A Curse Awakened: A Weird Girls Novella by Cecy Robson Read Free Book Online Page A

a large hole in the crumbling garage’s cupola. We dove onto the ground as they flew over our heads in a mess of snapping fangs and flapping wings, screeching with angst. My flesh crawled along my bones. There was spooky, and there was this. Good Lord, I wanted to race to the nearest church and douse myself with holy water.
    The minute their disturbing squeaks died down, Taran scrambled to her feet. “Screw
this
!”
    I latched on to her elbow when she attempted to flee. “Taran. We’ve made it this far. Ifthis binding spell does exist, we have to break it. For us and for Danny.”
    Her crumpling face told me how very frightened my usually tough sister was. I didn’t want to force any of them, but this curse affected us all.
    “Please, Taran,” Emme pleaded. “Danny needs us.”
    Taran nodded at Emme and I squeezed her arm reassuringly. No matter what, they would make it out of this mess. Even if it meant without me.
    Shayna ignored all of us and dug around the shrubs. Something had caught her attention. I expected her to withdraw a stick she could convert into a sword with her power. Instead she pulled out an old wooden Louisville Slugger and transformed it into a giant battle-ax.
    “What?” she asked when we all gaped at her and her weapon of mass destruction. “Did you see those little flying critters? Evil’s afoot, dudettes. I’m not walking in there without my little friend here.”
    “Uh, okay.” I cleared my throat. “Emme, call Danny and put him on speaker. Then tuck your phone into your back pocket with the speaker out so we can all hopefully hear him.”
    She nodded and did as I asked.
    Danny answered immediately. “How’s it going? You girls okay?”
    “We’re here,” Shayna said, mimicking the little kid from
Poltergeist.
She yelped when Taran smacked her arm.
    I stepped through the gate, wondering if anyone would follow. By some miracle, each of my sisters did, with Shayna skipping ahead with her battle-ax. Sometimes, I really wondered about her.
    “We’ll leave you on speaker in case we need you,” I said.
    “All right, but please be careful. This altar has to be destroyed by your hands in order to free you from the bind.”
    “How will we know if it’s the right one?” Emme asked hesitantly. “What if it’s someone else’s altar?”
    I groaned. “Emme has a point. I don’t want to accidently free hell’s minions. We’re in enough trouble.”
    “I think you girls will know for sure. Everything I’ve read says altars designed to bind are identifiable to those held. It goes back to the rule of maintaining balance. If it’s cast on someone, that person has to at least be given the opportunity to recognize it.”
    “Well, let’s hope you’re right.” I reached the garage and stood on my tippy-toes, trying in vain to peer through the grimy and darkened glass. “I can’t see anything. It looks like there’re plastic garbage bags taped to the window. Let’s go around. There has to be a side door.”
    Shayna skipped ahead, finding a door around the corner. Deadbolts lined almost the entire rim of the wooden door. “Can you break it, Ceel?” She lifted her battle-ax. “If not, I can use Junior here.”
    Taran pointed at her. “What I think you should do is calm the hell down. You’re a little too excited, princess.”
    Shayna grinned. “I just know we’re close. We’re going to get control over our magic and save Danny’s dad. I’m sure of it!”
    Taran huffed. “I just don’t want to be eaten. Son of bitch, is that too much to ask for?”
    Emme inched closer to Shayna and her little friend, peering over her shoulder. “I hope not,” she mumbled.
    I held up my hand to silence them. My gaze cut side to side and my ears took everything in, focusing on our immediate surroundings. For a crowded neighborhood within a large city, all seemed a little too quiet. “I think I should break it down in case there’s something waiting for us inside.” I took in the number