A Gathering of Crows (31 page)

“A friend of mine,” Levi said, “a reporter named Maria, told me that scientists call this string theory— different dimensions stacked up against each other like membranes. They are partially right. It sounds like this doctor program is partially right, as well.”

“Not for nothing,” Paul said, “but how does any of this help us?”

Levi pulled out his compass and studied it. To his dismay, the needle simply spun in a circle, not settling on any one point. He wondered if this could be some sort of residual effect of the soul cage, or if the compass was simply faulty. He put it back in his vest pocket and turned to Axel.

“You wouldn’t happen to own a compass, would you Mr. Perry, or anything else that I could use to determine direction?”

“No,” Axel replied, “but if you need to know which direction is which, I can help you there. If you turn round, back to that broom closet you were just snooping in, you’ll be facing due north.”

“Excellent.” Levi glanced at the ceiling. “And there are no eaves or decorations over our heads. Were it not for everything else, this would be absolutely perfect.”

Donny shook his head. “Everything else?”

“Normally, I would fast before attempting this working. Also, I’m missing some of the ingredients. Understand, I’m not a novice. I can do this without them. It just makes me uncomfortable—uneasy—to do so. These are forces that it’s better not to tamper with.”

“I don’t have a fucking clue what you just said.”

Levi chuckled. “That’s okay, Donny. It’s probably better that you don’t.”

“Just do whatever it is you’ve got to do,” Paul said.

“I need a minute to myself.”

“Do we have another minute?” Gus asked. “Will those things stay stuck outside that long?”

“Let us hope so. Could one of you snuff out the candle?”

Paul did as he’d asked. Levi fell silent. He stood in front of the closet door, bowed his head, folded his hands in front of him and then closed his eyes. His breathing grew shallow. He remained like that for a moment, feeling their gaze upon him.

“The hell is he doing?” Gus whispered.

“I don’t know,” Paul said. “Heck of a time for a nap.”

“Maybe he’s praying,” Jean said.

“Leave him alone, guys.” Donny’s tone was stern.

“I’ve seen him do things tonight that . . . well, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you, even with everything that’s happened.”

“None of this seems very Christian,” Gus said. “I thought Amish folks were Christians.”

Donny groaned. “You sound like Esther. She gave him shit earlier about that.”

“Oh,” Gus replied, “I ain’t saying there’s anything wrong with it. It just surprised me, is all. As for Esther, well . . . she’s old. Old folks are like that. Set in their ways.”

“Hey,” Axel said. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“No offense. I didn’t mean nothing by it.”

Levi opened his eyes again, and the others fell silent.

His arm was no longer numb. His senses were once again sharp and alert. Without speaking, he walked over to the couch, pulled off the red blanket that had been draped over the back of it, and returned to the closet door. The blanket smelled of dust and disuse, and he idly wondered how often Mr. Perry used this basement before tonight. He spread the blanket out in front of the door and smoothed it out with his hands. Then he reached into his pockets and pulled out the rest of the salt. He poured this on the floor in a circle around the blanket. Finished, he motioned them over.

“I need you all to stand together, as close as possible. It’s very important that you be on the blanket from this point on. Whatever happens—even if our enemies break in here—do not go beyond this circle of salt. Don’t reach beyond it for anything. Don’t stretch beyond it, not even an elbow or the tip of your toe. If we are attacked, stand where you are. Don’t flee. If you have to sneeze, cover your mouth. Don’t even spit beyond the circle.”

Paul stared at him, clearly puzzled. “Why not?”

“Because nothing must break the circle. Do all of you understand?”

One by one, they nodded.

“In a moment,” Levi said, “I’m going to tell all of you to close your eyes. When I do that, you’ll need to keep them closed until I tell you to open them again. I can’t stress this enough. It’s even more important than not breaking the circle. We’ll walk together, hand in hand. I’ll lead you. It will be very quick, but it might not seem that way to you. You may hear things. Smell things. Even feel things. Ignore them. Whatever happens, do not open your eyes.”

“What happens if we do?” Gus asked.

“Remember how I said that traveling through the Labyrinth has adverse effects on people?”

Gus nodded.

“Keep your eyes closed and you won’t find out why. Now come. I sense our attackers are almost free.”

They moved onto the blanket and huddled together, jostling one another in order to fit. Jean picked up Bobby and held him. Levi checked the floor, making sure all of their feet were within the circle. Then he collected four candles from across the room and sat them down beyond the edge of the line of salt at different positions—north, south, east and west. The wax was still warm and pliable. He pulled a lighter from his pocket and relit them.

“Don’t do that,” Paul cautioned. “The dark men will see the light.”

“In a moment, that won’t matter. This procedure requires candles. Technically, they should be red, like the blanket, but I think I can make do.”

“But you just had me snuff one out.”

“Correct. And now I need some that are lit.”

He stepped into the circle, and they had to crowd together even tighter in order to make room for him on the blanket.

“Don’t anybody fart,” Gus said.

Bobby giggled at this until Jean shushed him.

Levi stuck his thumb in his mouth and bit down hard until he tasted blood. The others gasped and groaned, but held their positions. Taking his thumb from his mouth, Levi held his hand out over the blanket and squeezed out three drops of blood. As each drop fell, he repeated the same phrase.

