Crucible Crisis

by Amberley Faith

  Ellie went to Méline's bathroom and got a glass of tap water. She wet a bath cloth and used it to wipe Méline's tear-stained face. Méline took careful sips from the glass. Her dad stroked her hair, and they sat with her until she was calm. They read her a bedtime story, and she eventually drifted off to sleep.

  "Well, ma vie," Julien whispered. "The girls definitely inherited their mom's creative imagination. It's unfortunate it turns so wicked at night. I fear she will have these night terrors her whole life, just as you do." Julien sighed as they walked to their bedroom, his arm draped over her shoulder. He turned to look at Ellie.

  "What can we do?' He asked.

  "Maybe tomorrow I'll tell her the story of the dream-catcher and put one in her room. I can also let her sip some of my herbal tea." Ellie suggested.

  "Oh, ma chère. Do you really believe all that hocus pocus works?" Julien asked with a roll of his eyes.

  "What I think is irrelevant," Ellie replied. "It doesn't matter if it works or not. It only matters if Méline believes that it works. That will be the key to ridding her of the bad dreams. I'll take my dreamcatcher to her room tomorrow and explain the Native American tradition of the angels trapping the nightmares in the webbing. I think she'll like that."

  "But what will that leave for your bad dreams?" He asked with a grin.

  "Well, I have a man to protect me." Ellie leaned in for an embrace, and Julien lifted her off her feet and carried her to bed. With Julien at her side, Ellie forgot all about her earlier panic.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  SPARKLING SOIREE

  Before Ellie had time to catch a breath, the night of Julien's grand opening arrived. Ellie and Julien had invited a few town officials, some of the key participants in the recently-overheard argument, in fact: the mayor, the president of the board of education and his wife, the local garden club, Lydia Bennett and Louella Baxter, a few colleagues of Ellie's, and the previous owners of the property -- despite Ellie's misgivings about them having sold the place to the Pelletiers without disclosing its ominous past.

  When Ellie finally told Julien of the property's history, he'd found it charming and had used the old story to his benefit. He placed old photos of Stusa throughout the studio. He staged an area for taking old fashioned 1800s-style pictures, complete with period costumes and sepia-toned printing.

  Against Ellie's better judgment, the controversial but lovely Tai would be doing double duty, working at the party both as a photographer and as a back-up sitter for the girls. Ellie didn't like it, but they needed help, and Tai was the easiest solution. Julien thought it was the perfect chance to show the town that they didn't back down from the small-town blather. Ellie figured it was his way of saying "eat crow" and giving the whole town the finger, albeit elegantly.

  As Ellie helped hang last-minute decorations for the party, she paused to admire The Jewel. The old building looked incredible. She still had her Greek revival façade, now accompanied by an exposed-brick interior. She thought back to the hours spent chipping away at the plaster by hand and realized it had all been worth it. The uneven sizes and rough surfaces added character and provided an excellent backdrop for photos.

  And more importantly, she would never have unearthed the anthology if they hadn't decided to expose the bricks. It turned out that Ellie's chance discovery had provided the solace she needed amidst the upheaval in her life. It was as if The Jewel had known that Ellie needed her. Ellie giggled at the thought. She was becoming obsessed with the book. It just felt like it was meant to be hers and hers alone. She scratched her tingling wrist and set about frosting her cupcakes.

  ◆◆◆

  Things were going well at the launch party. The guests were enjoying themselves, and the mood was celebratory and carefree. The girls charmed the adults, trying to teach everyone a few French phrases. They had just run out of smoked salmon, so Ellie went to the kitchen area to replenish the hors d'oeuvres.

  When Ellie opened the fridge, she noticed a saw floral arrangement. A short, fat vase held yellow chrysanthemums and orange marigolds. There was a small card, but since the arrangement was at the rear of the fridge and her hands were full, she thought she’d get a better look at it when she returned to the kitchen for champagne refills.

  As the evening progressed, Ellie forgot the flowers. The Pelletiers and their guests toasted the studio, the town, the guests, and the economy. They nibbled their way through most of the hors d’oeuvres. Tai took some shots of the party and the ribbon cutting. She was quite professional for a teenager; she flitted in and around the various conversations and clicked away without making anyone feel self-conscience or annoyed.

