Читать книгу Lucifer's Daughter - V. J. Banis - Страница 9

CHAPTER FIVE

“Julie, you look lovely,” Elizabeth said when Julia came out of the bathroom wearing her trim black dress.

“You should have pearls to set it off,” Allyson said.

“I’m afraid I didn’t remember to pack them.”

Margaret frowned. She’d packed one good dress and a strand of pearls, but she had no intention of loaning the pearls to Julia.

Julia glanced briefly at her reflection in the mirror. She hadn’t told the girls her true destination. They seemed excited for her, albeit a little envious. Margaret showed her jealousy more openly than the others. They were convinced Julia had a date with a man; Julia did not elaborate on her invitation out. All she had said was that she’d met someone who’d asked if they could see her this evening. She didn’t feel she was lying by letting the girls jump to their own, incorrect conclusions.

“I’d better dash,” Julia said as again she glanced at her watch. “Don’t wait up,” she tossed back over her shoulder.

“Be careful, Julie,” Elizabeth warned. Julia recognized the hint of genuine concern in Liz’s voice. Of the three, Elizabeth was the most thoughtful of her...but Elizabeth was thoughtful of everyone, even people she disliked.

Julia found a cab just outside the hotel. She glanced at her watch again. The medium’s house wasn’t far. She’d make it in plenty of time. She gave the address to the driver and remembered to unclip her wristwatch and drop it into her bag. She leaned back against the seat but found she couldn’t relax. She felt suddenly nervous, not knowing what she might be getting herself involved in. She tried to calm herself by telling herself that it was nothing more than a new and exciting adventure. It was different and it would be amusing, if nothing else. She reminded herself that a group of people were getting together for her sake alone. The thought was pleasant enough, although slightly unnerving.

At two minutes to eight the taxi pulled up in front of the house at the end of the cul-de-sac. The place looked less forlorn tonight. Oddly enough, Julia thought as she paid the driver, there was a certain warmth about the place now. It seemed to be looking down at her as though welcoming an old friend. She found her steps lighter, springier, as she went up onto the porch and pressed the doorbell.

She had expected the medium to answer her ring and was surprised when a man opened the door.

“Good evening. I’m Julia Carson. I believe I’m expected.”

He smiled. “Indeed you are,” he said, “but the introduction wasn’t necessary. My aunt prefers to work without benefit of knowing anything about a new subject.” He opened the door wider and ushered her in. “She feels that facts complicate her purpose.”

He was a pleasant-looking man, Julia noted, of about thirty-five, no more than thirty-eight, with bright, blue eyes, and a thick wave of jet-black hair that hung well down over his brow.

He smiled at her. “Not being a medium myself,” he said with a slight glint in his expression, “I personally approve of introductions, especially when a beautiful young lady is involved.” He held out his hand. “I’m Fred McAndrews.”

His grasp was strong and friendly. “How do you do.”

He nodded toward a closed doorway. “My aunt and the others are waiting for us in there.”

He opened the door for her and Julia entered a different room than the one she’d seen the night before. This room was lighted by electricity and not candles but was just as cluttered, although it was a different kind of clutter. The walls were adorned with the most unusual paintings and designs Julia had ever seen. There were mysterious symbols and markings of varied sizes, descriptions and colors. One wall was covered with a painting of a huge bird of unrecognizable ancestry. Tiny faces peered out from its outstretched wings. Its claws were curled around naked forms of no particular sex. The head of this massive creature was painted a brilliant yellow with blood-red eyes and beak. Around its neck was a chain of what looked like door keys, and on its plumed breast rested a medallion which, on closer inspection, Julia noticed was not painted but an actual piece of jewelry beset with gems (obviously not genuine) of red and yellow and blue and black.

The ceiling, too, was painted with designs and bizarre pictures, the most dominating figure being that of the head of a golden bull or calf.

A large, round table sat in the middle of the room, with eight chairs spaced evenly around its edge. Six of the chairs were occupied, and when Fred McAndrews seated himself, only the chair at the far end remained vacant. The short, plump little woman of yesterday sat chatting with the others gathered around her. When Julia was ushered into the room, the medium looked up and smiled. She motioned Julia to the remaining empty chair between a handsomely dressed matron wearing an expensive black fur and a rather frail-looking young man wearing a blousy black silk shirt and a black velvet ribbon tied around his throat. Both the matron and the frail young man smiled at her as she took her place between them.

“The social amenities can take place following our séance,” the medium told Julia. “I prefer not knowing anything about you at first, my dear. Facts clutter up my vibrations.”

Julia nodded. Her eyes wandered briefly in Fred McAndrews direction. He smiled at her. She felt herself blush and shifted her eyes back to the medium.

