[ WP ] Magic is viewed as a curse . It 's unpredictable , hard to control , and dangerous . Those few who find a way to wield it risk losing themselves in the process .

`` Hi, my name is Kevin.'' The man stood at the podium and addressed the room. They were in a church basement sitting in folding chairs. The smell of burnt coffee and stale cigarette smoke hung in the air. The two 60 watt bulbs did their best but the room was too big for them so remained mostly hidden. 
 
 `` Hi Kevin,'' the people in the room changed back automatically. 
 
 `` It's, uh, it's been six weeks since my last spell. I've been working the steps, ya know? Though I skipped the one about turning myself over to a higher power - that's what got me into trouble in the first place.'' Kevin gave a little chuckle. 
 
 `` I saw on the news today that Magisterio The Unknown got caught. Some guy in frickin' Kansas of all places. Just some redneck that got bored and started riding the lightning. I thought back to what Dillon told us - we have an addiction, the addiction does n't have us.'' 
 
 Kevin sat down to a smattering of light applause. Dillion, an older man with a white beard that was threatening to annex his entire head, sat to the side of the podium and said, `` Thank you Kevin. I'd like to hear from our new member Rachel.'' 
 
 A short, black-haired girl who could n't have been much older than 20 years nor much less than 200 pounds stared back at Dillon. Finally, she stood up and sashayed her way up to the podium. 
 
 `` Hi, my name is Raveness of the Dark -'' Rachel started. 
 
 `` Excuse me, no. Sorry. We use our real names here sweetie,'' Dillion said. 
 
 `` Do n't call me sweetie!'' Rachel snapped before regaining control. `` My naaaaaame,'' she said drawing the word out as long as possible, `` is Rachel. I guess whatever.'' 
 
 `` And how long has it been since your last spell?'' Dillon asked quietly. 
 
 `` I toss one off in the car over here. Knocked over some bums grocery cart.'' Rachel tried to sound flippant. 
 
 `` But that's not all that happened, is it?'' 
 
 ``... No. I smashed the car window too. My mom was driving. She started screaming at me.'' 
 
 `` That's why we're here. Every single one of us in this room knows that rush of a well-times spell. We know how empowering it is. Or spending months working on a love potion crafted to exacting standards. Or turning your enemies in some sort of vermin. All those things come with a cost Rachel. What brought you to us? It's ok - you're among friends.'' 
 
 `` Brittany Miller. She's a cheerleader at school. She's always been a bitch to me since grade school. I got tired of it one day. I researched a spell to make her shut up.'' 
 
 `` And did she?'' 
 
 `` Shut up? Yeah. They told me the spell took out her entire speech center of her brain. She could n't talk or understand anything. They arrested me. The judge said since it was my first offense he'd give me community service and I had to come to this stupid meeting.'' 
 
 `` What happened to the other girl?'' An older lady, maybe a little frumpy, asked. 
 
 `` They got one of those spell-reversal teams to look at her. Last I heard, she was mostly healed. I got kicked out of school so I do n't know for sure.'' 
 
 `` Rachel, that's why we meet. It's too easy for some of us to fall back into our old ways. Magic is too wild and uncontrollable. That rush of power is incredibly addictive. With these meetings though, we can help each other through.'' 
 
 `` What the hell do you people know about it?'' 
 
 `` Kevin, who you just heard, used magic to win a game of darts in a bar. He'd had a little to drink and ended up burning the place down. Marge back there almost killed a kid who kept playing in her flower bed.'' 
 
 `` What about you?'' 
 
 `` I did fifteen years in Arban prison for manslaughter. Got pissed off at my girl one night and lost control. I meant to hit her with a sleeping spell. Instead, I put a bolt of lightning through her chest.'' 
 
 `` Damn.'' 
 
 `` Yeah. But I've turned my life around thanks to the program. Whaddya say? You want to get clean?'' 
 
 `` I... I do n't know if I'm ready.'' 
 
 `` Well, we're here when you are. Just take it one day at a time.''
