by Lynne Ewing
“Over the years, one lie built on another,” her mother said. “I was always amazed that no one found out, and then, somehow, Stanley Keene did.”
“Did he tell you how?” Meri asked.
“No,” she said. “He threatened to print the story unless I joined the Cult of Anubis. Why would he want me to do such a silly thing?”
The wood crackled, and flames shot up the chimney.
“Did you join the cult?” Meri asked, aware that her voice was trembling. She changed her position so her mother couldn’t see the shaking in her knees, and wondered if Seth had been controlling Stanley even then. Or maybe Stanley had been hoping that if her mother saw the truth she’d use her position in the government to stop the cult.
“Of course not,” her mother answered. “I think Stanley was having mental problems. His family has reported him missing. He hasn’t been home since that night. And whoever heard of blackmailing someone into joining a spa? Ridiculous.”
“I’m glad you didn’t,” Meri said in a weak voice.
“I won’t be blackmailed, and I told him so,” her mother said. “I don’t care what it costs me, even if I lose my seat in the Senate. I only wanted you to hear the truth before the rest of the world knows.”
Meri knew Stanley wasn’t going to run the story, because he didn’t exist anymore. Or, if he did, Seth had taken him someplace far away. At the same time she sensed that her mother wasn’t telling her everything. After all, Stanley had spent half the night with her. They must have discussed something more.
Her mother leaned over and poured the beads into Meri’s hands. “This is the necklace you were wearing the day I found you,” she said.
Meri examined the large amulet attached to the strings of beads. “I don’t remember it.”
Her mother stood and dropped the afghan on the rocker.
“Why are you giving it to me now?” Meri asked.
“Because I sensed that you needed it now,” her mother answered mysteriously.
“What did Stanley tell you that you’re not saying?” Meri asked.
“I belong to the intelligence committee,” her mother said. “I know that some things must be left unsaid, because to speak them could create more problems than already exist.”
“You have to tell me,” Meri pleaded, following her mother across the living room. “Mom, I have to know what Stanley told you.”
“Why?” her mother looked back at her. “Should I believe the things he said?”
“You gave me the necklace,” Meri replied, “so you must believe.”
They stared at each other for a long moment.
“I love you, Meri,” her mother said. “If something happened to you, what I would have left in my life wouldn’t be enough.”
“Mom, you’re scaring me,” Meri said, but her mother was already heading up the stairs. “Do you know who I am?”
“Yes,” her mother answered. “You’re my beautiful daughter.”
Night pressed against the windows, and the changing pictures on the six TV screens reflected off the glass, flashing and jumping as one story changed to the next. The sound was off.
Meri sat in her mother’s chair, alone in the room, the necklace spread out on the table in front of her. She studied the hieroglyphs etched in the amulet. Her fingers began to tremble as she traced over the symbols.
“Heka,” she whispered, reading out loud. “Divine magic.”
“Sia.” She read the second word aloud and translated it as well. “Divine knowledge.”
And then she uttered the last word, “Hu; divine utterance.”
She didn’t understand why the words filled her with such hopelessness. Maybe it was because she didn’t have the answers but knew she should. She turned the amulet over, hoping to find a clue on the back.
The words medou netjer were written there. The hieroglyphs meant “the words of the gods.” But that didn’t help her, either. She wondered what her mother knew, if anything, and why she hadn’t told Meri more.
Carefully, she placed the necklace around her neck. A clasp was missing, or one of the lengths was broken, because she couldn’t figure out how to wear it. She took it off again and wrapped the strands of beads around her arm, then placed the amulet in her palm and returned her gaze to the television sets.
The topic on channel seven changed to the weather.
Meri grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.
A commentator’s voice filled the room.
She wished the noise would wake her mother. She didn’t want to be alone, but her mother had a full schedule tomorrow, ending with a fund-raiser at the Willard Hotel, and she needed her sleep.
Meri sighed, disheartened, and stared at the TV.
