Enchanted by a Siren

Chapter 7: Feral

Zen let out an exasperated sigh as the beach cut off into a harbor. She was getting nowhere. All the places she saw on the internet were way too far out of town for her to reach without taking a taxi or a hundred buses. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she figured she'd better get back before the boys started worrying. She could probably find her way home if they'd already left.

She turned and made to walk back when suddenly she saw Calum and Toby waving at her from the SUV as they drove past, Calum’s Mother in the driver's seat. Maybe she should enchant a boy with his own car she thought spitefully, but quickly pushed it down. She wasn’t that kind of girl.

She jogged over to them and got in the back of the SUV with Toby. “Where’d you go?” Asked Calum before Toby could get a word out. “Just walking.” She answered, hoping they’d drop it, but knowing they wouldn’t.

“Look, if you wanted to walk this far you should have told me. I could have walked with you.” Calum said flashing her another one of those breath-taking smiles. 

“Yeah, you had us worried.” Toby added.

“Sorry, I’m not used to people caring where I run off to.” She said with a faint smile. Toby looked at her curiously, but Calum shot him a look before he could say anything. 

Seeing the silent exchange between the boys Calum’s Mother chimed in. “Well, Zen, Hun. We do care. Calum loves wandering around too, but he knows he’s not allowed to go without a friend like he did the other night.”

“The other night?” Toby asked with a frown.

“Yeah, this rascal walked all the way to the Patterson’s house in the middle of the night to go see Zen.” His Mother said in exasperation. "Without our permission, I might add." She reprimanded, raising an eyebrow at him. He really wasn't going to live that down anytime soon.

At this Toby’s face turned cold with rage and he got out of the SUV. Slamming the door behind him. “Toby!” Calum called after him. “Get back in the car, man!” But he just kept walking.

Calum jumped out, chasing after him. “What is going on with you kids?” Calum’s Mother asked to no one in particular. Zen just sighed and got out to go after them, not wanting to spend one more moment in a car alone with Calum’s Mother to grill her.

Calum caught up to Toby and grabbed him by the shoulder to make him stop, but Toby just shrugged him off and turned to face Calum. “What a friend you are!” He spat at him. 

“What did I do?” Calum inquired, his face a mask of innocence.

“You went to her house in the middle of the night, Calum. You sure you want to keep telling me that nothing happened between you two?” Toby said, pointing a finger at him.

“What if it did, huh, Toby? I really like her and I’m not going to back off for your sake.” Calum replied, anger clear on his face now.

At that Toby let lose a punch that connected with Calum’s jaw. Calum stumbled back, holding his cheek. “Boys!” He heard his Mother’s voice carry to them, but he didn’t care he lunged forward and dove into Toby, body slamming him onto the sand. 

“Stop it!” Came Zen’s voice, close behind them now. He let go of Toby immediately in obeisance, though he wasn’t sure why. 

Zen caught up and planted herself firmly between them, but Toby jumped up and charged for Calum. Zen letting out a cry of fear that sounded more animalistic than human as Toby came barreling at her. 

She panicked and ducked, bracing for impact, but all she felt were strong arms closing around her, swinging her out of the way. Toby lost his balance as Calum easily picked Zen up and side stepped his friend's charging form in one swift movement.

Zen knew she should be afraid, but she felt exhilarated as Calum’s body pressed up against her. Her skin tingled as his warm breath hit her cheek, then suddenly his heat left her and what she saw when she turned made her go cold with fear.

Calum was holding Toby at arm’s length, choking him. He gulped for air as his face started to turn purple. Zen was frozen. The look in Calum’s eyes wasn’t him at all. He looked… Feral. She snapped back to reality as Calum’s Mom yelled. “Let him go, Calum!” His Mother clawed at his fingers around Toby’s neck, but he didn’t show any response. 

Realizing that this could be a side effect of the enchantment Zen jumped forward and put her hands on either side of his face. “I’m okay, let him go. He won’t hurt me!” She said desperately. Calum blinked as if only just coming back to himself and released Toby.

He fell to the ground coughing and taking sharp inhales of breath. He tried to say something, but nothing came out. Calum’s Mom placed an arm under his shoulder and helped him up. “We’re going to get you to a hospital, okay?”

She gave Calum a dirty look as she said. “I’ll deal with you later.” She turned and helped Toby back to the SUV. Calum stood there stunned, as if he had no idea what he had just done. 

