Imagine
The 8th entry for Algerina's 8th Annual Summer Fan Creative Writing Contest is:
Imagine: a third season fanfiction
Author: wolfguard.
Rating:PG-13/FRT.
Halloween was coming and the citizens of Sunnydale looked forward to the annual break from the things that went bump in the night. Till then, caution or denial ruled.
“What was that?” asked Brooke, a diminutive blonde Sunnydale junior.
“What?” James looked left and right down the street.
“Something moved behind those bushes.” Brooke pointed to a hedge of hop-seed bushes.
James adjusted his glasses and took a few steps towards the hedge.
“Don’t get too close.”
A motorcycle roared behind them and they turned startled. A well-built teenager idled his bike and leaned back as he removed his helmet.
“Hey Brooke. What you know?”
“Hi Eric. James and I were going to the Espresso Pump.”
“He’s making you walk?”
James came over and stood before Brooke. “Walking is good exercise.”
“Walking is good exercise,” mimicked Eric.
The two boys stared at each other. Even seated on his bike, Eric was taller than James, but James did not flinch.
“Okay, Jamie,” sneered Eric. He angled his head to catch Brooke’s eyes, “And you girl, don’t let him try to get you into trouble, that’s for me to do.” Laughing, Eric replaced his helmet and peeled off down the street.
“Ass,” spit James.
Brooke didn’t hear, she was looking again towards the hedge row.
“What’s the matter?”
“Something’s still there James, don’t you hear?”
“I’ll go see, you wait here.” James walked towards the hedge row.
“Be careful.”
James reached the hedge row, found a dead branch and began poking around.
A lion-like creature leapt over the hedge, landing between James and Brooke. James wheeled around to face it.
“Stop!”
The lion stopped and spun around to face James. James brandished his branch. The lion raised its wings and growled. Really massive fangs, thought James, and through them he could see Brooke - and the street behind her. The lion looked over its shoulder towards Brooke.
“Hey!” yelled James.
The lion turned back towards him.
“No!” screamed Brooke.
The lion again swing its head towards her, and then in a beat launched itself into the night and flew off towards the crescent moon.
James watched. Brooke rushed over to him, “Are you alright?”
James looked away from the moon, “What was that?”
Brooke looked towards the moon, “Well, it looked a lot like one of Celeste’s animals.”
Buffy was pleased with herself. She had done the creative thing. She had combined the classic tactics of the feigned withdrawal with the hammer and anvil. She had ran before the vampire quartet until she’d been “trapped” against the line of stories on Rose Lane. Now the four vampires were spreading out across the street and sidewalk to close the net on their prey - not yet realizing the prey was the anvil.
Now where’s the hammer, thought Buffy. Where’s Faith?
”YAY ARGH!”
There’s Faith.
Faith came dashing down the side street towards the motley crew. They turned looking a bit confused. A big melee was in the making. And then all hell broke lose.
The unicorns galloped around the corner and stampeded down on them. Faith braked. The vampires scattered. Buffy flattened against the wall. And then they were gone, as were the vampires. Buffy walked slowly into the center of the street, the yellow caution light flashing behind her. Faith joined Buffy and they both looked down the empty street.
“What was that B?
“Unicorns.”
Faith glanced at Buffy, “I get the whole watcher thing now.”
Giles stood before them as they sat around the table.
“Is Faith joining us?” he asked.
“She said she’d read the Buffy notes,” smiled Xander. “Bright girl.”
Willow jumped in, “Ghosts?”
“Why would unicorns haunt Rose Lane and why now?” asked Buffy.
“Maybe there’s a temporal factor?” Willow pointed towards Giles’ off-limit book case. “Maybe we should pull out the big tomes.”
“I did my homework,” said Giles.
“I just told you this morning,” said Buffy.
“Buffy, I’ve been the watcher in Sunnydale for over two years. I have at my disposal the most sophisticated sources and methods of the Council. I chart the trends.”
“Giles is the weather guy of darkness,” noted Xander.
“So,” said Buffy, “What’s tomorrow’s forecast? Partly demony?”
“Apparitions, perhaps,” said Giles.
“What about someone conjuring things,” asked Willow.
“They’re semi-transparent and,” Giles raised a finger, “…quaint.”
“Quaint?” Willow now looked baffled.
Giles slightly blushed, “I’m a trifle embarrassed, but that’s the only word I can imagine to describe unicorns.”
“Pop,” said Buffy.
“Pop?” said Giles and Xander together.
“Pop culture. Shall I lecture?” asked Buffy.
Giles crossed his arms and leaned back, “Please do.”
“Unicorns are our friends. Happy magick.” Buffy stopped and waited.
“Go on.”
“Do I have to?”
“So you’re suggesting,” Giles straighten up, “Magick is afoot, but whoever is responsible is conjuring archetypes of the friendlier beasts of the occult menagerie.”
Buffy put on an earnest face, “Exactly,” then looked over to Willow for reassurance. Willow nodded, then looked to Giles, “Someone is daydreaming.”
