by Donna Cain
It wasn’t Shasta. He was sure that she had gone into the school looking for him. He would have done the same. He wondered if he was mad at himself, but didn’t think that was it either.
Darren saw the doctor walking back up the hallway and stood up straight. The Port’s made their way over to hear the news of Shasta’s condition.
“Well,” the doctor began, “she’s awake and responding. We still have her on oxygen, of course, she continues to be short of breath. Her airways and lungs are irritated because of the chemicals in the smoke. I’ve found no burns on her body, which is lucky, considering where she was found. Her skin is tender, however, which is common in people who have suffered smoke inhalation. She’ll be a little red for a while, but that will subside. I saw no damage of either cornea from the heat.”
“Is she going to be alright?” Val Port asked the doctor. Her voice was shaking. Her husband put a protective arm around her while Ann held her hand.
“Our main concerns at the moment,” he continued, “are her mental state. She’s very confused which is also a normal side effect. Her breathing is also a problem. She’s still having some bronchospasms and her nasal passages are swollen. The soot that has infiltrated will work its way out, but it will be a few days. She’s nauseous at the moment, but that will subside, as well. I’d like to keep her here a couple of days and run some tests, but I’m expecting her to make a full recovery.”
“Oh, thank God!” Ann Hamilton said as she hugged her friend.
“When can we see her?” The question came from Darren who had been listening quietly.
“Yes! Can we see her soon?” Val repeated the question.
“Let’s give her some time to steady her breathing. She needs to concentrate on that right now instead of talking. I’ll come get you when I think she’s up for visitors.” With that, the doctor nodded at the four concerned faces and strode back down the hallway.
Bill Port laid a big hand on Darren’s shoulder. He knew how much the two kids cared about one another. The boy had just lost his father, and, now Shasta had been seriously injured. Bill couldn’t imagine the pain that Darren was in.
“Why don’t you go in to see her when the doc comes back? I think you’d do her a world of good. Val and I can wait a while,” he said to Darren.
Darren nodded and thanked him.
Sheriff Buchanon, Bill Port and Mark Hamilton stood on the front lawn of the Hamilton’s home Tuesday afternoon. They were watching friends and neighbors arrive for the scheduled meeting. Sheriff Buchanon had contacted all of the families that had been involved with the situation. As a result, most of the neighborhood of Meadowview Acres was filing into the Hamilton’s house.
The story Mark had told him was admittedly farfetched, but after their discussion at the hospital, Mark had taken the sheriff back to the offices of the Hallston Daily Journal and shown him the trail of information. He had started with the articles from August of nineteen sixty-eight and ended with the professor’s death. The thing that got Don Buchanon was the book – the one that Professor Monroe had given to Shasta. After reading the chapter on the Varuupian curse and listening to Mark compare the deaths from nineteen sixty-eight to the deaths happening in Hallston, it was hard to argue.
Mark Hamilton, being a newspaper man, was all about informing the public. This time the sheriff concurred. That was the purpose for the meeting. All of the people were going there for answers, but hopefully to find a solution as well. The men were skeptical about how the story was going to be received. Mark had to make them believe that the curse was real. Bug had come up with two alternatives to get rid of the rock and she was right. One was very risky and the other may not work. Sheriff Buchanon had listened as Bug laid out both plans. When she was finished, Don thought what a brilliant girl she was. He also thought, “We’re screwed”.
Everyone was accounted for and taking their seats as Sheriff Buchanon and Mark walked to the front of the makeshift assembly. Ann had moved all of the living room furniture to the walls of the room and set up as many chairs as she could find. Mark watched as the sheriff called everyone to attention.
“Everyone,” he began. The room quieted as they heard the sheriff beginning to speak. “I’d like to thank you all for coming today. I know you’re all wondering what we’d like to talk to you about, and I’ll get to that in a moment. First, let me thank the Hamilton family for allowing us to gather in their home. This is an important conversation and it will be much more comfortable here than in a room down at the station. So thank you Mark, Ann.” He paused then, letting them be recognized.
