Last Witch Standing

chapter 14



The Present Day

Earth



Candice stood in front of Dan Edwards. At least he hadn’t thrown her out of his office or called the police – yet.

“Please sit down. I have a short demonstration for you.”

Dan Edwards remained standing.

“Please Mr. Edwards, lives are on the line.”

Dan didn’t respond but did sit on one of the chairs against the wall.

Candice collected her thoughts, breathed deeply, and let the images loose. The desk glimmered, then morphed into a staircase. Two small children, both in their pajamas, one a little girl of four and a half, the other a youth of eleven, knelt beside the railing.

“My God!” Dan Edwards stood up. “What is this?”

“It is magic from another world.”

“That’s my little sister.” Dan moved closer to the illusion.

The illusion flickered then went out of focus. Candice breathed deeply, focusing her mind. The image returned.

“What is this about? Why are you here, detective?” Dan asked.

“I am here because of your sister; she is in danger.”

“My sister is dead.” James turned to her, his face white.

“Yes, I know. I am sorry. This is going to be hard to hear, and even harder to believe, but she is only dead in your world. She lives on in another.” Candice kept her voice steady, adopting the tone police officers and paramedics used when speaking to the badly injured or family members of such.

“Mr. Edwards, you are a scientist. You are familiar with the laws of conservation of energy and matter. Well there is another one: conservation of the soul.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“Sir, your sister is alive. Alive and in much trouble. She needs your help. You are the only person in the Cosmos who can rescue her.”

“Rescue her from what?”

“Herself.” Candice looked directly into Dan’s eyes. “From herself. When she died here on earth, forty years ago, something bad happened. Her spirit was let loose, unattended, into a strange world. She grew up unguided and has become a grave danger to herself and others.”

A full minute passed before Dan spoke. “Where is she? According to you, where is she?”

“Right now, on her way back to Earth. A group called the Citadel is herding her here. Towards you.”

“Me? Even assuming your story isn’t crazy, an assumption I’m not prepared to make, how could I help her?”

“By restoring her humanity. By recalling her to her earthly life and the emotions and attachments she once had. Right now, she is lost, yet incredibly powerful and dangerous. You must remember her precocious intelligence?”

“Yes. She was a genius. We called her our ‘little Madame Curie’.”

“That is sweet. I have seen pictures of her during her earthly life. I am so sorry for her early death and your family’s loss.”

Dan stared at the image of Katie on the steps with his younger self. “That was our last Christmas together.” Dan’s voice quavered.

“You can see her again.”

From outside came the sound of a train. It whistled, but neither paid attention. The room shook as the locomotive passed, car after car, and both could smell the scent of livestock and feed from the cars. Though across the water from them, it cast small shadows in the room.

“I don’t believe in ghosts.” Dan Edward’s gaze didn’t leave the hologram of his lost sister.

“Neither do I, sir. She is not a ghost. This is something different. It has to do with quantum fluctuations and the fabric of the Cosmos.” Candice sat next to Dan. “I have to let the hologram go, it takes too much energy for me to hold it for long.”

“Okay.” Dan turned in his seat to face her. “Now tell me exactly what is going on, and just what is this Power you speak of —”