Dark Mountain (18 page)

“Maybe. He’s not sure. He’s…gotta stay home with Heather. His dad’s at the hospital.”

“Flash? My God, what happened to him?”

Julie shook her head. “Not him. They got a call, and he went over. It’s Alice and Rose.” She looked up at Scott with confusion in her eyes. “They were attacked by a dog. This morning. It was supposed to be dead, I guess. Alice hit it with the car, and she was driving it to a vet’s to have it…taken care of. Then it attacked them. I guess it bit them.”

“Jesus,” Karen muttered.

“How bad are they?” Scott asked.

“Nick said they’re operating on his mom’s hand. It got her worse than Rose. They’re in pretty good shape, I guess, except for bites on their hands and arms. Nick said they’d probably be home this afternoon.”

“Alice is in surgery?”

“Just for her hand. Some tendons or muscles or something have to be fixed.”

“Well…” Sighing, Scott gazed at the shiny surface of his drink. “Thank God it’s nothing worse.”

Julie rubbed her face with both hands, and leaned back in her chair as if exhausted. “Maybe Benny’s right,” she mumbled.

“It’s just coincidence, honey.”

“Is it?”

“Of course. Come on, you don’t actually believe that a curse—”

“I don’t want to believe it,” she said in a tired voice. “But Benny, and now this.”

“I admit it’s a bit weird, both things happening the same day, but it’s just a freakish coincidence.”

“Two is a coincidence,” Karen said, frowning down at her Bloody Mary. “Three is…I nearly died last night.”

Scott gazed at her, stunned.

“I realize accidents happen all the time, people falling in the bathtub, but I’ve never done it before. Oh, I’ve slipped a couple of times, but last night I took a real header. If Meg hadn’t pulled me out when she did…” Karen smiled crookedly. She stirred her drink with a forefinger, the cubes clinking on the sides of the glass. “I was out cold under the water when she found me. A couple more minutes…” She shrugged a bare shoulder. “I wonder if they really put a tag on your big toe. It seems so
ludicrous
, doesn’t it? I suppose they do. Who’s gonna object, right?”

“My God, Karen.”

“Are you all right?” Julie asked.

“Well, I’m here to tell the tale. Yeah, I’m okay.” Looking at Scott, she raised her eyebrows. “What do you think?”

He felt dazed. He could think of nothing to say. He shook his head.

“Coincidence or the curse?” she prodded.

“I…I just don’t know.”

“She said she’d get us,” Julie muttered.

“On the bright side,” Karen said, “at least nobody’s been seriously hurt or killed.”

“Not yet.”

“Look,” Scott said, “curse or no curse, sometimes you have bad luck and accidents. These things just happen. We’ll only make matters worse if we start thinking that woman’s causing it all.”

“But what if she
is
?” Julie asked. “What if this is just the beginning?”

“I don’t know,” Scott said. “What’s your answer? If you’re so sure it is the curse, what do you suggest we do about it? Hide? Stop taking showers? Stay home the rest of our lives? Maybe you’d better forget about going to the movies with Nick to night. The curse might get you.”

“You don’t have to get nasty.”

“I mean it. Where does it take us? Do I quit my job? God knows, I’d damn well better not take up an L1011 with three hundred passengers aboard if this gal’s put a whammy on me.”

“When’s your next flight?” Karen asked. She looked serious.

“Come on, I was just—”

“When is it, next week?”

“Tuesday. I’m taking the eight forty to Kennedy.”

“This is Thursday. If things keep happening—”

“They won’t.”

“One way or the other,” Karen continued, “we should have a pretty good idea where we stand by then.”

“You sound like you’re already convinced.”

“I’m getting there fast.”

“What about you, Julie?”

“I’m going on my date, no matter what.”

Benny finished his grilled-cheese sandwich and Coke in the kitchen with Tanya, then excused himself. He carried his book into the den. Through the sliding glass door he saw the others outside. His father and Karen were just beyond the door, Dad reading while Karen was stretched out on a lounge.