“Now, our community has been having a tough time lately, and it hasn’t been easy on any of us. We’ve lost some good people very suddenly. A lot of us are grieving.” He glanced at Agnes and Lara, and then over at the Reynolds family. “Most of us were thinking what a bad coincidence that all of this was. That’s what it seemed to be, just a really bad chain of events. But recently, Mr. Hamilton here brought me some information. This information changes everything. I’m going to let him tell you all about it.” Sheriff Buchanon motioned for Mark to address the group.
The murmurs of the crowd were getting a little loud with speculation. Mr. Reynolds looked angry and stood up to say, “What exactly are you trying to say here, Don? That my boy didn’t die of what they said he did?”
More murmuring was heard as people looked to one another for answers.
“Now calm down, Mr. Reynolds,” Mark said gently. “It’s quite an involved story. I know you’re still grieving Hansen, but this may give you some answers.”
Mr. Reynolds sat back down red-faced, and the crowd seemed to quiet. Eli looked at Hunter. They were thinking the same thing. “Like father, like son.”
Mark began again. “I’m going to tell you a story. I’d like to ask for your patience, though. The story may not make sense to you in the beginning or even the middle. But I hope when I get to the end, you’ll all understand what we believe to be happening to us here in Meadowview Acres.”
He looked out at the crowd. They all had expectant faces. The Massey’s were there with Lara Andrews, sitting by their boys. The Reynolds’ were sitting close to the Staggs, but Clara was over by Hunter. Agnes and Darren sat together with Bill Port beside them. Val was at the hospital with Shasta. Margy Buchanon was there with Jeff and Jennifer sitting next to Ann. There was another woman that the sheriff had told him was a friend of Phillip Just – Julie Leezil. Deputy Clay was also there standing in the back of the room. The last face he looked at before he began was that of his baby. Bug was sitting on the floor in the hallway just outside the living room. She had been very quiet since finding out about Shasta yesterday. Mark looked at her now and smiled a gentle “everything will be alright” smile. Bug winked at her dad, and he began the story.
“Back in August of nineteen sixty-eight, a ship came into port at Glovercroft…”
CHAPTER 32
A Plan Is Born
“And that’s where we are now,” Mr. Hamilton concluded and looked at the faces in the room. No one spoke. Finally, Bill Port stood up. “So what you’re telling us is that this rock carries a curse from some ancient civilization? That’s how these people have died? That’s quite a story, Mark.”
“Listen, everyone,” Mark tried to explain, “I know it sounds a little unbelievable, but look at the facts. Claymont died almost immediately after digging up the box with the rock inside. The next people around it were terribly sick. Then, Heather, who was a young, healthy girl, died suddenly when the rock was near. That same day Hansen died while actually holding the rock. It’s just too coincidental, especially when you compare the circumstances with the information from Professor Monroe.”
Sheriff Buchanon stepped forward and said, “We almost had another fatality.”
All eyes were on him, looking questioningly. “Julie Leezil,” he said nodding in the teacher’s direction.
She had put the pieces together as Mark Hamilton spoke. She remembered her run
-in with the boys at the Gas N Go. She had tears in her eyes as she said, “It’s true. I didn’t know at the time, but I was close to it. I was fine and then, the next moment I felt as if my whole body had shifted. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before. Then I just saw black.” A sob caught in her throat.
Sheriff Buchanon finished for her. “She was at the Gas N Go the same time as the boys. It was in Eli’s trunk. Luckily, the boys high-tailed it out of there.”
“I believe it.” Julie said strongly. “After feeling it firsthand, I believe it. All of you would too.”
The room was quiet once again. Mark felt uneasy. He was having trouble reading the room. He wondered what they would do if no one believed the theory. He decided they would have to carry out the plan themselves. He was about to speak when another voice was heard.
