by Isobel Bird
“Brian sure did,” Annie agreed.
“While Father Mahoney was asking me what kinds of things I’d been doing I kept thinking about all the people who were questioned by the Inquisition,” Kate said. “It must have been awful. And Father Mahoney is nice. I can’t imagine what it would be like being questioned by someone who wanted me dead.”
“Probably pretty much like being in Greeley’s class,” Cooper commented.
“Yeah, what’s with her?” Kate said.
Cooper shook her head. “I think she just wants to embarrass me. But we’ll show her—right, counselor?”
Annie rolled her eyes. “Don’t remind me,” she said. “I have to prepare your defense.”
“Prepare mine while you’re at it,” Kate told her.
There was a knock at the door, and a voice said, “Kate?”
“That’s my mom,” Kate whispered. “You guys have to get out of here.”
Annie and Cooper started for the window, but Kate stopped them. “There’s not enough time,” she said. “Get in the closet.”
They ran to the closet and snuck inside, closing the door behind them as Kate walked to her door and opened it.
“Hi,” she said. “I was just napping.”
Mrs. Morgan walked into the room. “I was just wondering if you wanted some ice cream,” she said. “We were about to have some.”
“No, thanks,” Kate said. “I think I’m just going to go to bed.”
“Okay,” replied her mother, then added. “Kate, you know your father and I just want what’s best for you. We love you.”
“I love you, too,” Kate answered.
There was a pause as Mrs. Morgan left and Kate shut her door. Then she opened the closet and let Annie and Cooper out.
“You’d better go,” she said, sounding tired and unhappy. “I’ll see you guys in school tomorrow.”
They went to the window and opened it. Cooper turned to Annie. “I’ll go first,” she said. “That way if you fall into the basil I still have a chance at a clean getaway.”
CHAPTER 13
“I can’t believe that woman!”
Cooper stormed up to Annie, Kate, and Sasha, who were all gathered around Kate’s locker. Cooper thrust the newspaper in her hand at them and shook it.
“Just look at this!” she said.
Her friends scanned the page she was showing them.
“Oh, good Goddess,” Sasha said after a minute.
“She didn’t,” Annie said.
“She did,” Kate replied.
Cooper read the article out loud.
‘On Monday I wrote an article about Cooper Rivers, a junior at Beecher Falls High School who is fighting for the right to wear a necklace featuring a pentagram, or five-pointed star, after having been ordered by first the principal of the school and then the school board to stop wearing it after several other students and concerned citizens complained. Miss Rivers claims to be a follower of Wicca, or witchcraft, and she says that the necklace is a symbol of her faith.
‘Last evening I attended a meeting of the Wicca study group of which Miss Rivers is a part. The meeting was held at Crones’ Circle, an esoteric bookstore located in the waterfront area. The occasion was the pagan festival of Mabon, an ancient harvest festival that makes up part of what witches refer to as the Wheel of the Year. The event featured black-robed participants, chanting, and a frenzied dance called by some a “spiral dance.” ’
“There was one person in a black robe!” Annie said. “She was representing the dark half of the year!”
“And what does she mean by ‘frenzied’?” Sasha said. “She probably just couldn’t keep up.”
Cooper continued to read. ‘Although nothing overly unusual occurred at this so-called sabbat celebration, I spoke to several noted experts in the occult to ask their opinions about the effects such events might have on impressionable young people. Dr. Margaret Peringer, a psychologist teaching at the University of Oregon and an expert in the field of cults, says, “Young people often can’t distinguish between fantasy and reality. This kind of occult game can be very confusing to them, especially if they’re suffering from problems such as low self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy. They begin to think that what is essentially role playing is real, and it affects the way they look at the larger world.” ’
“Now Wicca is a cult?” Kate asked. “I hope my parents don’t read this or I’ll be at the therapist in no time.”
“It gets worse,” Cooper said. “Listen to this. ‘Peringer’s sentiments are echoed by Leo Brim, founder of Concerned Parents for Children’s Safety, a watchdog group that monitors television, film, and print for what it considers dangerous depictions of the occult and other potentially harmful topics. “The idea that witchcraft is something glamorous and fun is increasingly popular,” says Brim. “We have television shows featuring teenage witches. There are movies in which young people use magic and sorcery to achieve their ends. And this whole Harry Potter craze has even the smallest kids wanting to be witches and warlocks. If we aren’t careful we’re going to have a whole nation of children who are swept up in the deadly lies perpetuated by these people.” ’ ”
“There’s no such thing as warlocks,” Sasha said, snorting. “Shows how much he knows.”
“That’s not the point,” said Annie. “Most people don’t know the first thing about what Wicca really is. They’ll read this and think this guy knows what he’s talking about.”
“How did she get all this information about the ritual last night?” Cooper said. “I didn’t see her there.”
“There were a lot of guests,” Annie replied. “She could have worn a wig and we would never have even noticed her. She might not even have really been there. Knowing her, she paid someone to come spy on us.”
“I should have known better than to have trusted her,” Cooper said angrily. “She used me again. She didn’t care about me; she just wanted to do a sensational story. What was I thinking?”
