Wind Over Marshdale

by Tracy Krauss

  “Lovely! Positively lovely,” crowed the larger of the two. “Do sit down my dear and tell us all about yourself.”

  Rachel looked questioningly at Con. He mouthed the words “I’ll tell you later,” and excused himself as more guests arrived.

  ****

  “So I guess I wasn’t so off after all,” Suzie Chang said with a satisfied smile.

  “Yeah, yeah. We heard already, sis,” Billy said.

  Suzie and Billy Chang, Ryder Lone Wolf, and Tyson McKinley were sitting around the campfire near the outdoor skating rink.

  “Heard what?” Bonita asked, coming to join them.

  “You know, the whole Marni Hyde thing,” Tyson shrugged.

  “I’m not sure I heard all the details,” Bonita said. “Is it true she killed her sister and was pretending to be her?”

  “Actually, she really thought she was both people,” Suzie informed with a gleeful smile.

  “Like a ‘schizo’ or something,” Ryder put in.

  “Actually, it’s more like a dual personality,” Billy explained. “Apparently, she killed her sister more than ten years ago out in Squamish. Then, a few years ago, she snapped. Probably from guilt. She says her sister came back and inhabited her body, that they were living together.”

  “Like she was possessed,” Suzie put in.

  “Why would anybody do that?” Bonita asked. “Kill their own sister?”

  “She felt it was her duty to cleanse the world, or something. She’d done all the research on the witchcraft and other occultish stuff that Mirna was into back then, as a way to combat it, I guess. But it apparently backfired.”

  “I’ll say,” Suzie nodded.

  “So that’s how she knew about all that weird stuff,” Ryder said. “How she was able to be both people so convincingly.”

  “They say she was researching Native spirituality, too,” Billy continued. “Probably ‘cause she felt your dad was the next target. The next person she had to get rid of.”

  “It’s creepy,” Bonita said with a shake of her head.

  “What about the digging in the basement?” Tyson wanted to know.

  “The cops found some different stuff down there. Bones of little dead animals and other weird stuff. Probably part of some spells or something,” Suzie explained.

  “No human bodies, though.” Billy laughed.

  “I went there once,” Bonita confided. “To get my fortune told.”

  “You did?” Suzie asked, wide-eyed. “What was it like?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” Bonita said, her whole body shaking. “Hey, Billy. You wanna join the hockey game?”

  “I’m not that good,” Billy admitted.

  “Who cares?” Bonita replied with a dismissive wave. “It’s all a bunch of old people out there. Shouldn’t be too hard to beat.”

  ****

  Rachel was taking a breather from skating and was sitting by the crackling fire on a homemade bench. A few “boys”—some of them not so young any more—played a friendly game of hockey on one end of the makeshift rink. Con was among them and she noted with interest how fluid his motions seemed on the ice. Bonita had also joined the game and Rachel was equally impressed by her agility. Someone screamed and ran by, laughing. Tyson McKinley was chasing Suzie Chang with a snowball and seemed intent on giving her a face wash. Rachel smiled at the horse play. It was typical of adolescents to tease one another mercilessly when, in fact, they liked each another.

  “Phew! I need a breather,” Con puffed as he flopped down beside Rachel on the bench.

  “Your aunts were very charming,” Rachel offered.

  “Indeed. A surprise for all of us,” Con commented, still panting.

  “So what happened? They certainly don’t appear to be here with designs on the property.”

  “That’s what’s so strange,” Con answered, considering. “They came wanting to reconcile. I mean, they didn’t say it in so many words, but from what everyone can tell, they seem to be here for nothing more than to be with family.”

  “That’s good news, isn’t it?” Rachel asked.

  “Of course,” Con agreed. “But after all these years, it’s hard to believe they could change so drastically.”

  “That seems rather ironic coming from you,” Rachel noted.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Aren’t you the one always talking about how people can change? That God can change anyone?”

