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"Aunt Nettie said to tell everyone supper is ready," Casey stuck her head into the parlor. "She's serving it in the dining room right off the kitchen."
Everyone stood up and headed for the dining room, intent on the meal.
"Casey, where are you going?" JD asked as Casey walked past him heading back into the room the others had just left.
"To get Vin," Casey sighed. "He's still in the other room."
JD looked contrite and followed the young blonde back into the room. "I'm sorry, that was just wrong."
Tanner sat on a rug in front of the unlit fireplace while stroking his horse, lost to the world around him.
"Casey, wait!" JD hissed coming to a dead stop.
"Why?" Casey looked back over her shoulder.
"Does Vin affect the temperature of a room?" JD asked sharply.
"We've never noticed him doing that," Casey responded and moved back to see what had caught JD's attention.
"The temperature is dropping. It's gone down almost three full degrees since I started watching," JD said in amazement.
"JD, what's that meter do?" Casey pointed.
"It's a proximity meter. It gives a read out on how many people are in the room. Why?" JD continued to stare in fascination at the read out as the temperature continued to fall rapidly.
"Because according to this, there are four people in the room," Casey hissed.
"WHAT!" JD turned and stared in disbelief.
"That is a four, JD," Casey said shakily.
"Yeah, it is," JD agreed faintly. "We should tell someone."
"You go; I'm not leaving Vin," Casey ordered.
"Hell no, I'm not leaving you alone with whatever this is." JD shook his head.
"The professor's going to be furious," Casey muttered.
"Let him be," JD growled. "Do we go get Vin or wait for this to go away?"
"I'm getting Vin," Casey said determinedly before moving toward Tanner.
"Casey! Get back here!" JD hissed.
"It's cold JD, real cold," she said as she got closer to Vin. "That's weird, the cold just stops about four feet away from where I'm standing. JD, did I just walk through a ghost?"
"How am I supposed to know? Are you alright?" JD demanded.
"Yeah, I think so," Casey answered calmly.
"Vin," Casey knelt down in front of him. "Nettie fixed dinner."
JD studied the pair intently, trying to keep an eye on the readouts at the same time.
"Time to go eat," Casey urged.
Casey gently took the wooden horse from Vin's hand and pressed it to his chest. Automatically Vin's arm bent to cradle it in position. Taking Vin's free hand, Casey gently tugged coaxing him to his feet. Vin followed behind as Casey led him out of the room.
"JD, let's go," Casey hissed as she came abreast of him.
"Sure, no problem," JD replied as he backed hurriedly from the room.
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"I expect you to stay out of the way of my investigation," Crooks was saying as the three young people entered the dining room.
"Casey, honey you're as white as a sheet." Nettie bustled over in concern.
"I think there really was a ghost in there Aunt Nettie," Casey blurted.
"Well, that's what everyone is here for. You still need to eat, go wash your hands," Nettie said matter-of-factly.
"I expected better of her than to buy into the hysteria," Crooks snorted in disdain.
Angel Lemon, the Goth girl, scowled down at her plate and kept silent.
"Well Prof, she's one of those born again Christians, they're all idiots," Ivy Miller sneered.
All eyes turned to settle on the green-haired girl.
"What are you looking at?" Ivy huffed.
"A beautiful young woman that feels that something is missing in her life so badly that she's mutilating herself in an attempt to fill that empty spot," Josiah said softly. His eyes lingered on the lines of healing cuts on her arms.
"What are you, a priest, old man?" Ivy sniggered.
"Once upon a time, yes I was," Josiah answered calmly.
"Are you going to save me from hell?" Ivy demanded.
"No Ivy, I can't. That's between you and God," Josiah sighed softly.
"You're a fool, old man," Ivy huffed.
"At times we all are," Josiah agreed.
Once the three returned from cleaning up, Nettie and Casey seated Vin in the chair between them while JD took an empty seat beside Casey.
"It's about time. I don't understand why we had to wait to be served our meal. If they couldn't bother to come when the meal was called," Crooks grumbled. "Shouldn't . . . Vin really eat in the kitchen?"
"Crooks!!! It's called manners . . . something you seem to be completely lacking in. This is not a restaurant, Professor. This is my private property. Mrs. Wells was kind enough to prepare this wonderful meal for us. Do not abuse her kindness in any fashion. Have I made myself clear?" Chris' soft voice carried an icy warning. "Nettie, thank you very much, Mary should have thought to make some kind of arrangements."
A shocked silence filled the air.
"I would have thought there would be wine served with the meal. Surely this 'mausoleum' has a wine cellar." Professor Crooks muttered in a slightly less abusive manner.
"I'm sure there is one. However, since a good portion of this group are underage or don't drink alcohol, I didn't bothering looking for one," Nettie said serenely.
"A little wine with a meal won't hurt anyone," Professor Crooks whined.
"No wine!" Chris snarled.
"Mr. Larabee, would you mind if I ask a blessing on the meal?" Nettie asked.
"I'd appreciate it. I think we need all the help we can get," Chris acknowledged.
