by E. M. Moore
“Why? I know you’ll remember.” Rose smiled. “It's just that it’s a family heirloom. Very old.”
“Whose family?”
“One of the first settlers. I don’t remember which right now.”
“Can I use your library to look it up?”
“No. And definitely not with her.” She stared me down. It was so weird. Every time it was just the two of them talking, Rose was an angel, the patron saint of niceties. Whenever I got mentioned, or spoke, she flipped her lid. Wasn't I supposed to be her family?
“Okay, Rose. We’ll just have to do research somewhere else.” He shrugged and grabbed my hand. “Thanks anyway.”
I could barely wait until we were in my room before saying, “Thanks anyway? Are you serious?”
“What? If I was rude to her, she’ll never tell us anything again.”
“She’ll never tell us anything anyways. Maybe you.”
He took both my hands and held them in front of him. “Would it be so bad if I get it out of her and then told you?”
“You probably won’t have to, I know you’ll remember," I said mockingly.
Drake’s smile crinkled his eyes and revealed the tiny lines around his mouth. “You’re right. I probably will.”
“This isn’t some joke.” I squeezed his hands. “I'm really upset about all this. Why won’t she tell me? I’m her niece.”
“Come here.” He tapped the quilt as he sat on the bed and I followed him, tucking my legs underneath me. “I know it’s not a joke. I’m positive that Rose is just having a hard time accepting you right now. She’s dealing with a lot of things too. I’m sure she put your father out of her head, now you being here is dragging it all up again. Those books in that library mean a lot to her. They hold the history of this town.”
“You didn’t see her though. She acted so crazy last night. I thought she might hurt me.”
“Rose could never hurt anybody, let alone, you.”
“What about the desk?”
“I’m positive the desk won’t hurt you either.”
“Drake. Be serious.”
“I am. The desk, even if there is some creepy story about that particular desk, which is stretching it for sure, it’s all just legend. So Rose gets spooked about a ghost story. That doesn’t mean you need to be. Come on.” He locked his eyes on mine and raised his eyebrows. “I think I know what you need.”
“What’s that?”
“You need time not talking about weird symbols, worrying about weird symbols, and researching weird symbols. Let’s do something fun. Total normal teenager fun.”
***
Drake’s idea of total normal teenager fun involved a bonfire in the woods. And a party. I could go for a party.
I let Drake drive the Escalade since I’d noticed him eyeing it a couple times. He drove down the same dirt road he had before when we went to the Wiccan meeting. This time, instead of candles and prayers, the Crazies tried to vibrate two-hundred year old trees with loud, thumping music, and light up the sky with a blazing fire. The burning wood sent thick smoke into the dusk night, clearly visible from back on the main road.
“You guys don’t get in trouble?” I asked.
“Nah. The cops leave us alone during the festival. They have too much other stuff to worry about.” He peeked at me briefly, hands still holding on to the steering wheel firmly at ten and two. I threatened him with his life. “Of course if they hear you’re here, they’ll probably make a special trip.”
I laughed. “Do you think your cop friend thinks I’m a nut job?”
“Probably, but I’m sure he sees a lot of ‘em.”
I smirked at Drake. He wore a pair of nice jeans with a loose fitting polo, hair gelled and spiked. “So, did you dress up for your old girlfriends?”
“Ha. No…”
“You look nice.”
“Nice, huh?” He nodded and then shrugged. “I’ll take nice."
Once we got to the clearing, groups stood near coolers and passed around drinks. Some swayed back and forth to music, and more than a few made out along the fringes where the firelight barely reached.
Now this reminded me of home. Except for the forest part. Beach parties were more of a Miami thing. Who knew, forest parties could be fun too…
“What do you want to drink?” Drake asked, hopping out of the SUV.
“What do you got?”
Drake led me over to a cooler. He said hey to a few friends as they parted, leaving us a straight shot to raid the drinks.
Beer. And a lot of it.
