by Amy Cross
Walking through to my bedroom, I grab a backpack from the wardrobe. I figure I might as well start packing. The idea of going back to Devil's Briar makes me flinch, and there's a part of me that still thinks there might be a chance to get out of this agreement. On the other hand, I know that I have a moral obligation to help out, especially if Bill's life is at stake. I just hope this trip to Colorado will be quick, and that this time tomorrow I'll already be on my way home.
Chapter Three
1925
Standing by the window, my uncle looks out across the town square. He seems strangely calm, as if he has somehow anticipated that this day would one day come. We have been running for so long, I had almost begun to think that our past would never catch up with us; now that one part of that past has arrived in Devil's Briar, I feel myself being overcome by a feeling of blind panic. My uncle, on the other hand, seems to regard this almost as a natural development. Sometimes I feel as if he is able to anticipate events long before they happen, and at this moment it would seem that he is unsurprised by the fact that John Saxon has arrived in Devil's Briar. I can only hope, and pray, that he has some kind of plan. Otherwise, I fear that Mr. Saxon will cause untold damage, and could even derail my planned marriage to Albert Caster.
"Don't worry about it," my uncle says, still staring out the window. "Mr. Saxon has no problem with you, Victoria. It's me he wishes to torment, and his attempts to upset you are merely part of his overall plan to get to me".
"I am quite certain that he means business," I say. "I saw pure hatred in his eyes. The man has grown more ragged since last we saw him, but in his eyes there burns the same rage".
"That may be so," he replies, "but this hatred is aimed purely at me. I do not know how many times I must stress this point, Victoria, but Saxon's animosity is focused entirely upon my own person. Any interest he shows toward you is entirely due to his understanding that, through you, he can cause me some additional pain. I must apologize, my dear, for the fact that you face such hardship, but I can assure you that soon this ordeal will be over". He turns to me. "It is quite clear that I must now deal with Mr. Saxon once and for all. The man has plagued and followed us for many years, and I have made the mistake of thinking I could keep running. Finally, it is time to face this beast and fell him".
"How will you do this?" I ask.
He pauses, and it is clear that he does not have a fully-realized plan. "I will find a way," he says. "Saxon is many things, but I do not consider him to be my intellectual equal, not by any means. I am quite certain that I shall be able to deal with any scheme that he comes up with. Trust me when I say that within the next forty-eight hours, that man's heart will beat no more".
"You aim to kill him?" I ask.
"It is the only way," he replies. "A man like John Saxon cannot be reasoned with. He cannot be paid off or otherwise persuaded to abandon his pursuit. It is a part of him; he lusts for our souls, and it is this desire that will be his downfall. While Saxon might appear to be a formidable adversary, he is in fact just an ordinary man".
"But perhaps you do not need to kill him," I say. "Perhaps you can pay him off, or otherwise send him on my way. Every man can be turned by the offer of money, can he not?" I pause, filled with fear. "It is my wedding day. I do not wish -"
"Your wedding day will be unaffected," my uncle replies. "Do you honestly think that I would allow a man such as John Saxon to affect the wedding of my niece? I will do everything in my power to ensure that this day goes perfectly for you, and I'm sure that by now you are aware that my power extends very far indeed". Walking toward me, he smiles and kisses my forehead. "Victoria, your happiness is by far the most important thing in my life. I would do anything to ensure that you are able to marry the man you love". He pauses for a moment. "You know that I would give my life to guarantee your prosperity, do you not?"
"I do," I tell him. "And I feel the same about you". It's true. My love for my uncle is pure and true, and there is nothing I would not do in order to ensure that he prospers in this world. Together, we have wandered across more than half of America, moving from town to town as his experiments drew increasing resistance from superstitious and fearful communities. Yet despite all of these problems, I have remained absolutely convinced that my uncle's work is of vital importance to the future of the world, and I do not doubt that one day he will achieve the results he needs in order to take his ideas to the wider scientific community. There will come a time when my uncle is seen as the natural heir to Tesla's reputation.
"Here's what you will do," my uncle says. "You will continue with your day as if nothing extraordinary has happened. You will prepare for your wedding, you will put on your dress, and you will marry Albert Caster. While you are doing all these things, I will be working to ensure that John Saxon poses no threat to either of us. If there is one thing you have learned over the years, Victoria, it is surely that you can trust me when I make a promise to you".
"I do trust you," I say. "I just wish you did not have to carry this terrible burden alone".
"It is a burden of my own making," he replies. "I have not always been a good man. You have seen my many faults, but I have long sworn that they will not affect your life". He pauses. "Go, Victoria. Let me deal with this".
Leaving the room, I hurry along the corridor. I am determined to ensure that my wedding goes ahead, but I fear it will be in the shadow of some greater tension. As I reach the top of the stairs, I realize that I have no-one to whom I can turn. In all the time since I arrived at Devil's Briar, I have made few friends. The town is friendly enough, but it is a small community and people are naturally a little wary of strangers. It will take time to break down this barrier, though I am sure that I shall do so - if I am given the opportunity. I walk down toward the hotel reception, trying to work out what I can do, but finally I hear voices over by the door and I am surprised to find that Lilith Haynes has arrived and is talking to Mr. Porter.
