Funnel Cake

On the first day of summer before her senior year, Quincy’s stepfather broke his leg. At least, that’s what her mother told her and her sister as they sped down 101 in her orange Dodge Challenger, Marvin Gaye on the radio. It had happened during his shift the night before; he was an orderly at Valley Medical and had been in some kind of accident. Her mother gripped the steering wheel as she drove, her brows knitted with worry.

“I’m sure he’s gonna be fine, mom,” Quincy said. Her mother didn’t respond. Quincy sighed and looked in the rearview mirror to the back seat, where her sister Denisa tugged at her braids, a habit she’d had since she was a toddler. 

“Stop that, your hair’s gonna come out and you’re gonna look bald-headed,” Quincy said. She and her sister looked at each other with the same almond-shaped eyes, same wide smiles, and laughed. 

“What’s so funny?” their mother said as she pulled into the parking lot. Quincy stopped laughing. She cleared her throat and said: 

“Nothing, mom.” 

They stepped into Cal’s room and Quincy sucked in a breath at the pungent air. He lay in a hospital bed, his left leg bandaged from his thigh to his foot. Quincy tried not to gag as she saw the blood already seeping through the top layer of his gauze. How is there so much blood if he just broke his leg? Quincy thought.

“Oh, Cal!” her mother wailed. She ran toward the bed and wrapped him in a hug.

“Hey, Viv, I’m ok,” he said weakly. Cal’s dark skin was ashen under the fluorescent hospital lights. His mustache glistened with sweat and his tight afro was flat on one side. 

“Daddy!” Denisa yelled, running to his other side. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. 

“Hey, Nisa,” he said. Quincy stood at the foot of his bed, her hands dug deep in her high-waisted bell bottoms. He nodded at her, and she returned the gesture. 

“I’m glad you’re ok, Cal,” Quincy said. 

The doctor told them that he had a broken leg and a large cut on the same leg that required stitches. He gave them care instructions and handed Cal a written slip, letting him know he was now on eight weeks of paid leave. Her mother furrowed her brow but stayed silent until they got back into their car.

“Eight weeks?” her mother said as she turned the ignition over. “What’re we gonna do? You’ll only be gettin’ half pay.” 

“We’ll be fine, Viv. Got some money saved up.” 

“Not enough for rent, electric, gas, food.” 

“Vivian,” Cal began. He squeezed her hand. “I’m telling you we’ll be ok. We’re just going to have to budget this summer.”

Viv gripped the steering wheel as she reversed out of the parking space.

“I could get a job,” Quincy suggested. She sucked in a breath, hoping her mother wouldn’t react with the same annoyance as she had the day before when she first proposed the idea. “Quincy—” her mother said. 

“Wait a minute, Viv. That’s not a bad idea.”

“But—”

“Viv, the girl is sixteen. She’s gotta start workin’ sometime. Whatever pay she brings back’ll help. Won’t be as much as my salary, but we can float, ain’t that right girls?” Cal looked in the mirror and winked. Quincy smiled. 

Her mother sighed. “Fine. But who's gonna look after you? I’ve got work.” 

“Nisa’s old enough.” 

“But it’s summer!”

Quincy kicked her sister. Denisa scowled at her. 

“I mean, yes I can help.” 

“Good, it’s settled. Quincy’ll get a job and Denisa and I will get to hang out this summer together. It’ll be fun, and I’ll be healed before you know it.” 

•••

The next day, Quincy rode her bike to the fairgrounds. She roamed around the grounds searching for a help wanted sign until she stopped before the “Foxworthy Funnels'' booth where a girl about the same age as her stood behind the counter, frying funnel cakes. She wore a yellow jumpsuit. Her dark hair sat in two afro puffs on top of her head, and a group of gold bracelets sat on her wrist. 

Quincy had hoped she wouldn’t be the only Black girl working at the fair, and was relieved to see the girl behind the booth.

“Excuse me,” Quincy asked as she approached the booth. 

“Yeah?” the girl said.

“I’m here for the help wanted sign. I was wondering if I could… work for you… this summer?” 

The girl lifted a brow over a pair of star-shaped sunglasses with rims as yellow as her jumpsuit, taking Quincy in, her bracelets making a tinny sound as they slid against each other down her wrist. 

Quincy’s mother had insisted she wear something nicer than her normal t-shirt and Levis, so she wore a silky button-up shirt and a plaid skirt. Her mother had relaxed Quincy’s hair and styled it like Gladys Knight. But the shirt was too warm, and she could feel the sweat in her pits. She tugged at her skirt, hating that it was a size too small and that it had a small stain on the left side of the hem. Her mother had bought it from Goodwill like that with the intention of cleaning it but never had. 

The girl nodded. 

“Sure. Let me ask my mom,” she said. “Mom!” 

A woman with a jet black afro walked into the booth. Her full lips were painted cherry red and her dark eyes were lined in dark black eyeliner. A gold Ankh sat on a black rope around her neck.

“Selena?” the woman said, looking at the girl in yellow. “What’s wrong?” 

“This girl’s looking for a job for the summer.” 

“Oh. Glad you stopped by,” the woman said. “What’s your name?” 

“Quincy,” she said. She held out a hand and the woman smiled at this pleasantry as though not used to it. She shook Quincy’s hand and smiled.  

“I’m Eudora and this is Selena. Have you ever worked at a funnel cake stand before?” 

“No,” Quincy said. 

