“The six,” I murmur. “Are not ready.”
Her eyes hold mine. “That’s right.”
A truck pulls in right behind us, interrupting us, and Cash hops out of the passenger seat. He rushes to me and holds me close, and I immediately feel more at ease.
“How are you, babe?”
I smile against his chest. “I’m much better now. Did you get any rest?”
“I’ll rest tomorrow.” He kisses my cheek, then motions to Andy. “The boys are going to set the body in the house. Is there anywhere specific you want him?”
“I’m in charge of that,” Daphne says. “The answer is yes, and I will be able to feel where is best.”
Daphne joins Andy and the others, and just as I turn to the house, the front door opens, and we all pause.
“Git outta here!”
“Mama?” I frown, not believing my eyes. “Mama, what are you doing here?”
“Y’all needta git!” She hoists a broom with one hand, and in the other, she holds…a hand.
A shadow’s hand.
“Everyone stop,” I order, raising my arm. Miss Sophia joins me.
“He has her, child,” she says softly.
“I see him.” Before my eyes, he changes from a shadow to an apparition. He holds Mama’s hand and smiles in that evil, sick way of his. “Does he think he can hold her hostage?”
“Ask him,” Millie suggests.
“Horace, I don’t know what you’re doing with my mother, but it won’t work.”
He doesn’t reply. He simply moves behind her and wraps his arms around her chest. Suddenly, hundreds of shadows pour out of the house, flanking him, joining him as they wrap my mother in evil. She cries out as if she’s in pain.
“That’s enough,” I yell. “You’re acting like a child who didn’t get his way!”
“Circle the house,” Miss Sophia instructs everyone. “Get in your places! The moon is rising. It’s time.”
I turn to Andy. “Put him on the porch. Uncover him.”
Andy nods. He can’t see Horace and the shadows, he can only see Mama, shrieking in pain. Andy sets Horace’s body on the porch, uncovers it, and hurries back down the steps.
Shadows try to follow him, but Sophia circled the house with salt before we arrived, and it serves as a barrier, holding the evil inside.
The chanting begins from the side of the house and then spreads around the structure counterclockwise. The witches behind the house sit and stand in boats, linking themselves together by holding hands.
The shadows cover the house now, a spectral pile of death.
The chanting grows louder.
The wind picks up, swirling through our hair, tugging at our clothes. The chanting is loud so it can be heard over the wind, fueled by magic and might.
Lightning strikes the house, setting it ablaze. I watch as Horace’s face distorts into rage and fear, and my eyes hold his.
“You’re going to hell, you son of a bitch.”
The fire engulfs the house, and the shadows shriek, retreating as quickly as they appeared.
“Don’t break the circle!” Sophia yells to me, but I shake my head.
“I can’t let her burn to death!”
I run over the salt, and immediately feel the heat of the fire. The shrieking gets louder.
Suddenly, I’m pulled inside, held by meaty arms with the face of the devil snarling at me.
“I’ve got you, you little bitch. I may not get your sisters, but you’re mine. You think you can hurt me?”
He slaps me, sending me to the floor.
It’s so hot.
I’m going to burn in here.
“I can’t believe you’re such an ungrateful little bitch.” He kicks me, making me cough in pain. “I’m going to kill you. I’m not going to make it beautiful like I planned before.”
He fists my hair and lifts me high off the floor. It feels like my skin is melting off my body, the air is so hot.
“Brielle!”
Cash!
“You ruined everything,” Horace says and slams me to the floor again. It’s hard to breathe. I can’t see. But I can hear Cash calling my name.
“You’re not going to kill me.” My voice is a croak. Suddenly, Cash is standing next to me, his hand around mine. “We’re going to destroy you!”
I begin my own chant. I can hear the others, their voices rising up around us, and as the words leave my mouth, Cash carries me out of the house. He grabs Mama’s hand as we pass her and drags her with us.
Once we’re on the other side of the salt barrier, the flames turn red, then blue, and rise up to the night sky, almost blinding us with their light. The explosion is fierce and bright, and then, as quickly as it started, the wind is gone, and the shadows shriek one last time before evaporating into the air. The black particles float up into the sky and disappear.
“She’s burned,” someone says, and I glance around, wondering who they’re talking about.
“Brielle.” I turn to look at Cash. “Honey, you’re burned. We need to get you to the hospital.”