Jeremy felt weak. He looked up at Henrietta’s outstretched hand, but chose to ignore it. Did Bill just try to shoot Lyrna? Had he just produced electricity? Jeremy craned his neck towards Lyrna, who crouched low and moved towards him. She licked Jeremy's hand. It felt soothing.
“Jeremy, I mean no harm to you or your fuzzrat. There's been a mistake,” said Henrietta, withdrawing her hand. Her eyes were wild and her lips trembled as she spoke. She crossed herself and looked at Lyrna. “That's a nice kitty. Sshh, there now.”
Lyrna hissed.
Henrietta crossed herself again. “So what's all this going on out here? Why’s the earth steamin’?” She gestured towards the hot spring and the surrounding grass clearing. The wind picked up and the arm of the scarecrow collapsed to the ground. Henrietta flinched and looked back to the top of the hill. Bill had taken a seat in the grass and was staring cautiously ahead. He nodded at her.
“Get me some water,” said Jeremy.
“Oh yes, of course dear.” Henrietta looked at the bubbling spring, swallowed, and then shuffled up the hill.
Jeremy spoke to Lyrna as soon as Henrietta was out of earshot. “I absorbed electricity! It entered in my hands, traveled through my arms, and went into my sternum. Did you see that?”
“Shoot at Lyrna!” said Lyrna, her ears tucked back.
“Right,” said Jeremy. He looked up at the top of the hill and saw that Bill was still keeping vigil. Bill's gaze, however, was focused on the house.
“He's watching Henrietta. We need to leave. They'll try to shoot you again. We'll run towards those bushes on the count of three. Okay?”
Lyrna nodded.
Jeremy looked up at Bill. It would be their only chance and they'd have to be quick because Bill was still cradling his rifle. “One... two... THREE!” Jeremy jumped up and sprang for the bushes; Lyrna raced beside him. In a matter of seconds, the two were enclosed in dark green bushes. It was easy for Lyrna to maneuver through the underbrush, but Jeremy received numerous scratches and even tripped over an exposed tree root. The woods thinned out as the ground rose. Jeremy and Lyrna continued up the hill until the ground flattened out. Jeremy stopped. A trail crossed in front of them.
“What do you think, Lyrna?” Jeremy tried to steady his breath.
Lyrna looked left and then right, but only mewed in response.
“That way,” Jeremy pointed left, “would probably lead back to the Truitt's. We could leave the path, but they might catch up to us. We'll go right.” Jeremy took a deep breath before turning right and running as fast as he could.
Chapter 17
Destination Earth
Ms. Fritz sat at a sleek black table in the IIU Mothership, which was docked at a secret IIU outpost just outside Watico's jurisdiction. The red and black décor glowed as she flicked on her lighter. A cinnamon scented candle soon burned in front of her and she placed her black orb beside it. On the other side of the candle sat a tea saucer and a small plate with a croissant. Ms. Fritz nibbled idly on the croissant and sighed. She had just received word that Wantoro requested she be detained and questioned back on Watico. Ever since Jeremy, Maren, and Lyrna crossed over to the Haze, Ms. Fritz feared that any delay in her own journey might prove disastrous. She needed to get to Earth to meet with Mantel as soon as possible. “So we agree that I cannot meet with the Chikalto family?”
Bentley nodded. He, along with the other two members of IIU 64, sat across from Ms. Fritz. “We'll have nothing to do with that family now that we've separated Jeremy. We'll begin the three year journey to Earth as soon as the other spaceships arrive.”
“We're prepared to do what we must. I only wish we had more time,” lamented the tall albino man, holding his hand to the breast of his starch white uniform.
“Drew, if you're going to mope, then you can get off this ship right now.” Bentley's lip twitched.
“Sorry, sir.”
“How are our supplies, Jasmine?” Bentley turned to the woman with radiant brown skin.
“We have enough supplies to last us four years, sir.”
“Good.” Bentley's lips curled. “I've waited too long for this moment.”
Ms. Fritz paused and dunked her croissant into her tea, a gesture meant to be dramatic but executed too sloppily. Tea spilled onto her slacks. Ms. Fritz cleared her throat and dabbled at the spill. “Are you ready to meet Mantel?” Ms. Fritz was the only one of the party who had actually met Mantel and this gave her authority. Though she was young at the time, only nineteen years old, what she couldn't understand in her youth, Ms. Fritz's parents had made up for with instruction during the long return journey home. Her first visit to Earth had earned her the black orb.
