Spell of Protection

The pouring rain thundered onto the small car as it sped down the road, disregarding the posted speed limits.  The driver, a thin man named Ted, was not up for obeying the speed limits.

After all, when you’re being chased by the police, you’re not usually up for driving safely. 

“Shit!” 

Spinning the steering wheel, he swung the car off the road and into a nearby alley, but saw that it was a dead end.  There was no way out, save a tall wooden fence.

“Shit!” 

Leaping from the car, he quickly ran to the fence and scaled it, abandoning his car.  It offered him speed, but now he needed stealth more then anything. 

The sirens were getting louder.  Lungs burning, heart pounding, Ted sprinted out from the abandoned warehouses, crossing the street and heading towards a trailer park nestled amongst the forest, glancing back over his shoulder to see if the boys in blue were after him.  He couldn’t see them, which gave him a few more minutes.

Turning down a dirt path, Ted pressed himself against the trunk of a tree, desperately trying to figure out what to do.  With all the squad cars and vans coming after him, along with several helicopters, it was pretty much inevitable that he was going to be found.  It was only a matter of time.  But what to do?  Hide in the sewers?  No, that would be too disgusting.  The stench alone would make it even harder to find another place to hide without being found.

Ted heard the distinct sound of helicopter engines.  They were close.

Breaking into a sweat, he tried to think faster, drawing a blank.  There was nowhere he could run, nowhere he could hide.

It took him a moment to realize that there was one more place.  Not his most preferred option, but in light of the circumstances, it was his only choice. 

Running as fast as he could go, it took Ted about half an hour to head through the forest, staying away from the roads and utilizing every trick he knew to evade his pursuers.  Even then, he had several dangerously close calls, but by sheer luck, managed to get away.  Even then, it was a miserable trek, heading through wet grasslands and disgusting bogs. 

But he finally reached his destination.  A large cabin out in the middle of the woods, two miles away from the main road, effectively isolated from the rest of the world.  If there was anywhere he could hide, this was it. 

His only obstacle was the person who lived there.

Heading to the door, he knocked.  A few tense minutes passed before it opened, revealing a heavyweight gothic girl with black and purple hair, and lanky, narrow glasses.  She glared at him.

“Ted.”

“Hey Gwen…long time no see.”

“You see the news lately?  You’re hot stuff.”

“Can I come in?” he asked.

“Why?” 

“Because I don’t want to go to jail, and I don’t feel like rotting behind bars for the rest of my life.”

Gwen wasn’t amused.  “You know how much trouble I’d be in for housing you?”

“It’s just for a night.  Nothing more, I promise.  After that, I’ll be out of your hair forever.”

Gwen thought for a moment before sighing.  “All right.  Get in.”

Ted grinned.  “You’re the best!”

As Ted headed inside, Gwen closed the door and locked it, quickly turning to him.  “You can stay in the basement.”

“Is it still the same as when I was last there?” 

Gwen didn’t say anything. 

“So it is then?” he said with a sly grin.  “I have so many fond memories of that room.  Never could afford to build another one…wish I did.”

“What?  All those robberies not profitable enough for you?”

“Oh they are…it just gets harder and harder to keep a low profile when your name is splattered across every wanted poster in the country.”

Gwen opened the basement door, indicating for him to go down.  But Ted wasn’t so easily fooled.

“What?  You going to lock me down there and call the cops?  No way I’m going down there.”

“I figured you’d say something like that,” Gwen admitted.  “But no, I’m not calling the cops.”

Ted didn’t buy it.  “And why not?”

“Well I remember that room too, and all the fun times we had down there.  I don’t approve of what you do now, but I still remember what we once had.  So this one time, I’m not going to turn you in.”

Ted smiled.  “Always knew you had a heart of gold,” he said.

“Don’t push your luck,”

Looking around, Ted observed the shelves that were packed with dozens of jars filled with all manner of multi-colored herbs and powders.  “You still practicing your magic mumbo jumbo?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s one thing that hasn’t changed.”  Then, after a moment of thought, “Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have a spell or two that could help me out, could you?”

Gwen shook her head.  “No.”

“Come on Gwen.  I remember all those spell books you had.  There were thousands of spells in them.  Surely you’ve got one that can do some good.”

Gwen was silent.