“There’s a James Bern at the door.”
Celeste McGregor looked up from her sketchbook to her mom. “I was expecting him, I’ll be right down.” After her mom left, Celeste went to he desk, set the sketch book down and picked up an older, worn one. She then headed down the stairs. James Bern was standing in the foyer with her mom. He was alright looking, medium-height with neat light brown hair, a bit too neat, but Brooke liked him.
“Hey,” she said to him.
“Hi.”
“We’ll go outside,” Celeste said to both her mom and James.
They stepped into the front yard and Celeste lead him to an oak tree on the side.
“Let’s sit here.”
They sat. James studied her. Celeste had thick, shoulder length hair that framed a freckled face. She had green-gray eyes and lips that turned down slightly.
“You wanted to see my sketches?”
“Brooke told you the details?”
“Uh huh.”
“May I see?”
Celeste opened the sketchbook to a page and handed it to him.
“This is it. This is what we saw last night.” He paused, “Can I look through it?”
“Sure.”
He went slowly through the pages.
“Unicorns?”
“I like unicorns.”
He turned a few more pages, “A parakeet?”
“What’s wrong with parakeets?”
“Nothing, it’s just … all the other drawings … it’s the only real animal.”
“I had a pet parakeet.”
James closed the sketchbook. “Had?”
“She died last week.”
“I’m sorry.” He handed Celeste her sketchbook. “Thanks.”
“Did it help?” asked Celeste.
“I don’t know. I just wanted to make some sense of what we saw.”
James stood up.
“Sunnydale sense?” asked Celeste.
James laughed, “Yeah.” He offered his hand and helped her stand.
“Thanks again.”
Celeste watched him till the turned the corner, then held out her hand. A parakeet glided down from the oak and perched on her finger.
“What do you think Amadine?”
Xander met Buffy in the School quad.
“Halloween is coming, coming, coming.”
“Very spooky, Xan.”
“Thanks. What’re your plans?”
“Mom’s doing a theme showing at the gallery, thought I’d help. You?”
“Cordy and I are going to park and do the smooching thing … at the drive-in.”
“Experience is the best teacher. What about Willow?” She and Oz doing anything special?”
“Probably Bronzing.”
“Should be fun.”
“And safe. No costumes.”
“It’s all about imagination and willpower?” asked James.
“And supplies,” Mr. Bogarty motioned around the Magic Box.
“What sort of supplies?”
“Most people find it useful to use a prop to help focus their will.”
“A prop?”
“A valuable possession. A sacred heirloom …” Mr. Bogarty leaned forward, “Young man, let me tell you a secret. They’re all props. You just have to find one that works for you.”
“What do you suggest?”
“Well, over here,” Mr. Bogarty stepped from behind the counter and lead James up front to a display counter. “Crystals. They’re classic.”
“There’re so many.”
“Alexandrite to Zircon. Any catch your eye?”
“No.”
“Have you ever had your aura read?”
James shook his head no.
“Had your horoscope charted?”
“I’m a Scorpio … I think.”
The shopkeeper sighed, then stepped back from James and surveyed him like a tailor.
“Do you like fancy weapons?”
“Sure.”
“Wait here, I’ve got something in the back.” Mr. Bogarty disappeared into the back room. As James waited, the front door opened and a girl stepped inside. He recognized her by rep, though not by name. Another girl followed behind her.
“Here we go,” Mr. Bogarty reappeared and placed a hard plastic case on the counter. He opened it and removed something wrapped in red felt and gently laid it on a rubber pad on the counter.
“An axe?”
“Hatchet,” corrected the shopkeeper, “Sacred hatchet.”
“What do I chop with it?”
“You don’t,” Mr. Bogarty looked mildly disappointed, “You use it to focus your will.”
“May I pick it up?”
“Go ahead.”
James hefted the hatchet.
“Feels good.”
“Like magick,” agreed Mr. Bogarty.
“Still,” James set the hatchet down. “It’s hard to believe that all I have to do is hold this and imagine stuff.”
“The ‘stuff’ is the giveaway,” said Mr. Bogarty. “You have to clearly see your desire. Stuff won’t cut it.”
“How do I do that?”
Mr. Bogarty could sense a sale slipping away.
“Hey, new crystals!”
Mr. Bogarty looked towards the familiar voice, smiled and turned back to James. “I know someone who can help you.”
“Great.”
“But you’ll need the hatchet.”
“How much?”
“How much do you have?”
James pulled out and opened his wallet.
“That’ll do,” smiled Mr. Bogarty.
Amy returned to Willow, “Bogarty asked me to help out a muggle.”
Willow peered across Amy’s shoulder at the slender teenager by the counter.
“What’s he need?”
“We’ll see,” said Amy looking with Willow back at James. She turned back to Willow, “See you at the Bronze tonight?”
“Absolutely. Oz is playing.”
“What does Mr. Giles have you doing for Halloween?” asked Joyce as she and Buffy entered the kitchen carrying groceries.
