Fever (4 page)

‘I’ll text him in a sec,’ Eve said. ‘Right now I’m setting a reminder alarm. I’m going to be checking the portal once a week to make sure the block is still strong.’

Jess laughed.

‘What?’ Eve asked.

‘It just seems weird to do witch stuff on your phone,’ her friend said. ‘Although probably if Lord Medway was trying to make a deal with Malphas today, he’d use a cell too.’

‘I’m thinking demons don’t have access to phones on the other side.’ Eve turned back and ran her fingers over the web again, just to see it spark, just to prove it was still there. Lord Medway must have been truly and deeply crazy to have made a deal with Malphas – or with any demon. Demons were bad news. But then to create a portal to hell and swear that your children and grandchildren would open it every hundred years to let Malphas return? It was like putting a curse on your own family! Lord Medway should have known better. Anyone should have known better. And Lord Medway was a pilgrim. They were supposed to be all religious, right? Not that you had to be religious to know that opening a door to hell was bad.

‘OK, now on to important business,’ Jess said, pulling Eve away from the portal – and her dark thoughts. ‘Shopping!’

They started down Medway Lane, which led in a big loop from the downtown area of Main Street to the beachfront properties and back again. It wasn’t a terribly long walk, but in this heat, Eve felt like they couldn’t get to the stores – and the air conditioning – fast enough.

‘Ice cream first or shopping first?’ Jess asked.

‘Shopping,’ Eve said. ‘The ice cream would just melt, anyway.’

‘OK, so … PJs. Were you thinking actual pyjama pyjamas or are you open to nightgowns?’ Jess asked.

‘Pyjama pyjamas,’ Eve answered as they walked, trying to stay in the shade of the maple trees that lined the road. ‘Nightgowns seem …’ She shrugged.

‘Like you’re trying too hard,’ Jess agreed. ‘You want to look your cutest without seeming like you’re trying to look cute at all. Easy-peasy. Luke would think you looked cute if you came to breakfast in those Care Bear PJs you like to wear when you’re sick.’

‘Luke is never seeing those,’ Eve said. She narrowed her eyes at Jess. ‘Luke is never
hearing
about them, either. Or there will be consequences. Consequences involving Seth finding out about that stalkerette notebook you kept on him for an entire year back in seventh grade.’

Jess held her hands up in surrender, laughing. ‘The Care Bears are in the vault with all the other best friend secrets,’ she promised.

They reached the corner of Medway and Main, which was the beginning of Deepdene’s tiny shopping area. Pretty much every store and restaurant in town was located on these few Main Street blocks.

Eve stopped and took one of the masks her mother had given her out of her purse. ‘If my mom catches me around a bunch of people without this, I’m doomed.’

Jess hesitated. ‘Come on. Do it, Jess,’ Eve urged. ‘I think this is one of those very rare times where we’re both going to have to put safety above fashion. I don’t want you getting sick on me.’

‘It’s just that there aren’t a bunch of people,’ Jess answered.

‘On Main Street?’ Eve exclaimed. But Jess was right. There were only two people in sight – a woman carrying a truly amazing number of bags out of the wine and cheese shop, a long scarf wrapped over her mouth, and Mr Enslow, who stood in front of his hardware store, arms crossed over his chest.

It was just … wrong. On a Wednesday afternoon, half the people from school should be over here at Ola’s or Java Nation, and there were always people shopping the boutiques, even in the off-season.

‘Creepy,’ Eve said.

‘Do you think she left anything in the cheese place?’ Jess asked, watching the woman as she struggled to her car with her many, many bags.

‘I went to the grocery store with my mom yesterday, and there were lots of gaps on the shelves. My mom said people go into a hoarding mentality when there’s a crisis,’ Eve replied.

‘I guess it’s good our pantry is full,’ Jess said. ‘Although with Peter in the house … You know how he eats.’

Peter was Jess’s younger-by-one-year brother. And Eve had seen him eat many times – almost always with his mouth open to gross her out. He could definitely put the groceries away.

‘So, back to the vital business of pyjamas,’ Jess said. ‘How about we start at the Ralph Lauren boutique?’

‘Sounds like a plan.’ Eve dangled the elastic of her mask over one finger as they walked over to the boutique. If she got into a crowded spot, she’d put it on. But it really didn’t look like that was going to happen.

