For those of you, who aren't on holiday at the moment, the next chapter!
45. Chapter
Furiously Prue threw one of the bottles against the bricked up exit. The bottle smashed to pieces and the freed soul illuminated the dark room for a while, until it escaped into freedom. "Why can't we get out of here, but the soul can?" Prue asked in frustration.
"You can't stop souls with walls." Cole explained lost in thoughts.
"But the bottles could keep them." Prue said angrily and threw another bottle against the wall with all her might.
"They are made of glass, that's something else. And I'm sure it was Morgan's spell and now Belva isn't interested in it anymore." Cole explained while he watched one soul after another escaping from their
prison.
When Prue had finally smashed the last bottle into pieces, it was getting pitch dark in their prison again. Prue didn't feel any better, after she had freed all the souls. Angrily she turned to Cole. "Why don't you do anything?"
"I'm thinking, or better I'm trying to think with that noise." He informed her calmly.
"You're thinking? Well that's something new." She said derisory. "Usually you act before you waste any time with thinking about your action."
Cole tried to make her out, but it was hard in the darkness. "So what should I do in your opinion?"
"You could try to open the wall with an energy ball for example." Prue suggested.
Cole gave a sneer look, Prue couldn't see, then he stood up and threw an energy ball against the wall. But instead of pulling out some bricks, the ball bounced off an invisible barrier and flew back into the middle of the room. The same happened on the other side and Cole rushed to Prue to throw her onto the ground, when the energy ball turned into her direction.
They laid tightly on the ground, until the energy ball finally lost it's power and blew up.
Carefully Cole sat up and leaned his back against the wall behind him, rather frustrated. Thereby he didn't let Prue go for only one second. And even Prue clinched to him. She was desperate and looked for some consolation. In frustration she leaned against the rough wall, when she suddenly noticed that a warm liquid ran along her hand. Instantaneously she turned on her flashlight and saw to her surprise a splinter of glass in her arm. Prue frowned, she hadn't felt anything.
Cole followed her eyes and took her hand. "Oh no, we really don't need that. Does it hurt?" He asked concerned and looked around, all the bottom must be strewn with splinters of glass.
Prue shook her head in surprise, she didn't feel any pain. "No!" She said and took a handkerchief out off her trousers pocket. Then she pulled out the splinter and tried to stop the bleeding.
All her movements were absolutely calm and composed and Cole looked at her intently. "Do you have any other wounds?"
Prue searched for some more splinters of glass in the dim light, but she couldn't find any. "No and you?" She let the light shine along his arms and legs, but she also couldn't find any splinters. Satisfied she turned off the light again and leaned against the wall.
Cole wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "We'll find a way Prue. But we may not rush things." He whispered in her hair.
"Yes and Zadie and Amy are there, too." Prue tried to encourage herself.
"Exactly!" Cole agree. But none of them said what they were really thinking, what scared them mostly. Because Danny wouldn't be safe, yet. Belva's son was dead and she wanted revenge, no matter if Amy could stop her conjuring up Ayida. Belva would stop on nothing, she would try to kill Danny, even if it was her last action.
Thoughtfully Cole put the phial with Danny's hair back into his pocket, when he noticed another object. It was the thunder stone, he had picked up in Zadie's kitchen. Slowly Cole ran his fingers along the smooth surface and felt the crack, his way to escape. He took the stone out off his pocket and held it in his hands. He knew it had a special meaning, that he picked up the stone and suddenly it occurred to him. In the darkness he looked at Prue, she wouldn't like it, she'd raise objections, but finally
she'd realize that this was their only way to escape. "Prue." He began in a low voice. "I have an idea."
Prue stopped brooding and sat up. "What? Come on out with it!"
He took her hand and put the thunder stone into it. "That's the stone in which I've been imprisoned." He explained.
Prue turned on the flashlight and looked at it, it had turned on it's original color again, but there was a small crack at the back. "I know. And?" Prue looked up curiously.
"Do you see the crack?" Cole wanted to know and when Prue nodded, he went on. "I could escape through it and you also have the chance to get inside and out of the stone again." Cole explained and took a firm stand. He'd have to convince her, she had to accept his plan! He knew for sure that
she would do everything to protect Danny, no matter where the danger would come from. She wouldn't care about her own safety, Danny would be safe with her. "Belva told us, that she can separate us, when we are shimmering out of this room together. But if you were inside of this thunder stone, she wouldn't notice your presence, she would have no access to you."
