Black Stump Ridge (33 page)

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, I cain’t say one way or t’ other ’bout yore young lady, there, but I got no doubts about th’ other woman. I knows a granny lady when I sees one, an’ this one looks like she might be pure blood Jool-AH-gee.”

“Your eyes do not deceive you despite your age,” Diane stepped forward with her right hand outstretched. “My name is Diane. Diane Ravenfeather. I am a
Tsalagi
medicine woman – a granny lady to you.”

Perdis set his shotgun aside and, after wiping the palm on his jeans, took her hand and shook it reverently. “I guess yore here t’ put things right, again.”

“I’m here to try.”

“If ennyone can help us it’d be you, ma’m. I jus’ hope you ain’t too late.”

“You and me both, Mr. Flowers. You and me both.”

“You can call me Purdie, ma’m. Everyone does.”

“It would give me great pleasure, sir.”

“Well, ma’m, if there’s anything at all that I kin do t’ help y’all, you just let me know.”

“Well, Mr. Flow – Purdie – there just might be at that.”

“Name it.”

“I know your store’s closed and there’s nothing on your shelves, but there are some local plants – some herbs and stuff – that I’ll be needing. If we were in Oklahoma, I’d know right where to find them, but seeing as this is Tennessee…”

“I know just what you’re talkin’ ’bout. Well, I don’t personally know, but there’s someone back in the holler who just might. Name’s Betty June. She’s our granny lady, now, although it seems a mite strange t’ call someone who’s so young Granny. I’ll get word to ’er t’ meet with you at the cabin.”

“That would be great.” Diane gave him a huge smile. “The sooner, the better. We need to do this on the next full moon.”

Perdis thought for a moment. “That’s only nine days away. I’ll see if Levi’s aroun’. He could prob’ly do it faster’n this ol’ body could. If not, I’ll go back there m’self.”

“If you could just tell me about where she lives…”

“No offense, ma’m, but she’s a mite skittish since thet night. She don’t know you an’ she might not take kindly t’ strangers walkin’ up on her.”

“You knew who and what I was.”

“She might, too. But, why take chances if you need somethin’ so soon? Time’s no one’s friend.”

“Okay. Perhaps you know best. You live here, after all, and I don’t. It’s certainly been my pleasure to meet you, Purdie, and I hope to talk to you more before we leave.”

“Me, too.”

Diane looked at Fred. “Why don’t we head up to the cabin? I need to check things out and start making preparations.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Fred replied. “Purdie, you’re welcome up there any time. You know that.”

“Thank you,” the old man chuckled. He winked at Diane. “I just might stop by for a visit. Pleasure meetin’ you ladies. Sorry ’bout your daddy, Miss.”

“Amanda, Purdie. And, thank you.”

 CHAPTER THIRTY

“I saw an owl last night,” Diane said as she gathered materials and set them on the kitchen island.

“Tha’s a good omen, ain’t it?” Betty June watched as the older woman made her preparations. Purdie’s concerns had proven groundless. The young woman fairly ran to the cabin for the chance to meet and work with a Cherokee medicine woman. The opportunity to spend some time with three other people from whom she could learn other things and relieve the tedium of life in Truly’s cabin only added to the enticement.

“One of the best. It’s the Creator’s favorite bird.”

“Why is that?”

“Didn’t Truly tell you any of the legends?”

“Some. Th’ ones she remembered or thought was important. She teached me ’bout herbs an’ remedies an’ all that. That – that thing, it took her ’fore she could teach me ’bout th’ Cherokee. She tol’ me a coupla times ‘at she was plannin’ t’ take me over t’North Caro
li
na but it never happened. I been tryin’ t’ use her Shadow book but I only got to sixth grade an’ even then m’ readin’ warn’t so good. An’ she wrote in strange letters an’ I have t’ look’em up an’ match’em an’ what all so it takes me awhiles. Sometimes it makes m’head hurt.”

