Part 23 (1/2)
She peeked out from under the sandwich board.
The tall woman strode away.
Sally walked out into the surf.
Then something extraordinary happened.
Her skin began to melt off her body, swirling with the foam of the ocean to rise ahead of her in another body-the Reef Hag's, leaving Psycho Sally's muscles and bones exposed. She wriggled and writhed, her face contorted in pain. Then, just as quickly a wave washed over her making her whole again.
It all happened so fast, Evelina wondered if she'd imagined it as she watched Psycho Sally saunter down the beach and the Reef Hag slither into the surf.
Wow!
It was true.
Sally was possessed by the Reef Hag. She was working with the Swamp Hags. And it sounded like Lake of the Isles was next. Evelina struggled to her feet. She had to get back and tell the others.
They had to do something!
Before someone else died.
Evelina picked up the sandwich board, to trundle in the opposite direction down the beach.
”We have to tell Burble!” was Abby's reaction when Evelina relayed the news.
”We can't wait until the weekend.” Tally appeared horror struck. ”It might be too late.”
”Great.” Abby wore a bemused look. ”But, how do we contact her?”
”I don't know.” Evelina searched her brain. ”She always contacts us.”
”We don't see her until Friday.”
”We can't wait until then.” Tally shook her head.
”Udora will know what to do,” Evelina said, hoping she was right. ”I'll find out tonight.”
”Thoosa? Is that what she said?” Abby wore a look of distaste. ”As in Thoosa Barnes?”
”I don't know.” Maybe that was why she looked so familiar. She must have seen her at meetings. ”Maybe.”
Abby made a long whistling sound. ”She's a b.i.t.c.h on wheels.”
Tally huddled closer. ”She has a fierce reputation.” She lowered her voice to a hoa.r.s.e whisper. ”I heard my mother speak of her once. Seems they went to school together. Let's just say the adjectives were not flattering.”
Evelina had to agree with Tally's mother. Fierce was close. But, blood thirsty would be a more accurate description. She wasn't anybody you wanted to mess with. That's for sure.
Evelina never thought she'd feel sorry for Wendell, but after encountering his mother she kinda did? Having a mother like that had to be brutal. What must his father be like? Who married a freak like that?
Of course it explained a lot about Wendell-depending on which way you wanted to go with the nature, nurture thing, or in his case, a combination of the two.
He was one messed up dude.
No doubt about it.
”Burble?” Udora turned from pruning her lamb's ears in the garden, appearing neither surprised nor alarmed by Evelina's request.
The plant, more of a curly venus flytrap with yellow eyes and white dreadlocks, bleated for attention.
Udora scratched it under the chin. ”I can send out a message of course.” She set down the shears on the stone table. ”But there's no telling if she'll get it soon enough.”
”I don't know. Atmospheric pressure is low today.” Mrs. Segal climbed down from the step stool under the lemon tree, straw hat askew. ”It's difficult to say, my dear.” She examined the lemons in her basket one at a time. ”She might get it and she might not.”
”Councillor McCrystal must be notified at once,” Udora said in dour tones. ”If anything is to be done at all.”
”Most disturbing!” Mrs. Segal hugged her basket. ”I've always made it my business to give Thoosa Barnes a wide berth. She's the worse sort of Hag!”
”Here we go.” Udora rolled her eyes.
”Not at all suitable company.” Mrs. Segal shuddered. ”I remember during our Flurry her unsportsmanlike behavior. Shocking!” Mrs. Segal appeared incensed. ”Proper etiquette must be observed-propriety upheld or we all fall to ruin.”
”Meantime, back in the real world,” Udora said under her breath. ”Right. Let's get on with it, shall we?” Udora strode to the back porch of the little pink cottage. ”It's been some time since I sent a Wind Wire.”
Evelina scurried in her wake, anxious to see what it was all about.
”Let me see.” Udora rummaged in an old white cupboard, crammed with bottles of all description-green, yellow, blue, fat, and squat. ”Where is it?”
”I'm not sure how fresh that dew is.” Mrs. Segal hustled onto the porch after them. ”I hope it's not out of date.”
”My inventory is quite current, thank you.” Udora sucked in air between her teeth. ”I keep scrupulous records, as you well know.”
Evelina picked up the azure bottle from the table. Yesterday's date was scrawled under morning dew', on a small white label framed in gold. It was fresh all right. There had to be a couple of ounces. How long could it take to collect tiny drops of dew?
Udora produced a tall amber bottle next.
The label read, stardust.
Evelina gasped. ”Where did you get that?”
”Falling stars, of course.” Mrs. Segal gave a loud twitter. ”You just have to be there at the right time.”
”If you have time for such things, which I do not.” Udora reached up to pluck a sprig of dried dill hanging from the rafters above their heads, then sent Evelina a sidelong glance. ”I purchased it at Mr. Turtlemoon's apothecary. I'll take you there for an outing.”
”Excellent.” Mrs. Segal clapped her hands. ”We'll do our errands and make an adventure of it.”
Udora made a sound in the back of her throat very much like a growl. ”Stardust and morning dew-that's all,” she instructed, mixing a bit of each on the gla.s.s top of the table. ”Then scribe your message.”
With the sprig of dill she scratched in the palm of her hand, McCrystal, contact Udora Segal at once. She stood up, walked to the edge of porch, lifted her hand, then blew.