Clawful Reflections

by Harper Lin

  “You’ll stop that talk this instant,” Aunt Astrid said, making Patience step back nervously. It seemed that my wobbly aunt was the only one who put any fear into Patience. I wondered why.

  It was obvious since my aunt first met Patience that she knew something was wrong with her. She banned her from ever coming into the café because Patience did this same thing, only not so loudly.

  “When Tom is better, we’ll be back. Not for you. But for Tom. And if you want to test your ability to stop us, to stop me, well, you go right ahead,” Aunt Astrid said, making Patience shrink.

  “You keep them out of my son’s room,” Patience sneered before closing his door. It clicked with a finality that made me feel a lump in my throat.

  Was this going to be the last time I saw Tom? What was I supposed to do now? I didn’t care for him the way I used to. It wasn’t because of anything he did or didn’t do. We just drifted apart. Okay, maybe I drifted. I was going to tell him before this happened. But now, what kind of a selfish woman would I look like to drop him when he was in a coma? My gosh, it sounded like the script to a bad daytime soap opera.

  Blake, Jake, Aunt Astrid, Bea, and I piled into the elevator and headed to the first floor.

  “What the heck happened?” I looked at Blake. “You said you were going to come get me if you got word Patience was back.”

  “I don’t know what happened.” The look on his face was as if he suddenly realized he didn’t have his wallet.

  “Bea? Where were you? I needed you in there! Something is happening to Tom, and he’s going to die if we don’t help. You were the only person who could have given us some kind of lead. What happened?” I was trembling with anger.

  My family had never let me down before. But as I looked at Bea, she wouldn’t even look at me. She just stared into the reflection in the elevator doors.

  “Calm down, honey.” Aunt Astrid tried to soothe me, but I was having none of it. I felt sick and disgusted and humiliated. Patience was obviously crazy, but even worse, she was violent too. Maybe she wouldn’t have come at me, swinging, but she was definitely out to verbally tear me to shreds. At the moment, I felt like that was worse.

  “I don’t want to calm down!” I said as the doors slid open on the first floor. The sight of all the other visitors and doctors and administrators made me mad. They were going about their business and didn’t know what had just happened. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to be oblivious to the paranormal and the occult. I hated that my family came from this because, even with all our gifts, we weren’t helping anyone. “Tom squeezed my hand! He’s alert in there! But as soon as his mother stepped in the room, he stopped. You could have helped, Bea.”

  I didn’t realize I was shouting until I took a breath and saw the entire lobby looking at me. I was sure I wasn’t the only person to ever have an emotional outburst in a hospital. So, I did what I figured any normal person would do. I stormed out.

  “Wait!” I heard Blake behind me. “Cath, wait!”

  I stopped, and something came over me. I don’t know what it was, but I looked Blake straight in the eyes. “You said you were going to get me out of there before Patience could see me.” My eyes filled with tears. “How did she get past you? You’re supposed to be a detective. Don’t you slink around unnoticed all the time?”

  “I’m so sorry, Cath. Something caught my attention. I went to investigate. By the time I got back, the fireworks had already started. There was no excuse for it.”

  He stood with that stoic look on his face. I was so angry I wanted to slap him, but I didn’t. That would have just made me feel worse.

  “I want to be alone.”

  “Cath, I saw something in there. You’re the only person I know who might have an idea what it was.”

  “Are you kidding? You drop the ball on something as simple as letting me know the dragon queen is approaching, and now you want my help? That sounds, well, stupid.” Not my greatest retort, but under the circumstances, it was the best I could do.

  “There was a man there, and I swear, he had no face.”

  11

  Facial Deformity

  I looked at Blake and waited. Was this a trap? Was he trying to bait me to see how I would react and then decide that I was crazy?

  “He was wearing a black suit. He had on a hat. He looked strangely out of place, but no one seemed to notice him but me. I stepped away to follow him and see who he was going to visit. Perhaps it was just a facial deformity or maybe a trick of the light. But then he looked right at me.”