“Well, I don’t have a lot of time because I need to get ready for tonight. I guess I have time for one story.” Diane place her rolled up medicine rug on the island next to her bowl and then led the girl – young woman, really, although she seemed very child-like at times – to the dining room where both sat down.

“This is what my people, the
Tsalagi
– the Cherokee to you – believe to be true. A long time ago when someone powerful was making everything, he asked the trees and animals to stay awake while he created the world. It took seven days and seven nights and when it was over, only the owl and the cougar were still awake. The other animals and birds tried their best, but it was more than they could do. So, as a reward for staying awake with him, the Creator gave them both night vision and made them night hunters. Sometimes the feathers on top of the owl’s head make him look like a cat, which honors his brother, the cougar.

“Anyway, of the trees only the cedar, the pine, the spruce, the laurel, and the holly trees stayed awake all seven nights. Because of this, they were given special power. They were permitted to keep their leaves all year long. They are the most important plants in
Tsalagi
medicine and ceremonies.”

Betty June looked at the kitchen island. “That is why you carved your bowl from the spruce log you had me find.”

Diane patted her hand. “Exactly. Spruce is our most sacred wood. We often use it to carry our honored dead.”

“I hope it don’t come to that tonight.”

“Come to what?” Amanda asked as she entered the room.

“Diane was tellin’ me about th’ owl an’ th’ cougar an’ th’ sacred trees,” Betty replied softly. “She tol’ me how th’ spruce is their most sacred tree an’ how they use it t’ carry their dead. I jus’ said how I hope it don’t come t’ that.”

Amanda stifled a shiver. It bothered her that a woman of twenty-five or so should act like a thirteen-year-old girl. Sometimes she wondered if Betty was putting them on. At other times, however, she understood and wondered at the trauma that had so arrested her development.

My God,
she thought.
Tonight is the second night of the full moon cycle. The creature is supposed to be at his weakest. Tonight will decide everything.

“Amanda, are you all right?” Diane asked. “You’re so pale.”

“Huh? What?” she stammered. “Oh. No. Yes. I’m fine. Really.”

She looked at Diane and then looked away.
Should I tell her about last night? About the fiddle music? No. She’s got enough on her mind. Besides, it was probably just some neighbor playing his stereo with the window open. Sound travels at night. It doesn’t mean anything bad. Does it? No, probably not. I’d just look silly. She only spoke about small drums, not fiddles.

“Maybe you should go down to Purdie’s tonight.”

“And miss the show? I don’t think so. I’ve come too far to turn back now. Besides, that
thing
killed my father. I have to see this through.”

Diane studied Amanda’s face a moment longer. “All right. Where’s Fred? We need to go over a few things before I set up for tonight. I’m going to be very busy soon so I only want to explain this one time.”

“I’ll get him,” Betty’s voice betrayed her interest.

“Get who?” Fred replied from the other doorway.

Amanda covered her smile with her hand. Betty’s naïveté gave her away; she was incapable of guile. Amanda felt sorry for the girl, for girl she was in romantic matters. Fred saw Betty as a child and no more. To him the age difference was a very real wall between them. Amanda still struggled to get Fred to see past the one between the two of them. When this was over she figured she would have to find a secluded place to trip him and beat him to the floor.

“You, silly,” Betty said in her best little girl voice. She slipped to his side and entwined her arm through his. “Diane has some things she wants t’ tell us ’bout t’night.”

“Is that so?” Fred disengaged the girl’s arm and walked behind Diane to the opposite side of the table. His discomfort showed clearly on his face, although only Amanda saw it as he faced away from the others. He slid the ladder-back chair away from the table, turned it around, and sat next to Amanda with his arms crossed over the back.

Betty looked at Fred and then at Amanda. For a moment her glance smoldered. Then, she regained control, smiled, and returned to her seat.

Hmm.
Amanda thought.
Maybe I’m underestimating her. Better not turn your back on that one, Amanda Sue Carlyle. No telling what might happen. A blade might be the least of your problems. It doesn’t really matter, though. Everything will be over tonight, one way or another, and we’ll be leaving tomorrow. Unless she’s a lot better at mountain magic or whatever it is she does back in that cabin of hers than she lets on, this will be nothing but a bad memory.