Jasmine took a deep breath, “I am ready and willing to serve Mantel in every capacity.”
“Because even though it only takes three years to get to Earth, you know it's a twenty year return journey. Quite a commitment, Jasmine.”
“Only for Mantel.”
“Only for Mantel,” repeated Bentley.
Chapter 18
Ensnared
Jeremy and Lyrna shot down the trail. They had to be quick if they wanted to escape Bill and Henrietta's clutches. The trail became a blur of familiarity. Dodge a tree limb here, jump over a root there, turn a corner, repeat. Soon excitement replaced Jeremy's fears. Had he really just produced a bolt of lightening? Did it have something to do with the Haze? An angel had better visit me soon and tell me what the hell is going on! A tree limb snagged Jeremy's shirt, tearing the cotton at the shoulder, and Jeremy fell flat on his face.
Lyrna skid in the dirt and backtracked to the Cajjez. “Jeremy! Okay?”
Jeremy lifted his head from the forest floor. His lip was bleeding. In a panic, Jeremy felt around in his mouth. His perfect, white teeth were still in place. Jeremy smiled, spit up dirt and sighed, “Yes, I just bit my lip is all.”
“Shoulder cut,” said Lyrna.
Jeremy brushed some of the grass and dirt away from the area for a closer look. “Looks deep.” Jeremy could feel it now, a dull throbbing sensation, warm and icky, traveling down his arm.
Suddenly a large green tarp ensnared them. Jeremy's heart jumped and Lyrna puffed and hissed. A small band of men and woman moved fast to tie the loose ends of the tarp together with rope. Jeremy punched and kicked, but it had little effect. “What are you doing? Let us go!”
Lyrna attempted to chew through the tarp, but it was pulled so taut, her mouth kept slipping. Between bites, she hissed, “Bad meddlers! Evil spring!”
The men and women grew silent. A man said, “Did you hear that? Well if the Devil himself weren't with us! It said ‘evil!’” A woman agreed, “It's true then! Oh poor Henrietta, sufferin’ like this.” Another woman chimed in, “But then she left her boy for dead in that field, maybe this is her punishment.” “Hasn't she been punished enough?” asked another. And the group started to bicker amongst themselves.
“Excuse me!” Jeremy punched at the legs of the closest man. “You don't know who you're dealing with! Let me go! I have a cut on my shoulder. I can't breathe!”
The crowd quieted once more as the man kneeled beside Jeremy. “We don't bow to no demon.” The man spat on the ground, rose, and reinforced the tarp with more rope. “Let's bring 'em back to Henrietta and Bill's then. The others’ll already be there with Jason and the truck.”
As the group marched along the trail towards the Truitt's residence, panic began to set in. Jeremy struggled to free himself, but the tarp only tightened in response. Lyrna continued to chew in vain.
“No shoot Lyrna!” cried Lyrna.
“I won't let them, don't worry.”
Clouds were coming in from the east as dusk approached. When they finally arrived at the Truitt's, crickets were beginning their night song.
Bill and Henrietta ran outside to greet them and were accompanied by a church congregation of ten. Among them, Jason, his friend Adam, and two young twin girls held candles. Bill slapped the man in the plaid shi
rt on the back. “You caught 'em! Oh thank the Lord. They got away from me and I was about to go after 'em, only was waitin' to hear back from Pastor Glibson. Where'd you find ‘em?”
The man in the plaid shirt pointed to the path. “He was almost out to the road, we turn in, see him and the cat running towards us, and then he falls. I say, 'Let's go around the sides,' and so we close in on them with Bobby's tarp.” The man shook the tarp and spit on the ground.
“Jeffrey! Now Jeffrey,” said Henrietta, bending forward. “We're gonna get you the Lord's help.”
“Ma, don't get close to him!” said Jason, clinging to his mother.
“Okay,” said Bill, “we'll haul 'em into the shed in the back. I'll go get some more ropes and see if I got any chains. Jason, get your rabbit cage for the cat.”
