They were arguing. Well, Iggy was arguing. Gretchen was looking out a stone window as reality outside capered and yawned.
“I just don’t see how, not to mention why, you need to ascribe the existence of a whole ‘nother level of reality. We have described the universe super fuckin’ well with the standard model, the four forces, and the interactions of matter at the very…”
Gretchen, and the rest of the universe, decided that Iggy was indeed feeling it. Besides, she just saw her mother standing on the corner pointing left. Perhaps a test was in order.
“Iggy.” She said.
“…true, Feynman said the first thing you mustn’t do is fool yourself and you are the easiest to…”
“Iggy.” She said.
He finally noticed there was another human in the car. “What?”
“Take the next left.”
He did.
He needed a good swift kick to the psychic balls.
Gretchen said, “Consider this for just a second. If I am who I am because you are who are and you are who you are because I am who I am, than I am not I and you are not you.” Then she looked at him and waited.
To his credit, he didn’t ask her to repeat it. He opened his mouth. He shut it. He tilted his head. He finally looked at her.
She smiled sweetly and winked.
And they both lost it in the way only those on magic mushrooms can. Literal magic mushrooms.
She had never seen him that way. His laugh reminded her of Hawkeye on M.A.S.H. He squirmed, he wailed, his face – a rictus of delight. He was also driving automatically. It took a long time for them both to wind down.
They talked. Time moved differently. The universe outside their chariot squeezed down.
They both felt it, when their sailing ship bit the water and the spray came over the bow.
They were on a road with many trees. Gretchen felt warm in her jacket. She focused.
Yes. There was danger close.
“Heads up Iggy.” She said. “Don’t slow down and keep your eyes on the road.”
As they were getting close to a bend in the road, Gretchen saw a large dragon coming from the opposite direction. A very large dragon. Nowhere near a dragon large enough. She gave it her undivided attention.
She could stomp it like a bug. She didn’t have time for that shit. She knew it was watching her.
“Keep your foot off the brake Iggy.” She said.
“That’s not funny.” He said.
Dragon and witch passed each other. Iggy was looking at Gretchen the moment they passed. Each went their own way.
“He’s there.” She said. And pointed. Off to the side of the road was the SUV. “Keep going, there’s a place to turn around close.”
Iggy got serious. They flipped a bitch. They drove the mini van close, their headlights illuminating the scene. Frank was slumped over in the front. It was all she could do to stay seated. This was it.
Ever since she was a girl, she knew that there would come moments. Moments of testing. Moments of growth. Some would be defining. One would be critical. She drank the vial. She knew what tonight represented. She was almost scared. Almost.
“Ok Iggy. Here’s what I need you to do. Give me your hand.” He did. His eyes were big and wide. “Whatever comes to your mind to do, you do. But if I ask for something, do it. Ok?” He nodded. As she was speaking to him, she traced a sigil on the back of his hand with her thumb. He didn’t notice.
She nodded. Then she grabbed her purse and got out of the mini van. She got Iggy’s wheelchair, threw her purse on the seat and frog marched it over to the SUV. She didn’t look at him. She found the moon and performed the rite of gratitude and then she did it again. She reached into her purse and took out the book with the pen attached to the back. She took out the feather. And the silver bell. She took off the denim jacket and placed it over her purse, still resting on Iggy’s seat cushion. She put the feather in her hair and with her left hand she opened the book. In her right hand she held the bell, delicately dangled from her index finger and thumb.
And then she began casting. She read from her book. She rang the bell. She called in favors. Then she put the items back in the purse and she picked up the jacket. She went to him. She opened the door. She didn’t worry about a neck injury. She draped her denim jacket over his shoulders and leaned him back into his seat. His head lolled.
She took his head in both her hands and leaned down so her eyes were only an inch away from his.
They snapped open. Only the whites were visible. “Look at me darling.” She said.
His eyes slowly, slowly came down out of his head and they looked into hers. They saw nothing.
As soon as their eyes met, Gretchen sobbed. Oh no baby. Oh no. Now she was terrified.
There was no need for Gretchen to go looking for the problem. By setting up the icon on his desktop he had also given her psychic access to all of himself. He was an open book to her, or she should say, library.
The wound was deep. Very very deep. And it was old. It was not the bite of the dragon that put him in such danger, his emergency bag should handle that. He had lied to himself. He would accept the truth or he would be consumed. Nothing she could do could prevent that.
But she could tilt the scales. She didn’t hesitate. You’re not going anywhere without me. If you go, I go with you my love. She spoke the words of binding. She caught his toe just as he went over the edge.
She held on.
