The Secret Circle:
Out of the Darkness
The Secret Circle and its characters aren't mine – they belong to L. J. Smith and HarperCollins Publishers.
Chapter Ten
It was snowing outside the next morning. A thin layer of snow already covered the ground, and a swirling white blanket filled the air.
Sean was at the Hendersons' house, playing rhythm on Chris's acoustic guitar while Chris worked on a lead guitar part he was writing.
The phone rang. Chris put down his guitar and picked it up. "Hello? … Okay… Yeah, we'll be there."
"That was Faye," he said, hanging up the phone. "We're having a meeting at her place after lunch. At 1:00."
Sean sighed. "Okay." He really didn't want to go to a meeting – especially one that Faye was organizing. But he didn't want to argue about it, either.
He turned back to the guitar.
The front door slammed.
Sean started.
Doug walked inside, brushing snow off his coat and pulling off his snow-covered hat. "It's wicked out there," he said, grinning wildly. "I could hardly see where I was going."
"Where'd you go?" Chris asked.
"To Deb's. Hey, Faye's having a meeting today."
"Yeah, we know. She just called."
"I'm starved. I'm gonna go get some food."
"Me too." Chris put his guitar on its stand and turned off the amp. "You coming?" he asked Sean.
"Sure." Sean put the acoustic guitar in its case and followed Chris to the kitchen. He grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table and returned to the den. Neither of the twins followed him. He took his Book of Shadows out of his backpack and started turning through the pages while he ate.
To Ensure a Safe Journey. To Cast Out Fear and Malignant Emotions. To Ensure a Safe Birth. To Protect a Child from Harm. To Shield One's Mind. To –
He stopped and turned back to the previous page. He read the title again: To Shield One's Mind. Yes. That's what he was looking for. He read the instructions.
"Imagine that you are in a protected place. It can be any place you choose: a room, a grove of trees, a rocky beach, a fort – anyplace you feel safe. Visualize the texture of the walls and doors of the room, the placement of the windows; the texture of the bark and leaves of the trees; the color of the stone at the beach; the wooden palisade or stone walls of the fort. Imagine yourself there, shielded from any harm. Practice until you can visualize yourself in your safe place instantly and hold the image there, in your mind's eye, at any time – regardless of your current task or state of mind."
It wasn't really a spell; more a mental exercise or meditation. Sean had never had the patience to develop any skill with any kind of mental exercise or meditation. But he had to try.
He closed his eyes. He pictured the small cave in the granite outcrop behind the school: its cool, solid, rough surface; the red-brown color of the granite, speckled with white, grey, and black crystals of feldspar and quartz and mica; the earthy scent of soil, moss, and humidity.
But when he focused on the texture of the rock, he couldn't see the color. And when he pictured the color, he could no longer feel the rock. He could only focus on a small part of the cave at a time – a particular rock, or part of a rock, or an aspect of its appearance. And he couldn't imagine the peaceful, protected feeling of the cave at all.
He tried again. And again. But he still couldn't hold the entire picture in his mind long enough to visualize the entire cave at all, let alone in enough detail to make it seem tangible and secure.
"Come on, you guys, let's go!" Chris called from the front door after what seemed like hours.
Sean sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere; he didn't have any more of a mental shield than he'd had before he started. And his head was starting to hurt again. He might as well give up – for the time being.
"Sean! Let's go!"
"I'm coming," Sean called back. He put his Book away and walked outside.
* * *
Most of the Circle was already gathered inside Faye's den. Faye's kittens were lying on the hearth, basking in the warmth of a roaring fire.
Sean sank into an armchair near the fireplace. Both kittens looked up. The grey kitten trotted over to Sean and jumped up on his lap, followed by the orange.
"Hey, Kali; hey, Shiva. How's it going?" he whispered to them as he stroked Kali's smooth, silky grey fur and Shiva's fluffy orange fur. The orange kitten purred. The grey one started to climb Sean's sweater. "No, Kali; I don't think so." He picked her up, carefully removing her claws from his sweater, and put her beside her brother. She turned her back to him and stared into the fire, but her purr soon joined her brother's.
A door shut. Nick walked in and sat beside Deborah on the couch.
Faye came in a few minutes later, carrying a tray with twelve small glasses, each filled with a golden liquid. She set the tray on a table beside a stack of china plates. Suzan followed with a tray of little sandwiches and a bowl of apples and oranges.
"Would anyone care for some … refreshments?" Faye asked, looking around the Circle and smiling oddly at Diana and Laurel.
"Thank you," Diana said, taking an orange and peeling it. Laurel took an apple. Most of the others followed, filling plates with fruit or sandwiches, and picking up glasses of the golden liquid.
Neither Diana nor Laurel took a glass. Nor did Cassie or Melanie.
Sean shook his head when Faye offered him a glass. "No, thank you."
Faye smiled at him benignly.
"Our school board has been … busy," she said at last, after people had finished their snack and taken their plates and glasses into the kitchen.
Diana looked at her, startled. So did Cassie and Adam. "You don't mean …" Diana's voice trailed off.
