January chuckled. “For real, Vampire. It’s just to hide the taste of the spell, but it works every time.”
January pulled a packet from her medical bag containing a powdery substance and dumped it into the glass of dark pink liquid. With her index finger, she made the water swirl until it was a deep vortex of color.
The good doctor’s calming tones, her honesty about this aura haunting her, her soothing nature, all served to calm Poppy. She didn’t doubt January was a solid therapist, and when all was said and done, when things had evened out a bit and her world wasn’t so filled with chaos, she planned to make an appointment with her.
Until then, Poppy prayed this protection spell would do the trick, and she was going in with total trust. Whatever it took to rid herself of the evil attached to her.
Closing her eyes, January squared her shoulders and said, “Spirits know this, know this well, protect Poppy with this spell. Harm be hindered, chaos be gone, keep her safe from dusk till dawn!” She let her hand fly open, her palm over the glass, before she removed it with flourish and snapped her fingers.
The pink water hissed and bubbled momentarily, creating a white froth. As quickly as the liquid stirred, it also calmed, eventually going still. The doctor opened her eyes and smiled at Poppy and pointed to the glass. “Chugalug, baby.”
Nina, Marty, and Wanda, along with sweet-sweet Carl, pounded their fists on the kitchen island like they were all in college and sang out, “Drink! Drink! Drink!”
Laughing, Poppy lifted the cup to her lips and threw it back, guzzling the drink until it was gone while everyone cheered—even the very proper Arch.
The moment she finished, she stuck her tongue out, scraping her knuckles over it with a gag. “Gah! That’s awful! What is that?”
Rick leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Goats’ eyeballs. Dried, of course, and maybe some virgins’ tears. I hear those are very powerful.”
Nudging him in the ribs, Poppy giggled. “You better shut—”
Those were the last words to exit her mouth.
What came out after that was her dinner, on a hot, acidic spew of liquid, spraying from her mouth like a fountain.
Her belly protested the contents being ripped from her, heaving and rolling with acrid swells. Leaning forward, Poppy gasped on a sharp intake of breath and wrapped her hands around her waist as a white-hot flash of electricity zigzagged through her, making beads of sweat pop out on her forehead.
Her eyes went wide in panic and fear. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t ask for help. She couldn’t do anything but fight a scream from the agonizing pain rising from her stomach and lodging in her chest.
The lights in the shed flickered, the small chandelier over the entryway swaying so hard, the sheetrock began to pull away from the ceiling. The floor beneath them rumbled, at first distantly, then growing louder as it picked up steam, crashing in her ears, matching the pounding tide of her pulse.
And with that, Poppy heaved again, this time her stomach almost turning itself inside out, the violent hacking stealing her breath.
She fell forward toward the island countertop, almost cracking her head but for Carl, who threw himself in front of her, gripping her shoulders as she dropped against him, unable to get her legs beneath her.
His awkward, stiff arms went around her immediately as her face cracked against his thin chest. “Popp-yy!” he stammered, the alarm in his voice crystal clear.
She heard Nina yelp, “What the fuck is going on, Doc? What the hell did you give her?”
And then Marty screamed, “What in the living hell is that?”
Poppy wanted to look up. She wanted to know what the hell that was, too. She wanted to know why there was a hint of terror in Marty’s voice, but she couldn’t because whatever had rooted in her gut was now screeching from her mouth.
Her head fell back on her shoulders as Rick grabbed for her from behind, his strong hands supporting her helpless form. Her throat began to swell like a balloon until she thought surely her skin would split, her legs going rigid, the muscles so tense, they were sure to snap.
And then she retched, retched like no college coed before, her mouth opening so wide, it was as though someone had pried it open with a crowbar. A taste so foul, so ungodly, flew from her throat, and she was helpless to stop the coming wave.
“Help her, for Goddess’s sake!” Rick shouted, his voice hoarse and cracked, his grip on her tight as her body shook until she swore she heard her bones rattle.
Vaguely, she heard January and Calamity begin to chant as the shed shook and shuddered, rocking and lifting with creaky groans. “Evil be gone, we refute your hold! Evil leave us, no longer so bold!”
More hands were on her as Rick continued to hold her from behind, rocking back and forth when she collapsed against his chest, whispering soothing words.