Unlocks a door

I reached the front door and tried the handle. It turned, but the door resisted my pressure. They had locked it. I bent forward, preparing to spit into the lock and use the spell of opening. Lizzie had mastered it, but my grasp of it was less sure. I hadn’t used it by myself before. But then I remembered what the boy aboard the barge had said:

You don’t need spells, Alice, but speak them if they make you comfortable. All you need do is focus your mind and exert your will! Wish for what you want. Say to yourself, “My name is Alice.” Then be Alice. Nothing can then stand against you. Do you believe me?

The house had revealed itself in response to my command. So I straightened my back, looked down at the lock and concentrated.

‘Open!’ I commanded.

There was a click, and in obedience to my wish, the lock turned. I liked that. It made me feel in control. It made me believe that perhaps I could rescue those children despite the great odds against me.

B12 C16