Dark Before Dawn (19 page)

Doing everything alone.

Dawn dozed most of the afternoon, but around 3:30 she forced herself to get dressed. Jeff was supposed to pick her up soon for the visit to Serina’s. She trudged downstairs shortly after his car pulled into the driveway.

Her mother and Jeff were murmuring near the front door. They both frowned as Dawn parked herself on the living room couch.

"What are you doing?" her mother asked.

"I’m going with Jeff to see Serina."

"Your mom was just telling me that you weren’t feeling well," Jeff said. "I’ll handle it, honey. You stay home."

"No, I’m going with you," Dawn said hoarsely. "I need to hear what Serina says, how everything is left."

"Dawn, you’re sick. You don’t need this stress." Her mother pressed her back against the door, blocking it.

Dawn didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to stay. She didn’t know what she wanted, but facing Serina in person seemed the courageous thing to do. Besides, this was her decision. No one else’s. "Mom, come on. It’s my life."

"Your mother’s right. You look exhausted and you’re losing your voice. Stay home and get well." Jeff sat beside Dawn and patted her knee. "I’ll take care of Serina."

"No!" She glared past him at her mother. "I need to be there, too."

"I won’t have that woman influencing you anymore," her mother said. "I was uneasy about you going anyway. Now that you’re sick, I think it’s a sign you should stay home."

"Since when do you believe in signs?" Dawn shot back.

Jeff gave Dawn’s mother a meaningful look. Her lips compressed into a narrow line. Sighing, she moved away from the door and muttered, "Fine. If you want to go, go."

"Fine." Dawn got up to snatch her jacket and walked outside without another word.

She dragged herself to Jeff’s station wagon and rested her heavy head against the window. No one would mistake her for Homecoming Queen with the Vaseline smeared under her red nose and the luster of banana balm on her lips. A menthol odor, courtesy of Vicks VapoRub, pervaded the air like the world’s grossest perfume.

"Sorry about the smell," she said as Jeff started the engine. "Mom insists it helps."

"No problem. I hope you feel better soon."

They drove in silence for a little while. A rope coiled in Dawn’s chest. Serina had said she could handle things. What did that mean? Don’t let them get into a big argument, please, she prayed.

"Don’t worry, Dawn, I’m angry, but I’ll keep my cool," Jeff said as if he were psychic, too. "That’s why I’m going. Your mom knew she’d be too upset and we didn’t want things to get confrontational."

Nodding, Dawn pressed a crumpled tissue to her nose. She missed Serina, Jamie and Candace already. After all the uproar calmed down, she would sneak over to the cottage for a visit. That is, if her mother wasn’t spying on her 24/7.

She decided to level with Jeff. If anyone could influence her mother, it was him. "I understand why Mom’s afraid after what happened to my father, but Serina’s done a lot for me. I don’t want to offend her. Once I’m eighteen, I can do whatever I want and Mom can’t stop me."

"What
do
you want?" Jeff asked.

"I don’t know," she admitted.

"After everything you’ve found out, I’d say that reaction is normal. I’d be confused, too. Heck, I
am
confused. But you’re not alone in this. In the meantime, stopping these lessons is the right decision." Jeff parked in the driveway and tugged his keys out of the ignition. "Okay, kid, here goes."

Dawn gulped. Serina waited on the porch, white dress fluttering in the salty ocean breeze. Dawn trailed her stepfather up the stone walkway to the foot of the steps and hung slightly behind him.

"Hello, Jeff." Serina sidled down toward them, strappy sandals encasing her bare feet.

Dawn blinked. She would have expected Serina to act more formal under such fragile circumstances.

Jeff backed up on the grass a few inches. "We need to talk about how you’ve permitted my stepdaughter to lie to her family. She won’t be coming here any longer."

Serina rested a casual hand on the empty flower box, a whiff of her rose perfume hovering in the air. "Jeff, your stepdaughter has a tremendous gift. Without guidance, it could turn into a curse. The results could be devastating."

