Big book of enchantments, Chapter 1, Jessica's story

    Far away from anywhere, in a place no one could reach unless they knew where it was from memory, is the Citadel of Magic. It is said that it’s as old as time itself. It’s so old, the building has no insulation, indoor plumbing, electricity, or internet. It’s so old, every room has a damp, musty smell no matter how many times it’s cleaned. It’s so old nobody wants to go there, and everyone who can leave does as soon as possible.

   The citadel is run by the enchantress. The enchantress is the kind of woman who, if she wasn’t an enchantress, would be completely ordinary and forgettable. Short with brown hair and brown eyes, everyone has seen a woman like her at least once a day. But she inherited the Big Book of Knowledge, the most powerful artefact in the kingdom. It is said that using it, you can make time flow backwards. Because of it, everyone with any sense does what she tells them to do, without question.

   Naturally, she’s completely evil.

   Not just a little evil, the kind of evil that, if you met them privately, you’d think they’re perfectly nice. She’s the kind of evil that likes to eat babies when she think’s no one is looking. Her husband is just as evil as she is. Her daughter would be evil if she wasn’t too stupid to manage it.

   I was born in the Citadel, so all my life has been spent trying to avoid her evil gaze. Unfortunately, she decided early on that I was of no use to her, so she takes all of her fury out on me whenever she can. I put up with it when I was small because I had no choice. But once I was old enough to earn my own money, I started to plan my escape.

   I saved up as much as I could. I read everything I could find. I did everything to learn about life outside the citadel, so that I could survive once I left. But then, tragedy struck. The enchantress’ useless and evil husband found my stash of money, and since he was evil, decided I didn’t deserve to keep it. So he stole it, and spent all the money to put his stupid, worthless, bratty daughter into the soccer club she always wanted to join. I was furious when I found out, but I couldn’t do anything about it, so that night as I lay in my bed in the tower the Enchantress had me locked into from the time I turned four, I thought to myself “Why should I stay? I know how to survive, and I won’t get the money to live on my own if I stayed here.”

   So, I left. I walked the path out of the citadel until I reached the closest village, over ten miles away. Then I paid for a bus to the city of Portland. I hadn’t been to the city before, and I honestly wasn’t ready for what I say. Everyone who’s been to a city mentions how large and crowded it is, but no description quite captures the size of the buildings, how close together everything is, or how many people can close in against you. I had no idea what I was doing, but I managed to get some money selling charms on the street, but not enough to find a place to stay. Not that anyone would let a random thirteen-year-old stay with them anyway.

   Today, a few weeks after I arrived in Portland, I walked to a soup kitchen hoping to get something to eat without having to spend money. When I got there, I saw a policeman harassing two boys, so I decided to intervene.

    “Excuse me, officer, why are you harassing my brother?” I asked in my best “You’re stupid and I pity you,” voice.

    The officer looked at me, annoyed that I was interrupting his attempt to arrest two children. “I’m not harassing your brother; I’m arresting this area’s most prolific pickpocket.”

    I laughed haughtily, “I don’t know who you’re referring to, sir, but it can’t possibly be him. He can’t even pick up a glass of water without spilling it and getting everyone within a ten-foot radius soaked. I shudder to think what would happen if he tried to take something from someone else pocket, with or without them knowing.”

    “I saw him doing it” The officer insisted.

     I raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure officer, it seems far more likely that someone just polymorphed into him to throw you off. Shouldn’t you be looking for them now, instead of harassing an innocent young boy?”

    The officer threw his hands up and declared “All right, but I’ll be watching you, all of you.” Then he walked off. Once I was certain he was out of range, I turned to the boys and said, “Well that was annoying, what do you say we all go and have breakfast.”

  

     A bit later, we’d stopped at a café, where I bought each of us a pastry and some coffee. I learned that the boys were named Zachary and Michael, and that Michael had been forced from his home village. When I asked Zachary why he was on his own, he said, “I ran away from home.”

    “Recently?”

    “No, a long time ago.”

     “How long?”

