Page 6 of Mistaken Magic

Theywere just strict.Superstrict.Likeevil-stepmother kind of strict.Sadly,Ididn't have a fairy godmother to make the birds help out, and if there were any mice in this house,Ihadn't seen them.Iwas too worried about getting extra chores to do anything as frivolous as whistle, never mind that the songsIliked were probably scandalous or something.

ButIhated it.Ihated them.Ihated feeling like a prisoner here whenIhadn't done a single thing wrong!I'dpromised myselfIwould try harder at this place, andIwas.Ihadn't mouthed off without a good reason.I'dbeen careful not to cuss.Ididn't have any friends, so it wasn't like they were the wrong crowd or anything.

Imerely woke up and cleaned this stupid house from the timeIgot up until whenIfinally was allowed to take a shower and head to bed.Iowned two books, andI'dread both of them a dozen times or more.Ididn't have a phone;Ihad no laptop to get online for anything and not even a deck of cards to play solitaire.Iwas miserable, and it was only day three!

JustwhenIthought things couldn't get any worse,Mr.Sparkscame home.First, the crows went off.Theircawing was so loudMrs.Sparkslooked up in worry.Itwas almost enough to drown out the sound of his car, but the clunking noise fromthe bad wheel was hard to miss.ThenIheardMr.Sparksyell at something.

Hisfeet thundered up the stairs, onto the rickety porch, and it sounded like he was hurrying.Whenthe front door burst open, the man of the house rushed inside, but he wasn't fast enough.Somethingblack streaked in with him, swooping around the man's head.Shit, a crow had followed him in!

Mr.Sparksflailed his arms to keep it away from him, but the bird didn't seem to care.Itcawed again, making the kids come see what was happening.Inthe living room,Mrs.Sparkssqueaked in what sounded like real fear.Puttingaside my cleaning supplies,Ihurried up the hall to see what was going on just asMrs.Sparksthrew a pillow at the thing.

"Getit out!" she yelled. "John, make it go away."

"Iron!" he barked.

Likethis had happened a million times before,Mrs.Sparksbolted into the kitchen to get the cast iron skillet.Wieldingit like a weapon, she swung at the panicked bird, but either it was too fast or she was too slow.Thebird easily evaded her attempts to hit it like a softball.

"Wait!"Ibegged, hurrying into the room. "It'sjust a bird!Ifyou stop moving - "

Ididn't get the chance to finish because the crow saw me.Asif it knew me, the thing changed directions and flew straight at me.Naturally,Idid the only thingIcould.Ithrew my arms up before my face and tried not to move, hoping it wouldn't hit me.Therush of air from its wings made my eyes close - and thenIfelt its feet close on one of my arms.

Caw!

Mybreath stopped, but my eyes opened.Sureenough, the large black bird had decided my arm was a safe place to rest. "Ok,"Ibreathed, easing my arm down to a more comfortable angle. "Ithink you're supposed to be outside, birdy.So, like,don't freak out or anything..."AndIstarted moving toward the door.

ButMrs.Sparkswas having none of it. "John!" she screamed. "It'shappening again!"

"Out!"Mr.Sparksyelled, storming over to grab my other arm.

"No, it'll fly again - "Itried, butIwas wrong.

Mr.Sparksshoved me forward, right toward the front door, and then out.Thewhole time, the bird just sat there like some properly trained parrot or something.Icouldn't take my eyes off it, not even caring where we were going.Thecrow tilted its head, andIwatched its funny eyelids blink.WhenItripped over the door jamb, it flared its wings, but still it didn't leave.NotuntilMr.Sparkspushed me all the way to the edge of the porch.

"Idon't care if you're royalty,"Mr.Sparkssnapped at me. "Idon't give a shit what excuse you have.Thebird goes and the tricks stay out of my house, or you will be gone so fast your head will spin!"

Thecrow ruffled its feathers as if offended and then took off.Ijust stood there stunned, too confused to know what the hellIwas supposed to say to make this better.

"I'msorry,Mr.Sparks."Itwas all wrong, but it was the only thingIhad.

"You'reone of them, aren't you?" he demanded.

Ishook my head in confusion becauseIhad no idea what the hell he was talking about, but the man didn't care.Stillholding my arm, he pulled me back into the house almost as roughly as he'd shoved me and that bird out.

Chapter Four

"S

hehas to go!"Mrs.Sparkswas yelling asMr.Sparkshauled me upstairs to my room.

"Ijust tried to get it out,"Isaid, hoping he'd give me the chance to explain.

ButMr.Sparkswanted none of it.Whenwe reached my door, he yanked it open and then all but threw me inside. "Stayhere.Ameal will be brought to you."

Huffingout a breath,Iwandered the rest of the way to my bed and flopped down on it.I'dleft the tub of water and sponge downstairs.Granted, the baseboards in the hall were mostly done, but fuck it.Theycould clean it up.Thesepeople were crazy enough that staying in my room sounded like a great idea.

ThenIheard voices in the hall. "Youcall him and get this sorted out,"Mrs.Sparkswas saying. "Hepromised that if it happened again, he'd handle it.Well, it's happening again, andIwant it handlednow."

"Nancy,"Mr.Sparkssaid, "she'll be fine in the room.There'snothing she can do in there."

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