“You’re welcome,” Frankie said. “And take care.”
“Take care,” Ellen and Everett echoed before leaving the house.
As Ellen and Everett were making their way to the next house, Everett said, “I thought you would ask about those seven geniuses who had their minds turned into pudding.”
“I will, but not at the first house.”
“Why didn’t you want to ask them at the first house?”
“Asking about those seven geniuses is going to cast suspicions on us for knowing something that we shouldn’t know,” Ellen began. “I wouldn’t be able to smooth over those suspicions among the geniuses of the first house. However, at the second, the third and the fourth house, I’ll be able to by saying that those seven geniuses were brought up at the first house.”
“Clever,” Everett praised.
“Thanks,” Ellen said with a delightful grin.
Ellen and Everett spent twenty minutes at the second house. While there, Ellen was able to get the names and the partial information of two of the students who had ended up in the psychiatric ward. The information that Ellen couldn’t get was the two students’ IQ ratings and career goals.
As Ellen and Everett entered the third house’s computer lab, they saw Simon among the group of six students.
When Simon saw Ellen and Everett, he questioned, “You two are the ones who are doing the research paper?”
“We are,” Everett said quickly.
“After speaking with you last night, we thought that it would make a great research paper,” Ellen added. “And the questions that we are asking are simple and… well, I think that the questions are non-intrusive. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at all,” Simon said.
“Great,” Ellen said while stepping up to Simon. “I’ll even start with you.”
“Okay,” Simon agreed before Ellen began her questions.
Within fifteen minutes, Ellen and Everett were moving onto the last house, and after getting the information there, they moved back to the first house for the information on the final two students of that house who had ended up in the psychiatric ward. Once they were done there, they got on the city bus.
Ellen and Everett took three buses before getting off of their final bus in front of the small branch public library that was two blocks from Ellen’s house. They then walked to the house from there.
Ellen, Everett and Allyson scrutinized over the collected data, but because of the missing IQ ratings of those students who had ended up in the psychiatric ward, they couldn’t find a pattern or come up with a guess of who might be the next victim.
Sonya lay asleep in her playpen a few feet from them, and the stereo had been turned off after she had fallen asleep.
After only a short time of going over the data, Ellen insisted, “We need the missing IQ ratings.”
Before anyone could respond the doorbell rang. Ellen and Everett looked towards the door as Allyson stood up.
“That would be my mom,” Everett said.
“And Megan,” Allyson added.
“Megan?” Everett echoed in a confused tone.
“Your dad is pulling an all-nighter, Sweetie, so I’m watching your sister while you, your mom and Ellen go to the movies,” Allyson supplied.
“Oh, I didn’t know that part,” Everett said.
Allyson nodded with a grin before making her way to the front door. Allyson was gone for only a second when Sonya woke up crying. Ellen got up from the couch, went to Sonya’s side and picked her up.
“It’s okay, baby girl,” Ellen told Sonya as Sonya continued to cry. “It was just the doorbell.” Ellen then got a whiff of Sonya’s dirty pamper. “Ooh, and a smelly pamper.”
“Where are the pampers?” Everett questioned while standing. “I’ll go get them for you.”
“There might be some in the diaper bag and the diaper bag is kept in the hall closet,” Ellen told him, loud enough to be heard over Sonya’s crying.
“I’ll get the diaper bag,” he said before stepping away.
Ellen grabbed a blanket from the playpen, laid it on the floor and then placed Sonya on it. As she was unfastening Sonya’s pamper, Everett returned with the diaper bag.
“Give me the wipes too,” Ellen requested.
Instead of verbally answering Ellen, Everett pulled out the wipes from the diaper bag and held it out for Ellen to take. Ellen was taking the wipes when Allyson, Kristen and Megan were stepping into the living room.
“Sonya’s really upset,” Megan pointed out.
“She’s hungry most likely,” Allyson said. “She fell asleep before I was able to feed her earlier and I didn’t want to wake her to do it.”
