By the time Genesis finished explaining her dream to Charlotte, her friend's jaw was hanging open.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Charlotte. "Mirna actually decided to make you her successor?"

"She did," said Genesis. She looked down at her hands, wondering what it would be like to conjure light or fire or something from them. She felt no different, which made sense-Mirna had said she'd have to do some kind of Awakening ritual to unlock her powers.

"Why would she do that?" Charlotte asked. "I thought she didn't like you."

"Maybe she didn't at first," said Genesis. "But it sounded like she's changed her mind."

"Wait till Cassy hears about this," said Charlotte. She picked up her phone and looked at the notifications. "Oh. Cassy left early."

"That's okay," said Genesis. "We'll tell Ramona and Modesty about it." She got out of her sleeping bag and put her tank top back on.

"Wait," said Charlotte. "Were you just sleeping in your bra?"

"Yeah. Didn't you notice?"

"No."

Genesis shook her head. "Let's just go see if everyone else is up."

Genesis and Charlotte left the bedroom and went out to the living room area. Charlotte picked up a note left on the counter and read it. "My parents already left," she said. "They had to take my aunt to the airport."

"Already?" said Genesis. "Wow."

"Where's Ramona?" Charlotte asked. "And Modesty?"

"There they are," said Genesis, pointing out the back window. "They went into the backyard."

When Genesis opened the back door, Ramona and Modesty looked over at her. "Good morning, Genesis," said Ramona.

"Hey Ramona," said Genesis. "What are you doing out here?"

"Modesty and I found something," said Ramona. "Charlotte's aunt must've left it behind by accident." She held up a half-empty cigarette pack.

Genesis crinkled her nose. A few years ago, when she was Gene, he and his friend Wallace had tried smoking cigarettes, but they found they did not like it at all. Even now, she found smoking to be a very disgusting habit. "You should probably put it back where you found it," she said. "If Charlotte's aunt comes back looking for it-"

"Actually, I'm kind of curious," said Ramona. "I've always wanted to see what smoking actually feels like."

A year ago, Genesis wouldn't have given two shits about Ramona Dunby smoking. But times had changed. "Ramona, don't do that!" she said. "Smoking's bad!"

"Yes, yes, I know the risks," Ramona sighed.

"Trust me, it's not fun," said Genesis. "I tried it before, and it was disgusting."

"Calm down," said Modesty. "It's not that bad. My mom smokes every day, and she's fine."

"Ramona, please," said Genesis. "Don't try smoking. It's just not a good idea!"

"It's okay," said Ramona. "I just want to try one cigarette. That's all." She pulled a cigarette out of the pack and put it in her mouth. She took out a lighter that she must've found with the cigarette and clicked it. She lit the tip of the cigarette, and it started to smoke.

Ramona's eyes widened as she felt the smoke enter her lungs. She coughed out some of the smoke and said "Oh my gosh," she said. "This is just..."

"Are you okay?" Modesty asked.

To everyone's surprise, Ramona sucked even more smoke from the cigarette. "This feels great!" she exclaimed.

Genesis groaned. Ramona had done it. She was already addicted to smoking. She'd tried to talk her out of it, but she couldn't. "Trust me, it won't feel great for long," said Genesis.

"You got that right," Charlotte said grimly. "You should hear my aunt coughing after she's blown through a whole pack of cigarettes."

Ramona kept smoking until the cigarette had burned right down to the filter. When it did, she threw it onto the ground and stomped on it to put it out. "Okay," she said. "That was fun." Reading Genesis' expression, she added "Don't worry, Genesis. I won't do it again."

"You'd better not," said Genesis. "Or else I might have to cast a spell on you."

Ramona's stoned expression morphed into one of confusion. "What?"

"This is gonna sound crazy, but I'm a witch now." Genesis told Ramona and Modesty all about her vision of Mirna.

"You're JOKING," Modesty said when Genesis was done.

"No, I'm not," said Genesis. "I'm going to be training to become a witch!"

"Wow," said Ramona. "I'm jealous."

"Why?" said Genesis. "So you can turn me into a mouse?"

Ramona laughed. "Maybe."

"You'd better call up the Council Of Witches," said Charlotte. "Have them set you up with someone who can train you."

"Good idea." Genesis got out her phone and the Council Of Witches business card, then dialed the number.

The phone rang for a minute before someone answered. "Good morning," said a smooth feminine voice. "You are speaking with the Council Of Witches. How may we be of assistance?"

"Uh, yeah," said Genesis. "My name's Genesis Rookwood. I'm calling because there was a witch named Mirna Abbot who died recently, and she wants to pass her magic powers on to me."

"Mirna Abbot, you say?" the person on the other end of the line said. She (Genesis assumed it was a she) was silent for a moment, apparently looking at something on her computer. "Yes, our records do indicate that she was murdered recently. Apparently back in October, she was shot to death at the mall where she worked?"

"Yes," said Genesis. "I don't know it's taken her this long to decide who to pass her magic on to, but..."

"Well, she definitely wouldn't have passed it on to Lucas," said Ramona.

"Hang on, I'm getting something," the receptionist (?) said. After another moment's pause, she said "Our seer just told me that yes, Mirna Abbot has decided to pass on her magic to someone new. It sounds like you're the recipient of her magic."

"I am."

"Well, we'd be more than happy to assign a witch to train you," said the receptionist. "Where do you live?"

"Roanoke, Virginia."

"Ah, there is a witch there," said the receptionist. "She's fairly new-she only had the Awakening performed on her two years ago-but she should be able to train you. Her name is Megan Hawthorne."

Genesis was so shocked, she almost dropped her phone. "Megan Hawthorne?"

"Yes. Is something wrong?"

"Uh...no," Genesis lied. "Are you going to get me in touch with her?"

"Of course," said the receptionist. "I'll reach out to her right after I'm done with this phone call."

"That's great. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Enjoy the rest of your day."

When Genesis hung up the phone, she turned to address Charlotte, Ramona, and Modesty. "What's wrong?" Charlotte asked. "Who's Megan Hawthorne?"

"Apparently, she's a witch in our area," said Genesis. "And, unfortunately, I have a history with her."

"What kind of history?" Ramona asked.

"Well, when I was a guy, well..." Genesis closed her eyes, embarrassed at the memory. "I was at a party that Megan also went to, and I got drunk and...well...I tried to rape her."

Charlotte, Ramona, and Modesty exchanged looks of horror. "You did what?" Ramona asked.

"I was only fourteen!" Genesis defended.

"Then you definitely shouldn't have been drinking," said Modesty.

"I know," said Genesis. "After I tried to rape Megan, she was so traumatized, her parents had to pull her out of school and homeschool her. After that night at the party, I never saw her again. But now she's a witch, and I have to have her train me..."

"Don't worry," said Charlotte. "Remember how you said Mirna cast a mass memory-altering spell, so no one remembers you as Gene?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe that means she erased that party from history. Maybe Megan won't even remember that you tried to rape her."

"But she's a witch. Would the memory-altering spell even work on her?"

"I don't know," said Ramona. "It didn't work on me, or your dad, or my mom."

"Only because I told you before the spell went into effect." But Genesis still wasn't convinced. By now, she was starting to hyperventilate from the panic.

"Hey, calm down," said Charlotte. "Even if Megan does remember, surely she'll see that you've learned your lesson. That was the whole reason Mirna changed you, wasn't it?"

Genesis took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Yes," she said. "Yes, it was."

"Just pretend you've never met Megan before," said Charlotte. "You'll be okay."

"I hope you're right," said Genesis. "I hope you're right..."

To be continued...