  Tai looked the part of photographer; she had dressed in a black-knit sweater-dress, black tights, big hoop earrings, and black-rimmed glasses with her long, blonde locks pulled up in a smooth ponytail. Ellie admitted that Tai was going to be a big help to Julien. Tai knew what she was doing. If only Ellie could make herself focus on Tai’s good points instead of her flaws. Maybe Julien was right about Tai.

  As guests said their goodbyes and the Pelletiers started packing up the leftovers to take home, Ellie remembered the floral arrangement.

  "Julien," Ellie called out to him as he entered the kitchen for the last batch of champagne. "Make sure you grab the flowers from the fridge! Someone sent you an arrangement for the grand opening! I saw it earlier but forgot to tell you. Why don’t you set them out on the counter for tomorrow’s clients to enjoy while I take Tai home and put the girls to bed?"

  "D'accord," he replied. "Drive carefully," he warned. "These dirt roads are dark, and I hear there are deer everywhere."

  After dropping off Tai, Ellie and the girls headed home. As Ellie turned onto the lonely dirt road that wound its way to their farmhouse, she saw something run across the road – just beyond the scope of her headlights. There were no streetlights this far out of town, and Ellie slowed down automatically, thinking about Jules' warning of deer. She imagined how awful it would be to have a wreck with no cell service, late at night, and on a deserted rural road. She made the rest of the journey home at a snail's pace.

  When they finally arrived, both Méline and Bibianne had fallen asleep. Ellie managed to get one girl in each arm and her keys in her right hand to open the door. Wow, Ellie thought as she climbed slowly up the stairs to the porch. They've gotten so much bigger and heavier since the last time I did this. She kissed Méline on the forehead and tried to rouse her from her sleep.

  "Mel, sweetheart, I need you to wake up. C'mon, sleepyhead. Stand up for me." Méline rubbed her eyes as Ellie sat her down on the porch.

  "Oui, maman. Je suis très fatiguée. Je veux mon lit." Ellie smiled. She adored how Mel reverted to French when she was sleepy.

  "We'll get you to your bed as soon as maman opens the door, ma petite." Ellie was digging for the key to the front door when Méline spoke up again.

  "Mais, maman. The porte is already open. I am taking myself to bed." Méline pushed right through the open front door and into the foyer.

  Ellie's instincts buzzed in alarm when she saw that Méline was correct. Not only had front door had been left unlocked, it was ajar. Ellie hadn't noticed it until Méline pushed through.

  "Arête! Stop!" Ellie entered the house and turned on the lights. She scooped Méline back up in her arms again. She held onto both girls as her heart pounded in her chest. Méline looked at Ellie, startled.

  "What is it, maman?"

  "Maman just wants to turn on the lights and tuck you in bed." Ellie noticed that Mel and Bibi didn't feel nearly as heavy as they did just five minutes before.

  Relax, Ellie chided herself. It was just an oversight. They left in such a hurry that they'd forgotten to shut the door. They were way out in the middle of nowhere. No one would think of coming out there. What was there to steal? Some lavender and mint from the garden? Besides, everybody knew everybody in Stusa, so no one would be dumb enough to break into a house. The rumors would get around town quicker than
kudzu.

  Ellie reasoned with herself as she wandered around downstairs, flipping on all the lights and checking inside the pantry and coat closet. Méline wriggled out of Ellie's arms, tired of waiting on Ellie to get her to bed and climbed the stairs sleepily. "Come, Maman. Come tuck me in, and let's snuggle."

  Ellie sighed. Such a sweet invitation. Julien would be home in a few minutes, and she'd ask him about the door later. He'd probably laugh at Ellie and her instant catastrophizing of the situation. He'd blame it on too many Agatha Christie novels. Besides, the dogs weren't barking, and if there had been an intruder, they'd have been going crazy.

  After getting in bed and snuggling with the girls until they fell asleep, Ellie tiptoed out of their bedroom and headed to the bathroom. A long hot shower would relax her. When she entered the bathroom, she was surprised to see a floral arrangement sitting on the counter.