“
Ia unay vobism Huitzilopochtli. Ia dom tergo Ha thor.
”

“If that don’t beat all,” Gus whispered. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“Quiet,” Donny said.

Levi bowed his head and pressed his thumb against his pants leg until the bleeding stopped. When he spoke again, it was in a strong, authoritative yet apologetic tone.

“I stand, rather than sit in the appropriate and required manner, but I am safe inside a circle of protection, and I humbly ask that you not molest me. I come with great humility. I cannot pay proper homage, for my enemies are beset against me, yet I pray I do not offend. I come here to open a gate. Despite my meager offerings, I come with awe and respect. I come seeking passage. I call upon the Gatekeeper, who gave to us the Nomos, which is the Law. I call upon the Doorman, who is the Burning Bush and the Hand That Writes and the Watchman and the Sleepwalker. I call upon the voice of the Tetragrammaton. I call upon him who is called Huitzilopochtli and Ahtu; him who is called Nephrit-ansa and Sopdu; him who is called Hathor and Nyarlathotep. I call upon him whose real name is Amun. And thus, by naming thee and offering my blood thrice, I humbly request an opening. Those with me in the circle are under my protection. By following the Law to the best of my abilities and with limited resources, and by naming thee, I humbly ask that you grant us safe passage from this place. I humbly ask that you protect us, and that we not be harmed or molested by those who dwell between the walls or within the halls, or the denizens of Heaven nor hell, or the realms between them, or the Thirteen, or the things that live in the wastes beyond the levels. I humbly ask that you guide us so that we do not end up wandering and lost in that realm beyond the Labyrinth, the lost level, in which there are no exits save death. I beg of thee, and hope that so shall it be.”

Levi paused, aware that the others were holding their breath. Outside, the revenants howled, free of the binding spell.

“Okay,” Levi said. “I’ll need to get to the door, so make a little room for me—without breaking the circle. Everyone hold hands and close your eyes. Stay together. Don’t let go of each other and whatever you do, don’t open your eyes until I tell you it’s okay. I’ll lead the way. Donny, you’ll bring up the rear.”

Donny nodded. “That’s better than taking point.”

“Can you shut the door behind us? Remember, you can’t open your eyes, so you’ll have to do it by feel.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Jean put Bobby down beside her and held his hand tightly. He reached up and took Axel’s hand. Axel smiled down at him.

“I forgot the Mrs. Chickenbaum stick, Mr. Perry. I’m sorry. Maybe we could go back and get it?”

“That’s okay, Bobby. I think Levi might have some better magic of his own.”

They carefully changed positions until Levi was closest to the door. Outside, the sounds of fury increased. Levi grasped Jean’s hand. Axel took Paul’s. Paul grabbed on to Gus’s hand and Gus took Donny’s.

“Won’t they be able to follow us?” Donny asked.

“No,” Levi said. “They can’t cross the circle.”

“But we can’t either.”

“We’ll be walking through a door. We’ll only step out of the circle for an instant. Now, everyone close their eyes. We have company.”

Upstairs, the front door crashed open, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Gus moaned and Bobby whimpered. To Levi, it sounded as if every window in the home had just imploded. Making sure that their eyes were indeed closed, Levi grasped the doorknob and opened the door. Gone were the shelves and the games and the winter gear. The door no longer led into a closet. Instead, it opened into a long, straight hallway that seemingly had no end. Each side of the corridor was lined with doors as endless as the hall itself.

“Now we have you, little magus! No more games.” The door at the top of the basement stairs was wrenched from its hinges by a powerful blow. Footsteps pounded down the stairs. Levi felt Jean squeeze his hand, hard.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the circle and led them forward.

***

“Somebody’s coming.”

Marsha’s eyes snapped open. She was amazed that despite their predicament, she’d almost dozed off on the couch. She’d been thinking about Donny— how angry she was with him for going with Levi, and how indicative it was of their entire relationship, and how she hoped, despite everything, that he was okay. Then her brother’s voice had roused her. She sat up quickly. Randy, Myrtle and Esther sat in the darkness. Randy was next to her on the couch. Esther and Myrtle occupied high-backed chairs across from them. Outside, the street was quiet.

“What do you mean, dear?” Esther leaned forward in her seat, staring at Randy intently.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “It’s just a feeling I’ve got all of the sudden. Someone is coming.”

“The killers?” Marsha reached out, took his hand and squeezed it.

Randy squeezed back. “I don’t know. Never mind. I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about . . . Oops. Sorry, Mrs. Laudry. Didn’t mean to curse.”

“It’s okay.”

“You could be right,” Myrtle said. “Perhaps you’re sensitive to these things. Levi seemed to think that you had hidden abilities.”

Esther rolled her eyes. “The boy would be much better off without Levi’s influence.”

Myrtle ignored her. “Did you ever notice anything before tonight, Randy?”

“Like what?”

“Feelings? Intuition? Maybe you knew what the questions were going to be on a test at school before you took it? Or maybe someone in your family lost or misplaced something, and you were able to tell them where to look?”