by Ellen Oh
“That’s really bad and wrong!” Harper was shocked. “It’s accesso . . . accesso . . .”
“Accessory to murder,” Dayo said. “But actually, they’re accomplices. They helped the murders happen.”
“That makes them just as bad as the monsters! Even worse! Why would they do that?”
“Because they couldn’t afford an investigation that would stop tourists from coming,” Todd said. “The police on the island are all bought and paid for by the Bennington family, but still. Annual dead bodies would be a tourism killer.”
“But to hide them so no one would ever know what happened to them . . . ,” Dayo said. She looked really upset. “Your grandfather was evil.”
“Yes, I agree,” Todd said mildly. “My grandfather and my father were both bad. I couldn’t do it. I refused. For years, I just wouldn’t help the Razu. And that’s why they murdered all those people.”
Harper felt bad for him, he looked so guilty.
He closed his eyes. “Sixteen people dead. Their bodies ripped apart and shown all over the news. And that little girl. Every night I can still see their faces.”
He rubbed his head as if he was in pain. “After that terrible night, they told me if I didn’t help them they would kill me. They even marked me.” He pointed to his neck, where a triangular scar could be seen. His was different from Michael’s and the others. It wasn’t just a bruise; it was clear that it was a scar from a wound. “It’s why I left. I thought if I was gone, then they wouldn’t have anyone else to help them. I thought the curse would end with me. But I was wrong.”
“I don’t get it,” Harper said. “Why do they need you? You get rid of bodies, but that’s more for you than for them. What do they need you for?”
“They need people who can see auras, because they have no eyes,” Todd said. “They hunt by fear. They can smell it. And they are so frightening to look at, it was easy for them to hunt. But because they’re stuck in the spiritual plane, they can only send out their spiritual projections. Very few people can actually see them. It’s a curse of the Benningtons that we have the ability. So, we tell them where their victims will be, and they send their projection out to mark them. Only at Gorgon Grove can they physically manifest.”
“That’s so wrong,” Dayo whispered.
“But who are the Razu working with now?” Harper asked.
“I don’t know. It has to be a family member, but the only one left of my bloodline is my daughter,” he said.
“It’s your wife,” Harper said with absolute certainty. She thought about the coldness she’d felt when she’d met Olivia’s mom for the first time.
Todd was shaking his head. “No way, my wife would never do anything like this. Besides, she doesn’t have the ability.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Harper said. “She might be like me.”
“Or she got it during her pregnancy. If she had a Bennington baby, and the baby had the ability, it’s possible she got it also,” Dayo said.
“Yes, and you said it yourself,” Harper said. “There’s no one else.”
They were all silent as Todd dropped his head into his hands in a pose of despair.
“Oh no,” Dayo said, sitting straight up with a concerned look on her face. “Harper, if it’s Olivia’s mom, then Olivia asking for guards around the grove is useless.”
“I should go see her,” Todd said.
“No!” Harper shouted. “She’s already going to be so suspicious about us talking to Olivia. You can’t go to her right now.”
“But what am I supposed to do?”
“Well, why did you come here, anyway?” Harper asked. “I mean, I’m glad you brought me my grandmother’s bells, but why did you come back? Aren’t you in danger?”
Todd looked up. His eyes were filled with tears. “I’ve been running all these years, thinking I was keeping the danger from my family. Turns out I led it right to them.” He let out a shaky breath. “I have to make things right. I have to fix this and break the curse.”
“But how?” Dayo asked.
“I’ll offer myself as sacrifice,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” Dayo said, ever practical, “but how does that break the curse?”
He looked stunned. “I just assumed that it would—sacrificing myself for my loved ones.”
“No offense, sir, but that’s not gonna work,” Dayo said.
“Yeah, they’re just going to take you and everyone else also,” Harper said. She sat staring at her grandmother’s bells. “But if we all work together, maybe we can destroy them.”
“I’ll do anything,” Todd said.