  “Why are you telling me this? Didn’t you see what happened in there? Didn’t you hear what Patience said?” My vision blurred. I don’t know why I started crying.

  “That’s why I’m telling you this. I don’t know if you are a witch or not, Cath. All I know is that strange things happen when you are around. Some scary. Some beautiful. But you are the only person I can talk to about it because you know so much more than I do.”

  I stopped crying. My breath hitched in my throat, and I calmed down. Of course I had to wipe my nose and only had the hem of my shirt. Like the true lady that I was, I used the back of my hand. Blake stepped closer and handed me a kerchief.

  “Thanks.” I took the hankie and blew my nose. “I’m sorry, but I think I must have caught some kind of virus in the hospital because I just hallucinated. I thought you said I know more than you.” I chuckled as I held the hankie in front of my mouth and nose.

  “Tell me what that man was. He was real. He was standing there. It wasn’t a trick of the light. And I wasn’t hallucinating any more than you are right now.” He took a step toward me.

  With renewed attitude, I told him what Bea had said to me.

  “So, they are messengers?” Blake asked.

  “I don’t know for sure. But she said it is common to see them at hospitals.”

  He scratched his chin. His expression was stoic. It had to be a rare feeling for him to digest something so abstract. He was so comfortable in the world of facts that I think this actually caused his brain to freeze, like drinking a lime slushy too fast, something I’m prone to do on hot summer days.

  “Well, I appreciate you explaining that to me. I’m sorry that Patience Warner made such a scene. You didn’t deserve that just for loving her son.” His tone was angry, but his words were controlled.

  I wanted to tell Blake I didn’t love Tom. It was the first time I wanted to even admit it, let alone say it out loud. But I didn’t. It would have been too much with all that had happened.

  “I better get back to the café. I need to talk to my aunt and Bea.” I shoved my hands in my back pockets.

  “I’m happy to drive you. We just need to get Jake.” He offered.

  “I think I’d like to take the bus. I feel like being alone, if you don’t mind.”

  Blake was nicer to me than he’d ever been. I was sure it wouldn’t last. He’d be back to his condescending self soon enough. He was always so funny when he tried to rationalize certain things, especially when they had to do with emotions. Like the feeling people got around Christmas or when they saw a shooting star at night. It was almost like he said that stuff just to be funny but didn’t know it.

  Trying to focus while on the bus was like skipping a stone across the water. My mind would touch on the surface, but whatever it picked up didn’t stay, as just as quickly, it was off to touch on something else until it just sank.

  “What are you doing, Cath? Your boyfriend is in a coma,” I muttered.

  Just as I stepped off the bus a block from the café, I saw Bea leaving. Where was she going? It was not closing time. Maybe she was really getting sick. As much as I wanted to run to her and see if she was okay, I couldn’t help but feel a little angry at her, so I let her go off alone. That in itself was bothersome. Bea and I were always so close. I never thought for a second that she didn’t have my back. But something was tilting our footing, and we just didn’t seem in sync. I was just going to add that to the long list
of grievances I had about my life at the moment.

  When I stepped into the café, my aunt rushed to me, wrapping me in her arms. I hugged her back.

  “Cath, I am so sorry.” She smoothed my hair.

  “It’s okay. What is that old saying? If you want to make God laugh, make plans?” I chuckled.

  “Yes, that is true. But I think that our problem was that we made a plan like we were just dealing with a hostile woman. I should have known. I should have protected all of us before we went in there. What was I thinking? That’s the problem.” She slapped her forehead. “I wasn’t thinking.”

  “Aunt Astrid, Bea could have helped. What’s the matter with her?”

  “I think she and Jake are having problems. Whenever an empath is struggling with their own feelings, then you can bet their empathic ability to help others is severely retarded. She just needs some time. They’ll work things out.”

  “So, what do we do in the meantime?”

