Chapter Seventy-two

Chapter Seventy-two
Kacy
"But how about your grandma?" Bryan asked in a worried tone. "We can't just leave her behind like this, you know."
"Don't worry about her." Just as I said these words, Grandma's body started vanishing like how Denver vanished when we sacrificed him. Our plan to reverse time is now impossible that she's gone. Immediately, I gathered all the herbs, including the book. I put them all in a black bag before helping Bryan out of the cottage.
Just when I opened the door, I saw a man wearing a Ghostface mask standing by the tree, looking right at us with a blade in his hand. Then he started moving towards us.
"Oh no, let's get out of here, Bryan." I used the necklace to open a portal. Then I pushed Bryan inside. We successfully escaped the masked man before he could kill us.
"Where are we now?" Bryan asked.
"At my mansion," I replied, helping him stand. "I'm sorry, I couldn't think of anywhere else to go. Do you have any idea who that man could be?"
Bryan shook his head. "Not really." Then he sat down on the couch.
"Should we ask for Francis's help?"
"That's a good idea, but I don't think it's a good time to reconnect with him. He wants to have a peaceful life, Kacy, and we can't just involve him with this," Bryan replied.
"You're right. That man didn't seem to have something to do with the past or with our friends."
Bryan pressed the bridge of his nose. "Your grandmother had just died, yet you're acting strong. You don't have to be strong, Kacy. It's okay to not be okay."
"You're telling me that as if you're not injured. Aren't you the one who's acting strong right now?"
"I'm telling you, it's just a scratch, a physical pain, but you, your damage is emotional. I think that's a lot to handle."
"Then what should I do? Sit and do nothing? I'd rather act strong and find a way to know that man than do nothing."
"Your choice. You can do whatever you want." He leaned down on his back, as if telling me he's done with arguing. I could see the expression of pain on his face.
"Are you sure you're really okay?" I asked. "We can treat your wound for it to heal quickly. I've brought these herbs and book from my grandmother's cottage. We can use it."
"Thank you." He sat up straight.
I opened the book and read again the prescription. Then I started preparing the herbs, put them in a bowl, and crushed them till they became slimy. It might look like an old, ritualistic way of curing wounds, but I believe in you, Grandma. I know there are things in this world that can't be explained by the human mind, and rationality doesn't produce magic.
"What are you doing?" Bryan asked, looking at me with so much curiosity in his eyes.
I know I might appear crazy for doing these weird things, but it's worth a try if it can cure Bryan's wounds. "Just sit back and relax. Let me heal your wound." I continued saying the spell, though Bryan couldn't hold his laughter back at what I was doing.
Finally, I used the herbs on his wounds and said the ritual, pulling out the bullet from his shoulder and mending the wound with invisible stitches. It was like the work of a professional mystical healer you'd only see in a fantasy movie.
I could see the wonder in Bryan's eyes. He's no longer laughing and instead became interested. "My wound is gone, and I don't feel pain anymore. How did you do that?"
"I already told you, it's in the book. Here. You can read this if you want." I handed him the grimoire.
Bryan opened it, and he seemed shocked as he started reading the line. He zoned out, eyes open, but it looked like his mind wasn't in the present moment, just like what happened to me when I read those lines. I let him read it while I went to the kitchen to check if there's some food we can eat.
I found a packet of ramen in the pantry cupboard. I boiled water in a small saucepan, cooked the noodles in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, and then added the seasonings and stirred well.
To finish the dish, I fried the gyoza in a separate skillet with a little oil until the bottoms were golden-brown and crispy. I boiled the eggs separately for 6 to 7 minutes and finally garnished my bowl with fresh sliced green onions, a sheet of dried seaweed, and a drizzle of sesame oil.
A few moments later, I went back to the living room with two bowls of ramen and a plate of gyoza dumplings. Bryan was still reading the book. I put the bowls and plate on the table and shook him. "Bryan, wake up. I've cooked something. You should eat to regain your strength." I took the book and closed it.
"I'm sorry, I got zoned out," Bryan said. "What did you cook?"
"Ramen and gyoza dumplings." I took a bowl of ramen and handed it to him. "Here. You can eat this."
"Thanks." He took the bowl and the chopstick and started eating. He slurped and got some broth on his face. "Mmmmm. This is delicious."
"You look like a kid." I sat down on the couch beside him.
He wiped his face with the back of his hand and cried. "I'm sorry. It's been a while since the last time I ate something this delicious."
"You're so dramatic."
I ate my ramen and realized it was delicious, just like what Bryan said, but not so delicious as to make me cry. We don't really have anywhere else to go right now, and there's a mysterious man chasing after us. That man couldn't be just someone ordinary since he had injured even my grandmother, who is a powerful witch. This is getting more and more dangerous, as our enemies aren't just humans and gangsters anymore but someone mystical.