“Jon, Bob, grab that end of them.” Bill and the other men hoisted the tarp across the yard to the shed. It was an old, rusty shed with a giant metal lock. Bill unlocked the door. Inside the shed was an assortment of old car parts, tractor parts, farm tools, and bicycles. The men worked fast to clear out room before setting the tarp down in the corner. Jason came soon after with his rabbit cage. Henrietta followed with a box full of religious paraphernalia.
“Take this, all of you,” said Henrietta, shoving Bibles, crosses, and pictures of Christ into everyone's hands. “You don't know what they're capable of.”
“Can I have some water?” asked Jeremy.
“Of course, and now you can't run.” Henrietta left the shed and returned with a glass of water. She punctured the tarp and poured some water through the hole and into Jeremy's mouth.
“Lyrna would like some water too.”
“Absolutely not.”
Lyrna mewed.
“It'll be okay, Lyrna,” said Jeremy. “But I do need medical attention so I think you should release me to have a look. My shoulder's cut pretty badly.”
“Nope. That'll be up to the Pastor to decide I'm afraid. You can't be trusted with the devil speakin' through you.”
“What are you talking about?” demanded Jeremy.
But Henrietta ignored him and herded everyone out of the shed, closing the door behind her. Jeremy heard the lock click. He closed his eyes and tried to slow his breathing, but couldn't get into a meditative state.
Chapter 19
Divergent Paths
Raaychila fussed about her wardrobe as Wantoro sat motionless in front of the television. “What do you think of this?” she asked, tossing a brown knitted overcoat onto the bed. “Or this?” A green, long-sleeved dress landed on top of the overcoat.
“Doesn't matter, sweetheart,” said Wantoro.
“Well is it as cold outside as it is inside? You've really blasted the air conditioner.”
Wantoro turned from the television to examine his wife. Her long, red curls danced about her slender waist as she shook her head in frustration.
“Well?” she said.
“Raaychila, just wear whatever's comfortable. This is no occasion to get dressed up, we're just meeting the IIU at the gates to detain Ms. Fritz for questioning. We'll be outside for a second. I expect a call any minute now.”
Raaychila tossed her head back. “Dressing up? I'm not dressing up! Didn't you hear me? My concern is with the temperature. Do you think I'd wear that knitted brown overcoat as a fashion statement? Really.” Raaychila grabbed at the green long-sleeved dress and disappeared into the closet, closing the door behind her. She called out from behind the door, “And I'm not waiting for a call. I'm going to the IIU Station.”
“And why would you do that?”
“Because,” said Raaychila, “I want to get out of this castle and I've already arranged to be transported to the station.”
“Raaychila!” Wantoro walked over to the closet and gently knocked at the door. “You don't have to do that.” He tried to sound sweet.
“Of course I don't have to do that. I could sit and wait, I could play the piano, I could sing. But our son is missing and I have to feel like I'm trying to find him!”
Wantoro pressed his forehead to the closet door. “I'm sorry.”
“And you know you would have talked me out of it,” Raaychila said after a moment of silence. Raaychila emerged from the closet in her green dress and wrapped her arms around Wantoro. “I'll be back in a couple of hours,” she whispered, tucking her head into the curve of his neck. “I love you.” Raaychila kissed him and went to her bedside table, grabbing her purse. “Call me when Ms. Fritz arrives and I'll call you if I find anything else out. If you can't get a hold of me for whatever reason, you can contact Ronny.” She left the room.
Raaychila was accompanied by six body guards as she neared the spaceship landing strip on the roof of the west wing. It was brisk outside, but not as cold as the castle's interior. A craft awaited her, the engine already purring, and Ronny, the Planetary Security Office's Chief Investigator, helped her onto the platform. “Vinya Raaychilla, please relax and have a seat. Can I get you anything to make you more comfortable?”
“No, that's quite all right Ronny. But thank you.” Raaychila took a seat at the front of the craft as Ronny radioed the Communications Center for lift off.
Chapter 20
Pastor Glibson
Jeremy managed to make contact with Lyrna despite the Truitt's best efforts to separate the two by tying rope around the center of the tarp. He pushed two fingers through and pet Lyrna's head. The shed was dark and cold, and Jeremy took comfort in Lyrna's warm fur.
“So much for our great escape.” Jeremy sighed. “Lyrna, whenever the men return, they're going to put you in a cage and I need you to listen to me. Don't talk, don't answer them, and don't hiss if you're angry.”
“Lyrna hate place. Hate hot spring.”
