by Jen Minkman
Ben put away his can. “Actually, I do,” he answered just as hesitantly.
She shot him a surprised look. “So you haven’t forgotten?”
He sighed. “I never told you about me visiting that hypnotist, did I?”
“Uhm, no.”
Her brother stared at his hands. “It started after the summer vacation when I was seventeen. I went to college, Katie went to the same one, we rented that room on campus in Dallas together. Then, I started having nightmares. I’d wake up in the middle of the night screaming bloody murder, and Katie was worried sick. Sometimes I would sleep peacefully, but most of the time she’d wake up during the night because I was crying or yelling. After about three weeks, I was fed up with the whole thing. Katie’s best friend knew this reliable hypnotherapist, so I asked him to help me remember what I dreamed about. That was the strange thing – I’d forget what I dreamed about, once I woke up again.”
“Then what happened?” Josh asked curiously.
“I went to this hypno-dude. Once I was in a trance, I finally remembered dreaming about a gruesome battle field where I’d get mortally wounded. And the last thing I saw was your face, but older. You were sitting next to me, tears in your eyes, and after that, I’d black out. I’d just hear someone singing.”
“Holy smoke,” Hannah blurted out. “And you never told me? Why not?”
Ben shrugged. “I wanted to keep it to myself, I guess. It felt too personal. Katie doesn’t know what I saw either. She just knows the nightmares stopped after I visited the therapist and talked about the images I saw. That’s when I also remembered having the same dreams as a kid.”
Silence ensued, in which Ben calmly lit a cigarette. “I’m guessing it wasn’t just a dream, then,” he slowly spoke. “In the light of recent developments.”
“You died next to me,” Josh said, his voice contorted. “I sang for you.”
“Who was I?”
“My older brother.”
Ben smiled faintly. “Nothing much has changed.” Shaking his head in disbelief, he took a drag of his cigarette. “Quite a story. It won’t be long before people start calling me Born-Again Ben.”
“I understand why your dreams returned after that summer,” Josh said. “It was the summer I took my vision quest, and all my memories returned.”
“So who was I in my previous life?” Ben inquired. He had stopped being surprised at anything. “Were we both soldiers?”
“No. We did fight in the war, but originally, you were a hataalii, having given yourself the task to lift my curse.”
“For real? But that’s amazing! When we’re doing that ritual, I might remember more, so I can really help you. That’s why I came back into your life, I suppose.” He stared at Josh. “Now I understand why those skinwalkers looked so eerily familiar to me when I saw them in the park. And why they looked at me like they knew me.” He resolutely slammed his hand down on his knee. “Time to come up with a strategic plan.”
“Where do we even start?” Hannah turned to Josh, who stared at Ben with a frown.
“Nantai had discovered the skinwalkers could only be beaten at the location they’re hiding for real. They stay hidden somewhere, in a place protected by black magic, in the past,” he said.
“And once we find that place, we can fight them there?” Hannah asked.
“Yes. Which won’t mean the outcome is set. We might not win. But going to that spot will be the only way to eliminate them.”
“And did I never find out where those three bastards are hiding?” Ben said.
“Well, I remember you once having a vision where you saw them sitting in a large cave. Not much detail there, I’m afraid. The black magician and his sons were sitting around a fire in triangle formation, wearing coyote furs on their backs, like they were continuously preparing themselves for a transformation.”
“So that must be a cave where nobody would bother them,” Hannah concluded. “Well, not much risk of that in the past. No curious tourists visiting caves to look for petroglyphs, I guess.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the cave they’re hiding in is still shunned today,” Josh said. “The Diné have a certain instinct for places simmering with evil energy. We will never enter them, because the chindi haunt those places.”
“Where can you find caves in Navajo Nation?” Hannah pondered aloud.
“Uhm, practically everywhere. We have lots of mountains, so plenty of caves to go around.”
“Where did you live when the three warlocks first visited you?”
“In the vicinity of Santa Fe, where the revolt played out. But that doesn’t mean they’re hiding somewhere around there. They’d be cautious and willing to go to great lengths to protect themselves. They could have picked a spot far away from their original dwellings, so I’d have a harder time finding them.”
