FIREFLIES
CHAPTER TWELVE
FIREFLIES
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C:\Users\WKaplan\Desktop\Witch101\Recordings\witch101_july_31.mp3
02:08:11 | 02:45:15
“This feels like a really bad idea.”
“Well, you’re full of those so you should be right at home.”
“We couldn’t do this anywhere else? Like, literally anywhere other than a creepy abandoned Dunkin’ Donuts in the middle of nowhere at midnight?”
“Want answers from a demon, you gotta ask a demon and the only place to find one of those is at a crossroads. The Dunkin’ being here is just a perk. Doesn’t seem to have kept them in business much.”
“I don’t think I want answers from Satan.”
“Kid, we’re not summoning the devil, we’re summoning an imp. They’re only half demonic.”
“You’re sure it’ll know where Tommy is?”
“Demons are naturally more attune to chaos magic than most creatures. Ordinarily, we’d look for an answer in the one book we know they wrote but since your mom had the brilliant idea to eradicate every copy of the Darkhold from existence, we’re stuck going to the source.”
“Okay. What do I do?”
“Shouldn’t take much. You’re lit up like Christmas in July, the amount of power coming off you these days. You poured out the milk and honey, right?”
“Yeah, right here. Is that okay?”
“It’s fine. Just check that protection circle of yours again and make sure you don’t step outside it, no matter what they say or do.”
“Or what?”
“Or they eat your soul.”
“Seriously?!”
“Who knows, kid? I’ve never been dumb enough to step outside my protection circle around one.”
“AGA̧T̡HA ̷…”
“Did the…did that coffee maker just say your name?”
“Sure sounds like it, didn’t it?”
“OH͟ ͢AG̴A͞THA ͡…”
“Well, I guess that answers the question of whether it remembers me.”
“ITS҉ B̸E̢EN ̶A̡ LONG͞ T̸ÌM͘E̛ …”
“Agatha…what the hell is that…?”
“Don’t be rude, Teen. Imps are sensitive about their looks.”
“It looks like a pug exposed to the radiation at Chernobyl.”
“YO͜U B͝ROÚGH̀T̀ US͏ ̛A ͞N̷EW̕ ON͏E̛ ̕T̀O P̛L͝A͡Y WIT̷H͝.”
“W-we’re here to ask you questions.”
“Wow, real convincing, kid.”
“͡͞S͜SS̴SŚ ͏! NÒ ͏Q͝U̷E͠S͢TI͠O͟N͞S ͏!”
“Come on now, play nice. We’ve got treats for you.”
“…..TR҉EAT̷S̸?͜ ̸ ͝ “”
“Come on, Teen, hand over the goods.”
“Oh, er, yeah, here you go, I guess.”
“SME̴L̶LS ̕FUN̵NY ̛TH̀IS ONE͘ ̧”
“You accepted the offering, imp. Time to cough up those answers.”
“YOU MĮGH҉T̕ A͞S͞K̕, WE͝ ͡MI̧GHT ͘L̛I̴STE̴N ̕”
“I-”
“Nope, that’s not the deal. We ask, you speak. Imp’s will take a mile if you give an inch, Teen, keep your guard up.”
“Right. Okay. I want…I’m looking for my brother. He probably smells a lot like me.”
“S͞M̸ELLY B̶O͞Y͏ ͏̴ .”
“Be specific, Teen.”
“His name is Tommy. He’s…Agatha, how do I do this? I don’t know what he looks like.”
“Have you seen the eyes on this thing, kid? Tell it who Tommy is, not what he looks like.”
“He’s…well, he’s older than me, by two and a half minutes. He cheats at video games. He never made fun of me for being afraid of the dark. He can’t sit still. And I…I think he’s in trouble.”
“SM̷E̵LLS͠ ͡L̸I͘K̛E D̴EATH͏ ̀ .”
“Yeah, I guess he would.”
“L͏IK̛E ̕W̷ITCH͏ ̨.”
“Hey, knock it off, gremlin, you can’t have this one.”
