A Fishy End

Chapter 69

Holly was in shock. One shock after another until she was nearly numb with it. First came Nicky's confession that she could hear the chanting too. Now everyone could, on the street, on their phones. After months of being told she was delusional, everyone was hearing the chanting.

Zoey even seemed to know what it was. Holly longed to ask her, to know as well. But then Jack had been shot.

She had seen him fall, felt him die as they dragged him into the doctor's house. She watched helplessly, appalled as the nurse and doctor had operated on the lifeless corpse. She saw with her own two eyes how the blood didn't flow from the wounds. She knew he was dead.

Then came the serum, and here he was, struggling to rise, refusing to lie still while the girl was in peril.

There was nothing to do about it. Lydia put one arm under Jack and the nurse, Michael, held the chest tube they'd inserted in one hand while he supported Jack on the other side. They made it up the stairs and out into the street.

The entire gang took a quick nervous peek down at the Hillcrest house. The chanting was now loud enough to be heard here, across the street. Holly thought she saw a face looking out the window as their gang hurried across to Lydia's house as fast as Jack could move.

They found Justin, Danielle, and Maggie waiting for them in Lydia's front room. Maggie was sobbing on the couch with Danielle trying to console her. Justin was pacing in a state of agitation. "I've tried calling, but I can't get through," he said.

"Just the chanting. We know," Michael said as they lowered Jack into an easy chair.

"I've a gun at my place," Justin said. "But I don't dare try to cross the street to get at it."

"I have a—" Jack started, reaching around with his left hand. He winced and then cussed. "Damn it! Must have dropped it."

"You won't be saving the girl that way, anyway," Zoey said as she came down the stairs and entered the dining room behind them. She had changed back into the clothes Holly had first seen her in: red velvet skirt, tights, crushed-velvet blouse, and short traveling cloak. She dropped a heavy, leather tome on the table with a bang.

"What do expect us to do then?" Justin demanded. "Just sit back and let it happen?"

"No, we must fight fire with fire," Zoey said, riffling through the book. Holly looked over her shoulder and let out a shriek as she saw it. Just an illustration, but it was the beast she'd seen in the South Pacific, she was sure.

"Dagon," Zoey said. "You've seen him?" She directed the question at Holly, who gave a small nod.

Zoey fished a large brass pocket watch from her cloak and opened it. Inside were dials and hands, but no regular clock face, rather symbols along the edge. "We've a good half hour before the sacrifice. There's still time." She started flipping through the book, revealing illustrations of beasts that made Dagon look downright friendly. She stopped on a page that showed some tentacled beast and consulted the watch again.

Justin and Jack were still discussing what sort of weapons they could find, and how they could storm the house and free the girls.

"Guys," Zoey snapped irritably. "I'm sorry. This fight is beyond you."

They stared at her, clearly not believing.

"Zoey," Lydia began hesitantly.

"No, Mom, I have to. I'm the only one who can," Zoey said and headed for the door.