“What was I saying? Oh! Yes!” She took the second fork from him. “Now, you cannot use this fork because it is the one I made. But you can make one just like it for yourself.” She laid the two forks side by side. “This is how the embroideries in the Tapestry work. One can only enter through a scene they themselves have created. So, another Immortal sews their scene which takes place at approximately the same time.”
Mathers nodded. “That way, there are always two entry points to any event. And they would only be moments apart.”
Ruth smiled and patted him on the head. “Now you’ve got it! This is the reason the witches of the Tapestry share a similar history.” She brushed his cheek. “Whatever time Abbey finds herself in, one of the women in this house will be able to travel back to the same time. Give or take a couple of hours.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Mathers stared at her with his hands on the counter. “Why tell me anything about the Tapestry, or…what you ladies do here? Isn’t that…dangerous?”
Ruth smiled and pinched his cheek. “Normally, yes.”
“But I’m not normal?”
“Oh, my boy, you are anything but normal.” Ruth lifted his chin and looked into his eyes. “There is a reason for everything, Matthew.”
Her gaze weighed heavily on him and he pulled away after a few seconds. “So we wait?” She nodded. “Until tomorrow?” Ruth nodded again. “What do we do until then?”
“We prepare for the Ritual. You?” She looked him over. “Will shower and go to bed. You’ll need your strength.”
“Why?” Mathers asked, “what will I do?”
“Why, help save Abbey, of course.”
“But you said I couldn’t.” Mathers shook his head and backed away from Ruth. “I don’t get it.”
“Dear, you forget. We are witches. We can do so many things. Except camels. Working with camels is...oh! I digress. Just trust me, you never want to work with a camel. But as for traveling back through the Tapestry…” She shook her head and sighed. “Any human can travel back in time.” Ruth sounded like she was speaking to a child. Mathers supposed that he must be a child in her eyes. “It is the return trip that kills you.”
“Literally,” he said quietly. “Just like Elfi and Sarah were killed when they returned from the past.”
Ruth nodded. “You’ll be trapped in the past if you step through the Tapestry. Try to return and you age proportionately. Here, hand me those, will you?” She reached for the wine glasses and placed them in the dishwater.
“So do I help or not?”
“Oh, yes,” Ruth whispered. “Everyone has their part to play. That’s God’s will.” She drained the sink and began to rinse out the suds. “Go, now. Wash. Sleep. There’s nothing more for you to do tonight.” With that, she watched the suds flow down the drain and began to hum to herself.
77
Lynn awoke the Saturday of the Bastille’s Faire feeling like a truck had run her down. Her muscles ached, her head throbbed, and she felt so agitated that she wanted to hit someone. Where was Martha when she needed her? Backhanding that anal-retentive controlling wench would make her day just a bit brighter.
She rushed through her shower, threw on her new hiking boots (she overpaid but they looked fabulous and felt even better), and topped her outfit with a loose-fitting blouse reminiscent of the medieval period. By the time she arrived at The Meadows, she was nursing her second double mocha and was feeling much better about the day’s prospects. She had even lost her urge to pummel Martha.
“Lynn? So I have everything together, right? And the patients all have their passes and stuff?” Heather looked awake, vibrant and ready for action. It seemed to Lynn that no matter what time of the day the girl was working, she always managed to look great. Bitch. “Did you sign out the van or should I?” Lynn asked, going into the nurse’s station. “It’s done. And it has gas in it and parked out back, you see?”
“What time did you get here?” Lynn asked, glancing at her watch.
It was only seven o’clock.
“Oh, just about…half an hour ago?”
“All that in a half hour?” Heather nodded and readjusted the diamond bracelet on her perfectly manicured hand. Double bitch. “Let’s load ‘em up, then.”
To Lynn’s surprise, the group was so excited about the excursion that they offered no resistance to Lynn’s directions. Even Mrs. Bailey and Feng Shi posed no objection to the seating arrangement. “Feng Shi is excited,” Mrs. Bailey said. “He doesn’t get out much. He wants to run free in the weeds this afternoon.”