“KEEP AN EYE ON THIS ONE, SIR. HE’S TROUBLE.”
“Wait, what was that? Who was that voice?!”
“YOU̢ ҉A̴SK͢ ̢WE͡ SPÉA͠K ̕.”
"Agatha, what does he-?"
"Oh, you little piece of shit, you know what I meant.”
“Y̛O̕U̡ ͏A͠SK͡ED́ WE SṔOK̷E̴ ͟NOW W͡E FEE̢D ͏!”
“Whoa! Agatha, the circle-!”
“Wards, Billy! Now!”
“F̀E͟E̢D̵ ͝͞UŞ̛ ̧, C͏̀͟HA̸̷O̷͘͝S ͘͜͜͠.”
“Expelle hoc malum, expelle! It’s not working!”
“FĘ͟ĘD҉ U̡͞S̢ S͏̕̕C̨̀͢AR̛̀LĘT̸ ̛S̡͢PA͘͜Ẁ̴N̴.”
“It’s eating through the chalk, Billy, try again!”
“F̀E͟E̢D̵ ͝͞UŞ̛ ̧!”
“I-I can’t! It’s…I don’t-”
“FĘ͟ĘD҉ U̡͞S̢ S͏̕̕C̨̀͢AR̛̀LĘT̸ ̛S̡͢PA͘͜Ẁ̴N̴!”
[Playback Error 39: File Corrupted]
02:21:11 |||||||| 02:45:15
“…what’re you…”
“Look…! I can’t-!”
“F̀E͟E̢D̵ ͝͞
“-ot today-”
“Billy!”
02:35:11 | 02:45:15
“…gatha? Can you hear me? Come on, just…blink or something…”
“…lying little sucker.”
“Oh thank God! Oh wow, I- are you alright?!”
“Feel like I just swallowed a vat of battery acid. Wasn’t expecting that.”
“Yeah, me neither. How’d you know you could siphon its power like that?”
“…I didn’t. But that’s handy new trick of mine. Wait, what is that?”
“I…well, I think I might’ve made a new protection circle.”
“Big enough to include a few city blocks, I see.”
“I didn’t really think about it. I just cast.”
“You Maximoffs and your giant glowing domes.”
“It worked, I think. Well, kind of. The Dunkin is gone.”
“Good riddance. Wow, head rush. Which is weird because I don’t have a head anymore technically.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, pet, just adjusting to the new juice. Demonic magic is…well, it’s something.”
“Do you feel any different? Any side effects?”
“Not that I can sense but we’ll table this exciting new development for now. You still in one piece?”
“More or less. I can’t believe I was such an idiot though. You told me to be specific and I just…ugh, I fumbled it.”
“It’s not…nothing.”
“Keep an eye on this one, he’s trouble? What the hell does that mean?”
“It means we’ll figure it out. Have a little faith, kid.”
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ENCRYPTED STATUS UPDATE - TRANSMISSION
ORIGIN: Field Operative [REDACTED], Green Park Correctional Center
TO: Division 7 Oversight, Site Epsilon under DOJ Commission on Superpowered Containment (CSC)
SENT 04:15:32 EST 01/08/2026 [security code #### confirmed]
> Subject 6A appears malnourished but remains physically capable beyond baseline parameters for a standard 16-year-old male. Unaware of operational intent but exhibits heightened awareness of surroundings. Possible subconscious application of abilities.
> Embedded operatives report subject has been returned to general population following minor altercation. Subject 6A exhibits no overt resistance but continues to demonstrate heightened reflexes and accelerated recovery from injuries. The suppressant protocol (Compound S-91) has been administered, though observed efficacy is inconsistent with projections.
> Sedative absorption rate is anomalously high. Serum levels suggest hypermetabolism. Additional dosage risks medical complications that could attract attention. However, should not subject’s metabolic resilience may render current sedation insufficient during planned extraction. Suggest augmenting transfer team with combat operatives for redundancy.