“Can I feed her?” Megan requested.
“Sure,” Allyson agreed. “Let me get her formula and once Ellen gets done changing her pamper, I’ll let you feed her.”
“You are to sit with Sonya and not walk around with her,” Kristen ordered.
“I’ll be right at Megan’s side,” Allyson said before Megan could respond.
Kristen nodded in agreement, and as Allyson walked towards the kitchen, Kristen noticed the notebook with the list of names. She recognized one of the names right away, and as she went to pick up the notebook, she recognized five more names.
As Kristen held up the notebook, she requested, “Would someone like to explain these names and their short profiles to me?”
“It’s a project that Ellen and I are working on,” Everett answered quickly.
“And what is this project?” Kristen asked.
Everett glanced towards Megan before lying, “It’s a school project.”
“You’re a lousy liar,” Megan accused. “I even know when you’re lying.”
Before Everett could respond, Kristen pointed out, “Okay, well, regardless of it being a school project or not, six of the people on this list are patients at the hospital and therefore you two can’t use it as a school project.”
“It’s not a school project,” Ellen confessed as she focused her eyes on changing Sonya’s pamper. “Everett and I believe that those in your hospital had been victimized and the others on that list are potential victims. We were trying to figure out who will be the next victim, but the missing IQ ratings of the current victims are preventing us to see who the next victim might be.”
“Thank you for being honest with me,” Kristen told Ellen.
Ellen looked towards Kristen before again confessing, “To be honest again, Everett and I need your help.” Kristen gave Ellen a curious look. “We need the victims’ missing data and I was wondering if you can get them for us.”
Kristen took a seat on the couch before ordering, “Okay, someone needs to start explaining to me why that you two think that those six people in the psychiatric ward had been victimized.”
“We can’t say in front of Megan,” Everett said.
“I’m old enough,” Megan insisted.
“I don’t want to lie to Megan… or hide things from her,” Ellen told Everett.
“What don’t you want to hide from me?” Megan prompted.
“That the wizard Merlin is one of my direct ancestors on my dad’s side,” Ellen said.
“Are you serious?” Megan questioned delightfully.
Ellen gave Megan a grin before saying, “I am, and that’s not all.” Ellen turned towards Kristen. “Jessica, Karla, their mother and their grandpa are also descendants of Merlin and my relationship to them would be so distant that I can’t really claim them even as distant cousins.”
“How do you know that they’re related to Merlin?” Megan asked.
“All of Merlin’s descendants can sense each other’s presence,” Ellen replied.
“Everett’s grandma was convinced that Jessica, Karla, Sally and Leon were witches,” Kristen supplied while drawing Megan’s attention.
Ellen took a breath before explaining everything to Kristen and Megan. Midway through Ellen’s explanation Allyson came out with Sonya’s bottl
e, and as Megan fed Sonya she listened to Ellen’s story.
When Ellen was done, Allyson told Kristen and Megan, “What Ellen had just told you two needs to be kept quiet, and, Ellen, you really need to quit telling people so freely.”
Ellen smirked before saying, “Well, I’m not telling just anyone. And we need Mrs. Delaney to know the truth. We need her help to determine who the next victim will be.”
“Megan, Everett and I will keep the secret,” Kristen said in a tone as if she was ordering Megan and Everett to do so as well as reassuring Allyson. “And, Ellen, I will see what I can do about getting those six IQ ratings for you.”
“Thanks,” Ellen said.
Kristen looked at her watch before saying, “Okay, well, if we are going to see ‘The Devil’s Final Seal’ we need to get going.”
“I’m ready,” Ellen said followed by Everett.
As Ellen, Everett and Kristen stood up, Megan asked, “Can I read the Legacy volumes? Not the spell books, but the diaries.”
“Well, you won’t be able to read through one in one night,” Ellen informed. “Each one of them is pretty thick, but I have nothing against you reading them. In fact, I could go get the first available volume before I leave.”