  "Julien?" Ellie called out. "Why'd you put the flowers in the bathroom of all places?"

  As she picked up the arrangement and turned it around to read the card, Ellie saw that the vase was a vividly painted ceramic skull for Día de los Muertos. The top of the "skull" had been hollowed out to form a bowl filled with marigolds and mums – the traditional flowers for Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated primarily in Mexico and in a handful of countries throughout Latin America and Europe.

  The skull was painted with swirling designs in vivid shades of aqua, fuchsia, silver and lime green. Sequins surrounded the eye sockets, and tiny floral designs decorated each tooth. It must be from the Spanish teacher at school. Sra. Ribera knew about Julien's grand opening, but she hadn't been able to attend due to a prior commitment.

  Ellie tried not to feel a little wary of the skull vase. It had always seemed macabre until Sra. Ribera explained it. She said that while Americans tended to fear and loathe anything that had to do with death - wrinkles, grey hair, yellowing teeth - other cultures viewed death as a natural part of life, a transition to the next world.

  Death was not a Grim Reaper waiting to cut down the next victim. Instead, she was La Muerte, a beautiful, vibrant lady who escorted the deceased to their next adventure. Sra. Ribera and her family celebrated death by remembering the lives of loved ones who had died and moved on to the next adventure. They cooked meals, set up memorials of the loved one’s favorite foods, took flowers to the cemetery, and held vigils. It was then that Ellie began to understand and appreciate the holiday although the idea of having a skull for décor still felt a little creepy.

  The sound of Julien’s car pulling up in the driveway interrupted Ellie’s reminiscence. That’s strange, she thought. How did he get these flowers home from the studio? Maybe it was his second trip and Ellie just didn’t hear him the first time. That would explain the door being open when they arrived.

  Ellie heard the clink of his keys hitting the countertop and called to him as she headed downstairs, "Do you need any help unloading?"

  "Non, I have finished. What a lovely evening, ma belle." Julien sighed contentedly and leaned in for a kiss. He pulled back to look Ellie in the eyes. "Merci beaucoup pour tout, ma vie. Are the girls asleep?" He asked as he draped his arms around Ellie's waist and pulled her into an embrace. Ellie rested her head on his shoulder and breathed in his scent. It was so comforting and familiar, like salted caramel and dark chocolate.

  "Yes," she replied. "They were exhausted and fell asleep in the car. I had to carry them up the front steps! Oh, and that reminds me." She leaned back and looked at him. "When we got home, the door was ajar. You must have forgotten to close it when you dropped off the first load from the studio."

  "First load?" He lifted one eyebrow. "This is my first load, ma chérie. I just got home and put the champagne in the fridge. I did not leave the door ajar." He hugged Ellie tighter, kissing her neck. "As I recall, you left home after I did. I think you were the one who left the door open." He nibbled her ear lobe as he chided her. Ellie pulled back a little and looked at him in concern.

  "But I've never left the door open before. I can't believe I would have been so distracted." She pushed his arms down and took a step back. "What if someone had come in the house?" Ellie continued anxiously.

  "Are you really worried, ma belle?" Julien grabbed Ellie's hands and studied her eyes. "Let's not obsess over this, sweetheart. You have been working so hard lately. I am sure you just left in a hurry to get to the party. Let's go upstairs and have a final, private toast to a perfect evening. You said the girls are asleep, non?" He took her hand in his and led her through the kitchen. "Viens ici, ma poupée."

  He grabbed two champagne flutes, a half-consumed bottle, and took Ellie to the bedroom where they did indeed share a very private, very delicious toast. All thoughts of intruders melted away into the darkness. Even after ten years together, there was still plenty to celebrate.

  ◆◆◆

  Ellie didn’t remember the floral arrangement until the next morning. Julien woke her with a kiss on the forehead. "I’m heading to the studio early." He whispered. "And I left coffee for you downstairs." Ellie sat up.