"Oh, yes, I do. Our school board has found a candidate – a promising candidate – to fill the late Mr. Fogle's – and Mr. Brunswick's – position."
Sean tensed, expecting to find himself back at Devil's Cove, watching himself shift the huge granite boulder and push it until –
Stop thinking about that, you idiot. He glanced at the others, but no one seemed to be watching him. He turned back to the kittens. His hand was trembling.
"They needed some … assistance, of course. They had to know the right places to look."
The Circle waited silently, watching Faye intently.
"Not, for example, in school districts renowned for their intolerance of students who are, shall we say, different. Not in school districts renowned for their insistence on conformity – in dress, in speech – in thought, too, I imagine. Not in school districts renowned for –"
"Okay, Faye. So they shouldn't have looked for candidates to serve as the principal of New Salem High in the Bible Belt, or in school districts with mandatory uniforms or dress codes. We get it," Adam said impatiently. "Who did they hire?"
Faye glanced at him, and went on as if he hadn't spoken. "Not in school districts which follow so-called "tough love" policies – such as those instated by the late Mr. Brunswick here at our very own New Salem High School."
"Which some of us supported," Laurel said under her breath.
Faye ignored her. "And not in school districts in places where a person has to belong to a church – and attend services every Sunday – to be a … good citizen."
She smiled. "They looked in San Francisco." She looked around the circle.
Cassie looked confused. Adam was still watching Faye impatiently. So was Laurel. Deborah and Suzan and Chris and Doug were grinning. Melanie and Nick – Sean couldn't tell what they were thinking.
Diana was actually smiling at Faye. "They found someone there," she said.
Faye smiled back. "Yes."
"Why San Francisco?" Cassie asked. "Why look there?"
"San Francisco is known for its tolerance of people who are different," Faye said. "Including witches."
Cassie looked at Diana uncertainly.
Diana nodded. "San Francisco has a thriving Pagan community. I don't know whether or not any of them are hereditary Witches like we are, or if they can call on the Powers, but they do honor the old ways."
Laurel nodded. "And they work to protect Mother Earth. They teach people about sustainable living and permaculture – you know, integrating human homes and edible gardens into sustainable ecosystems, and growing foods and herbs without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers –"
"Fascinating though this discussion may be, could we please get to the point?" Adam interrupted, glowering at Laurel. He turned back to Faye. "Who is the new principal? And what do you know about him?"
Faye grinned at him wickedly. "I know that she is a woman. Her name's Sandra Jackson. She was the vice-principal at one of the high schools there. Before that, she was a teacher – and can anyone guess what she taught?" Faye looked around at the members of the Circle.
Nobody answered.
"She was a social studies teacher – and she taught comparative religions. She was also one of the teacher advisors for the school's social responsibility club." Faye's eyes gleamed. "I somehow doubt that she condones burning Witches at the stake."
There was a murmur of excitement around the circle.
"We still need to be careful," Adam said. "San Francisco is a big city. Any teacher or principal from there must be used to dealing with gangs. I doubt that she'll allow any group to have any special privileges that the other students don't have."
Cassie nodded. "Adam's right."
"Of course we need to be careful," Faye said. "That's why Melanie and I – and Cassie and my dear cousin, too, if they would like to join us – we'll be accompanying Miss Burke and Mrs. Henderson and Mr. Livy – you know, the chairman of the school board – to interview her in person. We're flying out tomorrow."
"Faye, the school board isn't going to invite high school students – not even Circle members – to a job interview for their candidate," Adam said, looking at her oddly.
Faye smiled an innocent smile. "Well, of course they won't. Mr. Livy, Miss Burke, and Mrs. Henderson will interview their candidate all by themselves. I'm just going along on a short vacation to San Francisco. I'll take in the sights, buy some postcards to send back home, have lunch at the Japanese Tea Garden –"
"Get to the point, Faye," Adam said through gritted teeth.
"I'm going to find an opportunity to talk with her informally," she said. "It won't be hard. I'm sure I'll be invited to dinner with the new candidate and the school board at least once."
Diana looked at Faye thoughtfully. "You're probably right. And it's not a bad idea, to talk with the candidate. All right, Faye. I'll come."
"So will I," Cassie said. She looked at Adam.
He nodded. "I'll come, too."
There was a murmur of agreement and good wishes for the flight and the mission from the other Circle members.
"Now that that's agreed, I think it's time for some important business," Suzan said. "We need to celebrate. We're probably getting a new principal – a woman – and it's New Year's Eve."
"I agree," Faye said, grinning wickedly. "I think we should go into Salem tonight and crash the New Year's Eve party at the college."
"Cool!" Doug said.
"You guys," Diana began.
"Come on, it'll be fun!" Suzan interrupted. "It's not like we're going to ruin their party. It'll be a big dance – they have one every year. We'll join in and have fun."
"Well, I'm coming," Chris said.
Deborah nodded. "So am I."
"That actually does sound like fun," Laurel said. "I'll come."
Melanie, Cassie, and Adam agreed, too.