“He wants me to patrol the gallery.”
“What?!” Joyce set down her bags. “I burnt all the zombie masks. You were there.”
“Just teasing mom,” Buffy put the milk in the fridge. “Demons don’t do Halloween. It’s unbecoming.”
“So you’re going to help me with the showing?”
“I am.” Buffy eyed the fresh pastries.
“That’s so sweet Buffy.”
“Can I nibble on the snacks?”
James and Amy sat in the Espresso Pump, the hatchet on the table before them.
“You’ve done the research,” said Amy. “You got the tools,” she touched the hatchet. “But…”
“Was he playing me, the shopkeeper?”
“No, but what does this mean to you?” Amy picked up the hatchet.
“Fifty dollars invested.”
“Towards what? What do you want?”
“Respect.”
“You have to imbue the hatchet with that desire.”
“How?”
“You’ve got to focus your feelings…”
“That’s what the hatchet is suppose to do.”
Amy sighed, “You need a crutch. You know what would work?”
“Just tell me.”
“Blood.”
The sun set on All Hallows Eve. The demons, the vampires, the monsters stood down. The people of Sunnydale went forth …
Xander Harris and Cordelia Chase pulled into Oceanside Drive-In to see There’s Something About Mary. Joyce and Buffy Summers opened the doors of the gallery to a respectable crowd. Willow leaned forward on her stool in the Bronze to cheer on one particular guitar player of Dingoes Ate My Baby. And James Bern knocked on the front door of Brooke Hunter’s home.
“She’s already gone James,” said Brooke’s mother.
“I called and told her I’d be a little late.”
“She left with friends. I’m sure you can catch her at the Bronze.”
In the Bronze, Faith ran the pool table and collected a few bucks off another teen-age boy. “Luck,” he protested. Faith shook her head, “You gotta to learn to keep you eye on the ball, Freddie.” Loud voices caught her ear and she looked to see a jock push off a goth and claim his reward. Faith returned to counting her cash. Amy walked in, spied Willow and joined her.
At his desk, Giles paused in his cross-referencing to pick up a second pencil and join in on the drum solo in In-a-Gadda-da-Vida.
A knock on the door gave Celeste pause in her sketching. She rose, grabbed the candy bowl and opened the front door.
“I need your help.”
“Hey James.”
“Can you help me?”
“What do you need?”
“Just one of your drawings.”
Eric held Brooke’s arm and leaned down to look into her face.
“You okay? That weirdo didn’t hurt you did he?”
“No, I’m fine. Thanks.”
“Want to join me and my friends?”
“O-Okay.”
Eric pulled out a stool for her. “This is Susan and Sean. Twins of course.”
Susan raised a hand in greeting. Sean was looking elsewhere, “Who’s the chick playing pool?”
Joyce was shining. She slipped up to Buffy, “We’ve already sold two paintings and over a dozen prints.”
“Soon you’ll have bare walls,” agreed Buffy.
“It’s great. Who knew Halloween could be so profitable?”
A potential buyer beckoned and Joyce went to her aid.
“Dentists?” suggested Buffy.
Even through the crowd, James could see Brooke. See her sitting with him. Smiling. At him. James stormed across the room, pushing people out of his way.
“Brooke.”
She didn’t look his way.
“Brooke!”
Now she looked, “Hey James.”
“Why are you with him?”
“I’m just sitting here.”
“Back off Jamie,” ordered Eric.
“You back off.”
Eric got out of his chair.
“Don’t,” begged Brooke.
“Hey guys,” said Susan, “Cool it.”
Eric stood in front of James, blocking him from Brooke.
“Get out of my way,” demanded James. He shoved and Eric absorbed it like a rock.
“Try again Jamie.”
Jamie shoved, but this time Eric placed on palm on James’ chest, pressed and sent him hurling backward, slamming into a waitress and falling to the ground. People were backing away, making room. Faith idled over to Willow’s table. “We’ve got to do something,” said Willow. “That’s not the way it works,” replied Faith. Amy remained silent.
James got to his knees, then to his feet. He didn’t look at Eric. He just turned and walked to the door. Eric sat down. James then turned and screamed back a Eric, “I’m going to trash your bike man!” James ran out.
“Ass!” Eric rose from his stool.
“Don’t,” pleaded Brooke. “James won’t do it.”
“Yes he will,” Eric tore after.
“Way stupid,” said Faith.
“More than you know,” added Amy.
Eric caught the back end of the hatchet in the face as he ran out the door. He dropped hard. James kneeled down and examined the unconscious boy’s face. It was bloody, the nose and upper lip crumbled. James dragged the hatchet’s edge back and form through the ooze till it was coated with blood. James got up. He was ready now.
Buffy picked-up the phone on the third ring. “Dimensions of Sunnydale,” she answered. “Hey Will … wait a sec,” Buffy reached for a pad and pen.
