The Starfish Talisman

by Lark Griffing

  “After what Ariana pulled, I wanted to destroy her. I loved your father. The three of us had grown up together, and I loved him like a brother. I am not as forgiving as Willow, and Ariana tried to destroy him. I read everything I could about how to take her out, how to make her descend into the hell that should be her home. Willow would have none of it, but she did let me exorcise Ariana back to the fourth floor.” Emma’s eyes flashed with the memory. Chases stared at his mom, never seeing this kind of emotion from her.

  “And I let her out,” whispered Reagan. “She almost killed Sammy and me. I don’t know that I can be forgiving.”

  “You can bet Willow will be hard pressed to be forgiving now, too. That’s why she left, you know. Not only did she not want to hear the story, but she is going to have to come to grips with the fact that her life is now going to change. She knows something has to be done about Ariana, and Adelaide might leave. Willow has lived in that house all her life with those ghosts. They are her family, but you are more important family. You are Wolf’s daughter, and what Ariana did is unforgivable.”

  “What’s Willow going to do?” Reagan whispered.

  “That remains to be seen,” said Emma.

  Chapter 26

  A truck pulled into the driveway. Griff walked to the door and waited in greeting, his tail slowly wagging.

  “It’s just Willow coming back,” Emma said.

  The door opened, and Willow walked in followed by Wiley, who seemed strangely subdued. When he saw Reagan, he wagged his tail weakly. Emma stared at Wiley. She had a bad feeling, but she couldn’t put her finger on what was wrong. Wiley sniffed the puppy on Reagan’s lap and then stretched out in front of the fireplace. Griff joined him as they curled together on the floor.

  “I brought Reagan some things,” said Willow. “I don’t want her back at the house until we clean up the mess we made years ago.”

  “She’s welcome to stay here as long as she needs,” said Emma. “You know that, and you know that I will help you any way I can. You just need to say the word. Willow, you are also welcome to stay. There’s plenty of room for you, and for Wiley, too.”

  “I appreciate that, but I need to stay at my house. It’s my home and has been for all of my life. I will not be driven from it. Wiley can stay if he wants, or he can come with me.”

  Wiley lifted his head at the sound of his name. He sighed and got to his feet. He looked old and dejected.

  “What’s wrong with Wiley?” asked Reagan.

  “I really don’t know,” said Willow. “Emma? Any idea?”

  Emma walked over to the dog and lifted his chin, looking deeply into his eyes. The dog held stock still, then wagged his tail slightly.

  “He’ll be fine, eventually. He feels he didn’t protect his people. He is very aware that Reagan nearly died. He’s having a hard time with that.”

  Reagan slid her puppy into Chase’s lap and dropped to the floor. She threw her arms around the big Lab and buried her face in his neck. She told him she loved him, and it wasn’t his fault. He leaned his solid, boxy face against hers and licked her cheek. Then he crossed over and stood next to Willow, ready to go home with her and protect his mistress.

  “Chase, why don’t you come with me? That way you can pick up your car and bring it back here. I figure you might need it in the morning. Reagan, is there anything you need Chase to bring back?”. Reagan looked through the things that Willow had brought.

  “No, I think I have everything I need. Thank you, Willow.” She crossed the room and pulled her aunt into a hug. “Aunt Willow, I love you. I know that all of this is hard on you, and I’m sorry.” Willow looked extremely uncomfortable and awkwardly returned the hug. Then she motioned for Wiley to follow her as she left for home.

  An hour later, Chase pulled back into the driveway and cut the engine. He picked Reagan’s library books off the front seat and went into the house.

  A black cat with a white slash on its side slid out of the warm car engine compartment and slinked in the shadows. He crept under the front porch steps. Inside, Griff lifted his head from the floor and growled a low, throaty growl. The cat stiffened, then streaked out from under the porch and disappeared into the cranberry bog.

  Inside the cottage that night, people and dogs were restless. Nightmares haunted their dreams. Griff paced the floors, feeling that something wasn’t right in his world.

