Occult

Analiese

A faint mellow melody lingered in the distance in a dark room and I spun frantically in circles to find the noise.

“Wake up!” I heard a voice echo, “Analiese, get up, you’re gonna be late.”

I opened my eyes to my mother standing and my little brother Malachi at the edge of my bed in front of a small black box with a curly red bow. Malachai was beaming with excitement and holding a poorly wrapped box of his own.

“Happy Birthday sweetheart!” she squealed, much more eager than I was to open this gift. I managed to pull myself up with eyes still half glued shut and reached for the little box.

“No, wait!” Malachai shouted, “open mine first, open mine first!” I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Malachai was six years old and very proud of the things he was learning and doing in school so I was certain that this was one of his, ‘projects’ we’ll call them.

“Ok, ok,” I laughed softly, “but calm down, this is a lot of energy right off the bat.” I opened the box and sure enough, a unique cluster of colors and handprints and glitter erupted from a piece of paper. I looked at my mom and she giggled to herself as Malachai jumped up next to me, patiently awaiting my thoughts but still bubbling with energy. I took another look at the mesh of art in front of me and shook my head.

“I love it!” I pretended to yell in disbelief, “But there’s just one problem.” A wave of sadness and fear washed over his face.

“What is it?” His now quiet voice trembled. I leaned over and not so quietly whispered in his ear while looking at my mom.

“How’s she supposed to compete with that?” I smiled. I felt the relief fall off his shoulders and he had the wildest grin and gave me a big hug.”

“I’m gonna hang it right over there,” I gestured to a spot on my wall near my door that’s always in view.

“Ok, ok, my turn now!” My mom carried the box over and sat on the other side of me. I carefully pulled off the bow and opened the box to see a beautiful silver necklace with a charm shaped like a moon and three tiny blue gems on the outer edge near the top. I gently picked it up and examined it in my hands and I looked at my mom with wide eyes.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered. She reached for my hands and began to put the necklace for me.

“It used to be your grandmothers, and then it was mine, and now it’s yours, each of us on our 18th birthday,” she leaned over my shoulder and whispered lovingly, “It’s a Davenport tradition.” and she squeezed my shoulder.

“Now get ready, you’re gonna be late! Breakfast in 10,” She swooped up Malachai and went to head for the hallway, him giggling and screeching the whole way.

“Happy Birthday Ani!” He yelled.

I walked over to the mirror and examined the beautiful artifact around my neck, gently rubbing my finger over the gems. A spark flew and a sharp pain shot through my thumb. The necklace fell back onto my chest and an orb of blue light surrounded it, yet just as fast as it appeared, it was gone. I looked at my thumb and its inflamed bleeding stubble like a paper cut. My thumb tingled and I just stared until my focus was disrupted by mom reminding me that breakfast was ready soon and by the time looked back at my thumb it was healed. I furrowed my brow and shook my head, maybe I was just crazy.