He couldn’t believe they were doing this, if his dad found out he would freak, especially because he let Nate come along. Although after hearing what happened to Jesse and Tim, and seeing the bite on his leg, he didn’t want to leave Nate alone at home either. Nate sat on the ground next to him, they had been woken up by the Herald calling out again. He couldn’t help but to think of Meech, was he hearing the sound all the time? That would drive him crazy too.

Marc saw Jesse coming out of the back door followed by Tim, he flashed his light quickly and they headed over. Nate stood up with a dramatic yawn. At least they didn’t have to get up for school in the morning.

“Are we going through with this?”

“I already said we were on our way, it would be rude not to show up.” Jesse responded.

Marc nodded and looked at Tim who half smiled and shrugged. Whatever that meant. “Let’s go then.”

They biked through the streets, keeping to the side with the lamp posts on the main street. They were going to the park that was next to the institute where their mother used to work. Their dad never talked about her much, but he remembered him saying she worked there for the university. She was a scientist and he wanted to become one, his math and science classes were the ones he made sure to do the homework for. Marc wondered how a scientist would handle what was happening; he should be rational. Find an explanation. Maybe something to help Meech get better.

The park had two big lights that lit up the tennis court that stayed on all night. It was completely empty and looked weird, no sounds of other kids playing or whistles blowing. It was a different place at night. They all parked their bikes at the rack and walked over to the tennis court. Marc thought he saw a flash of something white move behind the fence but nothing was there.

“Where are they?” Marc asked.

“I don’t know, they said they’d be waiting for us here.”

They sat down on the small set of bleachers. Jesse was getting her tablet out when someone came up towards them. They had a green hoodie with a rainbow across it and stars speckling the pockets. A clip tried to hold their hand in place but some poked out on the sides. Jesse had said they were non-binary, so Marc was curious what they would look like. One of their classmates was enby, but clearly had a different style, he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he thought that classmate was cute.

“Hi?” They said, looking at each one of them slowly.

“Hi! I’m StarGirl531.” Jesse said.

“Nanashi.” They put a hand behind their head. “You weren’t exactly who I was expecting.”

“You don’t really look like a grad student either.” Marc said.

“I suppose I don’t.” They laughed and got a bit closer, standing at the edge of the tennis court. “Alright, so you said you wanted to know more about the Herald and things like the grauenschlange?”

“Yes,” Jesse said, “and why sometimes physical things affect the snakes but sometimes don’t.”

“Well, actually yes. There is something about that.” They cleared their throat and sighed a little. Looking down at their feet before looking back up. “Grauenschlage and other ethereal beings, sometimes described as spirits, but not always, interacting with them is based on magic.”

“Magic?!” Nate said leaning forward, almost standing up.

“Yes, but not like it’s said in most stories or games you see nowadays. It comes from conviction or belief, one might say faith, but it has to do with the internal spiritual strength rather than something external. Like, you know old stories of wizards and witches making talismans and such?”

“Yes.” Jesse said, her and Tim nodding along.

“Right, the rituals in making those or choosing personal items with emotional attachment made people believe in it working so it did. Like a placebo, they think it would make them lucky or happy so it helped boost their confidence.”

“So it’s all fake then, like stage magic?” Marc asked.

“No and yes, have you heard sayings or stories that you have to believe in something for it to affect you? Ah no, that’s not a good way to explain it. Let me think.”

Nanashi paced to the side of the tennis court. Marc saw a dread-snake in the grass, it got closer to the tennis court, but as Nanashi approached the edge, it moved away. He nudged Tim and pointed to it, trying to make sure Jesse and Nate didn’t notice. When Nanashi paced back closer to them, the dread-snake followed but at the same distance, its eyes seemed to lock on them instead of Nanashi.

“There’s a few stories… of a spirit that either attacks people or snatches them away.” Nanashi started, continuing to pace as they talked. “No one can fight them as their hands pass through, or any weapons, anything. Depending on the story, a witch or medicine man then blesses something. The power of the practitioners will and the one using it is said to give it strength. In some stories, a single touch banishes the spirit or blows it away. In others, it wounds it and chases it away for the night.”

“So you’d have to know a witch or a wizard to make something like this?” Tim asked.

