The agony of losing a parent, or in my case parents, is equivalent to physical pain. It will leave you paralyzed, broken, and confused. It’s like parts of you got amputated and you will miss those limbs. You will have days when you think it’s still there, but it isn’t. They’re gone and they’re never coming back.
I laid my head on my dad’s chest until it was already morning then I lifted my head. I slowly stood up when I felt I was strong enough to go to my truck to get a blanket and wrap my dad in it. I took all my things from my truck to his, from now on, I’ll be driving his truck, I thought. I leaned on it and closed my eyes, saying a little silent prayer for his soul. I cried a little bit again, but after my prayer, I wiped off my tears and started walking back inside the warehouse.
Coincidentally, I found an old platform trolley that can help me carry my dad to the back of his truck. I’m not going to leave my dad in that warehouse, no way. I drove my truck to the back of the warehouse, took off the license plates and dosed the truck with the extra gasoline I had. I took my box of matches and lit it, throwing the sticks to the truck, letting it burn. When I arrived at my dad’s truck, I drove off to go back to my dad’s secret hideout where I will bury him.
As I was driving, a phone rang, coming from dad’s glove compartment. I opened it and reached for the phone, Unknown Caller, I thought. I sniffled before answering, “hello?”
“M-Mia?” a woman said on the other end.
“Yes? Who’s this?” there was a long pause. “Are you still there? Hello?” I said.
“Yes, I’m still here. Uhm, I just can’t believe you found each other.”
“It was nice, yeah, but who are you?”
“Oh, I’m, uh, I’m Rory. Your dad helped me, and my sisters escape the –“
“You’re the witch who helped my dad?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Well, can you help me this time?”
“Yes. Yes, of course. What can I do?”
I arrived at the hideout a little past 9 in the morning, and I saw a woman standing by the entrance of the parking lot. She’s probably Rory, I thought. She was waving at me when I stopped the truck then she gave me a tight hug after I got out. She’s tall with light brown wavy hair and brown eyes. She’s wearing a yellow short-sleeved dress that goes down to her knees and a brown cowboy boots. She helped me get my dad’s body down from the truck, and we both dug a grave at the back of the house.
Before we laid him to rest, she spoke in Spanish, saying a little prayer for him. I didn’t understand what she said but I knew in my heart that her prayer is also protection from evil spirits who would want to hurt innocent souls. I just hope he gets to Heaven, and I’m also hoping mom would be there. Then Lucifer’s words replayed in my head, “your mom’s an angel”. I looked at Rory, her eyes were still closed, but tears were rolling down. I held her hand like a little girl, and she held on to me tighter. After her prayer, she was about to throw dirt back until I started crying again. I fell on my knees, “dad, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you the way you’ve been protecting me all your life. It’s all my fault. I’m so sorry.” Rory knelt beside me, hugging me to her chest. “It’s not your fault. Mia. Your dad knew how dangerous it was to find you, but he still did it. He wanted to see you before he left this earth,” she wiped my tears away and held me up. We both buried dad, then she sprinkled some sort of powder on top of his grave, “it’s for protection. So no monster, no angel, no demon, and no gods could ever go near him.”
I just nodded and we both went back inside the house. Rory helped me to clean up, wash the dishes we left the night before. She drew me a bath and placed clean clothes in my room, as for my dirty and bloodied clothes? She burned them. That way, the negative energy that was hanging around it will no longer be welcomed in my life. I sat inside the tub, staring blankly into space. Tears are still falling, eyes are swollen, and my nose is getting stuffed.

Rory knocked on my door, “Mia? I left some tea and sandwich on the table in case you get hungry. I’ll be in the guest room if you need anything, okay?” she whispered on the other side, I nodded as if she could see me then I heard her walk away. Listened to the opening and closing of her bedroom door, that’s when I broke down. I cried again, harder this time, placing my knees up and wrapped my arms around it, leaning my chin on top of my knees. I closed my eyes, and the flashbacks started. It was all blurry, my dad on the floor getting beaten up by those men possessed by demons. He was reaching out to me, but I couldn’t reach back, my hands were in chains that was tied to the wall. I couldn’t get to him on time. The guilt in me started filling up then I felt this warm sensation coming from inside of me when Rory rushed to the door, pounding it. I immediately lifted my head up and faced the door.
