The woman’s expression changed to one of determined un-approval as she straightened and walked over to Marie’s mother. Marie turned and noticed a shadow growing on her mother’s shoulder. She could hear quiet words forming and hissing.
“Marie hates your meddling. If she wakes up and finds you here, she’ll be angry. You’ve never been a good mother, you know that. She wishes you would just leave her alone.”
The Protector made a noise, “Tsk tsk! Good gracious!” and flicked the back of her hand toward the shadow. The dark distortion immediately dissipated. “There, there. You are wonderful mother, Nancy. You would do anything for that child. Don’t you listen to that talk.” She ran her hand across Marie’s mother’s hair as if to smooth it down and then looked up at Marie and smiled again.
“Who are you?” Marie asked.
“Oh, baby. I go way back,” she said. “You can call me Lucinda, but you just need to know how much your mother loves you. She worries about you so much. But look at you,” she reached out to take Marie’s hand, “You are so grown up and beautiful. You’ll find a way to get back. And when you do, don’t forget what you’ve seen.”
“I won’t. Who could ever forget all this? It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen!” Marie laughed at the absurdity of it all.
The Protector smiled and laughed a light little, “Ha, ha. I’m certain it is. Isn’t that the truth?” she commented.
Tom stepped forward, “Marie, I saw Allen pull into the parking lot. Let’s go for a little walk and see if we can find him. Sometimes he sits alone in a little solarium to think.”
“Ok,” Marie nodded to Tom. “It was nice meeting you, Lucinda.”
Lucinda smiled because she had known Marie all her life, but understood Marie’s point of view.
***
In the hallway, Marie noticed more around her than she did before. There was the usual nursing staff, occasional doctors, and visitors. Most all of them had someone following them that she knew was either a Protector or a Shadow. She could hear their conversations, one-sided conversations. Protectors were encouraging and suggesting. Shadows were spinning lies and making suggestions that would not benefit anyone but themselves.
There was a man standing outside the door of a room waiting. The nurses must have been doing a procedure inside. The Shadow behind his back was telling him he should go see his neighbor. She was home now and he needed someone to remind him he was a man. Surely she would make him feel like a man again now that his wife was no longer whole. The man stepped over to a pay phone, put in a dime and started to dial. Then he stopped. He struggled with want he knew was right and the thoughts in his head.
Marie and Tom turned a corner and started down a long wide hallway. There were benches along the sides and windows above the benches. The morning sun was beginning to clear the mountain mist and shine sleepy yellow rays across the floor. Marie saw a woman curled up on a bench clutching a thin beige blanket around her shoulders. She was just beginning to wake up and appeared to be regretting it.
The Shadow woman sitting next to her looked at Marie with hollow dark eyes and smiled a ghastly lipless grin creasing the pasty white skin of her face. She leaned down and continued the barrage of words that hung like tar in the woman’s ears, “He’ll probably die today. Then you’ll be all alone. Within 3 days you’ll be putting him in the ground. All alone. Just you and all those bills. Kind of makes you wish you could die with him, doesn’t it?” A tear fell from the woman’s eye onto the bench.
It dawned on Marie how much we don’t see in life. People struggling with tormenting thoughts and sometimes fighting them off and sometimes being pulled under by them. We never see the struggles; the battle being fought. We just see how they act and think we know better.
They came to an archway across from a wall where the windows extended out onto a corner of the lawn. The landscaping on one side of the solarium included a water feature with a babbling brook that ended in a three-foot waterfall before it disappeared in a pile of smooth stones. Sitting with his chair facing the waterfall, Allen stared absently at it. His legs where crossed in a wide L and his chin was propped on the palm of his hand with his fingers curling up his cheek.
Jacob stepped beside them, “He comes here often and sits. I’m getting worried about him. I have been diligent, but I find Shadows creeping around telling him it’s his fault, that he should have known. That particular shadow,” he nodded toward the corner of the alcove, “seems to go back and forth between him and Nancy with the same story: that it’s their fault.”