Her hands were folded under her head. Her eyes were shut. Her skin looked slick and shiny from her suntan oil. Benny stared at her breasts, only their middles covered by the taut fabric of her swimsuit, their glossy sloping sides clearly visible. They were beautiful except for the bruises. The bruises gave Benny a sick feeling. He wished they were gone.

The black suit clung like skin, showing the curves of her ribs, her flat belly, even the small depression of her navel. It left her hipbones bare, and slanted in sharply down to her groin. Benny stared at the smooth hollows where her legs joined her body. One of the hollows creased as she raised her knee.

He knew that if he watched much longer, he might lose control. So he turned away. He moved a chair so he could still see Karen, and sat down. The view wasn’t very good from here. But he felt guilty about spying on her, especially about getting aroused. By crossing a leg, he eased the tight feeling. He opened the book.

Really lucky that the librarian had remembered the title. He’d thought she was nice, from the start, but it took a very
special person to bring the book upstairs for him in spite of the way he’d run off leaving such a mess.

His mind returned to the attack. He felt his penis shrink as if trying to hide. As the fear tightened its grip, he forced himself to read the title page.

Witch’s Spells and Potions: A Handbook for Witches and Warlocks
by Jean Du Champes. He turned to the table of contents, and ran his eyes down the chapter headings:

1. Origins of the Black Arts
   

2. Journey’s Start
   

3. Tools of the Trade
   

4. Divining
   

5. Love Spells
   

6. Attack Spells
   

7. Countermagic
   

8. Forming a Coven
   Appendix 1—Planetary Days and Hours
   Appendix 2—Glossary
   Index
   

Chapter 7, on countermagic, sounded as if it might be what he wanted. Maybe he should start at the beginning, though, and work his way up to it. He riffled through the pages, glimpsing weird diagrams and charts, a strange drawing that looked like a tree woman, lists like recipes, all kinds of poems and chants. He flipped back to the page with the tree woman. It was labeled
MANDRAGORE
. A leafy bush seemed to grow out of her head. Her body, with outstretched arms and legs, was formed by the root. Benny gazed at the crudely drawn breasts and vagina. Then he was staring out the glass door at Karen, trying to imagine how she would look without her swimsuit. A couple of times he’d accidentally seen Julie naked. But that was different; she was his sister. To see Karen…He forced himself to look away from her, and turned to the end of the book. The last page was numbered 264.

He was not a fast reader. At about twenty-five pages an hour, it would take him at least ten hours to wade through the whole volume. He’d better start with the important chapter. Later, if he had time, he would go back and read it all. That part about love spells. Maybe he could…No! This is bad stuff. It’s wrong to mess with it. Dangerous, too. It’s okay to use magic to fight the curse, but to put a spell on Karen…The idea excited him, but gave him a heavy, disgusted feeling.

I won’t! No matter what!

He flipped back to the table of contents, checked the page number for the countermagic chapter, and quickly turned to it. He found the end of the section. Thirty pages long. With a sigh, he began to read:

The protective spell required that he walk around the outside of the house during a new moon carrying a chalice of purified water, chanting about an earth goddess named Habondia. On completing the circle, he was to sprinkle some of the water in each room of the house. He should see chapter 3 for instructions on how to purify water. But there would be some moon to night, so he didn’t bother checking on that. He kept on reading.

He could hang a holystone on the hearth. If he had one. Or he could protect himself with a lodestone or a cross-stone. But where was he supposed to find such things?

The more he read, the more frustrated he grew. Every
spell, every amulet or talisman or potion, called for strange rocks, herbs he’d never heard of, or planetary positions that made no sense to him. He slammed the book shut.

Then he opened it again. He’d only read ten pages of the countermagic chapter. He would read the rest of it. There had to be something in it that would help.

Had to be.

When Julie woke up, the towel beneath her was sodden. She used a corner to wipe her face, and lifted her head. Down at the end of the pool, Karen was stretched out on a chaise longue, apparently asleep. Her father, sitting nearby, was reading a book.

Julie reached down at her sides, found the dangling cords of her bikini top, and tied them behind her back. Sweat streamed down her hot skin as she sat up. The concrete apron of the pool seared her feet. She slipped into thongs, and walked toward her dad. In a soft voice, so she wouldn’t wake Karen, she asked the time.

