They walked back to Eddie’s house in silence as Eddie contemplated what to do next. She wasn’t the first person to lose someone they loved and now she knew magic was real she was sure there must be something, a revitalising potion or a reanimation incantation perhaps, that would reverse the damage and awaken her beloved dog. What was the point in having all this power at your fingertips if you couldn’t use it for what you really wanted? Eddie was impatient to be alone so she could take out the spellbook and start researching ways to save Daisy. She was certain this wouldn’t be the end for them.

Her change in demeanour from crying, panicky mess to calm and collected must have concerned Pippa, who kept shooting her looks as they walked. Eddie badly wanted to tell her what she was planning, but her friend was sensible and logical and wouldn’t trust anything that couldn’t be explained by science. There was no way she would support a plan to bring back something from the dead. She could just imagine her now, quoting every zombie film in existence to support her argument until Eddie relented. It was too much of a risk. Eddie would have to pretend to be grieving and distraught, even if she didn’t accept that Daisy was gone for good.

The pair arrived back at the house to find a bleary-eyed and messy-haired Eric sat outside. He pulled her into a long hug, whispering hoarsely, “She was the best girl anyone could have dreamt of, I’m so sorry Eddie. I can’t believe she’s gone.”

Eddie leant back and gave him a weak smile. “I didn’t expect to see you here too.”

“Pippa rang, it took four calls before I woke up though, I’m on night shifts.” He looked sincerely at Eddie, no doubt taking in her red eyes. “I’m glad she told me. It’s important you know we’re here for you.”

“I do, thank you Eric.”

“Here, I brought your favourite comfort foods too.”

He lifted up a tote containing Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food and a large bag of salt and vinegar twists. Eddie took it, realising that her friends were not planning on leaving her alone now she was home. She couldn’t exactly explain to her friends why she didn’t want them here, so she decided to ride it out for a couple of hours and then make excuses for them to leave. She turned up the steps to the front door and let them in.

Eddie bought her house with an inheritance when she moved back to Bridgewater after graduation. She wanted to be close to her family and to Josh, who was still living with his mum at the time. It was a red bricked 19th century terrace house which she had painstakingly repaired, painted and decorated over the years so that it remained cheerful and welcoming even on the greyest of days. She’d even bought a bright yellow climbing rose and trained it up the front of the house. Eric helped her put in the trellis for it, as she was afraid of heights and Josh was off golfing with his mates. The last of the roses hung above her head, petals falling off in the rain that had started up.

As soon as she made her way into the kitchen area, Pippa grabbed the bag off her and ushered her onto the sofa, telling her to rest up while she made everyone a cup of tea. Eddie was still reeling from that feeling of wrongness that came with the house being too quiet and too still. Like a key piece was missing and it changed the way everything looked. It felt like her home but there were no loud barks and wagging tail to greet her at the door.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

That would change soon though, she told herself. This was just a brief interlude before Daisy gets up and running about again, as if it never happened.

Once they were all settled on the sofa with steaming cups of tea, Pippa, who must have decided Eddie wasn’t going to burst into tears at any moment, broached the subject head on.

“What do you want to do with Daisy?”

Eddie stared, wondering if she could read her thoughts. When she didn’t answer, Pippa clarified. “Do you want to have her cremated? We did that with Princess Podge.”

Pippa was a mess when their fifteen year old Persian cat passed. Eddie wondered idly if she was grieving convincingly enough. Should she cry more? Could she cry more? She didn’t think so. She felt sad and numb, but mostly she was restless to start looking up cures. There was no way her friends would leave her alone until they were sure she wouldn’t fall apart, so that would have to wait. Anyway, what had Pippa asked again? That’s right - what to do with Daisy. She was far from an expert but she imagined that cremating a body would make it harder to bring back to life. A plan started forming in her head. As she chewed on her lip, Eric squeezed her hand.

“It’s ok if you don’t want to think about it right now, but Pippa and I will help you with organising it, whatever you want.”

“I know what I want.” Eddie nodded, her mind set. “I want to bury her. Now.”

Eric’s eyebrows shot up. “Right now? Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sure.” Then, a thought occurred to her and she swung round, searching. She was so used to Daisy being in the house, it hadn’t occurred to her that she could be anywhere else. “Where is she?”

Pippa’s face reddened and she stammered as she answered.

“Oh, um, she’s… well… she’s in the freezer.”

Eric stared at Pippa like she had grown two heads. “Sorry, what!?”

“Well I didn’t want her going off.”

“She’s not a quiche Pippa.”

“No I know that, but she’s made of mea- I mean, she might start smelling if we left her outside.”

“That’s so messed up.”

“Well I didn’t know what to do! Neither of you were answering your phones!”

“But the freezer, Pip, I mean Eddie is going to use it in the future.”

“Not now I’m not.”

Pippa groaned, burying her face in her hands.

“Wait!’ Eric held his hand up. “Where is the ice cream?”

Pippa shook her head, staring through her parted fingers with a look of horror. “Don’t ask me Eric, please.” She mumbled.

He gasped. “Where is the phish food, you demented woman?”

“I think we both know where it is.”

Eric’s mouth opened in shock.

Pippa looked like she was about to start crying.

Maybe it was the stress of the day, or the tiredness, or the uncertainty around bringing Daisy back with magic she only just found out existed, but Eddie felt herself bubbling up and spilling over. She burst into laughter and once she started, she couldn’t stop. She laughed and laughed until her ribs ached and tears slid down her cheeks. Then, hiccoughing, she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “Fucking hell Pippa, you need to be committed to an asylum.” Pippa started to apologise, but Eddie cut her off. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t know what to do with her either.”

The three of them looked past the kitchen counter at the white fridge-freezer in silence. Save-the-dates, postcards and the council’s bin-day schedule were held up by bright-coloured magnets on the door. It looked exactly like it always had done, completely inoffensive.

Eddie put her mug down on the coffee table and stood.

“Come on, I think there’s a spade in the shed.”