“No, there’s also stories of people using their own items. Like I said, things of personal meaning or connection, keepsakes or other such talismans, varied by culture. It seems to channel the user’s will or spirit.”

“Then you just have to believe that something will work for it to?” Jesse asked.

Nanashi stopped pacing and nodded. “I suppose that’s the simplest way to say it.”

“What about the Herald and sleeping people?” Marc asked.

“The Herald is a creature that appears before a sinister event. It is said it’s howling call was heard before things like the dancing plague, Hollinwell, Mattoon, and even the Hamelin disappearances that led to the Pied Piper story, some evidence that the ‘piping’ was actually the awful sound of the Herald. There was also some indication that its call was heard before the Salem witch trials, it’s a mix of opinion though if the trials stopped something bad from happening or that was what the sinister event was.”

They had resumed pacing for this but stopped and turned toward them. “As for the sleeping, it’s general across accounts that coming in contact with the supernatural has an effect on the person’s body and their mind, or also their soul, depending how it is described. The grauenschlange actually are linked to the Hollinwell indicide, that a mass infestation of them lead to draining the spirits of the children, which was interpreted as the physical symptoms.”

“Is there anything someone can do to help?”

“Well, many rituals were done to help with the supernatural, cleanses by medicine women or witch doctors, exorcisms, banishings and the like. Though these are all similar to the idea of magic, that it is in belief and will of both the practitioner and person effected that helps them recover. The rituals do seem to help in a way.”

Jesse had stood up, looking toward the edge of the tennis court. “What about ways to avoid the supernatural, or why they would avoid or be attracted to certain people?”

“Well, in general supernatural beings tend to go after children, as it is believed that the spirit of a child is stronger or the soul easier to corrupt, depending on the intent of being. As many also feed off of negative energy, anyone of any age can be targeted as well, their actions meant to further degrade one’s spirit. As for avoiding, as before, the talismans that people make help, as their belief in its protection is focused or other such items, moreover, there’s the idea that some people have auras, and some people’s aura project such light or energy that deter evil beings.”

Marc saw that more dread-snakes had gathered around the tennis court, but weren’t coming close to the light and would avoid when Nanashi moved closer to them as they paced.

“It’s late,” he said, nudging Tim and he looked at Nate, “we should get home.”

“Thank you, Nanashi,” Tim said, standing up.

“You’re welcome.”

“Can you walk us to our bikes?” Marc asked.

They looked back at the bikes, not really that far away, but it for all the dread-snakes between them.  “Sure.”

Nate stood up with Marc and leaned close to whisper. “Can they not see the snakes?”

“It doesn’t seem so.”

They started walking to the bikes, staying close to Nanashi, Tim and Marc stood outside protecting their younger siblings, the dread-snakes followed them but stayed away from the little bubble that Nanashi provided. They all got their bikes and half mounted them ready to go.

“Thanks again for sharing everything with us.” Jesse said.

“Well, I do like talking about this stuff, but perhaps not so late… and maybe not at a park,” they looked around, “it feels creepy.”

“I’ll just message you on your site.”

“Thank you.”

They kicked off back towards the mainstreet, looking back, the dread-snakes not fast enough to keep up. When none were around, Tim stopped under one of the streetlamps.

“That was them, the things that attacked us.”

“I thought so,” Marc said, “do you think what Nanashi said was true?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well it seemed convenient that they didn’t even seem to notice them, but they explained that ‘some people’ have ‘auras’.” Marc air-quoted the words.

“What are you trying to say?”

“I don’t know, just it was weird, you said these things were in your parents room and then came after you.”

“Clearly they were a nice person with a good aura, that’s why!” Jesse said.

“OR they were trying to trick us like Ursala.”

“Ursala was a sea witch!”

“They could be a land witch, that would also explain why they knew so much.”

“I don’t think so.” Nate said, holding Marc’s hand.

“Whatever.”

“Well we won’t meet them in person again, how about that?” Tim said, “why do you always get suspicious of people.”

“They didn’t say anything helpful, like how are we going to help Meech, go and hope he feels better? Get a priest to exercise him?”

“That’s exactly what we should do!” Jesse said.

“Get a priest?” Tim asked, looking at her.

“No, we should wish that he gets better, at the wishing well.”

“That’s stupid.”

“No, it works, I’ve wished for things that came true.”

