Page 68 of Scars Like Wings
“Google and the entire internet were not made forjusthumans nor are they the only ones who can access it.” Maisie’s magic took hold of her and Simone’s laptop bags to bring them closer to where she sat on one of the couches. “Science and technology have always had a touch of magic to it. So, things like the internet were created with humansandsupers in mind. In the beginning, the witches who made it created a backdoor so that other supers could access it without worrying about human interference or curiosity. As long as there’s a rune on the computer, you can access the ‘supernet’ and humans will be none the wiser and think the whole thing was founded by a bunch of regular-degular dudes.”
Simone’s nose wrinkled as she plopped on the couch next to Maisie. “That’s aterriblename.”
“They were magical, powerful, and smart. I didn’t say anything about them being creative and witty.”
“The better question is how did you survive undergradwithoutusing the supernet?” I asked, plucking my laptop to sit on the chaise lounge connected to the same couch as the girls.
“You know how!” Simone playfully slapped my arm. “We werealwaysin the library together! We met there in high school!”
“Yeah, but Iworkedthere. My major was in Folklore and Literature, and my Masters was in Library Science. What’s your excuse?”
“Well, I grew up undersea with no access to technology, so I was sheltered. I also majored in Film and Literature, so I lived in that library! It didn’t help that I was obsessed with books and reading since we don’t have books undersea, either. Moral of the story: I regret nothing. Plus, the Archive has thebestcookies.”
“Holy shit, the bistro in there? Did someone make a deal with the demon or take a blood oath? Because those sweets are devilishly good,” Maisie said.
I chuckled. “Not that I know of, but there is a genie who runs the tiny cafe. I’m sure their ability to know everyone’s wishes all the time has something to do with how ridiculously good everything always is. Lucky for us, Journee delivers!”
Simone whooped and pumped her fist in the air. As I pulled out my phone to order, we got to work.
“Idiscovered the supernatural internet for the first time tonight, and it has already failed me like my father did. I hate it here.”
We laid in a triangle on the living room floor. There were empty pizza boxes and wing containers stacked all around us. Boxes of still-hot cookies sat in the center above our heads with half-finished bottles of still-chilled milk, Journee’s best work honestly. Our laptops lay abandoned in the center of us, too, their screens dark now, but full of several windows with many tabs open when turned on. Our exhaustion was palpable. We had been looking forhours. Uncle Everett had already left to drop off the donations, had a nice dinner date with Thompson, and returned home to go to bed to get up early for work tomorrow. Where we had started bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and confident, we were now worn down.
“How? How did we not find anything in all the supernet aboutthisrune?” I asked the high-beam ceiling above me. I took a bite of a sugar cookie. I smiled, tasting the sweet, salty doughy warmth that only Journee could create and sustain.
“I truly thought we would have found a rune that looked at least slightly similar to this. But no, nothing. It’s like witches don’t even exist on the supernet,” Maisie lamented.
“We did findsomewitchy things,” Simone said.
Maisie shook her head. “Yeah, but those were all either simple runes like stuff to clean your house faster, or they were snippets from old grimoires. It’s all useless for us.”
“What’s a grimoire?”
“It’s a collection of family spells and runes, right, Maze?” I answered.
“Exactly. Grimoires are like family cookbooks but for witches. They are just huge books of spells, potions, and runes that a witch or family of witches have created and passed down to their descendants. Some date back centuries and are so famous you can find the whole thing online. But most are personal and kept in the family. Still, witches will use the supernet to troubleshoot spells if they don’t have a witchy familymember to help them or if they don’t know how to contact their ancestors.”
“Like Reddit, but for witches and covens?”
Maisie pointed a finger gun at Simone. “Bingo.”
Simone asked “So, do you have a grimoire that we can use or a way to contact your ancestors so we can ask about this rune?”
There was a very,verypregnant pause. I glanced over at her. Maisie was stone-faced next to me. Her lips were in a thin line, and her eyes were straight forward. She was rigid, like a statue. I sat up and put a hand on her shoulder to get her to soften.
“You don’t have to tell us if it’s too much, you know.”
“That isn’t fair. We have all known each other for over a decade. You told us about your parents. Simone told us about her daddy and mommy issues. I shouldn’t keep my bullshit a secret.”
“This isn’t a friendship vending machine, Maisie. It isn’t transactional. You don’t have to tell us about your traumas to get our friendship.”
“Yeah, you can tell us in your own time or not at all. We get it either way,” Simone said, rolling over to drape her arm over Maisie in a hug.
Maisie hugged her back and rested a hand on my own. “No, I want to tell you both. If anyone would understand, it’s you two.”
Maisie sat up, and we all followed her. We sat cross-legged, with Maisie between us. Maisie took a cookie. She nibbled it before sipping her milk. I could tell that she wanted to be nonchalant and take the weight out of the air, make her confession as casual as she always was. But it didn’t work this time. Simone and I knew her too well.
Finally, Maisie sighed. “So, I don’t have a grimoire. I don’t have any connection to my ancestors.”