The Kuthun Read online

  Aunt Lily has made her famous banana cream pancakes with fresh strawberries on top. The aroma of hot dough entices my sense of smell and by the time the plate reaches the table I am all but salivating. I happily take a bite and savour the rich taste of banana and maple syrupy goodness.

  Uncle Jo is watching me over his quadruple shot cappuccino. ‘I have an idea for today. How about we pick up Phoebe and head into the Sandy Bay County Fair?’

  I frown. ‘Weren’t we going there anyway for Aunt Lily’s bake off?’ I say between chews.

  ‘Well…yeah, but it sounded better when it came across as if I made it up.’ He takes another sip, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

  Aunt Lily rolls her eyes and I chuckle.

  Sandy Bay is about a two hour drive. It sits on the coast and is a beautiful spot that we visit occasionally, especially in summer, when the beaches are clear and warm making them perfect for swimming. It attracts lots of visitors every year with its natural beauty and excellent walking tracks, and of course its annual county fair—full of rides and small events showcasing local creative talents.

  ‘I thought we were researching today,’ I say.

  ‘I think it would be better if we had a day off, don’t you?’ He isn’t actually asking.

  The thought of a day off from thinking and teleporting and kuthuning actually sounds nice. I also think he just wants us as far away from here as possible. I nod, still not willing to empty my mouth at this point.

  ‘Good,’ he says. ‘Because I told Phoebe we would pick her up in an hour. That was thirty minutes ago so you better finish up and get ready.’ He stands up and puts his empty mug in the sink. ‘I’ll get the car ready.’ He kisses Aunt Lily’s cheek and heads outside.

  ‘What about Magi?’ I grab my cardigan off the coat stand near the front door and shrug it on. Magi is wagging her tail behind us, her tongue poking out the side of her mouth.

  ‘Magi is safer here,’ he says.

  ‘But…’

  ‘No buts, Ellie. She’s learnt her lesson don’t you think?’ He raises his left eyebrow in question.

  ‘I suppose,’ I say reluctantly. ‘But look at her. She wants to come,’ I say. Magi wags her tail enthusiastically.

  Uncle Jo thinks about it for a moment. Magi and I both look at him pleadingly. He shakes his head in irritation. ‘Fine! But you need to put a leash on her, and if anyone questions what she is doing there just tell them she’s your seeing-eye dog,’ he gruffly remarks as he opens the front door, letting Aunt Lily through first.

  Aunt Lily smiles and wraps her shawl around her as she steps out into the cool wind.

  ‘But I’m not blind!’ I exclaim. ‘It wouldn’t be right.’ I grab Magi’s leash off the hook from the back of the door and I close it behind us.

  ‘Then get Phoebe to do it. She won’t even bat an eyelid,’ he says cheekily.

  I open the car door. ‘Then you don’t know her that well,’ I answer in her defence.

  ‘Yeah I’ll do it,’ Phoebe says casually when we pick her up. ‘No problemo!’

  Uncle Jo and Aunt Lily laugh. ‘See. Told you,’ he says smugly.

  I cross my arms, feeling offended that he called it. I look across the back seat at Phoebe, who is smiling and staring at me with her usual easy-going expression. I try not to smile but a chuckle escapes my lips.

  We spend the trip using the iPad to look at vintage clothing sales and cool little ideas for decorating Phoebe’s room. We listen to music and laugh, and for the first time in a few days I actually start to feel more like me. The old me—the one who was fairly conservative, liked her routine, enjoyed the simple things and knew to appreciate every day for what it was, never taking anything for granted.

  I feel a flutter of panic. I can’t go back. That old me is gone.

  For the rest of the way a deep unease claws at me, like a vulture slowly pecking away at my carcass.

  We make good time and enter Sandy Bay County on a beautiful spring day. Unlike at home there is no wind here today and the sun is sitting gloriously in the midday sky.

  We drive down the main street where the quaint seaside town exudes simplicity and character—from its tree-lined walkways to its beach style cottages. Even the local council building, which is usually brown and dull in most places, has had a clean-up with its now whitewashed exterior and blue corrugated roof. We spend the next few minutes trying to find a car park. The area is full and we end up parking along a side street.

