Spellbound

Jesse Serrano was currently standing a few steps to the right offstage in the Blackout Theatre, waiting for her name to be called. She could not believe she had let her mother Elaine talk her into this : The Hollows were an incredibly popular act known for their unique performances that often involved daring stunts and amazing conjuring tricks.

They toured all over the place, always looking out for new blood. They came up with the idea of putting on talent shows. Jesse sometimes had a sense that a couple of the Hollows were about as ordinary as she was. Their resident magician had left them last month, so a specific spot needed to be filled. It could be a chance for her.

Up until this very moment, Jesse had only practiced at home. Her grandmother had thoughtfully provided her with a safe space where she wouldn't be disturbed or cause unwanted attention. Jesse wasn't really all that sure about showing her abilities to the public.

However her best friend Ayesha did make a valid point. "Normal people will never clue into the fact that the magic you do is legit. In these modern times you can get away with so much more. Besides I think the Hollows need a girl like you." In the end Jesse thought, why not give it a try?

********

As a kid, Grandma Georgia had told her stories of magic users long since passed. She was particularly fond of one who was apparently still alive; Loki, known widely as the God of Mischief and a master of sorcery. A lot of the myths surrounding him may have been altered slightly, as they were passed down from one storyteller to another.

Jesse used to wonder herself how much of what she heard was true. Loki was rumoured to have fathered children on many of the realms he passed through over the centuries. Unlike the other species he encountered, Earth had communities of humans who could wield magic and that fascinated Loki to no end. He visited in disguise, revealing himself to some of the most powerful witches and wizards.

He created a book of spells and potions which could only be given to and used by his sons or daughters. He knew when the child would arrive and would be there to witness the birth. For nearly a century there hadn't been any sightings of Loki or another descendant. But Mum and Grandma assured Jesse that he existed. That is after all, how she came into being.

Elaine grew up in a witch's home, yet she herself did not have any magic. It was known to happen within certain families every now and then. That didn't bother Grandma, she was just happy that her third daughter would actually live to become an adult. You see, despite their gifts even witches can't avert stillborn deaths, they have only ever managed to prolong the inevitable.

Jesse was born with the Serrano family's magic and would gain the powers of her father the day she turned sixteen. Her mother kept a photograph of Loki during the months that he had appeared to her; tall and pale, with jade green eyes and hair as dark as a crow's wing. He had a huge smile on his face as he held baby Jesse in his arms.

The Serranos were one of two magical families who had put down roots in Garriton Rock. By the time most magic users were ten, they should already have a basic knowledge of potion making and develop an affinity for nature, plus one of the elements. Jesse was drawn to all four, a clear sign that Loki's blood ran strong in her veins.

There was a fire that broke out at the primary school she attended. Jesse was only seven years old, but as she watched the blaze intensify, she reached out to it, calming the flames to a less threatening level. She had made sure that the fire went no further. Nobody else seemed to notice what she was doing; they were more preoccupied with checking to see if everyone was safe from harm.

********

Since the day they met as toddlers, Ayesha Silva and Jesse Serrano were very close. Ayesha also shared a special bond with Jesse's mother, that was practically nonexistent in her own home. Marlena just refused to accept the fact that her youngest daughter didn't have a single drop of magic. Therefore as the years passed by, she had as little to do with the girl as possible.

It made no difference to Ayesha's siblings. They refused to shun her for her lack of 'talent.' Aside from that, her potion mixing skills were second to none; she had even taught Jesse a few things.

Now as you might have guessed, working with magic can drain the energy from your average witch even with proper training. That was no longer a problem for Jesse once her sixteenth birthday had come and gone. The spell book Loki left behind, went a long way to helping her control her powers.

It wasn't all smooth sailing. She didn't just start using her abilities without issue. Jesse could write her own book about the mistakes she had made with her new magical abilities. For example, the first time she tried to levitate, Jesse shot up onto a tall tree in her back garden when she had only intended to float a couple of feet.

