“The way you protected us back there, you mean?”
Marsha gasped. “Donny!”
“It’s okay.” Levi raised his hand. “He’s right. I did miserably back there. I almost failed. That won’t happen again.”
“But how are you going to protect us? I mean, no offense, Levi, but how can I be sure that Marsha is going to be safe?”
Levi smiled. “You’re a soldier. So am I. The only difference is our methods and the weapons we choose. I give you my word that she’ll be safe inside. Now come on. Let’s go, while the coast is clear.”
They hurried across the street. Marsha and Donny trotted behind Levi, hand in hand. They had just made it to the opposite side when a truck engine shattered the silence. Marsha and Donny jumped, startled by the sudden noise. Levi merely turned in the direction of the disturbance.
“Now that is odd.”
A four-wheel-drive pickup truck rounded the cornerand raced toward them. Levi frowned, staring at the onrushing headlights, and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glare.
“That’s Randy,” Marsha yelled. “That’s my little brother!”
Marsha and Donny waved their hands at the approaching truck. As it neared them, Marsha released Donny’s hand and ran toward the curb. The truck skidded, the brake lights flashing red in the darkness, and then slid to a stop. Randy leaped out of the cab, leaving the engine running, and dashed toward his sister. The two embraced fiercely, as Donny and Levi hurried toward them.
“Are you okay?” Marsha gasped. “You’ve got blood all over you.”
Randy nodded. “I’m okay. It’s… it’s not my blood.”
He pulled back from her, and they all glimpsed the tears on his cheeks.
“Come with me,” he said. “I can get us out. The old logging road—”
“That won’t work,” Levi said. “We need to get inside.”
Randy stared at Levi, then glanced at Donny and
Marsha. “Who’s this?”
“You can call him Levi,” Marsha said. “It’s okay. He’s a friend.”
Donny stuck out his hand and Randy shook it. They embraced quickly, and Donny slapped him on the back.
“Good to see you,” Donny said.
“You, too. Thanks for taking care of my sis, yo.”
Randy reached his hand out to Levi, but Levi hesitated. He seemed deep in concentration.
“What’s up?” Randy frowned. “Do I have a booger hanging out of my nose or something?”
“Your aura,” Levi whispered. “It’s interesting, to say the least.”
Randy’s frown deepened. He glanced at his sister and Donny, but they only shrugged.
“What’s up with him?”
“Apparently,” Donny said, “he sees auras. And yeah, I know how that sounds, but after some of the shit we’ve seen tonight, I’m inclined to believe it.”
Marsha took her brother’s hand. “Where’s Mom and Dad?”
Randy’s expression clouded. He took a deep breath, tried to speak and then sagged forward. Donny and Marsha caught him before he could collapse.
“Jesus,” Donny grunted.
“Randy?” Marsha patted his cheek with her hand.
“Randy!”
“He’s passed out,” Donny said. “I’m guessing shock. I’ve seen this before.”
“Is he going to be okay? He’s got a lump on the back of his head. And all this blood! What’s happened to him? Where are my parents?”
“We need to get him inside,” Levi said, stepping forward to assist them. “Quickly.”
Donny picked Randy up and gently placed the teen over his shoulders.
“Hurry.” Levi’s tone was insistent. He stared up into the sky.
“Why?” Donny glanced around but didn’t see anything.
“Because they’re coming.”
“Shit.”
“Yes.”
Donny carried the unconscious teen toward the house. Marsha trotted along beside him, stroking Randy’s hair and begging Donny to be careful with him. Levi ran over to the truck, shut off the engine and the headlights and then closed the door. The wind picked up and the tree limbs rustled in the breeze.
“Your will be done, Lord. All I ask for is time. For their sakes as well as mine.”
Turning, he hurried after the others. As they reached the bed-and-breakfast, the door opened and Esther stepped outside. Myrtle bustled around behind her in the doorway.
“What’s happening?” Her eyes widened when she saw Randy. “Oh, goodness! Is he hurt? Is he… dead?”
“He’s okay,” Donny panted. “Just passed out.”
“Well, get him into the sitting room.” Esther moved aside and let them pass. Then she beckoned at Levi. “What is happening, Mr. Stoltzfus?”
“I’ll explain what I can,” he said, slipping past her and into the foyer. “But first, I want to make sure we’re safe. I don’t have much time. Do you have a Magic Marker I can borrow, or even a pen or pencil?”
“Oh, yes. I have some in the kitchen. Which would you like?”
“It doesn’t matter. But I need one quickly.”
Nodding, Esther hurried into the kitchen. Myrtle shut and locked the door, and then she and Levi joined the others in the sitting room, where Donny had laid Randy on the sofa. The teen’s cheeks were pale in the candlelight, and his breathing was steady but shallow. His eyes flickered beneath the lids. Marsha sat beside him, stroking his hair.
“Is he going to be okay?”
Donny lifted Randy’s wrist and checked his pulse.
He nodded. “He’ll be fine. His pulse is strong, and his breathing is steady—if shallow. Just let him rest for a bit.”
Esther returned from the kitchen and handed Levi a black Magic Marker. He dashed back into the foyer. Esther, Myrtle and Donny followed him. Levi uncapped the marker and then glanced over his shoulder at Esther.
“I apologize in advance for doing this, but it’s the only way to keep us safe. This will protect us. I’ll pay for the paint and repairs later, if you wish.”
Before she could respond, he stood on his tiptoes and began to write on the wall just above the closed door. He didn’t talk, didn’t explain to them what he was doing. He seemed totally absorbed in the task.
The three could only watch him and look at one another in confusion. He wrote,
When he was finished, Levi stepped back and studied his handiwork.
“Oh my…” Esther’s hand went to her chest.
“What is that stuff?” Donny asked. “Is that Latin or something?”
“I recognize some of it,” Myrtle said, sounding excited. “It’s a powwow charm. Isn’t that right, Mr. Stoltzfus?”
“Three different charms, actually.” Levi turned to them and smiled. “You are partially correct, Mrs. Danbury. But I must hurry. Please excuse me one moment. While I’m doing that, it might be best if you snuffed out the remaining candles.”
“But then we’ll have a hard time seeing.”
“Yes, but perhaps those outside will have a hard time seeing us, as well.”
“But you said that inscription above the door would protect us,” Esther said. “Why do we care if they know we’re in here?”
“Because I don’t want them surrounding the house. When we’re done, after I’ve rested a bit, I need to go back out there. That’s easier to do if I can sneak outside, rather than running a gauntlet.”