Entranced

by Tamara Hart Heiner

  “I already started researching this,” she said. “I have a whole folder at home, it’s just that, you know, not everyone agrees on who the gods were or what they were doing because apparently they didn’t keep a written history, and by the time people starting recording the mythology a few hundred years ago, the oral history varied by family and so did the gods and their powers—”

  “Got it,” I interrupted. “We need to get together. Are you free tonight?”

  She made an unhappy noise in the back of her throat. “No. Some special dinner with my dad.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “I’m free. Spend the night?”

  “Yes.” I nodded, elated by the idea of all the work we’d get done pulling an all-nighter. If I could just wait that long.

  “Great!” She touched my forearm. “Anything on Samantha? Oh, crap, I’m going to be late to class. I’ll see you!”

  I waved and headed toward my own classroom. I started to put my phone away when I noticed I’d missed a call. I didn’t know the number, but they’d left a message. Leaning against the wall, I pressed the phone to my ear and played it back.

  “Jayne, this is Mrs. Clark, Trey’s mom again. Sorry to bother you, but I just met with Trey this morning, and he was quite insistent I call you. He wanted me to tell you ‘Come to the source’ this time. He said it was very important. So I hope that means something to you. Have a good day.”

  The message ended, and suddenly I had no doubt what Trey meant. He wanted me to come to him. Whatever was going on with these animal sacrifices, and maybe even the suicides, he knew something.

  I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Stephen wasn’t in chemistry. At least I wouldn’t have to come up with some lame excuse to avoid him. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him more.

  I slipped into Mr. Edwards’ office at work and deposited my tape recorder on the desk.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t call you last night.” I added my notes from yesterday to the pile. “I didn’t really get anything significant.”

  He waved off my apology and leaned back in his chair, threading his fingers together. “Tell me what you’ve got. We ran a preliminary article this morning, but without a unique angle, our article didn't really vary from the Associated Press’.”

  “All I really have is that the cop I spoke with admitted there’s a connection between the suicides and the cow massacres. But he wouldn’t say what.”

  For a moment, he looked disappointed. Then he shrugged. “Even though you didn’t find anything really news-worthy, Jayne, it shows great initiative that you’d drive up there and seek out an interview.”

  My face warmed. “Thanks.”

  “Go finish up your calendar of events, and then see if anyone in the office needs anything.” He pulled out a tablet and swiped it on.

  Back to being gopher-girl. “I will. Thanks, Mr. Edwards.”

  He didn’t respond, having already purged me from his office and mind. I slipped over to my computer and pulled up my calendar of events. I’d finished it two days ago, but if I announced that, I’d be given a new assignment. I fiddled with the calendar, adjusting fonts and wording.

  I felt like I had all the puzzle pieces in front of me, but for some reason none of them fit. Abandoning the calendar, I pulled up the website for Barnabas Behavioral Health Center, the most likely place for Trey to be. The website didn't list visitor’s hours and I didn’t even know if they would let me in, but I obviously had to try.

  Closing down the web browser, I sent my calendar to the printer before getting up to see if anyone needed a coffee run.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “No cell phones,” said the plump receptionist dressed in white at Barnabas Behavioral Health Center. She handed me a visitor badge and put out a hand.

  “Oh, sure.” I fumbled for my flip phone and dropped it into her waiting palm.

  “Sign your name here.”

  I signed where she pointed on a clipboard, my fingers jittery. At least Trey’s mom had remembered to put me on the visitor’s list.

  “Visiting hours end at six o’clock.”

  I glanced at the clock on the wall. That gave me about ten minutes. “Okay.”

  “This way.” She poked her head behind her and yelled, “Marge, take the front desk.” She led me down a hallway and through a set of doors, then another hallway. She stopped at a room and unlocked it. “The door will stay open, and I’ll be right here in the hall.”

  I nodded, a bit intimidated by her demeanor. Did she expect him to jump me or something?