“Ok, have you worked at a fast-food joint?” 

“I’ve never had a job before, but I really need this one. I cook all the food at home, I have to, my mom works all day and my step dad works at night — well he did before he got hurt at work, and then my sister, she’s ten, she doesn’t know how to do anything…” 

Selena and Eudora looked at her with twin looks of pity. Quincy bit her lip. Her heart beat so fast that the sound reverberated in her ears. She wiped her sweaty palms against her leg.

“Honey, that’s ok. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere,” Eudora said. “You can start tomorrow. Selena will train you.” 

“Yeah, you’ll get the hang of it quick,” Selena said. 

“Thank you! You won’t be disappointed.” 

•••

A week later, Quincy was able to work the booth by herself. She liked making shapes with the funnel cake batter and interacting with customers. But more than that, she liked working for the Foxworthys. Eudora and her husband Miles were patient and funny and they made Quincy feel included.

Selena was a whirlwind. The first day Quincy reported to work Selena asked her everything about her life, what music she liked, what movies she watched. At first Quincy was overwhelmed by the attention, but she grew to like the fact that someone was genuinely interested in her life.

On the second day, they crossed the street to Oak Hill Cemetery, where they drank Coca-Cola and ate corn dogs. It became their routine, and Quincy found herself counting down the minutes each day until her lunch.

“Who was that guy with the curly hair that came to the booth earlier? He looked like Robert Plant.” Selena asked as they sat beneath a willow tree at lunch, sitting cross-legged on a blanket, her shorts exposing the length of her dark, smooth legs. 

“That’s John Balboa. He’s in our grade.” 

“I think he likes you,” Selena replied, and Quincy nearly spit out her drink. 

“No way.”

“Way! He was totally makin’ eyes at you.”

“I doubt it. John dated Minnie Franklin.”

“I don’t know who that is,” Selena said, deadpan.

“She’s one of the popular girls at school. Well, as popular as girls like us can be,” Quincy said. Selena nodded. 

“She’s so beautiful. She looks like Ronnie Spector.” 

“So? You’re beautiful, too.” 

Quincy winced. She’d been called many things, but beautiful was never one of them. Words like “quirky,” and “heavy set” were always what people said when they spoke about her. 

“Uh uh,” she said. She looked down at her corndog. She pushed the food away from her, unable to take another bite. 

“Stop doubting yourself,” Selena said. “You’re beautiful and you’re more powerful than you realize.” 

Quincy looked at Selena, wondering about her use of the word “powerful.” 

“Well, when school starts, you’ll meet them all,” she said. 

Selena winced. She slipped her sunglasses back on, this time wearing a pair of pink heart-shaped ones that matched her shirt.

“What is it?” 

“I won’t be here to go to school with you in the fall.” 

Quincy’s stomach dropped. Her cheeks grew hot. 

“What?” 

“We never stay in one place for too long. We have to go where the fairs are, so come September we’re gone.”

She drained the last of her soda and set the bottle aside. 

Quincy slipped her sunglasses on, not wanting her new friend to see the tears welling in her eyes. 

“Quincy, it’s ok. It’s only June. We still have so much time to spend together.” 

Selena wrapped an arm around Quincy, and for a second she leaned into her friend’s touch. They sat like this for a moment, under a willow tree, gazing out at the stone memorials for the long dead. She looked down Selena’s legs. A long, jagged scar ran down the inside of her thigh, ending just below her knee. 

“What happened there?” Quincy asked. Selena closed her legs and scooted away from Quincy. 

“Nothing, just an accident when I was a kid.” 

“What happened?” 

“We should get back.” 

Selena stood and grabbed her plate and an empty soda bottle. They walked back to the fairgrounds in silence.

•••

That night, Quincy woke to Denisa climbing into her bed. 

“What’re you doing?” Quincy asked.

“I don’t wanna be in my room.” 

“Why not? You got the bigger one,” Quincy said, not bothering to hide the jealousy in her voice. 

“I don’t like seeing the man at the foot of my bed,” Denisa said. A shiver ran down Quincy’s spine. She sat straight up and looked at her sister. 

“What? What man?” 

“The one with the glowing eyes. This is the second night he’s been there, just staring at me. I’m tired, just go back to sleep.” 

Seconds later, her sister was snoring. How could Denisa drop a bomb like that then just go back to sleep?

She looked at the alarm clock on her nightstand. 3:34 AM. 

Quincy took a deep breath and peeled her blankets off. She trudged across the room to the door, her heart thundering in her chest. She jerked the door open, squinting at the eerie red glow of the hall light. She looked across the hall to her sister’s room, where the door was wide open to the yawning darkness beyond it. Just as she took a step outside of her room, she heard what sounded like nails scraping against wood. 

Quincy squeaked. As she turned to close the door, she thought she saw a shadow move in the darkness of Denisa’s room.

She tossed and turned for the rest of the night, her eyes opening at the slightest sound. She woke up groggy and unfocused, so she made the coffee slightly stronger than normal and snuck a cup before her parents awoke. She was eating breakfast when Cal entered the room on crutches. 

“Morning,” Quincy said. Denisa flinched as her father sat at the head of the table. He balanced his crutches on her mother’s chair and heaved a sigh. 

“Good morning,” Cal replied through gritted teeth. 

Quincy scowled momentarily. Maybe he’s just in pain, she thought.

“How’s the leg?” she asked. 

