The next morning, Nicole made sure she’d tucked a four-inch piece of laminated scrap paper in her pocket before leaving her room. She didn’t always carry it with her anymore, but being away from it for what might end up being a long time just felt wrong.
The paper had originally belonged to Mrs. Morse back in Ohio. The woman had spent some of her last minutes on earth writing a note to Nicole on the full-size sheet of paper the scrap had come from. When things had gone wrong in Mrs. Morse’s apartment, Nicole had attempted to save the paper, but only the corner she now possessed had survived. Nicole knew it was silly, but she felt closer to the woman when she had that with her.
She had carried it so much at first that it had started to wear on the edges. She’d had it laminated, hoping that would help it keep for a while longer. Mrs. Morse’s scraggily writing was still visible, and Nicole swore it changed periodically, which was why she’d carried it around so much.
Austin arrived right at ten, hoodie up against the brisk wind, hands in his jeans pockets. Lizzie was already at school and Nicole looked forward to spending some alone time with him. She was leaving in half an hour, and might not see him again for several weeks.
It was depressing to think about.
Austin kissed her on the cheek, then followed her into the kitchen. “Why so sad?” he said, stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her.
“Trying not to feel down. I just barely got you, and now I won’t see you again for a long time.”
Austin nuzzled her neck. “I’ll call every night.”
“If my phone will even let you. You heard what Albert said—technology sometimes doesn’t work on his property.”
“We’ll figure something out.”
Nicole turned in his embrace, putting her arms around his neck. She looked at his face, wanting to memorize it as much as possible. “I hope so.”
Austin’s gaze strayed to her mouth. “Things will be fine,” he whispered. He placed his hand on her cheek, brushing his thumb across her lips.
Nicole nearly melted while wanting to smack him for being a tease. Kiss me, already!
His eyes raised to hers and she saw the question there. She tilted her head, smiling, and he obviously found the answer he wanted. Without pausing, he placed his lips on hers.
Nicole had thought over their kisses in Arches many times during the past month and a half. Either her imagination was off, or Austin was really feeling their relationship change. This one was so different from the others, at first she couldn’t respond.
He wasn’t in any sort of a rush. He seemed to recognize that she was his and he was hers, and that wouldn’t change. He went slowly and calmly and Nicole felt herself relax in his arms as he rubbed her back, his hands winding their way up into her hair, holding her even closer to him.
Nicole tightened her arms around his neck, enjoying the kiss for a moment longer before pulling back. “Took you long enough,” she whispered.
“Always late . . . but worth the wait.”
She giggled. “Only women say that.”
Austin snorted. “Like men aren’t worth it? Or ever late?”
“Of course they—”
Austin suddenly picked her up and turned around, placing her on the counter. He kissed her harder and faster now, his breaths coming in gasps. Nicole followed just as eagerly, exploring his face, enjoying the feel of his lips on her. She entwined her hands in his hair, wishing she didn’t have to leave soon.
Austin seemed to have the same thought because he stepped back, placing her on the floor again. She groaned. “Do I have to go?”
Austin chuckled, giving her a quick peck. “Only if you want to get better with your magic.”
Nicole closed her eyes, tilting her face upward as Austin trailed kisses along her jaw line. “You didn’t ask very many questions about my ghostly visitor.”
“I wanted to, but I figured you’d tell me when you were ready.”
Nicole nodded, glad he trusted her. “I will—I just need to understand more of what’s going on first. I don’t want to mislead you by saying something that I find out later isn’t true.”
When Austin’s lips found hers again, she gave up on all conversation, wanting to get in as many kisses as possible before having to leave.
Finally, Austin said, “Let’s get your things in the car.”
“Why do I feel like I’m heading into a war zone?” Nicole asked several minutes later as she shut the trunk.
He shrugged. “Maybe you are?”
Nicole gasped, then playfully smacked his arm. “Don’t joke about something like this.”
Austin didn’t smile. “I’m not. Please be careful. I know you’re just going there to practice with Albert . . . but I have a feeling something else might happen too. And that you sense the same thing.”
Nicole sobered. “I won’t do anything stupid.”
Austin nodded. “I know.” He hugged her and gave her one last kiss before she got in the car and drove away.