“In other words, they could be anywhere?”
Josh slouched, giving a despondent nod. In the silence that ensued, Hannah noticed Ben was observing the two of them intently. He hadn’t said anything for a while. “What’s up?” she mumbled.
Ben cleared his throat. “You know... this might sound crazy, or too obvious, but...” He turned to Josh. “You once told me what the name of your village meant. Naabi’aani means ‘cave of the enemy’, right?”
Josh slowly nodded. “Yeah. You’re right.”
“Where’s this cave? And what enemy does the name refer to?”
“It’s a cave just outside the village. No one goes there, because the people who set foot in it once all came back feeling mentally unstable and haunted. That must have been one hundred years ago. Ever since, we’ve believed it was home to a hostile tribe that must have left some sort of evil energy.”
Hannah shivered. “But then, wouldn’t you say...” she started out.
“Wait a minute. Just hold on. Isn’t that too much of a coincidence?” Josh objected. “Whyever would the cave hosting my mortal enemies only be a stone’s throw away from my native village?”
“Because of that. Because of the fact you live here,” Ben threw back, looking excited. “Think about it. This whole scenario, us showing up in each other’s lives, becoming friends and all, seems too much of a coincidence too. Except it isn’t. It was all pre-ordained somehow. I came back in your life as your best friend to help you fight the skinwalkers. Hannah came back to you because she was your lover, and now she finally has a chance of being together with you if we manage to lift the curse. Nothing here is accidental, and so you were born in this village for a good reason. We were supposed to find that cave. Call it help from above, if you must.”
“I think you’re making a lot of sense, Ben,” Hannah said quietly, staring at her brother in awe. He’d changed so much in just a few days. It was almost like his previous personality had taken precedence.
“You could be right.” Josh bit his lip, seeming indecisive. “Which means we have to check out that cave. Once we have, I will ask Sani to start preparing the Evil Way ceremony. It will take him at least a day. That way, we’ll have done a protective ritual before really stepping into the cave together.” He shot Hannah and Ben an anxious look. It was obvious the idea scared him to death.
Ben nodded. “Yeah, let’s ask Sani for help and let’s do this. You’ve waited long enough, Josh. Of course there’s risk involved, but I believe in a happy ending.”
“So do I.” Hannah snuggled up to Josh. “We’ll make this work.”
“Are we going back to Naabi’aani?” Ben got up. “I want to take a look at the cave as soon as possible. Maybe I’ll sense something.”
“I’ll join you,” Hannah chimed in.
“No, you shouldn’t,” Josh almost snapped. “You ... you just stay here. Okay? Let me and Ben take Sani there to investigate. You should only come near that place once the Evil Way ceremony has started for real. Please, shan díín... we really have to be careful. The closer you are to these witches, the better they’ll be able to feel you and do something to you.”
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“Okay, whatever.” Hannah blew out a breath and kissed Josh on the cheek. Of course, he didn’t want Ben to know she was running the highest risk of the three of them. “You guys go. I’ll stay here and hang out on the beach. I’ll call Emily and ask where they’re camping out.”
They all got up, Hannah hugging Ben and Josh both. “Be careful,” she mumbled to Ben. “Just a scouting mission, okay? You don’t need to storm the barricades on your own.”
“I got you, sis.” Ben lightly kissed her forehead, then followed Josh to the Mustang.
Hannah watched them drive away before walking inside with leaden steps to make some food and call Emily. Her friend turned out to be on the beach near The Winking Shrimp, together with the entire Greene family.
“So, have you recovered a little bit?” Ivy asked, when Hannah spread out her towel and gratefully took a bottle of water Sarah handed her from the cooler.
“I guess.”
“You still look exhausted.” Ivy narrowed her eyes. “Is everything all right between you and Josh?”
Hannah smiled. “Yes, of course. That’s not the problem. Last weekend’s ceremony just took a lot of my energy.”
“So are you... done now?” Amber inquired curiously.
