The killing curse
The next three days nothing happened in the life of Amelia Thompson. After the first night the doctor had forbidden her to sleep in the hospital again. That night she had to go home. The entire way home she dreaded seeing her father. Yet when she returned home he wasn't there. She suspected he was in the barn or on the field. That night he didn't return either. Amelia was glad to have the house to herself. She had cleaned the living room up. All the glass was disposed and she had even replaced the frames with new ones.
There was probably a way to fix it with magic. There was a way to do everything quicker, cleaner and cheaper. But the thought didn't even cross her mind. Somehow her mother's wand had ended up in a box above the fireplace. Amelia glanced at it from time to time. She was angry with the wand. The wand had done this. It was easy to blame an object for her own mistake.
That night she cried herself to sleep.
The next morning her dad was still gone. Amelia didn't care. She made breakfast and fed the sheep and goats. Then she left for the hospital again. Nothing had changed and the day was mostly the same. The only break in her routine was a visit from Claire. The girl cried openly in Amelia's arms, saying she was so sorry for Misses Thompson. She ensured Amelia she would be alright but she sounded less convinced than Amelia herself.
That night her dad was still gone. It was nice and quiet in the house and Amelia appreciated it. She hadn't paid attention to the missing alcohol bottles or the fresh smell of tobacco. Her father had been there during the day, but Amelia didn't notice. On this day she was once again staring at the wand on top of the fireplace.
What if she used it? Could she fix her mother? Would there be a healing spell in that old spell book she had seen many years ago? Maybe there was a spell, but Amelia doubted she was able to carry it out correctly. She had never used a wand in her life. The only things she had done so far was destroying things when she was angry. She had never created anything beautiful. She had never made things float like Luke Skywalker did with the Force. That would be cool. That would be something to practice and not feel bad about. But that was also what her dad had forbidden.
That night her thoughts returned to Steve Harrington. For the first time she thought their encounter in the hospital over. She had been so tired and sad that back when it happened she couldn't think about what it meant. Steve was in the hospital because he wanted to see if she was okay. He probably came up to their house to talk. Talk about the things she should have talked about when she saw him in the hallway behind Will Byers. And when Steve arrived at her house he found it empty. He had asked a neighbour and curious Miss Wilson would have gladly told him that the odd family had been fighting and drove off to the hospital with a big hurry. She imaged the look on his face when he expected Amelia to be hurt. She imaged the stress he had when he drove to the hospital. She could also image the relief he felt when she was getting that terrible cup of coffee late in the evening. She hadn't wanted to see Steve, but he must have been so happy and relieved to see her.
Steve had sat there in the room, not saying a word, for hours. Claire couldn't remain silent for five minutes without asking something or trying to cheer her friend up. Amelia appreciated the thought, but it was so annoying. Steve had done exactly what Amelia had needed. He could read her. Amelia wondered how it was possible to feel so connected to someone when you didn't really know that person. Steve seemed to know her far beyond what she imaged. She pretended she knew Steve because she had been drooling over him for a year. From a distance.
And then there was that hug. The hug he gave Amelia that told her it was going to be fine. It had been the only moment since the accident that she actually believed it would be fine. That her mother would wake up and ask her everything about that cute boy that kept coming over. But seriously….that hug. It had felt more real, more special and much more warm than the sex had felt.
The sex was an intoxicated mistake they had both made. They had the wrong feeling about each other that night and they made conclusions based on how attractive they looked that evening. Amelia admitted that the sunglasses were always a major plus on Steve. She regretted their night so much now. Because what could that hug even mean after you had done something so stupid and reckless? And now she had lost her virginity on her first serious drunken night. Great story to tell the kids.
The next day her father still wasn't home. Amelia started to feel less angry with him. In the end it was her fault, so what right did she have to be mad? She gathered her courage and wrote a letter to her dad for when he returned home. She apologized for everything she had said and done and hoped they could restore what broken relationship they had left. She left the letter on the dinner table and left for the hospital again.
On her way there she noticed something. When she drove through the streets she saw Steve's car parked in an odd place. It was next to a path leading into the forest. There was an old train track running back there. It wasn't a popular place for runners or strollers because there were a lot of sudden holes in the ground. Amelia looked down the street and wondered if she knew who lived in the houses nearby. The only one she could remember was dear Miss Henderson, that lovely lady with the cat that often ended up in their garden. Miss Henderson was one of those rare cases of suburban housewives that Amelia actually liked. And so did her mother. She shook the thought from her mind and continued to the hospital.
It was once again very late when Amelia got home. She prepared some food and ate by herself at the dinner table. The fact that her letter had disappeared didn't slip her notice. She wondered where he was. If he had read it and wanted to accept her apology he ought to be here. Amelia tried not to think about it.
After dinner she brought her plate to the kitchen and started cleaning it. Slowly the idea that her mother wasn't going to return soon started to sink in deeper and deeper. She had to throw food away that had hit the expiration date. She had to clean all the dishes and not just leave it on the counter. She had to take out the trash and buy groceries. A tear slipped over her cheek before she realised it. The silence in the house was suddenly crushing.
