{"id":1273,"date":"2012-06-20T00:00:55","date_gmt":"2012-06-20T04:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1273"},"modified":"2012-06-19T20:40:16","modified_gmt":"2012-06-20T00:40:16","slug":"winter-chapter-15-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1273","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 15 – 01"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Finding J.T. and Phelan huddled together near the forge wasn\u2019t in and of itself <\/span>that<\/span><\/em> unusual, especially in the past few weeks.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan\u2019s recovery had been slow and both Jay and Jacqueline had been keeping a close eye on the situation.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>But when Phelan spotted me coming, they both looked relieved\u2014and that was a little unusual.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOkay,\u201d I said, my boots squishing in the mud left behind by a recent rain, \u201cwhat gives?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s Samhain,\u201d Phelan said without preamble.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Okay.\u00a0 <\/span>Thank you for telling me that.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I wonder why Kel didn\u2019t mention anything\u2014unless she lost track of the days.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/em>I stared at him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTold you that she\u2019d forgotten,\u201d J.T. muttered, crossing his arms across his broad chest.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>In the past few weeks, he\u2019d begun eschewing his spiked jacket more and more in favor of a plainer jacket, suede that perhaps had once been dark brown but had somehow, at some point, begun to darken to black.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He wore it today, protection against the bite in the air.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat, exactly, did I forget?\u201d I asked, peering at him.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The last couple weeks had been busy.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The walls were up; the radiant heating system seemed to be working properly, but the true test for that would be during the depths of winter, when the winds howled off the lake and rattled walls and windows.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Reinforcing walls and windows was still a work in progress.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>On top of that, there\u2019d been inventorying our supplies and scrambling to make sure we had enough, had put enough away, would have enough for the long haul.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Tala and I were starting to get sick of seeing each other after <\/span>that<\/span><\/em> process.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>In the evenings, I\u2019d recruited the help of anyone I could lay my hands on to help catalogue the books we\u2019d rescued from the library\u2014and were still rescuing with each passing day.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>All in all, there had been <\/span>plenty<\/span><\/em> of reason for me to forget whatever the hell it was that they were talking about.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThink hard,\u201d Phelan said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I could have punched him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I glanced at J.T., who looked vaguely concerned and miserable all at once.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Has he been seeing more ghosts lately?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Ah, shit.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s what it is.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I smacked my forehead.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe ritual by the barrow you were talking about the day Thom and I got married.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. grunted, but nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt just feels like something we should do,\u201d he muttered, shifting from one foot to the other.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He glanced around, as if he was concerned that someone would overhear our conversation.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom and Matt were the only ones within earshot, but they were busy arguing about something further up the hill.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot sure why, just do.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He looked at Phelan.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTell her what you told me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I turned to Phelan, crossing my arms.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He flinched slightly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t <\/span>do<\/span><\/em> that,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou look too damn much like her when you give me that look.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBrighid?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMmph.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan slipped past me and started down the hill. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s go sit down before I tell this one again.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTell which one again?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I asked as J.T. and I fell into step with each other, following him down the hill toward one of the benches we\u2019d rescued from the wreckage of Mackinac.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe told me about something that they used to do back in the old days,\u201d J.T. said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSome ritual they did during the harvest.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt was on Samhain,\u201d Phelan said, glancing back over his shoulder at the two of us.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe gist of it is that my sister and Teague\u2019s sister used to lead the maidens in the dancing and all to celebrate the lives of the dead and Teague and Seamus and I would do the rituals to send them to their rest, if that\u2019s what they wanted.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I snorted softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf you need maidens to dance, you\u2019re going to be pretty damn short on them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think you\u2019ll have Angie and Jacqueline.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m not sure that they necessarily <\/span>have<\/span><\/em> to be maidens,\u201d Phelan said, sounding almost thoughtful.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI daresay more than half the so-called maidens that used to dance in the old days weren\u2019t actually maids at all.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He waved a dismissive hand as we reached the bench and he seated himself, leaning his staff against his knee.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut that\u2019s beside the point.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Not that important.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I sat down next to him, drawing one knee up to my chest, ignoring the mud on my boots.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThen what is?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe words\u2014the ritual, that is.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan leaned back, staring at the clouds that drifted lazily in the bright blue sky.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If you only looked at the sky, it might have been possible to forget everything that had happened since August.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>One of his shoulders hitched in a slight shrug.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt invites the dead to go to their rest, tells them that the road is clear and they can go.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They don\u2019t have to, of course\u2014it\u2019s not some kind of crazy mass exorcism for ghosts or something.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s just an invitation to depart if they want.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I glanced up at J.T., then looked at Phelan.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo not all of them would go?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNope.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Only the ones that want to.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan squinted at J.T.\u2019s slight scowl and sighed, shaking his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI told you it wasn\u2019t a solution to your problem\u2014not completely.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If some of them want to stay and watch over us, why the hell do you want to gainsay them that?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t see why any of them would want to stay,\u201d J.T. grumbled.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I shook my head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t see why you\u2019re worried that a lot won\u2019t.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They\u2019ve saved our bacon twice, Jay.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cExactly,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThey\u2019ve done their duty.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan cleared his throat, drawing our attention.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere is <\/span>one<\/span><\/em> other thing that I should probably tell you before you jump all over this idea.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He twisted slightly, looking at both of us at once.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There was a strange expression on his face, fear mingling with dread.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I asked, tilting my head slightly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWell\u2026<\/span>she<\/span><\/em> could decide to show up.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. and I asked in the same voice.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Not Vammatar.\u00a0 <\/span>Who else\u2026oh.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Oh.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I must have gone pale, because Phelan nodded.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cExactly.<\/span>\u00a0 Her<\/em><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Finding J.T. and Phelan huddled together near the forge wasn\u2019t in and of itself that unusual, especially in the past few weeks.\u00a0 Phelan\u2019s recovery had been slow and both Jay and Jacqueline had been keeping a close eye on … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,54,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-15","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-kx","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1273"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1274,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1273\/revisions\/1274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}