Part 1 (2/2)
”What's that got to do with me?”
”You have the strength and the power they need.” Becka blinked. ”What?”
The woman spoke calmly and evenly. ”As a Chris tian, as a disciple of Christ, you have both the strength and the power to help this ... person.”
Becka closed her eyes a moment. She'd heard the Ascension Lady was weird - but she didn't know she was a total fruitcake.
”You're going to have to run that past me again,” she said.
”There is a spirit - the soul of a deceased human - that is trapped in a mansion across town. It desperately wants to be free, to reach its resting place, but it cannot do so on its own. It needs your help.”
Becka scowled. ”I'm not sure what you're - ”
”I know you disapprove of the source of my power, but this poor creature needs to be set free. Together you and I can - ”
”What creature are you talking about?”
”The one inhabiting the Hawthorne mansion across town.
It is the spirit of a human, a victim of a tragic murder, that is trapped there by negative energy. It desperately wants to be free.” The woman's voice grew more urgent, her eyes more pleading.
”The anniversary of its death will be here in just three days, and it is begging me, pleading with me to seek your help.” Becka shook her head. ”I still don't understand. How am I supposed to be able to help?”
”According to my charts, the anniversary of the murder is in conjunction with a unique alignment of planets. This Friday, April twenty-one, is when the spirit can make its escape. This is when we can join forces - bringing it forth in a seance and helping it reach its eternal resting - ” Suddenly a voice boomed, ”What are you doing here?” Becka and the woman spun around to see Scott, Becka's younger brother, towering above them on the stairway. Although he was only a ninth grader, his height and position above them gave him a commanding presence.
Priscilla cleared her throat. ”You must be Scott Williams.
My name is - ”
”I know exactly who you are.” He started down the steps toward her.
Priscilla forced a smile. ”Yes, well, I was just telling your sister that - ”
”No one invited you here.”
Becka looked on, shocked at her brother's manners. ”Scott.” He continued down the stairs toward the woman, and there was no missing his anger. ”Haven't you caused us enough trouble?” Priscilla backed half a step toward the door. ”I am not here to cause trouble. I am here to help. According to my astrological charts - ”
”I don't give a rip about your astrological charts.” He reached the bottom of the steps, but he didn't stop. He walked directly, purposefully, toward her.
”Scotty!” Rebecca exclaimed.
He turned toward Becka. ”This woman brings in that channeler creep, nearly gets you killed, helps those cruds who s.n.a.t.c.hed you, and you expect me to be polite?” Before Becka could answer, Scott turned back to Priscilla. ”Get out of here.” The Ascension Lady reached behind her, fumbling for the door handle.
”Scotty - ”
”Get out.”
The woman pulled the door open and backed outside. ”I apologize for the intrusion. I was expecting more Chris tian love, but I can certainly understand.” She stumbled over the thresh-old as she backed out onto the porch.
Scott continued toward her. ”Get off our property before I throw you off.”
”I did not come for myself.”
Scott reached for the door.
”As I told Becka, the spirit of a deceased human desperately needs our - ”
He slammed the door shut.
Becka stood in the silence, staring at her little brother. She was both shocked and a bit in awe. Then, for the first time, she noticed he was trembling.
He turned to her. ”They won't hurt you again,” he said, his voice quivering. ”I promise you, sis. I won't let them hurt you again.”
2:45 a.m.
An hour later Scott lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. No way would he be able to get back to sleep. Not after tonight. He was too steamed. How dare the Ascension Lady show up at their door. How dare she ask for a favor. After all her people had done to them? No way!
As for that cheap line she threw in about ”Chris tian love” ...
give me a break!
Normally Scott was pretty much a happy-go-lucky guy. ”Live and let live,” ”Be everybody's bud” - those were his mottoes.
And if things ever got too tense, there were always his wisecracks.
But there were no jokes tonight. And for good reason.
He turned on his side, his thoughts still broiling. They had moved to this town three months ago, after Dad had died. And for three months, he and Mom and Becka had been constantly ha.s.sled by the Society and all their hocus-pocus.
Why? Why did those creeps have to keep bothering them?
Weren't he and Mom and Becka the good guys? Why were they always the ones put on the defensive?
He knew Becka wouldn't fall for the woman's line about helping some deceased spirit. Becka's heart might be soft, but her brain wasn't. Still, there had to be some way to stop these guys from their constant hara.s.sment. Better yet, there had to be some way to get even.
To get even ... His eyes lit up with interest. Now there was an idea.
But even as he thought it, a still, small voice whispered that he might be stepping out-of-bounds - that getting even wasn't exactly the right plan of attack.
Scott ignored the voice. Enough was enough, and he and Becka had had enough. Again the thought of evening the score tugged at him. He toyed with contacting Z, his mysterious friend in the computer chat room. Maybe Z would know of some weakness in the Society that Scotty could use against them. But he already knew what Z's response would be. He'd heard it before.
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