‘Signs from the Edge’: A serial novel from EPIC Group Writers — Chapter 11

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!

You can read Chapter 1 here, Chapter 2 here, Chapter 3 here, Chapter 4 here and Chapter 5 here, Chapter 6 here, Chapter 7 here, Chapter 8 here, Chapter 9 here and Chapter 10 here.

 

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Alison Ersfeld

Bill stood frozen by the water, the large stick hanging limp in his sweaty hand. He felt her haunting presence, as if she were there looking into his eyes. The forest and the expanding pond in front of him were muted, like a large piece of gauze stretched to cover everything. He hadn’t meant for things to turn out so wrong with Jason; now she seemed poised to hear his justification. He shivered. She wasn’t going to be pleased, and he knew what that meant.

Suddenly the spell broke and it was now Ruby next to him, enraged.

“What did I tell you about getting us involved in this darkness, you fool? You chose me, I remind you, and not yer kin when you married me.”

She was finished being accommodating about Jason and all this. It didn’t matter to her if

Bill became angry. It was time to act before the boy became too strong. Although Bill said he didn’t fear him, she did. After all, she was standing here with angry red bumps on her skin that the boy had maliciously brought on. This was it. He had to go, and tomorrow would be too late.

And Bill’s cockamamie idea to bring Jason north to Alaska was not the answer. It was too late to seek a cure there, and the boy would wear him out and she’d never see her husband alive again. Although she loved Bill, she was starting to regret marrying him and all his family baggage. It was true: you never just marry your partner, you marry their whole damned family, too. When she agreed to his sweet proposal, she knew nothing about the strange powers Jason and his mother possessed.

Bill looked from Ruby to the placid surface of the murky pond. No sign of Jason or that disloyal mutt, Rusty. He would have to put the dog down after that viciousness. It was as if Jason had made that beast attack him with his mind. Bill wasn’t about to let the boy or that dog have the upper hand on his own turf.

He had taken Jason in hoping to do right by his “sister,” but now he could see that he’d been wrong to do it. Like his mother, Jason had become too strong in his powers and his willfulness. When she disappeared he thought that was the end of the troubles, but now he could see that they were only just beginning.

“Jason,” he called. “Come back and let’s us think about how we can find your mama. I got a lead on where to look. I know how to cure her now, too.”

“Bill, I told you to leave this alone,” Ruby barked.

Caught in the middle of two deranged women and an out of control boy, Bill thought to himself. What I’d really like is to walk far away from all of them and have a normal life again. Not only was the kid taking up too much of his time and energy, but so was Ruby and the pathless path he was following to find any trace of Jason’s mother. No choice now, though, except to follow this through and end it once and for all.

As Bill looked at the surface of the pond, Jason and Rusty emerged on the bank across the way. “Jason, stop right where you are,” Bill yelled across. “You cannot do this without me and I aim to help you.”

Jason pulled himself and Rusty out of the still rising water, stepping over the dead frogs lining the shore. He reached into his pocket for another swatch of pelt and wished.

“Come on, Rusty boy. We’re done with these two good-for-nothings. Good boy, there you go,” Jason cooed to his only friend as the dog shook himself dry.

The boy and the dog reached the line of straight pine trees above the water and Jason glanced at the pond. This time he was really free and there was no going back. Aunt Ruby and Uncle Bill were waist deep in the rising water, and he wouldn’t look back again. His mother needed him and he needed her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.

By commenting here you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please read our code at the bottom of this page before commenting.