Jess ruffled her hair again, a nervous habit she picked up from her dad after she cut it short. She thought it fit her better. It was sunset, and the crisp evening air felt cold in her lungs as she took a shaky breath. They were here. If only she hadn't been so stupid! Fuckin' hell Jessica. What are you going to do now?

She was crouched behind a thicket deep in her backyard. She lived in a cozy cottage with her father, mother, and cat. Had she had siblings, there wouldn't have been room for them. Focus Jess! They're here. You can't get caught! The birds were the only thing making sound currently as she crouched in the woods. If only she hadn't been as stupid as to practice witchcraft out in the open like that in front of her neighbors, but she couldn't help it! That kid would've gotten killed by the truck if I didn't do something!

But now she's screwed. Screwed so far into the piece of wood called "shit" that she may not be able to pull herself out, because now the government is after her. It wasn't exactly every day that a human could perform the magic only read about in history books. In fact, there wasn't one in thousands of years. Humans can only try to perform the spells Jess could, they call themselves "practitioners," creating spell jars and trying to cast spells. If there was any power to it, it wasn't as prevalent as Jess', but that was the problem. She had kept it a secret from everyone except her parents for a full eighteen years, but now she's on the news across the United States. So much for living in a small town in the middle-of-nowhere Alabama. She let out a little sigh, but even that felt risky.

WHHRRRRRRR!

Jess heard a helicopter roar overhead. The search party for her was getting serious. She had to find somewhere better to hide, especially to draw the government agents away from her parents. She couldn't risk them. Most people don't even believe witchcraft is real anymore, why the hell do these people want me so badly?

"Uh, Jessica?" She heard her fathers voice over a megaphone. Shit. "I'm so sorry, sweety, but they found us. Ah-hem!" Her father cleared his throat, and Jess' heart lurched. She had to give up. He only clears his throat when he's really stressed or scared. What will they do to him if I don't reveal myself? She heard the megaphone beep.

"Jess, hi, I'm Arnold. I'm with the United States government. We saw the video of you performing magic, and we had to ask to talk to you. Unfortunately some misunderstandings were made and... yeah I mean, we found your parents and not you haha..." Jess heard a new voice on the megaphone. It sounded genuine, but bad people can be manipulative. She decided to cast a spell to get into this Arnold guy's head, almost literally. Drawing a symbol on the ground, she muttered the incantation under her breath and placed her hand on the nearest life form around her, a flower. She placed it in the circle and finished muttering the correct words. The flower glowed before slowly melting into the symbol. A little hologram of this Arnold guy appeared above it.

"What do you want?" She watched the miniature balding man jump before tapping his head and smirking.

"I see, I see! Nice spell! We just need to talk to you. You could be the link to humans getting our magic back!" He reminded Jess of a sleazy car salesman.

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"What is your plan with my parents?" Arnold's smile turned into a smirk.

"Well, you can willingly come with us, or we can take them. Your choice hehe." You watched his miniature shrug.

"What do you plan to do with me if I go?" Arnold thought for a moment, or acted like that for dramatic effect. His hazel eyes were scanning the brush around the house.

"Like I said, we'll just talk, maybe watch you perform a few spells, and then keep in touch after sending you home. Deal?" He placed his hand out for a shake, as if expecting you to pop up and shake it. I may never get my parents back if I don't say yes, but I don't want to go with them. But my parents... okay. I know what to do.

Standing up, Jess took a deep breath and did a little shuffle, twisting on her heels. Then, she slowly made her way out of the brush. She stopped right in front of the short, slightly chubby, balding man and he jumped back in surprise.

"Oh! There you are. I guess I can call off the helicopter, eh?" He laughed as he elbowed Jess, waving the helicopter away. He turned back to her. "So, it's a deal?"

"My parents will be let go?" She glanced over to where the buff looking guards held her parents by their shoulders. Her dad pleaded with her with his eyes.

"Yeppydoodley! And I will personally see to it that you can get back to them." He held his hand out again. Jess gave him a faint smile.

"Against my better judgment, I'll trust you, Arnold," Jess lied and faked a laugh and shook his hand. Arnold beamed at her and signaled to the guards, who promptly let her parents go.

"Then we leave immediately! Ooohh isn't this exciting?" Absolutely not, but maybe for you.

"I guess so? Can I hug my parents goodbye at least?"

"Oh, sure. I don't see why not, but don't think we don't have our eye on you young lady!" Arnold chuckled.

"Uh, okay?" Jess stepped over to her parents. They rushed her for a hug. Her mom's blue eyes wet with tears and she saw the concern in her dad's brown ones. Jess took a shuddery breath. "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

"You better, J-ster," Jess heard the strain in her father's voice.

With one final squeeze, Jess separated from her parents and stepped over to Arnold.

"Okay. I'm ready Arnold," Jess placed one hand on her waist and another through her hair again.

"Magnificent! Let's go!" Arnold started walking around to the front of the house where... holy shit. There were dozens of cars parked around her small neighborhood. Good thing she didn't try to fight them all... Jess shuddered to think about what could've happened to her or her parents should she have tried that. She definitely didn't trust this Arnold guy. He seemed too unofficial to be a part of the government, but then again, it was Alabama. She faltered in front of the door to the car Arnold led her to. "What's up?" Arnold asked, looking a little concerned.

"Where are we going?" Jess asked, or rather commanded. Arnold let out a laugh.

"Just to Montgomery. We have to get to the state capital somehow to talk in a safer place for you." For me? Weird.

"Um, okay. That's like half an hour away. I can do that." Arnold nodded, smiling.

"Amazing! Well, hop in!" Under any other circumstance, someone like Arnold would have had Jess excited. Jess was definitely not excited for this. The only reason she didn't worry too much about going with Arnold was that she knew she could just cast a spell to return home. Well, if she could get the tools she needed, that is. 

Jess sat in the long limo-like car, right next to a guard. The guard didn't even turn to look at her as she buckled her seat belt. From the front seat, but not driving, Arnold looked back at her and gave her a... reassuring smile? Jess smiled back as to not arouse suspicion, but it looked kind of creepy. Jess turned around as the vehicle started moving and saw her parents waiting in the front of the driveway. Her mother was balling into her father, and it caused a pang in her heart.

I'll get back to you. I promise.