“Now, if you are all relaxed and composed, we can begin.” The medium studied Julia closely. “You appear relaxed, child. Are you in good health and clear mind? It is very important that you are sound in both mind and body because the trip may be extremely taxing for you.”

“Trip?” Julia asked, knitting her brows slightly.

“You will journey far, if the spirits so permit,” the medium said. “You will travel a long, long way. Your mind must be open to receive any and all messages from beyond that those of the other world desire to impart to you. You do believe?” the medium asked.

Julia felt confused and slightly embarrassed at being the focus of everyone’s attention. She felt her mouth go dry. Her throat felt tight. She nodded, feeling that a nod would not be as grave a lie as a spoken word. She actually did not truly believe, yet she felt that some good might come out of the séance.

Everyone was smiling at her. There was a lovely feeling of belonging and she suddenly found herself relaxing in her chair. Whatever was in store for her, she felt she was among friends and nothing terrible would happen.

“We’ll begin now,” the medium said as she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Almost immediately, as if the closing of her eyes had been a signal, the room went black. The blackness gradually turned into an eerie glow from the single bulb that hung suspended over the round table.

Julia felt the woman on her left take hold of her hand; the frail blond youth took her other hand, giving it a friendly squeeze. She saw the hands around the table touch, making a human chain. She felt a slight discomfort at sitting there with two complete strangers holding her hands. She had never been subjected to physical contact with others, except on extremely rare occasions, and the idea of hand-holding made her a trifle embarrassed.

The medium began chanting in Latin and Julia found herself forgetting her discomfort and her embarrassment and concentrated on what was about to transpire. She found herself being lulled into a deeper state of relaxation. The foreign words drifted softly over the group around the table. Julia had forgotten most of the Latin taught her, but found she could translate some of what the medium was chanting: “Great spirit of the universe, we conjure you up....” There followed a whole string of strange names, none of which Julia recognized. Then she heard a name she did recognize: “Beelzebub.” She knew very well who that was and unconsciously found her hands tightening on the hands clasped in hers.

The chanting went on and on and on and Julia found she wasn’t translating any more. The soft, soothing voice was gently lulling her into a wonderful state of restfulness. She felt a wonderful glow burning inside her and suddenly she felt weightless, as though she were no longer under the control of the earth’s gravitational pull. She was floating. Her body was suspended in a void of unlimited expanse.

“Johavam, Tagla, Mathon, Oarios, Almouzin....”

A thick carpet of feathery down closed in on her. Her eyes were blinded by a sudden brilliance of color that spun and rocketed all around her. Pinwheels of flashing sparks twirled and spiralled; bursts of liquid gold splashed in every direction; fireballs of scalding red zoomed over, around and through her.

“Salmandrae, Gnomus, Godens, Gigua, Belial, Diabolus....”

The sound of a rushing wind all but deafened her. Her throat felt parched and clogged with dust.

“Come to us, O great and powerful Master of the Universe. Tell us what secrets are to be known about this humble subject. Tell us of Julia Carson.”

Through her clouded vision Julia saw a tall, masculine shape materialize. The outline looked familiar. She felt she’d seen it before somewhere, but could not recall just where. Again she heard her name, but this time it was a man who called to her.

“Julia Carson. Julia. Come to me.” The shadowy figure beckoned to her. “Come to me, not as you are now, but as you should be.”

Julia found herself repeating the man’s words. “Come as I should be.”

The shadowy figure kept saying the same thing again and again. “Come not as you are now but as you should be. Come not as you are now but as you should be.” His shape came closer and closer but Julia could not see the face, only the outline of broad shoulders, tall stature, trim body. The figure beckoned again and asked, “Will you come, Julia?”

Unconsciously, she found herself saying, “Yes, I will come.”

Again the shadowy figure beckoned to her and Julia heard him say, “Remember. Come to me, but do not come as you are now, but as you should be.” Then the figure began to dissolve and the boundaries of the void moved closer together until the void no longer existed.

Julia found herself standing high atop a rocky pinnacle. Below was what appeared to be a huge, majestic city. Lights blinked and twinkled like so many diamonds. A strong, cold wind threatened to topple her from her vantage point. The wind was blowing full in her face, taking her breath away. Its volume and force became steadily louder and stronger. Her hair streamed out behind her. Her body ached from the cold. She tried to wrap her arms about her in order to warm her bones but her arms were pinned to her sides. Then, at the height of the tumult, she saw a familiar face. The medium’s face stared down at her from a dark, grey cloud. Their eyes met and held for what seemed an eternity. The medium pointed an accusing finger at Julia.