“I didn’t know you were into this,” I joked.
Drake smiled. “Which kind?”
“The bottle.” Drake opened it for me and I took a sip, face puckering. I’d much rather have a fruity daiquiri or wine.
The heat of the fire drew me closer. I used to camp with Jamie and her family until we grew out of it at about the age of thirteen or so. About the age where we wanted to look at lifeguards more than we wanted to eat ‘Smores. Thirteen—the age I realized my mother was a joke.
“What are you smirking at?”
I looked over at Drake. His face reflected the orange flames from the fire. “My mother.”
“What about her?”
I shook my head and laughed. “I was just thinking how when I was thirteen, it started to really bother me that Mom would bring home her ‘guy friends’." I picked up a branch and stuck the end in the fire. “She wanted me to become friends with all these guys, yet she wouldn’t tell me anything about my own father. She wanted me to know that Sam So-and-so had a condo in the Hamptons, but didn’t even want to tell me what team my father liked in baseball. She wanted me to care about these other, stupid guys, but not the one who mattered to me the most.”
I brought the flaming stick to my mouth and blew it out, leaving the tip burning like hot coal. “One fight in particular, she told me she ‘threw all his shit away’ because all it did was piss her off to look at it.” I wrote my name in cursive in the sky, tiny embers flew off the edge of the stick leaving a trail of orange glow as I swooped the letters. “Well, now that pissed me off. She took away my ability to find out about my own father because of what it did to her.” I turned the S into a D and started writing Dad’s name in the cursive that resembled his, over and over until the sparks died. “That’s my selfish mother for you.”
I threw the stick in the fire and downed the rest of the beer. It went down easier than taking little sips. Behind me, Drake put his arm around my middle and squeezed. I turned and stared into his eyes—how they mirrored the flames. He closed them and moved closer. I let him.
My kiss was eager, more romantic than friendship, deeper than the last time we kissed. I kissed him like I wanted to earlier when we laid on my bed. When our hearts beat together. When his lips looked so soft.
They were soft.
Drake pulled away. “You know I really like you and it sounds like you shouldn’t even go back to Florida.”
He talked out his ass. Not go back to Florida? “What? Am I just supposed to stay here? Live with an aunt that doesn’t even seem to like me half the time?”
He shrugged. “Even if you did go back. It’s not like we don’t have cell phones, or computers. And I don’t know if you’ve heard, they have this new invention called an airplane. It could really be useful—”
“Shut up.”
I reached up on my toes to kiss him again, but he stopped me. “I’m serious.”
“I know.” I put my fingers around his neck and pulled him to me, kissing him again before turning back to the blaze.
He took my bottle from me. “You want another one?”
“Sure.”
He left me staring at the fire. The front of my face melted, sweat popping up on my temples. I turned to warm by backside and noticed Marlene walking toward me. I looked for an escape, but she was already there.
“Hey.” Marlene’s head nodded up and down like a bobblehead. “Saw you kiss Drake.”
I nodded, unsure of what to say. I wasn’t the type to throw it in anyone’s face and it was obvious this girl was still harboring some major feelings for him.
“I wanted to let you know that when you go back home, I’ll be the one here.”
But there was only so much someone could take. I smiled. “And that’s supposed to bother me...”
Marlene cocked an eyebrow. Honestly, I didn’t want to fight. Yes, I’d have to leave someday and who knew what would happen after that. Of course I wanted to tell her to mind her own freaking business, but what would that solve?
She sneered and tossed her hair over her shoulder. The flames caught on the silver necklace. “Hey Marlene, where’d you get that necklace?”
Marlene twisted around, scowling. “Rose gave it to me.”
“Rose?” My tummy did a funny flip. Rose gave her presents? Why?
“Yeah.” She smirked. “When Drake and I were dating.” She picked up the circle in her fingers and rubbed her thumb over the smooth surface, looking down at the shine she gave it. “She said I was Drake’s now and that I should have this.”