  "Non, non, non." He pulled the blanket back up around her shoulders and tucked Ellie back in. "Don’t get up. It's still early. Sleep in and relax. The girls aren’t up yet. I’ll see you at lunch."

  Ellie sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she extended into a luxurious stretch and rolled over to check the time. There beside the clock was the floral arrangement.

  Ellie never had gotten a good look at the card, so she reached over to read it. When she picked up the card, however, there was no name on either side. The only information on it was a little rhyme.

  Marigolds & Mums

  Nature’s vibrant bloom

  Linked to the world of spirits

  Ushering in your doom

  Ellie rolled her eyes. Some silly prank, she thought. She wondered how much Blaize had spent on this little floral arrangement. "But," a little voice inside her head pointed out, "he would've sent the flowers to school."

  The more Ellie tried to forget about the note, the more the card spooked her. She tried to laugh it off, but what if Blaize was still committed to carrying out his threat? He’d have to be an idiot to do anything at school. There were cameras everywhere, even in the parking lot.

  Ellie re-read the note several times. The words tasted familiar. Like a warning or a riddle that she needed to solve. No, not a riddle exactly. It felt more like a . . . conspiracy.

  Despite the previous night’s success, all her doubts flooded in, breaking through the mental dam she had constructed. What was Julien thinking? He was spending more time at that studio than he was with his own family, and now that the holidays were approaching, he wanted to allow Tai in on their family holiday?

  Maybe all of this was connected somehow, the rumors and innuendos at school, the flowers, the feeling that she was being watched – no, directed – to live out a piece of Arthur Miller’s play. Was it all part of a xenophobic attack? Or was she being paranoid?

  Ellie had never felt threatened before, and now she felt like things were out of her control. It gave her chills. Her mind immediately went to the anthology. Was there anything in the book that could help? Ellie felt ungrounded; she wasn’t seeing things clearly.

  Ellie started to trash the flowers. At the last minute, however, she decided the ensemble was much too beautiful to discard. She’d take it to school instead and put it right up front on her desk. She might even brag on the ridiculous little rhyme. That ought to show the little punk how "afraid" she was. Ellie was peeved with herself for allowing a student to intrude on her sacred Saturday morning.

  Oh! An even better idea popped into her head. First thing Monday morning, Ellie would stop by Mrs. Sarka’s room and show her the flowers. Then Mrs. Sarka would do all the work for Ellie. She’d have Ellie’s unfazed reaction spread before the bell rang for first period to end. Ha! That ought to show Blaize that his scare tactics didn't work.

  Ellie grinned in satisfaction.
She’d found another way to confront her fears – by flaunting them.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  THE SHADOW

  The Shadow plucked a few mint leaves for her morning tea. A pinch of sage would clear her mind while the mint would sharpen her senses, preparing her for her task. As she brought the kettle to a boil, she packed her rucksack.

  She laughed to herself thinking of the two women she was playing against each other; they were both such easy targets. Ellie and her idealistic, optimistic view of Stusa was just too naïve an opportunity to miss. Taiteja, envied and hated by almost every girl in the school for her beautiful face and curvaceous body, was the perfect distraction for both Pelletiers.

  Tai tended to bring trouble wherever she went. She was a walking personality disorder. While she pretended to be a victimized little angel at school – the target of bullying and harassment – her daily attire and social media clearly shouted slut. Her pictures on social media were so photoshopped that she didn't have a belly button. Anyone that desperate for attention would do anything to get it. She just needed a little push.

  As The Shadow put on the moccasins that allowed her to slip silently through the forest, she gloated over finally figuring out how to use an earth element against Ellie. It had taken time and cleverness. Living in the marshy town of Stusa, arranging a cave-in or mining accident was impossible, and while burying Ellie alive would be quite dramatic, it was also much harder to orchestrate. Luckily, the sickly, poisonous green color of her scar inspired the idea for an elemental earth attack.

  She strapped on her rucksack and took the hidden path that led from her isolated cabin to the pond behind the Pelletier's homestead. As she walked, she wondered if Ellie was close to discovering the power of The Shadow's heirloom. She must prevent Ellie interfering with The Shadow's centuries-old connection at any cost.