“What? That’s crazy! There is no way he could have known. He couldn’t have prevented this. Thinking something like that will put him in a spiraling depression!” exclaimed Marie.
Marie walked over to him and knelt down on the floor in front of him. “This isn’t your fault! I’m alive!” Then she looked away, “I just need to figure out how to get back.”
“Allen feels hollow inside. Helpless. He couldn’t do anything to help you.” Jacob said. “He thinks you are going to slip away and be gone, just when you all were beginning to start a life together. He was going to propose this summer. He tries to push all that aside and to focus, but the thought keeps coming back to him.”
“There’s just nothing I can do,” Allen quietly said aloud.
Marie was stunned. She knew he probably felt this way, but the way he said it held so much defeat. She, too, felt powerless as she watched him seemingly give up hope. She stood up weakly.
“Tom? Something is wrong. I know he loves me, but right now it seems like his despair is making me weaker!”
“That’s right, Marie, The living don’t really realize how much power they have. Let me show you something.” He motioned for her to follow him.
They walked farther down the hall until they came to a door marked, “Chapel.” Tom went in and she followed. There was a man there, praying. Marie stepped back as she looked at him. He glowed like she did earlier that morning after she had been curled up on her mother’s lap most of the night, only more so.
“It’s the love. He’s praying for his father. Praying for the pain to go away so his father can rest. When the new ones take the time to think of another, to wish them well, to encourage them, or to pray for them, great power is created. That is what the Shadows hope to destroy. This power is far stronger than what they can accomplish.” Tom explained.
“Well, since I am not actually dead, don’t I have still have this capacity to fight for another?” Marie asked.
Tom looked at her, “Of course you do. That’s why the Shadows want you. Imagine if they can wear you down until you despair and then you were to wish ill on others. They would have a weapon of great power. I would say that they are trying very hard to wear down anyone who would be able to help you so that you are weak enough to capture.”
Marie looked horrified. “Oh, my gosh! They are still out there conniving!”
“Oh, yes. Don’t ever underestimate how long they will keep trying. They are nothing if not persistent. What else have they got to do?”
Marie thought for a minute. She thought about the woman back at that desolate place. She must be seething mad that Marie got away. The woman had wanted Marie for something and had an ax to grind for something. What had she said? Something about how Allen wouldn’t look for her.
Marie froze in her tracks. “That’s it! Allen! She’ll try to find me through Allen!” She turned to Tom, “She knows I’ll be near Allen if I can be.”
“Jacob would have noticed if someone was lurking around Allen. He said there was an uptick in attention, but not that a Shadow was lurking around waiting for you.”
“He mentioned the Shadow that is going between mom and Allen. I wonder if that one is a look out,” said Marie.
“Well, there hasn’t been a particular Shadow, but…”
“What? What, Tom? Tell me!”
“Just a girl, that girl Lydia. She has been coming around the dorm and trying to be sympathetic.”
“What?” Marie nearly screamed.
“It’s okay! Allen is on to her ways. He gets rid of her.”
“Holy cow! That- tramp! I’m in the hospital and she tries to move in! What a peach! Where is she? Can I mess with her? There must be some advantage to being a stupid ghost!”
Tom laughed out loud, “Relax, rookie. You have other things to worry about.”
A bright flash appeared and Henry was standing next to them. “Hello Tom. Hello Marie,” he said.
“Hello,” they said in unison and Marie looked at Tom as if to say, “We’ll talk about this later.” Then Tom added, “What’s new?”
“Lorenzo and I have been talking. He said I should talk to Marie about the time before she was rescued.” He turned to Marie.
“Well, it was a weird place. It looked like the moon. There were Shadow people everywhere. They tortured me constantly, picking at me and trying to hurt me. They said horrible things to me trying to get me to give up hope.”
“There was a woman there, too. She seemed like a Lorenzo of sorts. The other Shadows had less intelligent things on their mind. She made a comment,” Marie paused remembering. “Yes, she made a comment like: ‘Now that I’ve got you…something or another.’ Oh, and she said I was legendary with the Shadows?”