“Mia!” she shouted, “do not do anything! Please! Whatever it is you’re feeling right now, push it down. Push it down, sweetie. Please.” I listened to her then I looked at my hands, there was a faint yellowish glow that started to fade away. The warm sensation inside of me, left. Then I stood up from the tub and grabbed the bathrobe hanging behind the door, then wrapped my head with another towel. As I opened the door, Rory was leaning on the wall. She walked closer to me, cupping my face, and then she gave me a tight hug, “don’t use your powers just yet,” she whispered. “You’ll lead everyone here if you did. You’re a beacon of light,” she said as she let go of her hug from me.
“Is it a bad thing?” I asked.
“For now, yes,” she replied. I told her I wasn’t hungry, so she kept the sandwich in the fridge, but I did take the tea. It might help me calm my nerves anyway. I slipped into a very comfy pair of silk pajamas that Rory prepared for me. It has short sleeves, long trousers, and it’s pink. I laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and the next thing I know, I fell asleep.
I woke up and the sun was shining down on my face, oh for the love of God, the sun is too bright! I thought. I slowly got up and change into a tank top and a cropped pants. I got out of my bedroom looking for Rory, where could she possibly be? my mind was getting a little bit talkative right now….and I hate it. I looked around for her, but she was nowhere to be found until I heard a loud “shit!” coming from the basement. I slowly went down the stairs, lo and behold, Rory was there but she’s not alone. “I told you to be careful! You’re the clumsy one, Rory, and I’ll never forget that,” an old woman said, she sound a little bit like Ron Weasley’s mom from Harry Potter.
“Oh come on! Can you be supportive for just one minute?!”
“I am being supportive! I’m just saying –“
“I’m clumsy, I know!”
“You know it’s rude to eavesdrop, my dear,” the woman said. I stood up straight, “oh, uhm, I’m sorry,” I bashfully said. She motioned for me to come closer, I slowly walked towards them. I admit, I am a little bit scared of what they’re doing, and I honestly do not want to be a part of it.

In the middle of the table, there was a small black cauldron. Underneath it was some makeshift stove, beside it were a couple of jars with herbs and spices inside, and a few other things I don’t want to know about. In front of Rory was an open book, or in their term, a Grimoire. It’s a Book of Shadows where they put in their spells and other works, even notes about crystals, gems, herbs, and candles. I didn’t know much about them because I haven’t really met any witches until now. “That was rude of me not to introduce myself,” the old woman said then she giggled, “I’m Russo, Rory’s aunt, and you must be Mia.”
I nodded. I was about to extend a hand, but she decided to hug me instead. She proceeded to talk about Rory inviting her for some special project then she apologized for the death of my dad, and she also mentioned Lucifer did her so dirty that it took her more than 200 years to perfect every spell that she taught Rory and her sisters. “Don’t you worry, my dear, this place is safer than anywhere else. I know because I created the protection spell, and that spell has been protecting me for years!” she exclaimed, “see, I haven’t aged a day.” She giggled once again, and I just smiled. I looked at Rory and she gave me a comforting smile, then she continued with casting a spell on some kind of necklace.
When they were finished, they led me to the kitchen where her aunt whipped up the most delicious tomato soup I have ever tasted. She also made me lasagna because apparently, she can read minds and I’ve been thinking about it for months. I drank some tea with them while they were chatting about what happened to them some time in 1920. “The apocalypse right now felt that way,” she said, “it was a terrible, terrible year for us and your mother. We fought hard to be where we are right now, of course.”
Rory’s aunt grabbed our plates after we were done eating, and she didn’t want me helping wash the dishes “because I’ve been through so much already”. Instead, I stood up and sat on the bay window, “my aunt has been very fond of your dad. When she heard about what happened, she traveled straight here,” explained Rory.
“How long have I been out?”
“3 days.”
I can’t believe I slept in that long. No interruptions. No hunting. No Collin. Shit, Collin, I thought. “Here, I made this for you,” Rory took the necklace I saw her casting a spell on out of her pocket, “wear this all the time. It will hide you from anyone and anything out there.”
