Chapter 12
Urien Collins. His name was Urien Collins.. He clung to that knowledge even if he could not make sense of it.
Where was he?"
"Hey, kid!"
Where was he?
"Hey, kid, can you hear me?"
Robert Loomis was there. Urien somehow recognized him.
"What am I doing here? Who are you... you are dead, aren't you?"
"Yes. Dead. I am dead."
"It was an accident. I remember."
"That was what they thought, wasn't it?"
"I had noting to do with it!"
"Dumb kid. I didn't say it was you. You are as dumb as Willie or that bloodsucker."
"I told you, I didn't do it!"
"No, it wasn't you. It was that woman."
"What woman?"
"Are you dumb, son? There was a woman, I tell you. I stole her jewels and she did not like it."
"But..."
"Don't interrupt, kid. After all, you are not saying anything smart. It is this woman. She holds power over fine. There are more like her. And I know that I can destroy her one day if she's not careful. I did not give myself to her, so she cannot claim me. I am only the first, but there will be others. It may be a long wait, but our time will come."
"I don't understand."
"That's then problem with being dead. No one listens anymore. It's no fun being dead. Not a single joint where to buy a drink! I am not sure if this place is supposed to be Heaven or Hell."
"Why am I here? Am I dead?"
"Nope, you ain't dead. You are just visiting. Go tell that no-good son of mine to send his sold man some booze. And tell him how I died. As if he cared."
Robert Loomis vanished. And Urien was being pulled back, unit.. he realized that he was in a bed.
"Well, kid, welcome back." George said to him.
"What...?"
"Yes, the effects should wear off quickly now, if Barnabas was right. All those finger marks have vanished by now."
"What happened?"
"You had a run in with Petofi's hand."
"There was this woman, in the library. The same one who came earlier. She had broken in and was throwing books around. I tried to call the cops and then..."
"Then the hand grabbed you and you passed out."
"Hand? What hand?"
"It is a long story. Barnabas can explain it better."
"How long have I been like this?"
"For about two days. Barnabas said that you'd get well on your own, and when he wakes up \later today he'll be glad to know that he was right."
Urien nodded.
"I had a weird dream."
"You might have. I don't doubt it."
"It was about Loomis. He talked to me, he said that he had been murdered, but that I had not done it."
George nodded without much interest.
"You don't believe me?"
"I believe you dreamed. Whether it means anything, I would guess not. Loomis smoked in bed, and people who do that end up burning themselves. You should not blame yourself for it."
"Have you made the arrangements?" Patterson asked, a bit insolently.
"Yes. Jeff Thompson and his men will be here in a couple of weeks." Derek said.
"Good. I can't wait in Collinsport forever. Collinsport is not such a wonderful place that I can sit here and do nothing but watch the seagulls and be content."
"It is not so bad."
"I've had my fill of it and I don't want any more."
"A few more days will not make a difference."
"I hate this place! I wasted too many years here. And what for? To be kicked out and see them hand my job to that fag. Hey what's the matter with you?''
'You should not be calling Sheriff Brant those names."
"Why not? You think that it isn't true?"
"I don't like to hear him being called names."
"You believe that he is not one of those? He is, believe me."
"Still, it is wrong of you to say it that way."
"Why? You a fag yourself?'
"I have worked for him. He was always decent to me."
"Decent, ha! He probably wanted you in his bed."
"It is not me that he wants."
"Who then, Barnabas Collins? I always thought that he was a weird one, too. But I was not going to antagonize the Collins family by calling their cousin a fairy. But he's one too, all right."
"Patterson, for your sake, don't say any more."
"I wills say what I want."
They stood face to face, the two formidable old men. The gypsy seemed frailer than Munsungan, but except that,, Redwolf could see how alike the two of them were.
Their greeting was guarded, but not hostile.
"You know what happened to that which was ours."
"I instructed tat it should be returned to you."
"But it was not." the gypsy answered.
"The one holding it said that it had been taken from him and his child attacked. he said that a young woman of your tribe did it."
"I sent no young woman to retrieve it."
"I believe that he told the truth. What he heard and saw he repeated." he paused. "I know now that the woman's name is Zoya."
"Zoya... she came with Anton.. and left after he did."
Munsungan spoke solemnly "It was not Anton that she came back with. You know it. You know the truth. See it as it is, not as you'd have it."
The gypsy stared at Munsungan hard. Munsungan held his ground.
"You know the truth." Munsungan repeated.
The old man wept more, but Munsungan would not relent. Anton had not gone back to his father. He had died and been buried. Part of his body had been used to build Adam. But Adam was not Anton, could never be Anton.
"Anton is gone. He is lost to me." Ruslan admitted "he will never come back."
Munsungan nodded.
"Now that you know the truth, we must seek the hand and stop that young woman from consuming all of us in the flames."
David's eyes closed. Too early in the day to be so sleepy, he thought.. but he had eaten too much and had been studying late..
Hallie walked the baby, singing to it t make it sleep. And to make David sleep, too. She would fight Zoya today, and since David would not leave the house, she made sure that he'd not interfere nor know of her actions.
Eliot was about to fall asleep. So was David. They would fall asleep together and she would be able to settle her accounts with Zoya.
Zoya felt the hand throb. Hallie was about to claim her. It was time that she fought back. She laid the hand before her and concentrated on it, channeling its powers.
Hallie lighted the candles. five of them. She set them around her. Sunshine glittered on her as she knelt down and began her prayer to Ra. They she lifted her hand, flames at her fingertips and hurled a bolt of fire at Zoya.