“How do you think?” he asked. His eyes were bloodshot. It was barely ten in the morning but already sweat beaded on his forehead. Denisa’s lip trembled.

Quincy grimaced. He shoveled food in his mouth, chewing loudly.

“Well, I’m off to work now,” Quincy said. She looked at Denisa, who shook her head slightly, her dark eyes wide.

Quincy frowned at her, then set her plate in the sink. She walked out of the kitchen and stood in the foyer, sliding her feet into her Adidas. She was just about done when Denisa crept up on her. 

“What the hell?” Quincy said. “Why are you being such a freak?” 

“There’s something wrong with dad, Quin,” she said. How could she be this freaked out by her dad who, just this time last month, was playing hide and seek with her in the yard? 

“What do you mean?” Her stomach churned. 

“He’s different after the accident. He’s mean and he just spends all day staring at things. And he smells,” Denisa said. 

“Pain can make people act out. Remember how much of a brat you were when you sprained your finger?” 

Denisa rolled her eyes. 

“Quincy, I’m serious.” 

“Have you tried talking to mom?” 

“She’s sleeping. It’s her morning off, remember?” 

Quincy sighed. Her mother had worked double shifts every day since Cal’s accident. She finally had the morning off, and she’d all but threatened their lives the night before when she told them not to disturb her.

“Well, try talking to her when she wakes up. If you can’t handle it, then maybe see if you can convince her to get you all out of the house or something. Maybe it’ll help you both feel better?” 

Denisa nodded. She crossed her arms and turned back into the kitchen. 

•••

Selena smiled at Quincy as she stepped behind the Foxworthy Funnels booth. As Quincy slid on her apron, Selena turned toward her, placing a hand on her hip. 

“You won’t believe what I got last night,” Selena said. She reached beneath the counter and pulled out a small radio. 

“Oh, groovy!” Quincy said. She walked over and inspected the small orange device. “Have you played it yet?” 

Selena smiled. She lifted the antenna and set it down on the counter. She turned the radio on and music filled the booth. She turned the dial and landed on a station playing The Isley Brothers. The two danced around the booth, singing along to “That Lady,” when Eudora and Miles entered the booth.

“Oh, I love this song!” Eudora said. She started dancing along with them, and Miles laughed as he stood at the counter, tapping his foot and mixing batter for the funnel cakes.

“I wanna get their album, man!” Quincy said. “This song is so good!” 

“Maybe we can bike over to Rasputins tonight and get it?” Selena asked. 

She started to say yes, but then her conversation with her sister came rushing back, and in her mind’s eye she saw that shadow moving in the darkness. Had something really been there or—

“Quin!”

She jumped at the sound of her name and turned to see her mother, Denisa, and Cal standing on the other side of the booth. She looked at Denisa and narrowed her eyes at her, the little punk. When she told her to get them out of the house, she hadn’t meant for her to bring them to the fair. 

“Mom, what’re you doing here?” 

“What, I can’t visit my baby on my morning off?” she said. “C’mon Quincy, don’t be rude. Introduce me.” 

“Mom, these are the Foxworthy's. This is Selena, Miles, and Eudora.” 

Quincy looked from Selena to Miles, then to Eudora as she said their names.

“This is my mother, Vivian.”

Miles extended a hand. Her mother shook it, eyeing him warily. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Vivian. Quincy’s been such a help this summer.” 

“Really?” her mother said. 

“Yes, she’s been a joy. She and Selena have become thick as thieves,” Eudora said.

“That’s my sister, Denisa,” Quincy said. 

Denisa waved. 

“And that’s my stepfather, Cal.”

The air shifted as Cal stepped up to the booth. Sweat beaded on his face and chest. Dark circles stretched below his eyes and though he was normally clean-shaven, his facial hair had grown in more heavily now. 

“It’s good to meet you, man,” Miles said. Gone was the joviality that had been in his voice seconds ago. Now it was hard-edged and curt. Eudora and Selena remained silent.

“Well, can we get you anything? On the house, family discount,” Miles said.

“That's nice of you. We’ll take two funnel cakes please,” Quincy’s mother said. 

“Can I have strawberries on mine?” Denisa asked. 

Quincy nodded and began making the cakes. As she did she heard Miles speaking with her mother, asking her about work, how long she’d lived in San Jose, and didn’t she know this was such a beautiful place to live? 

“I’ve lived here most of my life. It’s all the same to me.” 

Miles laughed, and Quincy could tell he wasn’t sure if that had been a joke.

She pulled the funnel cakes out of the fryer and set them on a plate, then handed them to her mother and sister. 

“Thanks, Quin,” Denisa said. Without waiting for their mother she took a large bite of the cake and smiled. 

“Is it good?” Quincy asked.

Denisa nodded vigorously.

Quincy watched as her mother took a bite. The corners of her mouth twitched.

“Oh, Quincy. You put your foot in this,” she said. Quincy smiled wide.

“Quincy’s the best funnel caker out of all of us. Ain’t that right, Eudora?” Miles said. Eudora, who stood at the back of the booth with Selena, simply nodded.

“Cal, you ought to try this,” her mother said. She scooped a spoonful of cake and held it up to Cal’s mouth. 

“Don’t want to,” he said, his voice a sneer.

Quincy felt that uneasy feeling raging inside of her again. She looked to Denisa, who stood far away from her parents and ate the funnel cake daintily. 

“C’mon, Cal. Our baby made this and it’s really good—”
“I don’t even know why you brought me here. It’s too hot and I’m hungry.” 

