No Crones About It

by Amanda M. Lee

  I couldn’t help but agree. “I’m sorry. The core of it is true, though. You’re extremely smart. As for me, I don’t think there’s anything that can be done to help me. I need to remember things from when I was a kid but I don’t think I can access those memories. I’ve been trying for years.”

  “You should go to Mama Moon.”

  I stilled. Mama Moon, the local psychic, worked out of a tacky office on the highway. She was a former Spells Angel who lost her way after a tragedy involving a missing boy. She was a bit rough around the edges, but she boasted real power. “What could Mama Moon do for me?” I asked finally.

  “She dream walks,” Raisin replied. “She can see the past — other people’s pasts, too — through this ritual she does. A lot of people pay a lot of money to get her to do it for them.”

  I wasn’t familiar with dream walking, but it sounded intriguing. “Maybe it’s worth a shot.”

  “It definitely couldn’t hurt,” Raisin agreed. “What do you have to lose?”

  Fourteen

  Mama Moon’s office was locked when I arrived. There was, however, a sign on the door. It directed those who weren’t faint of heart to join the full moon celebration in the field by Grover’s Corner. I had to look up Grover’s Corner on my phone — apparently it was a small field next to the lake — and it didn’t take me long to make up my mind. If I was going to push the issue, it was best to chase answers with gusto. Mama Moon would appreciate it.

  At least I hoped that was true.

  The country roads leading to the lake weren’t well marked. I had to backtrack twice, and by the time I found the field, it was well after dark. I parked my bike a good distance from the light and sound coming from the field so as not to disturb whoever was there and whatever they were doing. I took a moment to observe the festivities from a distance.

  They were clearly having a good time.

  Music blared from an old-fashioned boom box. It wasn’t the sort that utilized cassette tapes — which was a relief because old technology often freaks me out — but played CDs, which seemed somehow surreal. There were at least twenty people in the field, men and women joining in the revelry. A huge bonfire roared in the middle of the clearing and women in long skirts — and men in what looked to be loin cloths — danced around it.

  Mama Moon was easy to pick out of the crowd. She sat on a blanket with a man, someone I didn’t recognize, and gaily laughed as she watched the antics around the fire. Slowly, as if sensing me watching her, she turned her eyes to me ... and beckoned.

  A chill went down my spine at the movement. It was as if she’d been expecting me, which was something I had trouble wrapping my brain around. I swallowed hard, taking advantage of the shadows to smooth my hair, and then headed in her direction. She was laughing and drinking wine when I closed the distance.

  “You don’t have to lurk in the dark,” she chided once I was within hearing distance. “It makes you look like a creeper. Everyone is welcome here.”

  I felt awkward, out of place. “I wanted to talk to you about something. I saw the sign on your door and decided to come out. I ... um ... this is kind of weird.”

  She cocked an eyebrow, ignoring the fact that her turban was askew. “You ride a motorcycle and fight monsters. Many might consider that weird.”

  I made a face as I darted a look to her companion. He didn’t appear invested in the conversation. That didn’t mean I wanted my business spread all over the clearing for strangers to chime in on. “This was probably a mistake.”

  “Don’t be a pain,” she snapped, shaking her head. She held my gaze for a long beat and then leaned closer to her friend. “Darian, I don’t suppose you could give me a few minutes with Scout, could you? I think she has something to discuss with me and she’s not the sort who enjoys an audience.”

  Darian didn’t look thrilled with the suggestion, but he didn’t voice a complaint. “I think I’ll grab some more wine. I’ll leave this bottle for you.”

  “You’re a dear. Thank you.”

  I waited until he was gone to launch into my spiel. “So, something has happened.”

  She wagged a finger to silence me. “Take a breath,” she instructed. “Sit down. Rest your mind.”

  Resting my mind was the last thing I wanted. “Something happened,” I repeated.

  “Is that something going to change in the next five minutes? No? Then sit down and shut up.”

  I frowned but did as she ordered, glaring when a rock under the blanket made sitting uncomfortable. There was no way I was going to shift closer to her. I would simply have to put up with the discomfort.

  “Have some wine,” she suggested, tilting the bottle in my direction. “It’s a special brand. Witches brew it in Hemlock Cove, a magical place if you ever get the chance to visit. I think I’ve told you that before. This particular witch knows exactly what she’s doing with wine. It’s potent stuff.”

  “I don’t really like wine.”

  “No? That’s too bad.” Mama Moon fell silent for a moment and then inclined her chin toward the fire, where the dancers were gearing up for another round. “That’s a coven of earth witches. They live in the area, but spread out to various parts of the county. We gather here every full moon and solstice to make our offering to the Goddess.”

  “That sounds ... neat.” Seriously, what else was I supposed to say?

  “You try to distance yourself from what you are, but you’ll find that’s never as easy as you would like. Embracing your true self will smooth those rough edges you always display.”

  I frowned. “You’re kind of rude.”

  “We have that in common.”

  That was the truth, so I opted to refrain from lambasting her. I needed her help, after all. It was probably best I didn’t insult her before asking a favor.

