Tainted Heart

The year is 2012 on a stormy spring evening in Richmond Virginia. A popular book and coffee shop in the middle of town BUZZIN' BOOKS is slowly preparing to close for the night meanwhile two stories above the shop is a loft belonging to 26 year old Krystal Townsand. She's your average young woman with a rather unusual to most hobby, she's a wiccan and a practicing witch. Krystal is practicing with 25 year old Nikki Liegh who is fairly new to the craft but has been taking lessons with Krystal for almost a half a year. The two women are sitting inside a chalk drawn circle in the center of the room, face to face holding hands in between them are three small candles. The two gaze into each other's eyes "Now repeat after me" instructs Krystal whose short black hair shined a shade of purple in the moonlight peaking through the only window in the place "Excussitt Flamman (cast the flame)" Nikki repeats the words and is amazed when flames appear on all three of the candles making her brown hair seem golden. The girls smile at each other and both say "Levetate {/b}(Levitate)" the burning candles float in between them as Krystal leans towards Nikki and they shae a kiss as the candles gradually float down when the kiss comes to an end. "I have something for you" Nikki whispers as she stands up and walks quickly over to her bag laying on the black leather couch, she pulls out a small box and hands it to Krystal who is now standing "What's this?" she asks surprisingly as she opens it and pulls out a sterling silver necklace with an emerald green heart charm attatched to it. "It belonged to my great grandmother, she was also a practicing with or so I discovered sneaking through my family tree with help for Google" she says causing both her and Krystal to chuckle. Krystal is holding and admiring the necklace "It's beautiful Nikki, but why are you giving me something so valuable and personal?" she asked confused. "Well for one it's a thank you for tolerating and teaching me the arts and secondly after I leave here tonight I'm telling Trevor" she explains "You mean?..." "You're the one that I want to be with Krystal, these last few months have been phenomenal and I never want it to end" she says with tears of happiness forming in her eyes Krystal then embraces Nikki and says "You're amazing you know that?" "Doesn't hurt to hear it" Nikki replies as the two begin kissing.
They are soon interrupted by a clearing of the throat belonging to that of Nikki's boyfriend Trevor who is standing in the threshhold of the loft with his arms crossed "Real nice Nikki" startling the two women "Trevor I..." Nikki begins in shock "Just shut up and come on we'll talk in the car" he replies as Nikki begins getting her things together Krystal approaches Trevor "You can't speak to her like that" she says "Nobody asked for your opinion you gothed out dyke bitch" states Trevor "Trevor!" yells Nikki who then walks over to him he reeks of alcohol "You've been drinking" Nikki says "Can you blame me? I saw the texts and emails...Wiccan? Witchcraft? Seriously Nikki? Should've known from the moment you began hanging out with this freak" Trevor says staring at Krystal "That's enough Trevor, things have changed with us in more ways than one and have been wrong for a while even before then" explains Nikki, Trevor then reaches his arm towards her and brushes the side of her face with his hand "Remember how good we are together baby?" he says as he forces a kiss upon her in return she slaps him "I always knew you liked it rough babe" Trevor grabs her arms and proceeds to kiss her again "Trevor no! Stop!" she yells trying to push him away but to no avail "Get out!" Krystal yells as an unseen force lifts Trevor off of the ground and slings him against the wall in the hallway. Nikki runs to his aid looks back at Krystal in disbelif "What the hell is wrong with you?!" she says as she gets Trevor to his feet "Nikki I..." Krystal begins "I'll call you later" says Nikki obviously upset she gets her bag and she and Trevor walk down the stairs. A gust of wind blows out the candles and slams the door shut leaving Krystal standing there alone and motionless.
