Love In Strange Places

The village lived in a constant state of fear. When I moved there, I worried at first how my new neighbours would react to me because I practise white magic. I've lived in some places where that was enough for the locals to throw stones at me and threaten to have me drowned. Once in a particularly nasty village, a dozen of them got together and burned down my house while I was still inside. That fire killed my seventeen year old cat.

I'm not the sort to seek revenge, so all I did to retaliate was move. I was always moving – but then I came here. Nobody accused me of being evil. I was welcomed and people seemed genuinely happy to have me in the village. They all thought I would dispose of the real evil that resided there.

I had been living in the village for almost a month when I first met Melanie. She was trailing behind her mother and two older sisters as they did grocery shopping, the other villagers giving her a wide berth. I could relate and decided to watch them all closer.

Melanie looked to be about fifteen years old, had long scraggy hair and was wearing a short mauve dress. A crimson red crow was perched on her shoulder and a little scarlet dog padded along at her side. The unusual animals sneered cruelly at the villagers and I knew there was nothing natural about them.

"Look at the size of Miss Bandera's nose!" the crow cackled.

"No wonder she still isn't married yet. Old hag," the dog yapped. Melanie chuckled while poor Miss Bandera ran off in humiliation. She had recently been engaged but the gentleman had died in a hunting accident. Miss Bandera had come to me for a sleeping agent because she found it difficult to sleep ever since it had happened. I owe my small business to Miss Bandera actually; after she came other villagers sought me out for help. I charged a small fee for potions and helpful spells which earns my living.

"Melanie!" the mother called in a shrill voice. She was tall with grey hair and a naturally disagreeable face. "Stop dawdling behind!" She slapped Melanie on the back of her head with a long stick – the crow morphed into a red cat and hissed while the dog changed into a large bear and growled angrily. My suspicions about the animals were confirmed: they were not from this world.

Melanie scowled at her mother, who didn't react, and rubbed the back of her head. Her sisters giggled. Melanie muttered a dark curse word and caught my gaze. As soon as she did the red bear and cat stared at me too.

"What're you looking at?" the bear snapped.

"Shove off, Witch. We don't need your pity," the cat added. I raised my eyebrows but ignored them. Melanie was the one I was interested in speaking to.

"Are you alright?" I asked her, softly so her mother wouldn't hear. She and the two girls had already started to walk away. Melanie screwed up her face and looked at me with a cold expression she'd obviously learned from the mother.

"Mind your own business, Witch," she snarled, and walked away to catch up to the rest of her family. An ordinary person would have been cowed or at the least startled by Melanie's rudeness. I saw the look of fear in those big grey eyes of Melanie's and knew that I had to help her.

A hand on my shoulder made me jump but when I turned around I saw that it was only Mrs Creech, my landlady. I smiled despite my quickened heartbeat and asked how her day was going.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Miss Sesi! I should have warned you about," she lowered her voice, "that family."

"Well, what about them?" I asked patiently. Mrs Creech grabbed my arm, murmuring that this kind of talk shouldn't be done outside where anyone might hear us - and besides she wanted to sample one of my famous cups of herbal tea. I was dragged by Mrs Creech back to my little cottage and forced to make us both some tea, my protests that I wasn't finished shopping falling on deaf ears.

Once Mrs Creech was settled on the old velvet sofa and I on the cushioned armchair, she filled me in on the village gossip about Melanie and her family.

"They were always a bad lot, Miss July and her daughters. She never married – what a scandal when she gave birth to those twins! But they weren't evil, no, not evil. Just mean and unfriendly – at least Miss July was. Her daughters were dumb as two posts, poor things. They could be cruel to the other children their age but only because they didn't know what they were doing was cruel. Then," Mrs Creech shuddered here. "Then Miss July gave birth to Melanie."

"She didn't seem that bad to me…" I mused, sensing Mrs Creech wanted me to prompt her to say more. I was rewarded for my efforts.

"Oh, she wasn't at first! We were all so surprised that a golden-haired and golden-hearted girl could come out from such a family. I used to teach her at the school and she was a sweetie. Melanie had all these friends and everyone in the village thought she was that family's one hope for salvation. Then- Oh it was terrible. A man came to the village and he attacked little Melanie. She escaped real harm but she was never the same afterwards. Stopped going to school and ignored her friends.

"You must have noticed the way people avoided Melanie. Whenever she's around, we can hear her saying horrible things about us, though she don't say them out loud. It's terrifying, Miss Sesi, it truly is. And bad things often come about from those mental messages. It hasn't yet been a year that Mr Roding had to be locked up because he kept raving about some red creatures that were coming to get him. We reckon Melanie made some sort of deal with the devil to be able to have such horrible supernatural powers."

I realised I was the only one who could see the two red animals with Melanie and decided to keep that information to myself. I didn't want to cause further problems for the girl.

Mrs Creech was adamant that Melanie was evil and should be avoided at all costs. I didn't think so. From what Mrs Creech told me, a lot of the prejudice against Melanie was unwarranted. A traumatic thing had happened to her and it didn't seem as if she had received much sympathy for it – if any at all. I doubt her mother had been of any comfort to her and her sisters did appear to be a bit dim. Melanie's main issue was with the two creatures she spent time with; it was clear they were poisoning her.