  “Raisin was at my place earlier — I’m helping her practice for a play she’s in — and she mentioned you could dream walk.” I searched for the right words to explain my predicament without revealing too much of my story. “The man who died ... Fred ... I need to talk to him. Can I do that in a dream?”

  The fire cast an eerie glow around the field, and when I risked a look at Mama Moon I found intrigue lurking in the depths of her odd eyes.

  “You want to talk to the dead man? May I ask why?”

  “You may ask ... but I can’t answer. It’s sort of a private thing. I need to talk to him. It’s really important. I mean ... really important.”

  Mama Moon opened her mouth and then settled, lapsing into silence for a few moments. I had the distinct impression she’d planned to say one thing and then changed her mind. That was probably for the best if she was going to be prickly. Finally, she regained her train of thought. “If you feel you need to talk to him, you have your reasons. You’re trying to catch his killer, correct? What was done to him was beyond the pale. Someone deserves to pay for that.”

  “I agree.” Of course, I wanted to talk to him for a few other reasons, too. “Can you help me talk to him?”

  “I can try,” she replied. “The thing is ... I don’t believe Fred was supernatural. The odds of him being on the plane you would need to visit are slim.”

  “I’m not so sure Fred was completely non-paranormal. If he’s not there, there’s no harm. I’ll pop my head in and climb out. No big deal.”

  She chuckled. “Visiting the spirit realm is nowhere near as easy as you seem to believe. You will be expending power to do it.”

  “I’m fine with that. I just ... need to talk to him.”

  Her gaze was weighted. It was clear she believed something else was going on, but ultimately she opted not to press me. “You’re a strong girl. I think you’ll be able to master this technique relatively easily. I will guide you.”

  It was only after I heard her response that I realized how relieved I was to hear it. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” She smiled. “We need to step away from the crowd a bit. You need to concentrate and the dancers
might distract you.”

  “They’re not a distraction.”

  “They haven’t gotten naked yet.”

  Oh, well, that would definitely be a distraction. “Distance is good.”

  WE PICKED A SPOT HIDDEN beneath the bough of a large willow, the long leaf strands billowing around us. I sat cross-legged on the ground (at Mama Moon’s order) and didn’t cringe as she did the same across from me.

  “Usually I would go into the world with someone and serve as a buffer,” she explained. “I don’t think that’s the right move here. Whatever you’re planning ... well ... it’s none of my business. I’m going to help you to the line, but then you must cross over yourself.”

  She sounded ominous. “This line you’re talking about ... will I be able to cross back on my own?”

  “You shouldn’t have difficulty with that. I suspect you can dream walk on your own. You’ve simply never been trained in the process. It’s a useful skill to have.”

  “Great.”

  She snickered at my derisive tone. “Close your eyes. Listen to the wind rather than the music. Focus on the darkness rather than the fire. Close everything out ... and listen to your heart.”

  Her voice became a murmur as I followed her instructions. It was sort of like being hypnotized, something the state workers tried after my initial discovery as a child. It never worked. They could get three layers down and then something inside of me always fought back against them.

  This time was different. I was participating voluntarily.

  Layer after layer peeled away and I found myself sinking to the ground. It was more a soft slide than a big drop, but I realized I’d gone really deep when I hit the bottom.

  I took a moment to glance around, my fight-or-flight senses kicking into overdrive. Mama Moon was long gone — at least I thought she was, because I could no longer sense her — but I wasn’t alone.

  The forest I found myself in was strange, dark, with trees I didn’t recognize. It was only after several moments of study that I realized why they were different. They were upside down.

  “Oh, geez,” I muttered, shaking my head. “I’m in Stranger Things, aren’t I?”

  The man standing several feet away eyed me with curiosity ... and anger. “Why did you call me here?” his voice rasped, as if he was getting over a winter ailment that refused to completely dissipate.

  “I need to talk to you, Fred,” I replied simply. “If that is your real name. Is it?” I asked the question on a hunch, but wasn’t disappointed in his answer. Technically, he didn’t answer, but the furtive way his eyes shifted told me what I needed to know. “It doesn’t matter how far Graham digs. He’ll never find answers on you because you’ve hidden them too well.”

  Fred appeared agitated by the statement. “What do I care about Graham? I’ve moved beyond him.”

  “Do you know who I am?”

  He blinked several times and then squared his shoulders. “You’re the girl with the motorcycle gang. You’re a witch. Oh, yeah, I know about the gang. You guys pretend that people not in your inner circle couldn’t possibly recognize the truth about your outfit, but I know.”

  I pursed my lips as I regarded his dingy hair and belligerent expression. He was trying to bait me. That was probably a good tactic, but I was so determined to make this work that I refused to allow him to derail the conversation. “You died because of me,” I announced. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t care about the twenty bucks enough to chase you down. You could’ve had it if you’d only asked.”

  He frowned. “Twenty bucks? I wasn’t stealing money. I was just ... looking. The money was a cover.”

  Oh, well, that was interesting. “I guess that means you know who I am.”

  “You’re the biker girl.”

  My voice was soft. “I’m more than that. The medical examiner ran a blood test on me because I was a suspect in your death. It turns out you got a piece of your attacker — good for you — and it wasn’t me.”