“What I’m telling you now is for all of our safety, but especially mine as I will be the one in the crosshairs both figuratively and literally. This thing has been through this before, so it won’t be as easy to trap him as it was when Grandfather Red Bear did it the first time.”

She paused. “Is there any coffee left? I need some caffeine.”

“What about your purification?” Amanda asked as she got up to go to the kitchen.

“Honey, I’m about as purified as I’m gonna get. Ain’t nothin’ gonna turn me into a Vestal Virgin. What I need now is some fire in my veins. I need rocket fuel.”

Amanda returned a moment later and set a steaming mug in front of her. “Do you need cream or sugar?”

“No, thanks. The sugar rush doesn’t last long enough to do me any good. This right here is exactly what I need.” She took a sip and made a face as the hot liquid burned her mouth.

“I’m sorry. I should have warned you…”

“Warned me what? That the coffee was hot? Don’t be silly. You can’t make coffee without heating up the water.” Diane took another sip, this time slower. “I never did understand that lawsuit. Coffee’s a hot liquid. Period. Unless they’re drinking it for the first time, any fool should know that coffee is hot.

“As I was saying,” Diane set the mug on the table and stared into the dark liquid. “I’ll be taking my things outside to make my final preparations. I have to make my medicine wheel. I need to set some other things up for tonight, too. It will take me a couple of hours of steady workin’ so I won’t be able to answer any questions. If you have any, ask them now.”

“Is everythin’ a secret, like th’ things Granny showed me?” Betty asked. “Or, can we watch what y’ do?”

“You can watch as long as you don’t talk or ask me any questions. I’ll be focusing all of my thoughts on what I’m doing. I don’t need the distraction. From this point on distractions could get us all killed. I’m not kidding. Do you all understand what I’m saying?”

“Is there anything I can do to help you,” Amanda asked softly, “maybe save you some time?”

“Like what, dear?”

“Oh, I don’t know…”

“Exactly,” Diane patted her hand and looked each one of them in the eye before continuing. “Once I’m finished out there, I’ll come inside to get myself ready. I have to pray and do a ritual cleansing of my person before I start the ceremony. I dare not leave anything to chance. Please, do not touch anything in the circle while I’m in here. Not anything. I don’t care if a dust devil knocks everything akimbo. I don’t care if a squirrel runs across the wheel and craps on something in the middle. I can fix those things and you can’t. If you try, I’ll just have to start over. We don’t have the time. Tonight the moon will be at its fullest, which means
he
will be at his weakest. After tonight, he starts getting stronger. If we fail tonight I don’t think he’ll give us another chance.

“When I come out, I will be dressed in traditional
Tsalagi
medicine attire. To your eyes I may look like something out of an Old West movie. I expect you to show respect and to not laugh or make comments. I don’t think any of you would, but I have to say it. I’m not worried about my feelings. I’ve become used to ridicule and derision over the years. It’s the distraction. I cannot stress enough that distractions will get us killed.

“I will set up my medicine wheel about thirty feet southwest of the opening. If you plan to observe,” she paused and looked at them all again and saw the resolve in their expressions, “and I truly wish you wouldn’t, but I don’t see any way to stop you short of a bullet. That’s out because I don’t carry a gun, so I want you to all line up about fifty feet south of my medicine wheel.

“At no time are any of you to say or do anything. No matter what happens, stay in your spot and do not move. No matter what you see, stay put. This creature is cunning and powerful. He will pull your darkest fears from deep within you and use them against you. He will twist your most awful secrets, and make you see and hear things that will terrify you. He may make you see me torn apart to get you to rush to my aid and stop what I’m doing. Ignore it. None of it is real. Remember that. It is all illusion. If you give in to it, you are doomed, and you may doom all of us with you. Besides, if I fall, he won’t waste his time with illusion anymore. He will simply kill you all, and there will be
nothing
you can do about it.”