"There she is!" Lilith says, hurrying toward me. "The lady of the hour! You look beautiful, my dear!"
"Thank you," I reply, close to tears.
"What's wrong?" she asks, looking closer. "You seem distressed".
"It's nothing," I say. "Really".
"I came to help you," Lilith replies. "You and your uncle are new in town, yet you should not have to prepare alone for your wedding. I felt perhaps you could use a feminine touch".
"I would appreciate that very much," I say, as tears start to stream down my face.
"Come with me," she says, putting an arm around my shoulder and leading me back upstairs. "It is absolutely normal to be crying in the hours leading up to your wedding. This is an emotional day for you, my dear, and you must not be afraid to express your feelings in any manner that feels natural".
"I know," I say as we walk to my room.
"Of course," she continues, "if you are still crying after you have married Mr. Caster, then perhaps there is something wrong". She pauses for a moment. "My dear, I was being light-hearted. I aim merely to lighten the mood a little. I have been married to David for nearly ten years, and I cannot say that every moment has been sweetness and light. But a good marriage is a strong thing, and it acts as a support that helps us to live our lives more fully. If you truly love Mr. Caster -"
"I do!" I say firmly. "I do, I swear I do. It's just... I find myself wondering if he would be better off marrying someone else. There is so much about me that he does not know".
"He loves you," she says. "As long as that is true -"
"I should go to him," I say, realizing that perhaps the problem is that I have not trusted dear Albert sufficiently. "If I just tell him all these things, and if he is kind enough to still want to marry me when he knows the truth about my past, then I will know that he truly loves me!"
"The past is the past," she says, holding me firmly by the shoulders. "It does not affect the present".
"But it does!" I reply. "Sometimes, the past walks in through the door and threatens ev
erything. What can one do when the past catches up with one, and promises to ruin one's entire world?"
She stares at me for a moment. "My dear girl, what are you talking about?"
"The devil has come to this town," I say through my tears, "or at least, a man with the devil in his heart. A man who knows secrets. A man who divines the secrets of others, and who seeks to use those secrets to cause terrible problems". I take a deep breath, trying to calm down. "He has a gift," I continue after a moment. "His name is John Saxon, and I don't know how he does it, but he has the ability to look into your eyes, and know your deepest, darkest secrets. It is almost as if he can reach directly into your mind and find that which you are most keen to hide. In this way, he is most certainly like the devil, or worse. He takes great pleasure in this ability of his, and like some kind of vampire he wanders the land, eating up the secrets of those he finds and -"
Suddenly Lilith places a finger against my lips, as if to stop me from talking further.
"Such men do not exist," she says, "though they might try to exercise power by means of influence. I look at you now, Victoria, and I cannot believe that such a sweet, kind-natured girl could possibly have any dark secrets. You must try to avoid getting caught up in the moment". She pauses. "Look at you. So innocent and sweet. How could anyone ever believe that your soul is anything other than the whitest white? How could anyone think you have darkness in your heart?"
"But I do," I reply.
"No," she says, "you do not".
"I do," I say.
She shakes her head. "Do not say such things. You are so innocent and -"
"I do!" I insist. "You know me so little. You keep saying that I am innocent and sweet, but you know nothing! You have no idea what I was like before I came to Devil's Briar".
"Nor do I need to know," she says. "If you have done things in the past that you would prefer not to have known, then you must slip them from your own heart. Let us assume for a moment that this gentleman can reach into your mind and learn your darkest secrets. Why, the best response is surely to accept that they are not secrets at all. Let them fly away, and then this man will find nothing when he tries to understand you". She smiles as she wipes away my tears. "The only power this man can have, is the power that you have given him. So deny him that power and let him see that you are free of influence".
I stare at her, and I find myself desperately wishing I could believe her simple way of seeing the world. If only what she says could be true, life would be so much easier. But she does not know the depths of John Saxon's enmity, nor does she understand the darkness of my life before I came to Devil's Briar.
"Come now," she says, pushing open the door to my room, "let me see -" She pauses as she lays eyes upon my wedding dress. "Oh, Victoria, it is the most beautiful thing," she says, stepping forward. "I cannot begin to imagine how wonderful you will look once you are wearing such a creation".
"It is just an old dress that I borrowed from Mrs. Pressman," I say, sniffing back tears.
"An old dress is so much better than a new one," Lilith replies, running her hands over the fabric. "There is history in this dress, my dear. We live in a small town, and few people have the money to buy a dress. This dress has been worn by almost every woman who has married in Devil's Briar over the past few decades. Now, Victoria, you are to join this great tradition". She smiles as she looks deep into my eyes. "At the moment, Victoria, you feel like an outsider in Devil's Briar. But when you wear this dress and marry Mr. Caster, you shall no longer feel that way. You'll finally feel that you're a part of the town. You'll feel as if this is your home".
