A Run From Death

All throughout high school, Agnes and Fabian were known as ‘the most popular couple that nobody really knew’. They were always seen hand in hand, and when you saw one you knew the other was never too far behind. The circumstances at which they met were pretty peculiar, meeting in the local Coven at age seven, where they both felt the spark, metaphorically and literally (they were practicing electric current spells that week).

They had been inseparable ever since, mainly because of the attached-at-the-hip spell they had committed to in seventh grade. Fabian had brought up the idea, never wanting to be separated from his black haired girlfriend. Whenever they were separated for long periods, they’d feel the invisible thread tugging on their hips, burning more and more over time until they were back together. 

Agnes had brought up the idea of spending a weekend in nature to work on spells where they would be in their strongest state, and where they would be surrounded by possible ingredients for potions. Fabian was apprehensive at first, being the more introverted out of the two, but after a few days of pleading, he finally gave into Agnes’ request.

“I hate the outdoors,” Fabian stated dryly, arms crossed as he sat opposite his girlfriend at the Coven’s dining room table.

“But you love me,” Agnes giggled leaning across the dark wood to poke Fabian's cheek.

A grin took over Fabian's face as he playfully swatted her hand away, “ I try to remind myself that every time you ask me to do something like this.”

Agnes tilted her head back in loud laughter and Fabian smiled. His fingertips tingled in a desire to release the energy into some sort of magic, causing colourful streaks to beam from his hands to swirl in the air around the two as they shared a quick kiss.

That’s how they ended up in the middle of nowhere a few days later, camping in a bright green tent that was slightly sagging on the left side. They had packed a few sacks filled with cauldrons and bottles, beans, and many bags of trail mix. 

“Come on! You dragged me into the woods, and you don’t even want to go on a hike with me?” Fabian whined, stomping his foot childishly at his girlfriend, “Please Aggy?”

Agnes smiled at the nickname only Fabian is allowed to call her and sighed, “Fine. I needed to get some dandelion dust anyway.”

Fabian slung his arm lazily over Agnes’ shoulder and gave her a sloppy kiss on the top of her head as they began their track through the dense trees. The two watched their feet carefully, hyper-aware of all the roots sprouting out of the ground every few steps.

They reached the overlook after multiple missteps and muttered curses, only to find that it was a small cliff, dropping hundreds of feet into a dark river, with raging rapids tearing it in every direction.

“This isn’t quite what I expected,” Agnes murmured holding tightly onto Fabian's arm, not daring to get too close to the edge.

“It’s kinda pretty if you squint and look straight,” Fabian replied with his face scrunched, looking dead ahead. Agnes chuckled and slapped his upper arm, which causes him to let out the laugh he was holding behind a bit lip.

“I think we should head back. I’m getting some serious creeps from this place,” Agnes shivered and gave his hand a tug

“Wait! Here’s the dandelion you need for your potion,” Fabian blurted pointing at a single bright yellow flower resting towards the edge of the cliff.

Agnes followed his gaze and immediately shook her head. He raised a dark eyebrow at her in confusion, “Don’t bother, it’s too risky getting that close.”

Fabian snorted and wiggled from her tight grasp, and placed a reassuring peck on the back of her hand. He turned his back towards her, striding towards the bright yellow flower, “Don’t worry, Aggy. You'll thank me later-”

He stumbled over a root and propelled forward, sparks emitted from his fingertips as his magic attempted to keep him upright on the cliff edge. He let out a yelp as he harshly hits the ground, rolling off the edge.

Agnes watched it all unfold in slow motion, her shaky fingers reaching for her lips as she lets out a scream that leaves her lungs aching. She felt her knees hit the dirt, her whole body going limp, as she listened to her soulmate's body clash with the cliffside a few times before a low splash sounded from below. A loud sob worked its way up from the pit of her abdomen, squeezing through her windpipe as she struggled to let out a breath, finally bubbling at her lips coming out as a screech mixed with a raspy yell. 

She crawled to the edge on her hands and knees, ignoring the scrapes that form from the holes in her jeans. She held on tight to the jagged rocks as she peered down, seeing Fabian laying face down in the river, with the rapids quickly pulling him under. She clenched her hair in her fists racking through her mind for the teleportation spell. She closed her eyes, feeling nauseous as her body moves from place to place at the speed of sound.