Once Mrs Creech had left, I consulted my book of otherworldly creatures and looked up the two beings using the information I had gathered from observation and from what Mrs Creech had told me. I discovered the creatures for what they really were: demons.

A few days later, Melanie entered my cottage while I was brewing a potion for another customer. I had to admit to being a little stunned by her presence. Melanie was curiously admiring the trinkets on my shelf when I finished.

The demons were in the form of a rat and a huge moth, watching me cautiously as if uncertain whether or not I was a threat. Deciding to play it safe, I pretended not to see them and moved closer to Melanie.

"That is a tiger's eye stone," I said, noticing that she had picked it up. "It's for protection against ill wishes and curses. It supposedly encourages a positive attitude, enhances personal power and brings good luck." Melanie picked up on my tone.

"'Supposedly'?" she repeated.

I gave a short laugh. "Yeah. It's really just a pretty rock that ordinary people have given an unrealistic power. It doesn't do anything apart from make my shelf look good."

Melanie snorted and put the tiger's eye back. She turned to me and I could see her mind calculating something as her grey eyes observed me in all my deep purple and silver get-up. Finally she spoke.

"I'm Melanie." She held out her hand and I shook it.

"You can call me Sesi," I said.

"Weird name," Melanie said at once. I knew it was exotic in comparison to the names of the people in the village so didn't make a comment.

"Stupid name," the moth said snidely, and turned into a pony.

"Ugly name," the rat countered, curling up in my armchair.

"Shut up," Melanie hissed at them in annoyance. Her eyes darted back to me with sudden worry. "Err, not you. I was talking to…" She trailed off, not sure if she could – or should – confide in me. I only smiled at her. "I was talking to… Err- Never mind."

My smile widened. "The red pony and rat – the demons?" I asked gently. Melanie glared at me with a sudden ferocity I wasn't prepared for.

"You can see them? Why didn't you say so?" she shrieked accusingly. I shrugged.

"It's not my place to meddle in other people's lives. Especially when it's clear no-one wants me to get involved."

Melanie crossed her arms and the rat morphed into a crow and flew on to her shoulder. The pony became a dog and trotted over to her heels.

"Oh yeah? I'm sure the entire village would be incredibly happy if you got rid of me, Nuk and Pana. Even my mother would probably send you a thank-you note." I gathered that the demons were called Nuk and Pana, though which was which was a mystery to me.

"Ah, but I don't give in to peer pressure. If I did, I'd probably be sitting at the bottom of a river right now. Besides, I help people with specific problems. The only person in this situation with a specific problem is you, Melanie," I told her. She frowned, but I could tell I was getting through to her. I knew what it was like to be an outsider in the place you lived.

"What… What are you saying?" Melanie asked slowly.

"That I'm here for you. If you ever need my help or just want to talk, I will never turn you away." Melanie turned away from me quickly then, but I didn't miss the tears that were welling up in her eyes. I was probably the first person in a long time who offered her any sort of kindness; it must have been pretty overwhelming for her. She didn't say anything else and allowed the demons to talk instead.

"Melanie will think about what you said and come back another day," the dog said.

"But if you don't mean any of these things, be warned," the crow said darkly. "We have ways of making a person's life miserable – even if you are a witch."

The three of them left my cottage and I sunk down into my armchair. All my energy had suddenly deserted me as I realised there was no going back now. I had promised to help a young girl with demons. I hoped I could, not for my sake but for Melanie's. She deserved to have someone to rely on.

Melanie waited days before visiting me again. We didn't discuss anything but she became my unofficial assistant, helping me in my work for the other people in our village. They were understandably wary at first but they soon grew used to seeing Melanie when they came to me for help or advice. Her role was small: boiling water, fetching tools, making appointments and the like. She didn't complain about doing such menial tasks – but Nuk did.

Over time, I learned that Pana was often in the form of a dog and Nuk a crow, helping me to distinguish the two demons. Nuk also liked to complain a lot more than Pana. I tried to ignore it but it was difficult at times, as Nuk liked to turn into a snake and slither up my arm to hiss their insults in my ear. Although Pana made a few horrible comments too, they didn't encourage Nuk's behaviour and even Melanie seemed apprehensive of Nuk.

I learned a lot about Melanie in the following weeks. She wasn't the rude young lady she was to everyone else. Melanie was actually a sweet kid. She loved to laugh, had a low opinion of herself and was eager to have long conversations with me. I began to understand how lonely she had grown, being excluded by the rest of the people around her. Unhappy at home and with no-one else to share her problems with, Melanie had resorted to confiding in and relating with her two demon companions.

I couldn't say I knew everything about Melanie but I did know that she had to get rid of the demons if she wanted to be happy. They had created a barrier between her and those who surrounded her.