  Emma got up at two o’clock in the morning and lit some sage incense. Using the black ink made from fox glove, she drew a line across the thresholds of her home and lined each window frame with the tincture. When she reached her son’s room she was pulled up short at the chill she felt. The window was opened slightly. She settled her spirit and listened with her soul. Quickly, she lit sage, purifying the room. Satisfied, she closed the window and inked the frame, carefully making a full circle, connecting the lines while softly whispering ancient incantations.

  Emma was up first that morning. She heard Sammy whining in his crate, and she smiled as Griff gently pawed her, urging her to get up and help the distressed puppy. She pulled on her robe and slippers and padded quietly into the room where Reagan was sleeping. The puppy sat anxiously at the door to the crate. Reagan was sleeping so soundly that she didn’t even stir. Emma glanced down at her, checking to see she was okay. Her face was at peace, her fingers of her right hand clasped tightly around the starfish.

  Emma turned and opened the crate. She gathered the collie pup in her arms and scooted quickly to the front door. The puppy quivered with excitement.

  “Hang on Sammy, almost there.” Griff pushed forward too, and sprang out the door, stopping on the porch to survey his property. When he was certain everything was in order, he hopped down the steps and claimed the big oak tree that shaded the house. Sammy, too young to lift his leg, squatted and did his business. Emma made appropriate “good boy” talk and gave both dogs a homemade puppy biscuit. Emma saw Griff wag his tail as he looked up at the porch. She turned to see Chase coming out of the door. He looked a little rough.

  “Tough night?” Emma asked.

  “Yeah, I had a lot of bad dreams, but I don’t remember them. I know I kept waking up feeling like the world was out of control. How about you? I smelled sage this morning.”

  “I cleansed the house last night. I feel like something is off kilter, but I don’t know what it is. All I know is we are not done. This whole thing is going to come to a head, but I can’t see what it is going to be. It’s as if my second sight is blocked.”

  “I feel the same way. My head feels cloudy, like there is a haze in my brain. I think it’s because I’m so tired. I’m hungry, too. Do you realize we never ate any dinner last night? I’m starving.”

  “Watch the dogs, and I’ll start breakfast. I think it will be just you and I eating. I think Reagan is going to sleep for a long time, and I think it’s important that we let her.”

  Chase nodded in agreement, and Emma went in to start breakfast. Within a few minutes, thick slices of ham were sizzling in a cast iron skillet. Emma sliced potatoes and dropped them into melted butter seasoned with rosemary. She topped them with onions and set the fire on low for them to cook and brown slowly. Chase came in the door with a basketful of freshly gathered eggs. He grinned at his mom appreciatively.

  “That smells great. What are you going to eat?” he teased.

  “The question is, what are you going to eat?” asked Reagan as she stepped out of the hall.

  “I didn’t expect you up,” said Emma. “I figured you would sleep well into the afternoon.”

  “I would have, but the smell of breakfast reminded me I never ate yesterday. I’m starving. Can I help you with anything?” Reagan asked. Emma looked at the girl and smiled.

  “No, wait, yes, you can brew tea.” Emma was going to tell Reagan to relax, but the girl looked lost. If she had a job to do, she would heal a lot faster.

  “Thank you, guys, for taking care of Sammy. I guess I’m not a very good dog mom. I should have set my a
larm so I would wake up to let him out.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I was proud of him because he whimpered to go out. He’s learning that all he needs to do is tell us when he needs to go outside, and we will take him out to his pee spot. He’s a smart pup. He’ll be potty-trained in no time.”

  Reagan poured boiling water into the tea pot and added a scoop of loose tea to the tea ball just as Emma had taught her. The fragrant aroma filled the air, mixing with the sage and making the cottage feel like a sanctuary.

  “So, what do we do today?” asked Reagan. “I feel like we should be doing something.”

  “Right now, the something that you are feeling is uncertainty. To be honest, there is nothing for us to do. We wait for Willow to come back and let us know how her night was. Once we have that information, we can make plans. In the meantime, I have an idea for another soap fragrance. I need to create some new product, so I thought you could help. Would you like that?”

  “I would love it.”

  After the breakfast dishes were cleaned, Reagan and Emma gathered the supplies to make a batch of soap. Chase said he needed to mow the lawn and tend to the weeds in the garden. Griff followed Chase to the back shed and Sammy followed Reagan. Emma smiled to herself. Maybe things would be okay.