Prue tried to understand, what he wanted to tell her. "Wait! Do you want to suggest me to travel inside of the thunder stone?"
Cole nodded. "Yes, I know it's a horrible picture, but then I could take you with me out of this prison."
Prue closed her eyes tightly and looked at him in disbelief. "Do you mean the thunder stone in front of the exit?"
Cole nodded. "Yes, of course. You wouldn't be condemned to obey her implicitly. And if she let me go, you'll escape easily. You'll be able to see through the crack if it's dark or if..."
Prue raised her hands to cut him short. "One moment, do you want to tell me, that you'll allow Belva to subject you to her rules?" She couldn't believe her ears.
Cole nodded. "Exactly! Belva has us in mind for an important part in her ceremony. So we'll be there." He explained while he watched her all the time. He didn't look away for just one second. "But you won't do it, you'll free Danny."
Prue shook her head in disbelief. "Don't think that's so easy. You don't know, what Belva will order you to do for her. Or if you are able to fight against it."
"No." Cole looked down quickly, before he looked back at her. "But you can stop me."
"No." angrily Prue turned off the light, she didn't want to look into his eyes. "That's asking too much." She told him furiously. "You'd accept, that I'd have to kill you."
Cole looked for her hands in the darkness. "I didn't say that." He explained calmly.
"No, but it'll end up in it." She informed him. "But I don't want to lose anybody again. I already had too much losses in my life, I don't bear another one."
"You know that you are strong, Prue." He told her, absolutely convinced. When he thought about it, he was surprised how many losses somebody could cope with, while he had failed miserably with only one loss.
"But I won't let it happen again, not for anything in the world." Prue explained resolutely. "I'll whether lose you, nor Danny."
"And you won't. Because you were absolutely convinced that I would never hurt Danny, even if I was under Belva's spell." Cole tried to persuade her.
"And you were firmly convinced, that you'd do it, because sometimes spells are stronger than everything." She reminded him.
Cole smiled. "Then show me that you are right, as always."
"That's no game, Cole." Prue said angrily. "We'll come up with something better."
Cole shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, but we don't have so much time. We don't know what time it is and time passes by quickly."
Prue tried to go through their chances to escape from the prison. She even tried to think, what could happen, if she really travelled in the thunder stone. But unfortunately every scenario ended in a disaster. She stood up, rather frustrated and began to walk up and down.
The splinters of glass cracked under her shoes and Cole didn't say a word. He waited calmly, because he didn't want to argue with her. He had made his point of view clear to her and he knew, that she would agree sooner or later, but then it was much sooner, than he had thought.
Suddenly Prue stopped and turned around. "Okay!" She said with a satisfied smile, Cole couldn't see in the darkness. "I'll do it."
"Wow, that went fast." Cole let out in surprise and couldn't suppress that he was a little bit disappointed about it.
Prue walked to him and switched on the light. "You don't seem to be very happy about it, but that's what you wanted, isn't it?"
Cole shrugged his shoulders. "I'm a little surprised, that you gave in so easily. That's all." He explained quickly and put the thunder stone in front of her feet. "Do you see the crack there? You'll see it later, when Belva will have set me free again. Because even if it's dark the slightest light will shine through the crack. I've noticed it, too." He explained her and looked at Prue. "It's threatening inside of the stone, but you know, that soon you'll be free again"
Prue nodded and looked at the stone, at least she hoped it. "When shall I do it?" She asked resolutely and looked up.
"As soon as possible." Cole said thoughtfully, when he met her eyes. "Everything will be alright." He tried to convince her with an encouraging smile.
"Of course." Prue explained calmly without batting an eyelid. "Shall I leave you the flashlight here?" She asked busily and put it onto the ground, so that the light was shining on the scratch of the stone. "Okay, then I'll go..."
"No, wait." Cole stopped her and put the phial with Danny's curl into her hand. "Take care of it."
The way he said it, stirred up Prue's desire to tell him that her plan was different from his. But she pulled herself together and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Belva doesn't have enough power to destroy our life. I promise you." She whispered into his ear.