“This is a super weird thing that’s happening,” said Bug. “But it’s nobody’s fault, not yet. It will be though if we all don’t get together and fix it. If someone else dies or gets sick now, it’s because you’re all too scared to make it right.” She sat back down on the floor in the hallway.
“You’re right, Bug. You’re absolutely right.” Hank Massey’s voice was deep and loud. He had been listening to Mark lay out the story and had been shocked at Hunter and Eli’s involvement. They could just have easily been killed. “No matter how bizarre it sounds, it’s damn well happening. You all know it is.”
“What do we do, Sheriff?” Deputy Clay asked. “How can we get rid of it?”
“I’m glad you asked, Michael,” responded the sheriff. “Bug, would you mind telling everyone what you’ve learned?”
Bug looked up at him from her place in the hallway and saw the sheriff wink at her. He had been nice when Bug had talked to him before, so she felt comfortable going to the front of the room to stand beside him. She knew it was her job to tell everyone the facts. Knowledge is Power.
Bug held up her copy of Curses of Ancient Tribes. “I’ve been researching this problem for quite a while, and I believe that there are really only two choices here.”
Just then, Mr. Reynolds interrupted. Standing up from his chair, he said, “Oh, so now we’re supposed to listen to a little twelve year old? Wow! I feel better already! It’s great to know that the law in this town has a tweenager on speed dial! Ha! This is bullshit! You can’t tell me that my boy died because of some mumbojumbo from some island! He had an allergic reaction, people! He didn’t die from some damn curse!” He looked down at his wife and said curtly, “Get up! We’re leaving!”
Mrs. Reynolds looked embarrassed, but rose from her seat and followed her husband from the room. The front door slammed loudly as they exited the Hamilton home.
Sheriff Buchanon looked around at the people still seated. “Maybe now’s a good time for anyone else to leave. You won’t be judged. We know you all have been through a lot lately.”
Friends and neighbors looked around at each other waiting for another exit.
“I’m sorry.” It was Ms. Leezil’s soft voice. “I simply can’t take any more of this.” Her eyes were still damp, and she kept her head bowed as she stood. “I just lost Phillip yesterday. And after my close call with the curse, I’m just too afraid to be involved. I apologize. I’m sure you’ll all do the right thing. Good luck.”
Ann Hamilton went to the teacher and put a tender arm around her. “Don’t think a thing about it, Honey. We all understand completely. Let me help you out to your car.”
As the two women walked slowly to the door, Ann shot her husband a worried look. Mark knew what she was thinking. This thing was more real now. Julie Leezil was badly shaken with the mere thought of coming into contact with the rock again. He looked around the room to see if anyone else had decided to leave.
“Okay, Bug,” he said when no one else made a move to go. “You can continue.”
“So as I said before, there are only two options. This book was one that the professor had in his home. It’s the only resource I’ve found that has any suggestions at all. I’ll read you what it says about our choices. She opened the book to her first bookmark and began to read.
“All research and findings to date seem to be decidedly pessimistic pertaining to the countering or reversing of curses. There are, however, some who believe that in the case of a cursed article or object, returning it to the site of the original event can diminish the effects. This is most effective, obviously, the more distance there is between the object and the person/persons that it was created to harm.”
She stopped and turned to the next marked page. “And here’s choice number two:
“Additionally, there has been some documented success with the physical burial of the object/article. There are specifics with this method, however. The cursed object must be wrapped in heavy cloth then placed in an un-penetrable container, sealed shut. The container holding the wrapped object must then be buried no fewer than twelve feet below the ground and covered with a mixture of sand, gravel and dirt, thus entombing the curse. This method has been shown to be successful in two separately documented cases.”
So those are our options.” Bug closed her book and walked back over to her spot in the hall.
