The Spell (Patreon)

“Why am I here?” I thought.

I was in the mall but I could not remember needing to buy anything. And I was standing in front of a women’s clothing store. The mannequin in front of me looked familiar for some reason. I’ve probably seen the mannequin before but I could not recall seeing it here before. I went home.

Later, I was hanging out with a few friends. Something was off. There were seven of us but for some reason I thought there should be eight of us. Not sure why but I remember having this feeling before. I looked at everyone in turn and could not figure out why I thought someone was missing.

“Tom? You okay?” Misty said to me.

“What?”

“You look like you’re thinking too hard.”

“Oh, I just have this feeling someone is missing.”

She looked at everyone in turn and said, “Nope, we’re all here.”

“Didn’t Tom have this problem a month or so ago?” Allan said.

“Yeah, he did,” Nan said. “About the month ago, you thought there should be nine of us. We’ve always just been seven people.”

I looked at Nan as there was something off about what she said. “Last time this happened you said there’s always been eight of us.”

“Why would I say that when there’s only seven of us?”

“Yeah, Tom. Who’s this eighth person?” Sam said.

“I don’t know. Why were there nine people a month ago?”

“That’s your problem. There’s just the seven of us: Me, you, Sam, Nan, Misty, Allan, and Cybil.

“Leave me out of this,” Cybil said. “Maybe Tom just needs to meet someone new and introduce them to the group.”

“Maybe.”

A few weeks passed and I did meet someone new. Her name was Polly. I met her in the library perusing the occult section. I was thumbing through a book when she said, “Do you believe in magic?”

“I do, in the theoretical sense,” I said.

“Oh, how so?”

“Well, charms and such are feasible. But grand magic, I doubt it.”

“You believe in luck.”

“I do and in charms that might affect luck: blessings and curses. But, take this for instance. It talks about a spell to turn someone into a toad. Preposterous.”

“Why would you want someone to turn into a toad?”

“Exactly. By the way, I’m Tom.” I held out my hand.

She shook it. “Polly.”

“I’m a member of group who get together on Friday nights to discuss topics like this and mundane topics. Would you like to join us some time?”

“Perhaps. Tell me. Is there a grand magic you’ve tried and failed at?”

“Well, no. But I do have one I’ve wanted to try. It’s just no one I know would want to do it.”

“Do what?”

“Turn into a mannequin.”

“A mannequin?”

“Yeah, I have this spell I found that turns a person into a mannequin. But if the spell succeeded, who would want to end up as a mannequin?”

“Would the mannequin be aware?”

“Based on the language of the spell only they would be aware of their former personhood.”

“Intriguing. Maybe I’ll see you on a Friday and discuss it with you.”

“I would love that.”

She came to the next few Friday meetings and hit it off with the group.

“I still want to try this spell,” I said.

“The mannequin thing?” Nan said.

“Yeah.”

“Why would anyone want to be a mannequin?” Allan said.

“Could be fun?” I said. “And the spell is easily ended with a snap of the fingers.”

“And that doesn’t make you think the spell isn’t real?” Sam said.

“It is a little hokey.”

“I’m tired of hearing about the spell,” Cybil said.

“I won’t bring it up any more.”

“Yes, you will,” Polly said.

“Hey, Tom, now we are eight,” Sam said.

“What?” Polly said.

“It’s nothing.”

“Tom is always unsure of how many people we have in our little group,” Misty said.

“Something is still off. With Polly here, I now think we should be nine or ten members strong,” I said.

“You need to do more recruiting, I’d say,” Allan said.

“I recruited Polly. Who have you brought into our group lately?”

“I—” Allan started. “I do remember bringing someone in recently but that can’t be right.”

“It’s contagious!” Nan said.

“Tom’s right. Someone is missing.”

“I’m leaving. This is too weird,” Cybil said.

“Don’t be like that.”

Cybil left.

“And we’re back to seven.”

“She’ll be back.”

“Hopefully.”

Almost a week later I got a call from Cybil. “Hey, Tom.”

“Hey, are coming to the meetup tomorrow?”

“I had a better idea. Why don’t we try that spell of yours?”

“Really?”

“I want you to stop mentions it every week. I figure when it fails you’ll give up on it.”

“I’m a bit hurt by that but I’ll take whatever I can. Is that the only reason you’ve changed your mind?”

“No, if it works I want to use it as an excuse to skip the meeting tomorrow.”

“Don’t you like the meetings?”

“I use to. I just need a break, I think.”

“Okay, where and when do you want to try the spell?”

“The spell isn’t a big theatrical thing is it?”

“No, it’s just an incantation. We could try it anywhere.”

“I know just the place.”

Later, I was in the mall, outside of a women’s clothing store. There was a mannequin on the other side of the glass that looked familiar for some reason. Two of them looked familiar, actually.

“Why am I here?” I thought.