Nobody Can Say It's You

72

Floyd Carlisle was feeling sick. The local quack could find nothing wrong with him, but Floyd had a haunting uneasiness there was something wrong. And it was bad.

"I'm going to get another opinion," Floyd told Margaret-Dean Angeline.

"Suit yourself," Margaret-Dean had said. "But you look fit as a fiddle to me."

Floyd looked at himself in the mirror. He wasn't bad, he thought. On the outside, at least. But what about the part below the skin? Were those bags developing under his eyes?

He pulled down the lower lid of one eye.

Gross.

"You want bacon or sausage or fatback?" Margaret-Dean asked.

"No breakfast for me. Haven't got time," said Floyd. "I'll pick up something later."

Floyd grabbed his briefcase and headed out the door. He had to meet some people who'd drawn up some plans for his resort. Just thinking about what he was going to do made his mouth start watering. All his life, Floyd had felt like a second-class citizen. Well, once he got hold of Dudley's land, Floyd thought, it would be nothing but first-class. Yep. First-class all the way.

He'd show the world how much style a redneck hillbilly really had.

***

Chandra had been busy. Really busy. Estill was always telling her that Chandra's horses were galloping too quickly to take in the scenery. Whatever that meant. Chandra thought it was Estill's way of trying to tell her to slow down. Estill wanted her to appreciate the power that she was giving her. That was all well and good, thought Chandra, but Floyd Carlisle's resort was threatening to destroy Paradise.

Paradise was the name Chandra gave the enchanting place on Button Dudley's land. Floyd's PR campaign for his new resort was already winning the hearts of many in the area. Floyd promised jobs, and folks hurt by the declining coal industry were listening to his every word. Floyd was giving so many a ray of hope.

Estill said the law was on her side. But couldn't judges and jurors be bought?

Of course.

Chandra wanted to leave nothing to chance.

She'd already made a huge mistake. Now, it was time to make it right.

She'd driven out to Paradise, collected a few special plants. Then she headed back to Estill's. She needed to take another look at the Book to make sure she had everything exactly right. She was going to put a curse on Button's land so Floyd Carlisle would abandon his plans to develop it.

She popped a couple of pod seeds. She instantly felt their energizing power. The pod seeds were some of the first things Estill had taught Chandra about. Just a couple pod seeds, and sleep was an unnecessary thing. She breathed deeply. She felt them working already.

Good. Good.

She'd need every minute available. There was so much work to do.