Revenge at its Felinest

by Patricia Fry

  Savannah studied the piece again. “From what Reba said, I guess it eventually dawns on some people that this thing isn’t responsible for their bad luck.” She smirked. “Serves them right, the thieves.”

  “Huh?”

  “Well, anyone who ended up with one of these is a thief, right? Reba said they had these made because they knew people would steal them. I still wonder how many they actually made.”

  Iris looked at Savannah. “Well, I can tell you one thing, I don’t want this thing and the curse that goes along with it?”

  “It’s not cursed,” Savannah reminded her.

  “Yeah, well, still, it isn’t something I want on my property or in my home. What are you doing this afternoon?”

  “Why?” Savannah asked suspiciously. “What do you have in mind?”

  “I’m going to deliver this to Oliver. Want to go with me?”

  “Do you know where he is?” Savannah asked. “He’s not still in the hospital is he?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I can call and find out. What do you say; want to see if we can find him?”

  “Um…well, we were going to take the children to the park after lunch. Let me check with Mom. I think my aunt was going to join us.” She looked down at Rags. “I’d better take him home.”

  “Never mind that. Let’s just go, shall we? Call your mom, then let’s go. Rags’ll be fine.”

  Savannah looked at Iris. “You are eager to pawn this off on someone else, aren’t you?”

  ****

  Savannah and Iris found Oliver sitting up in his hospital bed sipping a cup of tea and watching an old movie on TV. When he saw the women, he said, “Oh no. What do you want now?”

  “We brought you something,” Iris said, smiling widely.” When he shrank back into his pillow, she said, “I think you’re going to be very happy.”

  He stared at her, then looked at Savannah. “Go away.”

  “Now is that anyway to talk to your savior?” Iris taunted.

  “Savior?” he repeated.

  “Yeah, this is liberation day for you. No more worries, bad luck, searching. It’s all over, Oliver Silver.” She opened her hand and revealed the medallion.

  Oliver narrowed his eyes at her, then looked at what lay across her palm. He stared without speaking, then glanced up at her again, cautiously picking up the etched gold-colored piece. Disbelieving, he muttered, “It’s the holy piece, ain’t it? Is that what it is?” He looked down at the relic he held lovingly in his hand. “I’ve never seen it, but I’d recognize it anywhere.” He looked at Iris with tears in his eyes. “You found it on yer property?”

  “Yes,” Iris said. “Her cat showed us where it was.”

  Oliver looked confused for a moment. He held the object to his chest and looked up toward the heavens. “Thank God,” he said. “Finally, I can end the curse that plagued our family.”

  “Oliver,” Iris started, as if she were going to scold him, but Savannah nudged her and subtly shook her head.

  “Will you go with me to return it?” Oliver asked.

  “Me?” Iris said. “To Scotland?”

  Oliver grinned. “No. There’s a church of the same faith and beliefs not too far from here. I’ll take it there and hope that our family is finally forgiven.”

  Iris looked at Oliver, then Savannah. “Sure. Yeah, I guess I could go with you. When will you be released?”

  “Right now,” he said. “They told me I could leave yesterday, but since I had no place to go, they said I could stay a few more days.” He sat up and dangled his feet over the side of the bed. “Get my shoes, will ya? They’re under the chair over there. My jacket’s in the cabinet.”

  Once Iris had helped Oliver with his shoes and Savannah had retrieved his jacket, the three of them headed out into the hallway.

  “Oh, is he leaving with you?” a nurse asked. “You’re the cousins, right?”

  Iris and Savannah nodded sheepishly.

  The nurse smiled at Oliver. “Take care, Mr. Silver. I’m sure you’re in good hands.”

  “So where are we going, Mr. Silver?” Savannah asked on the way to the car.

  “Out to Mason. There’s one of them churches over there. What’s that—’bout thirty miles?”

  When Savannah didn’t respond, Iris asked, “Is that okay, Savannah? Do you have time to do that?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  As they reached Savannah’s car, Oliver pointed. “Hey, I see a fast-food place across the street. Can I get a soda? I haven’t had a soda since I landed in that hospital.”

