Breaking the Chain

by C. D. Ledbetter

"Ain't nobody's business why we going there," Sadie interrupted. "You keep your eyes on the road and quit asking nosey questions."

  "Well, if that's the way you want to be, then fine," he sniffed. "I'm not one for sticking my nose where it don't belong."

  Justine was glad when the outline of the plantation loomed in the distance. As they drew closer, she let out a gasp. Instead of a sagging porch with rotted beams, stately columns framed the front of the house. A new roof, adorned with dormer windows framed the second and third stories, and a fresh coat of paint replaced the peeled and cracked exterior she remembered. Pale yellow shutters called attention to the long, vertical windows in the front of the house and a new verandah, complete with porch swings, beckoned visitors to while away the afternoon in the shade. As they stepped from the cab, the heady aroma of rosebushes wafted toward them, intertwined with the smell of cut grass.

  "Looks a lot different, don't it?" the driver grinned.

  "Lordy, lordy, Sadie, would you look at this place?" Justine murmured. "It's a miracle. I never imagined it could look so beautiful."

  "Rumor is they spent a fortune restoring this place," the driver continued. "Seems like the old woman's loaded and money was no object." He held out grubby fingers. "Speaking of money, that'll be thirty-five dollars, please."

  "Thirty-five dollars? You ain't nothing but a highway robber," Sadie squawked.

  "I beg your pardon. It's a long way out here, and most drivers charge fifty bucks to bring folks out. I'm giving you a discount 'cause you old and used to live here, but if my generosity ain't appreciated..."

  "I'm so sorry Sadie's hurt your feelings," Justine interrupted. "She's having a hard time with the trip. We really do appreciate the discounted rate." She counted out forty dollars and placed the money in his hand. "Here's your money, plus a tip," she soothed. "It was nice of you to do that for us, and we are grateful."

  "Well, I won't be doing it a second time, you can count on that," he grumbled, getting into his cab. "This is the last time I do something nice for old folks. Kindness just ain't appreciated no more."

  "Don't stand there gawking. It's hot out here and I want a drink of water," Sadie ordered as the taxi rumbled down the drive. "Go knock on the door and see who's home."

  "You better learn to be a little nicer to folks," Justine warned. "One of these days I won't be here to smooth things over for you. Where will you be then?"

  "Same place I always been--rights here."

  "Well, it wouldn't hurt you to be kinder," Justine continued.

  The door opened and Mary stepped onto the porch. "Can I help you..." she began. "Oh my God. Justine! Sadie! I can't believe you're here!"

  "Well, we ain't no ghosts," Sadie sniped. "Ain't you gonna ask us in, or is you too good for folks like us now?"

  "I'm sorry. Please, please come in. It's just that I'm surprised to see you."

  Dark glittering eyes, framed by bushy eyebrows, raked her face. "You ain't surprised," Sadie said. "You knowed we was coming."

  Mary paused in the hallway. "I knew you were going to come, but I didn't think it would be this soon."

  Jack's voice boomed from the rear of the house. "What is it honey, guests?"

  "Jack, come quick. You'll never believe who's here. It's Sadie and Justine!"

  He appeared in the doorway, wiping his hands on a towel. "Good God, so it is. Would you believe we've been trying to figure out a way to contact you for weeks?"

  "Well, we're here now," Sadie said. She turned to Mary. "You and I got to talk, child."

  Justine patted Sadie's arm. "I know you need to talk to Mary, but let's wait until we get settled. Okay? I doubt if anything's going to happen in the next thirty minutes or so." She glanced at Mary. "I'm assuming your invitation to stay at the plantation was genuine?"

  "Oh, yes. Let me show you to your rooms. Jack, would you please take their bags up to the second floor?" She turned to the two old women. "Is the second floor all right? The stairs aren't that steep, but if you'd rather be on the first floor, I'm sure we can find something."

  "I ain't climbing no stairs," Sadie declared. "Ain't you got no rooms down here?"

  "It's no problem, Sadie. We have two bedrooms at the rear of the house, but they aren't as nice as the ones upstairs."

  "Don't care about no fripperies," Sadie said. "I'm here 'cause you gonna need me, child. Spirits done told me so."

