The Blender’s Bargain – Chapter 7

Archie

The bus rumbles down the street, jostling us in our seats. I grip the blender in my lap, knuckles white, and try to look calm.

What will we find at Garrick’s place? Answers, I hope.

This madness can’t continue.

My shoulder bumps against Garrick’s, and I jerk my lips into a weak smile. He nods back, silent. I sigh, glance out the window, and do a double take.

Was that a mailbox… waving at me?

No, just a trick of the light.

The town slips past the windows, and my mind wanders as I clutch the bag tighter. I love living here every day. It’s so different from where I grew up. The buildings, painted in bright yellows, pinks, and blues, seem almost alive. Cobblestone streets are lined with vendors selling fresh fruit and handmade trinkets, and the air is rich with spices and salty sea breezes. The bus stops, the doors open, and hot air blasts in. Summer is in full swing, with the sun beating down on us.

“Next stop is mine,” Garrick says, gripping the bar.

Near the bus stop, a lamppost leans towards the bus as we pass, like a flower stretching to sunlight. I shake my head and turn to Garrick.

“Do you see that?” I ask, pointing.

He follows my gaze and blinks a few times. “Is that lamppost… moving?”

“Yeah…” I trail off. It snaps back as the bus flies by.

Garrick and I both look at our silent appliances.

“It’s not just us,” he says, and I nod.

Yes. It’s not just us.

The bus screeches to a halt and starts honking.

“Hey!” yells the bus driver, waving at the street. Garrick and I stand up.

A young woman is lying in the street, her bike flung to the side. She pops up and holds up her hands.

“Sorry! Sorry!” She grabs her bike again, but the bike leaps from her fingers and takes off, rolling down the hill. She runs after it, waving her arms and shouting for it to stop.

“We should get off here,” Garrick says.

“Yeah. Come on, before the bus gets any ideas.”

We step off at the back door and the bus glides away.

A nearby manhole cover tilts up, as if peeking at our shoes. Yeah, I’m not going to mention that one to Garrick.

“This way.” He directs me down a side street. I’ve only been to his place twice, so I’m a little turned around. He lets go of my arm, and I wish it was still there, the comfort of his touch. This is all far too weird.

We walk the few blocks to his building in silence. Up ahead, a rusty fire escape creaks, twisting like a snake charmed by a flute.

I quicken my pace. The sooner we get inside, the better.

Garrick unlocks the worn wooden door to his building, and we step inside the entryway. I follow him up the narrow staircase, and at the top, he unlocks the door to apartment 2B. I step over the threshold and smile, remembering the coziness of his space.

Garrick’s apartment has a vintage charm that makes it feel like a home. The walls are painted a warm cream color, and pictures and paintings hang haphazardly on them. A plush sofa sits in the corner, and a coffee table sits in front of it, littered with books and magazines. A small kitchenette is tucked in the corner, with a stove, a fridge, and a tiny sink. The door to his bedroom is open, but I ignore it. It’s not right to spy on someone’s intimate spaces.

I set the blender down on the kitchen table and sink onto Garrick’s plush sofa. At least it’s cool in here. I tip my head back and let the air conditioning waft over my face from the vent in the ceiling.

Garrick busies himself in the adjoining kitchen, filling an electric kettle.

“Tea?” he calls over his shoulder.

“Please,” I reply. The familiar ritual is comforting after the strangeness of the day.

As the kettle bubbles to life, Garrick joins me on the sofa. Neither of us speaks for a moment. Then he turns to me, his expression solemn.

“What do you think is happening?” His voice is hushed, as if the walls themselves may be listening.

“I don’t know. It’s like the objects are… possessed.” Even saying it out loud sounds ludicrous.

“Let’s hope the toaster and blender can offer some insight when they wake up.” He leans forward and looks at them on the table. “I don’t know. They seem awfully quiet.”

“Yeah.” I push my body further into the sofa, avoiding eye contact with Garrick. Of all the people to be stuck in this bizarre situation with, why did it have to be him?

Two years ago, I made a clumsy pass at him during a late night grading session. I didn’t know he was already seeing someone. Stupid me. I should have known because he’s so damned hot. He let me down easy, but the sting of rejection lingered for months. We moved past it, but that awkward history simmers beneath the surface.

At least for me, it does.

He probably doesn’t even remember.

And despite everything, I still find him attractive. God, I wish I didn’t. I really do. Working together hasn’t helped matters because seeing him every day is like torture. I steal a glance at his tousled hair, his sleeves rolled up just so. Mmmm.

Get it together, Archie.

I take a deep breath and turn to him. “Well, I guess we’re in this thing together now.”

He nods. “Partners in possessed appliance crime-solving.”

I chuckle and glance away. Okay, so he still makes me laugh. I can work with that.

We sip our tea in sync.

A low hum emanates from the blender on the table. Garrick and I exchange a startled glance as a voice speaks up.

“Well, it’s about time we had a proper chat.”

Ah, Ysroth is with us again. Yay.

I hide my smile behind my hand, and Garrick bumps his shoulder against mine.

“Try not to laugh,” he whispers.