“Come on, spill the beans!”

For several moments Gwen thought.  “There is one spell,” she said hesitantly. 

“And?”

Gwen shook her head.  “You wouldn’t like it.”

“Oh come on!  If it’ll help me get away, then I’ll love it!  I’m on my third strike, you know!  Faced with one of your spells or going to jail for the rest of my life, I’ll take your spells.”

Gwen seemed to consider the offer when a nearby television beeped. 

“Looks like I’ve got visitors.” 

Walking to the TV, she flipped on her  security system, looking to see who was coming.  The screen showed two police cars turning off the main road and heading towards the cabin. 

Predictably, Ted was less then enthusiastic about the image.

“Oh shit!  Oh SHIT!” He fell to his knees, grabbing Gwen’s dress.  “Gwen please, I beg you!  Hide me!  I don’t want to go to jail!  I don’t!  Please!”

Gwen looked at him with pity in her eyes.  “You know you can’t run forever.  You’ll get caught eventually.”

“Please…” Ted said.  “This is the last thing I’ll ever ask of you, I swear!  Don’t let them get me!”

Gwen thought for a few more moments.  “There is a spell,” she said.  “That would save you from the police.  But I must warn you, it is a very, very powerful spell, and is not one to be used lightly.” 

“I don’t care!” Ted said, nearly on the edge of a nervous breakdown.  “I’ll do anything!  Anything!”

Gwen thought for a moment longer, then nodded.  “Very well.  Follow me.” she grabbed a thick book off the shelf and started down into the basement, Ted following anxiously.

The basement was dark, but not at all uncomfortable.  It was the most luxurious room in the cabin, lined with smooth, black leather, golden lights dotting the ceiling, and mirrors covering the walls.  Huge wooden beams hung from the ceiling, and several pieces of bondage furniture stood on the floor, still in pristine condition.

“Keeping the place clean in case you find another guy?” Ted joked.

“This is no time to joke,” Gwen said.  “We don’t have much time.  Take your clothes off.”

Ted paused.  “What?”

“Take them off.  The spell can’t work if the victim isn’t naked.”

Ted pondered the words for several seconds before grinning.  “Couldn’t resist the kinky spell, could you?” Removing his wet clothes, he stood naked before her.  “Okay, now what?”

Gwen spread the book open on the floor before her.  “Put your arms and legs together, and stay as still as you can.”

Ted did so, glimpsing a look at the pages.  There were words, but they were written in a bizarre dialect he didn’t recognize.

“Ted, are you sure you want to do this?” Gwen asked again.  “This spell is very powerful, and…”

“If it’ll save me from the cops, I’ll do it.” He said.  “No matter what it takes.”

Gwen took a deep breath, sighing.  “Very well,” Standing, she pressed her hands together, then began to hum. 

For a few moments nothing happened.  As Gwen’s humming increased, she began to speak a strange tongue that Ted had never heard before.  Her words were charged with power, electrifying the air.

There was movement near Ted’s feet.  Glancing down, he was startled to see what looked like bandages slowly building around his feet, like a snake that was readying itself to strike. 

Where the hell did those come from?!

It dawned on Ted that he might be dealing with something that was supposed to be meddled with.  But he shoved the feelings aside.  Thoughts of the police and jail kept him standing still.  Whatever was happening now, it couldn’t be worse then what would come if he was caught.

The bandages continued to build for several seconds, winding themselves around his feet.

Then, with a command from Gwen, they struck.

They sprung and began to wind around Ted so quickly that he couldn’t even follow them, much less contemplate what was happening.  The bandages were wrapping themselves around him, moving under his arms, his legs, then over and around them, binding them to his body.  Skin was quickly covered by strips of white as the bandages went around and over themselves, creating a nearly impenetrable layer of wrappings around Ted’s body.

Within ten seconds, his body was completely wrapped from toe to chin, the bandages wound so tightly that Ted couldn’t move, couldn’t even wiggle within his cocoon. 

Then Gwen stopped speaking, and the bandages stopped to move.

“Wow…”  Ted said, looking down at his mummified form.  “I wasn’t expecting that.”  He tried moving, found that he couldn’t manage even a wiggle.  He was as rigid and immobile as a statue.  “Nifty trick.  So what now?”

The doorbell rang upstairs. 