  "The rooms are just down the hall. I'm sure you'll want to freshen up after that long taxi ride. Have you eaten? I'll be glad to make something for you."

  "That would be nice," Justine said. "Sadie was in such a hurry to come, we missed lunch."

  As she left the two old women, Mary wondered what Sadie had to tell her that was so urgent. Something had prompted the two old women to come to the plantation. She could only hope that this time Sadie's message wouldn't be a portent for disaster.

  8

  Streaks of lightning filled the sky as Elizavon picked up her glasses for the third time in as many minutes. When they fell off once again, she reached for the intercom line to the cockpit. "Can't you fly this plane any better? I've nearly been thrown out of my seat."

  "I'm sorry, Ms. Phelps. We're in the midst of a severe thunderstorm and no matter what I do, I can't avoid the turbulence." He cleared his throat. "I was just getting ready to tell you that we'll need to make an unscheduled landing to wait out the storm."

  "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? We could have turned around and gone back to the plantation."

  "I thought we'd be out of the bad weather by now, but this front's bigger than the forecast indicated. If we turn back, we'll still have the same problem, so waiting out the storm is our only option."

  "And just where do you propose to land, Mr. Dykes? On top of somebody's house or against the side of a building?"

  "No, Ms. Phelps. I've checked the map, and it looks like there's a decent landing strip just outside Roanoke. It's about ten minutes airtime from where we are, so we won't be too far off course. I was trying to contact the air traffic control tower when you called."

  "I don't care where you land this damn plane, just get us out of this turbulence. Now." Elizavon folded her hands in her lap and leaned back as the plane banked to the right. Streaks of lightning continued to flash across the sky and claps of thunder roared in her ears. Attuned to the plane's every move, she felt the slight thump of the wheels as they contacted the runway. Well, at least they hadn't crashed into a building.

  Leaning forward, she peered out the small window on her right and noted that a thick curtain of black obscured the surrounding landscape. That was odd. Why couldn't she see the air control tower or terminal? It wasn't raining that hard...

  "Why is it so dark?" she demanded. "I don't see any runway or tower lights. Where the hell are we?"

  "We've had to make an emergency landing on a small runway outside Roanoke's main airport," Dykes explained. "I think that last bolt of lightning struck one of our engines, and I didn't want to take any chances. I radioed the main control tower and they guided me to this emergency runway. They're sending a car to pick us up."

  "You'd better be able to fix the damage," she warned. "We'll discuss this incident once we get to Boston and I've checked out your story. I've been flying for over twenty years and never had this kind of problem before."

  "It's a bad storm, Ms. Phelps. And it wasn't on the forecast or radar screen before we left St. Francisville. I'm going to check the engine. I'll let you know when the car gets here."

  "Well, I'm certainly not going out in the rain. That's what I pay you for. Good money, I might add." She peered out the window. A small beam of light bobbed up and down as Dykes climbed out the plane. Moments later she heard the bang of metal striking metal, and wondered what he was doing. The noise was almost rhythmic, like something she'd heard before, but before she could place the sounds, they stopped.

  The cone shaped beam from his flashlight swung left to right, then up and down. What on earth was that idiot doin
g? She unbuckled her seatbelt and stomped toward the exit, but paused when the glare of oncoming headlights gleamed in the distance. Dykes must have seen the lights and was trying to guide them to the plane. Maybe he wasn't as asinine as she thought.

  There were two cars, not one. She watched as he walked over and leaned in the driver's window. The driver of the second car joined him. A few minutes later he returned.

  "Well?"

  "I spoke to the driver and he'll drive you to Roanoke, which is about thirty minutes from here. The other guy's a certified mechanic, and he's gonna help me take another look at the engine. I can get whatever parts we need from their warehouse. This rain's supposed to let up by morning, which means I can work on the engine as soon as it gets light. If we're lucky, we can be back in the air before nine."

  "You better have me back in the air sooner than that." She dismissed him with a wave. "Get my luggage. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to take the cost of a hotel room out of your salary, since this is your fault."

