Trajectory

Hopefully Brent was on his way to stop Ash no matter what he had to do. She also hoped he was being really careful.

“Oh, power within me, cause the unseen things to terrify the blind.” Sarmia raised her hands above Zazie, and she started screaming.

“What’s happening, Grandmother?” Brent was convinced she’d gone into a trance. She hadn’t spoken or moved. Suddenly, she stood and started to gather her things.

“We have to go to the festival. Ash is going to shoot people to get the others to shift. He’s probably already there waiting for his moment.”

“What?” Brent was confused.

“Ash is going to the festival with a gun to shoot people. We have to go and stop him. Petals will find her way back and go into her little ground home. We have to go.”

“You can’t go, you’ll get hurt!”

“I’m going with you and only interfering if I have to. I want you to figure out how to handle it.

My power is much stronger than yours if you get into trouble. I’ll stay in the car and watch, though, because I know you’ll handle it.” Brent really wasn’t sure what he could do since he didn’t know how to use magic, if he even had any.

“That sounds insane,” he said, but she was already moving toward the door and he had a feeling she wouldn’t be stopped simply because he didn’t want her to go.

“What was happening with Chloe? Shouldn’t I be going to rescue her?” He was completely torn between saving the people in town and getting her to safety.

“She was very clear with Petals.” His grandmother was so calm it was making him nervous. “She wants you to go to the festival and stop Ash.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

They jumped into the truck and pulled out, driving toward where the craft festival was set up. He knew there would be a lot of people there because it was the only thing going on for that day. It was unclear how many people Ash would actually shoot once he got started. He wasn’t stable.

“I don’t have a gun. Should I go get a gun?” Brent asked her as he drove, trying to be cautious while hurrying down the road.

“Where would you get a gun?”

“I guess I’ll have to steal one,” Brent said.

“No, you’ll know how to stop him once you get there. I know you will,” she said.

Brent really wasn’t sure how the hell he would stop an armed man who was also a dark wizard, but he had to try. Chloe was counting on him.

They pulled up to the festival on the far side. He didn’t know where Ash would be, but he wanted to have the element of surprise. He had no clue how his grandmother was going to see what was going on, but he really didn’t want her to have to get involved.

Moving along the side of the festival, he was able to duck behind booths and try to blend in the best he could.

“You want to buy a bird house? I make them out of old soup cans.” A little old lady caught him behind her booth and started to walk over to him. Glancing at the birdhouses, he saw they had the tops sticking off of them.

“Don’t the soup can tops, I don’t know, cut them?”

“Oh, yes, these are anti-birdhouses. I haven’t sold one yet, but I’m optimistic.”

“No thank you.” What the hell was that, he thought. He’d make sure to tell Chloe to stay the hell away from Mrs. Nesbit. He’d seen her at the post office mailing gifts to her grandkids, but apparently she hated birds.

Moving along, he saw a lot of strange creations from Woodland Creek’s crafters. It was the first time he’d been to the festival.

“Brent darling,” Chloe’s mom called out to him. He needed to be careful not to get caught.

“You need to get out of here, Mrs. Hamil,” he said, looking around anxiously.

“Oh, I know, but he had to bring that thing here. Some of these people I just want to punch in the jugular.”

“Honey, you don’t punch people in the jugular, that’s not even logical.” Chloe’s dad walked up and stood next to what Brent could only describe as American tits. They were painted silver, but he’d painted the rest red, white, and blue.