  Trey stood by his bed, watching me come in. His dark hair was longer, touching the tips of his ears, and shadows ringed his eyes, but otherwise he looked the same as when I’d seen him the second day of school.

  “Hey,” I said, suddenly flustered. I’d expected him to be less aware, more—insane.

  “You got my message, then.” He nodded and motioned for me to sit down in the other chair in the room.

  “Yeah.” I sat on the seat’s edge, and he rested against his bed. A quick glance around the bare room showed these were the only two furnishings. The small porthole of a window hardly counted. “So what’s going on?”

  He exhaled. “I didn’t do it.”

  “But they have you on video,” I started.

  “But I didn’t do it.”

  I cocked my head. “So you have a twin brother . . .”

  He allowed a tight smile. “No, Jayne. It’s much more twisted than that. Someone manipulated that footage.”

  “But why?” I furrowed my brow. “Why go through all that trouble?”

  “To get me out of the way.” He lowered his voice and glanced toward the open door.

  “Out of the way?” I matched his pitch.

  “Because I found you.”

  I waited for that statement to make sense. His eyes searched mine as if waiting for the same thing. Then he heaved a sigh.

  “Except you don’t remember yet,” he said, frustration in his words. “You haven’t come into yourself.”

  Maybe he was insane. “Are you on medication?”

  “Jayne Lockwood,” he said, enunciating every syllable. “Or should I say Dekla?”

  Goosebumps popped up all over my arms. “How do you know that word?”

  “Because I found you,” he repeated. He held my gaze with his hazel eyes, not blinking. “Because I am Auseklis, and I was sent to serve you.”

  I fell off my chair. He jumped up and grabbed my arm, helping me back into it.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, trying to control my trembling. “Come again?”

  “Unlike you, I was born into my role,” he said. “Every third generation, Auseklis reincarnates. I’m Trey Clark, but I was also born as Auseklis.”

  “So you’re a god,” I breathed. “Are you immortal?”

  He shook his head. “No. One day I’ll die, and Auseklis will be born again from my descendants.”

  “What do you do?”

  “I’m meant to help you, Jayne.”

  “Wait, so, you’re like, my servant?” My head spun. Why hadn’t Laima told me?

  Duh. Because she never really told me anything.

  “No, I serve all the gods in time of need. That’s why I’ve traveled so much, been to so many schools. Now is your time of need. But I’ve been thwarted. They took my powers.” He held out his hands, and I gasped at the sight of a chain branded red-hot into his skin.

  “See?” he whispered. “I failed. I felt when you came into your role, but it took me time to find you. And I knew something was wrong, the moment the massacres started and they tried to pin them on me.”

  I touched his skin, frightened to the core by what I saw. “Who did this?”

  “Supporters of Velns.” His hand flipped around and gripped mine. “Don’t let them catch you.”

  “Can you get your powers back?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh.” I exhaled in relief. “How long does it take?”

  “T
hat depends. You can help me.”

  “Me?” I squeaked.

  “Two minutes,” the woman in the hall said.

  “We don’t have time,” Trey said. “You need to come into yourself. If you don’t, you can’t access all your powers.”

  “How do I do that?” I whimpered.

  “Become Dekla. Don’t be afraid to let go of Jayne. You have to.”

  I shook my head. “But I can’t do that. I’m already losing myself.”

  “How can you lose yourself? You are you.”

  “Visiting hours are over,” the woman said, coming into the room.

  I stood up, clutching my purse strap with trembling hands. “But what about Karta? How do I defeat her?”

  “There are others.”

  “Others?” I dragged my feet as the woman moved me toward the door.

  “They will find you, just like I did.”

  “Who?”

  The door closed in my face, and the nurse let me go. “Come back tomorrow if you need to talk to him some more,” she said, then meandered down the hall.

  Aaron texted me as I sat gathering my thoughts in the hospital parking lot.

  Want to make sure you’re all right. Busy day, but maybe we can see each other Saturday.