“The bells. What they do is call all the souls that have been eaten by the Razu and pull them out to the light.” Harper was thinking aloud. “The Razu aren’t the only ones more powerful at the darkest part of the night. So are the spirits. And they will be longing to be free. We need to help move them to freedom.”
“I don’t understand,” Todd said.
“My grandmother and I encountered a smaller Razu, a soul eater. We were able to defeat it by releasing all the souls within it all at once,” Harper said. “We need to do that to all four of the Razu. If they’ve been doing this for centuries, then the souls they’ve eaten must number in the thousands. If I call down the spiritual bridge close enough, their yearning for the light might break them free.”
“They’d explode out of the monster,” Dayo said.
Harper nodded.
“Can you really do that?” Todd asked.
“I’m gonna try,” she said. “But we need help. Can you get Mrs. Nakamura?”
Todd jumped to his feet. “I know where she lives.”
“Tell her I need a lot of holy water, gallons of it! As many large plates or bowls as she can get and all her copper wire,” Harper said.
“When and where do we meet?”
“Grandma said they will be active at the darkest part of the night,” Harper said. “I think she means midnight.”
Dayo nodded. “Yeah, the darkest part of the night is the halfway point between sunset and sunrise.” She pulled out her phone to search the times. “Sunrise is at seven a.m. and sunset is at seven twenty p.m. So, the darkest will be around one a.m.”
“Then let’s meet at ten at the grove,” Harper said. “I want enough time to set up and then get away before they arrive. And, Mr. Bennington, please don’t forget to ask Mrs. Nakamura for a copper amulet.”
Todd pulled a necklace out from under his shirt, showing the copper wire-wrapped pennies on his necklace. “I’ve never taken it off.”
“Ask her to make more,” Harper said. “A lot more. We’re going to need them for anyone who is marked.”
“Harper, your grandma said we can’t be there,” Dayo said.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be long gone before midnight.”
Dayo looked worried. “But what happens if we don’t get out in time?”
Harper had no good answer for her friend.
HALLOWEEN
Tuesday, October 31—Night
Harper, Dayo, Leo, and Michael stood at the entrance of the Royal Ballroom, gawking at all the people dressed in wild costumes at the party. They watched as Kelly, wearing a fancy flapper outfit, raced off to meet her friends. Harper had to admit that her sister and her friends looked great in their matching dresses, with all their sequined fringe shimmying as they moved. She was staring at Megan, the girl with the mark.
“Do you think Kelly will give Megan the necklace?” Dayo asked.
“Yeah,” Harper said. “But I don’t think Megan will wear it. Kelly refused to wear hers because it doesn’t go with her outfit.”
“You’re right,” Dayo sighed. “Maybe it will be enough if she keeps it in her purse?”
Harper looked skeptical. “I don’t think it’s enough.” She scratched her neck where she’d started to sweat. She was not excited about her costume, which her mother had forced her to wear.
Olivia had sent over costumes fo
r them yesterday, as they didn’t have any. Michael was decked out as his favorite character, Iron Man. Dayo wore a pretty Red Riding Hood cloak over an all-black ninja outfit and mask, and called herself Red Riding Ninjahood. Dayo had refused to wear the little dress that had come with the cape, and Harper couldn’t blame her. It had been way too short. Leo had on a chef’s jacket and hat, which had made his father proud. But Harper was wearing a big one-piece panda suit. The hood was the panda face, and the black-and-white onesie had long sleeves and detachable footies. Harper had declined to wear the footies and had on her sneakers instead. She was unhappy because the suit was hot and she was already starting to sweat. But it was either the panda or a sexy pirate. It was no contest.
Fortunately, the ballroom was well air-conditioned.
“Come on, let’s go eat!” Leo said. Before they could head to the buffet table, Yuna caught Michael by the hand.
“Michael, you come with Mommy and Daddy,” Yuna said. “There’s a magic show that you will love in the other party room.”
“Oh boy, a magic show!” Michael immediately pivoted to head out with Yuna.
Harper turned to follow, but her father waved her away. “Sweetheart, go with your friends,” he said. “This is a little-kid show. You’ll be bored.”