  When we reach the fete Uncle Jo gives us the run-down of rules that we must follow—stay with each other, stay visible, and keep Magi close. He specifically focuses on my face, telling me to be careful and stay on guard.

  ‘Got it,’ Phoebe says. ‘Don’t worry, Mr. O. I’ll look after her.’

  He rolls his eyes. ‘We’ll meet back here in a couple of hours for lunch. Now go find some bargains.’ He waves us off.

  ‘Have fun girls,’ Aunt Lily says as they head off in the direction of the cupcake competition.

  ‘Good luck, Aunt Lily,’ I call out. She gives me a thumbs up.

  ‘Alright, Phoebs, where do we start?’

  She shakes her head in disgust. ‘What’s wrong with you, E? We start at the doughnut stand!’ she quips, as she takes my arm and leads me towards the food court, Magi trailing along beside us.

  An hour later we have conquered our appetites on an overdose of dough and sugar. Phoebe bought a couple of mod tops, an old denim bag from the eighties, and a couple of indie CDs. While I picked up a fantastic old fifties alarm clock that doesn’t work anymore, but I love it anyway. Its faded, chipped yellow paint and rustic charm give it character, while the internal clock face pictures an old style cottage that sits quaintly in the background, surrounded by lavender flowers.

  As we are walking past a book stall I notice a large faded, brown book sitting on its own at the back of the table. I pick it up and open the cloth cover, becoming aware that it is in fact an old dictionary. The pages look like they have been dyed in teabags, giving it a washed out appearance and the musty scent it gives off reminds me of an old English library. I smile.

  I randomly flick open a page and a single word gazes back at me. Omnipotence. In Latin it means “all power” or unlimited power. My magic reverberates with understanding and it reminds me of something Mum used to say. She would always tell me that we each have a purpose, that we each have a unique imprint within the universe, and that the path to finding that uniqueness is our soul’s journey. She would say that all beings are powerful and that what we choose to do with that power is the ultimate test of one’s soul.

  As I am reminiscing Phoebe says, ‘So I saw Mr. Biceps yesterday.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘You know, kitchen cutie from Walden’s.’ She flashes me a sneaky grin.

  I can feel myself blushing. ‘Oh, really. And what about him?’ I ask casually, feeling a hot flush take over my body.

  Phoebe laughs. ‘Look at you! Geez, E, can’t half tell he affects you in any way.’

  I close the book abruptly. ‘He does not! What are you talking about?’

  ‘Oh, okay Miss I’m-so-obvious. Anyway I saw him this morning out for a jog.’

  I roll my eyes at her. ‘Don’t tell me you were out jogging, Phoebs?’

  ‘Don’t be so ridiculous. As if that would ever happen. We had to go into town this morning and we stopped for a coffee. He jogged past and then…’

  I stare at her intensely. ‘And then…’

  ‘And then he waved at me.’ She shrugs.

  ‘He waved at you. How does he know you?’ A tinge of jealousy finds its way into my stomach.

  ‘Please girlfriend. I have stuff going on. Boys notice the booty,’ she says as she smacks herself on the rump.

  I laugh. ‘Of course they do.’ I shake my head at her unapologetic confidence.

  ‘Anyway, I totally acted cool and just waved back.’

  ‘And that’s it?’ I ask surprised.

  ‘
Yep. That’s it.’

  ‘So what do you think it means?’

  ‘I love you girl, but you can be so bloody innocent sometimes.’ She sighs. ‘It means, he is feeling the vibes.’

  ‘The vibes?’ I ask slightly confused.

  ‘Ugh! Ellie, you can be so naive.’ She shakes her head in amused disgust.

  ‘What? Am I not getting something here?’ I ask her, feeling slightly embarrassed.

  She nods her head sarcastically. ‘Yeah. You’re not.’

  I screw my lip up at her which makes her smile.

  ‘Duh! He likes you,’ she says.

  ‘Huh! Me? How did you get that from him waving at you?’ The thought of him liking me causes me to flush again.

  Phoebe groans with impatience. ‘You can’t tell me that you didn’t feel something when you saw him the other night at Walden’s, coz I know you did.’ She bends over the table to pick up a silver turquoise ring.

  ‘Well…yeah, I suppose I did…a little, but that doesn’t mean I like him.’ I smile nervously.