An image of her father rushing home from work darted through Dawn's mind. Serina was right. If he’d had a better teacher, that wouldn’t have happened. She eyed the cottage with uncertainty. Jamie and Candace must be inside, drinking tea and waiting for their lesson. Sadness welled up in her throat. She should be with them.

"It wasn’t your responsibility to teach her," Jeff said. "How could you work with these girls without talking to their parents?"

"Would you have given permission, Jeff? I doubt it. Having a talent like Dawn's makes it difficult to find friends. Until they drifted together, high school was a miserable experience for my three girls."

"First of all, Dawn isn’t your girl and I'm sure she won't have trouble making new friends," Jeff said, his voice chillier than the autumn air. He leaned forward, staring into Serina's face, as if he were trying to decide something. "How long have you been in Covington, Miss ...?"

"Serina. I rented the house earlier this year."

"You've never lived in town?"

"I can’t say that I have."

"Nothing personal, Serina. I don’t know you. But I know the kind of dangerous nonsense you’re teaching these girls. Do I want to rescue Dawn from that? You bet."

Dawn groped in her pocket for another tissue, wishing her abilities extended to invisibility. She’d never seen Jeff so ticked off.

Serina’s sea green eyes grew colder. "Rescue? Not a word I thought you would be familiar with."

Jeff shook his head. "Don’t even bother telling me what that’s supposed to mean." He put his arm around Dawn’s shoulders. "Come on, honey. Let’s go home."

"Not so fast, Jeff. Now that we’ve dispensed with the pleasantries, let’s get down to business." Serina watched him, her face intent. As if on command, Jeff released Dawn and turned back. He and Serina locked on each other in silence, almost as if they were involved in an unspoken conversation.

Oh, my God. Dawn recognized Jeff’s glassy stare. She’d seen it several times on other people.

Serina was using mind control on Jeff.

Then Serina snapped her gaze on Dawn and all other thoughts faded.

GO HOME AND IMMEDIATELY USE MIND CONTROL ON YOUR MOTHER AND STEPBROTHER. ORDER THEM TO SUPPORT YOUR PSYCHIC LESSONS WITH THE GROUP. INSTRUCT YOUR MOTHER TO STOP INTERFERING IN YOUR LIFE.

REMEMBER THAT YOU DID THE MIND CONTROL, BUT NOT THE REASON WHY. REINFORCE THE MESSAGES AS NEEDED. IF JEFF ARGUES, CONTROL HIM AS WELL. YOUR OWN INNER DOUBTS ABOUT CONTINUING LESSONS WILL BE ERASED FROM THIS MOMENT FORWARD.

GO.

Dawn followed her stepfather toward the car and they both slid into the front seat.

"I liked her," Jeff said. "I’m sure we can convince your mother to let you keep coming here."

"Thanks, Jeff. I’m glad you’re on my side." As she fastened her seatbelt, Dawn glanced back toward the house. She was meant to be with Serina. Soon her mother would realize it, too.

Chapter Sixteen

W
hen Dawn and Jeff got home, they found Dawn’s mother dumping sliced carrots into a steaming pot. Dawn dropped into a chair, exhausted. Something needled at the back of her mind. What was it?

Her mother scraped curls of carrot skin down the garbage disposal and rinsed the cutting board under running water. "I’m making chicken soup for Dawn’s cold. How did it go?"

"We made a mistake, honey," Jeff said, pecking her cheek. "Dawn needs to keep studying with Serina."

The cutting board clattered into the sink. Dawn’s mother stared as Jeff reached into a box of wheat crackers. "Are you kidding? Jeff, this woman’s the Pied Piper of teenage girls."

"Come on, Mom, you’ve never even met Serina," Dawn said.

"I don’t need to meet her. I thought this was settled, that if you were going to take lessons, it would be from your grandfather." Her mother yanked out the cutting board and slashed a celery stalk.

"Honey, you’re overreacting. Serina is a kind, wise woman. We’re lucky she’s interested in Dawn." Jeff touched her shoulder, but Dawn’s mother jerked away.

"I can’t believe you’re saying this."

