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of anger–quickly
suppressed, but where was the passion? She knew with the turn of a screw, she
could open him up. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she said. “I know—sorry darling, you
never promised me a rose garden...”
    “Goddamn it, Beth, enough with the
melodrama. I was with my family tonight. My entire family. You’re the one who
ran out of there as soon as the clock struck ten.”
    “Your son had to get home, Gary. Believe it
or not, three-year olds need sleep.”
    “He was fine sleeping on the coats and
blankets my sister laid out. You’re the one who bailed on family tonight.”
    “ We are your family, Gary.” Her voice rose and she took a step toward him. “Zachary
and I are your family!”
    Before he could respond, if he’d intended on
responding at all, the room instantly turned ice cold. The vague scent of pipe
wafted by, and not just any pipe smoke: Sailor Black brand. By his facial expression, Gary must have
smelled it too. He exhaled. A stream of his breath looked as thick as smoke.
Even on the crisp, October night, it wasn’t this cold outside.
    “What is it?” she asked, staring deeply into
Gary’s eyes. She believed in the paranormal; he did not.
    “Henry. He’s here?” He uttered the words as
though trying to convince himself that they were true.
    Two months prior her eldest brother Henry
had died.
    The first chime of the clock struck. Its
harmonious tones were still ringing when Zachary screamed.
    They bolted for his bedroom and arrived
before the clock’s third chime. The toddler was standing on his bed. His eyes
were wide and he reached toward the corner of the ceiling. It may have just
been shadows, but the darkness stirred there.
    “But,” he said. “Don’t want come.”
    With the smell of Sailor Black tobacco thick in the air, for
a moment, Beth wondered who had been smoking in the room. She darted for her
boy and snatched him in her arms.
    Gary flicked on the lights, but the darkness
in the corner lingered. Gary blanched.
    A voice said, “He is my godson. It must be passed to him.”
     “Leave my son alone!” Beth said,
clutching Zachary.
    “No,” Zach said, still reaching toward the
dark entity. “Stay me. Stay me!”
    “Zachary.” Beth pulled his arm down. “No!”
    He closed and opened his extended hand
repeatedly. “Stay!”
    He had no sooner uttered the word than the
blackness swooped down at him. It disappeared into his mouth and nostrils. Zach
collapsed unconscious in her arms.
    Just as quickly as the apartment had gone
cold, it returned to a normal temperature. Looking at her son, Beth saw the
blood.
    She screamed.

Chapter Five
     
    “So has she done that before?” Zach asked,
after they’d ordered lunch.
    Zach had been queasy since the events on the
quad, and the aroma of rich Italian food that Zach normally adored, did nothing
to settle his stomach. He was conflicted. On one hand, he was nervous that
Sashza had somehow sensed the spirit housed inside his body, had somehow
discovered his possession. Given her terror at whatever vision she had, Zach
suspected she would have bluntly pointed him out had she uncovered his secret.
On the other hand, he was anxious because she may not have been referring to
his condition—which meant someone else was hiding an even more sinister secret.
    “Done what?” Bryce asked.
    “What she did at the quad?”
    “Oh, yeah, no. Well, she does get intuitions
and feelings and suspicions. She’s swooned before, but I’ve never seen her as
shaken and scared as she was today.”
    “She will relent and show up
tomorrow, won’t she?” Sara asked.
    Bryce ripped a piece of bread from the loaf
on the table and shrugged. “Might work out better for the show if she doesn’t.
If our fans see that Rosewood is too creepy for Sashza. More dramatic that
way.” He shoved the bread into his mouth.
    “Was that planned?” Zach asked.
    “Nnnnt mmmm.” Bryce shook his head fiercely.
    Zach continued. “I want to be up front here.
Just