“What about you? Will this hide me from you too? What if I needed you?”
She smiled, “I will always be able to find you, don’t worry.” I gave her a hug and she kissed my forehead. So this is what it’s like to have a mom or maybe even an older sister, I thought, then she tapped my shoulder. “Do I look old enough to be your mom?” she said. I laughed, “oops.”
Evening came and it was really quiet. We were having some dinner and stories from their time, “oh I can still remember your mother, dear. She comes down to earth with her brothers to walk around earth doing God knows what. She always stayed with me and my sister. She was very kind and headstrong,” Aunt Russo said then she turned to look at me, “just like you.” Rory then mentioned the reason why I only hear crickets chirping is because of the enchantment, or the protection spell, they did inside and outside of the house. To strangers, it’s only an abandoned house, but if they were smart enough, they’ll know it’s a façade. After dinner, I went to my room then my phone buzzed, it was a text from Eric:
Hey kid, how’re you holding up? Rory told me what happened. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to comfort you. I was called to hunt in Winnipeg. I’m tellin’ ya, these monsters are getting stronger. I heard Lucifer has something to do with it. No doubt about it. Well, you be good, alright? I will see you soon. Be good to Rory.
I smiled after reading his message. I did understand why he couldn’t be here and it’s okay, at least I got to spend some time with my dad even if it was just for a short while. I was about to tuck myself in until the whole house started moving, it felt like an earthquake. The next thing I knew, Rory ran inside my room grabbing me by the arm telling me to come with her. I grabbed my phone and my duffel bag as I ran with her.
She led me downstairs to the basement. Then she pulled a lever from behind a bookshelf and the wall moved to open, “get inside and do not, I repeat, DO NOT get out until I come for you.”
“But I –“
“Mia, listen to me, I know you can help but right now, I need you safe. I need you alive.”
I nodded and dropped the bag on the floor. She smiled and kissed my head, then she closed the secret room that seemed to me like it was a panic room. Iron walls, sigils from top to bottom. My dad made this? I thought, fucking cool. I was walking around the room trying to figure out if there were anything that I can use to open the door, because seriously, I don’t want to stay here.
I found some stacks of old magazines. I tried moving it, but it wouldn’t budge, it’s like they’re glued together and on the floor. That was suspicious enough for me to try and look for an opening, and I did. The first three magazines were the cover, inside the stack is a hollow opening and there was a button inside. Before I pressed it to see what it’ll do, I grabbed my duffel bag. I checked my phone if it was fully charged, and if everything I need is in here. I went back to the stack of magazines, pressed the button, and I heard a click. The door opened.
I immediately went to the door, and I carefully went outside the panic room, then closed it again. I slowly stepped on the first landing of the stairs, there were muffled voices. “Aunt Russo!” I heard Rory yell, “we have to get Mia out of here now!”
“Where do you expect the child to go?!”
“I don’t know! Anywhere but here!”
“Rory, my dear, listen to me. We –“ Aunt Russo stopped mid-sentence, she found me standing by the doorway going to the basement. “Mia,” Rory said, walking closer to me. “I told you to stay inside the room. What are you doing here?”
“Whatever’s out there, I want to fight. Please. My dad would’ve wanted that.”
They both looked at each other and Aunt Russo motioned for me to come closer. She explained to me what’s going on outside.
***
Two men were standing in the shadows, watching as a coven of witches were trying to disenchant a particular house. It’s a very old, abandoned house that they seem to have an interest in. The glow of the protection surrounding that area were nowhere near to fading. “Are you sure they’re here?” one of the women said. “Yes, I’m sure! This spell is too strong to be Rory’s!” then they stopped their disenchanting. They were all breathing heavily and the one who seemed like the leader started getting irritated that she just screamed in frustration. She took a deep breath, and she raised her hands up, “omnes inferi, adiuva me. Da potestatem huius tutelae exuere. Omnes inferi, adiuva me!”
The glow started to fade as she repeats the words, her sisters chiming in to make the spell stronger. “Aren’t we going to help?” Azrael asked his brother, “I mean, that’s what we were supposed to do. They called me for help and she’s here!”
“Hush, brother,” his brother said, “we’ll get there.”