  “Well, yeah, but…”

  “No buts about it,” Rachel stated emphatically. “Now, what time is it?” “Let’s see,” Con said finding his wristwatch under the layers of his outdoor clothing. “Ten to twelve. Almost midnight and a brand new year. We should go to the deck for the countdown.”

  “Okay. I have something else I want to talk to you about, but I think I’d rather wait until the New Year,” Rachel said with a secretive smile.

  “What is it?” Con pressed, grabbing Rachel’s hand as she rose from the bench. There was a look of intense expectation in his eyes.

  “Nope. Gotta wait,” Rachel teased. “Come on. We’d better get going or we’ll miss it.”

  Con and Rachel headed toward the house along with most of the other guests. Everyone was gathering to count down the old year and usher in the new. They reached the outside patio just as the counting began. Ten…nine …eight …rang out across the yard.

  At the sound of cheering after the last number was called, Rachel grabbed Con by the lapels and pulled him toward her for a kiss. His initial surprise soon turned to response as she kissed him with every ounce of feeling that she possessed.

  “Happy New Year,” she said breathlessly when she pulled away.

  “Happy New Year to you, too,” Con replied. “That’s an awfully dangerous thing to do to a man on a starry night.”

  Rachel giggled. “Oh, I could hardly wait!”

  “I see,” Con said grinning.

  “I’ve been ready to burst with it! But I wanted to wait until after midnight to tell you!”

  “Tell me? Tell me what?” Con said, eyeing her suspiciously.

  “That I did it!” Rachel burst out happily.

  “Did it? Did what? Rachel, just what are you talking about?”

  “That I did it. The other night when I went home from the hospital. I prayed and, well, I think I’m a Christian now.”

  Con was silent for a minute, absorbing what she had just told him. “Rachel, do you mean it?” he asked, his eyes sober.

  “Of course I mean it, silly,” Rachel replied, giving him a playful swat. “I did it just the way you told me. Just the way Pastor Todd said at church that time and at the Christmas concert. I got down on my knees and I confessed to God that I’m a sinner, and I said I was sorry for my sins and would He be my Lord and Savior.”

  “Oh, Rachel! I can’t believe it!” Con exclaimed, picking her up off the ground and swinging her around.

  “And the funny thing was, as soon as I prayed, this peaceful and happy sensation came over me and I knew it was true. Just like you said! And—”

  Con silenced her with a kiss.

  Someone cleared her throat. Both Con and Rachel looked up in embarrassed surprise. “Excuse me,” Sherri said. “But everyone’s looking for you. On the other hand, I can see that you’re kind of busy right now, so I’ll just go and stall them for a while. Just don’t make it too long.” She winked and went back into the house.

  God’s presence was everywhere. In the vast whiteness of the prairie that stretched past the horizon during the day. In the inky blackness of the night sky that now twinkled above their heads.

  “It’s so amazing,” Rachel breathed, leaning into Con as they both gazed up into the sky. “God is so big. Yet He cares about little old me.”

  “That’s right,” Con said. “Don’t ever forget it.”

  “How could I?” Rachel asked wide-eyed.

  “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” Con smiled. “When you first accept Jesus you feel as if the whole wo
rld is new. It even says in the Word that we become a new creation the moment we accept Christ. But there will still be hardships. Life won’t be a picnic, you know.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “You’ll still have problems, and sometimes you might even feel like giving up. Just remember that God’s promises are true and everlasting. He’ll never let you down.”

  “Thank you, Con. Thank you for introducing me to Him. I’m sorry that I didn’t listen sooner.”

  “Don’t be sorry. God works everything out in His own perfect timing. I think maybe I had to learn a few things myself about trying to manipulate Him.”

  “You?” Rachel teased.

  “Sure, me,” Con laughed. “I don’t have all the answers yet. I’m still learning just like you are. I thought I could make it happen according to my agenda. It wasn’t until I finally gave in—just surrendered you to God—that I finally had peace. I had to be willing to let Him have you, even if it meant I might not. And now here you are.”

