Chapter 45

Near Danielsford, Rebecca stood and assessed the results. The little healer again surprised her. Though she had not known the attack was coming, her response was fast.

Of more concern was their power. It took them less than a minute to stop her. Perhaps she ought to try the alternative—to make peace. Then, she would have more time to devise a better, more foolproof plan to kill the man. After all, she had plenty of time. Wanting him dead made her impatient, and patience was important.

Thinking, exploring her options, Rebecca wandered through the thick underbrush and found herself at the site of Danielsford. In front of her was the wooden marker to Mary, placed by the man. Through the years, she often stood and admired the marker. The man, Frank Jackson, cared about Mary. Why else place such a memorial? It mattered not. Disobedience should not receive a reward. He had to be made to suffer.

Standing, staring at the marker, she felt a tremendous weight pressing on her. She reeled to her right and went to her knees. The invisible pressure drove her down, until she rested on hands and knees, fighting to keep from going prostrate.

The pressure increased, forcing her flat onto the wet forest floor. Then, as mysteriously as it came, it left. She lay, eyes flicking left and right. Nobody was there. She was alone in her woodland home. Not even a chipmunk scurried nearby. No birds chirped, and no sound broke the silence. The forest seemed empty of life.

“Mary Bradbury,” she whispered. “You have learned some new tricks. Now, we shall witness the breadth of your knowledge.”

Clambering to her feet, Rebecca made a last survey of the surrounding area. Certain she was alone, she walked to Mary’s wooden marker and placed her hands atop it. She closed her eyes and stood, head tilted slightly back. Around her, the air rippled. Leaves rose from the forest floor, spiraling upward and circling faster and faster, carried high into the air by a mini tornado.

A minute passed. Rebecca gasped and slumped against the marker. “We will see how potent your magic is, Mary Bradbury.”

The spell hit moments after Rebecca released it. In Wenham, Mary, Marjorie, and Gail were ready, or as ready as they could be. None of them knew what Rebecca would do, but they were sure she would do something.

Their room erupted in a kaleidoscope of swirling colors, an explosion of sound and fury. Objects, including chairs, lifted from the floor and flew across the room, becoming dangerous and potentially deadly missiles.

Frank ducked, but a small table hit him hard in the side. It drove him into a wall where he sagged to his knees. Mary and the others began chanting as they dodged the furniture, vases, and lamps. Within a minute, which seemed like an hour to Frank, it was over.

He rubbed his ribs, climbed to his feet, and joined the women.

“You’re not harmed?” Mary asked him.

“No. I’ll have a bruise here, but it’s okay.” He pointed to his left side.

Spinning to Gail, Mary asked, “Do you sense where she is?”

Gail nodded. “She’s near your marker, where your shop used to be.”

“Say the spell. Direct it to her.”

Gail’s eyes grew wide.

“Do it, Gail,” Marjorie said. “You’ve got to. We can hold her off, but her next attack will be worse.”

Gail stared at the two women and nodded. She closed her eyes and whispered aloud the ancient words she had memorized. When she finished, they waited.

“Nothing is happening.” Frank looked around.

“Not here,” Marjorie said. “She sent the Thunderbird to Danielsford.”

“I said the words, then told it to go there,” Gail explained.

Mary stood, staring toward Danielsford, as if watching what was happening.

“Rebecca,” she said in a sad voice, “I do so regret what you forced us to do.”

In Danielsford, Rebecca Collins stood and read the marker for the hundredth time. The man really cared about Mary. She regretted having to kill him, but his punishment for disobedience was long overdue.

A giant shadow blotted out the sun, causing her to look up. She froze, mouth open, staring at the great bird circling overhead. With each circle, the bird descended. Suddenly, Rebecca realized the bird was after her. She bolted and began running for the woods, where she thought the thick growth of trees and brush would save her.

The strange-looking bird swooped down, picking up speed, feet and long talons aiming at Rebecca, who was now only yards from what she believed would be safety, running as fast as she could.

She was almost there, only a few steps away, when the creature slammed into her back, driving her to the ground, talons encircling her as it spread its wings and glared at her with reptilian looking eyes. Rebecca squirmed and struggled, but could not break the hold.

The creature studied her for a moment, its massive curved beak only inches from her face. Then, with powerful flaps of its wings, it carried her skyward. She screamed, begging and pleading for mercy as the bird rose above the tops of the 100-foot pine trees. Higher and higher it rose, the huge wings carrying it up into a cloud, from which it never came out.

“It’s over,” Marjorie said. “Can you feel the difference?”

“It got her,” Gail added. She turned and walked away a few steps, head down.

Mary watched, concerned. “You had to do it, Gail. Whenever it bothers you, remember that.”

Gail’s head bobbed, but she gave no reply.

“She’s gone for good?” Frank asked.

Mary and Marjorie both shrugged.

“Who knows?” Marjorie replied. “We don’t know what it is, or where it comes from.”

“It took her back to where it’s from,” Gail said, coming up to them. “I don’t know how I know it, but I do. She’s gone. Forever.”

“What now?” Frank asked.

Mary eyed Gail. “I guess we can stay a few days, get some searching in with your device.”

“I don’t feel much like doing anything right now.”

“You’ll be okay,” Marjorie hugged the girl.

“I know. It’s just, I hoped we could do it another way, without hurting anybody.”

“I’d have liked that, too,” Mary said. “She was having none of it.”

“We’ve got this place for the week,” Frank said. “Do we stay, or go home?”

“Stay,” Gail said. “I’ll be fine.”

“I know you will,” Marjorie said. She put her arms around Gail and hugged her.

Frank glanced around. “It feels different. The...I don’t know...air feels different.”

Mary nodded. “Yes. It is lighter now. Come, let us enjoy the time.”

She looked around for a moment and began walking toward a shop. The others followed. It was over. The terrible oppression they had felt for the past two years was gone, and they knew the future now looked bright.

*The End*