Post by StoryGirl83 on Aug 27, 2008 23:16:53 GMT -5
Chapter Seventeen – The Crazy Maker
Sometime later they were no closer to a solution and some of them were getting frustrated. It just seemed like they were getting nowhere.
Chris was sitting on the couch. His head was slumped against the back with his eyes rolled up at the ceiling.
Wyatt was standing a few feet from him next to where Gary still stood in the circle of crystals. He had a scowl on his face.
Kali was still by the door frame. She didn’t want to get in the way, but standing motionless was beginning to get to her.
Mark and Beth were still against the wall. Beth looked about ready to make a break for it, but she stayed put for her brother’s sake. It was kind of nice to feel that her older brother needed her.
Arie had given up all pretence of interest in their efforts. She was still seated at the computer desk, but she had turned around more than twenty minutes before and was on the internet.
There was a neat pile of crumpled papers on the floor ripped, one by one, out of Chris notepad. The notepad itself sat on the couch next to Chris.
“Well, that was a waste of time.”
Wyatt looked at his brother. “At least we know why there’s no summoning in the Book. He can’t be summoned.”
Arie twirled around in her computer chair. “I think he can. Take a look.”
Willing to do anything at that moment so long as it ended in action, Chris stood and walked over to the computer, his brother close at his feet. “What is it?”
“It’s an excerpt from a book, The Crazy Maker,” she told them pointing at the screen. “I looked it up; that is, loosely translated, what Galskaper means.”
Looking over her shoulder, Wyatt began to read aloud. “I fought him hard, but it was as if with every passing second he impressed more of his will on me until I submitted to him. Three hours later a man was dead. I’ll not give you the details; the horror of the matter grips me. I see no need to torment anyone else.” Wyatt turned around and looked at Gary.
Gary shivered and turned his head to look at Mark who, if not for Kali, would have been dead at Gary’s hand. He could well understand the man’s thoughts.
Mark met his eyes with a sigh. For once he met them and held them, willing to look his attacker in the eye.
Wyatt looked back at the computer. “I scream for him, but where he would come before every time I had doubts, now he ignores my pleas, making me a little more crazy. The man’s face drives me insane as he asks over and over, again, ‘why?” I want now only to end this, but before I do I want to give someone a fighting chance against this monster, this demon who plagues me.” Wyatt stopped and looked at Arie. “I don’t see anything about calling him.”
Arie scrolled down the page. “Read here.”
Wyatt took in a deep breath and began reading, again. “After numerous attempts I finally succeeded in getting him there, but in the most peculiar of ways. A neighbor came over to ask to borrow something, what is not relevant. While I was in the kitchen he noticed my notes. When I came back he asked about it. He wanted to know what the name went with. I explained and to my surprise he seemed to understand better than I. He explained that he had a magical background, but less magical power than I had at present. In fact until a few years prior he had thought the magic of his people a myth. The new leader of his tribe, that’s what he called them, a tribe, had been like him. Then, attacks on them had forced her not only into a leadership position, but also into a belief in magic.”
As Wyatt read Kali’s eyes grew wide. She walked over to the computer, standing silently behind Wyatt. Oh, my word. Is that what I think it is?
Not noticing Kali, Wyatt kept reading. “He asked if I would like him to try and call the monster, demon he called him. I said I would. He got out some paper and a pen and wrote something down. He folded the paper. Then, he asked for a candle. He lit the candle, said some words, and holding the paper above the candle he watched it burn. Then, he looked at me. He told me to try, again. He stepped out of the way and I tried to call the monster. This time he came.”
“I know this story,” Kali informed all of them, suddenly.
Wyatt stopped and looked at her. The eyes of the others in the room turned to her as well. It was Wyatt who spoke. “You mean you can guess how it ends.”
Kali shook her head. “No, I know the story, how it begins, how it ends, stuff not in the book. I know the story.” When Chris started to say something she shook her head. “I explain later. I know how to get him summoned.”
“We don’t know what he wrote on the paper or what he said,” Chris protested.
Kali picked up the notepad from the couch. She scribbled some words on the pad and handed it to Chris. “Yes, we do.”
Chris looked down and silently read the words on the pad. It read, “Eternally cursed by Dudarova word, allow this victim’s summons heard.” Chris frowned as he looked up. “By who’s word?”
“The gypsy who helped the man,” Kali informed him simply.
“How do you . . ?” Chris trailed off, at a loss.
“A candle please,” Kali requested, focusing only on the task at hand. Please, Chris. I can’t answer that. I just can’t. Some things hurt too much to share, even as long as I have known you.
Mark left the room, glad for something to do.
“You know this man,” Chris accused.
“No,” Kali replied with a sad shake of her head. “He died before I was born, only a few months after this.”
“But he did know your mom,” Chris pressed. “She’s the leader he mentioned there. Isn’t she?”
Kali nodded, her words almost a whisper. “Yes.”
Mark returned to the room then. He had a candle in hand. “Will this work?”
Kali nodded and took the candle from him. “Thanks. Did you bring matches? I forgot about them.”
Mark held out his other hand and grinned. “Anything else?”
Kali grinned back, taking the matches, and shook her head. She put the candle and the matches on the computer desk. She walked over to where Chris stood. “May I have the paper back?”
Chris ripped the paper she wrote on off the pad and handed it to her. “Sure.”
Taking the paper in hand, Kali began to fold it.
“I don’t much care for doing nothing,” Wyatt comment as he watched her.
Kali looked up, a haunted look in her eyes. “Oh, you won’t be. I only know how to get him here. I don’t know how to vanquish him. No one does.”
Mark sighed and headed back out of the room.
Wyatt nodded satisfied. He didn’t like the fact that no one knew how to defeat the demon, but he did like the fact that he wasn’t going to have to stand by and do nothing.
Kali turned to Arie. “Would you mind holding the candle so I can light it?”
Arie picked up the candle and held it up steady. She waited restless.
Kali took out a match and struck it against the edge of the box. She brought the lit match to the candle and watched the candle catch fire. She blew out the match and used the other hand to pick up the folded piece of paper. She held the paper over the candle, allowing it to catch fire. In a whispered voice she said, “Eternally cursed by Dudarova word, allow this victim’s summons heard.”
Mark returned to the room with a small metal dish. Wordlessly he placed it on his computer desk.
Kali looked at him with a grin before she dropped the burning paper and the spent match into the dish. Her voice still a whisper she said, “Thanks.”
Whispering back, Mark asked, “Why are we whispering?”
A frown covered her lips, but she spoke in a normal voice. “I don’t know. It seems like a silence moment.”
No one said a word as the paper slowly stopped burning, leaving only ashes remaining.
Kali looked up at Gary. “Try now.”