The drive to Moses Lake wasn’t bad. Nicole tried to listen to a book on the way, watching the beautiful scenery pass by, but ended up daydreaming more about Austin finally kissing her. She couldn’t believe it had taken that long!
Three hours later, she pulled up at Albert’s gate. He was there, waiting.
Nicole rolled down her window.
“Welcome!” Albert said. “I realized this morning that you don’t have the code to get in. You’ll have to leave your car here—they don’t work on the drive at all anymore.”
Nicole spotted a horse and buggy on the other side of the gate. “Whoa—you came in that?”
Albert grinned. “Sure did.” He pointed to a place on the side of the drive where she could park her car. “Lock up. We don’t have people come out this way often, but one can never be too careful.”
Albert got the cello from where Austin had put it on the backseat and helped Nicole get the suitcase from the trunk, then led the way to the buggy to load things up.
The ride to the estate was mostly quiet. Albert occasionally talked to the horse, but he seemed content to enjoy the weather. Which, as Nicole noticed, was unseasonably warm, at least for what she’d expect in Moses Lake toward the end of fall.
They were pulling up to the estate when a maid came out to meet them. Nicole recognized her as Prudy, the farm girl who lived on Albert’s property. Her eyes were tired, her face pinched, but a smile warmed her features when she met eyes with Nicole.
“Hi, Prudy!” Nicole said, bouncing out of the buggy, wanting to stir up a little enthusiasm.
Prudy dropped her eyes and curtsied. “Hi, Miss Nicole.”
Nicole laughed, taking her suitcase from Albert, who went inside with Niko. “You don’t need to call me Miss anything. It’s just Nicole.”
Prudy led the way through the door. “Very well, Miss—er, Nicole. And you must call me Prudence. I so prefer it to Prudy.”
“Sounds good.”
“Your room is this way,” Prudence said, motioning to the staircase that wound up the left side of the room. The two walked that way and Prudence glanced shyly at Nicole. “I want . . . I’d like to learn everything I can about the outside world. Would you consider teaching me?”
“Of course. But is it all right with your parents?”
“I’m sure Father wouldn’t be terribly happy about it, though I think he’d respect my wishes. I’m almost an adult now and will soon be living on my own anyway.”
Nicole followed Prudence down a hall. “How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Seventeen. Just a year younger than you, if Albert’s guess was correct.”
“Yes, I’m eighteen.”
Prudence led the way up another set of stairs, then opened a door into a huge suite, motioning for Nicole to enter. “I spent all morning dusting and clearing cobwebs. This room hasn’t been touched since Albert’s wife was alive.”
“It’s beautiful,” Nicole said, gazing from the doorway. The room had been decorated in sea green and sky blue. Modern furniture and brightly colored rugs graced the scuffed wooden floor. Nicole didn’t want to enter for fear she’d spoil the calm and peaceful feeling the room evoked. “What did they use it for?”
“Guests,” Prudence said. “Albert never comes here. I think it reminds him too much of happier times.”
“He seems fairly content now.”
Prudence took Nicole’s suitcase and set it on the couch at the foot of the bed. “He’s a very chipper man, but he’s been happier in the past. I know my father stresses him sometimes.”
“Your father?”
Prudence glanced at Nicole, an expression of shock on her face. “I shouldn’t have said anything. My father is a good man, but he’s very stubborn. He and Albert argue frequently. Especially now that the apples have all been ruined.”
Nicole started unpacking her suitcase, putting things in the tall chest of drawers. “All of them?”
“Yes, all. It’s quite a shame. Father’s apples have won awards every year in the Grant County Fair.”
Nicole didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure what to say, especially when she recognized all of that probably had to do with the meteor that had come for her.
“Well, I’d best be getting back to my duties,” Prudence said. “Please, let me know if you need anything.”
Nicole agreed to do so. Then, after Prudence had shut the door, she pulled out Captain Price’s journal. It had been several days since she’d read in it, mainly because there hadn’t been anything to read. But now that she was at Albert’s place, she wondered if something would appear.
Opening up to where she’d been last, Nicole saw that yes, there was more. She started immediately.