Cole nodded and held her tightly, so that he could feel her heartbeat. He knew, that it was his job to make sure that Danny and Prue would survive. Nothing else was important. He kissed her and didn't allow himself to think that it could be for the last time.
Prue kissed him and she couldn't stop kissing. It made her powerful and she felt ready to get over every trouble. They stood there together for an eternity and nobody wanted to make the first move. Finally the flashlight flickered and Prue stepped back. "I have the feeling that I've to go now, otherwise we won't have any light anymore and I won't find the entrance." She explained calmly and looked at him with a smile on her face. "Wish me luck!" she asked him.
Cole walked back rather composed and watched Prue going on her astrally trip inside of the thunder stone. When she was gone, he picked up the stone with the last shine of the flashlight and stepped to the exit.
Meanwhile Prue was deep inside of the thunder stone and had to pull herself together, otherwise she would have left the stone immediately. The moment, when the walls of stone enclosed her, had been frightening and just the knowledge that there was an exit, gave her the strength to calm down. But soon there wouldn't be an exit anymore. She felt very restricted, locked in, it was pitch dark, but Cole was right, she could see the dim light of the flashlight for a moment. But suddenly it was completely dark and she knew, that she won't come off anymore. Now she really was in a prison, because another thunder stone enclosed her.
When Cole finally decided to shimmer himself out of the room, he got immediately caught in the maelstrom of the thunder stone. Strangely it wasn't as frightening as the first time, because this time he knew exactly what had happened to him. But when the dark solid walls enclosed him, he felt an oppressive helplessness and anger. Visions, what could happen, rained down on him. He wanted to leave the stone, but he had no choice. The feeling was as discouraging, that he had to pull himself together not to give up.
But suddenly the atmosphere changed radically. He felt that he wasn't alone anymore. Prue! For one moment he was angry, she had planned it all the time! Why hadn't he mistrusted her, when she had accepted everything so fast and without a murmur?
When Prue had been sure, that she wasn't locked up in only one thunder stone, she waited for a while. She wanted to be absolutely sure, that she wouldn't leave her thunder stone too early, nothing should go wrong.
When she finally left her stone through the crack, another dark cave engulfed her. But it wasn't as frightening as the first time, because she wasn't alone. Suddenly she could feel Cole with every fiber, she noticed how his surprise turned into pleasure, confusion and finally into anger. She'd have grinned, if it had been possible in her disembodied condition. Did he really think, she would let him rush headlong into disaster? No, of course not.
While she had walked up and down restlessly in the darkness of their prison, she had suddenlyd known the answer. If they were together in only one thunder stone, Belva's spell would hit both of them, so that the power would be divided. And it would be easy for them to cope with half of Belva's magical power, Prue was convinced. She didn't even take into consideration, that she could be wrong. And instead of discussing with Cole about her plan, she decided to do it.
And now they were here, in a room much too small for two so strong personalities. They were pure energy, connected, convoluted, tied with each other, they were one. They felt themselves everywhere, because there was no space and it was impossible to say, where she began and he ended.
They were so close to each other, like to nobody else before and this feeling was incredible and alarming at the same time. Cole could feel all her long forgotten losses, her pain, mourning, remorse and guiltiness, but even joy and love. He wondered, if she could see his feelings, too and immediately he'd like to shrink back from her, but it was impossible.
Even Prue was surprised about the great fascination it was for her to reach his darkest corners, anger, rage, pain and a frightening darkness, but there was also light. Suddenly she knew, that he'd be able to see her well hidden failures and she wanted to stop everything. But she had no chance to hide anything anymore, all her secrets were visible now.
They noticed, that they both felt nervous about it, because who would like to show someone else his heart of hearts, who wouldn't like to keep his little secrets. They knew, that they both felt the same and that made it easier, but on the other side they were curious to find out more about the other one. They could see each other, how they really were and it was easier not to be able to hide anything anymore, than they had thought. They tried to relax and to enjoy the spirit of this moment. None of them could remember a moment, when they had felt such a harmony before and of all places it had to happen inside of the horrible thunder stone.