Dad checked his wristwatch. “A little after three. Nick phoned while you were asleep.”

“Oh, no! Jeez, why didn’t somebody wake me up?”

“He just left a message with Tanya, said he’ll be here at five.”

“How’s his mom?”

“He didn’t say. Things must be going all right, though, or I doubt if he’d be coming.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” She sighed, disappointed about missing the call. “Anyway, are you gonna be sticking around for a while?”

“Yep. Why?”

“Nothing. Just thought I’d go in for a dip to cool off.” With a casual shrug, she added, “Don’t let me drown, huh?”

Dad raised his eyebrows. “If you’re so concerned, maybe you should stay out of the pool.”

The remark hurt. “Jeez, I was just kidding, for God’s sake.”

As she walked away, he said, “I’ll keep an eye on you.”

“Thanks,” she muttered. At the edge of the pool, she kicked off her thongs and stepped down the stairs into the shallow end. The water felt cool and refreshing as it wrapped around her legs. She waded forward, sucking in her breath when the water touched her groin, wondering how she’d managed to stand the icy lake in the mountains. When the level reached her belly, she eased forward and left her feet. The chill water closed over her. After the first mild shock, it felt good. She swam beneath the surface to the far end, came up for air in the shadow of the diving board, and glanced at her father as she made her turn. The book was closed on his lap. He was watching her.

She backstroked slowly, keeping an eye on the pool side, trying to judge her distance so she wouldn’t bump her head when she reached the end. Stopping, she glanced over her shoulder and found the wall two yards away. She sighed, annoyed with herself for being overly cautious, and plunged forward. Her muscles, sore from hiking, ached as they flexed and stretched. It was a good feeling. When she reached the deep end, she thrust herself away from the wall with such force that the water tugged her bikini pants down a couple of inches. She pulled them up and kept on swimming. When she reached the shallow end, she pushed off more gently.

If nobody else were here, she could forget about the suit and speed through the water naked. It was such a fine, wild feeling. Especially at night. Hell, though, if she were alone, she’d probably be afraid to go in the pool at all. That damn curse. Probably just bull, but how do you explain what happened to Benny, to Alice and Rose, even to Karen? Okay, Karen slipped in her tub. That happens to everyone. But what about…

She touched the wall at the deep end, and tucked. Her feet found the tile. Gripping her pants with one hand, she shoved. She skimmed through the water, let go, and began
to stroke. With her first kick, a muscle spasm locked her right leg. Crying out silently into the water, she clutched her cramped thigh. She rubbed it hard, pounded it. Though the pain was bad and her lungs started to burn, she was rather pleased that she felt no panic. She’d had leg cramps before. She was only a few yards from a side of the pool. The main thing was to ignore the pain, use her arms and her good leg to surface, and get the hell to one of the walls. Forcing herself to release her thigh, she paddled upward and kicked. With a shock of agony, her left leg froze. Both legs were drawn up, paralyzed. Her weight shifted backward as she clawed her way up. Her arms broke the surface, slapped it hard, but without enough force to bring her head out. Through inches of frothy water, she saw the diving board wavering above her. Though she flailed her arms, she kept sinking. The board became a hazy blur. Even her fingertips no longer could reach the surface.

This is insane!

Shit, I’m really…

Something stopped her right arm. Another cramp? No, this felt different, like a tight cuff around her wrist. Pulling. In an instant, her head popped through the surface. Gasping for air, she turned and saw her father in the pool, one hand clutching her, the other hanging onto the edge. Beyond him, Karen was kneeling, face twisted with fear.

Dad eased her forward. She hung onto the concrete lip of the pool while he climbed out. Together, he and Karen pulled her from the water. She lay on her side, rubbing her stricken thighs.

“Cramps?” her father asked.

“Yeah.”

“Both legs?”

She nodded.

“God,” Karen muttered.

“It’s crazy,” she said.

“You were pushing it pretty hard, honey.” Crouching beside her, Dad started to knead her right thigh. Karen worked
on the other. Soon, the pain began to ease. The muscles loosened, and Julie straightened out her legs.