Sheriff Buchanon stepped forward once again to address the crowd. “Thank you, Bug. So what we believe is that the professor was trying to use the burial method, but he either didn’t know about the particulars or his health stopped him from burying the box properly. It was only a few feet down when the boys dug it up.” He paced the room as he spoke, something he usually did when he was trying to put together the facts in a case.
“Now, the first choice we have is to take the box back to that island where Monroe found it. This idea has a lot of risks. Number one: who’s going to take it and will they be able to survive the trip? Number two: There’s a strong possibility that innocent people will be encountered along the way and have a reaction, possibly die. Number three: Will the designated person even be able to reach the island of Shaali? It’s pretty remote and the natives don’t go to it at all.” He stopped pacing and looked around the room. “Does anyone have any input?”
Bill Port stood up then. “Don, I agree with your assessment. This route seems very risky not only to one of our people but also to strangers. How could we do this knowing that someone out there might die as a result? I think we should move on to the other option.” He sat back down.
“Okay,” Sheriff Buchanon said. “Does anyone have any objections to moving on to the second choice?” He saw people shaking their heads and started pacing again.
“So option number two isn’t easy either. We need to find a place for the actual burial, gather all of the materials and figure out who’s going to take care of what. I know that I’ll be involved the whole way, my exposure to the rock was painful, but not fatal. The main thing is to make sure that no one comes into contact with the rock who hasn’t already been exposed. We can’t gauge a new individual’s reaction, and I won’t take that chance.”
It was Eli’s turn to speak up. “Sheriff, Hunter and I can handle being around it. I mean, we’re both kinda used to it now, and it doesn’t seem to do anything more than make us both sick. We’ll help with the burial.”
“NO!” Lara Andrews jumped to her feet. “I’ve lost one child to this thing, I will NOT lose another!” She flew from the room in tears. Gina Massey followed to comfort her.
After a moment passed, Hunter said, “Eli’s right. We’re okay around it now. I mean, it makes us feel like hell, but we can handle it. Plus, we’re the ones who dug it up, it only feels right that we take care of it.” He slumped back into his seat then.
“No one is blaming you boys,” Mr. Hamilton said. “There is no way you could have predicted what was in that box. Everyone here knows that.”
“He’s right, though,” the sheriff said. “These two have the most experience being around the thing. They know its effects. Is there anyone else here that has experienced any exposure?” He looked around the room.
&nbs
p; “I have, Sir. When I got to the construction site the night Mr. Jackson died.” Michael Clay remembered feeling clammy and having a never-ending nose bleed. “I can deal with the effects, count me in.”
“Good man, Deputy,” the Sheriff said. “Anyone else?”
Clara raised her hand as if she were in class. “I was standing right by Hansen and the rock was on the ground. I didn’t feel a thing.” Mr. and Mrs. Stagg looked at their daughter, shocked. They obviously didn’t want her involved.
“Okay, Clara, thank you. We’ll keep that in mind.” The sheriff really didn’t think her parents would allow her involvement, but he might be able to use her for something.
The room was quiet again when an unexpected voice said, “My Claymont set this in motion without even knowing it. And he died as a result. You know, it seems to me that you’ll need something to dig a hole that big. Mr. Clark might see his way clear to letting you use Claymont’s rig.”
Mark was surprised. Agnes was still in deep mourning yet she had been handling all of this very calmly. “Thank you, Agnes. That’s really a great help. I don’t know if any of us have experience operating a bulldozer though.”
When Darren heard his mother say that Claymont had started the whole thing, he finally understood what he had been feeling. The anger that he was experiencing was toward his father. He was angry that he had dug up the box, angry that he had died as a result of it and angry that more people had been hurt because of it. He knew what he had to do next. “I do.” The voice came from the seat beside Agnes. “My dad taught me how to use that rig when I was eight. I’ve been on it more times than I can count.”
“Well, that’s true, Son, but I don’t think any of us want to take any chances with your health. Your family has been through enough.” Sheriff Buchanon couldn’t imagine Agnes losing her son, too.