It was early in the evening, but Amy wasn't home yet. Zadie was anxious and started to walk up and down. She hadn't heard anything of Cole and Prue and began to worry about them. If something went wrong and they fell into Belva's hand, too? Perhaps her sister had already managed to vanquish Amy. Zadie sighed, if she could conjure up the Loa at least and ask for their support, but she was a zombie and so it was impossible.
Finally she heard a noise at the door and rushed into the hall. Amy appeared laughing at the door, but she stopped and was silent, when she saw Zadie's face. "What's happened? Did they find Danny?" She asked in concern. How could she laugh and spend such a nice afternoon, when Danny was in danger, she scolded herself. That wasn't like her.
"No." Zadie shook her head. "Since Cole and Prue have left the house to go and find Danny on the plantation, I haven't heard anything of them." she said with a sigh and looked at Amy in relief. "But now you're back again at least."
Amy smiled unhappily. "Year, but I wouldn't say that I'm very useful. It's obvious, that I can't fight a Voodoo priestess." She explained with a shrug.
"We'll see." Zadie took the keys for the car resolutely. "But now we'll go to the plantation and try to find Cole and Prue."
"Do you mean the plantation of ..." Amy started to falter. When she had spend the afternoon together with Josh, she had nearly forgotten all her problems.
Zadie stopped her thoughts. "Yes, that's the plantation I mean. Do you know, where it is?"
Amy nodded. "Unfortunately I know it too good." She murmured and looked at Josh insecure. "You'd like to go home, wouldn't you?"
"No, if you need my help, I'll come with you." He told her firmly.
Zadie looked him up and down thoughtfully. "Well young man, it could be dangerous. But we need every help."
"Okay, then let's go." Josh replied and they left the house.
Soon later they arrived on the plantation and found Cole's empty car on the little place. Amy parked beside it and they got off to cast a look into the interior. "Nothing!" Amy noticed in frustration and looked around. "Where are they?"
"They wanted to examine the old Maison." Zadie told her and looked around curiously. This was the plantation where her ancestors had to work as slaves. It was a strange picture, but probably it was also the place, where Belva would like to conjure up Ayida. Zadie sighed. It all added up, this could be the right place, now they would just have to find the exact place for the ritual.
"Then we should take a close look around there, first." Amy decided and gave Zadie and Josh a sign to follow her. "I know the way to the Maison."
They walked along the same way as Prue and Cole hours before, the only difference was that it was getting dark slowly and they had to take care not to stumble over a stone or some roots.
Without thinking Josh took out a cigarette and the light of his flashlight illuminated the area for a moment.
Amy looked back reluctantly, but she didn't say anything, although she didn't like that he polluted the fresh air of the forest
Zadie smiled, when she noticed Amy's facial impression. "I think Amy isn't a fan of smoking." She said.
"You got it." Amy murmured, while she walked on.
"I know, but we are in the open." Josh excused, he just needed a cigarette
now. "I'm sorry, but I had to pull myself together all the time."
"Oh, I think I could help you." Zadie said with a satisfied grin. "I have some remedies to become a non-smoker at home. And you know, where I am living." She explained and stopped, when she noticed the embarrassing silence. Oh, she had nearly forgotten, that she wouldn't get home again. This was her last way, before she would end up in her grave. Resolutely she shook her head, no she wouldn't get herself all worked up, her only objective would be to stop her sister, nothing else was important.
They walked on in silence and Zadie looked at Josh's back thoughtfully. "You know, I remember that I saw a white boy very often in front of my house some years ago. He stopped in front of it and watched it as one of the Seven Wonders of the Word." When she heard Josh muttering unclearly, she added. "But always when I opened the door, it was as if the earth had swallowed him up."
"Well I've heard a few things about you." Josh admitted reluctantly.
Zadie smiled. "So you preferred to run away, than to talk to the old witch, didn't you?"
"I wouldn't say it this way." Josh wriggled out of it.
"Oh no?" Zadie really began to laugh. "But as I remember the boy had dark hair."
"Year, the sun bleached them." Josh explained, slightly annoyed.
Amy laughed and turned to him. "Even if I was on holiday at the sea, it never happened with my hair."
Finally they reached the hill and walked along the street to the ruins of the Maison. Amy cast a sad look at the trees, flapping their knotty branches in the wind. Zadie, Amy and Josh went on silently and carefully and reached the deserted ruin in the fading daylight.
