Pud’s smile broadened. He was about to answer when something distracted him. It distracted Ayita too.
“What?” asked Amelia. “What do you hear?”
They both fell silent and unresponsive as a car crept around the bend in the road, red and blue lights flashing. Amelia’s flesh frosted over with goose pimples.
“Drop the weapon!” boomed a voice over the PA. “Put the weapon on the ground and put your hands in the air where I can see them!”
THIRTY-SIX
JACK THOUGHT Pud’s scavenging idea was kind of fun, though Teresa’s old house was but a pile of ruins. Dangerous ruins, too. He’d already stepped on a nail. Luckily, it only went through the rubber sole on his shoe. It still scared him.
Normally, he would have never attempted such a foolish act. He was starved, though, and already knew where to search. Pud had showed them. He found the fridge, and inside it, all the turkey he ever wanted.
Munching on cold cuts, he climbed out of the collapsed edifice and negotiated his way to the edge of the forest where he’d last seen Takota. One final glimpse behind. He had thoughts of his mother, Amelia, his father. He felt in his pocket for the O/A. Gone. His mind raced with worry. Then he remembered giving it to Pud. Hopefully the little guy still had it. He sighed and put his hands together, tilting to the sky.
“I’ve never really prayed for anything before. But, God, or Eteea, or whoever you are, please, please help my mom and my friends. Please help them get the O/A to Dad,” he looked at the grass, then up again. “Oh, and help me, too, would ya’? Help me find Takota.”
“Jack? Jackie boy, is that you?”
His heart leapt from his chest when he saw Teresa limping across her lawn and brushing weeds from her tattered shawl. Bruised and filthy, her voice sounded hoarse, yet she was alive.
He ran to her. A puff of dust billowed from her dingy wrap when he clutched her.
“All right, dear. All right,” she stroked his chin-length hair. “I’m okay. Everything’s okay.” She examined what was left of her dwelling. “My, what a mess. Wouldn’t you say?”
He laughed in his throat. He couldn’t imagine what she was thinking. His family only had mortgage problems.
“What happened, anyway?” he asked while she picked through the rubble.
“The Nagas happened. Didn’t you see? Well, it’s good you didn’t, good you ran. I didn’t think you were going to get away for a second, there. But you did, and that’s what counts. Houses can be rebuilt. People can’t.”
He examined the broken-down structure. “Yeah, you can rebuild. But it’ll never be the same. Your old house was beautiful. They don’t build ‘em like that anymore.”
“Don’t be too sure. I bet we can restore it exactly the way it used to be. Even better.”
“How are you gonna do that?”
“You still don’t believe, do you? After what you witnessed last night? Child, you have to open your heart,” she stepped into what used to be her front porch. “Fact is, this kind of thing has happened a time or two before. A house doesn’t live to be almost two hundred years old and not have to be resurrected on occasion, especially if it’s owned by witches. Goes with the trade, I guess.”
“You mean this place has been destroyed before?”
She crouched, peering under a buckled ceiling beam. “Several times. It’s been burnt twice, possessed by demons four times, smashed by three giants now—two of which have been mine, by the way—and, oh yeah, it was flooded once. But that wasn’t my fault.”
“Flooded? Did some evil spirit send a deluge of water to wash you away?”
“No. Water heater burst. Darn basement was a mess. Speaking of, give me a hand, will you?”
She found a crevice in the stone foundation big enough for her to slip into the subterranean void. He held her hand, making sure the aging lady didn’t fall on the carved basalt. He marveled at her spryness. She had to be at least eighty, though if judged by fleetness of foot, he would have said she moved with the nimbleness of a child. She landed on the earthen cellar floor, stooping to stay clear of the collapsed first level.
“What are you looking for?” he asked.
She let him know she was too busy to talk with mumbled curses at the tight confines. Jack heard her drag herself along in places. He saw no trace of her, yet knew her location by the trail of scratching, crashing and swearing. Finally, she reemerged and handed him a small book. Bound in ancient, cracking leather, it smelled of fragrant herbs, same as Teresa’s house.
