Chapter 11

"Beth! Beth! What's wrong?"

Beth groaned, "I don't know. I just feel so… tired. My head is killing me, and I feel like the whole world is spinning."

Alice stood up. "I'll get Mrs. Rice. Maybe she has some… medicine or something."

"No!" Beth grabbed her hand. "Please."

"What? If it's that bad-"

"She… she's probably doing this to me."

Alice frowned, "Why would she do that though? No, I know you think she's weird, but do you really think she's making you sick?"

Beth nodded weakly.

Alice sighed. Beth obviously needed help and she didn't know what to do for her. Her instinct had always been to run to the nearest adult, but she wasn't sure that she trusted Lyness's mother any more than Beth did. "What if I call your mom?" she finally suggested. "She's supposed to be here soon anyway. Maybe she can get here early."

"Alright," Beth whispered.

Alice found a cordless phone on a table across the room and dialed the number Carrie had given her in case of emergencies. "It's going to be ok," she told Beth. She hoped she was right. Beth was still rubbing her head, lying back on the couch. No, not lying. She was sitting up again, her head propped on the arm. She looked up.

"Wait," mumbled Beth. The phone was ringing.

"What? Why?"

Beth sat up straighter. "Hang up. I feel… better." She blinked. "I mean, my head kills, but it's not like it was."

"Are you sure?" The phone was on it's fourth ring.

"Yeah. Mom'll be here soon."

"Ok," Alice hung up the phone and put it back on the table. "You're sure you're all right?"

"Yeah. I'm just really tired. I think I want to sit here for a while."

Alice studied her cousin. She did seem better, not as pale. Remembering what Carrie had done the last time Beth was ill, Alice headed for the kitchen. "I'll get us a snack." She was surprised to find the kitchen empty, but her growling stomach quickly drew her attention away from the missing Mrs. Rice. Maybe she needed as snack as much as Beth did. She hunted through the Rices' pantry, peering around organic grains and exotic labels. "She usually has raisins on the second shelf!" called Beth from the other room.

"Second from the top, or from the bottom?" wondered Alice.

"Do you need help?" Beth asked, coming into the kitchen.

"No, just a minute… Beth! You're up!"

"I told you it was no big deal," Beth smiled and came to look into the pantry herself. She shoved aside a box of wheat germ and pushed past an unlabeled jar of something slimy. "It's usually right here," she said. She blinked and shook her head. "Maybe she moved it over here…" She looked behind a bag of potatoes and shook her head again. "I guess she's out," said Beth, putting her hand to her head.

Alice went to the fridge, "Maybe she has some fruit." As she passed Beth her cousin grabbed her arm to steady herself. "Not again," she heard Beth mumble.

"Beth? Let's go back to the couch," Alice said, putting her arm around her.

"I don't know what's happening," moaned Beth. "I felt so much better while I was waiting for you, but when I came in here my headache came back. Now it's worse." When they got back to the living room Lyness was standing on her landing. "Keep her away from me!" cried Beth.

"Is something wrong?" asked Lyness.

"Beth's sick-" started Alice.

"You did this to me!" Beth yelled up the stairs. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Doing what?" Lyness asked.

"You know what, you-"

"Beth! Calm down… Please, come on, we're almost there."

"She-she's doing this," Beth whispered weakly, clinging to Alice. "Please… do something."

"I will. Let's just get you to the-" Beth passed out as soon as she felt the couch beneath her.

"Is she all right?" asked Lyness.

"I don't know. I can't figure out what's wrong with her. She seems fine one moment and she's like this the next."

"It's started then."

"What?"

Lyness looked around. "It is not safe here. You must come with me. I haven't the strength…"

"The strength for what? Come where?"

Lyness beckoned her. "There is much to prepare. Come."

Alice had started up the stairs when Beth moan and shuddered in her sleep. Beth opened her eyes for a second, but her eyes had no chance to focus before she passed out again. "What about Beth?"

Lyness's expression became grave. "Leave her alone. There is nothing more you can do for her now." She disappeared down the hall.

