funny under different circumstances. Right now, no one laughed.
Dillon came back shortly and announced, “They’re setting up.”
“Who is setting up what ?” asked Burke.
Before he could explain, Miss Mabelle and Miss Celia entered the room carrying bowls, glasses of herbs, and a snake.
“Voodoo?” Alison asked , trying to clarify.
“Now dontcha go usin’ that tone,” retorted Miss Mabelle. “Voodoo may just be the only thing ta save this boy’s life.”
While my cousins and I were familiar with Miss Mabelle’s disparaging attitude, the Caldwells hadn’t been introduced to it yet. But j udging by the expressions on their faces, I knew that had been accomplished.
Miss Celia pointed a finger at the door then . “Out!”
We stared back, confused.
“All of us?” asked Burke.
“Yeyas, out.”
We left the room , the door slamming shut behind us, but none of us walked away. Our feet remained planted, listening to the chants coming from Jameson’s bedroom . They were warbled in a language I’d never heard before.
This was the first time I intentionally looked at my surroundings , and I noticed that the Caldwell house closely resembled the inside of Aunt Lizzy’s. Pictures of their relatives proudly lined the walls , alongside framed art created by young Caldwells . I wondered which ones were Jameson’s , as I heard him moan through the door.
I wished so desperately to be on the other side, holding his hand through whatever was happening to him, encouraging him with comforting words, even if he couldn’t hear them. Right now, it felt like we were miles apart. Even with Miss Celia and Miss Mabelle in there with him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was vulnerable , and that scared me.
Instinctively, my hand came up and flattened against the door, feeling for him inside. Then my body began to shake and my breathing staggered , as I choked back tears. I was frozen in this position for a very long time, struggling against the overwhelming emotions threatening to consume me.
Sometime later, the door opened , and Miss Celia told us to enter. They didn’t look pleased.
“Whateva’ he got…” Miss Mabelle sighed , hanging her head in sadness. “It wasn’t meant fo’ retaliation.”
Miss Celia agreed. “It was meant ta kill.”
The rest of us were stunned , driving home the significance of exactly what we had encountered.
“If two of the most powerful voodoo practitioners known can’t heal him…” Charlotte began to say , but allowed her voice to dwindle away.
I understood what she was telling us without her having to say it…
We had now exhausted all known avenues in trying to help Jameson.
“What?” Alison was clearly shaken. “No one on earth is capable of curing him?”
“Yer dad…maybe,” said Miss Mabelle. She was looking at me, hinting almost. “Was the best damn healer I’d ever seen.”
“He’s dead,” Nolan pointed out in his typical, loutish fashion.
At that point , something I could only describe as determination flooded me. “How much time does he have?” I demanded.
“A day…” Miss Celia softly replied , breaking the worst news of my life. “Maybe two.”
Instantly, I was on my feet , racing through the house. I heard footsteps behind me, my cousins following, but I didn’t slow. There wasn’t enough time.
As I breached the doorway, I realized that I’d just broken my promise to Jameson – to never go anywhere alone – but it was a promise I was willing to break , if it meant saving the one who made me promise it . With that belief cemented in my thoughts, my feet didn’t stop until I reached Jackson Square , and I was standing before the girl who Oscar pointed out on the first day of school – the one capable of speaking to the dead.
7 ACCEPTANCE
“Are you a channeler?” I asked.
The girl’s head snapped up at me and I stared into almost perfectly round eyes bordered by a full head of curly, chocolate-colored hair.
Dillon came back shortly and announced, “They’re setting up.”
“Who is setting up what ?” asked Burke.
Before he could explain, Miss Mabelle and Miss Celia entered the room carrying bowls, glasses of herbs, and a snake.
“Voodoo?” Alison asked , trying to clarify.
“Now dontcha go usin’ that tone,” retorted Miss Mabelle. “Voodoo may just be the only thing ta save this boy’s life.”
While my cousins and I were familiar with Miss Mabelle’s disparaging attitude, the Caldwells hadn’t been introduced to it yet. But j udging by the expressions on their faces, I knew that had been accomplished.
Miss Celia pointed a finger at the door then . “Out!”
We stared back, confused.
“All of us?” asked Burke.
“Yeyas, out.”
We left the room , the door slamming shut behind us, but none of us walked away. Our feet remained planted, listening to the chants coming from Jameson’s bedroom . They were warbled in a language I’d never heard before.
This was the first time I intentionally looked at my surroundings , and I noticed that the Caldwell house closely resembled the inside of Aunt Lizzy’s. Pictures of their relatives proudly lined the walls , alongside framed art created by young Caldwells . I wondered which ones were Jameson’s , as I heard him moan through the door.
I wished so desperately to be on the other side, holding his hand through whatever was happening to him, encouraging him with comforting words, even if he couldn’t hear them. Right now, it felt like we were miles apart. Even with Miss Celia and Miss Mabelle in there with him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was vulnerable , and that scared me.
Instinctively, my hand came up and flattened against the door, feeling for him inside. Then my body began to shake and my breathing staggered , as I choked back tears. I was frozen in this position for a very long time, struggling against the overwhelming emotions threatening to consume me.
Sometime later, the door opened , and Miss Celia told us to enter. They didn’t look pleased.
“Whateva’ he got…” Miss Mabelle sighed , hanging her head in sadness. “It wasn’t meant fo’ retaliation.”
Miss Celia agreed. “It was meant ta kill.”
The rest of us were stunned , driving home the significance of exactly what we had encountered.
“If two of the most powerful voodoo practitioners known can’t heal him…” Charlotte began to say , but allowed her voice to dwindle away.
I understood what she was telling us without her having to say it…
We had now exhausted all known avenues in trying to help Jameson.
“What?” Alison was clearly shaken. “No one on earth is capable of curing him?”
“Yer dad…maybe,” said Miss Mabelle. She was looking at me, hinting almost. “Was the best damn healer I’d ever seen.”
“He’s dead,” Nolan pointed out in his typical, loutish fashion.
At that point , something I could only describe as determination flooded me. “How much time does he have?” I demanded.
“A day…” Miss Celia softly replied , breaking the worst news of my life. “Maybe two.”
Instantly, I was on my feet , racing through the house. I heard footsteps behind me, my cousins following, but I didn’t slow. There wasn’t enough time.
As I breached the doorway, I realized that I’d just broken my promise to Jameson – to never go anywhere alone – but it was a promise I was willing to break , if it meant saving the one who made me promise it . With that belief cemented in my thoughts, my feet didn’t stop until I reached Jackson Square , and I was standing before the girl who Oscar pointed out on the first day of school – the one capable of speaking to the dead.
7 ACCEPTANCE
“Are you a channeler?” I asked.
The girl’s head snapped up at me and I stared into almost perfectly round eyes bordered by a full head of curly, chocolate-colored hair.
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