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With nowhere else to go, Teresa stepped up Louise’s front porch and rapped her knuckles against the door. Louise opened it.
“Come inside.” She closed the door behind them. “Did you do everything we discussed?”
Teresa nodded.
“And the book?” Louise’s greedy hands flexed. Her eyes searched Teresa.
Teresa shook her head. “I don’t have it.” She slumped into a chair.
A scowl worked its way onto Louise’s horrible face. She was about to say something when Teresa glanced into the living room where an assortment of cats looked toward the couch with wide eyes. Maggie lay on the couch in a deep sleep.
“What’s she doing here? I thought Ann had her.”
Louise grinned. Someone knocked on the door.
––––––––
“Don’t answer it,” Teresa said, twisting in the chair. “It’s Ann. I know it’s Ann. She’s out there.”
Louise went to the door and peeked through the peep hole. “It’s not Ann,” she said and opened the door.
An older man stood on the porch. A satchel hung at his hip.
“My dear Raghib,” Louise said. “Welcome back.”
He came inside. To Teresa’s horror, Louise embraced him, and they kissed—and not just the simple smooch of long-time friends. Teresa turned away, disgusted by the wet smacking sounds. She moved to Maggie’s side to get away from their grotesque display of affection.
Maggie’s breath was shallow. Teresa nudged her, but she didn’t rouse.
“Is Maggie all right?” Teresa asked. Raghib snapped his attention to her.
“Who is this?” he asked.
“Raghib, this is Teresa. Teresa, Raghib.” They nodded at each other. “Teresa is Maggie’s adoptive mother. Raghib is Maggie’s grandfather.”
“I thought you were dead,” Teresa said. He ignored her and pulled the satchel off over his head. Louise put on the kettle. Teresa stood where she could see Maggie on the couch and the two elderlies in the kitchen.
“She’ll be okay,” Raghib said. “A mild sedative. It’ll wear off soon.” He turned back to Louise. “I only gave her half of one.”
“Good. We need her awake.”
Raghib opened the satchel. Teresa moved closer. He pulled out Maggie’s book and presented it to Louise.
Louise’s eyes landed on Teresa. She lifted an eyebrow. “He brought the book and the girl,” Louise said. “You’re almost worthless.”
“I beg your pardon?” Teresa said. She came to the table. “He knocked out a child and stole a book. I’ve killed people.”
Raghib looked up at Teresa with a smug expression, as if he, too, believed drugging a girl and petty theft outweighed multiple murders.
Teresa turned to Louise. “Are his tasks really more important than what I’ve done?”
“We couldn’t complete the process without the book and the girl,” Louise said. She dropped her gaze to the crinkled pages.
“You two are unbelievable.” Teresa went into the living room while Louise paged through the book. She gazed down at Maggie. Just nights ago she’d swept the girl’s hair from her forehead. She knelt by the couch and did it again. This time it didn’t feel real. Grief bubbled up. She covered her mouth and stifled a sob. Maggie shifted.
“I think she’s waking up,” Teresa said.
“Ah, here it is.” Louise tore a section of pages out.
Teresa returned to the kitchen. “What is it?”
“The instructions for harnessing Yaldabaoth.” Louise scanned the pages. “You’ve, of course, carried out the necessary steps.” Louise held up one of the pages. “Seven bloods. Seven souls,” she read.
“No.” Teresa shook her head. “I only took six.”
Louise looked at her. “What do you mean you only took six?”
“What do you mean, what do I mean? I. Only. Took. Six.”
Louise’s eyes searched Teresa’s face, then shifted back to the torn pages, then to Raghib.
“Six. It can’t be. Tonight is the night. You should have been done by now. He said you would be done.”
Teresa stood. “Who? Who said I would be done?”
Louise cocked her head and smiled. “Yaldabaoth, of course.”
“Yalda—but I thought . . .” Teresa couldn’t get the words out. Louise had never mentioned she, too, was talking to Yaldabaoth. The old bat had lied to her. Chills of realization broke out over Teresa’s skin. Her eyes darted back to Louise’s face.
