Chapter 1: The Story Of The Curse
Eleven-year-old Buffy Summers lay on her back out on the porch with 10-year-old sister Faith. Buffy kept her gaze aimed at the moon, while Faith played with the black kitten on her lap.
“Faithy? What do you think it means?” Buffy asked, her eyes never leaving the sky.
“What do I think what means?” She looked over at her sister with confused eyes.
“When the moon has a ring around it? I don’t know what it is but I’m not getting a very good feeling about it.”
“Blood on the moon…” Buffy and Faith looked over to the new presence standing in the doorway. “Trouble looms. You two get inside, it’s late.” Their aunt Jenny called to them.
The got up and made their way to the door. Faith raced ahead of Buffy, knowing that aunt Joyce was setting up to teach her some new spells. Buffy stopped, and took one last long look at the red-circled moon before heading inside.
Jenny stared into the sky with a look of slight fear of what was to come. She tightened her jacket around her as the wind blew harder.
Jenny came up behind Buffy and hugged her close to her making her niece giggle. “My little witch. Let’s go inside and do some spells.” She whispered into her ear with excitement.
Buffy turned around in her arms. “But what about my homework?”
Jenny waved it off. “Oh pish. Tosh! You’re both going to learn things in this house that you’ll never learn in school. Let’s go.” She gently patted her bum, guiding her into the kitchen.
* * * * *
Joyce poured her nieces some hot cocoa, and let the spoon stir it by itself while she looked through the magic book to teach Buffy the next spell. She was already way above the level for her age, and was learning quicker everyday. The girls were dressed in white dresses with feather wings on their backs, sitting on the wooden table eating chocolate cake, and playing with Missy, their black kitten.
Faith was good, but her time would come eventually. She just needed to concentrate harder and she would almost be near Buffy’s level. Almost.
Jenny came back inside and sat down next to Buffy observing as she blew on the candle and it slowly ignited. “Very good, sweetie! Here, take a break, have your cocoa.” Jenny past her the drink and pulled out the self-stirring spoon.
Faith watched with jealously and fascination. “When can I learn how to do that?” she asked pointing at the spoon.
“Oh, sugar…it takes time. And plenty of focus…which you’re still working on.” Joyce explained.
“Aunt Jenny?” Buffy waited until her aunt turned her head. “Can you tell us about the curse?” she begged with innocent eyes.
“How did you-”?
“Mommy wrote about it in one of her journals. I was looking over it today. Please…?”
The two aunts looked at each other, deciding whether or not to explain the curse of the Summers women.
“For more than two hundred years…” Joyce started. “We Summers women have been blamed for everything that ever went wrong in this town.” She stated getting more comfortable in her chair.
“Is that why people hate us so much, Aunt Jenny?” Faith turned to the younger aunt with a pouting look on her face.
“They don’t hate us, sweetheart. We just-we make them a little nervous.” Jenny amended softly, running her hand through her nieces black locks of hair.
“Oh, Let’s face it Jen…us Summers women have always created a stir.” She countered with a chuckle. “It all began with your ancestor Maria. The first in our family.”
“And you two are the latest in our line.” Jenny finished off.
“Is that why they hung her…because she was a witch?” Buffy asked with a little bit of disbelief, as she took a sip of her cocoa.
“Well it didn’t help that she was a bit of a heartbreaker. And not to mention that a lot of her lover’s wives were on the hanging committee.” Joyce continued with a soft chuckle. “No…I don’t think it was either of those reasons. They feared her because she had a gift.” She paused for a dramatic effect. “She had the gift of magic. And it was this very gift…that saved her life. She was banished to this very shore, her unborn child growing inside her belly; she waited for her lover to rescue her. But he never came…no one came. So in a moment of despair, she cast a spell upon herself that she never again feel the agony of love.” Joyce stopped letting the girls absorb the new information.
“But as her bitterness grew, her spell turned into a curse. A curse among any man who dare love a Summers woman.” Jenny continued for her sister.
“Is that why daddy died…cause of the curse?” Faith asked, with eyes full of questioning.
“Yes, sweetie. Your mother knew. She heard the beetle ticking for your father’s death all day long. She knew that when you hear the sound of the death watch beetle, the man you love is doomed to die.” Jenny added softly, knowing that the death of Buffy and Faith’s parents was still a hard topic.
“And…mommy died of a broken heart. Because she loved daddy so much.” Buffy stated mostly for her self than the others. Tears collected in her eyes, and she fought hard to keep them back.