Willow leaned away from the payphone in the Bronze so she could see the paramedics in the alley. “He’s being put in an ambulance. What do you want us to do?”
”You sure this James guy is going to try to conjure a dragon?”
“Amy thinks so and I agree.”
Faith stepped up to Willow, “Let’s just hunt this guy down.”
Willow did the forced smiled thing.
“That was Faith?” asked Buffy.
“Yep.”
“She’s right, but for the implied ending. His girlfriend, she says he likes the docks?”
“That’s one of the places she told me.”
“Okay. I’ll go there. You call the others and divvy up the other places.”
“Will do.”
Buffy hung up, looked over her mom’s happiness, and then went to break the bad news.
Giles listened without questions. “I’ll search Miller’s Woods. If we find him before he’s successful, then all we need to do is take the hatchet or disturb his focus. Let the others know.”
“What’s that?” asked Xander.
“Daddy’s car phone.”
“Shouldn’t you answer it?”
“Why?”
“Good question.”
Xander and Cordelia resumed smooching and the phone continued ringing.
“That’s it. I can’t focus,” Cordelia answered the phone.
“It’s for you,” she said pointedly.
“Oh.” Xander took the phone, “Yes? Oh, hey Willow.” He looked apologetically at Cordelia.
“I don’t know why Daddy didn’t get caller ID.”
Faith, Willow and Amy walked through the main entrance of Sunnydale Mall. It was near closing and most people were leaving. “Split-up,” said Faith and they did.
Giles drove along the west border of Miller’s Woods till he reached the parking lot where he backed in, turned off the engine and climbed out. “I’ll check the woods,” he said to himself, as he surveyed the trees merging into the night around him. He went to the back and opened the boot to retrieve a torch and extra batteries - and then on second reflection, his claymore. So armed, Giles crossed the lot to the foot trail where he shined the light on the path, but here the earth was hard-packed and no footprints showed. “Into the woods, Rupert, into the woods.” And so he went.
Buffy climbed down the ladder from the top of the crane. From the top she hadn’t seen anyone or any dragon, but she had got the lay of the docks and now … her mom’s car phone rang. Buffy rushed over and answered.
Buffy pulled up beside Cordelia’s car and climbed down and pulled her sword from the backseat. It was low tide and the breakers rumbled in the distance. Xander has said they were at the cove so Buffy broke into a trot. She hoped the sitch would be a stop-hit, slayerically speaking. The roar came from behind the rocks ahead. Buffy slowed and took the rocks wide. Well, no stop-hit for Buffy. Xander and Cordelia were crouched behind another rock and a dozen yards beyond them the guy with the hatchet and beyond him a dragon fading in and out.
“Buffy!” staged whispered Xander.
Buffy joined them. “You couldn’t get the hatchet?”
“He’s too aggressive.”
“The dragon?” Buffy started towards the guy.
“The guy,” called out Cordelia.
The guy, James, was standing facing towards the dragon. His eyes were closed and his hands cupped around the hatchet’s head as if he was praying. Buffy stopped a leg’s reached away, but he didn’t seem aware of her. The dragon, a classic serpentine one, continued to fade in and out, but with each ‘in’ it appeared more solid.
“James?”
No response.
“James, give me the hatchet.”
The dragon shimmered.
“Now, James.”
“NNNNOOOOO!”
The dragon roared. Buffy spun towards it, sword leading. The dragon swing its head to-and-fro, nostrils flaring, tongue darting.
James opened his eyes and a smile returned to his face. “Mine,” he said and took a step towards the dragon.
“Stay still,” directed Buffy.
“It’s mine.” James continued towards it. The dragon’s head reared and lunged, jaws widening. Buffy dropped her sword and leaped to push James away from the belching flame. James hit the sand hard, Buffy rolled to her feet, the dragon’s eyes following her. Its head again cocked back and snapped forward, flame shooting towards where she had stood, but Buffy rolled back to her dropped sword, recovered it and stood. The dragon’s head curled back like a viper.
“Leave it alone!” James climbed to his feet and started towards Buffy. “It’s mine.”
The flame meant for Buffy engulfed and consumed James. The dragon leaped, Buffy dropped and rolled under it, thrusting up with her sword so the dragon’s momentum disemboweled it. The dragon screamed, twisted, one wing dipped .. dragged and the beast crashed dead on the beach.
Buffy rose, looked first at the dragon for signs of life and seeing none, turned to look where James had stood. Just black ashes on the white sand.
Xander approached her, “You okay Buff?”
“Yeah.” Buffy looked at her friend, “You?”
“We’re good.”
Now a safe zone, Cordelia joined them. “What will you tell his parents?”
Buffy signed, “Nothing. What’s to show them?”
Xander pointed towards the dead dragon, “Rabid Puff?”
Buffy glanced over her shoulder at the dragon corpse. It was already smelling faintly of lighter fluid and burnt eggs. She looked off at the breaking waves. “Tide’s coming in. Tomorrow it’ll just be another dead giant squid on the beach.”
