Dial For Spell

I give my partner a kiss on the cheek as we part ways outside of our apartment. She heads off to work and I do the same, stopping along the way at a what looks like an old telephone booth from decades ago. I step inside and unfold the door shut behind me. Inside I’m faced with a device that resembles the old pay-phones. Instead of a numeric keypad there is a capacitive screen with the faint outline of a handprint. I remove the glove from my left hand gingerly and flex my achey fingers before placing my palm on the capacitive screen. I feel a familiar numbness start to take hold, the sensation of pins and needles builds. Finally I hear the clunk of a solenoid and the latch on the receiver releases, I take it in my right hand and hold it to my ear, then speak the phrase I have been rehearsing all week. After a moment a monotone voice responds “You have requested a boon from Luluvium insert 6 large cells to continue.” I put the receiver down and pull a fistful of stout cylinders, all black save for a copper band on one end, from my coat pocket. I place them into the rectangular receptacle above the receiver one at a time. The machine whirs briefly then with a jolt of electricity feeling starts to return to my left hand, it aches even more now, I cover it with the glove and continue to the cafe for my usual shift.

The next few days blend together, we go about our work and routines as usual. Finally one evening as I’m passing by the banks of mailboxes returning home from my shift I notice a blue glow emanating from our box. A surge of relief fills me as I open it and find a small brown parcel inside. As I withdraw it from our mailbox the blue glow fades and I hurry upstairs.

I step into our small but cozy apartment and kick off my boots then rush to the kitchen where she’s just finished cooking dinner.

“Good news the spell arrived! Also dinner smells amazing babe.”

She faces me eyes filled with hope.

“Shall I cast it now or after dinner?”

“Now, please.” She says flinching slightly at the sound of her voice.

I open the parcel and retrieve a small brushed metal gadget from inside, there is one button, on it the word “cast” is engraved. I wince as I take the glove of my left hand and she reaches forward to cup my hand in hers and whispers “Thank you.”

I nod. Taking the gadget in my left hand I press it softly against the base of her throat “Ready?” She nods and I press cast, there’s a brief sharp searing sensation in my hand as the gadget glows crimson and then becomes inert, feeling lighter in my grasp. “There that should do it.”

She says my name hesitantly and then with new found confidence continues “thank you, and thank the Compiler.” She twirls, “oh this is lovely!” Finally her voice is feminine in the way she’s told me she’s dreamed of for years. It’s the most excited I’ve seen her since she realized her body had changed enough that she could fit a proper bra. I smile and place the gadget beside several others on top of the computer at the center of our small shrine. I follow her to the couch where we sit cozy, enjoying dinner, I massage my hand idly but the stiffness settles in regardless.