“That’s great, Mrs. Bailey,” Lynn smiled. She made a mental note to alert Heather to the heightened probability that they would be chasing down a naked Mrs. Bailey as she spread her joy through the field.
“I love this outfit!” Mr. Rix said, twirling so Lynn could see his clothing. She had to agree with him; he looked like he stepped through a time machine. Decked out in cotton pants, a doublet, and sporting a short haircut, he looked exactly like the picture of Joan of Arc from the encyclopedia. Not that she would have any idea what Joan of Arc actually looked like.
Edna was the last to board. She wore a simple peasant’s costume made of burlap and held two huge, round loaves of bread in her arms. “My daughter brought these from Hannaford’s,” she explained. “My granddaughter made these in her home economics class.” She modeled the dress for Lynn. “Want to touch my buns?”
“Maybe later.”
Edna looked around. “Where’s Heather?”
“She’s on her way. Paperwork.” Lynn glanced at her watch. She was due to pick up Robert by 7:30 and it was almost 7:20 now.
“HURRY UP YOU IGNORANT BITCH!” Edna screamed. As if on cue, Heather toddled out of the door, pulling it shut behind her.
“WE’RE ALL WAITING FOR YOU, STUPID!”
“Edna? Your language?”
Edna patted Lynn on the shoulder. “We can go now.” Then, back to Heather, “BE CAREFUL, YOU MORON! I’M NOT STOPPING
AT THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE YOU’RE CLUMSY!”
“Edna? I like your bread…it’s cute, isn’t it?”
Edna stared at Heather with her mouth agape. After a moment, she closed her mouth, got into the van and settled down with the others, being extra careful not to awaken Feng Shi who was deeply asleep in Mrs. Bailey’s bosom.
78
Mathers awoke to the feel of wetness on his neck. He opened his eyes and stared into the huge marble eyes of Merlin.
“If you want to break your fast, I dare say you are on your own.”
Merlin nudged him lightly. “The women have begun the Ritual.”
Mathers sat up and looked at the clock. Seven-ten. “So early?” The horse nodded and chuckled. “They were gone before dawn. Boudicca has been awake all night.” Merlin backed up and clapped his hoof on the ground. “Let us be off. There is much to do.”
Mathers stumbled out of bed and looked for his clothes. “Where are my clothes?”
Merlin trotted to the door. “Ruth decided they needed to be washed. But nakedness violates the Faire rules. Come. I have more appropriate clothing for you.”
“Can I have a robe or something? I’m naked.”
“I am over eight hundred years old,” Merlin chuckled. “I have seen much. I doubt you will show me anything new.” Merlin walked out the door adding, “I cannot bring clothes for you—I temporarily lack opposable thumbs.”
Mathers sighed and followed, walking naked down the corridors of a castle following a talking horse. Definitely a first.
As they walked through the kitchen, Merlin paused outside a door leading into a small laundry room. Behind it, Mathers spied a folding table with a pair of medieval-looking pants, shirt and vest hanging from a rack above it. As he crossed the kitchen linoleum, the door burst open and Tomyris’ dogs bounded into the room. They spied him and ran to his side, sniffing at his crotch. “I do not understand why you organized them in this order,” Ruth’s voice filtered in.
&nbs
p; “I…was so upset by the events, I wasn’t thinking clearly,” Zenobia said as she entered. She glanced at Mathers, nodded, and continued walking, disappearing into the depths of the Bastille.
“Ruth, have we anything for food?” Boo asked as she thundered into the room. She was also naked except for a huge broadsword around her waist, Mathers noticed, making him less self-conscious about his own nudity. She was also painted blue, making him feel somehow inadequate. “Of course,” Ruth said as she spied Mathers. “Good morning! Cinnamon roll?”
Mathers couldn’t decide which was more embarrassing, standing naked in front of several women or the fact that none of them noticed his nakedness. He looked down. Well, there was that shrinkage factor to consider.
“Yes, please. Coffee?” he asked. One of the dogs stuck a cold nose into his butt crack and he jumped. “I’m going to get dressed.”