A few days have passed Krystal hasn't heard anything from Nikki not even the simpliest text message. A part of her wondered if her using her power against Trevor may have some how pushed her back into his douche bag arms for good. She knew that she needed to distract herself from those kinds of thoughts, so she walked downstairs to BUZZIN' BOOKS it would've been a perfect distraction other than the fact that she works there and it's her only day off. She sat in the back of the store with the hood of her leather jacket covering her face and head while she began reading a book she brought from home. "You're a terrible hider" she looks up and to her surprise in the seat on the other end of the table sat Nikki just as beautiful as ever "Nikki! Oh my God! You're here! I was afraid something might have happened with you and Trevor and..." Nikki interrupts her "Krystal something did happen with Trevor" she begins "Did he hurt you?! You're not going back to him, you're safe now!" Krystal assures Nikki as she holds her hands and Nikki smiles back at her "I was always safe with you" she says confusing Krystal "Was? What do you mean?" Krystal asks as her phone begins going off vibrating along the table "You better get that" Nikki says. Krystal then shoots up from the couch and is stunned that she completely dreamt the whole conversation with Nikki although it seemed all too real she felt Nikki's hands, smelled her vanilla scented perfume it just didn't make and sense that she didn't leave her loft after all. The phone on the coffee table continued vibrating caller I.D. read GABE she answers "What is it Gabe? I've been busy, I know that I missed the last meeting with the group I...what about Nikki?" Krystal turns on the television and sees a news report that a young woman's body was discovered early yesterday morning in a landfill outside of town it is revealed that it is Nikki and prime suspect was her boyfriend Trevor, according to the report Nikki was raped,beaten, and strangled to death. Krystal felt as though her heart had dropped into the pit of her stomach as she drops the phone and stared intently at the television when a picture of Trevor appears on screen the glass shatters and sparks fly. Krystal walks to the bathroom kneels down by the toilet vomits and begins sobbing uncontrollably.
Krystal soon finds herself sitting beside her bed on the floor near the circle where her and Nikki last spent time together. As she looks at the pictures on the screen of her phone of the two of them together the phone begins vibrating and the caller I.D. once again reads GABE, she tosses the device across the room and stares motionless at the chalk drawn circle. A book mysteriously falls from the shelf by her bed she picks it up and it's called "MAGICK ARTS: LEGENDS AND TRIUMPHS" she didn't reconize the book but assumed that it must have been hers. A gust of wind turns a number of pages to the middle of the book to a section entitled "TIOK AMBROSE" it read that he's a mystical spirit from the other realm not good nor evil, One of the top spectors in the Circle of The Gatherers, He reads the hearts of those who summon him and helps them fullfill their desires in exchange he takes their heart when the job is finished leaving the summoner alive but empty of all human emotions. Krystal scrolls down the page and comes to what appear to be instructions on summoning Ambrose along with an incantation. She gets to her feet, grabs her pet hamster from its cage begins petting it, she walks over to the circle, lights one of the candles and begins resiting the incantation from the book "Spiritus ab altera parte (Spirits from the other side) I invocant te (I envoke thee) a sanguine interfectorum (From the blood of the slane) lumine ignis (Light of the fire) offensa rebus, facere volentatem (Ambrose thou precense) I tuam coram (I do desire)" Krystal then takes a small dagger from a drawer in the coffee table and slices it across the hamster's neck it's blood begins to spill onto the center of the circle as a strong wind fills the place and the ground shakes like that of an earthquake. A bright light surfaces inside the circle, knocking Krystal down as she shields her eyes. Once all seemed calm she uncovered her face and looked upon the creature standing above her, to her surprise it was more human like than she could've imagined. It appeared to be a toned, fairly skinned man, age around early 30's, long yet combed light brown hair held up by an unseen hair tie that goes down to the middle of his shoulder. His style of clothing seemed like that of a pirate without a hat or bandana and the exception of the belt around his waist which in the center of it housed a multi colored