  “God brought me out to the prairies for a reason and now I know what it was. He wanted me to meet Him here. I couldn’t hear Him in the city with all the clutter of my past life around me. But here I heard Him calling to me out of the quiet whisper of a prairie breeze. And out of the lips of the man that He made me love.”

  “Rachel,” Con said, his voice cracking. “Are you sure it’s me you love? That you’re not just rebounding?”

  “I’m sure,” she nodded. “And I’m sorry for all the hurt I caused both you and Thomas.”

  “Let’s leave that in the past, where it belongs,” Con replied.

  “Okay, although I was kind of looking forward to convincing you,” Rachel teased, batting her eyelashes.

  “Now that sounds like the best idea yet,” Con grinned, leaning in for another kiss.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  “You sure you’re up for this?” Con asked his friend and fellow spiritual warrior. He put his truck in park and cut the engine.

  “Absolutely. We’ve put it off long enough,” Thomas replied.

  “I already packed a trail in to Old Man’s Lake with my snowmobile,” Con said. “So the hike shouldn’t be too bad.”

  “I’m fine. Let’s do this.” Thomas opened his door and grunted as he gingerly disembarked from the cab. His chest still pained him a bit, but it was healing nicely. He’d have a true battle scar to show for the spiritual warfare he had been engaging in.

  The men trudged along the path and down to the site of the excavation. It was covered in snow—crisp and white and pure. A fresh beginning for an ancient place.

  Thomas lifted his eyes heavenward and opened his mouth to speak. His words rang out loud and clear on the frozen air. “Lord we come before Your sovereign throne today, recognizing You as the Creator and Master of the universe; of all that has been and will be—the Lord of time itself. We thank You for this land and for the men and women who came to possess it and who now live here. We ask that You lift the curse that has been upon this land, which came upon it through mankind’s own lustful desires and greed. We take authority over all the powers of darkness now in the name of Jesus, and we ask that You would redeem this land and its people for Yourself and for Your glory and Your honor…

  And we repent now on behalf of our brothers and sisters who have gone before, and who, wittingly or unwittingly, played a part in bringing damnation upon this region. Instead, we want to clasp hands in brotherly love and unity, recognizing that You have created us all in Your image, and that no one race is superior to another…”

  A gentle breeze lifted the words and carried them upward to the open sky. A new day was about to dawn in Marshdale.

  About the Author

  Tracy Krauss is a high school teacher by profession, and a prolific author, artist, playwright and director by choice. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Saskatchewan and has gone on to teach Art, Drama and English – all the things she is passionate about. After raising four children, she and her husband now reside in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC where she continues to pursue all of her creative interests. Her first two books, AND THE BEAT GOES ON and MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER, were both nominated for the ‘Indie Excellence Book Awards’ for religious fiction in 2011. As well, MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER and her third novel PLAY IT AGAIN attained bestseller status in the ‘Contemporary Romance’ category on Amazon. She also has three stage plays in print.

  Also from Astraea Press

  Chapter One

  October 1 (Saturday night)

  Before Beth could even scream, the filthy punk in a hooded sweatshirt crashed through the back door and covered her mouth with thin, smoky hands. She struggled to get off the couch but couldn’t squeeze loose from his grip. She tried kicking with her knees and bare feet, but the intruder stayed clear. Eyes opened impossibly wide, Beth’s most cogent thought was that Shane should be there.

  “Hold still! I didn’t come for you. But you gotta be quiet. Unnerstand?” He waited as if expecting an answer, though his hand remained over her mouth. “Nod if you unnerstand.”

  Bethany Muse nodded once, quickly. Her limbs were rigid and her insides felt like ice; she was nauseous from his stink.

  “I got a gun and I’ll use it if I have to.” He displayed the revolver jammed into his waistband. “I’m gonna take my hand off... but no noise. I also got a stun gun... and it ain’t as loud as bullets. Unnerstand?”