Louise studied Teresa. “Yes, dear Doctor Hart. You have been a pawn in our grand scheme all along.”
Teresa couldn’t swallow. She couldn’t speak. For a second, she thought Louise had cast a curse or spell on her. Then she realized she was having a panic attack.
The kettle whistled. “Tea, Doctor Hart?” Louise sneered.
Teresa shook her head.
“Water.” The word came out strangled. “Please.”
Louise filled a glass and set it on the table. Teresa took a few gulps, and her throat released whatever paralysis had taken it over.
“You tricked me. You lied to me.”
Louise shook her head, an expression of pity on her wrinkled face.
“You’ve failed him,” Louise said. “Does he know you’ve only taken six?”
It was Teresa’s turn to be smug.
“Yes.”
And he’s chosen me as his queen, so there.
Louise waved a hand. “No matter, then. He must have a plan.”
“Daddy?” Maggie sat up and rubbed her eyes. She peered around. Her breathing quickened.
Teresa went to her. “Don’t worry,” she said. Maggie latched onto her. “We’re just at a friend’s house.”
“Why’m I so sleepy?” Maggie’s voice was a whimper in Teresa’s ear.
“It’s nighttime. You’re supposed to be sleepy.” Teresa petted Maggie’s hair and gently shushed her. Something inside her cracked a little. If it was just her and Maggie now, there was no need for jealousy. No Derrick, no judgment. Her heart ached. She pulled away from Maggie and looked into her eyes, but Maggie was looking off over Teresa’s shoulder.
“Why is my Baba here? He’s trying to kill me. He hurt Pinky.”
Louise came into the living room. “Now, Maggie, he is your grandfather. He would never hurt you.” She laughed. “I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding.”
Maggie looked to Teresa, then Louise, then Raghib. Her foggy brain was working out a puzzle she didn’t understand. She jumped off the couch to run, but she collapsed into Teresa’s lap. Teresa helped her to her feet. Maggie sprinted for the door, but Louise grabbed her. Maggie screamed and kicked, but Louise’s gnarled hand kept its grip.
“Get the door,” Louise grunted, indicating the basement entrance.
Raghib flung the bolt. The music played, but the white noise no longer blasted from the television.
Louise lifted Maggie so her feet just brushed the top step.
“Keep squirming, and I’ll drop you down these stairs,” Louise said.
Maggie struggled for two more seconds, then stopped.
“Please, let me go.”
“Maggie?” Bram’s voice yelled from the basement.
“Ah, yes,” Raghib said. “Bram Logan, our dear friend.” He grinned. Teresa shuddered. What would drive a grandfather to harming his own grandchild?
Louise hauled Maggie down the steps. Teresa followed.
Teresa swore she could still smell the scent of Bram’s cauterized flesh.
Maggie squirmed out of Louise’s grip and ran to Bram. She flung her arms around his neck and sobbed against him.
“Aw, a perfect reunion.” Louise clasped her hands under her chin like it was the dearest thing she’d ever seen. “Oh, Brammy,” Louise said. “Look who brought her to me.”
Bram lifted his head. His eyes widened.
“You,” he said in a harsh whisper. “You betrayed us, you sick son of a bitch!” Bram jerked and struggled against his bindings. When it did no good, he stopped. “Why, Raghib? Why did you do this? How could you betray your flesh and blood?”
“There is no greater light than Yaldabaoth,” Raghib said. “You left me to fend for myself. The Messengers took me back in. They care about their people. It was you who betrayed me.” Raghib spat on the floor, then let out a pained groan and fell to his knees. Louise stood behind him, a blood-coated knife in her hand and a twisted smile on her face.
Teresa let out a shriek. Raghib pitched forward and stopped moving. Louise tossed the knife aside. Maggie cowered against Bram, hiding her face in his shoulder.
Louise turned to Bram and Maggie and took a step forward. Teresa stood in front of her, blocking her path. “Don’t hurt her. Please!”
Louise smiled at her, the sneer replaced by a sweet-little-old-lady face.
“Don’t worry, dear. I won’t.” She touched Teresa’s arm with cold fingers, then pulled her toward a work bench. Louise placed a thick, rough rope in Teresa’s reluctant hands.