gem stone that appeared to be moving on the inside. She looked up at his face past his trimmed goatee straight to his eyes, that were blue as the summer sky reflecting off the fresh open water, eyes that could possibly look into your soul she thought to herself. "My sweet pitiful child" he said in an accent of english with a hint of irish as he held out his hand to Krystal helping her back to her feet."I know that you are troubled my sweet" he begins "Very" said Krystal shakingly. Ambrose places his hand on Krystal's chest right on her racing heart and then he says "Let's take a closer look" he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, opening his eyes he exhales and removes his hand "Ah, you want her back" he says "More than anything" agreed Krystal "I trust that you know the price for my services...yes?" he asks "I do" she says with a gulp "Very good, now where is her resting place?" Ambrose asks "They're burying her tomorrow" Krystal replies "Excellent!, So tomorrow as dusk you shall get your hearts desire" Ambrose says with passion in his voice "What about you?" she asks him confused "Don't you worry my sweet I'll be a shout away until the task is complete" he reassures her "But how will I know what to do?' she asks "I'm going to transfer all the abilities and knowledge that you will need" he explains "How?" "Like this" Ambrose kisses Krystal, winds and sparks fill the room and her black hair grows longer with highlights of red and her eyes white as snow "Now you'll know exactly what to do, Good luck to you my child" then as fast as he came he was gone leaving Krystal in a trance like state. She walks over picks her phone off of the floor pushes a button and holds it up to her ear "Gabe it's me, I need your help tomorrow, the cemetary sunset I'll explain everything there, oh and bring Hannah as well" She ends the call and sees the last picture that she took of Nikki on the screen "Won't be long baby" she says eyes once again white and sinister with a smile on her face.
The next afternoon about an hour before sunset Krystal arrives at the cemetary at the end of the funeral ceremony just in time to see the rest of Nikki's family and friends paying their final respects, she was obviously well known and loved around town, Krystal knew that she would be doing not only herself a favor but the world when she brings Nikki back. She walks over to the freshly covered grave which is piled high with flowers mostly daisys Nikki's favorite, she kneels down and places one hand on the grave "Soon my love" she says under her breath as 25 year old Gabe and his girlfriend Hannah walk up to her and notice her knew found look "Love the hair chick!" Gabe says as he gives Krystal a hug "How are you? I know you and Nikki were close" said Hannah who seems to be examining Krystal very closely "We were the closest, but I'll be better sooner rather than later thanks" Krystal says confidently shooting a glare at Hannah.Silence filled the scene until Gabe stepped in "So what did you need help with? and is there going to be alcohol involved?!" he asks "No, I need to cast a spell, for Nikki" Krystal begins "Like a peace finding spell?" asks Hannah "More along the lines of....ressurection" she says surprising the other two " As in bringing something back from the dead?" Gabe asks with concern "She's not a thing! I need her!" Krystal snaps "What you need is a shrink, I'm sorry Gabe I know that she's your best friend but she wants to get involved with some serious dark and dangerous craft and I won't have any part of it" Hannah exclaims "Who said that you have to participate anyway Hannah?! Infact I only need the help of one other magic baring mortal....Gaberiel?" she asks Gabe looks at Hannah then at Krystal "Krys...I" he begins "He won't help you!" Hannah states "You're his keeper now are you?" she asks "No she's not, what do I have to do?" he asks "Gabe!" yells Hannah "I got to Han" he says "Well you'll be doing it without me" she says and begins to walk off and he runs up to catch her "Babe, come on" he begins "Gabe, this is insane, SHE is insane!" Hannah says "She needs this, it probably won't work then she'll need all of the support that she can get" he says trying to convince Hannah to stay who then says "She needs a damn straight jacket" Gabe looks at her in a begful manner "Fine, I'll stay...for YOU" Hannah says "Thank you, I love you" says Gabe "You better" she says as they kiss and walk back over to the grave where Krystal has surrounded it with candles "So how does this work?" Gabe asks "Depends, how many are involved?" Krystal asks looking at Hannah who is standing against the willow tree with her arms crossed "Just you and me" Gabe tells her.