“What is this?” he opened it.
“Don’t read it,” she warned. “Here, give an old lady a lift.”
He helped her out of the hole, though it seemed she didn’t need it. The old lady routine was just an act. He played along.
“As I said, this kind of thing has happened before. Many, many times,” she grabbed the book and rifled through its pages. “Now, where is it? Where is it?”
“Where is what?” he stood on his tiptoes.
“My little homeowner’s policy.”
He dropped to flat feet. “You mean insurance? Boring! I was hoping it would be something a little more…”
“Magical?” she laughed. “You want magical? Then you’re in for a treat, because I found it! Insurance? Yes, most people have insurance. They don’t have this, though.”
She flattened the book open and placed a satin mark in the crease. Clearing her throat, she read:
“All the workers of the forest gathered. Denizens of the woodland craftsman guilds. The carpenter elves, the blacksmith gnomes, the stone layer dwarves and the glassworker fairies. All assembled to build the house of the Tree Witches once more. From the five cardinal directions—air, fire, water, earth and spirit—hearing the words of the storytelling Gaia, and abiding by the will of Eteea.”
He noticed the birds. Normally chatty, they increased their singing. More joined in until he had to cover his ears. Other animals added their calls to the symphony, a deafening melody of natural sounds. If it bothered Teresa, she didn’t let it show. Instead, she pointed, laughing.
“Here they come!”
At ground level, the wind began to howl. Tiny whirlwinds gathered leaves, bits of soil, decomposed plants and other matter. Jack spun in circles, watching the earth press upward in numerous places. Small, protruding clumps formed into larger mounds. The swirling dust combined pieces of dirt, worms, millipedes, rocks and animal bones with hunks of wood, moss, lichens and roots. Dozens of decaying forest material piles collected into different shapes and sizes, resembling various mythical creatures: short, fat imps with mossy brows and mushroom hats, wiry elves with wooden horns and elongated thistle noses, twig fairies with golden straw for hair and wings made of fern fronds and dried maple leaves.
“They greeted each other,” Teresa continued reading. “Then they greeted their hostess.”
The stickwork elves, the stone and earth dwarves, and the wicker fairies nodded and bowed and curtseyed. After that, they saluted Teresa. Some of them simply waved. Some danced a happy jig. The winged ones took flight, circling her and Jack. He loved the way they tickled his cheeks when they got close. The fluttering in his ear gave him tingles and made him shrug.
“They saw the once grand house and knew it well. Rebuilding would be but a joy, a labor of love. ‘Because this home must remain for all time a sanctuary for those who cross through the different domains, it must be rebuilt,’ they said.”
The collection of creatures pointed at the demolished structure, nodding and chattering in different languages. He expected them to have high-pitched voices. Not so. They rumbled and grumbled in the lowest tones he’d ever heard.
He wiped his disbelieving eyes. Even after watching Teresa conjure Gedegwsets, it was still difficult to grasp.
“They fashioned their implements from earth, stones and sticks, building them with haste and keen expertise. Perfect hammers and levels, handsaws and cutting horses, shovels and ladders, all ready for a hard day’s work.”
The beings acted while she read. They worked so fast making their tools, Jack found it difficult keeping up. He had to blink, watching one right in front of him, a tiny saw forming out of thin air.
“Tools in hand, they began. No boss, no leader, no foreman. No one needed to be told what to do. They knew, they knew.”
The mystical souls directed their energies on the disorderly rocks, the broken lumber, the shattered glass, and the strewn books. They worked with supernatural speed and skill. The operation’s complexity astounded Jack. Within seconds, they had all the debris arranged and separated, the books cleaned, sorted and set aside. The stones were salvaged, stacked and mortared. The basement was done. The first floor already had a frame. The more burly brutes set the boulders, carried lumber, and organized the raw materials. The elves hammered pegs, sawed beams, and installed cedar shingles. The fairies gathered each and every bit of broken glass, using some sort of magical repair process to get all of the windows put in place.
Teresa took his hand, leading him from the construction noise.
“How’d you do that?” he panted. “I mean, I know you read the story and it happens, but how?”