They took a moment, then turned away and left James’ ashes with the sand and tide.
The end.
Imagine: a third season fanfiction
Author: wolfguard.
Rating:PG-13/FRT.
Halloween was coming and the citizens of Sunnydale looked forward to the annual break from the things that went bump in the night. Till then, caution or denial ruled.
“What was that?” asked Brooke, a diminutive blonde Sunnydale junior.
“What?” James looked left and right down the street.
“Something moved behind those bushes.” Brooke pointed to a hedge of hop-seed bushes.
James adjusted his glasses and took a few steps towards the hedge.
“Don’t get too close.”
A motorcycle roared behind them and they turned startled. A well-built teenager idled his bike and leaned back as he removed his helmet.
“Hey Brooke. What you know?”
“Hi Eric. James and I were going to the Espresso Pump.”
“He’s making you walk?”
James came over and stood before Brooke. “Walking is good exercise.”
“Walking is good exercise,” mimicked Eric.
The two boys stared at each other. Even seated on his bike, Eric was taller than James, but James did not flinch.
“Okay, Jamie,” sneered Eric. He angled his head to catch Brooke’s eyes, “And you girl, don’t let him try to get you into trouble, that’s for me to do.” Laughing, Eric replaced his helmet and peeled off down the street.
“Ass,” spit James.
Brooke didn’t hear, she was looking again towards the hedge row.
“What’s the matter?”
“Something’s still there James, don’t you hear?”
“I’ll go see, you wait here.” James walked towards the hedge row.
“Be careful.”
James reached the hedge row, found a dead branch and began poking around.
A lion-like creature leapt over the hedge, landing between James and Brooke. James wheeled around to face it.
“Stop!”
The lion stopped and spun around to face James. James brandished his branch. The lion raised its wings and growled. Really massive fangs, thought James, and through them he could see Brooke - and the street behind her. The lion looked over its shoulder towards Brooke.
“Hey!” yelled James.
The lion turned back towards him.
“No!” screamed Brooke.
The lion again swing its head towards her, and then in a beat launched itself into the night and flew off towards the crescent moon.
James watched. Brooke rushed over to him, “Are you alright?”
James looked away from the moon, “What was that?”
Brooke looked towards the moon, “Well, it looked a lot like one of Celeste’s animals.”
Buffy was pleased with herself. She had done the creative thing. She had combined the classic tactics of the feigned withdrawal with the hammer and anvil. She had ran before the vampire quartet until she’d been “trapped” against the line of stories on Rose Lane. Now the four vampires were spreading out across the street and sidewalk to close the net on their prey - not yet realizing the prey was the anvil.
Now where’s the hammer, thought Buffy. Where’s Faith?
”YAY ARGH!”
There’s Faith.
Faith came dashing down the side street towards the motley crew. They turned looking a bit confused. A big melee was in the making. And then all hell broke lose.
The unicorns galloped around the corner and stampeded down on them. Faith braked. The vampires scattered. Buffy flattened against the wall. And then they were gone, as were the vampires. Buffy walked slowly into the center of the street, the yellow caution light flashing behind her. Faith joined Buffy and they both looked down the empty street.
“What was that B?
“Unicorns.”
Faith glanced at Buffy, “I get the whole watcher thing now.”
Giles stood before them as they sat around the table.
“Is Faith joining us?” he asked.
“She said she’d read the Buffy notes,” smiled Xander. “Bright girl.”
Willow jumped in, “Ghosts?”
“Why would unicorns haunt Rose Lane and why now?” asked Buffy.
“Maybe there’s a temporal factor?” Willow pointed towards Giles’ off-limit book case. “Maybe we should pull out the big tomes.”
“I did my homework,” said Giles.
“I just told you this morning,” said Buffy.
“Buffy, I’ve been the watcher in Sunnydale for over two years. I have at my disposal the most sophisticated sources and methods of the Council. I chart the trends.”
“Giles is the weather guy of darkness,” noted Xander.
“So,” said Buffy, “What’s tomorrow’s forecast? Partly demony?”
“Apparitions, perhaps,” said Giles.
“What about someone conjuring things,” asked Willow.
“They’re semi-transparent and,” Giles raised a finger, “…quaint.”
“Quaint?” Willow now looked baffled.
Giles slightly blushed, “I’m a trifle embarrassed, but that’s the only word I can imagine to describe unicorns.”
“Pop,” said Buffy.
“Pop?” said Giles and Xander together.
“Pop culture. Shall I lecture?” asked Buffy.
Giles crossed his arms and leaned back, “Please do.”
“Unicorns are our friends. Happy magick.” Buffy stopped and waited.
“Go on.”
“Do I have to?”
“So you’re suggesting,” Giles straighten up, “Magick is afoot, but whoever is responsible is conjuring archetypes of the friendlier beasts of the occult menagerie.”
Buffy put on an earnest face, “Exactly,” then looked over to Willow for reassurance. Willow nodded, then looked to Giles, “Someone is daydreaming.”