Krystal and Gabe each get on their knees on opposite sides of the grave, Krystal removes Nikki's necklace from around her neck and places it on the grave and the 2 join hands and close their eyes. "Now repeat after me" Krystal instructs "Excussit flamem (cast the flame)" As the candles surrounding the grave ignite "What now?" Gabe asks "We need the final ingredient" Krystal begins "What's that?" he asks "Not a what, a Who" she says as she begins chanting "Ab orientein occidentem (from east to west) mundos secrsum (worlds apart) E ducet mw custodem in iniquomma fideles corde (Bring me the keeper of the tainted heart) the ground begins to shake as a swirling sparkling blue mist appears between the two characters and once it's gone there stands Trevor to the complete surprise of Gabe and Hannah "What the hell?!" Trevor says looking around in a panic "Hello Trevor..." Krystal greets him "You, What is this? How did you find me?" he asks "Because dumb ass I'm a witch remember?" she says walking closer to him as he backs away slowly "What do you want?" he asks "What I had, what you took from me" she explains "I...I don't know what you're talking about" he says nervously "Oh no? Let's take a trip down murderer's lane shall we?" she says reaching for his head "Murder? I didn't...I didn't kill Nikki" he declares "It's not nice to lie especially to me" "Screw you!" Trevor says as he spits on her face in which Krystal chuckles "Damn that was stupid" she wipes the spit away and back hands him across the face causing his nose to bleed "Is that all you got witch bitch?" he says provokingly Krystal grabs the top of Trevors head and begins seeing flashes in his mind memeories of he and Nikki then of the rape along with the murder in which he fled the scene she lets go of his head causing him to fall to the ground he now has tears in his eyes "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I was drunk, it happened so fast I'm so sorry! Please I...!" he begins sobbing "Wish that I could say the same" Krystal says calmly as Trevor looks up at her "What?" she brings Trevor to his feet and punches her fist into his chest as he screams in pain she rips his heart out he looks at her and the heart and falls down dead. "Kris!" Gabe shouts shocked by what he had just witnessed "It has to be done Gaberiel, the spell calls for a tainted heart and I can't think of anyone more tainted than this murdering piece of shit" she says holding the warm organ which appeared to still be beating slightly "Well finish it yourself we're out of here" Gabe says grabbing Hannah's hand preparing to walk away until they're stopped by and unseen force field "No no stay!" says Krystal "The fun is just begining"
Krystal is facing the grave stone with her back towards Gabe and Hannah "Come Gaberiel" she commands as a force seemed to pull him to her no matter how much he resisted he couldn't break free. Gabe is standing beside her but she has yet to make eye contact with him "Touch the heart Gaberiel" "I don't...I I'm a vegetarian" he says nervously as Hannah looks on with worry "Touch it!" Krystal commanded then Gabe closes his eyes and touches the bloody organ. With both of them touching the heart Krystal tells Gabe to repeat the final incantation to complete the spell the get on their knees "Surge amica mea cor set etiam infecta, in manus de humo et arena (Tainted heart in hand arise my love from the dirt and sand)" Nothing happens confusing Krystal who jumps to her feet begins to get outraged yelling at Ambrose but appearing to be yelling to thin air "Kris who is Ambrose?" Gabe asks confused "The only one actually willing and able to help me" she explains panincing "You can't be talking about The Ambrose the demon?" Hannah asks "He's not a demon he's a God! Ambrose!" She continues yelling Ambrose appears behind her "No need to shout love" he says as Gabe and Hannah doesn't see who Krystal is talking to "Why the hell isn't it working?! Where is Nikki?!" she asks demanding some answers "Well the answer is simple with every ressurection curse to get a life you must take a life" Krystal looks down at the heart over at Trevors body and back at Ambrose and seems confused "That was an ingredient another sacrifice will complete the spell" explains Ambrose "You guys..." she looks over at Gabe and Hannah who are staring back at her with concern on their faces "They can't see me dear, Only if I want them to, Now tick tock the heart is losing it's freshness" he says as he puts his hand on Krystal's shoulder sending an electirc type shock through out her body She walks back over to Gabe who has remained on his knees "Kris?" Krystal begins saying the incantation once again "Kris!" yells Gabe causing her to stop chanting in which she then stares heavily at Gabe her eyes white as snow "Thank you Gaberiel, your sacrifice is greatly appreciated" she says as Hannah hears this and runs to stop Krystal "Krystal No!" she screams as Krystal grabs Gabe by the throat and the ground begins to shake causing Hannah to fall as she begins to chant.