"My ancestors lived here." Amy suddenly said. She looked up rather impressed at the high columns. This was an incredible feeling, even if she wasn't able to get used to the idea, that Edward Wingrove was her father.
Zadie smiled. "And mine were their slaves, strange, isn't it?"
Amy stopped and looked at her shocked. "Really? Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know..."
Zadie shook her head. "Don't worry, my dear. That was long before my time." She smiled and looked around. "If I just knew, where Belva could hold her ceremony."
"Perhaps nearby the former slaves quarters." Josh suggested, when Zadie suddenly put her finger on her mouth. She urged Josh and Amy to hide behind one of the half intact walls and looked around the corner carefully. Meanwhile Josh and Amy didn't say anything, but looked at each other asking.
Zadie had had a funny feeling and now she knew why, she saw her in all her splendour, Belva! She wore a magnificent flowing vesture, it was sequined and set with feathers and pieces of broken mirror. Golden strings of pearls were around her neck, on her sleeves and on the border to her feet. They were jingling with every step. On her head she wore the same kind of turban.
Zadie took a deep breath, there she was, Belva, her own sister, the Voodoo priestess, who had turned her into a zombie. Zadie shuddered and tried to calm down again. If she had noticed Belva's presence, Belva would have been able to feel it, too. But Belva was full of herself and too busy with planning her ceremony, that she didn't perceive everything around her.
She walked to the other side of the ruin with her followers, a few people in white dresses.
Zadie looked back to her two companions. "That was her." She whispered and watched Amy intently. "Do you know, what we have to do now?"
Amy shook her head and cast a confused look at her. "No, I've no idea. What do you think, does she also hold Cole and Prue prisoner?"
"We've reason to assume that." Zadie sighed, it seemed as if Amy had no idea, what to do. If the Loa were wrong? But no, the Loa were never wrong, she had to trust them. "We should keep calm and wait, what will happen." She decided and looked around the corner again. She hadn't seen Danny, therefore she supposed that Belva had put him in another place. Zadie knew, that as a sacrifice he had been put through a long ritual to be worthy for a Loa.
Time passed by and nothing happened, when they suddenly heard some noise again. Belva's pearls were jingling. "So he believes that he has a chance against me. That'll be a lot of fun." They heard Belva's voice and it cut Zadie to the quick. "Unfortunately the young lady, hasn't got the courage to take up the challenge."
"He'll pay for everything he did to David. I don't care about the woman." The young woman beside Belva said in a whining voice.
"Isabell, we'll win. Ayida will destroy everything, our revenge will be cruel." Belva explained with a crazy laugh.
Josh and Amy looked at each other horrified. After a while they couldn't hear them anymore and came out slowly from behind the wall.
"We'll follow them, I'm sure they'll go to the ritual place." Zadie said resolutely.
"This woman is mad, or what does she mean with 'I'll destroy everybody'?" Josh wanted to know, when they walked back on the street. They still could see the group until they disappeared in the woods behind the hill.
"You can take her at her word, she really means it." Zadie informed Josh meanwhile. "She'd like to wipe out mankind and she is powerful enough to do it." She looked at Amy again, but obviously she didn't feel anything of her calling, yet.
Josh closed his eyes tightly. "I really don't know, what's all this about." He said and looked at Amy asking.
She also shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "I also don't know, I only know that we must follow this group, because hopefully they'll lead us to Cole, Prue and Danny and we'll take it from there."
Zadie smiled a little. "You got it my dear."
They walked to the end of the hill and wanted to take the same way as the group before, but to their surprise there was an array of trees and shrubs in front of them and it was impossible to get over it.
They looked at each other, rather confused. "But they took this way, I know it." Amy wondered.
Josh nodded and looked up the high trees. "I've seen the same, but we must be wrong, nobody can get through it."
Zadie sighed and looked at the wall of trees. "It was Belva's doing. She wants to guard herself against the world."
"And what will we do now?" Amy wanted to know discouraged.
"We'll have to find another way to the ritual place." Zadie explained and looked at Amy for a long time. "It must be nearby a lake or a river. Do you know, where it could be?"
Amy nodded. "Yes, there is a lake not far away." She looked around and walked back to the ruin. "Come on, if she blocks this way, we'll take another one."