A.N. Another chapter already. I hope you guys like it. I know Jessi will, since I've talked to her about it. You'll all probably hate the cliffhanger at the end, but that's sometimes a good thing. Enjoy! Oh, and I don't own Hocus Pocus, much to my chagrin.
OooOooOooOooO (Lacia POV)
I watched as Binx's hands worked to untie me. It was so odd to not be able to feel it when I knew that he was touching me. Then I felt my head shift slightly. I glanced up furtively. Binx was much closer now. 'He must have moved his arms for some reason,' I decided. I looked down just in time to see the knots loosen and be pulled free. I still couldn't feel anything, but it was a relief none-the-less.
"Thanks. If I wasn't numb, I'm sure that I would feel much better now," I commented teasingly. The cloth vanished from my sight, and I realized that he was going to get rid of it. "Wait!" I called out. His arms wrapped around my waist, and I fought back a blush.
"What? Is something wrong?" He sounded confused and slightly worried.
"Don't throw that away." There was a pause as he thought about my words.
"Why? Are you planning on using it for a craft or something?" Binx demanded. "Are you a hoarder?" If I could have moved, I would have shivered. As it was, I got goosebumps on my face and gasped out loud involuntarily. His whisper was so… sensual. There was no other word for it. I took a deep, calming, shaky breath before I spoke.
"No," I told him shrilly. "We don't want to leave a trail to follow. Besides, if you have to climb anything else, we'll need it," I justified myself.
"Okay, okay. Here." I watched his fingers tie a smooth knot so that the fabric was looped around my unfeeling wrist. "Now it's just a bracelet until we need it," he pointed out. I tried to nod, but my numb neck prevented that.
"I'm nodding on the inside," I informed him jokingly. "Now can we get out of here? We've been sitting on the sidewalk for like twenty minutes," I reminded him.
"Oh. Right. Sorry," he apologized. Then he began the complicated process of standing up with me. "Let's get out of here," he mumbled.
I started thinking about how to get out of my predicament. 'What am I going to do? I mean, I trust Binx with my life, but I'd rather not put him in danger. If he has to carry me, he's so much more likely to get caught or hurt. Besides, it slows him down when speed is necessary. I have to figure a way out of this,' I thought determinedly. Then a more pressing question occurred to me.
"Binx, where are we going?" I inquired. He didn't answer, and the pause grew worrying. "You hadn't thought of that, had you?"
"No," he confessed. "So where do you think we should go?" I thought for a moment before replying.
"I don't know. But it should be somewhere close," I added. "How about here?" I suggested as we passed a vacant factory. According to the rumor mills at the school, it was supposedly haunted and had been deserted by the owner because of a curse.
"The creepy factory?" He prodded apprehensively.
"Yeah," I agreed. "I mean, it's not really cursed, is it?" He shook his head, and I couldn't help but feel some measure of relief.
"No, it's not. The owner abandoned it because business was bad, not because of some curse. But it could still be dangerous. It might not be stable, there could be mold, or homeless people could be living there. I don't think it's a good idea, Lacy," he retorted.
"Binx, I think we should get out of sight. It would be safer, and maybe we could figure out a way to un-paralyze me. The factory is close, there won't be innocent bystanders, and no one will think to look there. Besides, it's stood there for over fifty years; it's not gonna fall down all of a sudden," I pointed out.
"Fine. You have a good point; I give in."
OooOooOooOooO (Binx POV)
"How about here?" Lacy proposed. I glanced around to see what she was talking about. A large, unlit, dilapidated building stood on the corner of the street. Chimneys jutted out of the top, but they belched smoke no longer. I recognized the brick structure as the old Grimbleton plant.
"The creepy factory?" I probed uneasily. 'Please tell me she's talking about something else,' I begged silently.
"Yeah," she replied. My hope turned to dust, and my stomach began turning in concern. "I mean, it's not really cursed, is it?" I forced myself to shake my head.
"No, it's not. The owner abandoned it because business was bad, not because of some curse. But it could still be dangerous. It might not be stable, there could be mold, or homeless people could be living there. I don't think it's a good idea, Lacy," I cautioned.
