Book of Shadows

CHAPTER 3 The Circle

I am casting the net. Pray for my success, that I may increase our number and find those for whom I search.

The porch light cast a shadow across our lawn. Before me, on the crunchy, dried-out autumn grass, a small, darker me walked to my car.

"What's wrong with Breezy?" I asked.

"She's making a weird pinging noise," Bree said.

I rolled my eyes, hoping she could see me. Bree's expensive, sensitive car was always doing one thing or another. So much for fancy engineering.

I opened the driver's side door and eased onto the cool vinyl seat of Das Boot, my beautiful white 71 Chrysler valiant. My dad likes to joke that my car weighs more than a submarine, so we named it Das Boot, the German word for boat and the title of my dad's all-time favorite movie, Bree climbed in the other side, and we waved good-bye to my dad, who was putting out the trash.

"Drive carefully, sweetheart," he called.

I started the engine and glanced out my window at the sky. The waning moon was a thin, sharp crescent. A wisp of a dark cloud drifted across it, blotting it from the sky and making the stars pop into prominence.

"Are you going to tell me where Chris is?" I asked as I turned onto Riverdale Drive.

Bree sighed, "I told him I promised to go with you," she said.

"Oh, jeez, don't tell me," I groaned. "I'm afraid of driving by myself at night; is that it?"

Bree rubbed he forehead. "Sorry," she muttered. "He's gotten so possessive. Why do guys always do that? You go out with them for a while, and suddenly they own you." She shivered, though it was barely chilly. "Turn right on Westwood."

Westwood headed right out of town, northward.

Bree waved the piece of paper that had the directions. "I wonder what this will be like. Cal is really…different, isn't he?"

"Uh-huh." I took a swig of seltzer, letting the conversation die. I was reluctant to talk to Bree about Cal, but I wasn't sure why.

"Okay, okay!" Bree said excitedly a few minutes later. "This is it! Stop here!" She was already scrambling out of her seat belt, grabbing her macramé purse.

"Bree," I said politely, looking around. "We're in the middle of freaking nowhere."

Technically, of course, you're always somewhere. But this deserted road on the out skirts of town didn't feel like it. To the left were acres of cornfields, tall and awaiting harvest. To the right was a wide strip of unmowed field edged by think woods that led back toward town in a large, ragged vee.

"It says to park under that tree," Bree instructed me. "Come on."

I eased Das Boot off the side of the road and glided heavily to a stop beneath a huge willow oak. That was when I saw moonlight glinting off at least seven other cars that hadn't been visible from the road.

Robbie's distinctive red VW Beetle sat glowing darkly like a giant lady bug under the tree, and I saw Matt Adler's white pickup, Sharon's SUV, and Tamara's dad's station wagon edged up neatly next to them. Parked in a sloppy circle around them were Raven Meltzer's battered black wreck, a gold Explorer that I recognized as Cal's, and a green minivan that I thought belonged to Beth Nielson, Raven's best friend. I didn't see any people, but there was a somewhat trampled path though the tall, dried grass toward the woods.

"I guess we're supposed to go there," Bree said, sounding uncharacteristically unsure. I was glad she was here with me and that Chris wasn't. If I'd had to come by myself, I might not have had the nerve to show.

We followed the path of beaten grass, the cool evening breeze filtering though my hair. When we reached the edge of the woods, Bree pointed. I could barely make out the pale gleam of her fingers in the forest darkness. Looking ahead, I saw it: a small clearing and shadowed shapes standing around a low fire ringed with stone. I heard a low laughter and smelled the delicious sent of wood smoke coiling though the newly crisp air. Suddenly an out door party seemed like a brilliant idea.

We stepped carefully though the woods toward the fire. I heard Bree swearing under her breath—her chunky platform sandals weren't the best shoes for nighttime hiking. My own clogs were cheerfully crunching twigs underfoot. I heard a crashing sound behind us and startled, then saw it was Ethan Sharp and Alessandra Spotford, lurching through the forest after us.

"Watch it!" Alessandra hissed at Ethan. "That branch hit me right in the eye."

Bree and I emerged into the clearing. I saw Tamara and Robbie and even Ben Reggio from my Latin class. I went over to join the three of them as Bree split off from me to stand by Sharon, Suzanne, Jenna, and Matt. The firelight cast a soft golden glow on everyone's faces, making the girls look prettier than usual and the guys looked older and mysterious.

"Where's Cal?" Bree asked, and Chris Holly straightened up from where he was crouched by an ice chest, a beer in his hand.

"Why do you want to know?" he said unpleasantly.

She ran her fingers though her hair. "He's our host."

Cal appeared almost silently from the edge of the clearing. He was carrying a large wicker hamper, which he set down next to the fire. "Hi," he said, looking around at us and smiling. "Thanks for coming. I hope the fire will keep you warm."

I pictured myself snuggling up to him, his arm around my shoulders, feeling the heat of his skin slowly seep though my fleece vest. I blinked quickly, and the image was gone.