Jeremy fidgeted. “See, on Earth they don't have fizdrufts so they're scared of you when you talk.”
“Hot spring,” said Lyrna.
“I know, I know. We'll figure that out later. We have to focus on getting out of here.”
Someone coughed outside. The crickets stopped chirping and everything went still. Soon the din of cricket chirps picked up again.
Jeremy took a deep breath and continued in a whisper, “Do you think I'm supposed to go back to the hot spring?”
“No!”
“Ssh! Lyrna, please keep your voice down.”
“No stinky pool. Death smell.”
“I just… I don’t know what I’m supposed to do next.”
The door to the shed creaked open and a single figure entered, a candle lighting up his face. He was an old man with wide eyes and furry white eyebrows. He had a deep crease between his eyes and a large, bulbous nose. Lyrna growled.
“Lyrna, ssh!”
“Jeffrey Truitt?” said the man, stepping forward.
“I'm Jeremy Chikalto.”
The man motioned for some members of his congregation outside to carry in a wood table. He stroked the table. “Jeremy, are you a demon?”
“No, I am not a demon.” Jeremy balled his hands into fists. “What's going on?”
“Are you in possession of Jeffrey Truitt's body?”
“No, because I'm not Jeffrey Truitt. There's been a mistake. Let me out of here!”
“Mark 5, verses 2 through 5,” the old man scratched his fingernails across the wooden table top. “'When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.' Jeremy Chikalto, do you testify before the Lord that you have supernatural strength?”
“No, I do not.” Jeremy was beginning to feel the cold
rising up from the damp floorboards. He wrapped his arms around his chest and shivered.
“Jeremy Chikalto, do you swear before the Lord that you do not have supernatural powers?”
“What?” J
eremy rubbed his arms. “What do you mean?”
“Do you swear on the Lord's name that you do not have supernatural powers?”
“If I do, it's a gift from God.” Jeremy's mouth snapped shut. His teeth rattled. Lyrna mewed.
“Your family, Henrietta, Bill, Jason, and his friend Adam, have told me that you imitated the Lord’s lightening with your hands. Can you tell me about this?”
“I don't know,” Jeremy stammered. “I'm not sure I understand.”
The old man turned to the congregation crammed in the doorway, each face vying for a glimpse, and nodded. “Now then, Jeremy, this cat of yours – I have reason to believe it's what is known as a witch's familiar.”
Lyrna produced a strained mew. Jeremy could tell she was trying her best to suppress a growl.
“No, she's not. She's just my cat.”
“A talking cat?”
“No.” Jeremy's stomach grumbled. He felt sick and exhausted. When would they find the chance to flee?
“And are you in regular communication with the cat?”
Henrietta pushed through the crowd and waved her arm. “Pastor Glibson! Yes, I can testify in the Lord's name!
That cat speaks of evil! It says 'evil' then runs and we find a steamin' pool in our yard next to the scarecrow. The pool ain't never been there before! That cat speaks!”
Everyone agreed that the cat was unmistakably possessed.
“Silence!” said Pastor Glibson, turning back around to the Cajjez. “Do you deny these charges?”
“I don't know who you are or why you're here. Tell me that first and I'll give you a clear answer.”
“Oh?”
“Let me explain my share,” said Henrietta from outside. A murmur swept through the crowd as room was made for her to pass. Henrietta stood between Jeremy and the Pastor, clutching a cross necklace to her breast. “Pastor Glibson, Jeffrey, as I see it and as I've told you both, the Lord blessed me with a second chance. My son returned only a week ago and I had a feelin' sweep up over me and the Lord told me it's my boy come home. So he starts tellin' me 'bout angels. Then I notice he's quotin' the Bible, pullin' me in, and then I notice he's addin' stuff that just ain't in it! I'm startin' to wonder if he's dangerous. He's got this cat I ain't never liked and then it talks at supper! I heard it, then it ran outside. Jeffrey ran out first, 'course, and we follow them two and don't you know it, they're conspirin' about evil over a stewin' hot pool! Witchcraft! Devilry! So Jeffrey,” Henrietta massaged her crucifix, “we've gone and fetched Pastor Glibson and he will get that demon out of you! It's my demon, coming back to haunt me. I'm so sorry.” Henrietta burst into tears. Pastor Glibson patted her head and nudged her back into the fold.