Wizard Part II

PART I

ALL PARTS HERE

Part II

I'm making a fist now, trying to use the feel of the scar as a mantra of calming, otherwise I'm going to end up killing too many people. As I look down at my Uncle's body I just keep rubbing the scar. The anger in me just keeps building. Every-time I think about the fact that killing him wasn't enough for them.

The position of my Uncle's body and the runes scrawled on the floor and ceiling are hallmarks of a nasty bit of what my Uncle used to call "tar magic". The fact that his eyes turned violently inward before he died settles it. There's only one reason for the eyes to do that. It's the body's reaction to having its soul removed before death. It tries to look inward to catch a last glimpse of the soul before its gone.

There's no way I'm going to be able to clean this up. No matter how good of a job I did, there'd still be questions. So before I do what has to be done I make a thorough sweep of the place grabbing everything I'll need. If there were time, I'd trade in the rental car for a truck. Instead I simply have to be more picky than I'd like with what I can carry away.

The books are first. He had a nice collection. I pick out the rare and one of a kinds. I also grab a few that can't be destroyed, just so they don't look out of place later sitting somehow untouched in what will be left of the place when I'm done. Unfortunately this pretty much fills the trunk.

In the kitchen I pull the food catcher out of the sink drain and start the hot water running. I pull the pig's blood and other easily obtained, but questionable liquid contents out of the fridge and pour them away. I don't want some local inbred cop thinking my Uncle worshiped Satan or something. The fridge'll probably survive in one form or another. All they need find is a bunch of exploded beer cans and condiments.

I box up all the old corked stopped glass "spice" bottles from the pantry without pausing to read the labels. I'll sort them out back at the hotel.

I jump at the sound of the phone ringing. I wait for it to stop and for the answering machine to kick in. Hearing his voice almost makes me lose it, but the beep at the end brings me back. The voice on the other end sounds like an angel in distress. She asks for him to call her back. She has a job. She'll have to find someone else, but it reminds me I still need to grab the files.

In the hallway leading to the back bedroom, the wall is lined with old war era metal file cabinets. Somewhere in them may lie a clue to what happened, but there's no way I can go through them now. I pull out each drawer in turn until I find the start of the case files. It makes me wish he'd just used a computer.

I start to pull them out, but stop when I see my name on one. Pulling it out I flip it open. There's nothing in it but an envelope. I can feel a key at the bottom. The envelope is addressed to me and has today's date on it. I look back over at my Uncle and almost ask him a question. How did he know I was coming?

I start to open it hoping the answer is inside, but when I turn it over there's something written on the back. All it says is "Not Here," so I do what he tells me and stuff it in my back pocket. I also realize I don't need the files now, he's made my job easy, then again he always did.

Before I leave I break the circle holding him so I can get close. I lean down and whisper in his ear. I tell him I love him and then I tell him what I'm going to do next. For a just a second I think I see him smile.

I step outside into the muggy Florida afternoon. All the activity had starting me sweating, but now that I'm outside it drips from my pores like tears. I open my scared hand and say a few words under my breath. To this day, it still amazes me every time that green flame appears. I focus and roll it into a ball. When it's about the size of a baseball I let it drift from my hand. It passes easily through the screen door and settles gently on the carpet, where it begins to feed and grow.

I finally drop a tear as I watch the trailer fade in the rear view mirror. By the time I get to the hotel there won't be anything left but memories. Ten minutes later I see the fire engine coming past. I almost laugh at the thought of them trying to put the fire out with water. I know my Uncle would have too.

PART I PART III