>Infirmary staff suspicious of extended stay. Embedded agents to escalate pretext for upcoming transfer (e.g., fabricated medical complication) as planned.
Field Team Lead Notes:
“The kid’s body is burning through everything we throw at it, but he hasn’t caught on yet. Whatever he’s running on, it’s not normal. If we don’t move soon, he might walk out of here on his own terms.”
TRANSMISSION ENDED.
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“Hello?”
“This is a collect call from an inmate at the New Jersey Green Park Correctional Facility. Do you accept the charges?”
“Yes, please.
“Please be aware this call is being monitored and recorded. Stay on the line…Hey, it’s me.”
“Oh, I thought it was the other prisoner I’m currently waiting to hear from.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll hang up soon to keep the line free. I just wanted to check in.”
“Don’t be stupid. How are you? You sound tired.”
“Worst sleep of my life in here, I swear. One of the guards is a real asswipe, keeps waking me up at all hours with medications from the infirmary.”
“Still? What’re they for?”
“They think I might be susceptible to infection or something, I think. I don’t know, I just know he looks real pleased to be kicking me out of bed.”
“How are you otherwise? How’s the injuries?”
“Pretty much healed, to be honest. Guess the pills are doing something after all.”
“So...I reached out to Lawyer Jeff.”
“Oh yeah?”
“He’s…nice. Like, really, nice. I kind’ve expected someone a little more cutthroat from how you described him.”
“That’s Lawyer Jeff for you.”
“He said he might be able to organise for me to come visit you soon.”
“Lisa...”
“What? Don’t you wanna see me? Scared I’ll embarrass you in front of all your cool new inmate friends? I’m an ex-con, you know.”
“Firstly, I’d be more concerned the two people in here that don’t actively wish me dead would take one look at you and dump me instantly. You’re cooler than I’ll ever be.”
“Aw, shucks.”
“But seriously, this place sucks. Don’t come down here, it’ll suck all the joy out of you.”
“I can’t just sit here, Tommy! Look, I’ve been trying to figure out where the other guy went from that night-”
“What? Lis, the guy had a gun!”
“Yeah, that he left you holding. It’s not as though I’m making much headway, apparently he slipped the cameras in the parking lot and vanished down a side alley. Not exactly a lot to go on.”
“Far be it from me to praise the cops but this is their job. Don’t get yourself hurt trying to hunt down a literal murderer, Lisa.”
“Hmm, I’m sorry, I don’t take life advice from people in prison.”
“Guess I deserve that one.”
“I’m just worried, Tommy. Mr Kaplan made it sound as though the cops have stopped looking for the other guy entirely. They’re just pinning their case to you and hoping it sticks. I think…maybe you should show them the video.”
“No.”
“Seriously, it’s better to be charged with planting evidence than murder. For one thing, you might get out of prison before your good looks fade and I’m stuck pining for an old geezer with no teeth.”
“Jeez, you’ve really thought this through.”
“I have a lot of time on my hands now that you’re not around to distract me.”
“…you’d pine for me?”
“Ahem. That’s not the point.”
“That’s not a no.”
“Shut up and listen. I can email the video with Greg anonymously to the police and the timestamps will prove you weren’t at the store long enough to rob the place. It’s better than a life sentence, Tommy.”
“And it lets Greg off the hook completely. Asshole will probably file a suit against the city and win a fortune in the settlement. No, I can’t do it. I won’t. Besides, it means explaining, you know…”
“Ah yes, your micropenis.”
“Funny. We really need a better codename.”
“I’m serious. Think about it, this might be the only way to clear your name.”
“I can’t, Lis. I’m sorry, I just can’t.”
“…then I guess I have a murderer to go find.”
“Lisa, come on.”
“I’m not sitting on the sidelines on this one, Tommy. You might not remember it but you’ve saved my ass too many times for me to sit back and watch them fry you for this.”
“They don’t fry people anymore.”
“You know what I mean. Look, keep your head down and let someone help you for once, okay?”