But then the silence was broken. Amelia's head snapped up to the window looking out over the barn. She had heard a noise she had never heard before. It sounded like an animal, but nothing like a sheep. Slowly the girl crept to the glass and opened the window a little. She waited, afraid to even breathe. Then there was a new sound. It was she scream of a sheep. It sounded panicked and possibly hurt. The bleating was so loud and poignant. Amelia felt her heartbeat quicken. She needed to see what was going on. But she was scared. Then the screaming stopped and it was silent again.
Amelia took a deep breath and decided to go. She took a flashlight and the keys. After a moment's thought she got her father's gun too. She was already in the hallway to the door when she stopped. It felt like something was calling her. She knew what it was. She knew she should probably listen. Her head turned slowly. It was her best shot at survival when it was necessary. Amelia walked into the living room and took her mother's wand in her hand. Sure enough some sparks lit up at the tip, connecting with Amelia's magic. It felt good and wrong at the same time. Like putting a key in a lock but then finding out it doesn't quite fit. But it was good enough for now.
Amelia crept through the garden to the entrance of the barn. It was pretty cold outside. There was a layer of fog hanging over the grass. She cursed herself for not wearing anything warmer. Brilliant as she was, she had taken one of her new outfits today. She wore a black high-fitted skirt and a matching navy blouse. She looked good in it, but her legs were turning blue from the cold.
The cold wasn't however the only reason she had goose bumps all over her body. The eerie scenery with the fog and the terrible bleating was enough to let anyone experience fear. Amelia kept repeating It's gonna be fine, It's gonna be fine in her head.
Her hand found the door and she pushed it open. With a flashlight in her one hand and the loaded gun in the other she crept inside the barn. The wand was tucked in the waistband of her skirt for now. It was dark inside the barn. The moon was covered behind clouds and the only light came from a small peer in the far corner and the flashlight she was holding. Amelia could see her own breath come out in fearful small puffs. She took a moment to get adjusted to the darkness. The sounds in the barn were mostly normal. Shuffling of the animals and the wind outside. But there was another sound. A sound that she wished she wasn't hearing because it meant she had to continue in the barn. The odd sound was a muffled fleshy sound. Amelia swallowed.
She took her first step forward. Her eyes started to see the outline of the stalls and the animals. No sheep was asleep. They were all walking around restlessly. Yet they remained silent. Amelia had learned it was a basic instinct: the sheep thought that they wouldn't get noticed if they remain silent. It didn't make Amelia feel better. Another step forward. She could locate the stall where the sound came from. Another step. A new smell hit her nose with real force. Blood. This is getting better and better.
Finally Amelia reached the stall. What she saw was way beyond what she had imaged to find. It was more horribly inhuman than she had thought. It wasn't animalistic either. More somewhere in between. The creature was hunched over a dead sheep, eating the guts out. The body of the sheep moved sickly when the creature dove into the flesh. The creature itself had skin that had the colour of a lizard, but the structure of human skin. But a lot…more gross.
The creature noticed the light being turned on him. It turned around to look at Amelia. Or she supposed it did, because it didn't have eyes. Just one huge gaping hole for a mouth with pedal-like flaps around it. Amelia seriously felt sick. She would surely throw up if she could afford to look away. But the creature was focussing on her now and it started to creep towards her. Amelia backed away out of the stall. Once the creature was clear of the sheep she fired the gun.
The sound was loud like thunder and the drawback hurt her wrist. The sheep all panicked at once, forgetting their silence. Amelia looked in horror at the creature that was still advancing on her like nothing had happened. If she wasn't scared before, she definitely was now. She fired the gun again. The sheep were so wild they nearly jumped over their stalls. The creature opened its mouth to make an alien sound that meant nothing good. Now that the mouth was opened she hoped to kill it by firing in his throat. The next shot was aimed perfectly in the middle of the mouth, but he still didn't die.
The gun doesn't work! It took her a moment to let the gun go. She threw the weapon at the monster, hoping it would knock him out. Still it didn't bother him. He was only angered. He looked like he was about to jump on her. When she was beneath those sharp claws and horrible mouth she knew it was over.
One last chance.
She dropped the flashlight and got her mother's wand out. She stood there awkwardly, holding out the little wooden stick, as if hoping the monster would be scared by it. Obviously it wasn't and his following roar indicated he was about to pound on her.
Think! Think! What spells do you know? Something for stunning? Something for setting things on fire?
Amelia was too late. The creature jumped and threw the girl over. She lay pinned beneath his body. The wand was still in her hand but her mind didn't have time to think of a spell. Her mind was blank. The mouth opened and Amelia looked up to a million tiny teeth lined up around the opening. A horrible smell of blood and decay came from it. Bits of slime and saliva flew out of the mouth when it roared. Then it lifted one of its paws to slash down at her.
Survival instinct kicked in and Amelia kicked her knee in the stomach as hard as she could. It seemed to pain him enough to stop his advance and Amelia used this to throw the other paw off her. She crawled on elbows and heels away from the creature. She had seconds. She needed a spell.
'I can teach you a million different spells honey. They do good things and bad things.'
A million and yet nothing came to mind. Then another memory hit her.
There is just three spells you may never use. They are unforgivable.