“Did you read this whole thing?” asked Annie, who had taken the paper from Cooper and was perusing it.
“No,” Cooper said. “Just the first page. What else is there?”
‘While Cooper Rivers does have some supporters in her crusade to carry the banner of witchcraft in public schools, many more people seem to be opposed to letting her wear a symbol some believe to be offensive and potentially threatening to the safety of other students,’ Annie read.
‘Sherrie Adams, a classmate of Ms. Rivers, has organized a petition to keep the ban on pentagrams and other occult-related symbols. “I don’t think she should be able to wear something like that,” Miss Adams says. “I, for one, find it very unnerving to see someone wearing a symbol associated with Satanism. I know a lot of other people feel the same way I do but they’re afraid to say anything because they think Cooper and her friends might put a curse on them.”
‘Ms. Adams says that while she does fear retaliation for her actions, she is committed to having the concerns of herself and other students opposed to overturning the school board decision heard. She has so far collected almost 100 signatures in support of the ban, and she hopes to have many times that number before September 30, the date on which the board will hear arguments from both sides in this matter.’
“Oh, now both sides are going to get to speak at the meeting?” said Cooper. “I don’t suppose this has anything to do with the fact that Sherrie just happens to be the daughter of one of the members. I see Amanda just happened to leave out that little piece of information.”
“She did,” Annie confirmed. “But she made sure she pointed out that you ‘live in historic Welton House with her mother, Janet Rivers, a third grade school teacher at Beecher Falls Elementary School, and her father, Stephen Rivers, a successful attorney.’ ”
“We’re doomed,” Cooper said, slumping against the lockers
. “Everyone is going to read this and believe what she wrote. They’re all going to think we’re killing babies or cutting the heads off goats or something.”
“Where did she find those ‘experts’ anyway?” Kate asked.
“She probably called up Dr. Laura and asked her for recommendations,” Cooper answered.
“And do you think Sherrie really has a hundred signatures?” asked Sasha.
“I have around sixty,” Cooper said. “If she has more than I do I’d be really surprised. I think she just made that up to make it look like people are supporting her.”
“Still,” Annie said. “I think we’d better double our efforts today.”
“Hey, Rivers.” The girls looked up to see John Reynolds looking at them. He was holding a copy of the Tribune and grinning. “I hope you have your free speech arguments all lined up. It looks like I just got myself some pretty heavy artillery.”
“I don’t know,” Cooper shot back. “From what I hear, your artillery isn’t all that impressive, Reynolds.”
John turned and walked away while Cooper’s friends laughed.
“He’s right, though,” Annie said a moment later. “We have to come up with something good if we want to win that debate in class.”
“It’s not a debate,” Cooper said. “It’s a setup. Greeley wants us to look like fools.”
“Then we have to find a way to not look like fools,” Annie replied.
“If it isn’t the Beecher Falls coven,” said T.J., appearing from between the rows of lockers. “What are you witchlets up to this time?”
“We’re not a coven,” Cooper told him.
“I know. I know,” her boyfriend said. “But see how up on the lingo I am?”
“Very nice,” Kate said, congratulating him.
“So what are you guys up to?” T.J. asked. “You look grim.”
Annie handed him the newspaper. “Read,” she said.
T.J. read the piece. As he did the look on his face changed from one of happiness to one of surprise to one of anger.
“This is that same woman who wrote the piece about you and the dead girl, right?” he said.
“That would be her,” said Cooper.
T.J. frowned. “I’d like to get her alone for about ten minutes,” he said. “Someone needs to kick her butt and good.”
“I get first dibs,” Cooper told him.
“Where does she get off?” asked T.J., sounding angrier than any of them had ever heard him sound.
“It doesn’t do any good to be mad at Amanda Barclay,” Annie told him. “Trust me. We’ve been there. What we need to do now is concentrate on getting enough signatures on our petition so that Sherrie’s looks like a laundry list in comparison.”
“What’s the plan, then?” T.J. asked.
“To the library,” Annie said. “Follow me.”
They all trooped down the hallway to the library. Inside, Annie turned to Cooper. “The petition, please.”
Cooper opened her backpack and pulled out the petition. Annie took it from her and walked to the copy machine. She fished in her jeans pocket for change and plunked it into the machine. A few moments later she handed each of her friends a copy of the petition.
“If we can each get twenty more signatures, added to the sixty or so Cooper already has, we’ll have more than enough,” she said. “That’s our goal. So get to work, people.”
“Yes, Sarge!” T.J. said, making them all laugh.
They left the library and went to their first period classes. Although they saw one another in the halls and checked in whenever they had classes together, they mostly weren’t in the same place until fifth period, when they all congregated in the cafeteria. Cooper, Sasha, Annie, and T.J. had to skip their fifth period classes to do it, but it had been determined that a midday strategy session was in order.
“I got ten,” Sasha said, putting her petition on the table in front of Annie, who was doing the adding up.
“Add twelve for me,” T.J. said. “I got all the guys in shop to sign it.”