  “Of course it wasn’t you. What is Graham thinking? Why would he suspect you?”

  “My name was burned into your body.”

  Fred’s expression shifted. “Oh, well ... I didn’t know that. I knew they were burning something. I’m guessing they wanted you to be a suspect.”

  “I’m sure you’re right. Can you tell me about your attackers?”

  He shook his head. “It’s dim in my memory. I can’t remember. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m better off here.”

  I glanced around the forest, dubious. “I don’t think this is a great place to spend your afterlife.”

  “Who says I’m spending my afterlife here?” he barked. “You brought me here. This is a place of your making.”

  Was that true? If so, it was a sobering thought. “I’m ... sorry.” It sounded lame. I had nothing else to offer. “I need to know how you’re related to me. The medical examiner says you’re my uncle. I just ... did you know that when you opened my purse? Were you trying to get my attention?”

  He balked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve never seen you before. I just happened upon you on the beach. After that, I don’t remember anything.”

  “Then how do you know I didn’t kill you?”

  “I just do. I think I would remember if you were there. I mean ... come on. It wasn’t exactly an easy death.”

  My stomach twisted at the recollection of his body. “I’m so sorry. I ... so sorry. I didn’t mean for anything to happen to you. I didn’t even know you. Had I known you were related to me, I would’ve saved you. I swear it.”

  “You can’t make that promise. You’re not omnipotent. Besides, we’re not related. Whoever told you that is full of it.”

  He was a better liar than most, but I recognized the deception in his voice. “You knew who I was.” The realization made me sick. “Were you watching me? Is that why you were in Hawthorne Hollow? Wait. That makes no sense. You were here fifteen years before I arrived. There’s no record of me ever being here before so ... that can’t be it.”

  “I don’t know you,” Fred shouted. “How would I know you? It’s not possible.”

  “But you do know me.” I took a step in his direction, my hands clenched into fists at my side. “I need answers from you ... and you’re going to give them whether you like it or not. You know who I am. You know where I came from. You have to tell me.”

  “I don’t have to do anything.”

  “Then I’ll force you.”

  The chuckle he let loose was deep and dark. “You’ll find you’re not nearly as powerful as that big head of yours tries to make you imagine. You can’t touch me. I’m already dead.”

  “Let’s find out, shall we.” I was determined as I moved in his direction. If he tried to run I would stop him. His eyes went wide when he read my intentions and he took an involuntary step back, stumbling.

  Before I could get to him, a bright light flashed to my right and caused me to slow my pace. A fissure appeared in the air, a tear in the fabric of time, something big enough for a person to slide through ... and that’s exactly what happened.

  I recognized the woman from my dreams, and my mouth went dry. She looked the same. She hadn’t aged. Perhaps that was because she died long ago and only truly lived in my memory.

  The realization hurt.

  “It’s you,” I muttered, my heart protesting my new reality. “You’re here.”

  “It’s not time for this,” she barked, grabbing the collar of Fred’s shirt and tugging him toward the light. “You shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be doing any of this. I ... this is not what we planned for you. You’re doing everything wrong.”

  “Then perhaps you should’ve stuck around to teach me what you wanted instead of dumping me in front of a fire station,” I shot back. “You did this.”

  “No. The world did this.” She shoved a protesting Fred to the other side of the light and focused on me. “Stop living in the past and look toward the future. You have enemies c
ircling. You cannot focus on us.”

  “That’s easy for you say.” I was bitter and I didn’t care who knew it. “You know the truth. I’m always left floundering in the dark.”

  She almost looked rueful, but not apologetic. “That cannot be fixed now. You must focus on the enemy circling you. The rest ... the rest is for later.”

  “I’m not done with you,” I bellowed as she moved toward the light.

  “No, but you’re done for now. You must go back.”

  “I’ll follow you,” I threatened. “I don’t care where that portal goes. I’ll follow you.”

  She exhaled heavily, weariness dragging her down. “We can’t have that, can we?” She raised her hands, taking a stance that sparked a memory in my head. It was fleeting ... and I could hear wolves howling in the background. “You must go back. It isn’t time yet.”

  “Don’t!” The word was barely out of my mouth before she unleashed her magic. I was expecting it, but I didn’t move fast enough to block the sparkling wave. The force of the blue blow was great enough that it knocked me backward. I fell again, although this time I was falling up.

  “NO!”

  I landed back in the field with a hard thud and pounded the ground as I rolled to my back. Mama Moon, who was sitting in the same spot I left her in, was wide-eyed and looked to be awestruck.

  “What happened?” she asked, flummoxed.

  “Nothing good,” I complained, rubbing my forehead. “Son of a ... .” I trailed off when I heard rustling to my right, looking in that direction. To my surprise — and horror — Raisin was detaching from the tree line. She had a thrilled expression on her face.

  “That was awesome,” she enthused. “You totally need to do it again. That blue light was nifty. Were you in Heaven? I have so many questions.”

  She wasn’t the only one. Unfortunately, the one taking precedence was a doozy. “Did you follow me? Do you have any idea how much trouble we’re going to be in?”

  “It was totally worth it.”

  I wished I felt the same.

  Fifteen