Nicole,
This entry will find you situated near the site where the elixir will appear. Rebecca tells me you are aware that the portal must grow from your powers. Perhaps you feel it tugging at you some?
Nicole stopped reading and shut her eyes. Now that he’d mentioned it, she did feel something. It was faint enough for her not to have noticed it on her own.
Taking the book with her, Nicole crossed the room to a large window seat and made herself comfortable where she could easily read but still watch her door and see outside. It was a beautiful day. The sun was bright, casting shadows in the trees that surrounded the manor. Nicole could sense the pull on her magic just a little stronger here. She turned back to the journal.
I need to tell you something that Rebecca didn’t feel you should hear until you’d made your own decision to help. And that is this: yes, the portal draws from your powers. But it also feeds you, giving you strength. You’ll find that you’re better able to Channel here. We hope that the benefits will be permanent. Take care not to overdo it, though. And never practice without Albert or an Arete nearby.
As I was saying, the portal is now growing, drawing from your powers. It won’t tire you, so you needn’t worry about that. But you do need to prepare for when the elixir arrives. There are signs that will show you how strong the portal is as it grows. It will start by exerting dominance over the land that surrounds it.
First, the plants will produce an overabundance of fruit. Be wary of this fruit, though—it won’t be refreshing. In fact, consuming too much of it will drain your abilities. I don’t think this will be a concern, though, as we’re told that the fruit will be horrid to the taste.
Second, the plants will start to grow out of proportion to each other. Trees will shrink. Bushes will become as tall as trees. Flowers on the same vine will shrivel or blossom more than usual.
This is all necessary as the portal borrows and lends power, finding the perfect link between our dimensions. It must be strong enough to withstand the power of the messenger who will bring you the elixir.
Nicole looked up from the book. Rebecca hadn’t said anything about a messenger. What messenger? Who would it be? She really hoped not one of the Great Ones the old woman had told her about.
The third sign is when the life drains from the soil. The trees and earth will turn gray. It will seem as if all beauty has left.
I’ll give you more signs once the above happen.
Be ready.
Nicole put the journal down and leaned against the window, looking outside. She would need to see more of the plants to know for sure, but she was nearly positive the first two signs had already happened. The fruits were bitter and they were disproportionate. But everything outside, minus the vines growing on the manor, was still healthy looking—green and beautiful. Which again made Nicole wonder. Why was winter happening everywhere but here? Had Albert done something to the soil to make it grow such healthy trees?
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Nicole called.
Prudence stepped inside. “Albert wants to eat a snack. He asked if you’d like to join him.”
“Yeah, that would be nice. Then maybe you could show me around?”
“I’d love to.”
Prudence took Nicole to a large kitchen, complete with a sunny breakfast nook where Albert already sat, surrounded by cheese, crackers, and meat. He waved, then turned back to the newspaper he was reading.
Nicole sat and was surprised when Prudence also took a seat. Things were different here from what she’d expected.
Nicole helped herself to plenty of cheese and meat, then dug in. She hadn’t realized just how hungry she was.
Albert exclaimed in annoyance at something he was reading. “This is ridiculous.”
“What?” Nicole asked, taking a drink of lemonade.
“Oh, it’s nothing important. Well, not now, anyway. It was important when it happened.” He folded the newspaper over and showed Nicole the date. February 20, 1998.
“You’re reading an old newspaper?”
He grunted. “They don’t deliver out here anymore. Now I’m glad I saved them. Old habits are hard to break, and even though it’s outdated, it’s still good to read.”
Nicole smiled. She glanced at Prudence to see what she thought, but the girl was staring out the window, not paying attention. She’d barely touched her food.
Prudence started, noticing Nicole’s attention, and pushed her plate away. “Would you like to look around now?”
“Oh, we can take our time. You need to eat as much as I do.”
“I’m not very hungry right now.” Prudence smiled. “Besides, Albert has collected a lot of wonderful things over the years that are distracting me.”
Nicole noticed she didn’t ask Albert’s permission, nor did he seem to care. He folded up his newspaper, tucked it under his arm, then said, “If either of you need me, I’ll be in my library.”