“I more than read, Jack. I believe,” she sat on a creaky rope swing hanging from a walnut tree. “It’s more than that, though. I have to believe, and also I have to ask. That’s very important. You have to learn how to ask for what you want. And there are rules. You can’t have just anything. It has to be for good, for peace. Whatever you ask for, whatever you wish to summon can never be used to attack. Only to defend.”
He kicked the ground. “I don’t want to attack anybody. I just want to find Takota.”
“What? Is he missing?”
“He left.”
“Left! Why would he leave? When?”
“A little while ago. He said he didn’t think he could help me. Said he failed against Davos last night, and he’d never be able to live up to being my protector. He told me he thought the best way to keep me safe was to get away from me.”
“That’s downright silly,” she snorted.
“That’s what I told him. But he’s stubborn. He really doesn’t think he’s the one for the job.”
She contemplated. “Poor Takota. He’s having a pretty bad crisis of confidence, isn’t he? I was afraid this might happen. With one of you children, though. Not with a Tanakee. They seem so sure of themselves. Especially that Cheyton.”
“He’s gone, too. He went after Enola. They captured her.”
“Davos has Enola?”
“We think so. We think they have her at Archer Savage’s compound.”
“You’re going to need Takota,” she sprang from her seat. “Did he say where he was going?”
“He said something about going home to warn the others. He also said he needed to talk to one of the elders.”
“Orzabal.”
“Yeah, that’s him!”
“Come on, we’re going to Wind Whisper Woods.”
“You know how to get there?”
“Of course. It’s not far at all.”
“What about your house?”
They turned to watch the construction. The progress amazed him. The entire frame had been finished, rising two stories with its rounded, medieval tower and steep gables. The proud structure had already regained most of its majesty. His vision darted in every direction to keep up with the elves and dwarves and fairies flitting in hyperspeed. He knew within minutes the house would be finished, each of the otherworldly workers doing their part. They were all so happy to be helping Teresa, too. That’s why the work seemed like play, and also why it would soon be complete.
“I’m not worried about them,” she told him. “Let’s go find your protector.”
THIRTY-SEVEN
THE PATROL CAR SKIDDED in the gravel. Amelia thought Deputy Morris took the corner a little too fast. She knew the clean-cut man was nervous, though he had arms bigger than fence posts. He tried to mask it with a straight face, but she saw sweat on his upper lip. She also saw his spirit clothes, flaring an anxious pale orange. She peered at Liz and Lily in the backseat. Ayita and Pud sat unresponsive on Lily’s lap. Liz nodded toward Morris. The deputy glared at Amelia. She put her head down.
“Lily,” Liz said. “How would you like to ride up front with Amelia and nice Deputy Morris, huh? I bet your teddy bears would love that.”
“Yeah!” shouted Lily.
The deputy refused. “I already said. Young kids can’t ride up front. I don’t have a child seat.”
“But my teddy bears wanna sit up there!” Lily cried. “Why can’t they sit up there!”
“Listen. I told you. Now please. Be quiet, little girl.”
Tears streamed down Lily’s cheeks. She went from pink to red to nuclear in seconds. She huffed. And puffed. Her lips quivered. Then she erupted.
“You mean, mean man! You won’t let my teddy bears ride up front! Why can’t they? That’s all they wanna do, why can’t they!”
The deputy appealed to Liz in the mirror. She mouthed the words, “I can’t help you.”
He tried to reason with Lily. “Listen, please. You’ve got to quiet down. It’s distracting me. Please, little girl.”
“Her name’s Lily,” Amelia said.
“Lily, please. Settle down.”
Lily’s tantrum grew more turbulent. She kicked his seat, stomped on the floor, and pounded the window, screaming at the top of her lungs, “MY TEDDY BEARS WANNA RIDE UP FRONT!”
“Okay!” Morris stepped on the brake. They lurched forward as the car slid to a stop in a cloud of dust. He got out and opened Lily’s door. She smiled, wiped the tears and slobber with her sleeve, then handed Pud to him.
