Sunday, August 2, 2009

Chapter 15

“I can’t be sure, but it looks like the Dark Power has him under some sort of mind control. I can’t stop thinking about his eyes,” Faith said to the others.
“Yeah. They were completely black. So, what makes you think it’s a form of mind control?” Alex asked his cousin.
“Something must have happened in Salem. Remember how you said that the cloaked man stared right into Reese’s eyes?” Faith queried.
“Yeah, but how could staring at someone do something that major?” Alex questioned Faith.
“You’re right. Usually, in order to keep that kind of control, you’d need something that was with them all the time. Hmm.”
“Maybe the staring was a diversion,” Nick said to the group. “Maybe while he was staring at Reese he was really handing him something or slipping something into one of Reese’s pockets.”
“It’s a possibility,” Alex said thoughtfully, trying to remember every detail of what happened to pinpoint when the handoff could have been made.
“What kind of object could he give Reese that would allow him to be controlled?” Chase asked Faith.
“There are a bunch of different things, but I think that he would have given him a pouch with a combination of stones, like the ones I made to help protect you.”
“What kind of stones?” Alex wondered.
“Well, that’s the thing. Stones aren’t supposed to be used negatively, but if they’re used the wrong way with the wrong type of energy behind them, some could be more susceptible than others.”
“Like what?”
“Quartz is one of them. It’s supposed to be used to enhance your magic, but it might backfire if a stronger power is around you.”
“Quartz? Like the clear stone?”
“Exactly. Actually, it looks exactly like that stone in the center of the triquetra on the cover of that book, A History of New Jerusalem.”
“Is that another coincidence?” Chase interjected.
“What do you mean another coincidence?” Alex asked.
“It just seems to me that there have been a lot of coincidences lately. A Godfrey writing that book, the quartz stone… there has to be something we’re missing. They all have to link together somehow.”
“Do you have that book still?”
“Yeah, I just finished up my paper. The book is still in my room. Why?”
“That Godfrey who wrote the book seemed to know a lot about the history of the town. I wonder if we can find anything else in there that might help us learn how our ancestors first came in contact with the Dark Power.”
“Alex, I’ve read that book at least three times. There’s nothing.”
“Then maybe there are other books,” Alex said looking around the living room. “Maybe we even have some here. My dad has a collection of old books up in the library, there has to be at least one book that will help us.”
“Alex…”
“It can’t hurt to check, Faith. C’mon guys.”

****
“Geez, Alex, there are more books on the Salem Witch Trials here than there are at the school library!” Faith marveled.
“Well, I guess our families had a reason to be interested in them.”
“True.”
“Has anyone found anything that could help us?” Chase asked testily. “This is taking forever.”
“Chill out,” Alex said as he pulled out another old and peeling leather-bound book, its spine creaking as he grasped it in his hand. He quickly flipped through the book and was about to replace it when he noticed a small indent on the bottom of the shelf. Alex ran his fingers over the indent and hooked his finger into the groove and pulled up. A slat in the shelf groaned as it was lifted. Excitement grabbing hold of him, he pushed the other books on the shelf off and removed the slat to reveal a secret compartment. Noticing a bunch of books falling haphazardly to the floor Nick, Chase, and Faith looked up from what they were doing and watched as Alex pulled out a small leather book.
“Alex! Look at the cover!” Faith exclaimed pointing furiously at the book.
Alex turned the book in his hands and stared down at the triquetra that was branded onto the front cover of the book. However, unlike the book written by Anthony Godfrey, this book was missing the stone. Alex ran his fingers over the symbol. “There used to be a stone here, but it’s gone.”
“What does it say inside?” Faith asked.
Alex opened the book and read aloud:

You hold the journal of Eliza Martin in your hands. These words are my truths and meant only for the eyes of my kin. Should you read this journal without permission, be it known that the wind shall steal your breath, fire will consume you, the earth will swallow you and water shall cover your grave. You have been forewarned.

To my kin, may these words help to provide the answers you seek. Blessed be.