“So have some cake.” 

“I don’t want cake,” Cal said. He stalked away, his crutches sinking into the grass as he walked. “I want some real food, dammit.” 

Her mother trudged after Quincy’s stepfather. Denisa stood by the side of the stand, still eating bits of cake and strawberry. Quincy took a deep breath. 

She looked from Eudora to Selena and then to Miles. She hated the way their smiles were tinged with pity. 

“I’m sorry about that. My family’s weird.” 

“Oh, honey, that’s ok. Every family has their fair share of ‘weird,’” Eudora said.

“My mom’s a busybody. And Cal, he’s not always like this.” 

“Oh?” Selena asked. 

“Yeah, he’s normally chill. We get along fine. He’s on crutches now because he had a bad accident at work.” 

“What happened?” Selena questioned. Miles scowled at Selena, who added: “if you don’t mind.” 

Quincy shrugged. “He’s an orderly at Valley Medical. He had an accident somehow, I think a patient attacked him or something? He’s got a broken leg, a lot of cuts and scrapes. A huge gash on his leg.” 

“A gash…” Selena began. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Miles said. “I’m sure he’ll be on the mend soon.” 

“Quincy,” Eudora said. “Would you mind goin’ to the Johnny Rockets booth and grab some lunch for everyone?” 

She pulled a ten-dollar bill out of her pocket. Quincy took the money and nodded. She looked down at Denisa, who stood by the booth.

“Why did you bring them here?” Quincy said. Denisa’s eyes turned glassy. 

“I didn’t. Mom insisted, said she wanted to see what your ‘lil job’ is like.” 

Quincy groaned. They walked over to the Johnny Rockets booth and stood in line. After fifteen minutes, they ordered fries, burgers, and sodas for themselves and the Foxworthy’s. While they waited, Quincy turned toward her sister.

“I know he’s been strange the last few weeks, but I’m sure it’s just the accident. Maybe he’s got an infection or something.” 

Denisa scoffed. 

“You don’t know.” 

“No, but—” 

“You and mom are at work all day so you don’t see the real things he does. Sometimes he makes this weird growling sound. When Ms. Richards walks her dog in the afternoons, it howls every time it passes the house now, and dad stares out the window at it. He was snarling at it the other day.” 

Quincy’s temples throbbed. She didn’t know what to think about what her sister was saying. On one hand, she was ten. She made things up all the time. On the other hand, she’d been so scared of everything lately.

They grabbed the food and walked back to the booth, weaving their way through the crowd. The wooden door that slid open announcing the booth was in business had been pushed down. 

She heard the Foxworthys talking as they approached the back of the booth. 

“We can’t just kill him. We don’t know how far along in the change he is,” Miles said. 

“He looked pretty advanced to me. Heightened anger, the sweats. Only a matter of time before he tries to eat someone and I don’t want that someone to be my friend,” Selena responded. 

“We don’t want anything to happen to Quincy either,” Miles said. “Or her sister, or even her mother. But we have to tread lightly here. Better to perform the ritual and rid Cal of the beast than to go in with murder on the mind. Remember what happened in Cleveland?” 

The Foxworthys went silent. She heard someone shift. 

“Quincy?” Selena said. 

Quincy took a breath and entered the booth.
“Foods here!” She exclaimed, her voice pitched higher than she’d intended.

The family startled, surprised to see her back. They looked at each other, wondering how much Quincy and Denisa had heard.
“Thank you, honey,” she said. 

“Are we closing up for the day or something?” Quincy asked. 

“Just wanted to close up for lunch,” Miles said, smiling. Quincy knitted her brows. They never closed the booth until the fair stopped for the night.

Each of them grabbed their food and began to eat. Quincy couldn’t handle the awkward energy in the booth. She looked over at Denisa, who stared down at her plate. Quincy’s heart pumped in her chest. She felt like she would throw up, but she knew she had to say something. 

“What were you talking about just now?” 

“Pardon?” Eudora asked. She took a sip of her soda.

“When we came back we heard you talking about, um…” 

“We heard you talking about killing my dad,” Denisa said. Quincy’s eyes widened as she looked at her sister.
“I’m sorry, she just—” 

“No, that’s ok,” Miles said. He set his burger down and sighed. “You were going to find out sooner or later.” 

“Miles,” Eudora said, casting a sidelong glance at her husband.

“You see, Quincy, we don’t just do this for a living,” he said, gesturing at the booth. “We help people, too. People who are dealing with things they don’t understand.” 

“What do you mean?” Quincy asked. 

“Well…”
“Dad, stop beating around the bush,” said Selena. She hopped down from her spot on the edge of the counter and smoothed out her Jimi Hendrix t-shirt. “Quincy, we’re monster hunters.” 

The statement hung in the air, leaving Quincy unsure if she should laugh or cry. 

“What?” 

“And also, witches,” Eudora added.

“Quin, listen. My mom, my dad, me? We travel the country slinging funnels and slaying monsters using our magic. Sometimes we heal them and sometimes,” Selena shrugged. “They die.” 

“You’re crazy, witches aren’t real. Monsters don’t exist,” Quincy said. But even she doubted the words when they came out of her mouth. She thought back to the night when Denisa had climbed into her bed. She thought about the sound she heard in her sister’s room, like nails on a chalkboard. Were they saying that was Cal?