The rapids were ear numbing up close. She had to refrain from holding her ears while she frantically looks for Fabian, already up to her knees in the frigid angry water. She noticed his blonde hair and began to fight the currents, pushing her body to the breaking point as she kicked harshly, needing to reach her boyfriend in time, coughing and choking on the water as she went under for seconds at a time. She gripped onto his black shirt and began to tug him towards land, yelping when her thighs tighten in excruciating knots from keeping herself above the water.

She carefully laid his lifeless body on the rocks, wincing when she saw the scrapes and gashes on his face. She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his cheek before wiping her tears and opening her shaky palms over his chest. She thought back to a black magic spell that they had only heard myths about growing up, knowing it was dangerous and is frowned upon.

Her eyes rolled back as she whispered the ancient Latin spell, feeling the energy being drawn from her body to surround them. She felt blood trickling out of her left nostril onto her upper lip, but she kept chanting. The loud silence was broken by gasping coughs sputtering from the body beneath her fingers.

Agnes’ eyes snapped open to see Fabian coughing up water. She grabbed his shoulder and helped him onto his side to drain the water from his lungs. He gripped tightly on her wrists for support and she winced at his nails digging crescent shapes into her skin.

“̈What have you done?” he gasped, sitting up to look at his girlfriend with terror in his eyes, “Agnes you've just put a death wish on yourself.”

Agnes ignored his warnings, pulling him in for a hug as she began to sob once again. She grabbed his shirt, balling it in her fists as she tried to remind herself that Fabian ́s here and he's alive. She had used a spell that they have only ever mentioned in the books, one that had more consequences than good outcomes. One that puts death on your tail.

“Aggy, we have to go,̈ “Fabian tugged himself from her tight hold, carefully standing with a wince, ̈Death isn't gonna be happy.”

In all the history books Death was described as a menacing, tall man, whose face was hidden in the shadows in his dark cape that trails behind him for as long as you can see. He seeks vengeance on those who escape their fate and seeks them out himself to treat them to their demise. He had a special hatred for witches and warlocks who often use spells to mess with their destiny. 

“I had to do something, Fabian. You really think I can live without you?̈” Agnes questioned, “I’m sorry, okay?”

Fabian sighed, running his hands through his tangled hair, “Don’t apologize, I would’ve done the same thing for you.”

They made their way back to the campsite, Fabiain’s arm over Agnes’ shoulder as he limped on his right leg.

“I have to do a quick healing spell, grab our stuff and get out of here,” Fabian stated, closing his eyes as his magic weakly escaped his fingers.

Agnes began packing up their things, looking over her shoulder every once in a while for any sign that death is near. She felt a slight breeze on the back of her neck and she froze, he’s close. 

“Fabian! We have to go,” Agnes sputtered, fumbling with their bags, “He’s close.”

The two stand together, preparing to teleport back to the coven. A twig snapped behind them and the two whipped their heads to see Death standing with his arms crossed, a dark mist emitting from his broad shoulders.

“Don’t even think about it-” he growled, his voice making the earth beneath them quiver.

The two ignored his threat and propel themselves back to the Coven. They dropped their bags and hurry to the library, ignoring the confused glances from the other witches.

“What have you two done now?” Blaire, the head witch, groaned, “You two and your love make me so exhausted.”

Agnes and Fabian exchanged a nervous look before Agnes opened her mouth only to close it again.

“She used the forbidden spell,” Fabian blurted, going to stand behind Agnes to use her as a shield.

They see Blaire’s nostrils flare as she tilted her neck, resulting in a loud crack. She looked between the two with fire in her eyes, “Have I not made it clear when I told you the consequences?” she asked her voice eerily calm but volume raising, “Have I not made it clear?”

Agnes jumped at Blaire’s yells. Fabian wrapped his arms around her waist to calm her down from the head witches fury.

“You did,” Agnes mumbled looking at her feet, “I just... I saw him lying face down in the water and I had to do something.” Agnes’ eyes pricked with tears and she reached to wipe her eyes, “What do we do, Blaire?”

