Excerpt: So Like Children

“Well…” Sarah began stiffly, probably about to ask how they should distribute the post-volunteer write-ups and presentation aids, but she was interrupted by a voice that sent a shiver down Casey’s spine. Cliché, Casey told herself firmly, but it was true. She saw Sarah shudder, too, and felt vindicated in her anxiety.

“Lovely evening, isn’t it?” the voice asked. The voice hung in the air for a good moment before the figure that it originated from came into view from the shadows. It was an old, old woman. Casey remembered her from dinner because she’d refused meat, choosing instead to pry at Casey for extra steamed vegetables, which Casey had refused her, as instructed. Now Casey felt a little chill at the base of her neck – what was this woman going to do, attack her for not giving her more vegetables?

We outnumber her, Casey thought wildly, and she’s old! This, however, failed to reassure her. The woman, despite her wrinkled-apple face and hunched frame, had an air of great power and danger about her.

“Don’t give her any money,” Sarah said, like a broken record from the night before, but Casey could hear the tinge of fear in her voice. The old woman laughed, raucous, like a flock of crows. A murder, Casey thought uneasily, it’s a murder of crows.

“I don’t want money from you,” the woman said, as though this amused her greatly. “Silly children.” Brian fidgeted uncomfortably and pulled his hands out of his pockets, then shoved them back in.

“Let’s go,” Pearl whimpered, and Casey saw her wipe her sweaty palms on her pants.

“You don’t want to do that,” the woman cautioned, her voice still friendly in tone, but carrying that unmistakable air of menace. “I think you should let me tell you something first. It’s something that will help you. You, girl.” She pointed to Pearl. “I can give you the power to turn people to your will. And you-” she pointed to Brian. “I can give you the strength to do what you must. And you,” this time she motioned to Sarah, “I can give you the power to fix things. And you, my dear, you-” she turned to Heidi with an almost reverence. “I can let you see what you wish to see.”

“Please,” Pearl whispered, eyes welling up with tears. “We don’t have any money. Sarah, can we just go? Please?”

Heidi held up a hand, almost imperiously. “Wait,” she breathed. The old woman smiled, a slow, frightening smile that revealed a disturbingly toothy mouth, sharp and jagged and glinting in the moonlight.

“Follow,” she hissed, and then she was gone into the shadows. Heidi followed without question, and after a moment, Brian followed.

“Sarah?” Pearl pleaded. Sarah looked at Pearl and made a face. Casey could see the disgust in her eyes. Sick. For a moment Casey heard the word as though Sarah has spoken it. She closed her eyes, hard, as though she were dreaming and could wake herself up. When she opened her eyes, Sarah was retreating into the shadows with the others.

Pearl glanced at Casey, but Casey could see in her eyes that she knew what she was going to do.

“Come on, then,” Casey said awkwardly, and hurried after her Civics project group, knowing Pearl would follow.