― Tasha Alexander
Binding the Enemy
Angelica pulled me aside the following morning. “You were under attack last night—are you okay?”
“I’m fine—how did you know?”
She arched an eyebrow as if to say, “Really now, you still doubt my abilities?”
It was useless to pretend with a clairvoyant. “I thought I was past demonic attacks, but it was the Old Dragon himself, swollen with rage and hatred. But this time I didn’t cower. I felt a real anger rise up in me and I refused to bow to his power.”
“He has no power except what we give him and last night you reclaimed your authority. You grew an inch,” she smiled.
“Only an inch?” I teased.
Her eyebrow raised again and I wisely decided not to pursue that line of questioning.
I was rescued by a knock on the door and spotted Frank through the window and waved him in.
“Good morning, all,” he sang. He appeared to be in remarkably good spirits considering our close escape from the patrol the previous day.
“I installed a motion sensor at the entrance to your driveway and you should put the base station here by the front door where you can hear it.”
He placed a white plastic alarm on the foyer cabinet. “Keep the volume level high and check the batteries frequently, but mine has lasted for months without a charge.”
I clapped him affectionately on the shoulder. “Thanks, Frank—let me repay you with coffee.”
“Only if Angelica makes it,” he laughed. “She has the knack for making it taste like Tim Hortons. She could start her own chain of store to rival Starbucks.”
Angelica overheard our exchange from the den. She called out, “Thanks for the compliment, Frank, but I just simply followed Zach’s recipe. I think coffee always tastes better when a friend makes it.”
“BFF’s all round,” I laughed, “but as you reminded me and my night terror last night confirmed, we’re not out of the woods yet.”
“Actually,” Frank countered, “We may be. Word has it that the OPP sent a notice to the local council to end vaccine mandates and to dispense with vaccine passports. They’re sending a small force to oversee the local police and to restore normal order.”
“That’s great news!” Brooke smiled. “As a reward for announcing that, I’m serving you the last remaining slice of apple pie.”
We sat around the fire sipping coffee and chatting amiably. It actually seemed that life was getting back to normal.
Frank stared into the fire and said quietly. “I imagine as soon as the OPP arrive, the check points will be removed and you’ll all be free to go back to the city.”
A hush fell over the room. Both girls looked at me. If Frank had said that a few weeks ago I would have been over the moon with joy, but now, honestly, it didn’t make me happy.
“I suppose…” I sighed.
Brooke grabbed my hand and Angelica stared at me with her huge dark eyes. I felt there was a yawning chasm opening inside me.
”I don’t know if I’m eager to return,” I found myself saying.
The girls both nodded and chimed, “Me too,” in unison.
We all laughed and Frank stood up and returned his mug to the kitchen, while daubing his eye with a Kleenex.
“I have to admit, I’ve grown accustomed to having neighbours,” he said hoarsely.
Angelica was on her feet and hugging him, followed closely by Brooke who tugged me into their circle.
“Family hug,” Angelica pronounced. “Amen,” I said, acknowledging the closeness.
It would be hard going back to the way things were even though we had gone through hell to get here.
I don’t know much about binding spirits but I do know our shared ordeal has bound us together with ties that cannot be broken.