“Yes…but that’s how you came to live with us. And we took you under our wing so-” Jenny was cut off, by a knocking on the door. The four witches turned around and saw what looked to be an angry looking blonde standing by the window with a cocked eyebrow. “Hold on girls.” Jenny got up and answered the door.
“Yes? Can we help you…?” she asked expecting a name.
“Glory. Kay listen I need you guys to do the witchy-mojo stuff you do, alright?” She placed her hand on her popped hip waiting for a response.
The aunts looked at each other with a blank look, but mutual thoughts. They turned back to the woman, with raised brows.
“I got money…” Glory threw down two fifty-dollar bills. Joyce got up from her chair and slipped the money in her back pocket. “Okay look here’s the deal sugars…I need a love spell. There is this guy and he…” the woman started pacing the floor, waving her hands around her head. “He keeps getting into my head, and-and I can’t stop thinking about him!” She stopped suddenly and turned to the witches, making the younger ones flinch at her fast movement. “Make him love me…make him love me like I love him.”
Buffy watched this woman that called herself Glory. She seems so lost and so out of her head. She looked hurt. If that’s what love is like…I don’t know if I want that. Buffy thought to herself.
Joyce walked over to Jenny. “Jenny…get the bird.” Her eyes were still on the woman in a red, leather dress, who was in tears.
Jenny looked over at her sister. “Get the book.” The two split up into the separate rooms. Jenny stopped by the young girls. “Go upstairs, and don’t come down till we say, okay?” the two just nodded, and headed up the stairs.
Buffy continued up the stairs until Faith pulled on her arm to sit next to her on the stairs. “Stay…I wanna watch.” Her face was full of amusement.
“But the aunts said-” Buffy started.
“Oh come on Buffy, please…just watch.” Faith pleaded with her eyes, and Buffy melted by her younger sister’s charm.
She plopped down on the step below her and rested her side against the side of Faith’s knees.
Jenny and Joyce set up the spell; Jenny opening the book to the correct page, as Joyce held the struggling dove in her hands.
“Do you have a picture?” Jenny asked quietly.
Glory pulled out a picture from her small purse and placed it on the table. She took the long needle with an eagle’s talons gripping a marble ball at the end from Jenny. “I want him to love me…that can’t eat, can’t sleep, ‘make me wanna go crazy’ kinda love.” She quickly stabbed the dove, and the squirming had stopped.
Buffy quickly turned away and buried her head in her Faith’s lap, completely disgusted by the scene that just played out in front of her, while the younger witch was looking on in utter enthrallment, eyes wide with wonder, and a ghost of a smile on her lips.
Glory was frozen in place for a few seconds. Jenny pulled the needle out of her hand. She looked at it with interest. “Be careful what you wish for.”
Joyce saw Buffy turn away and felt sorry the girl that cared so much for life had to see the death of one. “I hope I never fall in love, I hope I never fall in love, I hope I never fall in love, I hope I never fall in love…” Buffy’s voice faded out as tears streaked her cheeks.
“I can’t wait to fall in love.” Faith stated with excitement.
* * * * *
“I’m sorry you two had to see that.” Joyce stated, putting away the spell book. “Are you all right Buffy?” she asked sweetly.
Buffy nodded slowly. “Is she gonna be alright? What’s gonna happen to her?” she leaned on the dining room table watching her aunt putting stuff away.
“She’s gonna get her wish.” She confirmed numbly.
~Halfway across town~
A man tossed and turned in his bed trying to fall asleep, but failing miserably. He got out of bed and started pacing around his house. He felt like had an empty pit in his stomach, yet the thought of eating made him feel sick. He felt like he was going crazy and didn’t know why.
He heard voices rambling on in his head, and he clutched it in frustration, letting out a scream of agony.
* * * * *
Buffy stood outside, and saw that the moon still had a ring around it. She maneuvered her way around the garden holding a large wooden bowl in her arm. “He can feel when I’m near…” she said picking off a white rose pedal. “He can…sing my favorite song.” She placed another white pedal into the bowl. “He can walk on his hands…” she stated with a giggle, along with another pedal.
Faith appeared in the doorway. “What are you doing?” she asked curiously sitting down in a lawn chair.
Buffy walked over to the table and looked over at the journal laying open on it. She skimmed down the page, and stopped at the sentence that stated her love’s eyes. “I’m summoning up a true love spell called ‘Amas Veritas’.”
Faith looked at the journal with a confused stare. Some of the qualities written in there were impossible to have in one person.