He smiled and winked and then followed after Yuna and Michael.
Michael waved good-bye and then disappeared from view. For a moment, Harper panicked, worried that she wouldn’t see him again.
“It’s okay, Harper,” Dayo said. “He’s safe with your mom and dad.”
“You’re right,” she sighed. “Let’s go look for Olivia!”
They went searching for Olivia but were perturbed to find her missing. Calls to her cell phone were going directly to voice mail. It was unlike Olivia to not meet them.
Finally, they found someone who told them that Olivia was home sick.
“This is really weird,” Harper said.
“Her mom must be sick, too,” Leo said. “I heard my mom saying it was unlike Mrs. Bennington to miss tonight’s big bash, because so many important people are here.”
Harper and Dayo traded worried looks.
“Do you think she’s in trouble?” Dayo asked. “Should we try to go over to her house?”
Leo stared at both of them. “What in the world are you talking about?”
The girls ignored him. “We haven’t told her about the new plans,” Dayo said.
“We can’t,” Harper said. “It’s still her mother.”
“We’re not sure,” Dayo said, but bit her lip when Harper gave her a disbelieving look. “Yeah, it has to be her.”
“Who has to be what?” Leo asked.
“You should tell him,” Dayo said.
“Tell me what?” Leo demanded. “Wait, is it about the ghosts?”
Both Dayo and Harper nodded.
“I don’t want to know! Don’t tell me! I’m gonna go eat dinner by myself,” Leo said and stormed off.
Harper smirked. “Should we eat dinner now?”
“I’m not even hungry. I’m too scared to eat,” Dayo said.
“Me too.” Harper looked at her watch. It was six thirty. They still had a few hours to go. “But we have to eat something now. We have almost three hours to kill.”
“Don’t say kill!”
“Sorry.”
The girls headed toward the buffet table, where they were once again awed by the amount and variety of food spread out in front of white-gloved servers.
“I don’t even know where to start,” Dayo sighed.
Harper grabbed a plate and got on line. “Not me—I know exactly what I want.”
She held her plate up to be served roast beef with potatoes and salad. “I only got the salad to make you happy,” she said to Dayo.
Dayo smiled and got the same thing. After filling their plates with more goodies, they were looking for a place to sit when Dayo spied Leo at a back table by himself. She nudged Harper and forced her toward the table. They sat with Leo as waiters served them ice water.
“Leo, don’t you want to know what’s been happening on this island?” Dayo asked.
He shook his head vigorously. “I don’t see that little ghost girl anymore, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
Harper snorted. “Chicken.”
Leo glared at her. “Not wanting to see ghosts isn’t being a chicken, it’s being smart,” he retorted.
“That little girl died in the Gorgon Grove massacre,” Harper said. “Her whole family died that night.”
They were all quiet for a moment.
“I’m sorry about that,” Leo said. “But still. I don’t want to hear about it.”
“She was marked on the neck by the monsters who were after her,” Harper continued relentlessly. “The same mark that’s now on Michael’s neck.”
Leo’s head whipped around to stare at her. “Is he in danger?”
“We’re all in danger,” Dayo said.
With a heavy sigh, Leo put his fork down. “Tell me everything.”
Harper and Dayo explained all that they’d encountered and discovered. When they were done, Leo looked even more pale and frightened than he had the first time they’d seen him.
“And what the heck do you want me to do?” he asked.
“Just help us keep an eye on Michael,” Harper said. “Keep him safe no matter what. We’ll end up leaving here around nine to take Michael home. The adults are all going back to the party, and Dayo and I have to go meet Mr. Bennington. So, that means we need you to watch Michael.”
Leo nodded. “I promise.”
They ate the rest of their meal in silence. When they were done, Harper got up and stretched and pointed to the dessert table.
“We need a lot of sugar to get us through the night,” she announced.
Dayo enthusiastically agreed.
By eight o’clock, the trio were too nervous and agitated to stay at the party anymore. They went to the little-kid party room, where Michael was waiting for his balloon octopus. They were able to convince Harper’s parents to take them all home early. As predicted, Yuna and Peter returned to the party after kissing Michael good night.