“There’s a James Bern at the door.”
Celeste McGregor looked up from her sketchbook to her mom. “I was expecting him, I’ll be right down.” After her mom left, Celeste went to he desk, set the sketch book down and picked up an older, worn one. She then headed down the stairs. James Bern was standing in the foyer with her mom. He was alright looking, medium-height with neat light brown hair, a bit too neat, but Brooke liked him.
“Hey,” she said to him.
“Hi.”
“We’ll go outside,” Celeste said to both her mom and James.
They stepped into the front yard and Celeste lead him to an oak tree on the side.
“Let’s sit here.”
They sat. James studied her. Celeste had thick, shoulder length hair that framed a freckled face. She had green-gray eyes and lips that turned down slightly.
“You wanted to see my sketches?”
“Brooke told you the details?”
“Uh huh.”
“May I see?”
Celeste opened the sketchbook to a page and handed it to him.
“This is it. This is what we saw last night.” He paused, “Can I look through it?”
“Sure.”
He went slowly through the pages.
“Unicorns?”
“I like unicorns.”
He turned a few more pages, “A parakeet?”
“What’s wrong with parakeets?”
“Nothing, it’s just … all the other drawings … it’s the only real animal.”
“I had a pet parakeet.”
James closed the sketchbook. “Had?”
“She died last week.”
“I’m sorry.” He handed Celeste her sketchbook. “Thanks.”
“Did it help?” asked Celeste.
“I don’t know. I just wanted to make some sense of what we saw.”
James stood up.
“Sunnydale sense?” asked Celeste.
James laughed, “Yeah.” He offered his hand and helped her stand.
“Thanks again.”
Celeste watched him till the turned the corner, then held out her hand. A parakeet glided down from the oak and perched on her finger.
“What do you think Amadine?”
Xander met Buffy in the School quad.
“Halloween is coming, coming, coming.”
“Very spooky, Xan.”
“Thanks. What’re your plans?”
“Mom’s doing a theme showing at the gallery, thought I’d help. You?”
“Cordy and I are going to park and do the smooching thing … at the drive-in.”
“Experience is the best teacher. What about Willow?” She and Oz doing anything special?”
“Probably Bronzing.”
“Should be fun.”
“And safe. No costumes.”
“It’s all about imagination and willpower?” asked James.
“And supplies,” Mr. Bogarty motioned around the Magic Box.
“What sort of supplies?”
“Most people find it useful to use a prop to help focus their will.”
“A prop?”
“A valuable possession. A sacred heirloom …” Mr. Bogarty leaned forward, “Young man, let me tell you a secret. They’re all props. You just have to find one that works for you.”
“What do you suggest?”
“Well, over here,” Mr. Bogarty stepped from behind the counter and lead James up front to a display counter. “Crystals. They’re classic.”
“There’re so many.”
“Alexandrite to Zircon. Any catch your eye?”
“No.”
“Have you ever had your aura read?”
James shook his head no.
“Had your horoscope charted?”
“I’m a Scorpio … I think.”
The shopkeeper sighed, then stepped back from James and surveyed him like a tailor.
“Do you like fancy weapons?”
“Sure.”
“Wait here, I’ve got something in the back.” Mr. Bogarty disappeared into the back room. As James waited, the front door opened and a girl stepped inside. He recognized her by rep, though not by name. Another girl followed behind her.
“Here we go,” Mr. Bogarty reappeared and placed a hard plastic case on the counter. He opened it and removed something wrapped in red felt and gently laid it on a rubber pad on the counter.
“An axe?”
“Hatchet,” corrected the shopkeeper, “Sacred hatchet.”
“What do I chop with it?”
“You don’t,” Mr. Bogarty looked mildly disappointed, “You use it to focus your will.”
“May I pick it up?”
“Go ahead.”
James hefted the hatchet.
“Feels good.”
“Like magick,” agreed Mr. Bogarty.
“Still,” James set the hatchet down. “It’s hard to believe that all I have to do is hold this and imagine stuff.”
“The ‘stuff’ is the giveaway,” said Mr. Bogarty. “You have to clearly see your desire. Stuff won’t cut it.”
“How do I do that?”
Mr. Bogarty could sense a sale slipping away.
“Hey, new crystals!”
Mr. Bogarty looked towards the familiar voice, smiled and turned back to James. “I know someone who can help you.”
“Great.”
“But you’ll need the hatchet.”
“How much?”
“How much do you have?”
James pulled out and opened his wallet.
“That’ll do,” smiled Mr. Bogarty.
Amy returned to Willow, “Bogarty asked me to help out a muggle.”
Willow peered across Amy’s shoulder at the slender teenager by the counter.
“What’s he need?”
“We’ll see,” said Amy looking with Willow back at James. She turned back to Willow, “See you at the Bronze tonight?”
“Absolutely. Oz is playing.”
“What does Mr. Giles have you doing for Halloween?” asked Joyce as she and Buffy entered the kitchen carrying groceries.