  Savannah nodded and slipped into the driver’s seat. At the same time, Oliver opened the right back passenger door and stopped in his tracks. He shouted, “What’s that in yer car?”

  “His name’s Rags,” Savannah said. “You like cats, don’t you? I remember you telling us about the cats that visit you on your boat.”

  “Yeah, I guess,” he said, climbing into the car next to the cat. “Rags, huh? He’s a big ’un.” When Savannah drove into the parking lot of the fast-food place, Oliver instructed, “Just park out front. I hate those drive-through windas.”

  “Okay,” Savannah said, somewhat bewildered. She parked the car and Oliver got out. He started to walk toward the restaurant, digging his hand into his pocket, but he stopped and returned to the car. When Savannah lowered Iris’s window, he asked, embarrassed, “Can I borrow a coupla dollars? Those nurses must have frisked me while I wasn’t lookin’.”

  “Sure,” Iris said, reaching into her purse and handing him a five-dollar bill.

  “Gee, thanks,” Oliver said, smiling.

  “I’ll bet you won’t get any change back,” Savannah said under her breath. She then spoke into her phone, “Hi Mom, something’s come up and I’ll be a little later than I thought. How are you and Auntie doing with the kids?”

  After Gladys assured her they were having a good time and the kids were fine, Savannah ended the call. Just then, her phone chimed. She looked at it. “It’s Rochelle. Hi, Rochelle. How are you, girlfriend?”

  “Much better,” Rochelle said. “And you?”

  “Just happy to be back in my element.”

  “What are you doing today? Anything fun?”

  “Well,” Savannah said, rolling her eyes in Iris’s direction, “Iris and I are with Oliver, if you can imagine…”

  “The odd little man with the curse?”

  “Yes. Rochelle,” she said excitedly, “we found the thing he was looking for and we’re on our way with him to return it. I think it’s a waste of time because Iris found out there is actually no curse. A long time ago the church leaders were afraid worshippers would take the thing, which was valuable and was supposed to be blessed. Did I tell you that?”

  “Yeah, you mentioned it. So you’re helping the poor man to release the curse?”

  Savannah paused. “Well, as I said, there isn’t really a curse. So I guess we’re going on a wasteful mission.”

  “Yes, there is a very real curse, Savannah, at least in Oliver’s mind. The only way he’ll be free of it is to return the item. That’s the only way he can become relieved of the prison his family created.”

  “Really?” Savannah said, mulling over what her friend had just said. Suddenly she saw him returning to the car. “Oh, here he comes. Better get on with it. Talk to you later, okay, Rochelle,” she added, “thank you for your perspective.”

  “It’s not my perspective, Savannah,” she said. “It’s a reality—Oliver’s and his family members’ reality.” When Savannah didn’t respond right away, Rochelle said, “Hey, we’re going to be in your area in a few weeks. We have a show, and we’d love to stop in and see you while we’re there.”

  “Oh, great! Yes, by all means. In fact, plan to stay with us if it’s convenient—I mean, if the show isn’t too far from us, our place could be your home base.”

  “It would be perfect,” Rochelle said. “Thank you.” She then said, “Well, you’d better be on your way. I’ll talk to you
in a few days about our travel plans. Let me know what happens, will you?”

  “Sure will,” Savannah said.

  ****

  “Do you have an address?” Savannah asked when they reached the city limits of Mason.

  Oliver shook his head. “I just know it’s on the corner of Rose and Spruce, just past the community park. At least that’s where it was some years ago when the gauntlet was handed over to me.”

  “Gauntlet?” Iris asked.

  “You know, the job to find it and return it so our family can be released from the curse.”

  Savannah and Iris exchanged looks.