“Hurry,” Kristen strongly suggested. “Otherwise we’re going to miss the beginning of the movie.”
Ellen nodded before rushing from the room.
“Sonya’s done eating… or drinking,” Megan announced.
Allyson grinned before asking, “Would you like to try burping her?”
“Burping her?” Megan echoed in a confused tone.
“Babies will swallow air as well during feeding and need burping afterwards to get rid of that air,” Allyson explained. “So would you like to try?”
“Sure, I’ll try it,” Megan said.
Allyson nodded before she went to show Megan how to burp an infant while starting with placing a baby blanket over Megan’s front in case Sonya would spit up.
Ellen was gone for only a short time before returning with the first available volume. Sonya made a loud burp as Ellen was putting the volume on the coffee table.
“Excuse you, Sonya,” Ellen said with laughter in her voice.
Almost immediately following Sonya’s burp Sonya started her high-pitch monotone sound.
“What did I do?!” Megan uttered as Sonya continued her noise. Megan remained still with Sonya as if she was scared to move. “Did I hurt her?!”
“You didn’t hurt her,” Allyson said with laughter in her voice.
“Why is she making that noise?” Megan demanded to know as Allyson turned towards the stereo.
As Allyson was walking towards the stereo, she said, “Sonya is infatuated with music, and if she’s awake and the stereo’s not on, she makes that sound.”
“That’s different,” Kristen took note of. “I never heard of a baby requesting for the stereo to be turned on.”
“Sonya is the first and only one who I know of,” Allyson said as she turned on the stereo.
Once a music CD was playing and Sonya had stopped making her sound, Kristen rubbed Sonya’s back while saying, “Sonya, you’re definitely a unique child.”
Sonya made another monotone sound that was short in duration.
“I think Sonya agrees with you, Mom,” Megan said.
“I think you’re right,” Kristen said with a grin. “Anyway. Everett. Ellen. Let’s get going.”
“Alright,” Ellen and Everett said.
“I’ll be back, baby girl,” Ellen added before she, Everett and Kristen turned towards the front door and walked away.
“Have fun,” Allyson told them.
“Thanks,” Ellen and Everett said before leaving.
“For fair warning, Megan, Sonya prefers live singing over the stereo, so if she hears you singing and then quit, she might start her screeching sound again for you to continue singing,” Allyson warned.
Megan grinned before saying, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Outside, Kristen allowed Everett to drive. Ellen took the backseat on the passenger’s side while Kristen took the front passenger seat.
A short time later, as Ellen, Everett and Kristen were walking into the lobby of the theater, Ellen spotted Dawn and Gary in line for the concession stand.
When Kristen saw Ellen looking towards the concession stand, she said, “You should have time to get snacks, Ellen.”
Ellen turned towards Kristen before saying, “I do want popcorn, but that’s not the reason why I was looking over there.”
“Friends of Ellen’s are over there,” Everett supplied.
“And yours,” Ellen insisted.
Everett grinned and while shaking his head he said, “Not so much.”
“Just because they’re friends with Karla is the only reason why you won’t even try to be friends with them,” Ellen accused.
“That’s enough,” Everett retorted.
Ellen just rolled her eyes before saying, “Well, I do want popcorn and a soda.” Ellen then pulled out a twenty-dollar bill from her pocket. “I brought my own money too.”
Kristen nodded before saying, “I’ll wait here for you.”
“I’ll wait here as well.” When Ellen gave Everett a curious look, he looked towards Dawn and Gary while continuing with, “I don’t want anything.”
“Brother,” Ellen uttered sardonically while turning towards the concession stand and then walking away before Everett could respond.
Once Ellen stepped up to the end of the line, there were four groups of two or three people between her and her friends and her friends were two groups from the front. Ellen didn’t want to draw any stranger’s attention so she just waited for one of her friends to turn around and look her way.
It wasn’t until Dawn and Gary received their snacks and drinks—for more than two people—when they turned and saw Ellen in line. When Ellen waved, they walked towards her with their snacks.
