indri

SUMMARY: Giles and Ethan, the electric Kool-Aid funky Satan groove year, in the early seventies. Rated M. Spoilers to Band Candy. Acknowledgements and disclaimers.

26.

Almost the entire household turned up that night for the casting. Ripper turned up a little before the nominal midnight start time, to find Dee, Tom, and Randall sitting on the floor around a large square cloth decorated with pentagrams. Ethan and Stan were having a heated discussion in a corner. A very pretty woman whom Ripper didn't know was standing next to the window, looking rather uncomfortable.

"Stan's brought an extra," Dee said.

"Anyone know who she is?" Ripper asked.

No-one did.

Ripper looked at her. "I'll go and ask."

She was petite even in heels, with floppy dark hair that half-hid her face. She was wearing a lot of make-up, but she looked very young underneath.

"Hello," said Ripper. "I'm-- Would you like something to drink?"

"We brought some," said the girl. Her accent was from south of the river. She pointed towards a box that turned out to be full of discounted vodka. A large brown envelope was tucked into the box. Ripper could smell what was inside it without opening it.

"I'm running tabs tonight, Ripper," Stan said cheerily, interrupting his own conversation with Ethan. "Go ahead."

Ripper found them some glasses. "Have you been to a casting before?"

She shook her head. "Only ouija boards."

They could both hear Ethan saying, "...complete newcomer... not safe..."

"I think the spell's new to almost everyone here," said Ripper. "That's why he's concerned. It's potentially dangerous."

"Pour me a drink?" she said.

He passed her a glass.

"My name's Mandy," she said.

"That's a lovely name," he said. Then he found himself saying, "I'm Giles. Ah, but that is, people here call me Ripper."

"That's a funny name," she said. "How'd you get that?"

Ethan stalked up. "Are you likely to panic at loud noises and bright lights?" he asked her.

"No," she said, scoffing slightly. "I work in a nightclub."

"Will you do exactly as I ask, without interruption or deviation?"

"Sure," she said.

Stan came up now and slapped Ethan on the shoulder. "She'll be fine."

"We'll see," said Ethan, tightly, and he went back to the altar cloth.

Stan topped up their drinks. Then he waved the envelope in Ethan's direction. "What's good for tonight, then?"

"Alcohol and cannabis," said Ethan, without looking up. "I don't recommend LSD, at least not on the first casting."

"Poppers?" asked Stan. Ethan shrugged.

"Why don't we take a seat?" Ripper said to Mandy. "We all need to sit in a circle."

She nodded. "I've seen it on TV."

"Right, everyone, it's almost time," said Ethan.

"Does it have to be at exactly midnight?" Dee asked, "because it's already five past."

"It doesn't have to be exact, no," said Ethan. "Otherwise no-one would have been able to cast spells in the Middle Ages."

"Maybe no-one cast these spells in the Middle Ages," said Randall. "Maybe magical technology has progressed."

"Do they always talk like that?" Mandy asked Ripper.

"I think so," said Ripper. "I haven't really been here all that long myself."

Mandy smiled at him. Ripper hoped that neither she nor Stan thought he was chatting her up.

They formed a circle, with Ethan taking the position closest to the window. Stan passed around the vodka bottles and the envelope. Ripper paused when the envelope reached him.

Mandy reached her hand in, taking out a joint. "He'll give me one of these for free," she said. "We could share."

"Are we all ready?" Ethan asked. "I need everyone to be quiet."

Everyone was looking at Ethan now, Ripper included. He watched as Ethan lit the candle and then went to turn out the electric lights.

"All right," said Ethan. "I have to cast a conjuration first and then we'll throw to the main spell. I need complete silence."

He went to the window then and pushed it open. The candles fluttered and Ripper felt the cooler air over his skin. Ethan stood to one side of the window, looking out.

Ethan started a soft, repetitive chant, just a few syllables long. Ripper found himself mouthing the words, trying to remember what they were for.

When Ethan stopped speaking, the silence seemed absolute, as if no-one fidgeted or breathed. As if London had stopped and the wind had fallen still.

Something large and soft came in through the window. It seemed too large to fit, but through it came. It passed Ethan, glided over the floor, and came to rest in the centre of the altar cloth. It was an owl.

Ethan came back to sit down and close the circle. He picked up a needle, held it in the candle flame, then pricked his thumb so that a spot of his blood fell onto the bird.

"Onto the owl?" asked Tom.

"Yes," said Ethan.

The needle was passed around. The owl sat unpeturbed.

"Now," said Ethan, "tonight we will be sharing senses with this bird. We'll share sight, and hearing, touch and smell--"

"Taste?" asked Mandy.

"I thought I'd skip that one," Ethan said. "Unless someone wants to know what a live mouse tastes like."

Ripper decided against speaking up.

"Randall, Diedre and I will start the chant as I burn the herbs. The rest of you need only recite the last syllable of each phrase. But keep the circle tight or we'll lose it."

The spell began.

27.

The bird lifted its wings and beat them -- once, twice -- and it was a miracle that the circle held, that not one of them lifted their arms in sympathy, to stretch and reach for themselves. Ethan held on firmly to Randall and Diedre's wrists.

How strange they all looked to the owl, as pale and shimmering surfaces in the candlelight. Their every sigh and fidget was was a roll of sound. Their smell was both musky and unnatural.

The wings beat again and the owl left them behind.

But oh! the sensation of falling, followed by the beat of the wings and the impossible fact of failing to die. Out in the night air, gliding over the back garden, then the beat and beat as they -- it -- rose higher into the air. The land below was bright and clear, their gaze held by the movement of grass in the wind, the skitter of a rat, or the drifting of wind-blown litter.

They rose and fell and ate with the owl. They saw the canal as the owl saw it, a braiding of light. They felt the air currents on their arms and cheeks, and grimaced as they scented other birds. Branches curled under their feet, mice tore in their hands. Warm meat slid into their mouths and gullets.

When the spell broke, Ethan didn't see who caused it. He had his eyes closed, and he was leaning forward over his knees. Opening his eyes, he saw only that the candles had gone out and that everyone was sitting quite still in the dark. His limbs felt long and heavy. The room was cold and his back felt stiff.

Slowly, people stirred. Diedre and Randall re-lit the candles. Tom got up to close the window. Stan reached over for a fresh bottle of vodka. Only Stan's girl and Ripper stayed as still as Ethan. Ripper seemed to be watching Ethan carefully. The girl still had her eyes shut, a small smile playing over her lips.

"Is that in Spivak?" Ripper asked.

"No," said Ethan. "I made that one up."

"How?" asked Ripper.

"I have a spell for summoning small rodents. I have a second for seeing through another's eyes. And a third requests small favours from birds."

"I've only ever used cookbook magic," Ripper said. "Do you think you could show me how to do that?"

"Maybe," said Ethan, "if you have an ounce of talent in you." He rather hoped there was.

Randall was at his record player now, picking out a disc. Diedre was fetching some snacks. But Ethan stayed motionless a precious few seconds longer, still savouring the sensations of having been an owl.