Meanwhile on the other side of the main road along side the cemetary sat an 18 wheeler inside sat Bud a slightly overwieght truck driver mid 40s and bald wearing a base ball cap and overhauls had pulled over earlier for a quick nap and is immediately awaken by the small earth quake he sits up at his steering wheel and notices the going ons in the cemetary he wipes his eyes in disbelief at what he is seeing thinking that his eyes may be playing tricks on him but sure enough they were not this was happening.
Hannah manages to get to her feet as Krystal continues saying the incantation stumbling she finally reaches Gabe and Krystal and places her hand on top of both of their heads and begins saying a spell to expelling darkness/ Ambrose within Krystal "Expellere turum tenebrosum (Expell thy darkness) Dimittam tristitia vestra (Release thy sorrow) Exutavit spiritus tuus ( Send your spirit) Cras mittam ad ( To a joyful tomorrow)" Krystal's hair becomes white and skin ages rappidly as her eyes widens and she sees Nikki surrounded by a beautiful bright light holding out her hand for her smiling, Krystal looks at Hannah and tells her Thank You and she falls to the ground and bursts into ashes as Gabe falls forward onto her "Han...Hannah?..I" he says before passing out motionless in her arms "Gabe? baby? Gabe!" she shakes him but no response "Please wake up! Please I need you" She begins crying holding him as Ambrose looks down from above holding Krystal's heart "What a waste"
Inside the 18 wheeler Bud is speechless for what he had just witnessed he gets out his flip phone and attempts to take a picture proving his story he pulls up the camera and appears Ambrose on the lens "What the?!" he looks back up and is face to face with Ambrose "My dear mortal fellow it seems that you are in the wrong place at the wrong time" he says to Bud who is beyond scared "Please don't kill me, I'll give you money or what ever you want just name it!" Bud begs "Your currency means nothing to me what I want you to do is turn on this contraption open up that awful bottle of liquor you have under you seat and drive as far south as the road will allow don't stop becaue I will be watching" Ambrose instructs him and smiles within an instant he is gone. Bud cranks up the truck gets out the liquor bottle which is over half full takes a drink throws his cell phone out the window and the vehicle begins to drive off crushing the cell phone in the process.
A few hours later at Richmond Memorial Hospital, Hannah is asleep on a couch in the waiting room when a male doctor about late 40's early 50's of age comes out of an exam room and wakes her. Hannah gets to her feet and the doctor informs her that Gabe doesn't have any brain activity and that they had to put him in a medically induced coma on life support. The doctor also tells her that the chances of him ever regaining consciousness are fairly slim and highly unlikely. Tears begin to fill her eyes and the doctor puts his hand on her shoulder attempting to comfort her. The doctor grants her permission to go inside and sit with Gabe, he opens the door, she steps in and he walks away. Inside the room the walls are painted with bright and vibrant colors and hung apon them an eye chart and random hospital/medical information this was definately what a cliche hospital room would look like she thought to herself. In the center of the room under the single large florescent light was a hospital bed in which Gabe's lifeless body lied hooked up to many different machines, monitors and I.V.s. Hannah walked over sat in the padded chair and grabbed his hand, it was cool to the touch but he looked as if he could wake up at any moment wishful thinking on her part. She kissed the top of his hand as a tear rolled down her cheek. "It's been one hell of a ride Han" a familiar voice stated from behind her, she slowly turns around in her chair and sees Gabe standing there looking more alive than ever "You're not real, I'm hallucinating due to grief lack of sleep and so on" she says "Okay the, could a hallucination do this?" he replies as he wipes away the tears, she actually felt his hand brush across her face, the touch was just as she had remembered. She stood up facing him "How is this even remotely possible?" she asked him in a confused and overwhelmed manner "After tonight you of all people should know that just about anything's possible" He tells her as they embrace each other with a hug. She then asks "So this means you're really dead?" with a sigh Gabe answers "Yeah, but not gone, I'll never be gone Hannah" "I have no clue on what I'm going to do now, how I'm ever going to move on...if I ever do" she says trying to fight back more tears "You will, You always do, that's one of the things that I love most about you, get out of this town, explore the world, do what you love continue writing and practicing, the world is an open door full of opportunities all you got to do is take the first step out" Gabe says encouragingly "I don't know if I can do it alone Gabe" she says "I love you most" he tells her. Hannah then wakes up from the chair she had sar down in startled by the sound of the flattening of the heart monitor feeling as though she had dreamnt the whole conversation with Gabe but deep inside she knew it HAD happened and that was his way of telling her goodbye. She stands up then leans down kisses him on the forehead and whispers "I love you always".