  They’d driven another ten minutes when Oliver said, “There! There it is, just like my uncle told me. That’s Uncle Finnean, the oldest living member of the family other than me. He’s goin’ on ninety this year and he says it’s high time we rid this family of the curse. He’s concerned about his grown children and their families, you see. He became a great-uncle last year and he says it’s up to us—him and me being the oldest—to take care of this, once and fer all.” Under his breath, he said, “That derned Great-Grandpa Silver. He’s the one who caused all this strife, as Uncle Finnean calls it.” He took a deep breath. “But now all these years later, I’m makin’ it right.” He started to get out of the car, then looked at Iris and Savannah. “You’ll come in with me, won’t you?”

  “Sure,” Iris said, opening her door to get out of the car.

  Savannah asked, “Really?”

  “Come on,” Iris urged.

  The three of them walked cautiously into the church and looked around. They were stunned by its simplicity. “Sure don’t look like the pictures my family showed me of our church in the old country,” Oliver muttered.

  “You got that right,” Iris whispered.

  “Huh?” Oliver said.

  “Um…well, I mean, I haven’t been to Scotland or anything, but—you know, I’ve seen pictures,” she stuttered.

  “Hello,” came a booming voice from behind them.

  Savannah gasped and Iris grabbed her arm. They quickly turned to face the stranger and realized that Oliver was behind them, trembling.

  Savannah laughed a little hysterically. “Sorry,” she apologized, “we must look like the characters from the Wizard of Oz.” When the man didn’t respond, she added, “You sound a lot like the voice of the wizard.”

  After staring at the trio for a moment, the robust man in the black robe offered his hand. “I’m Pastor David.” He then nodded toward the large church doors and asked, “Is that your cat in the car?” When Savannah nodded, he said, “It’s getting a might warm out there. Why don’t you bring him in?” When Savannah hesitated, he smiled. “There’s no law against bringing animals into the church.”

  “Thank you,” Savannah said.

  When she returned, the minister reached down and petted Rags, then said, “Okay, now, how can I help you folks?”

  “Um…” Oliver said, “I’m returnin’ somethin’.” As the clergyman waited, Oliver dug into his front pocket and pulled out the item. He clutched it tightly for a moment, then placed it in Pastor David’s open hand.

  “Oh, I see,” the robed man said, looking down at it. “Another one of those, huh?” He looked sternly at Oliver and laughed. “One of your ancestors had sticky fingers, did he?”

  “Yes, and it has caused our family a lot of grief,” Oliver said.

  “How so?” the clergyman asked, concern on his face.

  “Our family has lost sons, women have died in childbirth, crops have failed, and businesses have failed.” He looked down at the object and asked, “How can somethin’ like this, that’s supposed to be so holy—so divine—bring a family so much heartbreak?”

  Pastor David looked at him and asked, “And you think that your life and that of your ancestors was worse than anyone else’s?” When Oliver seemed unable to speak, the minister continued, “All families have to deal with sadness, death, failure. Unfortunately, your heritage—the decisions that your ancestors made and the conclusions they came to—caused future generations to expect strife and problems and pain. Oliver, I doubt that your family suffered worse than any other family. Life is life.” He chuckled. “God giveth and God taketh away.”

  “You mean that thing isn’t cursed?” Oliver asked. “I was told that it was blessed unless you took it for yourself, then it was cursed.”

  Pastor David waved his hand in the air. “Oh no.” He looked at Oliver. “Well, that might have been what someone told the worshippers in the day. But I have a little secret.” He put his finger over his mouth and made a shushing sound.

  Oliver leaned in to hear what the pastor would say.

  “They lied to you.”

  “What?” Oliver asked. “Who lied?”

  “Those fathers of the church—the ministers. They lied to your ancestors when they said this was cursed.” He tossed it aside roughly. “Actually, it’s not even real. It’s a fake.”

  “What?” Oliver asked, shocked.

  “Yeah, I wondered what was going on,” Pastor David said. “I’ve been here for going on twenty-three years, and after seeing one after another of these brought in, mostly left at the alter or in the collection plate, I began a study.”

  Oliver’s eyes widened. “Others have brought these to you?”