Dawn got up and opened the refrigerator. Jeff’s turnaround surprised her also. If she hadn’t trusted Serina, she might have wondered if he had been brain-jacked, but Serina wouldn’t coerce him without her blessing.

An urge seized Dawn, a longing she couldn’t resist. Her mom could use a dose of mind control to shut her up. Dawn concentrated, energy spiraling around her sixth chakra.
Let Dawn study with Serina. Stop interfering in Dawn’s life and let her do whatever she wants.

"I really think you would have liked Serina," Jeff said.

Dawn poured herself a glass of Coke at the tiled counter. She sipped it, watching her mother intently. Not answering Jeff, her mother lowered the knife and rubbed her temple.

"Are you okay, hon?" Jeff asked.

"I’m just hungry, that’s all. What was I saying?" Dazed, her mother jettisoned chunks of celery into the soup.

You were saying that you think Dawn should study with Serina.
Dawn aimed her thoughts at her mother like darts.

Ken joined them and grabbed a bag of chips from atop the refrigerator. He snapped off the plastic fastener and dug inside. "What’s going on? Dinner ready yet?" He shoved a handful into his mouth.

Dawn’s mother resumed her chopping with renewed vigor. "Almost. We were talking about how Dawn’s lucky to be studying with Serina. We decided she should continue her lessons."

"You’re letting her study with that devil worshipper?" Ken demanded once he finished crunching. "Are you serious? Dad, you’re going along with this?"

"Sure. Why not?" Jeff asked.

"You’re gonna let her keep going there? With no one around to see what they’re doing except Jamie and that nutbag Candace?"

Dawn polished off her Coke and sent her stepbrother a message.
Ken, mind your own business. Serina’s great. Jamie and Candace are great. Stay out of Dawn’s life.

"It’s nice you’re so concerned for Dawn, but we wouldn’t let her do anything dangerous," Jeff said. "Her lessons are a wonderful gift."

"You’re right," Ken said mechanically. "Serina, Candace and Jamie are great."

"I knew you’d come around." Dawn grabbed a Popsicle out of the freezer to soothe her itchy throat.

While her mother and Jeff set the kitchen table, Dawn ambled out to the living room. As she sat down on the couch, hot pain blistered between her eyeballs and the
Hijacking
sign torched in her mind.

Moaning, Dawn tucked her head between her knees and the Popsicle slipped out of her hand. Heat seared her skin, her muscle, her bone. It emanated from her forehead and stabbed straight down her body, as if she were being charred into cinders from head to toe. As if she were being cremated, her organic matter burning into fine white powder.

Please, make it stop. Please.

Without warning, the fiery knives dulled, leaving her balled in a quivering mass on the floor. Tears glazed Dawn’s eyes and she forced herself to draw long slow breaths. Purple Popsicle juice pooled on the beige carpet.

Should she admit to Serina that her symptoms were worsening? No, Serina would say she must have buried guilt and to get over it. But what if these episodes were occurring for a good reason? What if Dawn had done something terribly wrong? She locked her arms around her knees, gooseflesh crawling over her.

***

Dawn returned to school the next morning, armed with tissues and cough drops for her cold, but defenseless against whatever had caused her body to attack itself.

Between periods, Candace stopped her in the corridor and searched Dawn’s face with probing eyes. "You coming to Serina’s today?"

A strident voice bellowed in Dawn’s mind: Act sick. Make sure she knows you have a cold. Don’t tell her about the headaches.

Weird. After a sleepless night, Dawn had resolved to seek Serina’s advice, or else she’d never feel safe practicing mind control again. So why hide the continuation of her problem from Candace? And why exploit the cold?

Dawn made a split second decision to go with the instinct. She sneezed and pulled a tissue out of her pocket. "Definitely. I got my mother to mind her own business, if you know what I mean. Too bad I’m feeling lousy. I can’t get rid of this stupid cold."

"Good job. I’ll bet Serina’s herbal tea will help. See you at lunch." Candace walked down the corridor.

Dawn retreated to the library for study hall. She found an unoccupied table near the reference section and opened her English notes, but something drew her attention away from dead poets.