“Ysroth, old friend, let us not forget our manners,” Arvid calls out, rich and refined, from the direction of the toaster. “We are guests here, after all.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right as always, my good man,” replies Ysroth. “My apologies for the abrupt greeting. Being trapped in kitchen appliances for who knows how long has left me rather cranky.”

Arvid chuckles at his friend’s remark. “It was not our choice. Master Garrick, Mistress Archie, we appreciate you taking us into your home during this peculiar circumstance.”

I lean forward. “So, can you tell us anymore about what’s going on? You’re really wizards stuck in our appliances?”

“It would appear so, my dear,” answers Ysroth. “The work of a rather unsavory fellow wizard, I’d wager. He seems to have imprisoned several of us across this land.”

Arvid adds, “Indeed, we sensed the presence of others like us on our journey to this … place.”

Garrick narrows his eyes. “This is my apartment. And it’s a rather good apartment, too, if you must know.”

“Fine, sure. If you think it’s a nice place, then it is.”

That is not convincing in the least.

“These other wizards are trapped and scattered, just like us. We must determine how to reverse this spell and set ourselves free once more.”

Garrick opens his arms. “Great idea. Tell us where to send you, and we’ll all part ways.”

Ysroth lets out an exasperated huff. “Send us? No, no. It’s not that simple. We cannot be packed up and shipped off. Our imprisonment is the result of dark magic. It will take much more than mundane means to undo it.”

“What my esteemed colleague means is that we require your assistance in locating the source of this spell and lifting it,” Arvid says.

Garrick throws his hands up. “And how are we supposed to do that?”

“Yeah, we’re just teachers, not magicians,” I add.

“Not to worry. We shall guide you,” Arvid reassures us. “There are others out there like us who can help break this curse. We must seek them out.”

Ysroth grumbles. “Blast it all! This modern world is so detached from the magical arts. We’ll be lucky to find even one worthy mage in this concrete jungle you call home.”

I shake my head. “Hey, just because we aren’t wizards doesn’t mean we can’t handle this.”

Garrick nods. “She’s right. We’ll do whatever it takes — track down magical artifacts, ancient texts, mystical amulets.” He waves a hand in the air, indistinctly. “There’s got to be something in this city that can help.”

“Very well. Your courage is admirable,” says Arvid. “Let us begin this quest at once. The fate of the magical world depends on it.”

Ysroth adds, “No pressure, though.”

I draw in a deep breath. “Okay, where do we start? How do we track down magic-users or artifacts here in the city?”

Ysroth hums. “There are a few loci of power we could investigate. Though much has been lost to time, traces yet remain for those who know where and how to look. It seems your modern city is built on top of our old towns, so there must be something we can do.”

“Excellent.” Garrick claps his hands together. “Let’s make a list, then. Are there any places nearby we could check out today?”

“There was a spot in the old quarter we sensed emanations from while we were on that… contraption,” Arvid says. “Perhaps there’s a store or a house there?”

“Right. A location of power we passed? That must be Vieil Étoile, right?”

Garrick nods. “Yeah, we went through there on the way from school.”

I grab a pen and paper, jotting it down. “Got it. What else?”

“We need artifacts. What about institutions of learning?” Ysroth asks. “Do you still have those?”

Garrick rolls his eyes. “Of course, we do.” He sighs. “The university library has some kind of old rare book collection. I never had access to them, but I know they’re there.”

“Ah, then. He was right.” Ysroth grumbles a moment.

“Who was right about what?” I’m swiftly losing patience.

“The shelving unit in the closet told us this earlier today,” Arvid explains. “Ysroth did not believe him.”

Garrick’s eyes meet mine, just as wide with perplexity. What the hell is going on?

Garrick sighs. “Okay, fine. I can get us access to the library. Perks of being an adjunct professor in my spare time. But we’ll have to break into the restricted section.”

“Ooh, look at you breaking rules,” I tease, elbowing him.

He chuckles and shakes his head. “It’s no big deal. People look at the old books all the time.” He shrugs again. “No one knows the languages in them.”

Arvid continues, “There are a few other locales we can direct you to. But begin your search at the old town and library first.”

“We’re on it,” I proclaim. This is crazy but kind of exciting, too. “Operation Disenchant the Appliances is a go.”

Ysroth sighs. “Must you give everything these odd modern names?” But I can hear the smile in his voice.

“Yes, I must.” I groan as I stand up from the couch. “One more day of school left, and then it’s on to this grand adventure. I should be getting home.”

“Oh,” Garrick says, popping to his feet. “Um, you should stay. I was thinking I’d make us dinner.”

I pause, grabbing my bag.

Stop, Archie. This is dangerous ground.

He’s already turned me down. I would only make this worse by hanging out with him. I should keep this business.

But I look up at his eager face, and I remember that we’re still friends. Friends have dinner together.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.” I’m ready to bolt if he shows even the faintest sign of ambivalence.

His grin grows. “Stay. I have the perfect bottle of wine in the fridge.”

Go, Archie. Not a good idea.

Shut up, brain.

I set my bag on the couch.

“You said the magic words.”