Zen’s hands floated down to his arms and she gazed into his eyes, knowing full well that what just happened was all her fault, and said. “It’s okay, you didn’t mean to do it.” Her heart sank as a blue glint passed over his eyes. She released him like his skin was made of hot coals, realizing that she was pining after a guy who was literally enchanted by her.

“I didn’t mean to do it.” He repeated in a daze.

“I know.” She said, fighting to keep the pain from her voice. 

She turned and walked back to the SUV where Calum’s Mother was securing Toby in the front seat. Calum rushed after her and they got into the back before his Mom sped off to the hospital.

The ride was awkward and Calum’s Mom was mumbling something inaudible, while Toby’s breathing still sounded strained. 

Zen was looking at the road when suddenly she felt Calum’s hand closing around hers. She hated how good it felt. She had always made sure to stay miles away from any boys, knowing how dangerous it could be. She had never allowed herself to touch, kiss or even hug them, but none of them have ever been as persistent as Calum. 

It was only because he was enchanted, she reminded herself. Trying to get it through her thick skull. If she had known it would feel like this to be touched, to be wanted… Even if it was magically induced… She may have acted differently.

She felt eyes on her and looked up to see Calum’s Mom burning holes in her with the look she was giving them. It was like she knew that Zen was the reason her son was acting so strange. She immediately shook her hand out of Calum’s grasp and sat on her palms to keep him from taking her hand again. 

His Mother returned her gaze to the road and Zen refused to look at Calum, staring out the window instead, knowing the hurt puppy dog eyes he would be giving her.

They arrived at the hospital and both Calum and his Mom ran around to help Toby out of the SUV. Toby shrug away from Calum. “Don’t let him touch me.” He said with a raspy voice as Calum’s Mom hauled him to the emergency room. 

She threw Calum the keys saying. “Go park the car.” He just nodded with a pained expression and got in the driver’s seat. Zen hopped in next to him, not wanting to get left behind in the chaos. Though, in the back of her mind she knew he would never leave her behind. No, he could never leave her behind. She really needed to figure out a way to break the enchantment. 

She fastened her seat-belt and Calum chuckled at her. “I’m just going to go find a parking spot.” He gazed down at the seat-belt she had just secured around herself. She followed his eyes in disbelief, how could he be making jokes right now? “Safety first.” She said dismissively and he started the SUV, pulling into the first open parking spot he saw.

He put the car in park and they sat there in the silence, gazing towards the entrance, not particularly excited to go back inside. “Zen… I…” Calum started, but he couldn’t finish, because he honestly didn’t know what to say. ‘Sorry I tried to choke my best friend in front of you? I really like you and I hope you feel the same.’ He thought to himself, but the words fell flat.

She was looking at him now as he gazed towards his hands that were resting in his lap, as if the realization of what he had done only hit him now. She leaned forward and took his hand between both of hers. “Calum, you didn’t mean to do it. You lost your cool, that’s all.” She said, silently begging him to look at her.

He kept looking at his hand, intertwined with both of hers. Allowing his gaze to finally lift to her face. His eyes were a sullen mask of confusion. “What are you doing to me?” He asked and her throat tightened at the words. Did he know this was all her fault? Was he figuring out what she had done to him?

What he did next caught her by surprise as he leaned forward, closing his eyes, and tried to kiss her. She sucked in a breath and turned her head instinctively, his kiss falling on her cheek. There was no way she was going to let her first kiss be with a guy she enchanted into doing it. Calum pulled away, hurt clear in his eyes.

“We should probably go inside. They’ll be waiting for us.” She said quickly, trying to amend the situation.

“Yeah, probably.” He replied as he opened the car door, the pain evident in his voice. He started walking away, looking like a puppy that just got reprimanded for eating a shoe.

“Calum.” She called. Not sure what she was going to say, but she wanted to explain… It wasn’t that she didn’t want to. In fact, now that it almost happened, she was burning for it, but she couldn’t say any of that. So, instead the words that came out were. “I’ve never kissed anyone before.” Her cheeks turned blood red as she heard the words leave her own mouth. Of all the things she could say… That’s what she came up with?

Calum’s frown suddenly turned into a smirk, as if he understood, but all he said was. “Okay.” Before walking off, leaving her alone in the parking lot.

Zen watched as Calum disappeared into the hospital. Too stunned to follow. Should she even go inside right now? She was pretty sure she would be the last person Toby would want to see and her presence just seemed to cause more trouble. 

Instead, she decided to start walking back to the Patterson’s house. If she left now she’d probably be there before dark, but she wasn’t too worried. As long as she could sing she wasn’t really in danger from a human.