  "Yes ma'am." He grabbed an umbrella held it over her head. "I'll see you in the morning, Ms. Phelps."

  "How do you expect me to return?" she asked. "Sprout wings and fly?"

  "I've made arrangements with the driver to pick you up at 8:30. He'll bring you back here. If there's any problem with the repairs, I'll let you know. Everything's been taken care of."

  "Well, don't think I like this one bit. Consider yourself lucky you still have a job."

  He watched her car disappear into the darkness, then headed back to the plane. Even with the rain pelting down, there was still much to do. It was going to be one hell of a long night.

  9

  The tap, tap, tap of Sadie's cane on the hardwood floors announced her arrival. "We're in the dining room," Mary called. "I've fixed a roast beef sandwich for you. I hope that's okay."

  Sadie shuffled to the nearest chair. "Where's the table and chairs used to be in here?"

  "The Martines sold it before my aunt bought the plantation," Mary said. "They were the most valuable items in the house."

  "Didn't I tell you that Martine woman was trouble?"

  "Yes, well, Nicole's gone now, so you don't have to worry about her anymore," Mary soothed.

  "I know. I heard about the fire, it was on the TV. That woman was evil--she deserved everything she got. The spirits never lie. Never."

  "Nobody deserves to burn to death the way Nicole did." Mary's hand trembled as she handed Sadie a plate. "It was horrible."

  "God punished her for her sins. It ain't ours to question his ways," Sadie mumbled.

  "I'm sure Mary doesn't want to go into any more detail about Ms. Martine's death," Justine announced from the doorway. "It was terrible tragedy for everyone involved. Why don't we talk about something else?" she suggested.

  Mary handed her a plate. "Good idea. What do you think about the restoration?"

  "It's absolutely beautiful," Justine cooed. "Considering the state of disrepair the house was in, I'd never have believed this was possible. You've worked miracles."

  "Not me. The craftsmen are the ones who deserve all the credit. They were wonderful."

  Sadie belched and reached for a sandwich. "It ain't over. Not yet. You still got problems, child. I done seen it." She glanced toward the door. "Where's that husband of yours?"

  "He's out back, working on the porch railing. Do you need him?"

  Gnarled black fingers wrapped themselves around her hand. "No. He ain't part of this--you the one I need to tell. Not him."

  Mary stared at the old woman. "Sadie, no matter what you tell me, I won't keep any secrets from Jack. There's no room in a marriage for secrets. Not now, not ever."

  "Humph. Not even when he's the one you gotta watch out for?" Sadie spat out.

  "Jack? I don't think so," Mary countered. "He'd never do anything to hurt me."

  Sadie tightened her grip. "You ain't listening to me child. Shut up and let me finish. I know what I know. You and Jack are like them two skeletons you found."

  A knot formed in the pit of Mary's stomach. "How...how did you know I found two skeletons in the tunnel?"

  Sadie's cackle echoed around the room. "I done told you. I got the gift of sight. My family's always had it, same as yours."

  "What do you mean 'same as mine'?"

  "That aunt of yours. She has it. Only it ain't as strong in her as you." She leaned closer, black eyes glittering. "The child you are going to have will have it, too," Sadie whispered.

  Tears welled in Mary's eyes as she shook her hand free. "What? That's where you're wrong, Sadie. The doctors told me I can't have children." She blanched as Sadie cracked her cane across the table.

  "Sit down and listen, 'cause time's a wasting. You and Jack are going to have a child--I seen it. Spirits don't lie."

  "Don't be alarmed, Mary," Justine said. "I've known Sadie a lot longer than you have, and if she says you and Jack are going to have a baby, you will. I don't know how she does it, but she's never been wrong. Just sit down and listen to what she has to say. If you don't believe it, fine. But at least do her the courtesy of listening to what she says. I've never seen her as anxious for anyone as she's been for you. That's why we came."

  Mary resumed her seat. "Fine. I'll listen to what she has to say, but that's all. At least for now."

  Sadie leaned forward. "I know this is frightening; it scares me, child, like nothing I ever seen before. Spirits called me to warn you, and to help you if I can. Jack ain't the one's that gonna hurt you, but if you don't listen to what I'm gonna tell you, he just might get you both killed. I done seen it in my dream. You gotta beware the brown man. I don't know how or when, but Jack's connected to the brown man, and you gotta be on your guard. That man's evil, I done seen it."