  I smiled, knowing he was making an effort. Then I frowned. Laima’s warning about his involvement echoed through my head and glared up at me from my cell phone when I opened it up to send her a text.

  Met someone claiming to be Auseklis, said he was sent to protect me but he was attacked and had his powers taken from him?!? This can happen?!? To me??? He said I can help him. How??

  I sent off my pleading, desperate words, never needing her as much as I did right now. I called Meredith three times before remembering she was at her dad’s dinner thing. When Dana didn't answer either, I gave up.

  This is an exercise in patience, I told myself as I backed out of the parking lot. A trait I was remarkably short on.

  *~*

  Meredith called me as I sat at the computer researching Auseklis.

  “Meredith,” I said, talking before she could, “something pretty crazy just happened.”

  “Like, crazier than everything else? Because let me tell you, your life right now pretty much tops everything on the cray-cray list.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “Even crazier. I just met with Trey Clark, and he claims he’s a god sent to protect me.”

  She made a choking sound. “Was that a pick-up line?”

  I had to laugh. “No, unfortunately. He said he’s someone called Auseklis.” I waited to see if that would ring a bell.

  “Um, okay. Is that code for something?”

  I drew a tiny star on my notebook paper, the star of Auseklis. The only thing I’d been able to find on him so far. “No. It’s one of the Latvian gods.”

  “Oh,” she gasped out, catching on. “What? How?”

  I exhaled, putting all my frustration into the sound. “I really have no idea. I only got to talk to him for a few minutes before the nurse kicked me out.”

  “We’ve got to talk,” she said.

  “Yeah, I know.” I glanced at my watch. Nearly nine. There wasn’t enough time to go over and pow-wow. “Do you have anything on Auseklis in your files?”

  “I’ll have to check. What about Samantha Miller? Any news there?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Jayne?” Beth stepped into the den, a notebook in her hand. “Are you done on the computer? I need to type something up.”

  “I’ll call you later, Meredith. Thanks for all your help.” I hung up the phone and faced my sister. “Right now? I’m about to do something.”

  Her feet did a little two-step of impatience. “I’ve been waiting since dinner. Homework before play, remember?”

  “Sorry.” I scooted away, knowing I’d have to wait until tomorrow. Maybe if I used my money to buy a newer phone instead of trying to maintain my dying car, I could check Facebook whenever I wanted.

  And I’d have lots of time to do so while I walked everywhere.

  *~*

  I’d barely done the locker exchange thing at school Friday morning when Meredith slammed beside me with a metallic clang.

  “Here,” she said, handing me a file folder. “Everything I could find on Auseklis.”

  “This is great,” I said, taking it from her. “It’s so thin.” I opened it up and removed the single sheet of paper.

  She shrugged. “There’s really not much on any of these guys. We need someone on the inside to give us information.”

  “I’ve got someone,” I replied. “She’s just unresponsive.” Or worse. A cold chill went through me at the thought of Laima losing her powers. Could that happen to her? I shot a quick glance around the hallway. If someone tracked Trey here and knew he’d found me, could they have discovered who I was?

  Remembering the poem Karta had sent me, I realized they probably did. I grabbed Meredith’s forearm, suddenly anxious. “Let’s get to class.”

  “Are you okay?” She kept pace with me as I marched us across the street.

  I hesitated, but decided I had to tell all. “Trey was framed. Someone knew who he was and got him arrested, and then they took his powers.”

  “They took his powers?” she breathed.

  Thunder rumbled in the distance, and I hurried us inside even though there were no rain clouds in sight. “Yes. And I’m pretty sure they know who and where I am.”

  “You’re in danger.” She collapsed against the wall behind us, her face paling. “What are you going to do?”

  “That is a very good question,” I said.

  For once the school day flew by, leaving me no time to ponder on what Meredith and I suspected, even though it crawled over my subconscious like a venomous spider. My thoughts refocused when I got to work. I knew as soon as I got out of my car that something was going on. A flurry of activity rushed in and out of the building, with people dashing to their cars just as others pulled in and ran for the front doors.

