The Haret (The Haret Series) (10 page)

             
“Do you think you’re crazy?” Rosie asked again.

             
“No, I don’t think I’m crazy.”

             
“Good, then you won’t think I am crazy either.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper. 

             
“You need to trust me if you choose to stay here. I’ll protect you from them, but you need to trust what I tell you. Can you do that?”

             
A chill raced through Felicitas.

             
“Protect me from whom?”

             
“From those who want to kill your baby.” Rosie’s words stabbed her like a cold steel blade the terror ripped through her stealing her breath. The statement had the same effect on David who sat rigid and pale.

             
“Maybe we better leave.” His voice was weak.              

             
Rosie cut her penetrating eyes over to David.

             
“Why would you want to leave?”

             
He swallowed hard frightened by her eerie gaze.

             
“Cause it’s getting late.” He offered a lame excuse and Rosie didn’t buy it. She shook her head and chuckled sarcastically.

             
“Late? It’s only nine o’clock. Surely you young city folk stay out much later on a Saturday night than nine o’clock.”

             
Felicitas thought quickly. Although she had just confessed to Rosie that she didn’t think her crazy she would do her own quick assessment and determine if she and David should make a bonsai run for his truck. She baited Rosie with her first question.

             
“Why would anyone want to kill my baby?”

             
“Not anyone my dear….just them.”

             
Her answer was vague so Felicitas shot off another.

             
“Who are they? My family?”

             
“Lord no! Not your family.” Rosie shook her head. “My Lord child, your dad may be bullheaded and full of shit but I don’t think he’d intentionally hurt a hair on your head.”

             
Felicitas felt a bit of relief. “Then who?”

             
Rosie shook her head, “Not tonight dear. I don’t think it wise to discuss it tonight. Not before bed, no I wouldn’t dare talk about them before you go to bed.”

             
“Why not, I don’t frighten that easily.”

             
“That’s ‘cause you haven’t encountered them yet.”

             
David ran his fingers through his coarse black hair and shifted his position on the couch.

             
“Well I don’t scare easy myself but I gotta admit you’re freaking me out a bit. I don’t mean to be rude but I’m not sure we should stay here tonight.”

             
Rosie ignored David and cocked her head back against the stone wall eyeing only Felicitas. She thought a few minutes keeping her finger pressed over her lips before speaking.

             
“Okay.” She said. “You deserve to know, but I will let Grant tell you. He’s better at telling stories than I am. In the meantime make yourselves comfortable and I’ll put on a pot of coffee. You like coffee don’t you David?”

             
David shifted again. “Uhh yea…yes ma’am.”

             
“Who’s Grant?” Felicitas asked.

             
Rosie smiled, Grant’s a friend he’s been around for years but he comes and goes, hovering around…. I never know when he will show up but I’m pretty sure he’ll show up tonight once he gets wind you‘re here. I’ll make some hot cider for you dear, no caffeine remember?”

             
Rosie disappeared into her kitchen. Felicitas was wondering if they should make a run for it and by David’s expression she knew he was having the same thought.

             
“You’re freaked out aren’t you?”

             
“Hell yes! She’s as crazy as a loon! And who’s this Grant?” David said waving his arms about. “Some creepy apparition that appears and talks to her or something?  Remember what your dad said about her communing with the dead. Come on Taz; let’s get out of here while we can. We don’t even have cell reception to call 911 if we need help.”

             
Felicitas wanted to laugh. She had never seen David so terrified let alone so animated.

             
“I know it seems weird but I don’t think she’s dangerous.”

             
“That’s what you think, I half expect her to come out of the kitchen with an axe in her hand!”

             
“I agree she’s a bit bizarre but I need to hear her out. If you want to leave I totally understand.”

             
David ran his hands through his hair again.

             
“Bizarre? She thinks someone wants to kill your baby.”

             
Felicitas could see he wanted to leave but his devotion to her would not allow him to abandon her in such a place. He sighed at her inspection of him and the pleading look in her deep blue eyes.

             
“Damn it Taz. I’ll stay…I’ve had a good life. What does it matter if it all ends tonight anyway?”

             
Felicitas laughed and wrapped her arm around his then placed a warm kiss on his cheek. He blushed.

             
“At least I’ll die a happy man.”

             
The front door burst open slamming against the wall. The cold October wind rushed into the room attacking the flames in the fireplace. Already on edge, Felicitas and David jumped to their feet whirling around to the open door. David let out a frightened scream as an unshaven man burst through the door with an axe clenched in his hand. 

             
Felicitas eyes widened in shock. She had seen him earlier today in the store, right before he threw a rock at the plate glass window allowing her to escape.

             
“Oh my God it’s you!”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

             
“Damn boy, be a man, why are you yellin’ like a girl? Not afraid of a little firewood are you?” Uncurling his left arm the unshaven man dropped three large logs   to the floor. He placed the axe against the wall, wiped his hands on his jeans.              David’s face went from pale to crimson as he watched the unshaven man toss a log on the fire and leave the room.