After Nicole finished, Prudence showed her around the kitchen. Nicole was surprised at just how much of everything was controlled by magic in some way. Apparently, Albert had been visited by many important and powerful Aretes over the years, each needing something from him, and each willing to trade for items of equal power.
Prudence got a kick out of Nicole’s fascination with everything. Nicole loved it all, finding herself wishing her mother and dad would collect things like this.
She especially appreciated the magical can opener. You set the can on the counter, tapped near it twice, then watched as a section of the counter rose. Metal hands unfolded and grabbed the can. The lid glowed, then popped off, splattering a few drops of liquid on the counter.
Prudence showed how to retrieve the can. She wiped up the spill in the process. “Albert wants to upgrade to something that doesn’t make a mess, but for someone with arthritic fingers, this is the perfect solution for now. It’s much easier to take a swipe with a rag than it is to open the can with a handheld opener.”
Nicole agreed. She motioned to the kitchen. “If the rest of the house is like this, I can’t wait to see it all. It’s pretty awesome.”
“It still surprises me that you’re fascinated. I just assumed you’d know about all of this, being from the . . . the outside world.”
Nicole shook her head. “No, things are pretty boring at my place.” She motioned to the magical can opener. “Nothing like this exists in my house. I’d bet most of what Albert has collected is pretty expensive.”
“It probably is.” Prudence sighed, resting her elbow on the counter and her chin in her hand. “Pa doesn’t like me to use too many of the things here, but Uncle Albert wants me to understand everything.” She sighed again. “Nicole, I want to leave. To grow up, to get away.”
“I can imagine. Have you thought much about college?”
Prudence shook her head. “Not really. I’ve only gotten so far as daydreaming what it would be like to live in an actual city.”
“Someday you will. I’m sure of it.” Nicole linked arms with the girl. “Now, show me the rest of the manor.”
Prudence showed her several other rooms, including the bathroom Nicole had used during her first visit. Her excitement was dampened when she learned that Nicole had already been there and was familiar with the toilet and sink.
“You have all this stuff?” Prudence asked.
Nicole nodded. “Indoor plumbing has been around for a long time.”
“See? This is why I need to get out more. Albert isn’t exactly a chatty person, and Mother never, ever talks about life before she and Father married.”
Prudence then showed Nicole the library where Albert was reading. It was magnificent—tall walls with rolling ladders and overstuffed chairs in every corner. Albert sat in one of these. After Prudence had finished showing Nicole around, he set down his newspaper and checked his watch. “Prudy, Sterling will be here to get you soon, so why don’t you finish up? I’m going to see how far Nicole got with Niko.”
Prudence turned to Nicole. “Would you like to come meet the rest of my family? Oh, please say yes. We can go together when I finish.”
Nicole nodded. “I’d like that.” She felt her hands start sweating just thinking about being close to where the meteor had appeared, but she needed to get over that if she wanted to help Rebecca and Captain Price.
Prudence curtsied and left, and Albert took Nicole to the room with instruments. She was glad he did—it would be a while before she would be able to figure out where everything was located here. The place was so big.
Albert got out the cello and handed it over. “I don’t know what you usually do, but still, be careful. I’ll let you know if I notice anything you could improve on.”
Nicole nodded. She got in position, then started playing easier songs—ones that required no concentration or real effort. And right away, she felt a difference. Either playing here really did help, or she was getting better. Maybe it was both. Nicole was able to silence anything and everything Albert brought her, including—miraculously, excitingly—a bird in a cage. She struggled with a dog, and by that point, she was starting to get numb to pain, so they decided to take a break.
But she’d actually silenced a bird. A living creature. She couldn’t wait to tell Austin.
Prudence came and got Nicole, her hands fluttering as she talked about her family and how excited they’d be to meet Nicole, who was also excited. She couldn’t wait to get out and see more of Albert’s property, including the site where the meteor had appeared.
A horse-drawn wagon was already waiting out front, a young man at the reins. He had dark hair that was mostly covered by an old baseball cap. Nicole paused for a moment, head tilted. He wore jeans and a tee—clothes that were much more modern than Prudence’s dress.
Prudence didn’t seem to notice Nicole’s hesitation. “Sterling, this is Nicole, Albert’s guest. She’ll be here for a couple of weeks to practice Channeling.”