  Uh-oh, I thought, my heart dropping into the pit of my stomach.

  I got off the elevator on the fourth floor. Mr. Edwards wasn’t in his office, so I headed to the briefing room. No one there, either. I turned around and walked smack into Kate.

  “Hey!” I exclaimed, grabbing her arm to steady her. “Where is everyone?”

  “Everywhere.” She exhaled. “It’s breaking news.”

  “What is?” I steadied myself.

  “Thirteen suicides. All within two hours of here.”

  “Oh, no,” I whispered.

  “But that’s not all.”

  “More animal sacrifices?”

  “Yes, but that’s not it.” She brushed that off. “Missing people. All over.”

  “What do you mean, missing? You mean, not dead?”

  “Just missing!” She threw her arms up. “It all happened in the past day. I guess people started calling the police, looking for spouses, children. They’re just gone, dozens of them, and not just from Lacey Township. All over the Delaware Valley.”

  “Criminy,” I whispered.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  I snuck to the bathroom as soon as I could and called Aaron. For once, he answered.

  “People are disappearing,” I whispered, holding the phone with both hands to keep it steady.

  “Disappearing how?”

  “I don’t even know. It’s a mad house here. Nobody knows if they’re dead or just missing.”

  “Jayne,” he said, and I braced myself, not liking the tone of his voice. “I don’t want you involved in this.”

  “How am I supposed to stay out of it, exactly?” I hissed.

  “It’s got nothing to do with you. Go home. Tell Laima you’re done. You want out.”

  I couldn’t believe he was saying this. “I can’t do that.”

  “Why not? What’s it to you?”

  “I’m a part of this.” Anger flared in my chest. Why had I thought calling him would make me feel better
? He didn’t understand.

  “Just—” He exhaled. “Promise me you’ll go home. Stay there.”

  “I can’t! I’m at work!”

  “After work.”

  This was ridiculous. “I’m going to a friend’s house tonight. And I’ve got to go. I’ve got work to do.”

  “Call me when you get off.”

  His overprotectiveness irritated me. “Okay,” I said, and then hung up, wishing I hadn’t even called him.

  I sent Meredith several urgent texts, ending with, I’m on my way to your house as soon as I got off work. I didn’t even bother going home to pack a bag. With all the panicked thoughts going through my head, I nearly ran a red light.

  “Calm down, Jayne,” I whispered to myself as I screeched to a stop, car horns echoing around me. While I was pretty sure I couldn’t die without choosing a successor, I could still cause an accident.

  I arrived safely at Meredith’s just as she pulled into the driveway next to me, and I waved anxiously. She hopped out.

  “I just saw all your messages. What is it? What’s going on?”

  “So, so much.” I followed her up the walkway. “You won’t even believe it.”

  My phone buzzed while Meredith unlocked the front door. “Oh!” I exclaimed, stopping to read the text. “It’s from Laima!”

  “What’s it say?”

  You are in danger. Do not leave Ragana.

  I frowned. “I’m not sure what it means.” The danger part I’d already figured out. But Ragana? Clueless. I followed Meredith to her room and put my phone away, not wanting to show her.

  “Well, that’s not very helpful.” She sat down at her desk and toggled the computer mouse. The screen saver vanished and revealed a very neat and orderly spreadsheet.

  “Meredith.” People are disappearing. I’m in danger. I don’t know what to do. I rehearsed the words in my mind, but couldn’t get them out of my mouth.

  “These are the gods I’ve found,” she said, pointing to a column. “I’ve tried to rank them in order of importance. And here is the first date they are mentioned. Then this is their power, their symbol, and their boss, so to say.” Meredith pointed to each column in turn.

  “Nicely done,” I said. I chewed on one of my fingernails as I paced behind her. “So many.” I scanned the list of thirty-four different gods.