Marker of Faith

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 34

John approached the front door of the cottage with hesitant steps. He didn't know how long he'd been gone because every time something weird had happened, time seemed liquid. Dreams felt epic when in all actuality they were short-lived, and contact with the shadows made hours slip by like minutes. Who knew? Either way the cottage was quiet and it was still night out. John was putting his ear against the door to see if the group was awake when it popped open. He stepped back quickly as Minerva emerged, her fingers to her lips, shushing him quietly.

"They're asleep," she whispered, gently closing the door behind her. "Roddy and Rattle needed it, so I put them out."

"You can do that?"

Minerva fixed him with a wry grin. "You bet." She playfully put her finger on her nose, wiggling it back and forth like the TV witch, Samantha on Bewitched.

"Piece of cake," she said with a wink.

Minerva took John's arm, leading him over to the car where she sat down on the bumper. "What happened to you?" she asked, still smiling fondly at him.

John looked away briefly and then back, the intensity of his gaze startling her enough that Minerva gasped.

"Boy...you just humming with power." She clapped her hands together lightly a few times.

"I've got myself together now, mostly." John crossed his arms and leaned against the car next to her.

"Hmmmm."

"Oh yeah." John looked at the cottage, a little momentary frown creased his face, and then walked around the passenger side of the car. He searched around the seat where Roddy had been sitting, and finally found a crumpled pack of cigarettes. John smiled gleefully and walked back, pulling one out and lighting the cigarette with a look of pure joy on his face. He leaned against the car next to Minerva, offering one over with a sly grin.

"Want one?"

"Ah hell, why not?"

They smoked in silence, both enjoying the quiet camaraderie and the tickle of nicotine firing in their brains.

Minerva pointed her smoke at John. "You know these will kill you," she said in mock severity.

"Least of my worries."

Minerva studied the man next to her through the haze of cigarette smoke. John was different now, still filthy and covered in dried blood, but the weary and terrified man who had stomped out of the cottage earlier was gone. John was now confident. This man was strong, fear no longer pulling at the corners of his mouth but locked up somewhere inside where it could be managed, and his eyes burned with an inner light. John met Minerva's gaze and a wave of dizziness washed over her. She started to slump down, her knees wobbly and uncoordinated, but John caught her arm in an iron grip. The hold wasn't painful, just secure, as he eased Minerva upright.

"You okay?"

"Uhnn, yeah..." Minerva stammered as she met his gaze once more. "Oooh baby, you're a changed man." She brought the cigarette up to her lips with a shaking hand.

"You gonna tell me what happened to you?" she asked while smoke made lazy curls out of her nostrils, winding up around her head like a crown. John watched her for a moment and then leaned against the car.

"Dave came to see me...he gave something." John exhaled, smoke from his own cigarette mingling with Minerva's as recognition darted across her face.

"Gave you the last of his mojo," she said nodding emphatically. Minerva looked down, noticing John's hand still gripping her arm, and she shivered from the touch.