  Trembling, Beth barely nodded.

  “Okay...” He kept his bony fingers near her mouth, probably in case she changed her mind.

  “I don’t have anything.” She could taste his nasty smell. “What do you want?”

  “I’ll know it when I see it.” He quickly assessed the primary rooms in her small cottage. “We start in the bedroom.”

  Beth shook her head slowly sideways. “No. I’ll stay here. I won’t be any trouble.”

  “You’re coming with me.” He produced the stun device from his hoody’s pouch. “Bedroom.”

  If Shane Holder were here, this punk would be quickly reduced to about one hundred and forty pounds of bloody ground meat... but Beth’s ex-lover was two thousand miles away. She whimpered as the intruder shoved her into the bedroom. Just inside the doorway, Beth stood extremely still, hugging her torso. Fortunately, she was fully dressed: jeans and a buttoned blouse... because she and her girlfriend had planned on a late movie.

  The trespasser kept his zapper pointed toward Beth as he rifled through her desk and small file cabinet. A modified shoe on one foot explained his limp.

  “If you want drugs... I don’t have any.”

  “Shut up. I’m not supposed to talk to you.” He motioned toward the closet. “Move that way.”

  Beth took one rather reluctant half pace and then another.

  The burglar peered through dark glasses into the closet. “Pull down that suitcase... and open it.”

  “There’s nothing in there but hotel soap.”

  “Do it!”

  “I’ve got a boyfriend who’s a biker... he’ll kill you when he finds out.”

  “Maybe so, but he hadn’t been around here, ‘cause I been watchin’ your place for two days.”

  Actually it had been three years since she last saw her ex... and Shane had never even heard of Verdeville, Tennessee.

  “Suitcase. Down an’ open.”

  It would have been a struggle to retrieve the carryon bag from her crowded closet even if she weren’t terrified... with a threatening bladder. When she unzipped the sides, its front fell down to the floor with a loud plapp. Beth kept her hand on the retractable handle, partly to support her wobbling legs.

  The intruder seemed nearly as anxious as Beth. He leaned forward and felt around the insides of the case with his free hand. “Empty.”

  “Like I said.” She gripped the handle tighter. “Just tell me what you want so you can take it... and leave.”

  The man reeked of smoke... but not regular cigarettes. He seemed uncertain, way out
of his league. Maybe this was his first robbery of anything besides possibly drugs. “He said I’d know it when I see it.”

  “Who?” Beth felt faint. “Give me a clue what he wants.”

  “Shut up!” He looked around. “Must not be in here.” He eyed the door. “Back in the other room.”

  Beth hurried out. Though she wasn’t certain it made any difference in her situation, she was glad to be away from the bed.

  The robber scanned Beth’s living space and evidently spotted something of interest. “Lie on the floor, face down... while I finish looking.”

  No! Beth’s eyes searched for a weapon without moving her head so much that the creep would notice. The brick in her bookcase was too far away.

  The skinny man shoved Beth’s coffee table over enough to clear a spot on the floor near the bookcase. “On the floor... hands behind you!”

  “Look, just take what you want. I won’t give you any trouble...”

  He shook the stun device in her face like he expected it to rattle. “Floor. Now.”

  Being prone around this guy seemed like it might be her last moments on earth. There had to be a way out of this. Shane would know what to do.

  “Floor!” The burglar pressed something on the stunner and it made sparks... or arcs. Maybe both.

  Beth yelped. Even though it hadn’t touched her, the sight and sound nearly made her bladder start. “Okay, okay.” As she sank to her knees, she searched again for some kind of weapon. Whatever was going to happen—she was not going to let it be easy for him. On the low, single shelf of the coffee table were several fossils and unusual rocks which she’d collected over the years. She wished she had one shaped like a hammer... or a ceremonial Mayan sacrifice knife.