"I don't want to get rid of them," Melanie said in a quiet voice one evening after I had had my last appointment for the day. I looked up from folding away my dark cloak and patiently waited for her to go into more detail. I knew her well enough by now to know it was coming. Pana was sleeping as a hare on my windowsill and Nuk was a tarantula lurking in a corner of the ceiling. Melanie wasn't looking at me as she spoke; her gaze was unfocused as if her mind had taken her to a place far away from my little cottage.

"They were there for me when I needed someone to be there, and they've never left my side. They might be harsh at times, but so am I. Nuk and Pana are my two intimate friends and I love them. I could never send them away, or get rid of them."

"But they make you unhappy," I said gently.

Melanie’s eyes caught my gaze and held it firmly.

"I know," she said. "That's why I want you to change them, Sesi. Make them good."

I felt a lump form in my throat as I realised how hard it had been for Melanie to say those words. She really trusted me, to be able to tell me what she so badly wanted.

I had been waiting for her to make this request. I knew from watching her, being with her and interacting with her that Pana and Nuk made Melanie feel conflicted: she loved them but they drove her crazy.

I moved away from my cloak closet and manoeuvred around the sofa to get to where Melanie was standing. Slowly, so I wouldn't startle her, I lifted my arms and wrapped them around her body in a hug. On instinct I think, Melanie stiffened but I continued to hold her until she relaxed. She hesitantly raised her own hands and put them uncertainly around me. She patted my back twice and then dropped her arms back to her sides. I took this as a signal to release her from the embrace and leaned back to smile at her.

"I'll do my absolute best," I promised her. Instead of going home, Melanie stayed at my house while I poured over every book I owned, looking for a way to invert the two demons' core nature.

It wasn't as simple as it sounded. Changing demons to be good was a complicated procedure – especially if they weren't going to cooperate. I stayed up all night reading and trying to ignore Nuk and Pana's discouraging comments. They became all kinds of animals in an attempt to distract me from my work: an elephant, rhino, jaguar, snake, alligator, ostrich.

Surprising even myself, I didn't let Nuk and Pana bother me. I focused on my task, keeping the image of Melanie's hopeful face at the forefront of my mind. By reminding myself that I was doing this for Melanie, the young girl who depended on me to save her, I was able to work hard and find the solution just as the sun was coming up.

Scribbling down what I had to do on a fresh piece of parchment – and throwing the pile of useless pieces of parchment with unhelpful scribbles in the overflowing bin – I raced up the stairs to tell Melanie. Nuk buzzed at my ear as a wasp and Pana nipped at my heels as a fox but I swatted them away and shut them out of my bedroom where Melanie was sleeping.

I stopped once the door was closed behind me and stared at the girl asleep in my bed. Her golden hair had just been washed and was spread out across the pillow. One arm was tucked under her head and the other hanging off the side of the bed. The blanket covered her from the waist down, and I saw Melanie was dressed in one of my black nightgowns. Her forehead was creased in a slight frown and she was biting her lip in her sleep. A bad dream?

A change washed over her and Melanie's expression softened and she smiled. She rolled over and rubbed her small round nose. I suddenly didn't want to wake her; she looked so peaceful. I felt as if I was watching over a cute angel…

And then realised I was experiencing maternal feelings for this broken girl.

Would I even be good for her, as a mother figure? I was a witch, a social outcast. My way of living wasn't looked upon favourably by the world. If the spell I had created worked – and I believed it would – Melanie would have the chance to live a normal life again with friends and people who cared about her. The people in the village might turn against me as they would have no-one else to hate, and Melanie's association with me would condemn her as well.

I couldn't let that happen to Melanie. She deserved better than that – but a person who had her best interests at heart would consider Melanie's opinion first.

I gently shook Melanie awake. We sat on my bed and I explained what I was thinking. She didn't care. She wanted to be my friend for as long as she lived. I was touched by the ferocity with which she spoke such kind words.

Melanie initiated our second hug, and after I had wept quiet tears of happiness we went down the stairs so I could perform the spell. It was long and involved a lot of disgusting props. The two demons stood either side of Melanie while I did what I needed to do, unexpectedly obedient.

When it was over, Melanie opened her eyes and stared at Nuk and Pana. Something had gone wrong. Pana was now a brilliant blue colour and looked delightfully cheery as a kitten. It had worked for that demon. Nuk on the other hand, was as red as ever but had lost all form. They were just a splodge of matter with a presence so evil it gave me shivers.

The spell hadn't made both demons good, just one.

Melanie gasped and held Pana in her arms as they looked despairingly at Nuk. I couldn't do anything as a dark vortex appeared around the demon, swirling with maliciousness and sucking Nuk in. Melanie reached out to Nuk but she went right through them. She didn't say anything but Pana cried out as if in pain as Nuk vanished from our world.

A few moments passed as Nuk's disappearance sank in. I felt guilty although I knew it wasn't my fault the spell hadn't worked the way I wanted for Nuk. I worried Melanie would blame me for it, until she let Pana jump to the floor and walked into my embrace.

I held her and comforted her as only a mother could. I knew she would feel the pain from this loss for a while and I was willing to stay rigidly at her side to help her get through it. I loved her fiercely, and I could tell she loved me.