  She shakes her head. ‘You’re pathetic. You were looking at him, he was looking at you.’

  My heart skips a beat. ‘What do you mean he was looking at me?’

  She rolls her eyes. ‘Seriously. You are painful girl!’ She turns to face me with arms crossed. ‘You’re telling me you didn’t see him staring at you from the kitchen?’

  I think back to last night but I don’t remember seeing him looking at me. Maybe that was who I felt watching me. It wasn’t someone sinister after all, it was just him.

  She watches me thinking. ‘There you go! Getting it now?’ She turns back to the table, searching for more jewellery.

  ‘Okay, so he waved at you, because he likes me?’ I ask her, starting to feel like I’m twelve years old.

  ‘You’re hard work, E. If you dated a bit more you would know about this stuff. I feel like I’m your dating pimp.’ She flicks her blonde hair out of her face and turns to stare at me.

  I must look confused because she says, ‘You really don’t know, do you?’

  ‘I’m not an idiot, Phoebs,’ I say defensively.

  ‘Don’t get all prickly. What I meant was, you don’t know how gorgeous you really are.’

  ‘Get out, now you’re just being dumb.’ I pay for the book and start to walk off. She follows me, shaking her head and laughing softly.

  We walk back towards our meeting place, our arms full of goodies. Aunt Lily and Uncle Jo are already waiting and I see him bend down to kiss the top of her head.

  ‘I hope that one day I find a love like that,’ she says as she takes a sip of her drink, watching them dreamily.

  ‘I know what you mean.’ The image of kitchen boy flickers through my mind. ‘They have something really special.’ I think about the conversation I overheard yesterday, where Aunt Lily said she couldn’t lose another child. Life’s not fair sometimes.

  ‘Hey, how did you go?’ Uncle Jo asks as we get closer.

  ‘Good. We got some great bargains and ate our way around,’ I say, noticing the ribbon peeking out of Aunt Lily’s bag. ‘You won?!’

  She grins widely. ‘Yep. Not too shabby for an amateur.’

  ‘That’s great! Congratulations,’ I say happily.

  ‘Yeah congrats, Mrs. O,’ Phoebe says.

  ‘Thanks girls,’ she responds.

  ‘Well I hope you two didn’t eat too much. We’re going for lunch in a minute,’ Uncle Jo says.

  ‘Mr. Olsen, you and I both know that’s a silly question. There is always room for more food,’ Phoebe replies matter-of-factly.

  We make our way to a nice little pub on the corner of Elm Street and get a table on the deck, overlooking the fair and the local beach. Seagulls are frolicking in mid-air amongst the waves and people are milling about everywhere, just happy to be out in the sunshine and enjoying themselves.

  I take a deep breath. ‘Ah, this is so nice.’ I close my eyes, stretch my arms out, and let the sea air wash over me.

  The waiter comes and takes our orders and it’s not long before we are eating once again.

  ‘Hey, what’s that around your neck?’ Phoebe asks curiously.

  I look down and see the kuthun sticking out of my shirt. I hurriedly put my necklace back in, feeling slightly protective of it. ‘Oh, well I got your locket and I also received another charm funnily enough from…’

  ‘From us,’ Aunt Lily puts forward. ‘What a coincidence that you got her the necklace, otherwise she would have had nothing to wear it on.’ She sips on her iced tea with forced enthusiasm.

  Phoebe nods. ‘I am pretty gifted you know. I was once told by a gypsy woman that I had the sight.’ She stuffs a wedge into her mouth and glances at us for any sign of surprise.

  There is an awkward pause before Uncle Jo responds, ‘Ah…well…you can see that, Phoebe. I mean you’ve always been attuned to people.’

  ‘I know right!’ she exclaims between mouthfuls.

  Uncle Jo and Aunt Lily exchange humorous glances and I sip on my lemonade not wanting to get involved in the conversation. I peer down at Magi, who snorts derisively. I laugh, making lemonade bubbles come out of my nose. I cough and splutter and Phoebe pats me on the back.

  ‘I suppose I should have seen that coming,’ she says straight-faced.

  We all end up in laughter. When we finish our meals we walk back to the car and drive onto the highway once more.

  I feel satisfied that the day turned out so nicely, it was just what I needed. Phoebe and I share the headphones, listening to her music mix, which seeing as we have different tastes isn’t actually too bad. I lay my head back on the seat and close my eyes.

