Returned by Keeley Smith

concentration, when he was developing a new gadget to sell. This look, where his eyes narrowed, his mouth pulled into an angry scowl and his jaw pulsed as he ground his teeth together, wasn't a great one. Last time he'd witnessed such a look, he’d had verbal whiplash for months. He’d made the grave mistake of setting Eli up on a date. It hadn’t gone down well.
    “Well… remember when you told me I would have some sort of power?” He could hardly believe he was saying it.
    “It's not something I'm going to forget, Jack, and I recall you laughed at me and continued to watch your garbage on TV.” His jaw pulsed some more.
    Christ, it was becoming worse.
    “Well, I think I’ve got my powers today. No big deal though,” he shrugged and held back the wince that one small action caused.
                  The kitchen was as long as the cottage and was situated at the back overlooking a shield of trees. It was light and airy and creamy yellow in colour with light wood cabinets and cupboards. Walking the short distance, in his condition it was a marathon, to the fridge, he opened it and reached for a can. His mouth and throat wept with gratitude as the cold liquid exploded and fizzed its way down. He heard Eli’s heavy footsteps behind him.
    Three, two, one-
    “Jack, you need to do some explaining! What the hell happened? What do you mean you just have powers now? That she deserved it? If I know the person you said deserves it... Christ, we're in serious trouble.”
    Jack turned and watched Eli have some sort of middle age breakdown. Eli pushed his hand through his short conker red hair. He wearily approached Eli, past experience taught him to be careful when someone was angry. Eli had never lashed out but there was a first time for everything.
                  He cautiously placed his hands on Eli’s shoulders and looked deep into his eyes. Why was Eli worrying so much? He could handle a little girl, easy peasy.
    “Listen, I can handle the situation.”
    Eli laughed loudly. “You cannot handle that witch, Jack. She is very powerful, as you've probably already found out.” Eli looked him up and down before focusing on his face. “I can see you already had some sort of fight. What happened?”
    “Okay. I was with Lee and Adam,” Jack began as Eli paced in front of him. “We spotted this girl outside the witch shop-”
    “When?” Eli interrupted.
    “Errrmmm, Thursday I think.”
    “Jesus, why didn't you tell me sooner?” Eli scolded as he pushed his hand through his hair in exasperation.
    “Because nothing happened...well nothing much,” he mumbled. Before Eli could shout at him again, he continued. “Anyway, I thought I would have a laugh with her, yer know... So I had a go at this girl and then that woman who owns the shop, the weird one, she came out to rescue her. Then we left. That was all that happened, well, the first time.”
    Eli had stopped pacing and he was now fixing him with a lethal stare.
    “The next time I saw her we were messing around in the field. Something happened to me, Eli. She was so deep in thought I managed to creep up on her, her face was a picture. I don't know what it is about that girl but whenever she is near I just feel so overwhelmed with emotions. I felt it, something in here.” He smacked his gut ignoring the instant rise of bile. He shouldn’t have done that. “The power I felt was immense, God, I can’t tell you how much it hurt-”
    “I know how much it hurts,” Eli interrupted.
    Right, Eli was a witch too, how could he forget that?
    “Anyway, I remember something pummelled headlong into my chest and then I was flying through the air. I remember feeling the ground smash into my back and then complete blackness.” He moved his hand over the back of his head where a dull throb was easing away but a bump had formed there. His hair was stuck in clumps of dried blood. “Well, I woke up but I wasn't on the floor.”
    Eli's brows shot up into his