Hidden Magic

Hidden Magic

“What do you mean Amy’s not dead?” Rosie asked in a panicked and unbelieving voice. “Mum saw her...her dead body, Amber.”


Amber looked up, her expression was sad and guilty, but she didn’t look like she regretted telling her. “Sometimes illusions can be very convincing.”


“Illusions?” Rosie shook her head. “Are you on something?”


“I wish,” Amber said sarcastically.


“This can’t be...she’s dead!”


Amber looked up at her with cold eyes. “You’d rather her be?”


Rosie was wounded at Amber’s icy remark. Of course she didn’t want Amy to be dead, but this was crazy...


“Tell me why I should believe you?”


“Because I saved her,” Amber said. “She’s only alive because of me. Mum wouldn’t...she couldn’t. I had to, I...” Amber shut her mouth and looked away. “If I could tell you I would,” she said quietly.


Rosie came closer to her, standing at the edge of her bed. “What did you do?”


“I had no choice.” Amber sounded like she was talking to herself more than to Rosie. “It’s not my fault, Mum should have never let it escalate this far, we’re just kids...”


“Are you talking about you and Shane?”


“We’re just kids.” Amber’s eyes teared up. “I don’t want this.”


“I can’t help you unless you tell me,” Rosie said reasonably. “Tell me what you’re talking about? How is Shane involved with this?”


“He’s just like me...” Amber looked over at her. “I’m sorry.”


This girl is getting crazier; Rosie thought and stepped back, all the way to her desk. She winced at the hard wood connecting with her spine, and turned around to look at her desk. Rosie realised it hadn’t been the desk she’d banged into, it was a book. A book that certainly didn’t belong to her.


Rosie trailed her hand over the cover. Something about it was inviting, fascinating. She spotted a star, a familiar star. Rosie couldn’t remember where she’d seen it before. Now that she thought about it the whole book triggered a memory.


“What’s this?” Rosie asked, picking up the book and turning around to face Amber. “Did you bring it?”


Amber gasped, and shot up from the bed. She traced her own fingers over the mesmerizing star. “Where’d you get this?”


“It was on my...” Rosie didn’t get to finish because suddenly Amber grabbed the book from her hands, and held it tightly to her chest.


“This is mine,” Amber said, giving her an accusing look. “Have you looked in it?”


“No,” Rosie said defensively. “What is it? A diary?”


Amber looked away and mumbled, “Yeah, a diary.”


“Okay, now I really don’t believe you. You’re a terrible liar.” Rosie held out her hand, and gave Amber a very serious look. “Give me the book. Now.”


“Tell me how you got it first.”


“I don’t know,” Rosie said. “Really, it just showed up. But then again, that’s pretty normal around you, right?”


Amber looked hurt. “Actually, it’s not, and you should find somewhere else to pin your blame, because I certainly didn’t capture your sister. I saved her! I ran straight to find her when you told her, because I knew. I knew. I knew I should have done something ages ago.”


“Then why didn’t you?!” Rosie screamed, and then remembered her Mum was only two doors away. “Why?”


“Because...I couldn’t, okay?”


Rosie sat down on the bed next to her. “If you don’t tell me everything right now, I will run to the police and tell them everything. I even have evidence.” She held up the bracelet she’d put securely in her pocket. “Fingerprints should be interesting.”


Amber looked at her like she’d never seen her before. She looked shocked, but pleasantly surprised. “I should have known.” Amber smiled. “It’s obvious.”


“What is?”


Amber shook her head, still smiling. “You really want to know who I am?”


Rosie nodded.


“Think something.”


“What?” Rosie asked, giving her wary look.


Amber just smiled.


Yeah, crazy, Rosie thought, and then sighed aloud.


“Wow,” Amber said laughing. “Harsh. Would it kill you to think about baby bunnies having a conversation over a nice, fresh, extremely orange carrot?”


Rosie’s heart sped up, and she asked, “Wait, what? What did you hear?”


“I am not crazy,” Amber said, ignoring her question and heading straight into defensive mode. “Seriously.”


“Did you just read my mind?”


Amber just shrugged and winked mischievously.


“You’re killing my head right now,” Rosie said and covered her head with her hands. “A different clue. I mean it’s just not hard to guess that.”


“You’re avoiding the obvious...” Amber scooted back on the bed, until she was resting against the pillows. She motioned for Rosie to come and sit directly in front of her. Rosie did, she watched Amber uncomfortably as she flipped open the forbidden book.