And witches? Magic? No, that wasn’t possible. She’d never once seen anything magical from them. Then she thought about how they always seemed to make a profit despite not having a lot of customers. How Eudora and Miles were in their late forties and looked barely thirty. How Selena sometimes knew what she was feeling or thinking even before she did.
“I think you know differently, Quin,” Selena said.

Her kohl-rimmed eyes bore into Quincy’s. 

My stepfather is a monster. And my new friend is a witch, Quincy thought. 

“What kind of monster is he?” Quincy asked. Beside her, Denisa squirmed. 

“He’s a werewolf,” Miles said. 

Quincy nodded. She’d seen The Wolf Man with Lon Chaney Jr. at the penny movie night with her mother, years ago. She remembered seeing him transform from a man into a beast and the thought of that happening to her stepfather sent shivers down her spine. 

“Why would you have to kill him?” Quincy asked. 

“Because if left alone to its own devices, a werewolf will kill any human it comes across. It feeds on meat and flesh. You, your sister, and your mom are in grave danger.” 

“And if he doesn’t kill you, then he might turn you. And then you’d become a werewolf,” Selena said. 

Quincy looked over at her sister, who sat with her head in her hands. 

“Nisa, are you ok?” 

“Can you heal him?” Denisa asked. 

Eudora sighed. “Maybe. But we’re not going to let anything happen to either of you, I promise.” 

“How can you promise? You won’t be coming back to our house with us,” Denisa said. 

“True. But we have something that you can use for protection, just in case.” 

Eudora pulled a silver dagger out of her bag. The edge was sharp and the hilt of it was shaped like a wolf’s head. Along the shaft was a row of symbols etched in the metal. 

“It’s silver. It’ll weaken the werewolf, especially if you say it with a spell,” Eudora said. “The words are—” 

“Quincy? Denisa?” Their mother called. 

Selena mouthed the words “hide it” before pulling open the window.
“What’s going on?” Quincy’s mother questioned. 

“Oh, nothing. We close this during lunch so we don’t get any customers,” Selena said. Viv looked at her warily.

“Denisa, come on, it's time to go home.” 

Denisa squeaked. 

“What do I do, Quincy?” she whispered. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll give Quincy the spell. It’ll keep you safe,” Selena whispered. Then louder she said: “It was nice meeting you, Denisa, You’re pretty groovy, for a kid.” 

“See you soon, Nisa,” Quincy said. Denisa nodded. She walked out of the booth. Her mother wrapped an arm around her shoulders when she approached. Several feet away, Cal loomed near an ice cream stand, his grey shirt stained with sweat and his bloodshot eyes glaring at them. 

•••

The rest of the day passed by in a daze. Now that she knew what the Foxworthys were, she couldn’t help but stare at them as they moved about the booth. She biked home quickly after work.  

I’ve got to get back to make sure she’s safe, Quincy thought. 

That evening, she cooked meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas on the side. While they ate their dinner modestly, Cal shoveled the meat into his mouth like he hadn’t eaten anything in days. 

They went to bed at eleven, and despite her nerves, Quincy fell asleep almost instantly.

Her eyes snapped open two hours later at the sound of whimpering. Quincy sat up in bed and stared into the inky black darkness of her room. When she heard the sound again she slid out of bed. She tiptoed to her desk and grabbed the dagger and spell Eudora and Selena gave her earlier. She crossed her room toward the door, trying to remember the words Selena told her to say. She opened her door quietly, then stepped into the hall. 

The whimpering was louder now. She looked at her mom’s room before remembering she was at work. 

Quincy squeaked before taking a deep breath. 

I’m coming, Nisa, she thought. 

Quincy pushed open her sister’s door and turned on the light. She squinted momentarily at the brightness before seeing Cal staring at her, Denisa’s wrist in his hand and her upper arm inches away from his teeth. Were his canines always so long? She opened the sheet of paper Selena gave her with the spell on it and held it out before her.

“Romulus, sewer of carnage,” Quincy said. Cal emitted a low growl. “I command you to heel in the name of Bastet. Bend to my will or meet the sting of silver.” 

He lunged at her. Quincy screamed and brought the dagger down against Cal’s forearm, tearing through the skin, a hissing sound emanating from the wound. He cradled his arm and glared at her, growling. 

The sheet of paper with the spell written on it dropped from her hands.

“What the hell is going on here? Oh my God, Cal what happened?”

Her mother rushed into the room. She grabbed Cal’s arm and held it, examining the cut. 

“Denisa was having a bad dream or something. I heard her whimpering, and when I came in Quincy was standing over her with that knife and saying some Satanic mumbo jumbo,” Cal said. 

“That’s not true! He attacked Denisa,” Quincy said. “I was defending her.” 

“With a dagger? What is this?” Her mother grabbed the dagger from her hands.

“Where did you get this?” 

“I—” 

“Mom, Quincy’s right!” 

She looked at Quincy’s feet where the paper had fallen. She opened it, her eyes scanning the page, then looked up at Quincy, eyes narrowed. Quincy’s heart sank as her mother flipped the paper over and saw Selena’s name and number on the bottom of the page. 

“What is this? Did you and your lil’ friend plan this?” 

Quincy shook her head. 

“Quincy,” her mother warned. Her eyes were bloodshot.

Quincy shook her head again. 

Her mother slapped her for the first time in years. Quincy brought her hand up to her cheek, her eyes welling at the sting of it. 

“You’re done working at that funnel cake stand.” 