“He wants me to patrol the gallery.”
“What?!” Joyce set down her bags. “I burnt all the zombie masks. You were there.”
“Just teasing mom,” Buffy put the milk in the fridge. “Demons don’t do Halloween. It’s unbecoming.”
“So you’re going to help me with the showing?”
“I am.” Buffy eyed the fresh pastries.
“That’s so sweet Buffy.”
“Can I nibble on the snacks?”
James and Amy sat in the Espresso Pump, the hatchet on the table before them.
“You’ve done the research,” said Amy. “You got the tools,” she touched the hatchet. “But…”
“Was he playing me, the shopkeeper?”
“No, but what does this mean to you?” Amy picked up the hatchet.
“Fifty dollars invested.”
“Towards what? What do you want?”
“Respect.”
“You have to imbue the hatchet with that desire.”
“How?”
“You’ve got to focus your feelings…”
“That’s what the hatchet is suppose to do.”
Amy sighed, “You need a crutch. You know what would work?”
“Just tell me.”
“Blood.”
The sun set on All Hallows Eve. The demons, the vampires, the monsters stood down. The people of Sunnydale went forth …
Xander Harris and Cordelia Chase pulled into Oceanside Drive-In to see There’s Something About Mary. Joyce and Buffy Summers opened the doors of the gallery to a respectable crowd. Willow leaned forward on her stool in the Bronze to cheer on one particular guitar player of Dingoes Ate My Baby. And James Bern knocked on the front door of Brooke Hunter’s home.
“She’s already gone James,” said Brooke’s mother.
“I called and told her I’d be a little late.”
“She left with friends. I’m sure you can catch her at the Bronze.”
In the Bronze, Faith ran the pool table and collected a few bucks off another teen-age boy. “Luck,” he protested. Faith shook her head, “You gotta to learn to keep you eye on the ball, Freddie.” Loud voices caught her ear and she looked to see a jock push off a goth and claim his reward. Faith returned to counting her cash. Amy walked in, spied Willow and joined her.
At his desk, Giles paused in his cross-referencing to pick up a second pencil and join in on the drum solo in In-a-Gadda-da-Vida.
A knock on the door gave Celeste pause in her sketching. She rose, grabbed the candy bowl and opened the front door.
“I need your help.”
“Hey James.”
“Can you help me?”
“What do you need?”
“Just one of your drawings.”
Eric held Brooke’s arm and leaned down to look into her face.
“You okay? That weirdo didn’t hurt you did he?”
“No, I’m fine. Thanks.”
“Want to join me and my friends?”
“O-Okay.”
Eric pulled out a stool for her. “This is Susan and Sean. Twins of course.”
Susan raised a hand in greeting. Sean was looking elsewhere, “Who’s the chick playing pool?”
Joyce was shining. She slipped up to Buffy, “We’ve already sold two paintings and over a dozen prints.”
“Soon you’ll have bare walls,” agreed Buffy.
“It’s great. Who knew Halloween could be so profitable?”
A potential buyer beckoned and Joyce went to her aid.
“Dentists?” suggested Buffy.
Even through the crowd, James could see Brooke. See her sitting with him. Smiling. At him. James stormed across the room, pushing people out of his way.
“Brooke.”
She didn’t look his way.
“Brooke!”
Now she looked, “Hey James.”
“Why are you with him?”
“I’m just sitting here.”
“Back off Jamie,” ordered Eric.
“You back off.”
Eric got out of his chair.
“Don’t,” begged Brooke.
“Hey guys,” said Susan, “Cool it.”
Eric stood in front of James, blocking him from Brooke.
“Get out of my way,” demanded James. He shoved and Eric absorbed it like a rock.
“Try again Jamie.”
Jamie shoved, but this time Eric placed on palm on James’ chest, pressed and sent him hurling backward, slamming into a waitress and falling to the ground. People were backing away, making room. Faith idled over to Willow’s table. “We’ve got to do something,” said Willow. “That’s not the way it works,” replied Faith. Amy remained silent.
James got to his knees, then to his feet. He didn’t look at Eric. He just turned and walked to the door. Eric sat down. James then turned and screamed back a Eric, “I’m going to trash your bike man!” James ran out.
“Ass!” Eric rose from his stool.
“Don’t,” pleaded Brooke. “James won’t do it.”
“Yes he will,” Eric tore after.
“Way stupid,” said Faith.
“More than you know,” added Amy.
Eric caught the back end of the hatchet in the face as he ran out the door. He dropped hard. James kneeled down and examined the unconscious boy’s face. It was bloody, the nose and upper lip crumbled. James dragged the hatchet’s edge back and form through the ooze till it was coated with blood. James got up. He was ready now.
Buffy picked-up the phone on the third ring. “Dimensions of Sunnydale,” she answered. “Hey Will … wait a sec,” Buffy reached for a pad and pen.
Willow leaned away from the payphone in the Bronze so she could see the paramedics in the alley. “He’s being put in an ambulance. What do you want us to do?”