“We need to take them to Yaldabaoth,” Louise said. “Behind my house is a passageway that leads directly to the basement of the funeral home. We’ll take them that way, under the forest.” She nodded toward Maggie. “Tie her up.”
Teresa pulled Maggie’s arms from around Bram’s neck.
“I’m sorry, Maggie,” she whispered. Tears burned her eyes but didn’t well or fall.
“Don’t you touch her,” Bram’s voice rasped. “Don’t you dare touch her.”
“What are you going to do, old man?” Louise asked. She kicked him in the shin. Maggie was eerily quiet and cooperative.
Bram struggled against his bonds.
“It’s okay, Mr. Bram. I’m okay.” Maggie said. “It’s okay. We’ll be okay.” A tear slid down her cheek. “My angel . . .” her voice trailed off.
Teresa tied the knots at Maggie’s wrists. The rope reddened Maggie’s tender skin.
Louise checked the bindings, and Teresa guided Maggie to the stairs.
Louise knelt before Bram and gripped his knees. “Are you going to play nice, Brammy? Or am I going to have to remove a few more fingers?”
Bram spat at her. Louise dodged to the side. The glob landed on the cement floor.
“Teresa, give me the shears.”
“No, no. Okay. I’ll cooperate.”
“Good boy.” Louise brushed his cheek with the back of her hand. He flinched away.
“Not a word, either of you.” Louise pointed at them with a horrific scowl. The four of them climbed up the stairs, the captives resigned.
Someone pounded on the front door.
“Louise!” Ann’s voice. “Louise, let me in.”
Louise slapped a hand over Maggie’s mouth. Bram shouted, but she shoved him with her foot, cutting off his cry.
“Quick, to the back.” Louise whispered. She pushed Bram ahead of her. Teresa followed with Maggie.
A door in one of the back bedrooms led outside. Louise ushered Bram through, then waved Teresa and Maggie forward. She closed the door behind them.
“The passage is to the north of the garden. It leads to the basement in the funeral home,” Louise said.
Teresa nodded.
They tiptoed through Louise’s lawn, past her overgrown garden, and into the forest. Teresa shuddered with fear.
Louise handed Bram’s rope to Teresa. “The entrance is here somewhere,” she said.
Teresa . . .
The word whispered on a nonexistent breeze. Teresa looked toward where the sound had come from.
Teresa . . . come . . .
It was male, but it wasn’t Yaldabaoth’s voice. It sounded like two voices in one.
Teresa let go of Bram and Maggie and followed the sound.
“Where is it?” Louise said under her breath. “Why didn’t I think to bring a flashlight? Teresa? Where are you going?” Louise ran back over to Bram and Maggie and grabbed their ropes.
Teresa was dully aware of Louise behind her. She followed the voice a few feet away and stopped.
Clouds uncovered the full moon, and cold light shined down on a pit. Two bodies lay inside.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, that’s just where I bury my cats.” Louise brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. “Come on, let’s get into the passageway. It’s just over here.”
Teresa numbly took Maggie’s rope. “How? How are they here?”
Louise gave her a bewildered look. “I put them there. After they die.” She cocked her head and gave Teresa a strange look. “Is something wrong?” She stepped closer to Teresa. “Oh.” She took a step back. “Are those...” Louise cleared her throat.
Teresa turned her gaze to Louise. The old woman’s face, etched in the moonlight, held disgust and a measure of shock. Louise’s eyes shifted to her.
“Why are they here?” Teresa asked.
Louise backed away from the pit, from the still bodies lying in the bottom on top of countless cat carcasses.
“Didn’t you put them there?”
Teresa shook her head.
Louise gave her a sad close-lipped smile. “It’s best to just let things go unexplained sometimes.” She touched Teresa’s arm. “Come on, Doctor. Ann’s coming.”
Teresa stayed by the pit for a few more seconds, looking down on the bodies. She flicked her eyes up to the moon and squeezed them shut against the burn of tears.
“Teresa,” Louise whispered through the dark.
She turned and followed Louise into the passageway.