As relief from reading Journal of a Plague Year, Station Eleven, and The Plague, the board of EPIC Group Writers penned a serial novel for your entertainment. Since each author could only see the immediately preceding chapter, there are numerous plot twists and wild goose chases. Fortunately the “instigator,” Diane Naab, was able to pull the whole novella together after it veered wildly off course from the original story. Enjoy!

 

CHAPTER TEN

Vanessa Arpin

 

Jason walked out onto the decrepit dock and took a deep breath. He found the pond as he willed it, dry as bones; withered like his Mother’s spirit. He didn’t mean to make the frogs die, only to stop another tragedy. Papa said the cure was worse than the ailment. He rubbed the piece of white fur between his fingers then tossed it into the water hole. If only his “special powers” were the kind that mattered, he wouldn’t be living with his Uncle Bill and Aunt Ruby. The only saving grace was Rusty. He would hate leaving a faithful dog behind. He wondered what it felt like to be normal, to not sense the words before they were spoken.

Just as the pond water grew he felt them near. Up on the hill he saw them thrashing their arms like catfish out of water. Jason lowered his gaze to the still water, for a moment he could hear his mom calling him. Her hand reaching for him to pull her out.

“Jason get back here this instant! You’re in a heap of trouble, we know you used your magic powers and now your Aunt Ruby and I got the hives!”

Ruby stood a few feet away scratching and joined the hollering, “And after all we done for you! You better come back here when your uncle calls your name.” She hated encouraging her husband’s temper, yet as she feared Jason was becoming more like his mother.

Jason laughed—his plan worked. Maybe his special powers were useful after all. Maybe his uncle would think twice about hurting him now.

“I told you Bill, Jason needs some schooling. To think all the time we thought he was building model airplanes up in his room he was probably scheming.”

“I’m not afraid of that boy, he’s my kin. Why his own father couldn’t have done better by him.”

“I’m just saying maybe it’s time we get him out of here, and you and I can have a normal life again, maybe get out sometime, go to town, maybe dance?”

Bill nodded, “It has been a while since we had some fun, that kid takes up all our time.”

“And money,” Ruby added.

“Maybe we will find a cure for his mom and we can be rid of him once and for all,” Bill added.

“That’s crazy talk Bill, Jason’s father tried too. We got to find another way out of this.”

“We will, I’m going to take Jason to Alaska and test out a theory. It’s something I should have done a long time ago.” He hen extended his hand to Ruby.

“I’m not going to be any part of this Bill. You better just get the boy,” she said, then retreated into the forest.

Jason glowed with pride, it was easier than he thought, he could pick them off one at a time. His uncle was no real threat.

Bill skirted down the steep hill, catching himself twice from tumbling. “Come back here Jason, don’t make me haul you back up this hill!”

Jason stood his ground, thinking hard about his mom. Maybe he was dangerous and like Ruby suggested they were not real blood kin. He pulled another swatch of pelt from his pocket and wished. Just as his uncle was about to reach him, Rusty bolted out of the woods behind him, and pinned Bill to the ground.

Jason leaned in to pat Rusty’s head. “Good dog Rusty.”

Bill sat in silence staring at the canine teeth.

“He won’t bite you. Not unless I tell him to,” Jason boasted.

Bill dug his hands into the loose gravel.

“I wasn’t going to hurt you Jason.”

“You hurt me enough already. I’m leaving, and you’re not going to stop me. I’m going find my mom and cure her.”

“Of course you will, Jason, and I’m going to help you. Now call off the dog,” His voice trembled.

“I will when I’m good and ready,” Jason said, knowing it would be only a matter of time until his uncle would go back on his word. He reached out and grabbed Rusty by the collar plummeting the two of them into the water.

Bill pulled himself off the ground and peered into the murky water. “Come back you fool!” Bill cried. He grabbed a hold of large stick and poked around.

“Bill, what are you doing down there?”

Bill turned around to see where the voice was coming from.

“Ruby you better come down here, the boy’s done himself in and took the dog too.”

“I told you I don’t want anything to do with this dark magic.”

Just as he turned around, Bill felt a tap on his shoulder.