The phone rang at Tessie’s home as she was settled in for the evening after another successful day of teaching and counseling. She read Toni’s name on the face of her cell phone and immediately answered giving her usual greeting and exchanging a few niceties and renewing their friendship after their last experience in California when they didn’t know they were in Berkley because it was so different.
“Tessie! Bob and I have spent a great deal of time going over the events of the past with each recounting our near-death experiences and trying to make heads or tails out of them. After Bob learned about the book The Wizard, and about our wishes placed so long ago, thought that the book should be read again more slowly and deliberately to see exactly what commitment we made by making that wish that day. We also thought it would be good to get away and visit Mom; that way we could say hello and at the same time retrieve the book. We thought it would be good if you could meet with us so that the three of us could detect any clues or mysterious entries that have caused us to slip in and out of reality. What do you think, would you like to meet us there in San Fran?”
“Wow! Good to hear from you Toni. I’ve been thinking about you too, probably at the same time you have been thinking about me; you know, like minds think alike or something reminiscent of that. It would be a very good idea to see what dastardly deeds we got ourselves into when we were so young and foolish back in the good old days. It would be comforting to know what is causing us to leap into the past and future, not knowing where we are or whether or not we will ever return from this horror we have loosed upon ourselves. Yes, we must meet, just tell me when you plan on arriving and I’ll be there.”
Arrangements were made and at the designated time the three met at Toni’s mother’s house. As usual Francine was happy to see Toni and her friends because the visits had been few and far apart and it was good to be back in touch, plus there were tasks at hand that needed their attention and it was imperative that the deed be done. While Toni and Bob were visiting downstairs with Francine, Tessie quietly snuck upstairs and searched for the bookshelf until she located The Wizard. It made her somewhat uneasy just to handle it for fear something would trigger a response and she would be sent off to Hell or sent to some strange land, but such was not the case, at least not at that point. She decided not to open it until Toni and Bob were present so that they could scrutinize the pages carefully and together, going over each page and trying to find passages that might have been responsible for the acts cast upon Toni and Tessie. What was more important was trying to find information that would tell them how to get themselves out of this bind and help their lives to be restored back to normal. What a horrible thought to even think they could have made a lifetime bargain with the Devil.
Tessie placed the book by the door so as not to have it present when in the room with the others. She made an eye gesture as to what she had done and received an agreeable response.
Following the visit the three almost in harmony suggested they be on their way because of the many things they had to do so they bid their farewells and much to the chagrin of Francine, began to exit the dwelling with the book in hand. As they began walking down the stairs, Toni said, “Bob, where did you park the car? Didn’t we stop in front?”
“Now you know we did Toni. I honestly don’t know where the car is; I don’t see it anywhere, not even down the street. Should we call the police and report it stolen or at least missing?” suggested Bob. “I’ll be right back. I’m going on farther down the street and see if I can find it.”
“Wouldn’t we have heard something just a few yards inside the house? I think I would have heard something,” replied Toni.
“I know for a fact that the car was parked right in front of the house” demanded Tessie. “I looked straight to my right at the familiar front door noting the unusual window your mom had installed a long time ago, you know, with that unusual frame.”
As they automatically turned to look at the door, they didn’t recognize the window configuration to which Tessie referred, instead there was just a small oval window neither Tess nor Toni remembered. Of course they didn’t remember the window for as it worked out they were no longer at the home of Toni’s mother, and as they turned to ask Bob what he thought might be happening they noticed that he had not yet returned from his venture; he was nowhere in sight
. “My God! Can this be happening to us again Tessie? Is it really happening again? And where is Bob? Did he just vanish?”
“Before we get all panicky, let’s walk down the street and see if we spot him. He may have found out something about his car and was simply delayed in getting back to us” suggested Tess.
The two quickly ventured down the street and looked up and down in both directions but Bob was nowhere to be found. He simply vanished or was he still at Francine’s house after she and Tessie left the scene. They began to feel that sickening pulsation in their stomachs; that same feeling they had experienced not too long ago when they got lost in ‘California’. They cautiously approached the house they had just exited and gingerly walked up the stairs. They were not sure what to do. Do they enter? Do they ring the bell hoping Francine would appear? What if this wasn’t her home, what then? How do they explain to whoever answers that they need to see Toni’s mother who lives there when in fact a stranger answers the door? This was an embarrassing moment cast upon them once again and one that they were not equipped to handle right then, for they thought their visit would be plain and simple; go for a visit, find The Wizard, exit and read in an effort to rid them of this hex they created for themselves a long time ago. They decided to brave it and ring the bell. As they did, a middle-aged gentleman answered and asked how he could be of help. The two, feeling sick and probably looking a little pallid to the man at the door said they were visiting and were looking for Mrs. Riccio who used to live in this neighborhood. The man thought for a moment and then told the two that he wasn’t familiar with the name, and that he had lived on the street for many years. He told them they had mistaken the address. They were embarrassed to ask where they were so with trepidation they thanked him and apologized for their invasion of his privacy. He said he didn’t mind and hoped they would find the correct street and house. Tessie and Toni walked down the steps hand in hand about ready to cry on one another’s shoulders, once again not knowing what to do or where to go, but nonetheless they continued until they reached the bottom.