“Me too,” said Nate.

A loud howl came from down the street, back towards the park. They all looked back. The lights started to go out, one at a time.

“Let’s table this and go.” Tim said.

“Let’s.”

They kicked off again, making Jesse and Nate stay ahead. Marc looked back when there was another howl, the lights turning off were getting closer. “Go, go go!”

“Should we go home?” Jesse yelled back.

Marc wasn’t sure, once they got off the main streets there was not much light. Would they even be safe at home, that’s where Meech and Tim both got attacked.

“I have an idea, head to our house!”

The lights kept flickering off behind them. Scrapping of claws against concrete and thudding now followed them. Six thumps, a light, five thumps, a light.

“Faster!”

Marc hoped his idea was right, his hypothesis. That’s what a scientist had to do, test their hypothesis. This was just one where he did not want to know what would happen if it failed.

They veered off the main street with two lights behind them and went right for Marc’s house. Marc led them to the driveway and jumped off his bike, sprinting and hopping up the porch, getting the door open for everyone.

Jesse, Nate and then Tim came in, Marc closing the door behind them and turning on the porch lights. He started searching the closet for something.

“What are you looking for?” Tim asked.

“Something I think can help.” He looked at Nate then back at Tim. “Can you hide everyone just in case it doesn’t work.”

“Hide then do what? Wait all night?”

Marc didn’t answer. He was trying to remember where his dad had put it. All the stuff Nanashi said better not be bs. They heard the thumping outside and got quiet.

“Nate,” Marc whispered, “where did dad’s little cigar box go?”

“It’s in our room.”

The light on the porch went out. Jesse’s flashlight came on, she held her hand around it only letting out a soft orange glow.

“Let’s go get it.”

They started tip-toeing away. There was a thud on the door, then it flew open. They ran, following Nate, Jesse’s flashlight fully swaying as they went. They slammed the door behind them and Tim and Marc braced against it. Stomps trailed behind in the hallway.

Nate turned on the lamp on their nightstand and got the cigar box out from under his bed. As he held it up, the lamp and Jesse’s light went out. With a few swats and flicking the switch, it came back on. The door thudded and knocked Marc and Tim forward.

Marc scrambled to Nate and dumped the cigar box on the floor, its contents spilled everywhere. The door flung open, Jesse’s flashlight trailed over, making Marc feel around in the dark. He didn’t look to see but the others all screamed and moved to the corner. There was a deep growl and a stomp as whatever it was moved forward.

His hands felt cool stone and metal, the tips of his finger wrapped around the cord that was attached. He stood up and turned around. A giant wolf stood in the doorway, its fur was a dark smoke that flickered around, eyes glowed as it stared at him.

Marc held the pendant up as it lurched forward. The pendant his mom had given his dad when they went on their honeymoon in Ireland. It was a talisman of love, or so the old man who sold it to his mother had said, it would protect the ones she loved. His dad thought it was silly but he remembered him wearing it when he was younger, before their mother passed.

The wolf jaws opened, it had seemed to get larger and fill up the room with its smokey fur as it came down on Marc. A silvery light filled the room, making them all close their eyes.

Just the beam from Jesse’s flashlight came back to focus first, the light stretched across the floor to the door, she must have dropped it. Two little red marbles hovered for a moment before dropping and shattering. A bit of haze remained in the room.

Marc grabbed the pendant with his other hand and looked at it in his palm. Had the love of their mother just protected them. Or, was it as Nanashi said, it was just his faith that it would.

“Mom’s necklace!” Nate shouted as he stood up and ran over to Marc, half hugging him.

“It’s a pendant.” He said softly, thinking about how close the wolf almost got.

“Are you okay, Marc?” Tim asked.

“Yeah.”

“Nanashi was right!” Jesse said and did a singular loud clap. “There’s magic!”

“I guess there is.” Tim said, shrugging his shoulders and smiled. “Thanks for saving us, Marc.”

Marc smiled back, holding the pendant in his fist. “I’m glad it worked.”

They both let out an awkward laugh.

“We’d better get home,” Tim said, looking to his sister, “if our parents catch us we’ll be toast.”

“I’ll message you when we’re back.” Jesse said, following Tim, “goodnight.”

The brothers echoed, “goodnight.”