“No.” Hannah shook her head. “Next stop is an Evil Way ceremony. Sani is going to be hosting that one, too.”
Emily raised an eyebrow. “What in heaven’s name are you guys doing?” she wondered out loud, shooting Hannah a worried look. “Ben said he was going to assist. What is it that he will be doing exactly?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” Hannah lied. “You’d better ask him personally. Or Josh.”
Emily snorted. “Yeah, like he’s going to blab.”
“Josh promised to tell us what’s been going on once he settles the whole matter,” Amber came to his defense. “He told me so yesterday.”
“Okay.” Emily bit her lip. “Excuse my bitchiness.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Hannah replied. “I understand. You feel left out. I know the feeling only too well.”
“Tell me about it,” Ivy piped up, aggrieved. “I was left out of the loop entirely. Nobody even bothered to tell me you’d be meditating in some hut all weekend long. Or why.”
Everyone suddenly giggled. “All will be revealed,” Hannah promised. She took in all the faces of her circle of friends, and suddenly, a shiver ran through her. If the ritual didn’t work, would her friends ever even find out what had happened to her?
For the first time since Friday night, it hit her. She could still die. This was the most perilous thing she’d ever planned. It seemed somehow surreal, but it was the truth. Josh’s concern about her, him trying to keep her away from the cave this afternoon, was completely justified.
Staring off into the distance, Hannah put her arms around her knees, absent-mindedly sipping from her water bottle. The medicine pouch with the added sand from the ikaah rested against her heart, which was beating anxiously.
“Smells good,” Ben commented out loud while parking the car next to the log cabin later that night. He and Josh had returned, just as Nick was busy grilling sausages on the barbecue.
After Hannah, Emily and the Greene family returned from the beach, Nick had texted Hannah and Emily both, asking them where they were. He’d finished doing his interview round in Naabi’aani, and Hannah had invited him and Yazzie to a barbecue at their place.
It was a bit morbid, but she’d wanted to invite all of her friends and see them one more time before she, Ben, and Josh set the Evil Way ceremony in motion. She was getting more nervous by the minute.
“Can you help me carry some glasses and plates outside?” she quickly asked Ben as he was getting out of the car. She tilted her head toward the kitchen.
“Sure.” He followed her inside. It was obvious what she wanted to know.
Josh followed them both. He pulled Hannah in his arms when she leaned back against the kitchen counter, her face a mask of warring emotions. “So?” she asked, her voice taut.
“Ben was right,” Josh mumbled, his face just as nervous.
“I suddenly had a sort of vision when I neared the cave,” Ben said excitedly. “And I felt that same fear I felt when the skinwalkers confronted me in the park.”
Josh pulled Hannah closer. “I spoke to Sani. It’s really going to happen. On Monday morning, just before sunrise.”
“So we’ll spend Sunday night with you in Naabi’aani?”
“Yes. So we can do some preparatory work.”
Hannah pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. His apprehensiveness was almost palpable.
“I’ve had some really interesting discussions about my past life with Josh today,” Ben went on. “I finally understand why I hate studying so much! In my past life, I was beaten and molested at boarding school. Quite a revelation, huh?”
Hannah smiled feebly. “Sounds more like a petty excuse to me.”
“Say what you want,” Ben said smugly, a smirk on his face. “You can’t erase the past.”
He’d piled some glasses onto a tray, balancing it in his hands as he stepped onto the porch. Hannah stared at him with a frown. Ben sounded annoyingly breezy. Not at all like he was taking the situation seriously. Suddenly, it grated on her that Ben seemed so chipper about everything, while Josh only seemed to tense up more by the minute. “Why are you so scared?” she whispered, caressing his cheek. “Remember, you told me yourself – together, we’re a lot stronger, now that we’ve been connected within the veil. And don’t forget Ben will be there, too.”
Josh clenched his jaw. “That’s just it,” he muttered. “I know you will both be there, and it frightens me. If one of you is hurt again because of me, because of this curse – I’ll never forgive myself.”
