“Do you have a better idea? It’s worth a try Jason. I ask members of the group, get what I can from them and get out fast.”
Jason thought for a while.
“Okay, but as soon as you see anything out of the ordinary you leave right away.”
Kate replied, “don’t worry, I will be fine. I’ll let you know if I find out when the next class is. Bye for now Jason.”
It was Tony’s day off, and he planned to make the most of it. The first thing he done was to have Helen come out of her room. Carlos knocked on the door before entering. Helen lay motionless on the bed. She was a mess after spending the night crying. The same dream haunted her night after night. A week has passed since being abducted from the jungle. The nightmares she were having have been becoming more and more real. They began soon after she deciphered the Mayan hieroglyphs from the ancient tablet. Helen realized she had unlocked something terrible, and knowing there was no turning back was driving her insane.
Carlos was now at the foot of the bed. After calling her name without an answer, he shook her foot vigorously.
“Miss Helen! Come downstairs. Mr. Tony wants a word with you.”
She said, “go away! Leave me alone!”
Carlos with a sudden jerk grabbed her leg pulling her closer to him.
“You come with me! Or I drag you from your hair!” He said.
Helen kicked herself away from his grasp.
“Get out you big baboon! I need to use the bathroom first. Wait outside will you.”
Helen looked at herself in the mirror. She looked tired, and dark circles were forming under her eyes from lack of sleep. She knew she had to get out of this house before the worst happens to her.
Tony was waiting in the kitchen. He held a mug of coffee in one hand and with the other he was petting his dog Bruce, a huge Rottweiler. Its muscular body was impressive; anyone would think the beast was on steroids. Tony ran his hands through its blue-black shiny coat of hair. The dog didn’t move an inch; it was as steady as a rock despite the hard strokes by Tony’s hand.
Suddenly Bruce began to bark, after sensing someone approaching from the stairway. Helen took her time descending the stairs with Carlos three steps behind her.
“Quiet Bruce! Miss Shireberg is our guest,” said Tony laying his hand upon the dog’s large head.
He motioned to Helen.
“Please take a seat. May I offer you some coffee?”
Helen sat opposite Tony, keeping well away from his dog.
“Why are you keeping me locked up in this house? I have done what you asked. You can’t keep me here.”
Tony stood up sending the dog out of the kitchen with one gesture of his hand. He sat down next to Helen.
“I have a proposal for you,” he said.
Helen looked him directly into his blue cold eyes.
“Really! And what may that be?”
He ordered Carlos to leave them.
“I would like you to attend tomorrow evenings gathering.”
“Why would I do that?” Said Helen.
He took her hand in his.
“I want to show you things you never imagined were possible. Things you never thought existed. I know you are truly fascinated by the Mayan civilization, and by the way they lived and survived all these centuries. Most of all how they disappeared from the face of the earth.”
Helen quickly pulled her hand away from his.
“How do you intend to do that? Do you have a time machine hidden in the basement?” She sarcastically asked.
Tony smiled at her.
“No time machine. Your body will remain here, but your mind will be transported to another place. You will be amazed at what you will see.”
Laughter emerged from Helen’s mouth not believing a word he said.
“Whatever! And if I agree to attend this gathering?”
Tony gave her his word.
“I will let you go. You will be free to leave when you want. Who knows, maybe after what you see, you will want to stay here with me!”
“That’s what you said last time,” she replied.
“It’s up to you Miss Shireberg. Agree with what I am offering, and after you may leave.”
Helen replied, “and if I say no?”
This time it was Tony’s turn to laugh.
“I don’t advise you to say no! You know I have the advantage.”
Helen like before had no choice but to agree to whatever he proposed. She knew her niece would be in danger if she didn’t do as he says.
Travis leaned forward kissing Sally on her lips. She wasn’t expecting it, but she did not back away.
“What was that for, may I ask?” Said Sally smiling.
“For putting you through what happened last night. I’m sorry Sally, but I had no idea it would turn out like it did.”
She saw the concerned look on his face, but what she said next took him completely by surprise.
“I want to do it again! I couldn’t sleep all night. I want to hear her voice again, ask more questions. It was amazing Travis.”
Looking confused at her, he asked, “why didn’t you say anything? You seemed so upset and hurt.”
Sally continued explaining. “I was upset, very upset actually, but then I started to realize how fortunate I am. My mother will be with me my whole life after all. Maybe not in person I know. What more can I ask for? You and Tony have opened a new door for me.”
Travis couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He just spent half the night thinking how he is going to convince her to take part in another ritual, and here she is asking him to do it all again.
“That’s great Sally. I’m happy you see it that way. Tony is going to be so pleased with your decision. He knew right away you are special. You have something inside you that he saw as soon as he held your hand.”
They were both hugging each other, when suddenly someone was knocking on the car window.
“Come on you two love birds! You are going to be late for class,” said Jackie, as she pressed her face against the glass.
She opened the car door allowing Sally to step out. They left for school as Travis drove happily away. It was then that Jackie popped the question she was dying to ask all night.
“Sally, so you’re okay with what happened last night?”
“You can ask me Jackie. It’s okay.”
They continued walking up the stairs and into the school hallway.
“What was it your mother said to you causing you to be so upset?”
Sally managed a smile.
“She was sick Jackie. The doctors diagnosed her with terminal Cancer. She preferred to leave home, than for us to watch her suffer. She didn’t want to be a burden to us, and said the accident that killed her was actually a blessing. It was fast and painless.”
Both girls embraced for a while before entering their class.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Kate was ready to make her way into town. The time was just after seven, and the night was still warm with a gentle breeze coming in from the south. Not wanting to stand out in the crowd, she wore a pair of jeans and a casual top, hoping to go unnoticed while asking around for information that not many people sought out. She got into her car and drove into the busy part of town where an assortment of people could be found ranging from hookers to drug pushers. Jason advised her to give him a call every fifteen minutes just to make sure all was okay. She parked her car in one of the multilevel parking lots and walked out into the busy street. Stopping at the edge of the curb, she looked around for anyone that might give her some info. On the opposite side of the road stood a newspaper stand. Kate crossed the street and made her way over to it. Behind the rows of magazines and newspapers sat an old woman in her late sixties. Kate tried not to make it look too obvious by picking up some fashion magazines looking through them one by one, when the old woman spoke out.