"What about you, Nick?" Faye asked.
"All right."
"Sean? What about you?"
Sean shook his head, staring at Faye in horror. "Me? Crash a college party? No way!"
Faye chuckled. Deborah and Cassie laughed. Even Diana smiled.
"Diana? Are you coming with us?" Laurel asked.
"I suppose I will," Diana said, still smiling.
"Now that that's decided, I declare this meeting officially over," Faye said. "Unless anyone has any other business?"
No one did.
The circle broke up and people started to head home.
Sean walked out the door. It was still snowing outside; the sky was already nearly dark.
"You want a ride home?" Cassie asked, joining him outside.
"Uh, sure. Thanks." He followed Cassie to her Volkswagen and climbed in.
Cassie backed the car out of Faye's drive and drove slowly up the road. "Faye's kittens seem to like you," she said.
Sean smiled. "Yeah. They're nice cats."
Cassie raised her eyebrows. "Are they?"
"Yes. They just – you can't let them climb up to your shoulders or they might bite you. But they're really friendly."
Cassie laughed. "As long as they're not biting." Her expression sobered. "But aren't they also … don't they spy on people for Faye?"
Sean shook his head. "No. I don't think so. I think they just – they spend a lot of time outside, or looking out the windows, and they see what's going on. And they let Faye know what they see. But they're not spies."
She looked at him uncertainly.
"They're cats," he said. "They watch what they want to watch. I don't think they'd listen to Faye if she did tell them to spy on someone. They do watch people, but they watch animals, too – like dogs. They don't like dogs. Faye said they always tell her when Raj is around. Foxes and owls, too."
"I guess I just don't like the idea of being watched by someone who tells Faye everything I do," Cassie said, pulling into Sean's family's drive.
Sean shrugged. "You're right. But they probably don't tell her everything they see – only what they think is interesting. And even if they did, I don't think Faye usually pays much attention. I mean, I don't think she really cares – you know, which of us goes for a bike ride, or goes running, or walks down to the beach, or works in the garden, or … you know, whatever it is we're doing outside. It … I think it would probably get kind of boring."
Cassie laughed. "I suppose you're right." She stopped the car in front of the garage.
Sean smiled at her. "Thanks for the ride," he said. He stepped out and shut the door behind him.
"No problem. See you around."
"Okay. Bye." He waited until she pulled out of his family's drive, and walked to the door. He brushed the snow off his clothes as well as he could, took off his snow-covered shoes, and went inside.
* * *
New Year's Day dawned sunny and cold; the clouds that would bring more snow wouldn't blow in until later. Snow covered the ground, except for the narrow lane Mr. Henderson had plowed through the middle of Crowhaven Road. Sean ate a quick breakfast and hurried out to the garage.
Chris and Doug were already waiting for him with their mountain bikes when he pushed his own mountain bike outside. He sighed. It wasn't even 8:00 – and it was New Year's Day. He'd hoped nobody would be up this early, not after the New Year's Eve party most of them had gone to the night before.
"I don't need a guard," he said irritably as he mounted his bike and started down the road. "I'm fine."
"Of course you are," Chris said, pedaling beside him. "But nobody's supposed to be outside alone, remember? Besides, we need some exercise. We've got to get fit, you know."
"Yeah," Doug said. "It's, like, a New Year's resolution. So you've got to keep us in line and make sure we ride fast enough. And, like, ride up hills and stuff."
Sean felt some of the tension drain from his body, even though he knew they were just giving him an excuse. He glanced over his shoulder at Doug. "Okay. I will."
He picked up his cadence, shifted up – and the bike sprang ahead. Sean darted past Chris, passing on his right, and sprinted down the road.
"Hey, wait up!" Chris yelled.
"I can't – you're going too slow," Sean yelled back over his shoulder. He kept going. The others followed – down Crowhaven Road, up Marsh Street, onto Ridge Road, and up the hill toward the school's east entrance. Neither of them was far behind, but not even Chris on his new aluminum Trek passed him.
Sean waited by the gate for the others to catch up.
Chris grinned at him. "Good race, dude. But now it's time for the fun stuff." He rode past the bike racks and jumped over the steps into the empty parking lot. He turned the bike and pulled it into a bunnyhop over a curb. Sean and Doug followed.
Chris led the way down the steep hill and along the road until it intersected with a trail. He turned on the trail, riding carefully up the steep slope until it leveled out. He left the trail and jumped up onto a large fallen oak. He rode down its length, jumping off again just before reaching the lowest branches. Doug followed him. Sean smiled and shook his head when they looked at him. Chris shrugged, and turned back to the trail. He led Doug and Sean along a convoluted route between trees, over fallen logs, and over rocks that jutted out from the hillsides near the trail.
Eventually, he led the way back to Crowhaven Road. "You want to come over for lunch?" he asked when they neared the Hendersons' house.
Sean shook his head. "No, thanks. I want to go home. I've still got some homework to finish."
"Okay." Chris rode on to Sean's house. He and Doug waited until Sean put his bike away and locked the garage door before they said good-bye and rode home.