“She’s an Arete?” Sterling straightened. He looked at Nicole, then gave her a once over, his lips turning upward appreciatively. “And a pretty one. Last Arete Albert had over wasn’t nearly as beautiful.”
Nicole flushed. “Um . . . thanks. I think.”
Sterling’s eyes followed Nicole’s every movement as she approached the wagon and waited for Prudence to get in. As soon as Nicole reached to pull herself up, Sterling jumped out of the wagon and put out a hand for her to hold. She grabbed it, sensing immediately the power behind his grasp. This was a very strong young man, one used to working on a farm.
Nicole would’ve been intimidated if not for the easy air that surrounded him. He was obviously comfortable with who he was and didn’t feel the need to exert his strength or dominance to prove himself.
Prudence insisted on having Nicole sit between her and Sterling, saying that it was the best place to sit to avoid getting dirty if they happened upon mud. And that apparently made Sterling very happy. He seemed to do everything possible to come into contact with Nicole, and she found herself needing to remind herself that she was dating Austin and shouldn’t enjoy Sterling’s attention.
“How are you likin’ it here?” Sterling asked as he guided the horse behind the manor and down a dirt road.
“It’s beautiful.” Nicole glanced at the forest they were about to enter. “But I have a hard time believing that these trees are native to the area. They feel foreign.”
Sterling nodded. “Because they are. Albert’s grandmother came from Maryland. There’s a lot more vegetation there, and when they got here, she made her son plant as many trees on the property as possible. The land here was too barren, too flat for her.”
“It was a lot of work,” Prudence said. “Our father won’t let us forget it, especially since in the early days, nothing really thrived. There were a lot of droughts.”
“Even with the lake?”
“Even with the lake,” Sterling said. “Finding a way to irrigate was a problem. But after some years, a forest eventually developed. It’s now been over a hundred years, and the trees grow how they want, surrounding and protecting the estate.” He glanced at Nicole, his blue eyes looking dark in the shade of the trees. “My family was pioneers then too. We’ve been on this property for a long time.”
The wagon suddenly lurched when the horse stopped walking, nearly knocking Prudence off the seat. Nicole grabbed her arm, steadying her, while Sterling coaxed the horse to continue. The poor creature was obviously upset about something. Each step forward was slow, and its ears alternated between facing forward and lying flat.
“Does this every time,” Sterling said.
“Any reason?” Nicole figured she knew but wanted to hear what Sterling said.
“It’s all on account of the meteor. Things’ve been weird since then.”
Sterling turned his attention to the horse, and after several moments, he was finally able to keep it under control. They continued through the forest. Nicole sensed a few strains of magic pulsing here and there, but nothing very big.
Several minutes later, the forest thinned, and Sterling pulled the wagon up in front of a beautiful country house with white paneling, a white picket fence, and roses, vines, and flowers everywhere.
Nicole gasped. “It’s gorgeous,” she said. “But how is everything still in bloom? It’s October.”
“My grandmother was an Earth Arete,” Prudence said. “She helped the ground receive nutrients. The flowers blossom nearly all year, and the fruits and vegetables thrive.”
“Except this year,” Sterling said, hopping out of the wagon and holding out his arms to help Nicole down. “Things are really bad this year.”
Prudence nodded. “Yes, well, the meteor is to blame for that too.”
Nicole accepted Sterling’s help, then looked around. “Where did it appear?”
“Over there.” Sterling pointed to a small crater next to a water well.
Nicole glanced at the hole but didn’t want to seem too interested. She wanted these people to trust her, to know that she was here not just because of the meteor, but because she wanted to meet and spend time with them.
“Did your grandmother know Albert’s family very much?”
“Yes,” Sterling said. “Albert’s grandmother was her mentor. They were both Aretes.” He hopped back up into the wagon seat, then pulled away.
As soon as the wagon left, several dogs ran around the corner of the house and started barking. At first, Nicole thought it was at her, especially since she was a newcomer, but soon she saw that they were staring anxiously at the well, growling and quivering. Nicole looked over her shoulder but didn’t see anything.
“Just like the horse,” Prudence said. “Something happened. That meteor is affecting things.”