      “I don’t want to tell you.”

       I suppose I can’t blame him. In books, thieves never tell anyone who they are or where they came from, and in spite of what I said to the cop in front of the soup kitchen, I had a strong feeling that Zachary had stolen a lot in order to survive. I wasn’t going to complain. One thing I learned living in the Citadel for so long is that if you have even the slightest suspicion someone was going to be useful to you, you did everything in your power to keep them around.

   “Well it was nice getting to know you two. I’d better get going if I hope to make any money today.”

    “What, you got some kind of job?” Zachary said.

     I opened my backpack and showed him the charm making supplies I’d brought from the citadel. “I make charms and sell them to whoever is interested.”

    “You do realize that only a crime lord would be interested in charms, right?” He said, with a smirk on his face.

    “Until three weeks ago, I live in the Citadel of magic. I’m not bothered by crime lords.” I replied.

    Suddenly we heard a loud siren, then a police car went by and said, “Attention everyone, anyone who has any information on the whereabouts of Jessica Stonebridge should report to your local police station as soon as possible.”

   I looked around anxiously. Fortunately, aside from Michael and Zachary, I hadn’t told anyone my first name, and I hadn’t told anyone my last name.

    I didn’t sell many charms. I was too scared to approach people. Of course, the enchantress would decide to make my life miserable. It didn’t matter that she never wanted me around, she wanted to make my life hell. Then I found out why she wanted me back. According to her, I’d stolen the Big Book of Knowledge, so she couldn’t properly keep everyone in the Citadel under her thumb for all eternity. Naturally, she was offering a huge reward, ensuring someone would be stupid enough to find me and turn me in. I could only hope Zachary was smart enough to be suspicious.

    Then, later that night when I was wandering around Harmony square looking for people willing to buy charms from me, I saw Zachary being harassed by a cop again. I ran up to see what the problem was, and heard the cop yell, “I saw you with her this morning, you little brat. Tell me what you know.”

    “I don’t know anything you monster. Let me go.”

    I didn’t think, I opened my book of enchantments, and let my magic fly.

    I’ll never forget the look on the officer’s face. It was a look of shock, pain, and rage all rolled into one. I don’t know if he saw me, but I know he heard me say, “Zachary, Michael, run away now.” I ran out of harmony square, heart thudding against my rib cage and breathing much too fast, until I couldn’t run anymore.

   That’s when I heard a voice saying, “What were you doing there?”

   “I was trying to sell charms. I didn’t know you’d be there. Then again, I guess it was a good thing I was there. Good Gods Zachary, for a master thief you sure do get caught by the cops a lot.”

   I turned to see Zachary and Michael looking at me, Michael with dismay, Zachary with what I can only assume is anger. “I’m sorry Zachary, I didn’t know she would do this.”

   “Who would do this?” Zachary said.

   “The enchantress. She runs the Citadel of Magic with an Iron fist and a cold heart. She hates me because I’m of no use to her, but apparently she wanted revenge on me.”

   “For what?”

    “I don’t know. I doubt she needs a reason. I hate to say it, but you’ll both need to leave the city. Go as far away from here as possible.”

   “What about you?” Michael asked.

   I paused. I hadn’t thought about that. “I’ll figure it out.” I replied.

  “Why don’t you just come with us?” Zachary said. “They think I helped you steal the book anyway. I doubt they’ll just let me shake this. You look like you could use some help anyway.”

    I was about to say no, I don’t want to put you in danger. But it occurred to me that I’d already gotten him out of trouble twice. In books, if you save someone more than once, it’s very likely you’ll be saving them for the rest of the story and letting them out of site is just making it less convenient for you to save them later.

   “Alright, I’ll come with you. Where do we buy bus tickets?”

    “I don’t think taking a bus would be a good Idea.” Zachary said. “That’ll just leave a paper trail. I think we should leave the city on foot.”

    “Okay,” I said, “Is there anything you need to grab before we leave.”

    “No, I keep all my stuff in my pockets.”

     “Good.” I said, “Then let’s be on our way.