  Chase worked for an hour in the warm sun. His head still felt cloudy, but the physical labor of tending to the garden warmed his muscles. The kinks from last night’s restless sleep were working their way out. He gathered the load of weeds he had pulled and put them in the small cart. Griff happily trotted behind him as Chase left the gated garden and started down the path to the bog. When they reached the edge of the bog, Chase unloaded the cart of weeds into the mulch pile. Griff sniffed around, investigating all the new scents from the night before. Suddenly, he stiffened. A low growl sounded in his throat. Surprised, Chase looked down at his dog,

  “What’s the matter, boy? What’s got you worked up this morning?”. Chase looked out over the bog, following Griff’s gaze, but couldn’t see anything that looked out of place. Griff glanced up at Chase, then lowered his nose to the ground and took off through the bog, following the scent. Chase watched him go, unworried. Griff often liked to chase the rabbits that lived in the copse of trees near the bog. As Chase turned the cart and headed back toward the garden, a searing pain ripped through his head. Too much sun and no water, Chase thought. He rubbed his temples trying to ease the pain.

  After drinking a glass of water and swallowing two aspirin, Chase pulled the lawnmower out of the garage and started to trim the grass.

  Emma paused while working in the soap shed. She glanced out the window and saw Chase mowing the lawn. An uneasy feeling passed through her. Reagan looked up and followed Emma’s gaze.

  “What is Chase doing?” she asked, breaking Emma’s concentration.

  “He’s mowing the grass, why?”

  “What is that he’s using?” asked Reagan.

  Emma laughed, “Haven’t you ever seen an old-fashioned rotary lawn mower? It doesn’t have an engine. When you push it, the blades turn and cut the grass. It’s quiet and gives Chase a good workout.” Emma continued to watch her son, still feeling uneasy. She saw him reach to his head a couple of times, rubbing his temples. “I’ll be right back. Keep stirring, please.” Emma nodded to the soap mixture. Reagan turned her attention back to the soap, stirring carefully. She yawned. The lack of sleep was catching up with her.

  “Chase, are you okay?”. Emma tapped her son on the shoulder, getting him to pull his earbuds out.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. What did you say?”.

  “I asked if you were okay.”

  “Yeah, but I have a terrible headache. I took some aspirin and drank a bunch of water, but it didn’t help.”

  “Why don’t you go lay down. The grass can wait until it’s cooler this evening.” Chases started to protest but realized his mom was right. He put the lawnmower away and headed to the cottage. Emma watched him go, the uneasy feeling growing within her.

  Reagan helped Emma pour the soap into the molds, the fragrance of rosemary, sage, and lavender filled the room. Emma pressed lavender buds into the top of the soaps and set the molds on the racks to cure. Together they cleaned up the soap shed, putting everything away. Reagan stifled another yawn.

  “I think you need to go take a nap, just like Chase. In fact, I think we all should sleep the afternoon away. What do you think?”

  “I think it sounds like the perfect idea. Come on, Sammy, do you want to take a nap, too?”. The puppy rolled onto his back, waving his paws in the air. Reagan laughed and crouched down to rub her puppy’s soft belly.

  “He loves you and trusts you. Do you know that?”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because he lets you keep him on his back. That is a very dangerous position for a dog. All of his vital organs are exposed. He is telling you that he knows you are the boss, and he accepts that. You are well on your way to being a wonderful dog mom.”

  Reagan gathered her puppy in her arms, inhaling his sweet smell. He was the one thing right about this summer. Well, her puppy and Chase. Chase was pretty right, too. Emma caught the vibe and smiled a sad smile at the girl. The summer’s end was going to bring heartbreak to her son and to Reagan.

  Reagan put Sammy in his crate and gave him his chew toy, then she stretched out on her bed. She was asleep in seconds.

  Emma checked in on her son. Chase was sleeping with a scowl on his face. His forehead was deeply lined with worry. She reached out, gently smoothing her fingers over his forehead, chanting softly. He sighed in his sleep, his face relaxing. He rolled over, clutching his pillow in his arms and started softly snoring.