“Daughter of evil...evil...evil...evil....”

“No!” Julia yelled and then everything suddenly went blank. Julia could hear her own scream and gradually she heard the hurried murmur of voices all around her. She opened her eyes slowly, afraid of what she might see. She found herself seated at a round table. Her hands were clasped firmly in the hands of two complete strangers.

Julia shook herself and tried to smother the aching in her head. Tears were streaming from her eyes. Her body was bathed in sweat. People moved and began speaking more loudly, but she could not understand a thing. The only word she could hear was “Evil...Evil...Evil.”

She felt something wet on her wrists and temples, and realized that someone was dabbing her with a cold, damp cloth. Fred McAndrews touched her elbow and helped her rise from her chair. Her legs felt like gelatin. Every muscle in her body ached and throbbed in pain. She allowed herself to be led to a soft, overstuffed chair that sat near a heavily draped window. Fred McAndrews drew back the draperies and opened the window slightly. The cold, damp sea air swept over her and wiped away the cobwebs. Julia felt her strength gradually return, along with her sanity.

“Julia. Julia,” the medium said softly.

Slowly Julia turned her eyes on the strange little woman. “You knew my name all along,” Julia found herself saying.

The medium did not seem to sense Julia’s anger. “No, my dear. Your name was given me by the powers from beyond.” The medium reached out to smooth Julia’s hair. Julia pulled back sharply. “Tell us, child, what you saw? Was anything told to you?”

Julia spoke but she did not recognize her own voice. It was as if someone else was speaking through her mouth. “You know very well what was said to me,” she said angrily.

“But I do not,” the medium insisted.

“You do. You were there,” Julia said, feeling her anger building and building. “I saw you!”

The little woman backed away. “Me? I don’t understand,” the medium said, staring with dismay at Julia’s angry face.

Julia’s anger burst forth full force. “You understand perfectly well. You called me evil...‘daughter of evil.’ How dare you say such a thing of me? You don’t know me.”

Fred McAndrews took her in his arms. “There, there, Julia. Control yourself. My aunt is not responsible for the things she says or does when she slips into her catatonic state. She remembers nothing. Please calm yourself. Try to understand and remember what happened to you back there.”

“She said I was the daughter of evil,” Julia cried, and then collapsed against Fred McAndrews’ shoulder in a burst of tears.

His arm went about her. He patted her shoulder. “I’m sure it means nothing. Calm yourself.” He heard his aunt gasp. When he looked at her, he saw her face grow pale. She was standing rigid, as though frozen. Her eyes stared straight ahead. “I remember,” she droned. “I remember a man appearing to me. He had been speaking with Julia, asking her to come to him. Julia agreed. The man turned to me and told me to prepare her for what she must do.”

Gradually what the medium was saying began to filter into Julia’s consciousness. She turned on the woman. “Prepare me for what?” Julia demanded, trying to control her sobbing.

“I do not know that. All I know is that I was told to send you back to your past so that you might begin again.”

“Begin again?”

The medium shook her head. “It is all slipping away from me again,” she said. “All I know is that you must begin where you started; that is what he told me to tell you.”

“He? Who?”

“That I do not know. He said you must begin where you started and from there your way will be clear. Somewhere back in the beginning a wrong course was taken. You must go back and find the right one.”

“Go back? Go back where?” Julia asked.

The medium looked vague. “To the beginning,” she answered. “That is all I know to tell you.”

Julia found her anger had subsided completely. “But you said I was the daughter of evil. What did you mean? Did he tell you to call me that?”

“What it means is a mystery to me, my child. I do know that you must go back to your beginning. Perhaps the answers will be made known to you there.” The medium reached out and took Julia’s hand. “I am not trying to frighten you, Julia. I saw something strange in your past. What I referred to when I called you ‘daughter of evil’ I do not know. However, I sense that there was a great wrong done many, many years ago and you must go back and right that wrong, whatever it was.”

“You aren’t making any sense. I know of no terrible wrong I did.”

“I did not say the wrong was done by you, Julia. Perhaps the key word in your strange experience was ‘daughter.’ Perhaps it was a wrong of your parents which you must make right.”

“I have no parents. I was a foundling.”

The medium’s eyes brightened. “Then there is where you must begin. That is what it all means. Yes, yes, I see now. You must find yourself...your true self. You are not Julia Carson but another girl. Go, look to your past and rid yourself of the accusations that seem to be clinging to you...following you.” The medium leaned closer and peered deep into Julia’s eyes.

“Who are you, my child?” the medium asked. “Who are you really? Find the answer to that question, Julia. Go. Find the answer.”