Teleporting was another matter; she sometimes ended up in a few rather awkward spots. But through trial and error, Jesse was soon able to travel short distances. If she had been to that destination before, it worked even better. Conjuring up realistic illusions looked easy, but there was a definite knack. With shape shifting Jesse had to learn that the change itself would be different each time, depending on which animal she wanted to shift into.

She could also see auras as plain as day; ordinary humans were usually different shades of blue, while a magic user is silver grey in color. From the moment she finally learned to speak in complete sentences, Jesse discovered that she had an immediate grasp of any foreign languages she happened to overhear.

But she was careful not to display this too much. She knew very well, even when she was younger, that her magic had to stay hidden from her normal friends and their families; they just wouldn't understand. For them, Jesse played the part of an ordinary girl to perfection and no-one was any the wiser.

Her relatives on the other hand, possessed varying degrees of magic. Those like her mother and Ayesha were raised knowing the truth about thier bloodlines and bared no grudges for not inheriting the family 'gifts'. Somebody was always available, if Jesse needed to seek a little advice.

*******

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. Please welcome our last act for this evening : Jesse Serrano, a promising young magician." She heard polite clapping follow the host as he left the stage. Jesse was not typically a nervous person, but the moment she moved onto that stage herself, she could feel her whole body tense up. She froze for a split second. The butterflies in her tummy were fluttering like crazy.

Ayesha whispered encouraging words from the sidelines. "Go on and dazzle them with your natural talent! You can do this." Jesse took her next steps with a bit more confidence. She got to the centre of the stage, daring to shoot a quick glance at the crowd. Curious and eager faces stared back at her. A select group of the Hollows act had the best view in the house; their expressions gave nothing away.

Jesse's family was in the front row cheering. She never failed to appreciate thier unwavering support and it was certainly in full voice tonight. "Good evening." Well this was a promising start, her voice wasn't shaky. Jesse finished her speech, keeping it short since she suspected the audience would prefer that she get on with the show.

"I may be considered an amateur, but I believe I can astound and amaze you. Feel free to speculate on how the tricks are accomplished as much as you like; I shall neither confirm or deny anything." Jesse began with a couple of old school routines performed flawlessly, that could still capture a crowd's attention.

Then she turned it up a knotch or two. Her traditional black and white suit started to change colour with each twist and turn. She transformed handbags into birds and back. She hovered about ten feet off the ground with no visible attachments.

With a puff of smoke, she disappeared from one end of the room to the other.

Cats and crows appeared seemingly out of nowhere. They all fit easily into Jesse's top hat and were never seen again. With some willing participation, she correctly guessed random people's thoughts, but wisely steered clear of revealing their inner most secrets. There really was such a thing as too much information.

She held bright green flames in the palm of her hands; they travelled up and down her arms, leaving behind no signs of burn marks. And for the finale? Jesse made an illusionary duplicate of herself, exact in every detail. Now that produced genuine gasps of astonishment. A pale grey mist surrounded Jesse's doppleganger, who vanished into thin air.

She stood her ground. Total silence enveloped the theatre for what seemed like ages. Then came deafening applause and the stomping of feet. She couldn't have asked for a better response. Bowing deeply, Jesse thanked the audience for thier enthusiasm. The burgundy curtains were drawn closed and she breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Ayesha was the first to run up and hug her. "Fantastic! Absolutely brilliant!" Elaine had tears in her eyes. "I am so glad you said yes." Jesse held onto her tightly. "Me too. I think I could get used to this. I wonder whether I impressed the Hollows. It was difficult to gauge their reaction."

Her grandmother had no doubts whatsoever. "Of course you did." Jesse looked at her and smiled nervously. "I hope you're right." Georgia looped her arm through her grandaughter's on the way to the adjoining reception area where the winning announcements would be made. "Have I been wrong yet?"

Truth be told, no her grandmother hadn't, not even once. Georgia continued speaking, determined to get her point across. "After all these years, they know the difference between the real thing and a fake. You are a magic user and a descendant of Loki. It would be foolish of them not to take you on. Trust me my girl, this is only the beginning of your journey."

THE END