“I guess I’m okay now.”

“You’d better lie down for a while,” Dad said. He and Karen helped her stand up. Holding her by the arms, they walked her toward the lounge chair. Her legs were trembling and weak.

When she was stretched out on the cushion, Dad bent over her. He stroked her forehead, smoothing aside wet strands of hair. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

She nodded. “I guess I shouldn’t have gone in after all.”

“You just pushed it too hard.”

“I guess so. Hey, thanks for pulling me out.”

He pressed his lips together tightly, and nodded. His eyes were red and wet. He patted her cheek. “Take a little nap now. I’ll wake you up in time for Nick.”

“Let me know at four, okay?”

“Sure.”

Karen gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, and smiled down at her. Then she and Dad walked toward their recliners, talking quietly.

Julie shut her eyes against the sunlight. She flexed her leg muscles, and felt them tremble. Then she relaxed. She was drained of energy. The heat was a comforting blanket. She tried to think about what had happened to her, but her mind strayed. She was stretched out on a hot granite slab by the lake, Nick’s body wet against her, his lips caressing her mouth.

A hand shook her awake. “It’s just past four,” Dad said.

“Thanks,” she murmured. She lay motionless for a little while after he left. She felt groggy, and weighted down by the heat of the sun. Then thoughts of Nick’s arrival pushed away her weariness. She sat up, sweat trickling down her body, small puddles spilling from the hollows of her throat and her navel. She looked for her thongs. They were still at the shallow end of the pool where she’d left them. Clutching her towel, she raced over the burning concrete to the house.

Benny, seated in the den, looked up from his book as she slid open the door and entered. He wrinkled his nose to hold his glasses up. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Sure. Dad tell you about it?”

“Yeah. I was in the john when it happened. Wish I’d seen it.”

“Too bad. It was quite a spectacle—your sister nearly drowning. You’d better keep on your toes so you don’t miss any more fun.”

“I just meant maybe I could’ve helped.”

“Sure.” Chilled by the air-conditioning, she wrapped herself in the towel. “Where’s Tanya?”

“I think she’s in her room studying.”

Julie left the den and went to Tanya’s bedroom. She found the older girl at the desk, bent over her big volume of Shakespeare. “How do you feel?”

“Not bad.”

Tanya shook her head. “Can’t believe it.
Both
legs seized up on you?”

“Dad says I was pushing it.”

“Benny thinks it’s the curse.”

“What else is new?”

“He’s in there, boning up on remedies.”

“Looking for a hex remover?”

“Something like that.”

“It’s just a lot of bull.”

“You still think so?” Tanya asked.

“Hell, I’ve had leg cramps before. But since there does seem to be an epidemic of accident proneness going around, I was just wondering…” She sighed, wondering how to proceed. Tanya waited, eyebrows raised. “Nick’s coming over pretty soon, and I’ve gotta get cleaned up. I need to take a quick shower. Did you hear about Karen falling in her tub last night?”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, she almost drowned, but her roommate got to her just in time.”

“There
is
an epidemic.”

“I’ll say. Anyway, I was wondering if you’d mind taking a little break from your Shakespeare and kind of keeping an eye on me while I shower.”

Tanya frowned up at her. “You really
are
worried.”

“Well, I’m still a little shaky on my feet. I guess it’s kind of ridiculous. I mean, I’m not spooked or anything. I just thought, to be on the safe side…” She stopped fumbling with words as Tanya set her pen down on the open book and pushed her chair back. “I’ll be quick, I promise.”

“No, that’s all right. You can take your time. I’m pretty Shakespeared out.”

“I really appreciate it.” With a grin, she added, “I’ll do the same for you sometime.”

“Hey, forget it. There’s no curse on
me
.” She made a playful scowl. “You don’t suppose it’s contagious?”

“You’d have to ask Benny about that.”

In her own bedroom, Julie tossed her damp pool towel onto her bed. She grabbed her robe, and hurried down the hallway to the bathroom. Tanya was already there, waiting on the toilet seat. “Maybe you’ve had your run of bad luck for the day.”