“Don’t let me stop you,” Tomyris said from behind him. Jeweled fringe hung from her sides, her top barely covered her breasts, and thigh high boots made her legs look like they extended into her shoulders. She stood leaning against the kitchen door and eyeing him up and down.
Mathers nodded and pushed past Merlin into the laundry room to fetch his clothes.
“You shall have to drink it on the go,” Ruth called into the laundry room. “There is much work on the Faire grounds to do. You can eat while you walk.”
“Merlin!” Boudicca’s voice cried. “We need your strength!”
The horse snorted and backed out of the kitchen. “I am an
Immortal, woman! Not a pack horse.”
“Well, dear, you do look like one,” Ruth crooned, handing Mathers his coffee and cinnamon roll. “I have that nasty pistol of yours if you want it.”
Mathers nodded and followed Ruth into the kitchen. He felt comfortable in the Faire clothes. They hung loosely around him and the cotton felt soft against his skin. He wished he had some underwear, though; he liked more support. It bothered him to have his equipment flopping around. He shoved his feet into the boots as Ruth reached for an ornate ceramic sugar container. She lifted the lid, reached in and pulled out his gun. She blew the granules of powder from the barrel and handed it to him.
Just then Merlin came back, a huge section of the Tapestry upon his back. Tomyris, Boo and Zenobia followed, each with a hand on the fabric to steady it.
“Come,” Boo said, motioning for Mathers to follow.
79
At 7:45, the van full of people began to get irritable. Joan of Arc began changing the lyrics of Barbra Streisand songs to match the fourteenth century (‘don’t rain on my armada!), Edna had relinquished one of her buns to Mr. Graves, and Feng Shi had awakened horny.
Lynn sighed and looked around for Robert. She had been stalling, suspecting he had awakened late, or perhaps had car trouble. But at 7:47, she had to admit that he wasn’t joining them. Just her luck. Not only had she been dumped in the twenty-first century, now she could be ignored on her way to the fourteenth. Well, at least she had the receipt for the boots. If they didn’t get destroyed she could always return them.
80
The Ritual has begun,” Eleanor whispered to Mathers. “Just in time. The Faire workers will arrive in an hour.”
“And you don’t do this inside?” Mathers whispered. The Tapestry lay a few yards from the central hub of the Faire grounds on an enormous, round wooden table, surrounded by small three-legged stools. Several women whom Mathers did not recognize sat around the table with Tomyris, Boudicca, Ruth and Livia. They all had their eyes closed and were chanting softly. As they worked, nimble fingers sewed the tears and rips in the Tapestry using a heavy thread that resembled yarn.
As he stood whispering to Eleanor, a loud hum sounded and a large, bearded man wearing silk clothing and a cloak emerged from the Tapestry and stood looking around the knoll. Livia whispered in his ear and the man nodded. He immediately stepped behind the seated women and began to chant in time to their stitching. Two of the seated women stood up and moved to either side of him. They joined hands, creating a human shield between the Faire grounds and the Tapestry’s table.
“Partly due to tradition,” Eleanor answered, “partly pragmatics. Since we don’t know who and what emerges, we need space. What if a knight and steed leapt out of the Tapestry?” She gestured to the woods.
“Why do you think we needed so many acres?”
“I thought it was for privacy.”
Eleanor smiled and grabbed his hand. “That, too.”
Suddenly the Tapestry billowed and hummed. The women stopped sewing and clutched the edges of the fabric, holding it onto the wooden table. The chanting grew louder and a loud POP crackled through the air.
“Someone tried to exit who should not have done so,” said Eleanor. Mathers had a quizzical look. “The Tapestry functions as a prison as well.”
“For?”
“For those who are imprisoned, of course.” Eleanor broke away from him and joined the group, blocking the view of the Tapestry. She closed her eyes and began chanting along with them. Mathers stood dumbly for a moment until he felt a presence at his side.
“There is no more for you to do,” Merlin said in his ear. “When it is time, we need your help to cover Boo and Eleanor. When they enter the Tapestry to save Abbey.”