I take a deep breath, desperately hoping that she is right. "I have felt lost for so long," I say, remembering the days when I lived with my parents. I used to play hide and seek with my mother, and I never had a care in the world. I thought I would always be happy, and I thought I would always have a home and a family.
"Let me see you wearing the dress," Lilith says. "It is not long now until you are to meet Mr. Caster for the ceremony. We must take our time ensuring that you look as beautiful as possible, though I am quite certain that the task will not be onerous, for your natural beauty will shine through".
Realizing that she is right, I push the door closed and I allow her to help me put the dress back on. In all my time traveling with my uncle, I have missed the ability to talk to a woman. Every time we have gone to a new town, women have been distrustful of our presence, and I have never truly been able to make friends. Now, finally, I feel I am on the verge of a great change, as if I will be able to have not only a husband but also a place within a broader community. If my uncle is to be believed, John Saxon will soon be dealt with, and I will be able to get on with my life as Mrs. Albert Caster. It sounds too good to be true, but there is one very important thing that I have learned over the years: my uncle is always right, and he never fails to get exactly what he wants.
Chapter Four
Today
"We've searched this area," Ed says as he runs his finger across the map. "Every inch of the damn place, and there's nothing there. We've checked the GPS coordinates a dozen times, and there's nothing. All through the -"
"You're wrong," I say. "It's right there".
"I swear to God, Paula, it's not". He pauses. "You know me. I wouldn't make a mistake like this. When I tell you that there's nothing there, it means there's nothing there. I'm not doubting for a moment that you really did find Devil's Briar last time you were up here, but there must have been a fault with the data you recorded, because it sure as hell isn't anywhere near here".
Sitting in the breakfast room of the motel near Florence, Colorado, I stare at the map. It's been less than an hour since I finally arrived, and my hopes of resolving this situation quickly have been dashed. It's pretty obvious that something has gone wrong with the recording of information about Devil's Briar. I can't help thinking that somewhere, there's a very simple mistake that can explain everything. The key is simply to find that mistake and fix it, and then Ed and his team should be able to go find the place, while I'll be able to head back to California. If I'm lucky, everything will be sorted out in time for me to get out of here tonight.
"So what did you find right here?" I ask, putting my finger on the map over the exact spot where I know Devil's Briar is located.
"A clearing," he says. "A large, open expanse of land with no trees. My best guess is that some loggers must have -"
"No way," I reply. "Why would loggers come up here, take trees from a single patch of land, and then never come back again? It makes no sense". I sigh. Whatever's going on here, it's kind of spooky, but there remains a basic fact that can't be doubted: an entire town can't just vanish. Devil's Briar is here, and somehow Ed and the others have managed to miss it. I'm getting a little annoyed right now, because I feel that this is a faintly ridiculous problem, but it's obvious that there's only one way to resolve things.
"So what do we do?" Ed asks.
"I'll take you there," I reply.
"Are you sure?"
"What choice do I have?" I turn to him. "If I don't, Bill's as good as dead, so I have to take you up there, but -" I pause, staring at Ed. "You have to promise me something," I continue. "You have to swear to God that this isn't some kind of prank. You have to promise me that you and Bill haven't cooked up this little scheme to get me back here, because I promise you, Ed, if you -"
"Why the hell would I do that?" he asks, interrupting me. "Bill? Maybe I could see him doing something stupid to get your attention. But me? No way, Paula. You know me better than that, don't you?"
I take a deep breath, looking at the map. Something about this situation doesn't make sense. A town like Devil's Briar doesn't just disappear; equally, an experienced academic like Ed doesn't get things so catastrophically wrong.
"We might as well get going," Ed says, getting to his feet. "One way or another, I want to get to the bottom of this before it gets dark".
"Sure," I reply, standing
up and following him out to the truck that's part by the front of the motel. Whereas Bill and I originally came up to Devil's Briar with very limited resources, Ed was able to borrow some seriously impressive equipment from the university. His truck is loaded with some of the most advanced imaging and scanning tools around, and I'm quite sure that he'll be getting daily phone calls from Dr. Heller to make sure that this kit is being put to good use. Every day spent out here, searching for Devil's Briar, is another day that the university has to spend money on the project. Although he hasn't said anything, I'm certain that Ed must be under pressure from Heller to deliver Devil's Briar or head home.
"You've met Dr. Reuben Cole," Ed says, as a white-haired man climbs out of the back of the truck. Dr. Cole was the man who was looking after Victoria Paternoster at the Maygold Neurological Institute in Boston. Having been fascinated by the story of Devil's Briar, he has taken time out from his regular work to come and see the town for himself.
"Thank you for coming," Dr. Cole says. "We've just about given up hope".
"If we don't find the place in the next twenty-four hours," Ed says, turning to me, "we're going to have to go home. Forget about Devil's Briar for a moment. Bill's up here somewhere, and we need to find him".
"You don't have to keep reminding me," I say.
"I don't think you've met Lawrence yet," Ed says, glancing about. "Reuben, have you seen Lawrence?"
"He went to the vending machine," Dr. Cole replies, just as a youngish guy wanders over with a huge load of candy in his arms.