"Binx, I think we should get out of sight. It would be safer, and maybe we could figure out a way to un-paralyze me. The factory is close, there won't be innocent bystanders, and no one will think to look there. Besides, it's stood there for over fifty years; it's not gonna fall down all of a sudden." I let out a quiet sigh that I knew she wouldn't notice.
"Fine. You have a good point; I give in," I admitted as I swerved toward the industrial building. When I reached the wooden door, I remembered that it would probably be locked. "I would tell you to hold on tight, but that would be kinda pointless," I said teasingly. "Here we go," I whispered as I braced myself.
My foot lashed out and slammed into the door. A loud crash echoed through the empty street, but I knew that no one would think anything of it here. The door swung open rapidly and crashed into the wall behind it. I could see a hole where the doorknob had punched through the drywall. 'Oops.' I hurried over the threshold, trying not to think about married couples on honeymoons. 'This is nothing like that,' I tried to convince myself.
"Okay," Lacy began. "Just find a room that looks safe, and set me down there." 'No room here is going to look safe to me,' I grumbled silently. 'Why am I such a pushover around her?'
"This one looks good," I remarked as I stepped through an open doorway. The room I had chosen appeared to be an old office. I laid Lacy in the dusty chair at the desk.
"So how do we unfreeze me?" She questioned. I thought for a few minutes, but I couldn't come up with anything. Then, with a loud thump, Winifred's book fell to the floor through a tear in my satchel.
"No…" I muttered. "That can't be the answer. Nothing good can come from that book."
"What?" Lacy asked. 'She can't see the book, dummy,' I reminded myself. 'And she has no idea what you're talking about.'
"The spell book just fell to the floor. It might have the spell to free you, but it's not safe. The book itself is evil. We can't trust it, especially if it wants us to open it," I explained. "But it could help you…" I trailed off.
Lacy didn't reply, and I peeked up at her. She wasn't moving at all anymore. 'Oh no. She's completely paralyzed,' I discovered. "Well, I guess that chooses for me," I growled as I picked up the book. "Don't worry, Lacia. I'll save you."
I snapped the book open, and the pages flipped in a non-existent wind. It halted on a page that read, "Freezing Spell." 'I hate magic,' I complained. 'So unsettling.' After a moment, I found the cure.
"Loose the flesh and free the mind. Move the body all in kind. Strip her of her magic bind. Let her stir again," I chanted. The redhead sat straight up coughing.
"Lacia!" I cried. I pulled her into my arms, and she hugged back just as fiercely. The open book dropped to the floor, but I ignored it. "I thought I'd lost you for a minute there."
"Like I'd let some stupid spell win," she scoffed.
"Oh really? Because as I recall, I just defeated said spell without your help," I retorted. She blushed all the way down to her neckline, and I couldn't have been happier to see it.
"Shut up," she groused as she looked down at her shoes. My grin grew even wider at her sullen pout.
"Nope." I popped the p, and her head snapped up as she glared at me. She stuck her tongue out at me, and I laughed outright. Then a crash reverberated through the building, followed by cackling.
"Book! I'm here! Come to me, book!" Winifred called.
"Hide!" Lacy ordered under her breath. She slunk under the desk, and I followed, snatching the book on the way. The space was cramped, but it was better than the alternative.
"What do we do now?" Lacy demanded. I shushed her and shook my head.
"Not a clue," I mouthed. "Just stay quiet and low." She nodded, and I unconsciously reached for her hand. Then beautiful singing drifted through the air, and Lacy's hand grew lax in mine.
"Come little children, I'll take thee away," Sarah sang. Lacia ducked out from under the desk and began walking. 'Not again,' I thought bitterly.
"Lacy, don't listen! Cover your ears," I commanded. She didn't respond. "Lacy! Lacia, answer me!" She passed the doorway, and I knew I was running out of time. "Lacy, please!" I grabbed her arm, but it slid through my fingers like water, and she was undeterred. In desperation, I ran around her, clutched her shoulders, and slammed my lips onto hers.
OooOooOooOooO
A.N. Finally! I got a kiss in! Sorry for the non-romantic nature of said kiss, but we'll get there eventually. So tell me what you think, peoples! Thanks for reading my author's note. Oh, and review!