  I must have drifted off because all of a sudden an overwhelming feeling of warning courses through my body and I wake up startled, wiping the drool from the side of my mouth.

  Something’s wrong.

  Uncle Jo’s energy has changed. The ripple of electricity that emanates off him acts like a sound wave, penetrating my body. He is looking at me through the rear view mirror, eyes alerting me to the fact that we have company.

  I look through the back window and see we are being followed. Oh no! Not here. How did he find us? Uncle Jo starts to speed up and begins to swerve and spike through the traffic.

  Aunt Lily looks at him and knows we are in trouble. She turns back to make sure we are alright and as she looks out the back window her eyes widen. Her frightened gaze finds mine and I nod lightly. She faces forward once again. Magi has felt it too and is sitting in the back compartment with ears up and eyes focused on the road.

  Phoebe is still clicking away with the earphones on. Without looking up she says, ‘Hey, Mr. O, you might want to slow down. I keep typing in the wrong letters.’ When she doesn’t get a response she raises her head and looks at me. She can feel something is off the minute her eyes fall on mine. ‘What’s going on?’ she asks confused, taking the earphones out.

  Uncle Jo looks back through the rear view mirror. ‘Tell her, Ellie. We don’t have time,’ he says sharply.

  I turn towards her. ‘Listen, Phoebs. There are some things you don’t know at the moment and I don’t have time to tell you all of it. But we are being followed by someone who…who wants to hurt me.’

  She looks at me quizzically, then looks out the back window and sees the green Ford Bronco swerving and dodging traffic a few cars behind us, trying to keep up.

  ‘Uh…I’m confused.’ The words come out of her mouth in slow motion.

  ‘Just listen, okay. I’m…I’m not who you think I am.’ Phoebe frowns. ‘I mean, there are some things—’

  ‘She’s a witch, Phoebe,’ Uncle Jo says bluntly.

  I cringe, waiting for her response.

  ‘I’m sorry. Did you say a witch?’ she asks. ‘As in cackle cackle broomsticks?’

  I shake my head. ‘No. Just as in I have special abilities and old witch blood inside me that is in danger of becoming extinct.’ I want to curl up in a ball and fade away. I can
see her mind working overtime. Please don’t hate me. She doesn’t respond.

  ‘My mother didn’t die, Phoebs. She was killed,’ I say after a moment of silence.

  Her eyes quickly refocus. She knows what saying that would have meant for me. She grits her teeth and nods her head. ‘Okay, so you’re a witch, big deal. I mean you always were different, but that’s what I love about you. So…okay.’

  I grab her hand and give it a squeeze. Relief runs through me when she squeezes back.

  ‘Jo, we can’t keep up this pace,’ Aunt Lily warns.

  ‘I know, but I have to lose him. Just trust me?’ Uncle Jo has his foot down and is flooring it. We are screaming through traffic—dodging and weaving, braking and swerving. The traffic becomes blurred out the window and I lose track of time.

  ‘Damn it! He’s still on us.’ Uncle Jo slams the steering wheel with his hand.

  I have to do something. In my mind’s eye I am flipping through the pages of the Book of Cole, scanning it for anything that could help right now. Come on! Then I hear my mother’s voice echoing through my head. ‘Feel your way through life as much as you can, Ellie. Through feeling, you will be truly listening to your intuition.’ She loved to tell me this all the time and only now do I understand its true meaning.

  Omnipotence.

  The word takes on a deeper meaning and I realise with absolute clarity that I have unlimited power within me.

  My blood awakens and I feel it surge. Magic travels through every part of my body. The air around me stills. Sound, smell, sight, all fall away. I trust it completely. I let it swirl around me, my eyes focused straight ahead. I see nothing but what I have to do and I let it flow from me.

  ‘Onamina terare shanow omda. Dulesa wana fey. Comera dindada umtea sinba. Nucktua fendaka ra.’

  The magic leaves me, travelling back towards the car that holds the Venator. The magic hits the front tyre, causing it to explode. Loud screeching and crashing of metal reverberates around me. My power holds strong until it is done. I hear the shocked noises around me as everyone in the car stares back through the rear window. I don’t look back. I feel frozen, my body unmoving.