“I have fourteen,” said Kate proudly. “Including two teachers—Mr. Niemark and Mrs. Hannity.”
“The home ec teacher?” Cooper said. “How’d that happen?”
“She liked the way I made a soufflé last year,” said Kate. “You’d be surprised. She’s pretty hip for an old lady.”
“That’s thirty-six,” Annie said, scribbling in the margins of her notebook. “Plus the eleven I got and however many you got, Cooper.”
“Make that seventeen more,” Cooper said.
“Where’d you find seventeen people?” Kate asked, amazed.
Cooper grinned. “You know all those kids who spend their breaks smoking behind the building?” she said. “The ones everyone is afraid of? We go way back.”
“Let’s hear it for the ravers,” Annie said as she totaled up the figures. “That gives us sixty-four new votes which, added to the fifty-seven Cooper already had, gives us one hundred and twenty-one. Not bad.”
“Not bad?” Cooper said. “That’s like a fifth of the school or something.”
“But we still need twenty-nine more to make a hundred and fifty,” Annie reminded her.
“What are you guys doing?” asked Tara, coming up and sitting beside Annie as Jessica sat beside Cooper. “Shouldn’t you be in class?”
“We’re trying to beat Sherrie at the petition game,” Kate explained.
“Can we help?” Jessica asked.
“Want to collect some signatures for us?” Annie asked.
“Why not?” replied Tara.
“Here you go, then,” Annie said, handing them blank petitions. “I made some extras.”
“I’ll be right back,” Jessica said, getting up.
“Me, too,” added Tara.
“Where are they going?” T.J. asked as the two girls went in different directions.
“I don’t know,” Kate said. “We’ll have to wait and find out.”
Ten minutes later Jessica and Tara came back to the table and handed Annie their sheets.
“You’ve got fifteen signatures!” Annie said to Tara.
Tara nodded. “Those are all the cheerleaders Sherrie cheesed off when she tried to pull that stunt to become head of the varsity squad,” she said. “They were more than happy to sign.”
“Did they know what it was?” asked Kate.
“Probably not,” Tara said. “They just knew Sherrie was against it, and that was enough for most of them.”
“And you got thirteen,” Annie said, looking at Jessica’s sheet. “How’d you do that so quickly?”
“Easy,” Jessica replied. “Three from the string quartet I play in, seven from the violin section, two more clarinetists, and one from the guy who plays the timpani and has a little crush on me.”
“That’s a grand total of one hundred and forty-nine,” said Annie.
“We need one more,” said Cooper. “One more lousy signature. Who can we get?”
“Bailey Maron,” Kate said.
“Who?” asked Sasha.
“Bailey Maron,” Kate repeated. “She’s sitting right over there.”
“Who’s Bailey Maron?” asked Jessica.
“She was Elizabeth Sanger’s best friend,” Annie answered. “You remember. The dead girl whose murderer Cooper helped the police catch.”
“I’ll be right back,” said Cooper.
She took one of the petitions and walked over to where Bailey Maron was eating lunch with some of her friends. The others watched as Cooper sat down and started talking to Bailey. The younger girl nodded her head a few times, then took the pen Cooper handed her and signed. Cooper said something that made Bailey laugh, and then Cooper stood up and walked back to the table.
“There you go,” she said, handing the petition to Annie.
“Number one-fifty. Let’s hear it for ghost power.”
“I want to count them again just to make sure,” said Annie, methodically going through the lists. The others watched as she ran her pencil down the rows, her mouth moving silently as she counted.
“Yep,” she said when she was done. “We have one hundred and fifty.”
“They have to take this seriously now,” Cooper said. “There’s no way Sherrie has that many signatures. No way.” She looked around at all of her friends. “And I could never have done it without you guys. Thanks.”
“It’s still not over,” Annie said. “This is just the first step.”
“Leave it to you to point out the downside,” Cooper said.
“Forgive me,” Annie said. “I was recently dumped. I’m slightly bitter.”
“Well, cheer up,” said Cooper, rubbing her head. “It’s not like me to be optimistic, but I feel really good about this.”
CHAPTER 14
“That was just what I needed,” Cooper said as she walked out of the theater with Sasha, Annie, T.J., and Tyler on Friday night.
It had been Tyler’s idea to go to the movie. Annie had called him on Wednesday night to tell him about Kate, and he had suggested they all get together on Friday evening to try to have at least a little bit of a break from everything that was going on. Cooper had suspected that he also wanted to talk about Kate with people who knew her.
She’d been right. Tyler had talked about Kate almost constantly since they met at the theater. He’d stopped when the movie started, but now that they were outside he started up again almost immediately.
“You’re sure Kate’s okay?” he asked anxiously.
“She’s fine,” Cooper said, even though she knew it wasn’t true. Kate was a mess. Her parents were still being really rough on her, and she’d cried for half an hour in the girls’ bathroom at school that afternoon when she was supposed to be in Ms. Ableman’s science class.
“This is all my fault,” said Tyler. “I should never have insisted that she tell her parents.”