Geologists, meteorologists, and volcanologists had come to D.C. to study the freak storms. Scientists agreed that the current temperature, moisture, wind velocity, and barometric pressure could not produce cumulus clouds, but as of yet, no one had a theory to explain what had.
The next segment showed silver weather balloons being released and floating into the clear turquoise sky near the Washington Monument.
Meri muted the sound from that program and turned up the volume on a second.
A reporter’s voice boomed, “Tomorrow, geologists will send a probe under the earth’s crust to see if magma is building and releasing gases that are affecting the local climate.”
Meri pushed a red button and turned off that television.
Most stations were interviewing people who had gathered in front of the White House with signs. A family stood behind a handmade poster that proclaimed the end of the world. Other groups carried banners that blamed global warming for the freak storms. A few men and women held placards that said aliens from outer space were changing the atmosphere.
Meri was about to turn off all the sets, when the words breaking news flashed across the bottom of the last TV screen.
In the picture, a reporter stood in front of the Tidal Basin.
Meri turned up the volume and watched.
The reporter stepped next to the broken fence, then leaned over and ran her fingers through the slime that covered the walkway. She crinkled her nose, seeming to smell something disgusting. “Is this a Halloween hoax, or is there a monster loose in the District?” she asked, staring solemnly into the camera. “Tourists reported seeing a snake that was as long as a city bus.”
Then the camera panned, and, under the harsh lights held by the TV crew, the reporter followed the trail of dead grass and mucous that led to the broken chain-link fence. She held a handkerchief over her nose and joined a group of tourists who didn’t look very happy to be standing next to a splintered tree. Their eyes kept shifting in a watchful way, appearing terrified that the creature might return.
The reporter took the white piece of cloth away from her mouth and spoke to a lady whose sagging belly was covered with a long green T-shirt.
“Tell us what you saw,” the reporter said.
“It looked like a giant slug,” the woman answered, waving her hands, “and I think it bit that tree into pieces.”
No sooner had she spoken than a man pushed in front of her.
“I sure hope the government hasn’t been doing some weird biological research,” he shouted, “because I saw something that doesn’t belong in the natural world!”
Meri turned off the last set and sat in the dark, wishing she heard the soft steps of her mother coming into the room to comfort her. But the house remained silent. Slowly, she stood up and walked outside. She sat on the edge of the rock garden and looked up at the starry night. Staring into that vast dome of space, she felt as if she knew the secret of all secrets: the divine did exist. The universe wasn’t an accident, and knowing that, the immensity of what she had to do overwhelmed her. What would happen if they couldn’t stop Apep?
Abdel had said that Descendants who failed were sent to live in the chaos at the edge of creation. But, her fear wasn’t for her own fate; she was afraid of what she and her frien
ds were going to unleash on the world. They needed a solution, and she didn’t think Seth was the right one.
“You’ve put too much on me,” she whispered to the night sky and wiped at her tears. A breeze curled around her, bringing dampness from the Potomac River. Glistening drops of moisture settled on the lawn.
If Meri and her friends did summon Seth tomorrow night, she feared that they wouldn’t be able to control the ancient god. What if releasing him from the old spell and allowing him to come back were the spark that started the end of the world?
“Help me,” she prayed. Closing her eyes, she confessed, “I’m afraid.”
A hand touched her shoulder.
She cried out and turned.
Miwsher sat on the stone ledge behind her, looking very much like an ordinary cat. Had Meri only imagined the touch, or had Miwsher tried to comfort her? She picked her cat up, petted the soft fur, and cradled Miwsher against her.
Miwsher nestled against Meri’s neck and purred loudly, trying to console her.
The birds began to twitter before the sky had even turned gray with morning light. And by the time the rising sun had tinted the tree branches pink, the smells of bacon and coffee were coming from the house. Meri had spent the night outside, trying to come up with a plan. She had none. That meant in twelve hours she and her two friends were going to summon an arcane god, the lord of chaos and storm, who had tried once before to destroy creation.