Mathers turned back to the small table and watched as another figure sprung from the Tapestry. How in the hell did the women hide the fact that people emerged from a huge piece of fabric on a low wooden table?
81
My contact was Livia Emerson,” Lynn told the petite woman dressed in a lion costume. The young woman’s skin was deeply tan, rough and scarred, like she had spent years foraging in the woods for survival.
“Livia’s busy,” the woman’s accent sounded familiar to Lynn, although she couldn’t place it. Without another word, the woman gestured to two other women dressed in animal skins and the three approached Lynn’s patients.
“I’m sorry, but if I could just speak to Livia for a moment?” Lynn asked. The three cave women stared at her in disbelief and murmured to each other in a foreign language.
“Please leave her alone,” the petite one said. She then motioned for Mr. Graves, Joan of Arc and Edna. “Follow me. I will show you your duties.” While the lion woman motioned to the three, the remaining two fur-clad cave women ushered Mr. Chow and Mrs. Bailey towards the opposite side of the Faire grounds. Lynn suddenly found herself alone with Heather.
“Well, that was weird.”
“Oh?” Heather cooed. Lynn turned to see a tall, thin, geeky looking man with thick glasses dressed as the Grim Reaper stride up to Heather. They kissed passionately before Heather turned to Lynn. “This is, like, Harry?”
Lynn didn’t think she was able to hide her shock. She had Heather pegged as someone who would date only rich New England doctors.
82
Joshua swore and turned down the volume on Sticky Fingers. “Boss?”
The Doctor turned from the window and looked at Joshua through the rearview mirror. “What is it?”
“It’s totally freakin’ crowded already,” Joshua said, waving to the officer directing traffic. “I thought the Faire didn’t open until nine.” He screamed at nobody in particular.
“Let me out here.”
“Are you sure? It’s like…totally far to the entry gate,” Joshua said. “It’s got to be…wow…probably half a mile.”
“I can walk,” the Doctor said, opening the back door. He walked to the driver’s side window of the limo and leaned into Joshua. “Just remember what I told you.”
“I know,” Joshua nodded. “The rendezvous, the time, I know, I know.”
The Doctor stared at Joshua a moment before saying, “you are becoming rather cocky, my young friend.” Joshua felt the man’s eyes boring into him before the Doctor turned to go.
When he saw the Doctor shuffling towards the entrance gate, Joshua cranked the Stones and idled through traffic. Maybe he’d go grab breakfast
downtown. If he was a few minutes late to pick up the Doc and Robert, it was no big deal. What? They would kill him?
83
She stood at the stake, bound so tightly she couldn’t feel her fingers. Around her the people taunted her. She felt no anger, only pity. For those who prey upon the weak deserved nothing else. They have lost their way from God. But God had not lost his way to them.
She felt its heat beneath the soles of her boots. As her clothing caught fire, she smelled the scent of burning flesh. She called to God and pleaded with him for a quick death. It was then, as she lifted her head to the heavens, her eyes stinging with smoke, that she saw two things simultaneously.
First, she saw two figures staring at her. One man and one woman. The man, tall, dark, stunningly handsome with perfectly white teeth stood grinning at her. He pulled a woman towards him and pointed. The woman, red-haired, young, plump with chubby cheeks, waved as Abbey felt the flames crawl along her arms. On the girl’s plump arm, Abbey saw a colorful imprint, as if the woman had a picture stenciled on her skin.
Something caught her eye to her other side. A woman stood watching her; a woman with flowing white dress and angelic face. She wept uncontrollably, sobs wracking her body. Her guardian angel! God had heard her cries and answered by sending this—
Then a second figure appeared next to the angel. This figure was a short woman, thinner and older. She held something in her hands… could it be bread? Did this second angel offer baked goods at the time of her death? Would she meet God only to be greeted with sweets?
The flames licked at her clothes and she cried out in pain as the burning consumed her legs. She looked directly at the angel and screamed the Lord’s name. Miraculously, the angel looked at her and their eyes met.
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