On the highway an 18 wheeler is swerving on the road behind the wheel is Bud the old truck driver completely intoxicated with alcohol. He passes a sign headed into Jacksonville North Carolina his head is dizzy eyes are heavy and his pulse is racing. Bud drinks the last drop of liquor from the bottle, closes his eyes as he swallows vastly approaching a 4 way intersection and ignoring a STOP sighn causing the 18 wheeler to crash straight into a car with two teenagers inside (named Tyler and Melissa) flipping it repeatedly the 18 wheeler lands on it's side and catches fire with Bud unconscious inside, about a minute later the other vehicle explodes with the young man passed out on the ground apparently swung out of the vehicle leaving the young girl trapped on the inside. Melissa or atleast her spirit is then standing by the car confused and in shock over what just happened watching Tyler in pain. A random gust of wind blows past her and shes Tyler begin opening a folded up piece of paper, a note that she apparently gave him before the accident occured "No Ty, Don't read that!" she screams "He can't hear you love, you're dead" Ambrose says as he appears beside her "This isn't fair, it's not right we were supposed to have forever" Melissa says upset as she continues to watch a grieving Tyler who is getting medical attention from officers and paramedics on the scene. "You can still be with him my dear, for the right price that is" says Ambrose "How?! I'll do anything" she says with hope in her voice "Excellent!" says Ambrose pleased "Who are you? Why are you wanting to help me?" she asks him curiously in which he responds "I'm a friend, now come along we have much to discuss" Melissa takes Ambrose by the hand and looks back once more at Tyler and they disappear.
A couple of weeks pass in a small bedroom of an apartment complex back in Richmond Virginia, Hannah is packing a large duffle bag with clothes, books, a laptop etc.. She pulls out a framed picture of her and Gabe puts it in the bag as well and zips it up. She puts on a blue jean jacket, puts the strap of the bag over her shoulder, walks over to the front door of the apartment opens it up takes one last look around says "Here goes nothing" as she walks out with the door closing behind her. She gets to her jeep and puts her bag in the back she sees something fall from the corner of her eye, she looks down and sees a sterling silver necklace with an emerald green heart charm attached to it lying on the ground so she picks it up and remembers that this is what Krystal had taken off to put on Nikki's grave prior to all of the chaos but how did it get here? she wondered She puts the necklace on, the charm glows for a brief moment and immediately she feels a positive energy surrounding her as she lets out a sigh of relief. Hannah gets inside the jeep and pulls out a folded map from the glove compartment she opens it and begins saying an incantation "mens,constat (Mind is clear) epse,sit potens (Heart is pure) semitam meam futura i sustinuerit (My future path I shall endue) lux lunae (by light of the moon) sanguis meus, est clarem (My blood is the key)" she pricks her finger with a small hand held blade and continues "Semitam meam furtura (My future path) sit benedictus (Blessed be)" the drops of her blood turn into a small glimmer of light and moves across the map to a spot in Chicago Illinois "Hmm, BridgePort...Here I come" she starts up the jeep and drives off.

The End