  “I’m afraid we’ll have to wait. There was something else going on in that hospital. Something our friend Patience Warner has her hand in.” My aunt headed toward the bunker.

  The bunker was the Greenstone witches’ clubhouse. There was a small door off the kitchen that led to a tiny basement. It was furnished with cozy secondhand chairs and side tables. Bea had decorated it a little to make it homier. Aunt Astrid had some of her spell books in there. I supplied the hot plate, Twinkies, and potato chips.

  “Flip that sign to closed, and follow me,” she said.

  Just as I snapped the lock in place, our phone rang. Fearing it was something bad about Tom’s condition, I leaned over the counter and snatched the phone up. It was Jake.

  “Hey, Cath. Is Bea there?”

  “No. Aunt Astrid sent her home because she wasn’t feeling well. Anything I can do for you?” I heard him let out a big sigh.

  “Well, I thought you might like to know that we got the autopsy report back from the coroner on Mrs. Kitt. Her heart exploded and then…”

  “So, she had a heart attack?” I nodded.

  “No. Her heart exploded. Then it turned to stone. It was like someone hooked it up to the battery of a nuclear sub and threw the switch. Then made a concrete replica of the pieces,” he said. “They are running a few more tests, but the guys in the cooler say they’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “I’ll bet.” I looked at my aunt. “Thanks for calling, Jake. You might want to try Bea at home. Although she might be resting if she’s under the weather.”

  “Yeah. Okay.” He sounded heartbroken. “And, Cath, I’m sorry about what happened at the hospital. I was trying to talk to Bea, and things just went from bad to worse.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Jake. You’ll suffer my wrath on another day,” I joked.

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  When I hung up and told my aunt what Jake said about Mrs. Kitt, her face grew pale.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Hit the lights. We’ve got some research to do. And I’m afraid we don’t have a lot of time.”

  12

  Rearranged

  Aunt Astrid and I spent the remaining few hours in the bunker searching through her spell books and paranormal creature reference books, but I still had no real idea what we were looking for.

  “There are only a couple of things that can cause the human heart to explode, and even fewer that will turn it to stone. But I can’t focus. I can’t recall what it is I’m trying to find.” She tapped the side of her head with a clenched fist.

  “Maybe you have what Bea has. Maybe there is a bug going around. The flu will do that to you. You can’t concentrate, and you’re tired without even realizing it. Yes, the flu. That’s probably what’s got you guys.”

  “Maybe you are right.” She didn’t really look convinced. “I’m afraid we better call it a day. Do me a favor. Go home and stay there. Have some soup, get some rest, and let’s meet here in the morning like nothing is out of the ordinary.”

  “Okay.” I wasn’t really certain this was the path to take. Especially when she just said we didn’t have a lot of time.

  “Promise?”

  “I promise, Aunt Astrid. Straight home and here again at oh-seven-hundred hours.”

  She stayed behind and locked the place up as I walked to my house. As I was getting closer, I could have sworn I saw Bea’s head of red hair crossing the street from the babe couple’s house to her house.

  Since my cousin was claiming to be out of sorts, I decided to just stage a stakeout. I would watch her house throughout the night and see if there was any movement. I was ashamed to admit my stakeout skills were sorely lacking. I got hungry within ten minutes of surveillance and stepped away to make a bologna sandwich.

  When I came back, I realized I’d forgotten a glass of Coke. Then after about an hour of watching, I fell asleep. When I woke up on the couch, it was four hours later, and Treacle was meowing at the kitchen window.

  “Hey, have you seen anything weird around the neighborhood today?” I asked him.

  “Funny you should ask. Peanut Butter is having some issues.”

  “Peanut Butter? What’s wrong with him?” I was instantly worried.

  “He says his mom is sick.”

  “Sick with the flu or sick…?” I made circles with my index finger at the side of my head.

  “A little of both. But you know Peanut Butter. He has the tendency to exaggerate, still being so young. Just an inch above being a kitten. But he did say that she keeps peeking out the window.”