“No, mom!” Quincy cried.

“No, Quincy. I said you’re done. I won’t let that girl get you into this satanic stuff. Tomorrow I’m taking you up there so you can quit and collect your last paycheck. You’re grounded for the rest of the summer. And you, Denisa, no more cosigning your sister's foolishness. Now both of you, go to bed.” 

She led Cal out of the room and into their bedroom. 

Quincy looked at Denisa, who sat in the middle of her bed with tears streaming down her face. “What are we going to do?” she asked. 

“I don’t know,” Quincy said. She slid down the wall and started to weep. 

•••

She hated the sound of the tires scraping against gravel as her mother pulled into the fairground parking lot. Her mother didn’t speak to her the whole way there, instead blaring Tammi Terrell. They got out of the car and Quincy led the way to the booth.

“Quincy! Is everything ok? We were worried when we didn’t see you this morning,” Eudora said. She wore a bright pink headband and a fringed shirt. As always, rows of bracelets covered her left wrist. Quincy recognized some of the same etchings on the bracelets as had been on the dagger. 

“No, Eudora, everything is not ok,” Quincy’s mother said. She stepped in front of her and leaned over the counter, holding the dagger in her hands. “I don’t know what you’ve been doing with my girl this summer, but whatever Satanic business you got her up to stops now.” 

“Satanic business?” Selena said, deadpan. She crossed her arms over herself, her red, heart-shaped glasses covering her eyes. 

“Selena,” Eudora said. She turned back toward Quincy’s mother. “Vivian, I can assure you there’s been nothing of the sort going on here this summer. We’ve just taught Quincy how to use the fryer, count money, and work the funnel cake stand.”

“Yeah, right. That’s how she managed to get a hold of this dagger to cut my husband with last night? From learning how to work a fryer?” her mother said, holding up the blade. 

Eudora didn’t blink. Neither did Selena.

“Vivian, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never seen that dagger before.” 

“Well, regardless. Quincy has something she wants to say to you.” 

Quincy’s mother pushed her forward. 

“I, uh. I have to quit. I can’t work here anymore.” 

Eudora clenched her teeth and nodded. “I understand.” 

“I also need my final check,” Quincy added.

Eudora nodded again. She stepped to the back of the booth. Selena rounded the side of the booth and extended her hands.

“I’m gonna miss you, Quincy,” she said. She wrapped her in a hug. Quincy took in Selena’s scent, orange and ginger and sunshine. 

“Vivian, I have the check here,” Eudora said. When her mother walked toward Eudora, Selena slipped a folded-up paper into Quincy’s hand. She nodded at her, and Quincy slipped it into her pocket just as her mother turned. 

“Goodbye, Eudora. Goodbye, Selena,” Quincy said.

“Goodbye, Quincy. It was a pleasure working with you,” Eudora said. 

They walked away, and Quincy glanced over her shoulder to see Selena placing a hand over her heart. 

Quincy opened the paper onto her lap as she sat in the bathroom, hours later. The top part of the note was a list of ingredients. The bottom had step-by-step instructions for Quincy to follow, then a note from Selena. 

“This is how we keep in touch, no matter where I am. XO.” 

That night Quincy performed the spell. She made sure everyone was asleep, even Denisa, who insisted on sleeping in her room. She snuck into the bathroom and left the light off, using only the candle included in the ritual as lighting. The spell called for mint, candle smoke, a personal item of the person you wanted to reach, and three drops of blood. She set the pink sunglasses Selena had given to her on the floor beside the candles. She crushed the mint between her fingers and dropped it onto the fire.

“Eshu, bring me the one I seek the most. Carry her to me on the smoke of this candle, and take her with you when the light ceases to be. Eshu, this I beg of thee.” Quincy looked at the safety pin she grabbed from her mom’s sewing kit. 

This is going to hurt, she thought. 

She winced as she pricked herself and dropped some of her blood into the burning candle. 

Seconds later, Selena appeared in the bathroom. She smiled down at Quincy. 

“I knew you’d get it,” she said. “I told you that you were powerful.” 

“You just gave me the instructions.” 

“No, Quin.That spell? It’s for a witch to call another witch to her. You’re a witch, girl, just like me.” 

Quincy felt like the ground would rise up to meet her. She shook her head, struggling to handle the numerous bombshells she’d been dealt over the summer.

“How is this possible?” she asked. 

Selena smiled. “Everything is possible with magic.” 

“What do we do, Selena? My mom doesn’t want me anywhere near you and your family, but I think Cal is getting worse,” Quincy said, her voice breaking. 

“What do you mean?” 

“He tried to bite Denisa, so I fought him off.” 

Selena’s eyes widened. “Did he break the skin?” 

“No.” 

She sighed. “Thank goddess. If he hasn’t bitten anyone yet, there’s still time. werewolves can be turned back with a ritual, but once they bite someone, they’re no longer human. Can you get her and Denisa out of the house for a few hours tomorrow?” 

“Yeah, no problem. She’s working a double.” 

“Great. We’ll be at your house around eleven. Take Denisa and go to the park or something.” 

Are you sure you don’t want me there?” 

“Quincy, no. You might get hurt and I can’t have that,” Selena said. She placed a hand on Quincy’s shoulder. 

Quincy nodded. “Thank you, Selena.” 

Selena winked. “It’s what I do, Quin. Now get some rest. Tomorrow is a big day.” 