“Here,” she sniffled.
The deputy took both Tanakee. “I don’t see the big deal with these things. Why does Archer Savage care about teddy bears, anyway?” he examined them. “I just don’t…”
He stopped when his stare met Ayita’s. He went blank, relaxing his shoulders, neck, arms. Ayita and Pud slipped out of his hands and he slumped against the car, then to the ground.
“Did you do it?” Amelia leaned to get a look.
Pud hopped to the driver’s seat. “She did it.”
“Okay,” Liz said. “How long will it last?”
Ayita answered, “Not sure. We don’t have much time.”
“Then let’s get to it. Remember the plan.”
Pud unlocked the doors for both Amelia and Liz. They hurried out and helped the deputy to his feet. Amelia noticed his aura had changed. Now it was the same deep crimson as Ayita’s. They eased him, wobbling, into his seat and propped him up. Then he seemed to regain consciousness. He frowned at Liz and she pulled away.
“Don’t worry,” Ayita said. “He’s under my control. We have to hurry, though.”
DEPUTY MORRIS PULLED the Crown Victoria into the Clatsop County Corrections vehicle lot. At the gate, he stopped and punched a code into the keypad.
Buzz!
The chain-link fence slid open. They proceeded to the next stop, a garage with a large door which rattled while it lifted. Metal on metal. Chains clinking.
Amelia glanced at Lily. The little girl looked ready to crack a smile any moment. She checked on Ayita and Pud. Motionless. She knew that would soon change.
“Hey, Zeke,” Morris called to a uniformed man emerging from inside. Zeke greeted Deputy Morris at his door, walking beside the car as it pulled into the garage. Amelia noticed his bright canary spirit clothes, telling her he was awash in thought. He pressed a button on the wall and the big door closed. Then he peered into the vehicle.
“I hear you have the Ben James device? Is that true? And those animals from Winmart. You have them, too?”
Morris got out and laughed, patting Zeke on the back. “You guys sure are gullible around here.”
“So…no device?” Zeke shifted his weight, trying to get a good view inside.
“No. No device.”
“What about the anima
ls?”
“Teddy bears, Zeke. Ever heard of a teddy bear?”
Zeke stood straight. A larger man than even Morris, he squared his shoulders. “You kidding?”
Morris answered. “No. I’m not kidding.”
“I’m gonna tell them you’re here, anyway,” Zeke walked away.
“Hey,” Morris shouted.
Without turning, Zeke stopped. “What?”
Morris raised his right hand. Pud leapt from the backseat with Ayita rushing after him. Both quick, nimble creatures were on Zeke before he blinked. Holding his ears, Pud slammed him with a stout head-butt. He dropped to his knees and managed a muted Ugh! As he toppled over, the Tanakee jumped to the roof of the squad car, falling once again into their inanimate, stuffed toy routines.
Morris stepped toward Zeke, crouched and grabbed the man’s keys.
Liz ran to the back and rummaged through the trunk until she found the O/A. “Here it is!” she put it in her pocket and seized her daughter’s hand. “Come on, Lily,”
Amelia took Ayita then gave Pud to Lily. They ran and caught up with Morris. The deputy unlocked the heavy door and pushed it open. Inside, the air smelled different to Amelia, stale and at the same time sanitized excessively. The lights buzzed. The walls were painted a sedate primrose. Each room they passed was fortified by a solid slab with no view to the outside world.
They arrived at a tall desk. A dark-skinned woman stood with her back toward them. She had the navy blue spirit clothes of a joyful, good natured soul.
“Be right with you!” she sang. Her long curls hung in dark bunches, a style created by several hair ties. She turned with a smile, chewing open-mouthed on a large wad of gum. “Hey, Morris,” her grin disappeared when she saw Amelia and the rest of the group. “What’s goin’ on?” she asked, bubblegum popping, the name Bonnie inscribed in cursive on her tan uniform.
Liz nudged Lily. The little girl jumped into action.
“I wanna bring my teddy bear to my daddy,” she placed Pud on the counter.
Jack James and the Tribe of the Teddy Bear Page 27