  “You’re kidding!” I clapped. “I’ll bet she was watching me watch her and didn’t make a move. Of course, I really don’t know because I fell asleep, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”

  “What?”

  “Never mind. I’m just talking out loud. Now, because of that catnap, I’m wide-awake. And my laundry is all done, and so are the dishes.”

  “Well, I’ve had a busy day.” Treacle stretched and yawned and purred as he climbed up onto my lap. “Time to go to sleep.”

  “I’m going out.”

  “Uh-oh. You know what happened the last time you went out in the middle of the night.”

  “I’m going to see Old Murray,” I said. “I’m staying away from the hospital all together.”

  Old Murray Willis was dedicated to the animals in his care. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be there long after closing hours tending to the strays, talking to them, giving them the love and attention they needed and deserved.

  The Wonder Falls Animal Shelter was only fifteen minutes from my house. When I arrived, I wasn’t surprised to see Old Murray’s truck. But the familiar plain sedan was a shock. That was Blake Samberg’s sedan.

  When I knocked on the glass door, I could see they were both surprised to see me. I waved and smiled as Old Murray shuffled to the door.

  “Girl, what in the world are you doing out at this hour?”

  “It’s too early to go to sleep but too late to go to work. So, I thought I’d pay you a visit and see if you needed anything.” I had to look up a couple inches to see into Old Murray’s kind face. He always wore a plaid shirt, and his hands were big, calloused, and as gentle as lambs.

  “I’ve got my partner here helping out. You know Detective Samberg.”

  “Of course I do.” I waved. “Hi, Blake.”

  “Cath.” He looked at me suspiciously.

  “Murray, how are those cats you took from my neighbors’ house? Are they doing all right?” I asked innocently.

  “They’re doing fine. We haven’t had any luck contacting the owners. But if they are travelling through Europe, as I’ve been told, then it might be best to just wait until they return. The cats can stay here. We’ve got plenty of room and plenty of help. They can play and stretch out as long as need be.”

  “Are they with the other cats?”

  “You know the way, Cath. Go on and say hi.”

  I did know the way, as I’d volunteered at Old Murray’s on
a regular basis. I walked down the hallway and to the room with the cat silhouette on the door. Once inside, I was happy to see that there were just two cats sharing one cage, snuggled up against one another, purring happily. The other empty cages meant everyone had found a good home.

  “Hello? Are you guys sleeping?”

  Two lazy heads lifted and looked at me. One cat was an adorable tuxedo cat, white with black spots. The other was a tabby. Black, white, and orange.

  “Who are you? You aren’t our people.”

  “No. Your people are still travelling. I’m the person who got Old Murray to come and get you out of the house.”

  Slowly they unwound themselves from each other and sniffed at me.

  “Thank you so much. The woman didn’t feed us. She didn’t change our litter box.”

  “That’s what I wanted to ask you about. Was she mean to you?”

  “I’ll tell her what happened.”

  The tabby purred. “No, I’ll tell her.”

  “You take forever to tell a story.”

  “But I know what happened,” the tabby replied.

  “The woman had a problem with the mirrors,” the tuxedo cat purred.

  “The mirrors?” I wrinkled my face.

  “She stared into them for hours,” the tabby added.

  “Yes, hours.”

  “Do you know why?” I asked.

  “No,” the tabby said. “She didn’t do it before the house was rearranged.”

  “What do you mean rearranged?” I leaned closer so I wasn’t talking too loudly.

  “After our people left us,” Tabby purred.

  “Yes, they just left us,” Tuxedo pouted.

  “No. They’re coming back. I promise. But what do you mean the house was rearranged?”

  “The lady let in some people who cleaned and painted and rearranged everything in the house,” Tabby continued.

  “That’s weird,” I muttered.

  I didn’t remember seeing any trucks in their driveway, but then again, I didn’t really pay any attention to their house. Maybe Bea saw something.