Page 34 of A Cursed Noel
I fall into a seizure,all my cells convulsing with fire and pain. The severity of my jerksand twitches break apart the rotted wood I landed in and roll me tothe ground.
More by instinct thanany movement I purposely control, I shove away the magical charge.It’s enough to allow me to crawl forward, even as I continue tojolt.
As the charge decreasesto painful spurts of static shock, it occurs to me that I was struckby lightning.
Struck by lightning?
I push up on my arms,looking for Celia.
A young woman with darkhair and dressed in a tight black T-shirt and leopard pajama pantshovers over a large, singed hole, the shape and outline of Celia.
Oh,shit.
Beside the brunette,another girl in gray sweatpants and a blue hoodie bounces in place, abaseball bat gripped tightly in her hand. Her slick black ponytailswings in all directions, given her frenzied state. It’s then I’msure Celia is buried in that damn hole.
I push up on my legs,only to crash land on my knees again. I don’t even know what I’mdoing here. I only know that Celia brought me and that I need to getto her.
“Dude,” ponytailgirl says. “You have to work on your aim. You zapped Celia. As in,fried her like chicken on the Fourth of July.”
“Back off, Shayna,”Leopard Pants says. “It was a total accident. Besides, I onlyzapped her a little bit. Look, she’s already coming around, aren’tyou, Ceel?”
Celia makes this oddgroaning noise.
“See?” LeopardPants says. “She’s fine.”
What are they doing toher? I shake my head, trying to clear the fog clouding my reasoning.We weren’t supposed to meet them here, were we?
I force myself toconcentrate, trying to get a grasp on what’s happening.
Another girl, this onereally young with blond hair, steps onto the back porch. The lightfrom the interior casts a halo around her, bleaching the strands ofher wavy hair and her pastel blue nightgown.
“What happened?”she asks. She covers her mouth to stifle a scream. “Goodness, isthat Celia?”
Leopard Pants rolls hereyes. “Who else would it be, Emme?” she asks her.
“A fricasseed pieceof leftover streaker?” Shayna offers. She holds up her hands whenLeopard Pants glares at her. “No, offense Taran, but what’s leftof her clothes are smoking and her hair is a little too high, evenfor Jersey.”
Taran, the one in theleopard pants rams her hands on her hips. “Instead of knocking medown, you should be thanking me.”
Emme drops her handaway. “For electrocuting Celia?” she asks.
“No. Forelectrocuting the perv who straddled her like a pony,” Taranreplies. She bats her hand away when Emme gasps. “It’s okay,Emme. I fried his ass. He won’t be back.”
Little blond Emmeinches forward. “Who was he?” she asks Taran.
Taran tosses back herhair. “I told you, some creepy bastard.”
Nice. I push upon my legs, they’re wobbly, but I manage not to fall again.
Emme ties the robeshe’s wearing. She appears exhausted, and was likely awoken by thecommotion. Her hair is long like Celia’s, but unlike Celia she’sextremely timid and uncoordinated. She takes each step carefully,worried she’ll fall despite the snow boots covering her feet.
“Celia? Are youalright?” She yelps when she gets a good look at her. “Is shehaving a seizure?” She leans in. “Oh, my, her sneakers are onfire.”
Shayna spins her bat ather side. “Nah, Em. They’re just smoking now. I kicked some dirton her and put those flames right out.”
“She looks awful.”Emme grips the front of her robe. “Taran, what did you do to poorCelia?”
Celia groans, this timesqueakier. I can’t tell if she’s better or worse. I manage tostep forward despite the leftover jolts threatening to knock me backon my ass.