“What is it?”
“Who knows? I don’t even really care. I just thought the symbol was cool. See.” Marlene held it out for me, the chain pulling taut around her neck. "It looks like a lightning bolt in the middle.”
Yeah, I had seen alright. Too many times before.
“Do I detect jealousy?” Marlene frowned. “Ya know, that’s really not an attractive quality. I know Drake doesn’t like it.”
This chick was ridiculous. “Whatever.”
“I did. I got to you, didn’t I?” Marlene laughed. “As soon as you’re gone, Drake and I are getting back together. We’re meant for each other. We can’t help it.”
“Who told you that, your fairy godmother?”
Marlene giggled into her hands. “Aww, look how your face gets all red when you’re mad. How cute.”
“Just…save it. I don’t—”
Marlene waltzed right up to me and leaned down. The foul bite of fermented leftovers stained the air between us as she whispered in my face, “No. Rose told me. We’re to be together. We’re meant to be together.”
I took a few steps back. Meant to be together?
Marlene looked around and then yelled, “You think you’re big shit, don’t you?” Faces turned to stare. “You think you’re just some city girl that can come traipsing in here and mess everything up. Well, you can’t."
Faces crowded in around us and a shiver shot up my spine. “What are you talking about?”
“Drake’s mine. Everybody here knows he’s mine. So just leave!”
Everyone started to nod as if Marlene gave some moving sermon they all agreed with.
I stood speechless. A fire from a gas stove cooked inside me, heating my blood. “You’re crazy, you know that? If you’ve got a problem with Drake and I, tell Drake. From what I can tell, he’s not into you anymore.”
Marlene’s nostrils flared, reminding me of a horse on a cold morning. I half expected fog to start shooting out. The crowd moved in closer and I smelled the intoxicating, sour beer on all of them. Where the hell was Drake?
Marlene fingered the pendant on her necklace again. “Well, he is mine. He is.”
I shook my head and turned my back on Marlene. I moved through the crowd and they parted for me, leaving a line about four people deep to parade in front of. Everyone shot me dirty looks or looked away disgusted. Even Drake’s friend Pete, who the other day couldn’t believe how lucky Drake was, practically spit on my feet.
As I broke through the mob, Drake came trudging out of the woods. “Where the hell were you?” I asked.
“I had to pee.” He motioned to the trees. “Why?”
“Marlene.” I rolled my eyes and hugged myself. “Your friends went all lynch mob on me.”
“Huh?”
Drake reached out, but I stood back. I didn’t need a stoning today. “Marlene. She just called me out in front of everybody. She said you were hers and to leave you alone.”
“Sarah, nothing’s going on—”
“What’s up buddy?” Pete came over and slapped Drake on the back. He nodded toward me and said, “Hey, how’s it goin’?”
I started. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. What’s up? You like it in town or what?” Pete plastered a smile on his face, his dark hair framing his features. Even his eyes looked genuine. His smile faded. "Oh hey, are we in a lover’s quarrel already?” he joked. “Do you guys need some alone time or something?"
I just stared at him, so Drake said, “Nah man, we’re good. Sarah was sayin’ Marlene gave her a hard time.”
“She did? When? Man, I told you that girl was trouble. Just because Rose said you should give her a chance, didn’t mean you had to.”
Drake drew his eyes in, then looked back and forth between Pete and me, so I planted a fake smile on my face and rested my hands on my hips. “Did you get me something else to drink or what?”
Drake shot me weird looks throughout the night. The entire night. His friends, everybody, didn’t let him get close to me the rest of the party. They swarmed around, eager to talk about anything besides Adams.
Every time a new person approached—and they were mostly guys; must have been slim pickings in Adams—I searched the faces for Drake. Every time, I found him looking at me and shaking his head. He probably wondered what the hell kind of crazy girl he’d gotten himself mixed up with.
A six-foot tall jock stood in front of me now. Yapping. I noticed his mouth move, but wasn’t interested in anything that came out of it.