Quincy placed a hand over her heart. Selena returned the gesture. Quincy blew out the candle, and Selena faded away. Quincy wiped the tear that slid down her cheek.

•••

The next morning, Quincy was surprised to find her mother sitting at the table sipping coffee. She looked at the clock, almost eight in the morning. 

“Good morning,” she said. She slid into a chair across from her mother. 

“Morning,” her mother said coolly. 

“I thought you were working today.” 

“I asked Esther if she could cover my shift. I thought we could go to Goodwill, get a few things.” 

 Quincy was relieved that she didn’t have to come up with a lie for why they needed to leave Cal alone. They ate breakfast in silence, each of them in varying levels of disgust over Cal’s eating habits. They left around ten, and Quincy kept checking her watch, growing more and more nervous as it got closer to eleven.

She hadn’t told Denisa what was happening. She didn’t want to frighten her or risk her saying something to their mother. 

Quincy was trying on a dress when her mother stepped into the fitting room.

“Are you ok, Mom?” Quincy asked. She wore a maxi dress and tied her relaxed hair into a ponytail. The store was warm, but her mother looked like she’d been standing outside for hours. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and upper lip. The armpits of her yellow dress were stained with sweat. Her eyes were bloodshot, just like the night before. 

Just like Cal’s, Quincy thought. 

“Yes, Quincy, I’m fine. It’s just so hot in here.” 

Quincy didn’t respond. She turned back toward the mirror, looking at the way the white, linen maxi dress fit her. 

“What do you think?” Quincy asked. 

“I think it’s a beautiful dress. You can wear it to church this Sunday.” 

“Mom—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Quin. After the things that have happened these last few weeks, I realized we needed to make that a priority again. I grabbed myself a little something to wear, too,” her mother said. 

It was all Quincy could do not to roll her eyes. She sighed and grabbed at the dress’s zipper but stopped. As her mother lifted her yellow dress up to try on another, she saw a large white square of gauze on her calf, the center of it dotted with blood. 

“What happened to your leg?” Quincy asked. Her mom looked down at the wound and shrugged. 

“I must have scraped it last night at work. Probably ran up against the side of the trash can. It was bleeding a lot, hopefully it don’t get infected.” 

Her mother slipped her maxi dress off and pulled a black dress on. 

“What do you think?” she asked.

Quincy’s mouth dried up. Her chest felt tight and it was all she could do to stop herself from hyperventilating. She thought about what Selena told her about werewolves, how if they bite someone they cannot be cured.

And now my mother will become one, too, she thought.

Quincy pulled the dress off and hastily slipped on her jean shorts and tank top. 

“Quincy, where’s the fire?” 

“I’m not feeling too hot.” 

“What?” 

“I don’t feel good. I think I’m getting my period. Can we go home?” 

“Quincy, we haven’t been here that long and we still need to get Denisa’s clothes,” she said. 

Quincy doubled over, clutching her stomach. In that moment she was grateful that she always had terrible cramping with her periods. 

“Mom, I’m in a lot of pain right now,” she said. 

“Ok, ok Quincy. We’ll get this stuff and leave.” 

Her mother slid the dress off and slipped back into her maxi dress. 

Quincy gathered the clothes she’d chosen and walked out of the dressing room, still hunched over and walking stiffly. Her mother knocked on Denisa’s dressing room door and the ten-year-old opened it wearing a pink, plaid skirt and white short sleeve shirt. 

“Your sister isn’t feeling well. Grab the clothes you want to get and let’s head home,” their mother said.

They paid for their items and walked out. As they slid into the car, Quincy noticed the same smell on her mother as she had on Cal: it was musty, animalistic. Quincy clutched her stomach and groaned as they peeled out of the parking lot. 

“Quincy, what’s going on?” 

“Mom, I’m cramping a lot, it really hurts,” she lied. Her mother sped down Santa Teresa toward their home. With every green light Quincy’s terror increased. She didn’t know what to expect, but she had an aching feeling that something had gone terribly wrong. 

They passed the Foxworthy’s station wagon at the front of the neighborhood. They pulled into the driveway. Quincy half expected to see signs of a magical ritual or of a fight, but there was nothing. The door was closed, the windows shut. It wasn’t until they stood by the front door that they heard raised voices. 

The second they stepped into the house, Quincy gasped. Cal and Miles were struggling with each other in the hallway. Both men had cuts and bruises along their bodies, and a small pool of blood sat just behind the couch. Eudora and Selena stood at the kitchen table, ancient-looking books splayed out before them. Spices and plants littered the ground. 

When they looked up, Quincy saw their faces were painted white with some of the same symbols on the dagger and Eudora’s bracelet. 

“What the hell is happening? Why are you in my house?” their mother screamed. 

“Quincy, you were supposed to keep them out of the house!” Selena shouted. 

Her mother turned toward her, eyes bloodshot. 

“Quincy, you did this?” she questioned. 

“I - It’s Cal. He’s sick and they’re trying to help.” 

“Does that look like he’s really being helped?” She gestured to the hallway, where Cal and Miles were still entangled. Miles got the upper hand and punched Cal. His body was now covered in hair. When he looked up at them, his eyes glowed. 

Their mother ran towards them and tried to pull Miles away. Eudora chased after her, pulling her off of Miles.

Quincy grabbed Denisa’s hand and ran into the kitchen. She slid her sister under the table. 

“You stay here, ok? Don’t come out until I tell you to.” 