  The minister nodded. “Well, maybe not so many, but my fair share for a church of this size in a town of this size. I’d say maybe five of them over the years. And I’ve heard other clergymen speak of similar objects being carried in by members of their congregation and even strangers such as yourself.”

  Oliver gasped. “How could that be? As it was told to me, my great-grandfather took it as a child and hid it from his folks. When he was twelve, his mother found it in his treasure box—you know, where he kept his best marbles and whittlin’ knife. My dad told me she fainted dead away. Later his parents explained to him the meanin’ of what he’d done. It was widely known among the adults that anyone takin’ the object would subject their family to the curse forevermore. The blessin’ would be erased when the piece was taken.”

  “Yes,” Pastor David said, “that’s what the church elders told their congregations. But they knew that some worshippers would not believe this. These people wanted so badly to believe in the blessing and they wanted the blessing so badly, that they’d take the amulet. Many honest, hardworking men became thieves, and they paid for it. What they didn’t realize, Oliver,” the pastor said, laughing, “was that their belief in the evil of it would eventually become stronger—more prevalent than their belief in the blessing they’d hoped for, which is what happened in your family. They believed that the holy medallion was cursed as soon as their son took it, and they blamed every little and large disappointment or loss on that imaginary curse.” The minister laughed. “All in your head, Oliver. All in your head.”

  “But how do you explain our tragedies?” he asked.

  Pastor David looked Oliver in the eyes. “It’s my guess that what happened in your family over the years was no more awful than what the ordinary family experiences. But your family, you see, had something to blame these tragedies on. They believed that anything that happened was the result of them having this trinket. No one took blame for anything. Your family, Oliver, brought it on themselves.”

  Oliver stared down at the medallion as it lay on the floor next to where Rags sat. He said, “But the blessin’…it was blessed. How can you toss it aside like that?”

  The pastor leaned over and picked it up. “This is not blessed, Oliver. This is a fake. The church leaders knew that if they left something like this out where people could see it and fondle it, and if they believed it was blessed, some would take it. So they made replicas. I don’t know when the notion of the curse came in. It was probably started by someone who took one of the objects and began blaming it for all of their bad fortune.” He nodded toward Oliver. “Maybe it was your family who started the rumor.”

  Oliver stood speechles
s for a moment, then mumbled, as if disbelieving, “So our family is not cursed?”

  “Never was,” the minister said.

  Oliver smiled. “Uncle Fennian will sure be glad to hear that.” He frowned. “So my gettin’ hit by a car and breakin’ my arm and my mother dyin’ in childbirth and my boat runnin’ aground in a storm…that was just…”

  “Yes, my son, the reality of everyday life.” He squeezed Oliver’s shoulder. “What about the wonderful things in your life? How do you explain those?”

  “Well, I didn’t really have many good things that I can remember.”

  “No great fishing days?” the pastor asked.

  “Well yeah, but…”

  “No wonderful family memories?”

  “Of course, but…

  “No beautiful romance or children?”

  “Yes, but…” Oliver thought for a moment, then said, “I guess I was so focused on what I considered the curse that I didn’t take time to enjoy them.” He shook his head and sat down. He lamented, “What a wasted life.”

  “How so?” the minister asked. “Are you suffering a deadly illness?”

  “No.”

  “Are you all alone in the world without friends or family?”

  “No!” Oliver said more assertively. “That is certainly not the case.” His face lit up. “Hey, I think you’ve just given me permission to enjoy what I have.”

  “You never needed permission,” Pastor David said, “except maybe from yourself.” He smiled at Oliver and the two women. “Now, go live your life to the fullest—mistakes, failures, successes, and all.” He looked at Iris, then Savannah. “You two look like you are happy in this life—that you count your blessings and deal as best as you can with those temporary mishaps, right?”

  Iris nodded. “I’m generously blessed.”

  “And you?” Pastor David said, addressing Savannah.

  When she began to weep, Iris put her arm across her shoulders, asking, “What’s wrong, hon?”

  “Nothing,” she said. “Absolutely nothing at all. I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams, and, Pastor David, I want to thank you for reminding me of that.”