”You sure this James guy is going to try to conjure a dragon?”
“Amy thinks so and I agree.”
Faith stepped up to Willow, “Let’s just hunt this guy down.”
Willow did the forced smiled thing.
“That was Faith?” asked Buffy.
“Yep.”
“She’s right, but for the implied ending. His girlfriend, she says he likes the docks?”
“That’s one of the places she told me.”
“Okay. I’ll go there. You call the others and divvy up the other places.”
“Will do.”
Buffy hung up, looked over her mom’s happiness, and then went to break the bad news.
Giles listened without questions. “I’ll search Miller’s Woods. If we find him before he’s successful, then all we need to do is take the hatchet or disturb his focus. Let the others know.”
“What’s that?” asked Xander.
“Daddy’s car phone.”
“Shouldn’t you answer it?”
“Why?”
“Good question.”
Xander and Cordelia resumed smooching and the phone continued ringing.
“That’s it. I can’t focus,” Cordelia answered the phone.
“It’s for you,” she said pointedly.
“Oh.” Xander took the phone, “Yes? Oh, hey Willow.” He looked apologetically at Cordelia.
“I don’t know why Daddy didn’t get caller ID.”
Faith, Willow and Amy walked through the main entrance of Sunnydale Mall. It was near closing and most people were leaving. “Split-up,” said Faith and they did.
Giles drove along the west border of Miller’s Woods till he reached the parking lot where he backed in, turned off the engine and climbed out. “I’ll check the woods,” he said to himself, as he surveyed the trees merging into the night around him. He went to the back and opened the boot to retrieve a torch and extra batteries - and then on second reflection, his claymore. So armed, Giles crossed the lot to the foot trail where he shined the light on the path, but here the earth was hard-packed and no footprints showed. “Into the woods, Rupert, into the woods.” And so he went.
Buffy climbed down the ladder from the top of the crane. From the top she hadn’t seen anyone or any dragon, but she had got the lay of the docks and now … her mom’s car phone rang. Buffy rushed over and answered.
Buffy pulled up beside Cordelia’s car and climbed down and pulled her sword from the backseat. It was low tide and the breakers rumbled in the distance. Xander has said they were at the cove so Buffy broke into a trot. She hoped the sitch would be a stop-hit, slayerically speaking. The roar came from behind the rocks ahead. Buffy slowed and took the rocks wide. Well, no stop-hit for Buffy. Xander and Cordelia were crouched behind another rock and a dozen yards beyond them the guy with the hatchet and beyond him a dragon fading in and out.
“Buffy!” staged whispered Xander.
Buffy joined them. “You couldn’t get the hatchet?”
“He’s too aggressive.”
“The dragon?” Buffy started towards the guy.
“The guy,” called out Cordelia.
The guy, James, was standing facing towards the dragon. His eyes were closed and his hands cupped around the hatchet’s head as if he was praying. Buffy stopped a leg’s reached away, but he didn’t seem aware of her. The dragon, a classic serpentine one, continued to fade in and out, but with each ‘in’ it appeared more solid.
“James?”
No response.
“James, give me the hatchet.”
The dragon shimmered.
“Now, James.”
“NNNNOOOOO!”
The dragon roared. Buffy spun towards it, sword leading. The dragon swing its head to-and-fro, nostrils flaring, tongue darting.
James opened his eyes and a smile returned to his face. “Mine,” he said and took a step towards the dragon.
“Stay still,” directed Buffy.
“It’s mine.” James continued towards it. The dragon’s head reared and lunged, jaws widening. Buffy dropped her sword and leaped to push James away from the belching flame. James hit the sand hard, Buffy rolled to her feet, the dragon’s eyes following her. Its head again cocked back and snapped forward, flame shooting towards where she had stood, but Buffy rolled back to her dropped sword, recovered it and stood. The dragon’s head curled back like a viper.
“Leave it alone!” James climbed to his feet and started towards Buffy. “It’s mine.”
The flame meant for Buffy engulfed and consumed James. The dragon leaped, Buffy dropped and rolled under it, thrusting up with her sword so the dragon’s momentum disemboweled it. The dragon screamed, twisted, one wing dipped .. dragged and the beast crashed dead on the beach.
Buffy rose, looked first at the dragon for signs of life and seeing none, turned to look where James had stood. Just black ashes on the white sand.
Xander approached her, “You okay Buff?”
“Yeah.” Buffy looked at her friend, “You?”
“We’re good.”
Now a safe zone, Cordelia joined them. “What will you tell his parents?”
Buffy signed, “Nothing. What’s to show them?”
Xander pointed towards the dead dragon, “Rabid Puff?”
Buffy glanced over her shoulder at the dragon corpse. It was already smelling faintly of lighter fluid and burnt eggs. She looked off at the breaking waves. “Tide’s coming in. Tomorrow it’ll just be another dead giant squid on the beach.”
They took a moment, then turned away and left James’ ashes with the sand and tide.
The end.