Nicole didn’t respond. Just then, a boy of about ten ran out the door and threw his arms around Prudence.
“Prudy!” he called. “You’re back!”
She tousled his hair. “Sure am, Orson. Want to meet Albert’s friend?” She motioned to Nicole.
Orson glanced up shyly at her. “Hi.”
“Hi, Orson. How are you?”
“‘M fine,” he mumbled, then ran back into the house. “Ma, someone’s here for dinner!”
Prudence looked at Nicole. “Do you want to stay for dinner? Ma’s a fantastic cook.”
“Sure.”
A smile crossed Prudence’s face, and Nicole realized she had just agreed to dinner at the place where she wasn’t supposed to eat. There was no way she could get away with not eating anything—otherwise, she’d offend them. But she couldn’t afford to have her powers sapped by the food that would probably be served here.
Sterling returned on foot and motioned for Nicole to enter the farmhouse ahead of him. She did so and found that the interior was just as beautiful as the exterior. Prudence’s mother obviously took a lot of pride in how her house looked. The windows were clean and lined with cheerful yellow curtains. The wooden floor underneath was buffed. There was a staircase leading up nearly in front of the door. A dining room was to one side, and a living room to the other.
Prudence led the way into the dining room where Winston, her father, was already seated.
He nodded at Nicole, then continued cutting the ham that was in front of him.
A woman entered from a back door, carrying a large pot which Sterling insisted on taking from her.
“Thanks, son,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron. “I’m so tired these days.”
“I know, Ma, I know.” Sterling held out her chair, then helped her into it. “We need to get you out of here. Give you a break from your duties.”
“And who will perform them if I’m away? With you and your father working the land, Orson at school all day, and Prudence up at the manor, who’s to take over for me?”
“Woman, the land can take a break,” Winston said, finishing up with the ham. “Sterling and I will help you. Heaven knows nothing good is coming of our work now. And besides, you need your health more than we need a clean house.”
Just then, the woman glanced at Nicole. “Oh!” she said. “Forgive my rude manners. I’m Iona. You’re Nicole?”
“Yes. I’m Albert’s friend.”
“He mentioned you last time he came.”
“Does he visit often?”
“Nearly every day,” Iona said, tucking some loose strands of hair into the light brown bun at the back of her head. Her blue eyes were tired and Nicole noticed the same pinched exhaustion on her face as Prudence’s, only more.
“Ma, can we eat now?” Orson asked.
“Oh, of course, dear.”
Iona showed Nicole where to sit, then glanced at Winston, who bowed his head and said a prayer over the meal.
Nicole waited to see what everyone else would do before acting. They all picked up their plates and passed them to Winston, who served ham, then passed the plates left to Iona, who added mashed potatoes, and on to Nicole. She saw a bowl of green beans in front of her and placed a spoonful of that on each plate.
Soon, all of the plates were full and back to their owners and everyone began to dig in.
Nicole hesitated, wondering how she would pull off only eating a little. She definitely didn’t want to be rude. While trying to decide what to do, she buttered her roll, wanting to watch the others. Several sighs of contentment rose as the family members dug into Iona’s cooking.
“Excellent as usual, Ma,” Sterling said.
Prudence and Winston nodded their agreement, and Nicole finally got up the courage to taste the beans. She gagged and almost spit them out. They weren’t as bad as the apple she’d tasted weeks earlier, but they were close. The taste was off, abnormal. Bitter, and with a dust-like quality. How were the others not noticing it? Nicole tried all of the food on her plate with much the same reaction. Only the ham tasted normal. In fact, it was absolutely fantastic, and she had seconds and then thirds of it, at Iona and Winston’s insistence.
“We slaughtered it at the end of summer,” Winston said, beaming. “Prudy here raised this pig.”
Prudence smiled at Nicole. “I’m always sad to see a friend go, but when they taste so heavenly, I forget my sadness.”
Nicole almost laughed out loud at that. It was kind of twisted. She took another bite of ham. “I hope it’s okay for me to ask this, and please tell me if it’s not, but when did the meteor come?”
“The night we slaughtered Prudy’s pig, actually,” Sterling said. “We teased her that her pig was so mad, it sent a meteor.”