“We better get out of here and try to figure out what in the hell is going on Tess. This is getting to me big time and we need to get to the bottom of this thing that keeps happening.”
“I agree, but where do we go? Nowhere, but here, right?”
“Let’s just walk down that main street and try to settle our nerves, perhaps something will come to us; it must,” pleaded Toni.
“Hey Toni, let’s go sit in that little coffee shop and have some caffeine. Maybe that will stimulate our minds and clear the fog.”
“A great idea!” The two ventured into the coffee shop and took a seat. A waitress promptly came to them and asked what they wanted. They ordered two cups of coffee. The waitress looked at them strangely and asked if they were from around the neighborhood because she didn’t recognize them. They told her that they were just passing through and needed a break. As they sipped their coffee, they remembered the book and bravely opened it then looked over the chapter headings hoping for a clue as to what they should read first. The book seemed to emanate a strange aura recognized immediately by Toni. She held the book gingerly and asked Tessie whether or not she could see anything strange about it. Tessie said no, that is until she took hold of it and upon doing so it fell from her hands as if by some power other than her own. Each was fearful of attempting to retrieve the book again not knowing what might come of it. While enrapt in their fears and thoughts a slender gentleman quietly entered the coffee shop and sat close to Tessie and Toni with his back to them so as not to be recognized. He o
rdered coffee and just sat patiently trying to overhear any conversation wafting in his direction. Sensing their fears he focused on their table and saw the The Wizard sitting there almost as if in a state of levitation. He quickly got up and moved over to the table where Tessie and Toni were seated and spoke to Toni. “Once again we meet, Toni Riccio. The last time I tried to speak with you I thought you were going to bite off my head, so I had no choice but to make a hasty exit from your presence. Perhaps this time you will be willing to talk with me,” spoke out the man.
Toni totally in shock stood up and in a loud voice and threatening manner demanded to know what was going on and why she was being followed, especially in this altered state of existence. The man tried to tell her a while back that she was in trouble and that she should listen to what he had to say, so perhaps now she would pay attention realizing that there was no way he could be there unless he had special powers allowing him to find the two of them. As Toni began to realize that this man couldn’t be with them because they were not in their regular world; she assured him that she would listen. She didn’t bother to introduce him to Tessie because it appeared that he already knew who she was because of his somehow connection to the book, the hex, or the evil deeds cast upon them. “I tried to tell you Toni, that you needed to carefully study the book and if you read it with an open mind you would discover how to exit yourself from any further extra-world ventures. He told them that he couldn’t tell the secret of the book because they’d have to make that discovery themselves. He further told them that they were where they were because he needed to have them as a captive audience so they couldn’t run away from him. He suggested that they read the book in sections starting from the last chapter, then going to the first chapter, then back to the next to last chapter, then back to the second chapter, and on and on until the reading was completed. “It will be at that time where you might be able to unlock the secret mystery of the book allowing you to escape your bounds.” Toni didn’t know whether or not to thank the man or just exit and get away from him. He, in fact, suggested they leave and walk back the way they came and the coffee would be taken care of and not to worry but to leave and get back home.
“Let’s get the hell out of here Tessie, and do what this guy suggests.
“I agree wholeheartedly so let’s pick um up and set um down and exit this place. Hurry, let’s get out of here.”
The two left the coffee shop and on their way out looked back to watch the man who had invaded their privacy, but when they did they found him gone – nowhere to be seen.
“I don’t know how many more traumatic experiences like this I can handle Tess. My poor heart can’t take it” said Toni.
The two did as they were told and walked back the way they came. As they headed up the street where they had always found Toni’s house, they espied a car parked out in front.
“Oh, hell, Tess did that creep follow us before and is now parked in front of my mother’s house,” exclaimed Toni.
“I don’t think so Toni because that car belongs to Bob and it’s parked right where it was when we landed here, who knows how long ago,” spoke out Tessie. The madness invaded their minds as they hurried to the house where Toni’s mom used to live. As they looked around, their eyes focused upon the windows around the front door, and to their surprise it was as Toni had described before the change took place. The two quickly raced up the stairs, rang the doorbell and were surprised when Bob appeared to greet them.
“Well, it seemed that as soon as I left that you two decided to leave as well. When I got back you were gone and your mother, Toni, didn’t know where you went. I’m happy to see that you’re back.”
Before getting into Bob’s car, Tessie stood and gazed at her parents’ house and wished they had been home instead of out of town because at that moment she would give anything to have their arms around her telling her that all was fine and she’d be okay.
Speeding down the street Bob turned to Toni and said, “You know I have to leave for my business trip tomorrow, and if I could I’d not go, but this has been scheduled for weeks and I can’t miss it.” He looked in his rear view mirror and said to Tessie, “I wish you could stay with Toni for a week, Tess.”
“I wish I could too Bob, but that’s impossible right now, however, after I do my workshop on Wednesday perhaps I can.”
Chapter Six