  "What brown man? Do you mean a black man? Someone with brown skin? What?"

  "I don't know. All I know is he's a brown man." Sadie rubbed her face. "I'm getting old. My visions ain't as powerful as they used to be, and every time I have one of them, they ain't clear." She squeezed Mary's fingers. "You have the power; I done seen that God's given you that gift. Only, it ain't like mine. Your power's different. You see things done happened; I see the future. The child you and Jack are going to have will be blessed with this gift, too. Maybe even stronger 'n you."

  Mary patted the old woman's hand. "I'm sorry, Sadie, but I don't think I have the 'power' you're talking about. I've never been psychic, and I don't think anybody in my family is either."

  Sadie's eyes glittered with anger. "If you don't have the power, how come you seen so much about them dead folks that used to live in this here house? You tell me that, missy."

  Mary sighed. "I can't. I don't know why I could see glimpses of Jean-Pierre and Magdalene. Maybe I did have some of this psychic power you're talking about, but whatever it was, it's gone now."

  "You sure about that?"

  She shook her head. "Yes... I haven't seen or heard anything since I found the skeletons of Jean-Pierre and Magdalene in the tunnel. No ghosts, no eerie voices calling me..." She paused for a moment, lost in thought. "There was something... Yesterday, when Jack and I were in town, I thought I heard somebody calling my name. It was weird, like they were a long way off."

  Sadie nodded. "That's good."

  "I'm not so sure I want this 'power' you talk about, considering that it nearly drove me mad the last time I had it."

  "Humph. That was 'cause you didn't have nobody to teach you how to use it. That's why I'm here; to help you learn to use your power for good."

  Mary stared at the old woman for several minutes, then glanced away. "Sadie, I need to ask you something, but I'm not sure if I want the answer."

  "You want to know about Jack's dreams, don't you?"

  Mary felt her jaw drop. "You know about Jack's nightmares? Oh God, I'm so glad. I...I mean, I'm glad you already know about them. He's been having them for weeks."

  "You sure you want to know?" Sadie asked. "Because it mightn't be what you want to
hear." She glanced toward Justine and bobbed her head.

  "Whatever it is, we need it out in the open." Mary took a deep breath. "Please tell me, Sadie. I...I want to know. I need to know."

  Justine draped her arm around Mary's shoulder. "Whatever it is, I'm sure we can find a way to solve it."

  "Jack's been having dreams 'bout you dying, child. He sees you lying on the floor, covered in blood." Sadie paused for a few moments. "He's got a gun in his hand."

  "Oh my God." The cup Mary'd been holding fell to the floor, shattered into tiny pieces. "Is...Did...did Jack shoot me?"

  "No; but he don't know that. I seen him holding you, calling your name. You're covered in blood. The brown man's responsible. That's when my vision ended and I knew I had to come--to try and stop that from happening."

  Mary rose from the table. "I have to tell him. I have to tell Jack--"

  "No! He can't know he's the one bringing the brown man."

  "But I have to stop his nightmares! They're terrible. You haven't seen him wake up shaking all over, covered in sweat like I have. I have to tell him--"

  Sadie jerked her arm. "No! The spirits done warned me 'bout telling him."

  Tears rolled down her cheeks as Mary hid her face in her hands. "God, I wish I'd never come to this plantation. I wish I'd never met you."

  Justine patted her shoulder. "Hush, child; don't cry. There's got to be a way to fix this. Sadie's the most powerful Voodoo priestess there is. If anybody can find a way to change the future, she can."

  Mary raised a tear-drenched face. "What if she can't stop me or Jack from dying? What then?"

  10

  "How much longer until we reach the plane?" Elizavon asked. "Shouldn't we be there by now?"

  "The landing strip's about five miles ahead," the driver replied. "We'll be there in a couple of minutes."

  Elizavon stared at the lines of cars on either side of them waiting to go through the tollbooth. "Couldn't you have taken another route? This is ridiculous."