"I brought some stuff to eat and drink," Cal said, kneeling and opening his basket. "There's food in here—nuts, chips, corn bread. There's stuff to drink in the coolers."

"I should have brought some wine," Bree said, and I blinked in surprise to see her standing right there. Cal smiled at her, and I wondered if he thought she was beautiful.

For the next half hour we hung out and talked, sitting around the fire, maybe twenty of us altogether. Cal had brought some delicious apple cider spiced with cinnamon for people who didn't want beer, which included me.

Chris sat next to Bree, his arm around her shoulders. She wasn't looking at him but sent me irritated glances from time to time. Tamara and Ben and I sat with our knees touching. One of my arms was almost too warm from the fire, and the other was pleasantly chilly. From time to time Cal's voice flowed over me like the night air.

"I'm glad you all came tonight," Cal said, coming over to kneel next to me. He spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "My mom knew people here before we moved, so she has a bunch of friends already, but I thought I'd have to celebrate Mabon by myself."

Bree smiled and leaned forward. "What's Mabon?"

"Tonight is Mabon," Cal said. "It's one of the Wiccan sabbats. Kind of an important day if you practice Wicca. It's the autumnal equinox."

You could have heard a leaf land at that moment. We were all looking at him, his face golden and flame colored, like a mask. Nobody said anything.

Cal seemed aware of our surprise, but he didn't look embarrassed or self-conscious. In fact, he plowed on. "See, usually on Mabon you have a special circle," Cal continued, crunching into an apple. "You give thanks for the harvest. And after Mabon you start looking forward to Samhain."

"Sowen?" Jenna Ruiz said faintly.

"S-a-m-h-a-i-n," Cal clarified. "Pronounced Sow-en. Our biggest holiday, the witches' new year. October 31. Most people call it Halloween."

Silence, broken only by the crackling of the logs as they burned.

Chris was the first to speak. "So, what, man?" he said with a nervous laugh. "You saying you're a witch?"

"Well, yeah, actually. I practice a form of Wicca." Cal said.

"Isn't that like devil worship?" Alessandra asked, wrinkling her nose.

"No, no. Not at all," Cal responded in a way that wasn't the least bit defensive. "There is no devil in Wicca. It's about the tamest and most inclusive religion there it, truthfully. It's all about celebrating nature."

Alessandra looked skeptical.

"So, anyway, I was hoping to find a few people to make a circle with me tonight."

Silence.

Cal looked around, absorbing the surprise and discomfort in almost every face but showing no sign of regret. "Listen, it's not a big deal. Making a circle doesn't mean you're joining Wicca. It doesn't mean you're going against your religion or whatever. If you're not into it, don't worry about it. I just thought some people might think it's cool."

I looked at Tamara. Her dark brown eyes were wide. Bree turned to me, and we shared a whole conversation's worth of ideas. Yes, we were both surprised and a little skeptical, but we were both intrigued, too. Bree's look told me she was interested, she wanted to hear more. I felt the same way.

"What do you mean, a circle?" It was a few seconds before I recognized the voice as my own.

"We all stand in a circle," explained Cal, "and join hands, and give thanks to the Goddess and the God for the harvest. We celebrate the fertility of the spring and summer and look forward to the barrenness of winter. And we was in a circle."

"You're joking," Todd Ellsworth said, sipping his beer.

Cal looked at him evenly. "No, I'm not. But if you're not into it, that's fine."

"Jesus, he's serious," Chris said to no one in particular.

Bree deliberately shrugged his arm of her shoulders, and he scowled at her.

"Anyway," Cal said, standing up. "It's almost en. Anyone who wants to stay is welcome, but you're also welcome to leave. Thanks a lot for coming and hanging out, either way."

Raven stood up and walked over to cal, her dark, heavily outlined eyes on his. "I'll stay." She turned a disdainful face to the rest of us, as if to say, "You wankers."

"I think I'm gonna go home," Tamara whispered to me, and stood up.

"I'm going to stay for a while," I said softly, and she nodded, waved good-bye to Cal, and left.

"I'm outta here," said Chris loudly, throwing his beer bottle into the woods. He got to his feet. "Bree? Come on?"

"I came with Morgan," Bree said, moving closer to me. "I'll go home with her."

"Come with me now," Chris insisted.

"No, thanks," Bree said, meeting my eyes. I gave her the slightest smile of encouragement.

Chris swore, then crashed of through the trees, muttering. I reached over and squeezed her arm.

I cast a glance at Cal. He was sitting with his knees bent and his elbows resting on them. There seemed to be no tension in his body. He just watched.

Raven, Bree, and I stayed. Ben Reggio left. Jenna stayed, so of course Matt stayed, too. Robbie stayed: good. Beth Nielson stayed, and so did Sharon Goodfine and Ethan Sharp. Alessandra hesitated but stayed, and so did Suzanne and Todd.

When it looked like everyone had left who was going to, there were thirteen of us standing there.

"Cool," Cal said, standing. "Thanks for staying. Let's get started."