Tom and Henry looked at each other. Henry said, “What did she look like?”
“The usual hag look of the Shadows. But she had long, crazy, red hair. Kind of a sour puss expression. But, you know, she could have been normal looking if she wasn’t so, so…” Marie groped for the word.
“Evil?” said Tom.
“Well, yeah.” She pondered that thought.
“Marie, did she tell you why she wanted you?” said Henry.
“No. Not really.”
“What do you think, Henry?” said Tom.
“I don’t know. There was once a woman that trailed you and mom for a long time that had long curly red hair. That was a long time ago, back when I was a new Protector.
I’d see her around my brothers and sisters sometimes, but she’d always vanish. Then I didn’t see her again. Who do you think she might be?”
“I don’t know, Henry. I can’t think of anyone that would dislike like us enough to follow our line around. Maybe we should ask Jenny.”
“Good idea. Mom never forgets a face. She’s with a new assignment, but we can go there. She got a new one, a little baby boy in Louisville. Join hands and I’ll lead the way.”
The three of them joined hands and Henry closed his eyes and visualized Jenny’s face. In an instant they were standing in a nursery on the second floor of a home. Sunlight was streaming in the window. Outside, pink and white dogwood flowers dotted the sky like confetti frozen in mid-air. The white, shabby chic crib with blue plaid bedding was against the wall. Marie tip-toed forward to peak at the sleeping cherubic form. He was just a few weeks old and swaddled in a receiving blanket.
“Oh! He’s beautiful!” Marie exclaimed in a whisper.
“Yes. He is perfect. He’s my grandson through my son Charles.” Jenny beamed proudly as she caressed the child’s tiny forehead. “So to what do I owe the honor of this little visit?” Jenny leaned toward Tom and gave him a peck on the cheek and smiled at him.
“Well, mom, we are trying to figure out what we are dealing with. Marie says that a woman, a Shadow, was there after she was kidnapped. Marie got out of there before she could hatch whatever plan she had, but we are trying to figure out who she is. Do you ever remember a woman with crazy, long red hair and sour puss expression?”
Jenny thought for a minute. “No one that had it out for us. There is only one other person I know that might fit that description, though.” Henry and Tom smiled knowing that Jenny would have the answer.
Jenny continued, “I’m surprised you don’t remember, Tom, you knew her longer than I did. Your brother Leonard’s first wife, Hester Farr. The one the Indians killed and dragged away.”
Tom thought a minute. He pursed his lips searching his memories. “Ah, yes. I do recall Hester. A rather odd girl. She was married to Leonard for about 10 years before she disappeared, apparently killed by savages. Leonard was a bit relieved, I daresay. Apparently it was not wedded bliss there. But why on earth would she care about us?”
“Well, she did seem a bit sweet on you, Tom,” Jenny said giving Tom a sidelong glance.
“What? I don’t recall that?” Tom looked confused. Marie’s eyes got as big as saucers.
“I’m just saying. She would get flustered when you talked to her. She didn’t get that way when I talked to her. In fact, she had no use for me at all. I don’t know what I ever did to make her dislike me. It’s not like I stole you away from her!” Jenny laughed.
“Uh huh! What were we just talking about, Tom?” Marie looked at him knowingly.
“No, no. She was just a silly girl.” Tom attempted to reassure both Jenny and Marie.
“Wait a minute,” said Henry, “Dad when did you meet Hester?
“Well, I was a young lad. Probably 18 or so. She was much older than me. Older than Leonard even. She must have been 24 or 25. She came into Prince William County looking for work as a wash maid or a nanny. I remember she asked if I wanted to have a picnic down by the creek, but I was trying to finish my education as a lawyer. I wanted to be a judge like my father. I had no use for a woman at that time. It would have slowed me down. And besides, she was a little odd. She was scrawny and rough. Frankly, she scared me, if I recall correctly. Next thing I knew, Leonard was bawling saying he’d have to marry her because she was with child. His child! Dad insisted he do the right thing and make an honest woman of her. He married her, but no child ever came. Leonard figured out he was duped, but it was too late. In fact, she never did bear any children. At least, none that survived. I was busy with school and the war and then along came Jenny and I never heard of Hester again.”