"Wait! Lyness! What's happening? Do you know what's making Beth sick?" Alice charged up the stairs after her. When she got to Lyness's room the older girl was lighting a large circle of candles on the floor. "Lyness? What are you doing? What's going on? Tell me something!"

"Hush."

"But-"

Lyness paused for a moment and stared into Alice's eyes. "There isn't time. She's gone to far. She'll kill us too if we don't fight back. We have to stop her. Now." She held out her hand.

Alice was too confused to argue. She took Lyness's hand and stepped into the glowing ring. "What are we doing?"

"Another spell."

Alice remembered the pouch, which was still around her neck. "You said this would protect me. What does it really do?"

"I didn't lie to you."

"What does it do?" Alice asked again, more urgently.

"It protects you from harm."

"But only me."

"Yes."

Alice's mind was racing. "You said, 'She'll kill us too'."

"She's stronger than I am. The talisman will protect you from almost everything, but she gets more powerful all the time."

"She who?"

They heard the door open downstairs. "Oh no! She's here! Quick!" Lyness sat in the center of the circle and pulled Alice down beside her.

"Who's here? What are we doing?" persisted Alice.

"A protection spell. So she can't get in here."

"Can't we just lock the door?"

Lyness ignored her.

"And what about Beth? If there's something out there, shouldn't she be in here?"

"It's too late for her."

"What?!?"

Someone knocked on Lyness's door. Lyness grabbed Alice's hand and began mumbling incoherently. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Lyness, child, open the door," came Mrs. Rice's soft voice. Lyness continued her spell. "Lyness? I know you're in there. Open the door. We have work to do." Lyness's hand tightened around Alice's. Mrs. Rice tried the door. Alice didn't remember locking it when she came in, but she must have. The knob clicked, but the door remained closed. "Lyness," Mrs. Rice said more firmly. "Stop playing around." Lyness's words grew louder, as if she were trying to block out her mother's voice. "Lyness! Come out. I'm going to do this with or without you, but it will go so much easier if you're with me." She hit the door. Shook the knob. Pounded. "Lyness!" Then silence.

Lyness opened one eye. "Is she gone?"

"I think so."

Far away someone screamed.

"Oh God! Beth!" exclaimed Alice. She jumped to her feet, knocking over a candle. She tripped and landed hard outside the circle.

"Alice!" shrieked Lyness.

Downstairs Alice heard Beth's voice, "Stop it! Leave me alone you old witch!" She sounded strong and angry. There was a loud crack and her screaming ended. Alice's mind felt foggy; she struggled to make sense of the noises around her. Lyness was still yelling her name, trying to tell her something. Someone else was screaming too. She could hear feet pounding the floor and violent thuds and rattles. It was so warm in Lyness's room. It had been cool outside. Was the heat on already? It must have been because of all the candles… The candles! Alice lifted her head to look down at her leg, which felt warm. It took her a moment to recognize what she saw. Her leg was on fire. Her jeans were burning. It didn't hurt. Lyness was still sitting inside the ring of candles, but between them the rug was burning too. Her eyes were wide. Alice swatted futilely at the flames on her leg, knowing this should hurt. She remembered Lyness putting her hand through the flame the day they met. She'd been so worried for her. Now she somehow knew that the fire wouldn't hurt her either. "Lyness," she said.

"Oh, the fire…" whispered Lyness, "It's everywhere."

"It's ok. It doesn't hurt," said Alice, feeling as confused as Lyness looked. "We have to get out of here."

"It's happening," Lyness said, her customary far-off look returning.

Alice decided to ask for clarifications later. "Yes," she agreed, "it is. Now let's go." She stood up and beat out the fire on her leg. She reached for Lyness's hand, but the other girl had retreated from the fire. She was so close to the other side of the circle that she was now in danger of knocking over those candles. "Lyness, be careful!" Alice pleaded. Lyness closed her eyes.

"No! Get away! Somebody help!" Alice finally recognized the screaming voice downstairs. It was Jake.