             
“I feel so gay.” He collapsed on the couch again. Felicitas didn’t sit. She still stood wide eyed watching the unshaven man disappear around the corner. 

             
Rosie entered the living room with hot coffee, cider and homemade muffins on a tray. She placed the treats on the hearth and then poked at the fresh log stirring up the embers.

             
“I heard you met Grant.” She said winking at David. “He’s washing up. He’ll be in shortly. Better get comfortable I got a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”

             
David sighed when he realized there would be no escaping anytime soon he nodded his head toward the telephone sitting on the end table.

             
“Do you mind if I use your phone? I don’t have any cell reception here.”

             
Rosie eyed him suspiciously. “Who you gonna call?”

             
David cleared his throat, “My mother. She’ll be worried if I don’t come home. I’m going to tell her I’m stayin' the night at my friend Danny’s. Then I’m gonna call Danny and tell him if anyone asks that I’m with him.”

             
Rosie thought a moment; a characteristic Felicitas noticed was common practice before she responded to any question or situation.

             
“You sure you want to stay and hear this? Because once you do, you will be marked. They will know that you know.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, David picked up the receiver and began dialing the old rotary phone
             

“I’m not leaving T
az, so it looks like I’m stayin'. If that marks me then so be it. Besides I’ve endured this much, I can’t wait to hear the rest.”

             
The twinkle in Rosie’s eye relaxed Felicitas until Grant entered the room and took a seat in the plush arm chair across from her. She took in a deeper inspection of him than she was allowed at the convenience store. He seemed younger than she first anticipated. She guessed him to be in his late thirties or early forties. It was always hard for her to guess the age of adults. He stared back at her through the sandy brown hair that hung in his eyes. The fact that he was quite attractive relaxed her some.

             
“So how long have you known my grandmother?” Felicitas decided to take control of the conversation.”

             
“A long time.”

             
His answer was short and he offered no more information. Felicitas concern returned.

             
“Are you two dating?”

             
Rosie let out a loud cackle. “Land sakes child you do flatter me. But I do like the way you think.”

             
Felicitas continued her interrogation of Grant wanting more information on the man who had obviously followed her into the store this afternoon and then lured her here with his mysterious note.

             
“Who are you and how do you know where I was last week?” Rosie reveled in the sound of Felicitas calling her grandma again after all these years.

             
Grant didn’t answer her instead he relaxed in his chair and sipped his coffee all the while starring at her over the rim of his mug. His inspection made her uncomfortable and she shifted on the couch hoping he wouldn’t notice. Then a flash, as an image of his face flickered in her head but as quick as the memory surfaced it faded.  She gasped and he noticed. Her stomach dropped with the distinct feeling that maybe this man knew where she was all week because he had been with her but before she could ask Rosie spoke up.

             
“I followed the story of your disappearance in the paper. Needless to say I was worried sick but not at all surprised. I’ve known this would happen for some time. I tried to warn your parents years ago but your father wouldn’t listen and I am afraid my persistence in the matter resulted in the alienation of your family.”

             
Felicitas was intrigued.

             
“How could you know I was going to disappear for a week?” She glanced over at Grant, suspicion showing in her eyes. “Unless you had something to do with it.”

             
Grant leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He tossed his head shaking away the hair hanging in his eyes.

             
“Ever hear the name Chowilawu?”

             
Felicitas shook her head.

             
“Didn’t think so. He was adopted by the Shawnee sometime around 1790. His name means joined together by water. He was given the name because the Indians found him when he was an infant lying in an old well.”

             
Felicitas shifted again at the mention of the well and her thoughts went back to last night at the hospital when Esther described the spine-chilling landmark. Again she could tell Grant was aware of her discomfort. He eyed her close and continued.

             
“The chief of the tribe said the spirits told him that Chowilawu was a prince and the heir to a throne in another world. Said the spirits told him that his tribe had been chosen to protect the child. They raised him as one of their own. The tribe thrived after that and they considered Chowilawu a blessing from God.”

             
Grant stopped for a moment sipped his coffee and then removed his eyes from Felicitas and starred into the fire.

             
  “When he was twenty he met a young white girl by the name of Velma Truitt; they fell in love. Velma’s father was a powerful affluent man and forbid her from loving a savage so Velma ran away with Chowilawu. Velma’s father James Truitt spent a fortune chasing them and put a rather large price on Chowilawu’s head.  To protect the tribe they fled and settled somewhere in the hills of Tennessee. They had two children Ruby and Cornelius. When Ruby was five and Cornelius two, Chowilawu disappeared. Velma searched for him, even went back to the tribe but he was nowhere to be found. She feared her father’s men had found him and put a bullet through his head. Heart broke she returned to their home hoping someday he would come back. Fifty years later he shows up but he hasn’t aged a day. Velma is now an old woman and his kids are grown and gone. He tells her a story of where he’s been and she writes it down and makes two books. He instructed her to pass it on generation after generation giving it to the firstborn child. By that time Velma was seventy three years old. She had lived long enough to see her daughter Ruby’s great great granddaughter Joanne. She gave one of the books to her. The other she gave to Cornelius’s grandson. The books were passed on just as Chowilawu instructed. By the year 1940 one of the books was in the hand of a woman by the name of Myrtle. She gave birth to a daughter named Rosie and gave her the book for her sixth birthday.

