breakinglight11 | 31 Plays in 31 Days 2023, #27

Another from the story about the little girl with the witch aunt. This takes place after #24 - “Under the Pier”, and is building on the oddness of the other girl Maggie, and encouraging the reader to wonder what’s up with her.

Day #27 - “Magic Buddy”

GWEN, a tween who lives with her aunt
MAGGIE, a mysterious girl around her age

Early 2000’s, Cape Cod
~~~

(GWEN is walking home from school, distracted to the point where she doesn’t even see MAGGIE approach her.)

MAGGIE: What are you doing?

(GWEN startles a little and stares.)

GWEN: Going home. Uh— where did you come from?

MAGGIE: I live around here now. I told you that, didn’t I? So— are you busy? Because I wanted to ask you something.

GWEN: Uh. Okay. What?

MAGGIE: Are you going to be doing magic?

GWEN: What? What did you— why do you ask that?

MAGGIE: Because your auntie’s a witch. Isn’t she?

GWEN: How— how did you know that?

MAGGIE: (Snorting) Everybody knows that.

GWEN: Well… I don’t know. Aunt Rachel said she would teach me. But… I just don’t know.

MAGGIE: Are you crazy? What’s there to know? Don’t you want to learn magic?

(Pause.)

GWEN: I don’t know. Maybe I don’t.

MAGGIE: Why not?

GWEN: Well… what if it’s dangerous?

MAGGIE: Dangerous? Come on!

GWEN: It can be really dangerous!

MAGGIE: Do you know that?

GWEN: Yeah. I do. I’ve seen it.

(Pause.)

GWEN: That’s why not just anybody does it.

MAGGIE: Okay. I guess that makes sense. But still… think of all the cool stuff you could do. Magic has to be able to do cool stuff, right? Or else, why would anybody do it? And… what about your auntie doing it?

GWEN: Huh. Yeah. She’s done it for a long time.

MAGGIE: And she’s okay, right?

GWEN: Right.

MAGGIE: If she’s your teacher— well, you’d probably be okay, wouldn’t you?

GWEN: I guess… I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I want to be the one witch girl… doing weird witch things, nobody understands.

MAGGIE: I got you. You don’t want to be alone.

GWEN: Yeah. I guess so.

MAGGIE: But don’t worry. You’re not going to be.

GWEN: What do you mean?

MAGGIE: Because I’m going to learn with you.

GWEN: What? You?

MAGGIE: Yeah. Come on. Let’s go ask her.

(MAGGIE strides off confidently, while GWEN hurries to catch up.)