“He’ll have eyes that change color…” placing two more pedals in, she continued. “And his favorite creature…will be a dragon…” she placed the last pedal in the bowl.
“I thought you didn’t want to fall in love…sometimes you just don’t make any sense.” Faith shook her head, and stood up walking over to her big sister.
“Well that’s the point. I’m giving my true love qualities that couldn’t possibly exist. So if he doesn’t exist, then I won’t die of a broken heart…like mom.” Buffy turned around and hid her tears from her sister, trying to be strong for them both.
Faith walked up behind Buffy, and turned her around. Buffy looked up with tears in her eyes, and her bottom lip quivering. Faith took the bowl from her sister’s hands and placed in on the table. She quickly turned back and wrapped her sister in a hug.
They both cried together, crumbling to the floor in a wilted heap. After a few minutes, the two pulled apart. “Come on Buff. Let’s finish this spell.” Faith pulled Buffy up and they dusted themselves off.
Buffy picked up the bowl and held it out in front of her over the edge of the rooftop. The wind slowly blew the pedals out of the bowl and sent them spiraling into the air. Where there were to land…no one knew.
* * * * *
7 Years later
“I’m not going back in there, B! Understand that!” Faith yelled in an exhausted voice. “They nearly ate me up in there. They’ll never except us Buff, cause we’re different!”
Buffy stood there staring at Faith, knowing she was right, but knowing that giving up wasn’t the only way. The two had ended up going to a party that Buffy had overheard some kids talking about at school. They did say open party. Anyone’s invited. Once they got there, the sisters were just starting to have fun when everything got out of hand.
There was a lot of name calling and taunting, and a fight had almost broken out. Buffy practically had to restrain Faith from pointing her finger, and cursing someone. She had really taken the teasing hard, and Buffy felt bad. She was use to it now, and she tried her hardest to fit in and be normal…but she knew she would always be an outcast.
Now they were sitting outside on the curb by the big house where the party was located.
“Faithy…you make it sound like a bad thing.” Buffy moved from her spot beside her to sit in front of her, just off the curb, cross-legged. “It’s not. We have power…a gift. Instead of wishing you never had it…embrace it. Look, I know I’m like, the poster child for trying to be normal, but it’s never gonna be like that.” She finished with the shake on her head.
Faith bowed her head, looking down at her shoes. “I know. I know.” She agreed quietly.
“But hey! Look at the bright side…if we really wanted we could turn every single person in that house into a toad.” Faith chuckled softly, but didn’t look up. “Those really ugly ones, with all the warts, and yucky slimy skin.” She joked scrunching her nose in disgust.
Faith finally looked up at Buffy. “Thanks B. For being my sister.” She smiled brightly.
Buffy smiled back and brushed a few fallen strands of Faith’s dark locks behind her ear.
They both got up and made their way back inside, with there heads held high. The room got silent for a second, but from the deadly looks being shot, the teens went back to their own conversations. The witches smiled at each other and made there way to the kitchen for drinks.
* * * * *
About twenty minutes later, Faith noticed a dark haired man from across the room, looking fondly at Buffy. She smiled slyly, and did a little spell.
The way he’s lookin definitely shows that he wants a piece of little ol’ Buff. And God knows she needs to loosen up.
Wind blew past Buffy where she stood beside Faith, causing her hair to blow off her shoulders. She turned around, and caught the gaze of a tall, dark and handsome looking guy. She smiled at him and started walking over to him.
He met her half way, and the two of them lost them selves in a passionate kiss, that had every eye turned on the couple. They kissed with urgency both had never felt before. The man wrapped his arms tightly around Buffy’s waist and lifted her off the ground so she was more level with him.
After a few minutes, the man placed her back on the ground, and they both pulled away reluctantly for breath. The two shared a shy smile before he spoke up.
“I’m Angel.” His eyes bore through hers, and she held his gaze.
“Buffy.” She smiled flirtatiously at him, her eyes dancing with thrill.
“Nice to meet you, Buffy.” He returned with a sexy smirk.
“Tell me about it…” she said breathlessly. She grabbed his larger hand in hers, and pulled him through the crowd and up the stairs.
Faith looked at her sister, as she ascended the stairs up to the bedrooms. She was a little surprised at how well her spell had worked. She thought for sure she was gonna screw it up. Oh well, turned out alright for B though. Looks like Mr. Sexy will take good care of her for the night. Faith smirked to herself and went to go find a boy toy of her own.
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!