“It doesn’t make any sense,” said Marie. “This can’t be the same person. This Hester person doesn’t seem to have any reason to follow your descendants for generations. Did you ever have an argument?”
Jenny sucked in her breath and thought, “There was a time she had words with me. I was just beginning to show with our first child, little Tom, Jr. Sweet boy, but always having mishaps. Falling out of trees or slipping into a river. No girl would stay around him long enough for him to marry them. They’d just up and refuse to speak to him. It was all very odd. He died a bachelor. Drowned in his bathtub alone. They said the look on his face was like he’d seen a ghost. His eyes were wide open.” Jenny shook herself and rubbed her arms.
“Anyway, it was when I was expecting Tom, Jr., not too long before she disappeared because I recall she was already gone by the time I was delivered. She came to me out in the garden one afternoon. I remember the sun was so hot that day. Her crazy red hair was all loose from its bun. She looked like a mad woman. She told me such an odd thing, ‘Hold your babies close, Jenny Pope! For all the good it’ll do you, it’s an evil world and remember we have to pay for our sins!’”
“I just felt pity for her. I was aware that she was barren and figured she felt like it was her sins that kept her from having children.”
“Jenny Pope?” said Marie.
“Yes, my maiden name. Tom and I had been married for a year already. But she always called me Jenny Pope.”
“Hm. Almost like she really never accepted that you and Tom were married.” Said Marie.
“I suppose. She was an odd one. I usually tried not to talk to her if I could avoid it. I think everyone was a little relieved when she was gone. That’s awful to say, isn’t it?” said Jenny.
“Mom, we need to do some checking on this, but be careful. This Hester sounds like a wild card and we don’t have very much to go on. Please watch your back.” Henry looked down into the crib at the tiny boy sleeping, “and keep a good eye on that little guy. He’s a cutie!”
Jenny laughed and said, “Oh Henry, it takes a lot to scare me.”<
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Just then the door opened and a young woman came in the room and peered over the edge of the crib rail. She picked up the baby and held it close to her under her chin. She stopped and looked around as though she could sense someone there.
She cautiously started, “My mother told me our ancestors come to see new babies. If anyone is there, I just want to thank you for the visit and for watching over little George.” She then went out of the room as though nothing unusual had happened.
“Well, my, my!” said Jenny. “Such a nice girl! I think we’ll get along just fine. Her mother sounds very smart, too!”
Tom, Marie and Henry smiled.
“Well, mom, we need to go. See you soon.” Henry said and leaned in and kissed his mother’s cheek. In flash the three disappeared.
CHAPTER 17 – HESTER
Ben and Jacob were sitting on the couch at Allen’s dorm watching him eat take out from the Europa Café. Marie, Tom, and Henry appeared in the middle of the room. They’d gone back the Gathering to talk and agreed with Marie that Hester would likely be watching Allen to find Marie. It was evening when they got there.
“Hi Ben! Hey Jacob!” said Marie. “How’s it going here?”
Ben looked up and smiled. “Pretty quiet. He’s been depressed for a while now.”
Henry stepped forward, “Have you seen anything strange with the Shadows?”
Ben looked at Jacob, who then answered, “Not that you could put your finger on. There has been a definite uptick in incidents. Just Shadows tailing him all the time. It’s like they won’t leave him alone
“That’s what we came to talk to you about,” Henry said. “We have a couple of ideas about what might be going on. From what we have figured out, there is a common thread. There seems to be some woman named Hester Farr that was in Tom and Jenny’s past that may be the root of this. From what Jenny said, she was not a very friendly person and may have it out for them but they don’t really know why. Have you ever seen a woman with long curly red hair, a little scary looking, around Allen or Marie?”
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