Nicole thought that over. Perhaps the ham tasted fine because the pig hadn’t been alive when the meteor landed.
Suddenly, all chatter at the table stopped. Each member of the family froze and stared off into space, unseeing, heads tilted as if they were listening to something. Nicole also froze, wondering what they hearing. Nothing was reaching her ears. Was it magical? She pushed out with her Arete senses but only felt the slight pulses coming from the meteor site.
What was going on? The family continued staring, some with hands hovering near their mouths, about to take another bite. None of them looked in the same direction. Nicole felt her palms start sweating. Should she say something? Break the silence? Ask them what they were listening to?
Finally she couldn’t take it anymore. She cleared her throat. “Is everything all right?”
Only Orson glanced at her. His eyes were glazed over. He didn’t say anything.
It was at that point that Nicole noticed how pale and exhausted the entire family looked, not just Iona and Prudence. Were they sick or did they look like this all the time? She didn’t think so—she’d noticed a difference between the first time she’d met Prudence and the second. And even now, looking at Winston, he looked ill compared to how he’d been last time.
Finally, the family stopped acting strangely. They resumed eating and talking. It was as if nothing had happened. Nicole tried to play along, but she couldn’t ignore the weird feeling it gave her and the creepiness that now filled the room.
No one seemed to notice her discomfort.
“I was raised in Moses Lake,” Iona said, turning to Nicole. “Sometimes I miss life there, the conveniences and technology. And I especially miss the societal advantages of having neighbors just next door. I want Prudy to have those experiences.”
She glanced at Winston, who scowled back. “It’s Prudy’s choice,” he said. He looked at Nicole. “We don’t live this way because we’re religious—we live this way because it makes us happy. Even Iona agrees with that.”
Iona nodded, surprising Nicole. “We tried to have a telephone once. It only caused problems. A simpler life can be very rewarding.”
Nicole recognized that Iona might miss some aspects of her previous life, but the fact that Winston wasn’t keeping her here against her will said a lot about how much she truly enjoyed her life now.
Pretty soon, Sterling got to his feet and said it was time to get Nicole back to Albert’s place. “We turn in early here,” he said. “Wouldn’t want you to have to walk home.” He went to get the wagon.
While waiting, Nicole followed Prudence around as the girl showed her the garden. Right away, Nicole noticed a difference between these and normal vegetables. The ones here were oddly colored—the greens too bright, the reds too pink, and everything was much, much bigger than it should have been.
“We think they’ve been affected by the meteor too,” Prudence said. “None of us dares eat anything.”
Nicole hesitated. Iona had proudly said that the green beans came from the garden that day. Prudence had been there. Did she not hear her mother’s statement?
Just then, a chicken stumbled around the corner of the house, and Nicole gasped, her hand fluttering to her mouth. Its eyes were huge, grotesque, bulging out of their sockets. The chest looked like an over-inflated balloon, but the wings, tail, and feet were shriveled. It was obviously in pain, trying to walk on feet that were disfigured.
“What’s wrong with it?”
Prudence didn’t answer. Like earlier, she was staring at nothing, seeming to be listening for something.
Several more chickens followed the first, each with abnormalities. All of them were shriveled in some ways and swollen in others. While her heart was full of pity for the poor creatures, Nicole’s stomach turned as she looked at them.
She was grateful that Sterling arrived with the wagon just then, hopping down to help her up. She couldn’t wait to get home.
Prudence shook herself and waved goodbye, and Nicole settled into the wagon seat.
“Beautiful house,” she said as Sterling guided the horse around a narrow bend.
He nodded. “Ma’s proud of it.”
“Can I . . .?” Nicole hesitated. “Is it okay to ask if your family is well?”
Sterling glanced at her, then away. “We’re fair enough. Seem to be taking a long time to get over a bout of flu that hit a few weeks ago.”
“When did you get sick? Was it around the time the meteor came?”
He shook his head. “No, it was a couple of weeks after. I remember ’cause Orson had a long weekend from school. We had a party and invited friends over, including Albert. I ate so much food, it made me sick. And then we all really did get sick.”
Nicole fell silent, thinking about the evening. Their weird behavior had to be attributed to the food and the meteor. What else could have caused it?