Blaire’s eyes softened at the image in front of her. Two teens whose love for each other drives them to protect the other, even if it means Death beating down your door.

“It was my fault,” Fabian stepped in, “I did something stupid, Agnes told me not to, but I did it anyway.”

“There’s one thing that might work,” Blaire sighed, rummaging through the many spell books that lay in the old shelves, “You two need to get out of here until then. He can’t come here, you understand that right? We have children here.”

They both frantically nodded and Blaire analyzed the pair once more, “You know the spells to stop him from tracking you. It will work for a bit, should give me enough time to get things settled to help you out of this.”

The two had wandered around downtown for hours. Their sweaty palms tightly knitted together as they looked over their shoulder every few seconds. They ignored the stares from those who passed by, not wanting to draw more attention to themselves.

“I’m sorry I got us into this, Agnes,” Fabian frowned, as he halted his quick steps, “I was so stupid. I should've learned by now to listen to you.”

Agnes let out a sad chuckle and pulled Fabian in for a hug, “I was stupid for dragging you on that camping trip.”

Fabian buried his head into the crook of her neck, and placed a short kiss just behind her ear, “Don’t call yourself stupid, I was the one who toppled off a cliff.”

Agnes inhaled a short breath, the sound of his body hitting the water replaying through her mind, “I don’t wanna talk about it right now, okay? You’re with me now and that’s all that matters.”

Fabian pulled away quickly and grabbed Agnes’ cheeks. He leaned in until their noses brushed and whispered, “Thank you. I love you.”

Agnes smiled, despite the circumstances, “I love you too.”

They continued their quick steps until a black mist settled over all the pedestrians who wordlessly passed the couple. Fabian grabbed Agnes by the waist and pulled her into a nearby alley, pulling her down behind a trash bin, and placed a hand over her mouth.

“Psst... Psst. Oh my god. Over here you two,” a voice muttered from the end of the alley, behind a door that was being propped open by a blue milk crate.

They quickly turned to see Blaire peeking at them from behind the graffitied door. Fabian turned to Agnes taking his hand from her lips, motion to be quiet with his finger over his lips. They stood crouching slowly as they made their way over to the witch.

“What are we, James Bond?” Blaire groaned, beckoning the couple over by a wave of her hand, “Do you guys want to get out of here before he finds you or not?”

Blaire dragged them into the open door, kicking the milk crate from under the door, and walked down the dark hall. They followed blindly behind Blaire as she led them to a small room in the back of what seemed to be a Japanese restaurant.

“There’s only one way you’re getting out of this,” Blaire started, plopping down on top of the table that sits in the middle of the room, “You need to give up your powers.”

Agnes blinked, furrowing her eyebrows, “That’s it? That’s all it takes?”

Fabian chuckles before wrapping his arm over Agnes’ shoulders, “We’ll do it. We have each other, so what if we can’t do some witchy spells here and there?”

Blaire cracked her knuckles, “You didn’t let me finish,” she rolled her eyes, “You’ll have to transform everything. I’ll do the spell of course, but you two will lose your attached-at-the-hip spell, not to mention look totally different.”

The couple exchanged a look before Agnes shrugged, “Not important. We’ve got each other, that’s all that really matters.”

Blaire stuck a finger in her mouth and let out a fake gag, “Let’s get this over with. Your love for each other is truly sickening.”

The two stood hand in hand, eyes closed as Blaire loudly chants. Agnes peeked an eye open to see Fabian changing right in front of her eyes. His once straight blond hair turning dark and curly. His pale skin now a beautiful olive dotted with freckles on his nose and cheeks. 

The room began to spin around them, Fabian and Agnes screamed as it felt like their hearts were being stripped from their chests. She air was cold around them as they collapsed to the ground, face streaked with sweat. 

The two took in their soulmate's new appearance, with small smiles on their faces. Fabian leaned over and pressed a kiss to Agnes’ plumper lips, “You look beautiful. You always will be, no matter what.”

Agnes smiled, tears forming in her eyes, “We did it. We’re free.”

Blaire leaned down and patted them on the back, “Well done guys, you’ve escaped death.”