Walk Through Thorns

Chapter 10

"It's Celeste," I said, "There's someone outside the house."

His pickup truck pulled up a few minutes later. Howard got out with a big flashlight and shined it around.

The copy of me I saw wasn't in the driveway anymore. I wasn't expecting it to stick around though. Whatever this thing was, it only wanted me to see it. I just couldn't understand why it would look like me this time.

Howard did a circle around the house outside. I followed the light of his flashlight through the windows. When he got back around to the front door I let him in.

As he came in he started patting himself down. "Does Dana smoke still? I forgot my cigarettes at home."

Auntie came down the stairs in her night shift. "Howard? What is going on?"

I said, "There was someone outside the house."

Auntie scowled at me and said, "I'm sorry Howard. She shouldn't be bothering you off shift."

Howard shook his head. "She's right. There was someone out there."

I was surprised. The last thing I expected was for him to believe me.

Howard brought us to the kitchen and put down a thin piece of black metal on the table. "I found that broken off in the backdoor lock. It's a lockpick, someone was trying to get in. There was mud on the back stairs too, not dry yet. I must have scared him off when I pulled in."

"Him?" I asked, "I saw a girl." I wasn't going to mention that she was a copy of me yet.

"I'm just assuming," Howard said, "I recognise the treads. Standard issue boots for our forces. Probably bought them army surplus."

My copy hadn't been wearing boots.

Dana put her hands on her hips, "You were in for a couple years and now you can recognise boot treads?"

"I did two tours Dana," he said, "But that's between me and my therapist."

"So I'm not crazy!" I said.

Both Auntie and Howard looked at me. None of us were convinced of that yet.

Howard said, "It was probably just a burglar. We're lucky nothing was stolen. Unfortunately these things happen. You can call an alarm company if you're worried."

"It's the same people who killed the girl you found," I said, "And that I saw at the golf course."

Auntie released an exasperated sigh.

"I don't think so." Howard looked toward the back door with concern.

Auntie stepped towards him and grabbed him by the cuff of his sweater. "What is going on?"

Her touch pulled him out of his inner musings. He looked down at her, and his voice softened the way it did when he talked to her. "It was probably just a crackhead trying to steal stuff. Just make sure you're keeping all the doors locked and the lights on outside."

I had to tell him. "There's this thing called the Heavenly Throne. I don't know what it is, but they want to get to it."

Howard did look at me like I was crazy now. "Where did you hear this from?"

"Greta's grandmother," I said.

Auntie said, "Old women are full of tall tales."

"She had a tattoo," I said, "Like runes all up her arm. I've seen other girls with them."

Both Howard and Auntie looked to each other. They had seen people with the tattoo too. Maybe they had just never questioned it before.

I continued, "Victoria from school has the same tattoo. Her mom is your age. Does she have it too?"

Howard nodded.

I said, "Greta told me the firstborn girl of each generation gets it. They're a cult too, I think. But different."

Howard asked, "What are you talking about?"

I said, "There's two cults and they are fighting each other!"

Auntie said, "You've been watching too many movies. That tattoo is just a local trend. It's like a girl's club. You know, old school feminists."

"Why didn't you or mom get it?" I asked.

Auntie huffed and said, "Because your grandmother forbid tattoos, drinking, and most importantly parties."

Howard said, "That sure didn't stop you when my parents were out of town."

Auntie shot him a look that put a swift end to that conversation. I never expected Howard to look intimidated by a woman half his body weight.

"Either way, Celeste," Howard said, "Don't harass anyone, there's no cult. I got it covered."

I said, "Fine, but don't trust anyone else at the station."

Howard nodded solemnly. "I don't."