"I am not going to sit here and listen to this sanctimonious garbage. This is school sanctioned research. Public prayer is against school policy. People shouldn't be allowed to speak that rubbish in public at anytime." Dr. Crooks barked.
"May I interject?" Ezra Standish's pleasant drawl cut through the professor's tirade.
"Mister Larabee is our host, and as such, it is his prerogative to ascertain the rectitude of said blessing. When last I looked this was, and remains, a free country! So acknowledged, Professor Crooks, it is your personal right and privilege to elect to join our host in a blessing upon the repast he has so graciously provided, or courteously decline participation in said activity. It is in no way a prerequisite! If you find the suggestion of prayer so repugnant to your person as to consider infringement upon the constitutional rights of those present, I am confident no objections would be forthcoming were you to remove your plate to a locale more palatable to your delicate nature. Regrettably I must confess to a slight idiosyncrasy, I personally abhor sharing a table with a poorly mannered, unmitigated Philistine."
"Mr. Standish is right," Angel spoke up. "We are guests here and you are being rude in the extreme. Prof, that's just bad news."
"Mom would make me lean over so she could box my ears if I insulted my host. You accept or you leave, at least that's what I was taught," Tony Dellga, the hulking football player agreed.
"You don't tell someone how stupid their beliefs are and then expect them to feed you. Social manners, Prof. We're supposed to be observers here, not effecting changes to the dynamics of our study." Bruce Babcock, another of the students, spoke up.
"Oh, get real! Don't tell me you guys buy into this whole Jesus, and 'I'm holier than thou' shit?" Ivy scoffed, then turned her attention back to Nettie. "I don't plan to let any old woman start forcing that crap down MY throat either!"
"Hey, what are you doing?" Ivy demanded as Buck calmly removed her plate.
"The kitchen is that way, young lady. If you intend to eat, you better go fix yourself something," Buck suggested firmly.
"It's just a stupid prayer already," Cedric Kilkenny growled. "Who cares what the help wants? Nettie, go get me some white bread." The pompous boy demanded.
"Boy, get off your behind and get the bread yourself. Nettie isn't a servant, she's a guest, the same as you. I guess you weren't listening when Chris thanked her for taking up the slack around here." Buck attempted to glare the arrogant young man into submission.
"Don't be telling me what to do. You're not my father," Kilkenny snorted.
"Thank you God! I'd hate to think that the Wilmington genes had weakened to the point of producing something like you." Buck breathed in relief.
"We're all a little stressed. It's time to stop snipping at each other," Mary spoke sharply, attempting to take control of the spiraling situation.
"I refuse to allow a prayer at any meal in which I partake, Ms. Travis," Professor Crooks exclaimed.
"Kitchen," Chris growled.
"I beg your pardon?" Crooks blinked.
"Go eat in the kitchen. I suggest you go now, before I ask you to leave completely," Chris stated evenly. "Anyone caring to join you is more than welcome to leave this table."
Ivy rose and flounced out, followed by a sneering Cedric. An enraged Crooks stalked out of the room following the two students.
"Anyone else have a problem eating at my table?" Chris asked pointedly as he looked around at the remaining diners.
"I'm probably going to get flunked, but the professor is way over the line," Angel said quietly.
"Sometimes you have to stand up for what's right," Tony comforted.
"Have you read the school policy? No discrimination due to race, gender, or life style," the bookish Bruce Babcock recited. "Isn't religion a life style too?"
Those remaining in the dining room quickly settled into a surprisingly congenial meal.
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"Oh Goddess!" Ivy's yell had everyone rushing to the kitchen. Everyone with the exception of Vin, Nettie and JD.
"We'll be fine JD," Nettie freed JD to go check out the situation.
"No ma'am, I left Vin behind once already. There are plenty of people to take care of whatever is going on in the kitchen," JD answered. "Besides, my dinner would get cold. It's been a long time since I tasted anything this good."
"Thank you son, for the compliment and for staying with us," Nettie said. Time will tell but Casey could do a lot worse.
"What's going on Mr. Standish?" JD demanded when a greenish Standish rejoined them.
"It seems that the meal being served in the kitchen was laden with maggots." Ezra choked. "Young Ms. Ivy made this discovery after having eaten a goodly portion of her meal."
"Uck," JD muttered before finishing his desert.
Ezra stared at JD in momentary disbelief before turning to Nettie.
"It'll take more than that to put a teenage boy off his feed, Mr. Fancy Pants," Nettie laughed.
"Not so. Our Mr. Kilkinney is currently regurgitating his most recent meal, and in all likelihood, the last three," Ezra drawled unsympathetically.
"Blaming me, are they?" Nettie asked unconcerned.
"As a matter of fact, yes they are." Ezra studied the older woman.
"How are those fancy scientists saying I did it? Not like I've left the dining room since before they fixed their food?" Nettie smirked, her eyes dancing.
"They're being very unscientific, one might even say innovative," Ezra chuckled faintly
"Not surprised," Nettie snorted.