“This could be it, Alex! You have to read it!” Faith said.
Alex reverently handed the book to Faith. “You’re a Martin too, you read it. The script is loopy and you’ll be able to sift through the words to find what we need more quickly.”
Faith grabbed a notebook and a pen and left the room to read the book.
“Do you think that curse was for real?” Nick asked no one in particular.
“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be willing to find out,” Chase answered back.

****
Faith found the trio of boys watching television in the living room.
Nick saw her come in and turned off the TV. The other two boys turned to look at her.
“So?” Alex asked.
“There is so much that we never knew. It explains a lot.”
“So, explain it to us.”
“Well, I’ve bookmarked a couple of different passages that I think are important. Let’s start with those.” Faith delicately opened up the brittle journal to the first section she had carefully bookmarked with a slip of paper and read aloud the ornate script that, despite being hidden away for the past three-hundred plus years, was already fading from the yellowed and frail pages:

September 7, 1694
The wolves have attacked again. This time they took the life of Anne Godfrey. David Godfrey and their infant son were spared. David is consumed by grief. He seeks comfort in the dark…

“I thought that both of the Godfreys were killed by the wolves. That’s what the book Anthony Godfrey wrote said, right?” Nick asked.
“He was wrong. Listen, there’s more,” Faith replied and continued onto the next passage:

October 9, 1694
We have lost David Godfrey. Vengeance and rage have turned him. His soul is beyond us. We are now a circle of three.

The infant is being cared for by the Andrews family. His legacy will be forgotten for the safety of the townspeople.

The Dark Power grows...

“Wait, they’re now a circle of three? That means that they were a circle of four when Godfrey was around…” Alex said disbelievingly.
“What?” Chase nearly yelled.
“Reese is….one of us?” Nick asked incredulously.
“Just because his ancestors were witches does NOT make him one of us. End of story.” Chase said vehemently.
“You’re missing the point. There’s one last passage,” Faith said trying to calm the boys down. “Listen to this.”

October 31, 1694
Against our own decree, we made the circle whole one last time and took into ourselves the power he would use for the dark.

The wolves are banished along with the Dark Power we once called brother.

To keep the darkness from corrupting, we have bound the power given to us. Only one child from each generation will be cursed with the power and only when they come of age will they be granted full power.

We can not let the power rule us. We can not let him return.

“Don’t you see? The Dark Power was David Godfrey. And although Reese doesn’t have Dark Power, he is still a witch and can still be corrupted to fight against us. Reese has power; it’s just forgotten—hidden in the back of his mind—waiting to be discovered. I have a feeling it may be too late.”
“What do you mean, Faith?” Alex queried his cousin.
“I don’t think Reese is being mind-controlled by a stone, I think he’s doing this willingly.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Well, this is his ancestor—family. I’m sure the Dark Power is filling Reese’s head with stories about how our ancestors used him to get rid of the wolves and then tossed him to the side. Reese may be seeking revenge for his family. You know?”
“I don’t know, Faith. Don’t get me wrong, Reese is an asshole, but I don’t think he’s capable of wanting to kill us,” Nick said.
“I wouldn’t necessarily think so either, but we’re talking about a crazed Dark Power here. Magic and power can be enticing and the Dark Power could be using dark magic to show Reese just how powerful he can be.”
“Whether Reese is doing this on his own or not, we can only focus on what we know for sure and the only thing we know for certain is that Nick’s birthday is tomorrow and Chase’s is on Halloween. Come tomorrow, we have to be prepared for this guy and it would be best if we could disable his little helper. So, how do we do that Faith?”
“We’d have to bind his powers. Maybe trick him into going into the circle and then saying a spell…”
“I thought we said no spells,” Alex admonished.
“It’s the only way, Alex. Besides, we’ll have the circle to protect us.”
“So, how do we get Reese into the circle?”
“I guess we could trick him somehow…”
“I’m up for a little trickery,” Chase said with a sinister gleam in his eye.

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