             
Rosie stood and smoothed out her cotton dress. She lifted a heavy brass candlestick from the mantle and pulled a key out from under the bottom then placed it in the antique lock of a small trunk and continued Grant’s story.

             
“I gave the book to your mother and she tried to give it to you on your sixth birthday. You were celebrating here. Your father became angry and didn’t want you to have the book. A fight erupted and he threw it into the fire.”

             
Rosie opened a small wooden chest and removed a bundle wrapped in a soft cloth.  She carried it over to Felicitas and placed it in her lap. It was then Felicitas realized Rosie must have gotten the burns on her hands by trying to save the beloved heirloom.  Untying the wrapping she uncovered a small book. True to Rosie’s story it was partially burned. She thumbed through the pages being careful not to destroy the aging parchment any further.

             
Immediately intrigued she wanted to curl up near the fire and read what was hidden in the pages, the story that would reveal where Chowilawu had been and possibly where she too had spent last week.

             
“So Reed’s legend of the disappearing man is actually true.”

             
Grant became suspicious. “Who the hell is Reed?”

             
“Reed’s heard this story too?” David was shocked.

             
“Who the hell is Reed?” Grant persisted.

             
“He’s a friend. I was at his place the night I disappeared. He told my friend Esther a story about a disappearing man and about some well that he thinks is the gateway to the afterlife.”

             
The room fell silent except for David’s nervous laughter. Felicitas knew she had said something vital.

             
Grant narrowed his eyes.

             
“Did your friends actually see the well?”

             
“Yes, Esther told me he took her there the night I disappeared.”

             
Grant sighed.

             
“These friends of yours, Reed and Esther, must be the two I spooked in the woods the night you showed back up. I might need to have a talk with them.”

             
Felicitas stomach turned. She had no desire to draw anyone else into this bizarre turn of events than necessary. There were still questions her grandmother hadn’t answered but before she could ask them David beat her to the punch.

             
“So you never told us who wants to kill Taz’s baby.”

             
Rosie took a bite of her muffin and nodded her head toward the couch.

             
“The book will tell you.”             

             
Felicitas stroked the heirloom and opened the cover.

The words were handwritten. She read the first page out loud:

              “These are the words of Sargon, grandson of King Uriah. On earth I am called Chowilawu.  I bear witness that the story told to me by the Guardian upon my returning to the Haret is a true accounting of what transpired and what will soon come to pass. The keeper of the books holds the destiny of all that is virtuous.”

             
Felicitas hands trembled to the point of almost losing her grip.

             
For the next hour she read aloud about two kingdoms; both inhabiting another world called The Haret. For centuries the rulers of these two kingdoms each governed an equal half of Haret. Their rule was one of benevolence and goodwill. Life on Haret was ideal, everyone lived harmoniously with one another until the wicked Drakes infiltrated and contaminated the chaste lineage of King Uriah.

             
King Uriah had two virgin daughters. Both fell in love; one with a noble man and the other secretly seduced by Draco, ruler of the underworld kingdom of the Drakes. Both daughters became pregnant. When the women gave birth, Draco set off a rebellion bringing an end to the two kingdoms of light. He announced the rise of his new kingdom, the kingdom of Shadows, and proclaimed his newborn son Savas as the heir. He ordered the end to the pure lineage of King Uriah by having the other child and his mother killed. A guardian of Haret intervened and swept the child away, bringing him to earth and giving him to the Shawnee. His name was Sargon which means true king. The Indians called him Chowilawu.

             
An oracle was put into place that one day a virgin from the line of Sargon would marry a prince from the uncontaminated lineage of King Pranay ruler of the second kingdom. She would conceive and give birth; the child would return to Haret and reunite the two kingdoms of light. This would put an end to the kingdom of Shadows and Draco’s rule.

             
The sole purpose of the Drakes is to destroy the baby, preventing his return to Haret and uniting of the two kingdoms. Despite their malicious ways they are bound by two rules set by the oracle. The first rule being they cannot destroy the child while it is still in the womb. Neither can they kill the virgin while she carries the baby.

             
The second; they can never force themselves upon the virgin to contaminate the pure lineage. They are free to seduce but the sexual act must be consensual. 

             
The oracle also stated that a great abyss will separate the prince from his true love, making it almost impossible for him to find her. Her purity will lead him and once he finds her their spirits will meet in another level of their consciousness. If their love is pure enough then a child will be conceived. Once the child enters the womb then the Prince will be granted permission to enter the stirring waters and join his love on the earth to protect her from the attacks of the drakes. However, a guardian will also be established on earth to protect the young virgin and her baby. The guardian will be the defender of the royal line and the only one who will know the way to lead them safely home.