“Grandma Ivy? I just don’t understand. Why didn’t you just blast those weirdos?”
“You’d have me hurt another person, Mia?” “No, but they were hurting you.”
“Yes, with their hands and words. And even though those words were black magic, they didn’t know how to harness it to inflict lasting damage. If I were to use my magic on them, they could die and it would leave a dark spot on my soul. Magic is sacred. It is not to be used for evil. The world is smart, Mia. That’s how it knows to punish evil.”
“But bad things happen to good people, too.”
“That’s life, Mia. It’s not punishment. If bad things were punished, I would have to spend the entire rest of my life repenting to make it to the good place.”
___________________________________________________________________
“Well, that sure was somethin’, Deary!” Every time we were done shooting she said that.
“Thanks, Hag.” She slapped me every time I said that, too.
“Time to pack up, Damian! We’re taking her to the investors. Don’t forget her bag.”
“I can walk, you know.” “Oh, but Deary. Then you might leave us. Get in the bag!” She liked to say that one too.
...I got in the bag.
The only good thing about the bag is that I could text. No one could see that as long as it was daytime. My mom was really worried, but I couldn’t come home. I don’t remember what I told her, but it didn’t matter. She wouldn’t leave my dad. She didn’t know where I was, either, and she wouldn’t call the police. She knew I wouldn’t want that. Plus, I had always come home before when I left for a few days.
It had been about an hour inside the bag and I could tell that we were getting on a bus. I felt the engine vibrate under me and I could smell that indescribable bus smell. Since I was on the floor, I could almost taste it too. I never understood why no one on the bus stood up for me and helped me out of that bag. Maybe they didn’t notice me. That’s what I have to tell myself. I have to scream it louder over the thoughts that people are evil, selfish, self-serving creatures. Right then, I remember having to scream it so loud that I had to plug my ears, but you can’t shield yourself from the screaming inside.
What finally pulled me out of my funk was the soft, silent buzzing of my pocket. There was a text from Jem:
“I’ve got a plan. Don’t worry. I know where ur going and i can get u out of this ;)”
The fact that this made me smile until my face hurt is one of my biggest shames. I shouldn’t want him to come, but I did. It was selfish:
“Thx. <3”
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“Your Grandpa is going to tell you the story of how he saved my life for the second time tomorrow. And also how he almost got himself killed.”
“Can’t he tell me now?”
“It’s time to sleep, Mia.”