Dawn and Gary saw Everett and his mother past the line, and as they stepped up to Ellen, Dawn said, “I guess you’re going through with seeing ‘The Devil’s Final Seal’.”
Ellen grinned before saying, “Scaring movies don’t bother me.”
“They do me,” Dawn admitted. “I wouldn’t be sleeping for days if I would see one.”
“So where are Karla and Derek?” Ellen asked.
“They’re in the theater already, watching our seats,” Dawn said.
Gary looked down towards the snacks in his hand while adding, “Karla started her monthly Mr. Hyde impersonation so we volunteered to…”
“Mr. Hyde impersonation?” Dawn interrupted with.
“Well, you have to admit that she’s not pleasant to be around during this time of the month,” Gary retorted.
“Karla didn’t get much sleep last night,” Ellen defended as the concession stand line moved up some. “I mean, I can get cranky when I don’t get much sleep.”
“Not sleeping may be part of it,” Gary said. “But sleep or no sleep, for the past few months and around this time of the month Karla had been doing a hell of a good Mr. Hyde impersonation, and it’s more than Karla’s mood that changes.”
“What do you mean?” Ellen asked.
“It’s like…” Gary got out before thinking of a way to express himself. “I don’t know, it’s like she’s different somehow.”
“That clears it right up nicely,” Ellen said sarcastically. “Thanks.”
“Well, I’m having a hard time coming up with the correct words,” Gary defended. “She’s just… different.”
Ellen amusingly grinned before saying, “Yeah, I got that part when you said it the first time.”
Gary smirked before saying, “Anyway, Dawn and I should get back in there before the trailers start.” When Ellen shot him a curious look, he defended, “I like the trailers.”
“He does,” Dawn agreed jadedly.
Ellen amusingly grinned before waving and saying, “See ya.”
“See ya
,” Dawn and Gary echoed before walking away.
Ellen slowly moved towards the concession stand as the line moved forward, and after she finally reached the cashier, she ordered a large bucket of popcorn with butter and a large soda. Once she received the items and paid for them, she rejoined Everett and Kristen.
The theater was dark and the feature movie was at the very beginning when Ellen, Everett and Kristen stepped up to the middle level of the seating area from the theater’s entryway. Only three-fourths of the seats were filled, so they didn’t have a problem with finding three seats together midway between where they were standing and the very last row.
Kristen entered the row of seats first followed by Ellen and then Everett. Once they were comfortable in their seats, Ellen offered Everett and Kristen some popcorn.
When the movie let out two hours and ten minutes later, Ellen, Everett and Kristen went back to Ellen’s house.
Ellen led the way into the house and announced her arrival as soon as the door was open.
In the living room, Harris, Allyson and Megan were watching a rented DVD of a recent release. Harris and Allyson were sitting on the love seat while Megan was sitting on the couch. Sonya was sleeping in her playpen a few feet from them.
When Ellen, Everett and Kristen stepped into the living room, Allyson asked, “So how was the movie?”
“It was good,” Ellen was the one to say.
“How scary was it?” Megan asked.
“Very,” Everett said as Harris paused the movie with the remote.
“It was one of the better horror films in a while,” Ellen added.
“So, Megan, are you ready?” Kristen asked.
“No,” Megan answered quickly. “I want to finish watching this movie.”
“How much longer until it’s over?” Kristen asked.
Megan cringed before saying, “It’s only been on for a few minutes.”
“Megan, we need to get home so I can get ready for work,” Kristen informed.
“I want to see this movie,” Megan whined.
Before Kristen could reply Allyson told her, “I’m sure that Everett’s a good nighttime babysitter when you and your husband are both working, but to give Everett a night off, Megan… and even Everett are welcome to spend the night here.”
“Yes!” Megan uttered delightfully while vigorously nodding. “Please, Mom.” Kristen skeptically stared at Megan. “Please.”
Legacy Page 36