“Good morning,” Meri said as she stepped inside the kitchen.
Georgie gave a startled jump and dropped her spatula. She bent to pick it up, then looked at Meri and stopped.
“Were you locked outside all night?” she asked, as she hurried around the kitchen island. “You look ill.” She placed her warm hands on Meri’s face and gasped. “You’re as cold as death.”
“I’m not going to school today,” Meri replied and pulled away. “I need to sleep.”
Georgie followed her into the living room. “Do you want me to bring you some breakfast?”
Meri shook her head and picked up the wand from the place near the door where she had left it the night before. “I think I might have a touch of flu,” she lied as she took the papyrus from the umbrella stand. “I’m going to spend the day in bed so I won’t miss the fund-raiser tonight.”
“That’s a good idea,” Georgie said, but anxiety laced the old woman’s voice, as if she sensed that something unthinkable had happened to Meri. She leaned against the newel post. “You’ll call me if you need anything?”
“I’ll call you.” Meri continued up the stairs. She felt too tired to shower or even take off her sweats.
In her bedroom, she unwound the necklace from her arm. The beads clattered into a pile as she set them next to the papyrus on the nightstand. She prayed for guidance and hoped a plan would come to her in her dreams. Then she crawled into bed and snuggled under the covers, wanting nothing more than to have sleep take her.
She had just fallen asleep—or thought she had—when a familiar voice awakened her. “Your mom said you needed help getting ready for the fund-raiser.”
Roxanne leaned over Meri, her flowery perfume filling Meri’s lungs.
“I guess I can see why,” Roxanne went on. “Did you sleep all day? What are we going to do about those swollen eyes? Everyone is going to think you’ve been crying.”
“I can dress myself,” Meri said, trying to tug the covers back over her head.
“Then why aren’t you dressed?” Roxanne asked. “It’s almost time to leave.”
Meri sat up with a jolt, and they bumped heads.
“Ouch!” Roxanne jumped back and pressed her hand against her forehead.
“What time is it?” Meri asked, looking at the dark sky outside her window. She imagined Sudi and Dalila waiting for her at the Tidal Basin.
“It’s almost seven,” Roxanne said. “But I’ll have you ready in time. Don’t worry.”
“Were there any storms today?” Meri asked as she threw back her covers and sprang out of bed.
“If we’d had one, it would have awakened you,” Roxanne said. “That thunder is the worst I’ve ever heard.”
Meri reached for her phone to see if she had any messages.
Roxanne grabbed it first and held it against her chest. “You have to get ready,” she said. Then she set the phone down and handed Meri some lacy black underwear, still wrapped loosely in pink tissue. “Go shower,” she ordered, “and put these on.”
Meri locked herself in the bathroom and turned on the water. She stripped and grabbed a bottle of honeysuckle-scented soap, then doused it over her belly and scrubbed. She washed her hair, and then turned off the shower. After drying off, she put on the silk panties and the push-up bra and walked back into her room with the towel wrapped around her. She was still dripping wet.
Roxanne took the tail of the towel and patted at the soap bubbles sliding down Meri’s arms. “I know I said to hurry, but we have enough time for you to dry off. I’ll get you there on time. I promise.”
Roxanne stepped back and proudly held up two slinky black dresses, different from the boxy clothes she had purchased that were hanging in the closet.
“When I saw your picture in that scandal rag—”
“Has everyone seen it?” Meri asked, feeling a blush rise.
“You have a gorgeous body, and obviously I misjudged your style,” Roxanne said, taking a dress off its hanger. “All those clothes in your closet are for a whimpering, fearful, young girl. I’m taking them back and giving you a sassy style that fits more with who you are.” She handed the dress to Meri.
Meri held it up and stared at the plunging neckline.
