it from town? Answer, tell the truth!"
The driver blurted out, panicked in his native language. Carl was able to translate and he felt his blood drain from his face. Jack saw Carl go pale and worried.
"What happened?"
"Frank and Charlie fought because of the subpoena. Charlie thought you needed to die outright, and Frank yelled. He flopped onto the ground, turned into a broom!"