“Hey…” I interjected, “sorry to cut you off…um……”
“Josh.” The jock flexed his muscles and showed off his sloppy grin.
“Josh.” I smiled back at him. “But listen, I’m um……” Not interested. “…not feeling good. I think I need to find Drake so he can drive me home.”
“If you want, I can take you.”
I shook my head. “Thanks, but we drove my car.”
“The Escalade, right?” The jock’s head twitched, flicking hair from his eyes. “That car is sick. I’ll drive you home in it if you want. I only live like two miles away from Rose.”
That was enough of that. I turned and fled.
“I can walk home,” he called after me.
I finally found Drake near the fire in what appeared to be a heated conversation with Marlene. I stepped toward them as he threw a water bottle into the flames. Marlene’s cheeks were damp, the orange glow of the fire mirrored on her skin.
I stopped, deciding to give them some time. Maybe he did believe me and was telling her off. It would be nice to have someone believe me. Besides, I needed to pee anyway. The forest where Drake reappeared earlier loomed in front of me. I shrugged and trudged in. There was a first time for everything…
By the time I got to a space that even remotely resembled a nice place to squat, my head throbbed. I did my business by a small stream, then moved a little way down and found a log to sit on. I laid my head on my knees and closed my eyes, concentrating on the sound of the running water and the hoot of the owls, trying to completely forget everything that had been happening.
I breathed deep, in through the nose and out the mouth to calm the electric nerves that sizzled and sparked. They were fading now, with every breath I took, I was fading, until I was lost in my own mind.
I was a blank page, wishing I could start this story over again. Maybe I wouldn’t have ended in Adams, at my aunt’s house, at the bank of the stream where I couldn’t find the energy to muster any physical response when it happened.
A figure.
Standing at the edge of the tree line—chapped lips smirking and holding a bundle of smoking straw—a figure engulfed in shadows and moonlight walked toward the bank of the creek. Fire marinated the hay, producing an earthy smell of freshly mowed grass and wood smoke that swallowed me up. The shadow blew on the swathed talisman and the embers si
zzled. Gray clouds curled up, surrounding the sallow face of the figure and floating upward.
A dark veil descended over me.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Isabella
1639
“To the house now, both of you. I will speak to you there.”
“Sir…” Thomas started.
“Now!” Mr. Ludington yelled.
Branches snapped all around as quick feet barreled through the woods toward them. Thomas took Isabella’s hand and ran to the house. Her chest squeezed tight, her breaths labored as she had to dig deep to gulp in air.
“This way,” he said, tugging her around a corner of another house before they finally reached his.
He crashed through the front door, sending it thudding against the wall. Mrs. Ludington ran into the hallway and then stopped in her tracks. “Isabella Lynne?” She looked at her son. “What is she doing here?”
Thomas dropped Isabella’s hand. Her heart sank with it as it fell to her side. “Mother…I…”
Heavy footsteps thudded in the entryway. Isabella turned and took a step behind Thomas as Mr. Ludington banged the door shut. “Go to your room, Martha. I need to speak with our son.”
She nodded her head, obliging him and walked with her head up, back to the other room.
“Sir—” Thomas started again, but he was interrupted.
“Thomas, would you like to tell me why you were meeting in the woods with this…girl?” he shot out.
“I—”
“And why, during these times, you left your post? You left another guard to become bewitched? Is this how you show your gentlemanly honor to our village?” His father strode up next to them. Frightened, Isabella took a few steps back.
Thomas stood tall. “I was walking my rounds when I happened across Isa—Miss Lynne.”
The older man’s eyebrow peaked. Then he turned to Isabella, “And what excuse do you have for being in the woods at night?”
His dark eyes bore into her and a single bead of sweat rolled down her back. “Sir, I—”
“She came to see me, Father.”
Mr. Ludington looked from one to the other. “What are you speaking of, Thomas?”