She took a deep, appreciative breath as they stepped into the shop. Some people raved about new-car smell, but for Eve, nothing beat the new-clothes smell. It should be made into a perfume. She’d buy it for sure.

Jess flipped through a rack of pyjama sets. ‘I love the pyjamas here. They’re so retro, like guys wear in old, old movies, except they’re tailored for a girl body.’ Jess’s voice sounded really loud in the almost deserted store. It was just her and Eve and one sales clerk. She held up a pair with simple blue stripes for Eve to look at. ‘Definitely cute. Definitely not trying too hard. Definitely sexy.’

‘Sexy isn’t on the list of requirements,’ Eve told her. ‘Luke isn’t my boyfriend, remember?’

‘I remember that he’s your lime popsicle,’ Jess replied. ‘And I also remember lime popsicles are your favourite.’

Footsteps
.

Luke turned round, automatically on guard. He couldn’t shake the feeling a demon was behind the plague, and right now every sound he heard seemed like a potential threat. But it was just Eve and Jess, walking up the sidewalk of Sycamore Street towards the Evergold house, loaded down with colourful shopping bags. ‘Is there anything left for sale on Main Street?’ Luke called, smiling at them.

Eve raised one eyebrow as she grinned back. ‘You’re not exactly travelling light, either,’ she commented as she and Jess reached him.

Luke hitched his backpack higher on his shoulder. It kept sliding off, and the straps of his gym bag had just about worn a groove in the palm of his left hand. ‘I brought half the stuff in my wardrobe,’ he admitted. ‘I don’t know how long I’ll have to stay. And I’m not allowed back at the rectory, the sheriff said. They have the whole place, and the church, blocked off with police tape. No one gets through until there’s some kind of inoculation against Flu X. Or a cure.’

‘Which they
will
find. Soon. I know it,’ Eve told him. Jess nodded her agreement.

They were sweet. Big, fat liars, but sweet.

‘It just feels wrong to be over here,’ Luke said. ‘I should be with my dad. I mean, I’m really grateful to you, Eve. But it’s strange, being kicked out of my own house.’

‘At least you know your father is being taken care of,’ Jess said. ‘He probably feels better knowing he can’t infect you.’

‘Plus, my mom completely agrees that you shouldn’t be near your dad. She’s happy that you’re staying with us,’ Eve reassured him. ‘I know my dad will be too. Don’t worry about it at all. This is your home as long as you need to stay.’

‘Thanks,’ Luke answered. He was glad Eve had said he could stay, but now that he was standing in front of her he suddenly wondered if it would be weird. Half the time – at least – that he was around her he had this impulse to kiss her. If he were around her
all
the time …
Not your biggest problem right now
, he told himself. ‘And you’re right, Jess,’ he added. ‘My father wanted me out of there even more than the CDC people.’ The Center for Disease Control had recently sent in a team to help control the outbreak.

‘It’s not going to help him if you get sick as well,’ Eve gently reminded him.

‘I know. But still.’ Luke let out a sigh that felt like it had started in the soles of his feet.
Get a grip
, he ordered himself. ‘Anyway, at least I can do something here. I finished entering all the demon info we’ve gathered over the past few months onto my laptop, and I brought the books and journals we found hidden in the church. I’m not done translating everything, but I’m getting there. We’ll figure out how to stop this.’

Eve’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. ‘Didn’t you get my text? We checked the portal, and the force field thingy, or the fence, or whatever we’re calling it, was still live. I gave it some extra juice to make sure it stays that way. Plus I haven’t smelled any wood-smoke.’

‘Yeah, but even if the portal is closed, demons could’ve gotten in another way,’ Luke pointed out. ‘Helena wrote in her diary that she’d been able to summon demons, remember? That proves the portal isn’t the only way it can happen.’

‘True. It seems like every few weeks we’re running into new things we thought could never happen,’ Eve answered. ‘I’m still feeling like the most logical scenario is Mr Dokey bringing Flu X back from Egypt, but we should stay on guard. Maybe investigate a little.’

‘Helena’s dead,’ Jess reminded them. ‘And she was the last of the Medway descendants. Do you think there’s another wacko family in town who thinks it’s a good idea to try and make friends with demons?’

‘No …’ Luke wasn’t entirely sure what he thought, other than that the intense heat and the contagious disease outbreak were
not
natural. Somehow, a demon was behind what was happening in town. Luke could feel it in his gut, like a jagged stone.