  Emma walked back on the porch and gave a low whistle for Griff. She waited for a minute for him to come running, but he didn’t. It wasn’t the first time he’d been gone for a couple of hours, roaming the bog and scaring up the wildlife. She put fresh water in the bowl on the porch, then closed and locked the cottage door. She, too was tired. A nap was in order.

  Chapter 27

  Chase woke with a start. The room felt cool, a light breeze blew across his cheeks. He brushed his hand across his face. He could have sworn there had been a small paw there, softly caressing the side of his chin. He shook off the dream and stretched. His headache was a little better. He slid into his shoes and quietly crept out of his room. The cottage was silent. Looking in Reagan’s room, he saw she was sleeping soundly. A quick glance in his mom’s room revealed the same situation there. He got a glass of water and looked out the window. The half-mowed lawn bothered him. He was glad the mower didn’t have an engine because it wouldn’t wake the others. Chase took two more aspirin and went back outside.

  He finished the backyard and moved to the front. He was lost in thought and, at first, didn’t notice the girl who stood by their mailbox down at the road. Sensing something, he looked up and was taken by surprise. She was tall and thin and had remarkable long dark hair that curled softly along the length. As he got closer, he could see her tear-stained cheeks and her stunning beauty. She was breathtaking despite her odd clothing. She wore a strange outfit of baggy men’s trousers and a torn off-white button up shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. She seemed to be concentrating on the address on his mailbox. She looked up and glanced up and down the road. She looked terribly lost and frightened.

  Chase left the lawnmower and walked down the lane toward the mailbox. The girl’s head was bowed. He didn’t see her sly smile as he grew closer.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  She looked up, tears rolling down her face. She shook her head, then bowed down, looking at the ground.

  “Are you hurt? Were you in an accident of something?” Chase looked for a car, but he didn’t see anything. By now he was standing in front of her. She didn’t move, just kept her head down, crying quietly.

  “Hey,” Chase reached a tentative hand toward her. “I’m not going to hurt you.” Gently, he placed his hand under her
chin and lifted her face.

  Noooo. Emma sat stark upright. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Trying to push down the panic, she closed her eyes and concentrated. What was it? Come on, but her mind was fuzzy. She took a deep breath and tried harder. The air was fresh, so fresh.

  Her eyes flew open, and she looked to the window. It was opened slightly. That shouldn’t be. It had been closed and sealed with the spell, but now it was open. She got up and hurried to Reagan’s room. The girl still slept, her window closed tightly. Chase. Emma rushed to Chase’s room. It was empty. The window stood open. Then Emma knew. Ariana.

  Chase’s fingers gently pressed into the girl’s chin, lifting slowly, coaxing her.

  “I promise I won’t hurt you. How can I help you? It’s going to be okay.” The girl’s stopped resisting his fingers. Her face lifted to his. She opened her dry eyes and looked deeply into his. In the bog, a dog howled mournfully.

  Emma fumbled in her desk, her fingers seeking the small button behind the top center drawer which lay carelessly on the floor. Pressing on the small wooden nub, Emma waited until a panel in the knee hole opened sideways. Emma carefully reached in the small space and snatched a tall, thin glass bottle. The label, brittle and brown with age, flaked onto the floor. Ancient scribbles and sketches adorned the label, the glass stopper seated firmly in the top. Emma held the bottle up to the light. A sickly yellow syrup stuck to the neck of the bottle, while a lighter amber liquid swirled in the bottom. Without stopping for shoes, Emma ran out of the cottage clutching the antique bottle to her chest.

  Chase felt his soul fall forward, drowning in the inky darkness of the girl’s eyes. He felt like he was losing himself to her. Surprised, he tried to pull himself away, but he couldn’t. His gaze was locked with hers. A bead of sweat formed on his right temple, and the searing headache he had earlier deepened, penetrating the center of his brain, setting off firework explosions behind his eyes. He desperately wanted to squeeze them shut, but he was powerless. He couldn’t break the gaze that held him, bonded him to the girl. She reached up with her right hand, caressing the back of his neck, carefully and firmly drawing him closer to her. He gasped at the coldness of her touch.