“Lisa, I-”
“Connection expired. Call disconnected.”
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From: Wright, Harrington & Connors LLP <[email protected]>
Subject: Important: Notification Regarding the Estate of L. Calderu
Date: 5 August 2026 at 14:08:37 pm EST
To: Billy Kaplan <[email protected]>
Marked as Spam: This item will be deleted in thirty days. To keep this item longer, move this item to Inbox.
Dear Mr Kaplan,
We are reaching out on behalf of Wright, Harrington & Connors LLP, the legal representatives handling the estate of the late Lilia Calderu. You have been identified as a named beneficiary in the execution of their Last Will and Testament.
As part of the probate process, it is important that we confirm your identity and verify your contact information. Kindly respond to this email or contact our office at your earliest convenience so that we may provide further details regarding your inheritance.
Please note that failure to respond within 14 days may delay the disbursement of any assets you are entitled to receive. If you believe this message has reached you in error, please disregard it.
Sincerely,
Zahra Misrani
Estate Administrator
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Boyf
+416 2242-044
In your room, where are you?
On roof.
Come out the window.
Boyf is typing…
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C:\Users\WKaplan\Desktop\Tommy\Scrying\Attempt_033_aug_06.mp3
03:14:19 | 03:59:07
“There you are.”
“Here I am.”
“Not a bad view from up here.”
“Just felt like getting some air tonight.”
“How’s Agatha?”
“She’s out hunting more imps and demonic creatures to test out her new siphoning skills. We’ve been trying to map chaos magic for hours. I think she needed a break.”
“That explains the serial killer cork board in your room.”
“When Wanda’s hex broke, it left ambient traces of chaos magic all over the northeast. Literally every inch of the map is just soaked in red. There’s no way to know if any of them are Tommy.”
“That sucks, I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. I’m just tired, you know?”
“I know. What’s that?”
“Oh, Jen showed me how to make them on a video call earlier. They’re called proxies. Like magical trackers, you conjure them and send them out in all directions to look for something and if they come back, then they found it.”
“They’re pretty. Like firebugs. So any come back yet?”
“Not a single one. They’re only meant to work inside a mile radius but I feel better making them than doing nothing.”
“Well, I have a new list of potential drowning incidents to look in to around the state. Might turn something up.”
“God, listen to me. Serial killer cork board, demon hunting, drowning incidents. This is so messed up, why did I drag you in to this?”
“Well, to be fair, you kind’ve kicked me out of it first and then I pushed my way back in.”
“You should be enjoying the summer, you know? Getting hyped for junior year, not dealing with my crap.”
“Okay, the tortured hero schtick is only sexy in movies. If you start monologuing about how I deserve better, I’m going to push you off this roof-”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. We’ll figure this out.”
“Yeah. I hope so.”
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Burlington County Times
NEWS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT OPINIONS
Rare Firefly Phenomenon Lights Up Burlington County This Season
Casey Nasir-Butler, Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Published 6:21 p.m. EST Aug. 9, 2026Springfield, NJ – In an unexpected and enchanting spectacle, fireflies have made their most abundant appearance in years across Burlington County this summer. Residents and visitors have been treated to a glowing display as thousands of these bioluminescent insects light up the night skies in fields, forests, and backyards.
Experts say the sudden surge in firefly activity is likely due to a combination of factors, including mild weather conditions and an abundance of suitable habitats for their larvae. “It’s a rare but delightful phenomenon,” said local entomologist Dr. Emily White. “Fireflies are sensitive to changes in their environment, and this year, everything has aligned perfectly.”
In just two days, a multitude of fireflies have been putting on their signature light show in early evening hours, creating a magical ambiance that has drawn attention from both nature lovers and photographers alike.
While firefly populations have been dwindling in some areas due to habitat loss and pollution, Burlington County’s glowing spectacle offers hope for the survival of these beloved creatures. As the season progresses, local wildlife organizations are urging residents to protect the firefly habitats by limiting light pollution and maintaining green spaces.