‘Let’s get this stuff inside,’ Eve suggested, starting for her front door. Luke knew she didn’t fully agree with him, but at least she was open to the possibility that there was another demon they might have to fight.

‘Helena’s story is just one example,’ Luke said. ‘I bet the Order knows hundreds of ways that demons can get from hell to our world.’ He jerked his backpack into place again. ‘Maybe we should email them an update on what’s going on.’

The Order was an ancient association of those dedicated to hunting and killing demons. Luke, Jess, and Eve had learned of its existence when the wargs had invaded. The Order had sent Willem Payne, one of its members, to investigate the death of Kyle Rakoff, who was on the Deepdene High football team with Luke. It turned out that Kyle had been killed by a pack of the hell hounds, and Willem too had been slain by the creatures. Moments before he died, he’d given Luke his sword, a weapon that could kill demons.

‘I’m not sure we’re at the point where we should get the Order involved,’ Eve answered. She let her hand drop before it reached the doorknob and turned to face Luke. ‘I think we should wait until we have some evidence that there’s definitely something supernatural going on.’

‘But they gave us their contact info for a reason,’ Luke protested. ‘For all we know, the Order has info about a demon that causes people to get sick. Maybe something like this has happened before in another town. Even if it hasn’t, I bet they’ll have some ideas on what we have to do to stop it.’

‘We can talk about it more inside,’ Eve said, opening the front door. ‘Mom, Luke’s here!’ she called, her voice echoing through the big house. There was no answer.

Luke rested his heavy gym bag on the polished hardwood floor. Eve’s place was about five times bigger than the little rectory where he lived with his dad. Maybe her mother couldn’t hear her from the other side of the house.

‘Mom?’ she called again.

‘Wait, didn’t my mom rope your parents into the planning meeting tonight?’ Jess asked. She glanced over at Luke. ‘My mother runs practically every charity in Deepdene. She’s good at guilting people into being helpful. And now that your dad is—’

She clapped her hand over her mouth, her blue eyes wide with embarrassment.

‘Now that my dad is sick, she has to take over the patient outreach,’ he finished for her. ‘Visiting infected people and all that. It’s OK. I know my father would appreciate it.’

‘Well, this meeting is about more than just outreach,’ Eve said. She picked up Luke’s gym bag and headed for the curved staircase. ‘I totally forgot, Jess, but you’re right. My mom said she’s going to organize all the doctors in town to take shifts at the clinic, whether they practise there or not. And my dad’s going to the meeting straight from work. He’s good with organizing. He’s all about the flow charts and back-up plans.’

‘Deepdene’s going to need them with the way the infection is spreading. I saw a bunch of other houses cordoned off on my way over here,’ Luke answered, following Eve. He grabbed the back of the heavy bag to help her lift it up the steps.

‘We saw some too, when we were walking back from the Medway mansion,’ Jess said. ‘Do we know who else has gotten sick? Have you heard anything?’

‘I got a text that the coach is down,’ Luke said. ‘There have to be other people the way this is spreading, but I haven’t heard any more names.’

‘It could be anyone – anyone from school, just anyone.’ He could hear the fear in Jess’s voice. He wished he could come up with something to say to reassure her. But of course it could happen to anyone. It had just happened to his dad.

Upstairs, Eve opened the second door on the left. ‘Guest room,’ she told him. Luke carted his stuff inside with her help.

‘I can’t believe you carried all that over here by yourself,’ Eve said.

‘I thought about bringing the sword too,’ Luke answered. ‘But I’ve been keeping it hidden in the crypt under the church so my dad won’t stumble across it. The public health people practically kicked me off the property, so I couldn’t get it before I left.’

It was a special weapon, and with it feeling like darkness was converging on the town again, Luke wished now he had it close by. Payne had believed that only that sword – and twelve others just like it – had the strength to kill a demon, but he’d had to reconsider when he saw what Eve could do with her bare hands – her bare hands and her inherited power from the first Deepdene Witch.

‘If it turns out we need the sword, we’ll find a way to get it,’ Eve told him. ‘OK, so the chest of drawers is empty. The closet is mostly empty. You can put your stuff wherever you want to.’

Luke pulled open the closet door. ‘Well, it will be a little tight, but it’ll do,’ he joked. ‘That’s the biggest closet I’ve ever seen!’