With Michael in bed, Harper asked Leo to find all the pennies in the house.
“How do you know which pennies are full copper?” Dayo asked.
“I’m just gonna pull any penny older than 1970,” Harper replied. Using scraps of fabric and twine, Harper made small pouches filled with the old pennies.
The three of them worked quietly and steadily. The only noise was the jingling of the coins and the ticking of a nearby clock.
Harper paused. In the distance, she heard a faint drumming.
“Dayo, do you hear drums?”
Her friend sat up and cupped her ear. “I don’t hear anything.”
The drumming was getting louder.
“It’s so loud now,” Harper said.
Dayo’s eyes widened. “What is it? Why can’t I hear it?”
Leo looked at Harper in total confusion.
Dayo reached over and grabbed Harper’s hands and gasped loudly. “I hear it now, too!”
“It wants me to follow it,” Harper said dreamily.
“Don’t even think about it, Harper Raine!”
“I already am,” Harper said. She frowned. “Where am I?”
“Harper, what’s happening?” Dayo shook Harper’s hand, but Harper didn’t feel it. She was deep into a new vision.
She was walking through a hot, humid jungle. The beating of the drums had stopped, and all she heard was an eerie silence of a jungle devoid of life. And then she heard a soft chanting. Following the low murmuring voice, she came into a clearing and recoiled in terror. Harper badly wanted to run away, but something kept her glued to the spot. She’d come across what looked like a small seaside village empty of any people. Blood and body parts were strewn all over the place, leading to a grove of large twisty trees with the blue ocean behind it. A dark-haired, brown-skinned
woman holding a staff stood between the village and the trees. Chanting. But what was horrifying was not the dead villagers but the gigantic creatures lying on the ground, entangled all together under the shadow of the trees. They were soul eaters that were almost as big as elephants. Harper counted four of them. She didn’t know if they were sleeping or under a spell, but they lay unmoving in front of the chanting woman.
A loud snore cut through the silence. The Razu were sleeping. Blood covered their faces and clawlike hands. The pale tree trunks were splattered in red gore and the bloody bones and skulls of numerous humans littered the ground around them.
Harper’s attention was drawn back to the fearless woman. This must be the shaman Baritegi. Her long black hair was plaited into a thick braid. Her simple robes of red and yellow were striking against her dark skin. She spoke in a lilting, musical language that Harper didn’t understand but vaguely recognized.
The shaman raised her bare arms and shook her staff at the sky. Muttering, she moved her arms in a rhythmic circle as the Razu remained motionless. Over and over she swirled her arms, as the sky turned a dark angry gray while lightning and thunder cracked above them. It began to rain hard. Harper had to wipe her face in order to see. She caught a movement from one of the Razu. They were beginning to wake up. Harper wanted to warn the shaman. But the thunder drowned out her voice.
The Razu closest to the shaman raised its head and sniffed at the air. It snarled as the others began to stir also.
Harper gasped as the first Razu hurled itself toward the shaman. And then, with a sharp crack of the staff to the ground, the shaman pointed to the sky and channeled a bolt of lightning from the air into her hands. It was so bright Harper had to shield herself from the light. The Razu stopped in confusion. Something was happening. With a great heave, the shaman threw the lightning bolt into the center of the largest tree, where it formed a whirling opening, like a tornado. It swallowed the Raku into the whirlwind one by one and then sealed itself completely shut, leaving only a grossly deformed tree trunk behind, pulsing with light.
The shaman still held the lightning bolt that was coursing through her staff. She directed it at her feet and swiftly sent it pulsing through the ground. Harper could feel the earth rumbling, and a crack formed between the shaman and the Razu tree. The land shifted and separated. And an island formed as the masses broke apart. Only then did Harper realize she was on the wrong side. She was on Razu Island, watching the shaman walking away. Panic filled her, and she tried to run toward the water to swim back to the mainland. But she was still frozen, rooted to the spot. She looked down and saw two large claws grasping her shoes.