Denisa nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“We tried the ritual but it didn’t work,” Selena said. A bruise blossomed on her left cheek.

“That’s because we’re too late,” Quincy’s voice broke. “He bit my mother.”

Selena’s eyes widened. She blinked back tears and a somber look spread across her face. 

“What do we do?” 

“We have to kill him. There’s no saving him now,” she said. 

“But what about my mom?” 

“She’ll be fine, we can save her.” 

Selena slid a book over toward Quincy. 

“Here. We have to start the ritual over. All of our herbs and stuff got knocked over when we tried it on your dad and it didn’t work. See if you have these things. I have to tell my parents about your mom.”

Selena ran out of the kitchen before Quincy could respond. Quincy cried out as she heard the sound of bodies hitting walls and floors, the sound of fists against flesh. She blinked back tears as she skimmed the book for the ritual. 

She dabbed her fingers in the white paint in the canister on the side of the table. She struggled to keep her hands from shaking as she drew a line down the center of her face, from her forehead to the tip of her nose. She drew dots beneath her eyes and then traced three symbols on her face, two on her cheeks and one on her forehead. Once done she scrambled to grab the ingredients. 

She yanked open the cabinets, searching for herbs and a lighter. She yelped when she heard a loud bang. Suddenly the house went still. Suddenly, it felt like all the air had been let out of the room. Quincy clutched a jar of marjoram as she walked slowly into the living room. On the ground lay Cal, his mouth open and his body still covered in hair. There was a single gunshot wound in the middle of his chest. Blood blossomed on the ground beneath him. Quincy looked at Miles, who sat with his head in his hands. Eudora held the gun in her left hand, her right arm around Selena. Selena pressed a hand against her side, blood pooling from the wound. 

“Selena,” Quincy whispered.
“I’ll be ok. Don’t worry about me,” she said. She smiled weakly. For a second they stared at each other, neither of them speaking. Quincy nodded and looked up at Eudora. There was so much resolve and apology in her eyes it made Quincy reach out for the wall behind her to stabilize herself. 

“Were you able to find the things you need for the ritual?” Selena asked. Quincy nodded. “Ok. Where’s your mother?” 

Quincy looked around the room. She scowled as she stepped into the hallway. She walked back into the kitchen and stiffened when she saw her mother gripping Denisa in her arms. Quincy dropped the jar of marjoram and screamed when she saw her mother’s teeth sink into Denisa’s shoulder. 

“No!” Quincy yelled. She dove to her knees and slid across the floor. She grabbed at her sister, wrestling her out of her mother’s grip as Denisa wailed. Quincy stood and pushed Denisa out of the kitchen, where she ran into Selena’s arms. 

Quincy turned back just as her mother lunged at her. A shot rang out. 

The bullet connected with the cup cabinet, and the sound of shattered glass reverberated through the room. Her mother ran out of the back door and though Eudora ran after her, there were no more shots. Quincy knew her mother had gotten away, and she fell to her knees and sobbed. 

They stayed in the house. As Selena bandaged herself and Denisa, Eudora and Miles began to clean the scene. They pulled their mother’s car into the garage. They set Cal in the driver’s seat, placing the gun in his hands. They cleaned the carpets and the rest of the home, using magic to make it all the more immaculate.

“What are we going to do now?” Denisa cried. Her tears spilled freely down her cheeks, making small pools on the front of her grey shirt.

“Do you have any other family?” Eudora asked.

Quincy shook her head. 

“You’ll come with us,” Miles said. Eudora and Selena nodded. Quincy looked at Denisa. Though she’d only just met the Foxworthy’s, Quincy knew they had nowhere else to go. She also knew it was only a matter of time before people started asking questions that she didn’t quite have answers for. She squeezed her sister’s hand before turning back to the Foxworthys. 

“Okay,” Quincy said. 

“Denisa, I can help you pack your things. Would that be ok?” 

Denisa nodded. 

She slid out of the chair and followed Selena up the steps. Selena looked back at Quincy and touched a hand to her heart, and Quincy returned the gesture. When they were out of earshot, Quincy turned to Miles and Eudora. 

“What do we do now? My mom bit Denisa.” 

Miles nodded. “We can do a ritual to heal her, but not here. We’ve got to get on the move. As for your mom-” 

“You might not like it Quin, but your mother is gone. She’s a werewolf now, and it’s our job to hunt them. We’ll get you and Denisa somewhere safe for a few days, and then we’ll come back and hunt.” 

Quincy shook her head. “I want to be there.” 

“Quincy,” Eudora soothed. 

“No,” Quincy said. “I need to say goodbye before—”

Before my mother dies, she thought. Quincy buried her head in her hands and sobbed. 

Quincy packed her belongings in two duffle bags. She slid her favorite books, her mother’s photo album, and her mother’s perfume into a separate backpack that she clutched as they left.

They left the house at three in the morning. They walked out of the neighborhood slowly and slid into the Foxworthy’s station wagon. Selena, Denisa, and Quincy sat in the back. After an hour, Denisa fell asleep against Quincy.

Quincy looked out the window as they traveled along the coastline, their headlights illuminating the cliffs and the ocean beyond. 

Selena wound her fingers through Quincy’s hand, and Quincy turned to look at her over Denisa’s head. She nodded, and Quincy returned the gesture. 

Quincy looked back out at the ocean, the magic she’d discovered and the loss she’d endured over the last few days coalescing within her.