“What were you doing, anyway?” Roxanne asked. “The photo looks like you were jogging naked in the rain,”
“No,” Meri answered emphatically. “I wasn’t. Is that what everyone thinks?”
“Who cares what they think? It must have felt incredible. If I ever get gutsy enough I might try it myself.” Roxanne tossed a flimsy jogging suit on the bed. “And just in case the press asks about your midnight run in the rain, your mom wants you to tell them that this is what you were wearing,”
Meri wondered why her mother hadn’t mentioned the photos in the National Enquirer to her, the night before.
“Just say you didn’t realize it was so see-through when it got wet.” Roxanne smirked. “I love your style, and it’s time you showed the world your true self.”
“Okay,” Meri said, wanting to hurry so she could meet her friends. Suddenly, she saw something dark wiggling across the carpet.
A cobra lifted its head. The skin of its neck spread into a hood.
Meri let out a startled cry.
“What?” Roxanne asked, turning around.
Meri stopped her. “I’m just so excited about the dress,” she lied.
“I thought you’d love it,” Roxanne said. “It’s going to make your waist look even smaller. You might as well flaunt what you’ve got. Everyone’s seen what you have anyway, so it’s not like you’re showing off.”
“Right,” Meri said. She waited until the snake slid into her bathroom. Then she let the towel fall to the floor, and she slipped the dress over her head. She stared at her reflection, awestruck. The bodice revealed more than her bathing suit.
“Has my mother seen this dress?” she asked.
“You look lovely,” Roxanne cooed. “Why wouldn’t she approve?”
“I need an Alka-Seltzer.” Meri dodged back into the bathroom, slammed the door, and leaned against it.
Dalila stood in the corner, transformed. Her brown eyes widened, and she shot a surprised look at Meri.
“You look stunning in that dress,” she said. “Is your mom going to let you wear it?”
“I guess.” Meri opened the medicine cabinet. She pulled out the box of Alka-Seltzer and a glass.
“Sudi and I were so worried,” Dalila said in a rushed voice. She stopped Meri before she put the box away. “The transformation ma
kes me sick,” she explained. “My stomach is still spinning.”
Dalila grabbed an extra glass and dropped two tablets into it. “Where have you been?” she asked as she turned off the faucet. “We needed to talk to you. You didn’t answer your phone, and you weren’t at school.”
“I was sleeping,” Meri said.
Roxanne knocked on the door. “We really need to get started on your makeup,” she said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Meri replied, and then she whispered to Dalila, “How did you get in?”
“I slithered in,” Dalila said with a smile. “No one expects to see a snake climbing up the stairs.”
“What did you need to tell me?” Meri asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer. She sipped the drink, the fizzy bubbles tickling her lips.
“People with cameras are camped out at the Tidal Basin near the broken railing,” Dalila said and chugged her drink. She placed her fingers over her mouth to cover a burp. “They’re all waiting for Apep. They think D.C. has its own Loch Ness Monster, and a radio station has even started a contest to name it.”
Roxanne pounded on the door again. “Meri, are you sure you’re all right? I can hear you talking to yourself.”
“I’m practicing a speech,” Meri lied, saying the first thing that came into her mind. “It’s a surprise for my mother. I want to tell everyone at the fund-raiser how much she means to me.”
A long, heartfelt aaahhhh came from the other side of the door.
Meri shook her head. “I can’t believe I said that,” she whispered, and then she asked Dalila, “So what are we going to do?”
“We’ll still meet at the Tidal Basin, but on the other side, near the Jefferson Memorial,” Dalila said. “Be there by ten.”
“I’ll be there,” Meri answered, feeling her chest tighten, because that also meant she was going to have to walk out of the fund-raiser in the middle of her mother’s speech.
“Summoning Seth is the right thing to do,” Dalila said, sensing Meri’s hesitation. “The newspaper said nine more tourists disappeared.”
“I know we’re doing what’s right,” Meri agreed, even though intuitively she didn’t feel that they were. “Do you have the incantations?”