“I sure hope so,” Julie said. She crouched and ran water into the tub. When it felt right, she turned the shower on and slid the glass door shut. She took off her bikini, blushing slightly as Tanya watched.

“Think you got enough sun today?”

“Too much, probably. Hope I don’t peel.”

“Put some lotion on, afterward.”

She nodded. She pulled the door partway open, tested the water with her hand, then carefully stepped into the tub. A foot slipped. She clung to the door.

“Christ, be careful!”

“I’m all right.” Then she was standing in the tub with the door shut, the spray hot on her back. Through the frosted glass, Tanya was a vague, blurred shape. “Hope you know CPR,” Julie called.

She couldn’t quite hear Tanya’s reply over the noise of the shower.

“You know, maybe I’d better take a fall, just to make this look good. I’m gonna feel like a jerk if nothing happens.”

She turned slowly, enjoying the feel of the water as it splashed her body and streamed down. There was no stinging sensation, so she knew she wasn’t badly sunburned. Her tanned skin had a glossy look, a slight reddish hue. Even her breasts looked rosy, but that was from the shower, not the sun. If she could find more time to sunbathe naked…In a way, though, she rather liked the contrast, the white places surrounded by bronze skin.

Remembering her promise to be quick, she ducked her head under the nozzle. When her hair was soaked, she shampooed it. She rinsed out the suds, then used a soapy washcloth on her face and ears. “So far so good,” she called.

Hearing no answer, she peered through the glass. Her heart suddenly thumped hard. Her stomach knotted. She tugged open the door. Blinking water from her eyes, she stared through the stream at the vacant seat of the toilet.

“What’s wrong?” Tanya asked.

Through the thick drifting steam, she saw her cousin near the closed bathroom door. Naked. Standing on her head.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Relaxing.”

“Good Christ.”

“It’s very pleasant. You should try it sometime.”

Julie laughed. “Sure thing,” she said; and shut the door. She soaped herself down, rinsed, and turned off the water. As she stepped onto the bathmat, Tanya’s legs dropped forward. She landed lightly on the balls of her feet and stood up. Julie reached for her towel. “Gee, I always knew you were level-headed. I guess that comes from standing on it.”

Tanya came forward, feeling the top of her head with both hands. Her body was slim, like Julie’s, but her breasts
were much larger and swayed slightly as she walked. “It’s not flat,” she said.

“
Level
. Nothing about you is flat.”

“Let me by, smart-ass.”

Julie shuffled sideways to make room, and Tanya knelt by the tub. She turned the faucets on.

“You’re gonna take a shower?”

“A bath, actually.”

“Gee, I thought you just stripped to show off your boobs.”

“Magnificent, huh?”

“Want to trade?”

Tanya stoppered the drain, then looked over her shoulder. Her eyes settled on Julie’s breasts. Julie resisted an urge to hide them behind the towel. “As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t mind. I’d throw all my bras away.”

“Come on, mine aren’t
that
bad.”

Tanya laughed. “What do you want? I
told
you I’d trade.”

“I wear bras.”

“Ah, but that’s for decorum, not necessity.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“If I had a set like yours, you wouldn’t catch me dead in a bra. Especially in summer. And on dates. I tell you, you wouldn’t believe the troubles I’ve had on dates. The thing’s always in the way. Guys get frustrated fooling with the hooks and I have to unfasten it. It takes a Houdini to get out of the shoulder straps without taking off your blouse, which you might not want to do if you’re messing around at a drive-in or something, so you end up half the time with the cups in your face. It’s a colossal drag.”

Smiling, Julie said, “I wouldn’t know about that.”

“Really? You mean you’ve never—”

“Never. You’re looking at pristine tits.” Except for…She suddenly saw the man on top of her, felt the tight squeeze of his hand. The memory of it made a cold, hard place in her stomach. She realized, vaguely, that Tanya was laughing at her quip.

“Untouched by human hands, huh? Well, a bra can do that for you, if that’s what you want.”

“I’ve just never gone out with a guy I cared enough about.”