“I’ll go talk to them,” Gwen said as she walked to the stairs.  She seemed resigned, as if pitying him.

“I guess I’ll wait here,” Ted cracked, trying not to panic upon realizing that Gwen could turn him over to the cops and he wouldn’t be able to do a thing.  Again, he tried moving inside his bandage cocoon, but couldn’t move at all.  He couldn’t even move his fingertips. 

“Damnit,” he cursed quietly to himself.  He had led himself into a very unpleasant situation.  Ted, always the dominant type, did not enjoy being helpless.  When all his control was taken away, he was left feeling very, very awkward.  Especially now, mummified and helpless as his former girlfriend talked to the police upstairs.  Who knew what she was going to do?

He heard footsteps coming down the stairs.  But it was only those from a single person.

“They’re gone,” Gwen said.  “They don’t know you’re here.”

“What did you tell them?” he asked.

“That I would keep an eye out for you.” She said.  “I couldn’t have told them the truth anyway.  The spell forces me to lie about you.”

Ted grinned.  “Nice.  Now, get me out of here.”

Gwen walked over to her book.

“Hey Gwen, did you hear me?  You can let me out now.”

“Yes, I heard you.”

“Then get these bandages off.”

“I can’t.”

Ted’s gut tightened.  “What?”

“The spell has to be completed.”

“What do you mean it has to be completed?  The police are gone!  It worked!  I don’t need it anymore!

“The spell is only half done,” Gwen said.  “It must be completed.”

“Gwen, this isn’t funny.  Let me out of this.”

Gwen didn’t answer as she looked over the spell, finding where she had left off.

“Gwen!”

She found the spot, began to hum.

“Gwen!  Let me out of this!  Now!”

“Do you know what this spell is?” she asked.  “It is a spell from ancient Egypt.  It is an extraordinarily powerful spell.  It is the spell of protection.  The individual whom it is cast upon is completely protected from all forms of harm.  Those who wish to find them and do them harm cannot, and the recipient is completely protected for the rest of their life.”

“Gwen!”

“But the protection comes at a price…the individual’s freedom is taken away…their freedom to move, to do what they want, everything.  Complete freedom is given up for complete protection.”

“Gwen!”  Ted screamed.

“I’m sorry Ted.” Gwen said.  “But to leave the spell unfinished would have disastrous consequences.  For your safety, it must be completed.”

Before Ted could let loose another scream of terror, Gwen spoke again.  And once more, the bandages began to move.  They shot up towards Ted’s head, the only part of him that had yet to be covered.

In seconds, his terrified face vanished behind layers of bandages, wrapping themselves tightly around him until they too, were rock hard and impossible to remove.

She chanted for a few moments longer, and then Gwen stopped.

Ted stood before her, completely sealed away inside his mummification.  He was probably screaming, or trying to, but no sound emerged from the bandages.  Nor did any form of movement.  He was completely, and utterly still.

Gwen walked up to him.  “Do not be afraid Ted,” she said to the form.  “You are safe now.  Protected.  Nobody, and nothing, will ever hurt you, or harm you ever again.  You’re safe.  I warned you that this was a powerful spell, that it can never be undone, but you refused to listen.  I hope you’re happy with what you chose, because you will never be released.”

The mummy stood perfectly still, gave no reply.

Waving her hands, Gwen began the final part of the ritual.

The ground in front of them both opened up, creating a square hole in the ground that stretched deep into the earth.  Ted’s mummy floated into the air and was softly lowered inside, going deeper and deeper until it vanished into the darkness.  Then the earth moved once more, and the hole was quickly closed up.  The carpet was restored, and there was no sign that Ted had ever been there.

Gwen looked at the ground, knowing that her former boyfriend now lay entombed deep inside the earth.  And although they had separated and suffered a falling out after Ted had turned to his life of crime, Gwen still felt sorry for him.  Though she had hated him for leaving her, she still remembered the good times they had shared.

They might have shared so much more, but she would never find out.  Ted was gone now, and she would never see him again.  In an hour or so, the spell would cause her to forget where he had been entombed, ensuring that no one would ever find him, keeping him safe forever.

Gwen knelt, pressed a hand to the ground. 

“Goodbye.” 

She stood, then left the basement, turning off the light behind her.

 

 

23.09.09