A million spells and what came to mind were the forbidden ones.
There is a spell for killing. It makes you a murderer. My dear Amelia, I will tell you the spell but you can never ever use it.
Never ever.
The monster lunged for her. The mouth was coming straight for her face.
'Avada Kadavra!'
She must have passed out. She must have died. Everything was black for too long. The first thing she noticed was her breath. Then came the sound of the panicked sheep that slowly started to calm down. Then the smell of blood. Then her eyes opened. She was still alive. She was laying on her back in the middle of the barn. She sat up and noticed the hump of flesh laying on top of her legs. It was the monster.
Amelia had the most childish reaction to seeing this. 'Iewl! Iewl! Get it off me GET IT OFF ME!' she screamed in a high-pitched voice. She pushed the lifeless flesh off her and got to her feet. A new shock of pain went through her body. One ankle was badly bruised. The creature had stood on it when it had her pinned to the ground. Amelia withheld herself from cursing and just looked down at the dead body.
Unforgivable. Amelia didn't yet realise what this meant. She didn't yet realise she had just killed for the first time. What she did feel was a surge of adrenaline and a weird form of joy. She was alive. That was a reason to be happy, right? Amelia let out an airy laugh but started crying at the same time.
She looked around her at the sheep. They seemed to notice the danger was over. She looked over at the dead sheep one last time and threw a thick blanket over it. Then she dragged the monster to the back of the barn. Just to be sure, she tied the creature up. Somehow she was still not sure it was dead. It hadn't died at gunfire.
After throwing up for ten minutes straight Amelia returned to her house. The last thing she needed right now was to be alone. What if there were more of those things? But who to call? She had no clue where her father was. Her mother was still in a coma. Claire would only freak out. Suddenly it hit her.
Call me if you need me.
I will.
It was a quick way to the phonebook and to the house number.
'Harrington,' said a male voice.
'Hello Mister Harrington. This is Amelia Thompson. Is Steve home?' she asked, hoping her voice was steady.
'Steve? Haven't seen him all day. Honey, where is our son?' he asked his wife.
'No clue darling. He has been gone since yesterday. Maybe with Nancy?'
'You should try the Wheelers,' Steve's father said. He didn't seem bother in the slightest bit that his son had been gone for two days.
'Okay, thank you.'
Amelia hung up before he could ask more. Steve wasn't with Nancy. She had seen his car in that odd place. It was a long reach, but she tried Miss Henderson.
'Henderson home!' Miss Henderson said cheerfully.
'Hi Miss Henderson, this is Amelia Thompson. I have a weird question. Did you notice a car parked next to your house today?'
'Oh hello Amelia! Nice to hear from you again. You should come over for a cup of tea some time. Uhm, a car? Oh I wouldn't know. I've had such a long day. My dear Mews has walked away and I can't find him.'
Amelia pinched her eyebrows. 'I'm so sorry to hear that. I was asking about the car because it belongs to Steve Harrington and I am looking for him. You don't happen to know where he is, do you?'
'Ah the Harrington kid. Well, weird coincidence is that I did see him today. He was driving my son around earlier. You know, little Dusty. I believe they went to his friends home.'
Now they were getting somewhere. 'Which friend?'
'Byers. Will Byers.'
Thank god. She was getting somewhere. 'Alright, thank you so much. We'll do that tea later!'
Third phone call.
'Hello?' A male voice asked. Amelia couldn't place this voice in the Byers house.
'Hi, this is Amelia Thompson. I have a weird question: Is Steve Harrington there?'
There was a moment of silence. Amelia could hear voices in the background. Then there was some cracking sound before someone else spoke.
'Hello?' was the answer again, but this time it was Steve.
'Steve! Thank god I found you!'
'Amelia? How did you- Why are you calling so la- Is everything alright?'
Amelia laughed in the receiver. 'Not really. I had a weird night. C-can I come over?'
A moment of silence. 'I'm sorry, but it is too dangerous. There is a…situation.'
Suddenly Amelia wasn't scared for herself anymore. She was scared for Steve and whoever was in that house.
'Does it have something to do with a monster without a face?' she said with a deadbeat voice.
'What?! Don't tell me you saw a Demodog!'
'Demodog? What? Who are you talking to Steve?' said another voice.
'Shut up Dustin. Amelia, please tell me you are safe.'
Amelia hadn't expected him to be so worried, but she was also worried about him. Suddenly the distance between them was crushing.
'I'm safe. I killed it.'
'You WHAT?'
'Steve, I'm coming to you. I might be able to protect you. Please stay at the Byers house and I'll be there as soon as possible.'
'No, no I can't let you do that. This is the most unsafe place to be right now.'
'Yet you are there.'
'Amelia…'
'No Steve. This isn't about letting me do anything. I am a weapon and I am going to help you. I'm coming.'
A deep sigh could be heard over the phone. 'Fine. Please be careful. Nowhere is safe.'
'I will. You be careful too.'
'Yeah. See you soon.'
'Real soon.'
Amelia hung up. It was time to face fears and help friends.
Good news: I just completed writing this story. So don't worry about being left in the cold on a cliffhanger.