“What do you mean, because of you? I was murdered by Mexicans, and Ben died on the battlefield in the Second World War. I hardly think you should blame yourself for that.”
“But people die everywhere around me. As soon as I let them in, they’re taken away from me.”
“It’s a coincidence, okay? Please, don’t make yourself responsible for our lives and accountable for our deaths. That’s just nonsense.” She looked at him, staring him down until he trained his eyes to the floor and suddenly shrugged like a small child. She kissed him gently.
“Let’s just go outside.” Josh grabbed the bottles of ketchup from the table and stepped out the door. Hannah wanted to follow suit, but changed her mind when Ben came in again and opened the fridge to pull out some garlic butter.
“Look, Ben. Is it really necessary for you to be all light-hearted about what happened today?” she hissed, keeping her voice low so Josh wouldn’t hear. “It’s almost like you’re not taking things seriously.”
Ben whacked the fridge door shut in an impatient gesture, giving her a reproachful glare. “Give me a break here, Han. How the heck should I act? This very afternoon, we found the cave where his mortal enemies have been holding a stake-out for the past few centuries. Josh has been one big bundle of nerves for hours now, and I’m trying. I really am. Trying to distract him and maintain a positive outlook. If you want me to wallow in gloom too, we might as well be digging our own graves before sunrise on Monday morning.” His mouth contorted in a nervous half-smile. “You think I’m not scared?”
Hannah averted her eyes. She should have shut her big mouth. Of course Ben was scared shitless. Moreover, he had no idea just how dangerous the whole thing would be for her, because Josh had never told him. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled shamefully. “I could hit myself right now.”
“No, you can’t.” Ben said decidedly. “There’s a time and place for self-flagellation, but this is clearly not it. Come outside now. We’re going to have a good time with our friends.”
Suddenly, they both chuckled clumsily. Ben put his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, lighten up. There’s three of us, and don’t forget Sani. He’ll be there too, so we outnumber them.”
They went outside.
Hannah picked a spot on the grass next to Josh, who had made her a veggie burger in a bun and was eating a sausage himself. Yazzie had grabbed the guitar from the living room, trying out a couple of complicated basslines. Amber and Ivy were sharing a fish skewer. Nick was playing a game of badminton with Emily. Everyone looked so care-free and normal. And it was so beautiful in all its simplicity. Hannah swallowed. Her stomach felt weird, as if she was suddenly homesick. It was a feeling of longing for the uncomplicated, simple summers of the past.
Then, she looked sideways at Josh. Those carefree summers may be gone, but she was happy with all the revelations of the past few days. She would never leave Josh, no matter how complicated their life together was at the moment. There was no turning back now, and she didn’t mind.
“Monday night in the park! Be there or be square!” Nick yelled from his car window later that evening, when he drove off in his Jeep giving Yazzie a ride to Wahweap. The entire group had decided to go to Movies in the Park closing night on Monday, and Nick had promised to get the tickets.
“I’m happy we have something to look forward to on Monday night,” Ben mumbled, as he was clearing away the barbecue with Hannah. “It makes me feel life goes on. As long as we’re expected somewhere later that day, all will be well.”
“True, but I’m really starting to get the jitters now,” Hannah quietly replied, staring after the Jeep as it rounded the corner.
“We’re going to hit the sack,” Emily announced, sauntering toward them hand in hand with Amber.
“Uh-huh, I bet you are,” Ben grinned.
Amber turned red. “See you tomorrow,” she quickly said, dragging Emily to her parents’ log cabin in the blink of an eye.
“Stop teasing my little sister like that!” Ivy smacked Ben on the head.
“Hey, cut me some slack. I can’t very well tease my own sister. She’d beat the crap out of me.”
Hannah chuckled. “You bet.” Putting a hand on Ben’s shoulder, she continued, “Are you going to tag along to the beach tomorrow morning?”
Ben shook his head. “I’m staying here.” His eyes darted to Josh, who was just coming out of the kitchen, and Hannah left it at that. Her brother probably wanted to have a one-on-one with Josh tomorrow – about her, or about what exactly would be waiting for them on Monday morning.