“How do you feel about manifesting?” She asked, looking up from the book.


Rosie had no idea what she was talking about. “What’s manifesting?”


Amber smiled and closed the book. She raised her eyebrows at Rosie as she shoved the book safely behind her. “I want you to guess,” she said, shrugging again.


“You’re freaking me out.”


“I know,” Amber said sheepishly. “Manifesting is where you make an object appear.”


“An object appear,” Rosie repeated, and couldn’t help the chuckle that came along with it.


“Yes,” Amber said, totally serious. “Appear...oooh.”


Rosie looked at her nervously, but played along. I mean, weirder things have happened.


Amber smiled at her, it was warm and friendly. It nearly made Rosie forget about all the strangeness that came along with her friendship. She wished Amber had been what she once thought she was and Shane too. It looked more likely by the day that her life here, wasn’t going to be a normal one. But deep down she didn’t mind. Whereas it scared her down to her toes, it excited her too. She wanted to know about this, she wanted to believe. But most importantly, she needed to do this for Amy. Family always comes first.


“Seems like you’re ready. Do you swear to accept the consequences, and hide me from my crazy, mad mother?” Amber smiled when she said the last part, and Rosie couldn’t help but smiling with her.


“I, Rosie Parker, sure do.”


“Good.”


Amber held her left hand out towards Rosie. Rosie hesitated before taking it. If Amber noticed she didn’t say anything. Amber scrunched her other hand into a tight fist, and Rosie felt her stomach tighten, and her heart beat speed up again. “Trust me,” Amber said.


Rosie nodded and waited.


“I need you to concentrate. Think of something you’ve always wanted. Picture it clear in your head, as realistic as possible and focus. Focus on letting your imagination run through you to me. You should feel something, if not, then just focus.” Amber squeezed her hand gently. “Don’t be scared.”


“I’m not scared,” Rosie lied, and closed her eyes. It wasn’t long before she opened them again. “I don’t know what to imagine. Can it be a person?”


Amber looked at her sympathetically. “It doesn’t work that way. You can manifest people, but they disappear in a matter of seconds. Sorry.”


Rosie nodded, feeling like her hopes had just been stepped on by a heavy giant. “Can it be something really simple then?”


“Anything. Seriously, anything.”


Rosie nodded and closed her eyes again. Rosie pictured that dress she’d always wanted, but she’d never had enough money for. Well, she had, but she wasn’t the type of girl to be throwing her Dad’s money around. She concentrated on the shape of it, a lovely heart-shaped dress that fell just below her knees. It was ice white, with an equally white rose attached to the waist...Ouch.


Rosie gasped when she opened her eyes. Amber had let go of her hand and between the two of them sat the beautiful dress, exactly as Rosie had pictured it. “This is crazy,” she breathed, and ran her fingers down the soft fabric.


“You can keep it.” Amber winked. “Throwing around your Dad’s money wouldn’t have hurt to have brought this. It’s gorgeous, Rosie.”


She looked up at Amber. “Thank you, but this is just...crazy.”


“I know,” she said, understandingly. “Any ideas yet?”


Rosie shook her head. “More proof?”


“Really?” Amber shook her head and laughed. “I bet you just want to see more, don’t you?”


Rosie shrugged and smiled eagerly.


Amber sighed. “Go turn all the lights on in here.”


Rosie nodded and jumped up from the bed. She pressed the switch and all the lights in her room flickered on brightly. She grinned at Amber as she sat back down.


“Give me both of your hands this time.” Rosie obeyed, this time with no hesitation. “You don’t have to close your eyes this time, but don’t panic if you feel weak at any point.”


Rosie did panic. “Why would I feel weak?”


“Because I’m going to use your energy, that way you’re guaranteed to feel it. And believe it.”


Rosie nodded. Amber closed her eyes, and Rosie felt pricks in her fingers. It felt odd, but it wasn’t painful, it was more like something was grabbing gently at her from within.


Suddenly all the lights went out. Rosie jumped and flinched, and heard Amber chuckle slightly. The lights came back on, but they were dim, she could only just see Amber, but she knew she’d opened her eyes, and was smiling widely. “So, guesses?”


Rosie took a deep breath before saying, “You’re a witch.”


Amber let go of her hands and the magic shattered.