Blackwater Springs

Chapter Five

1

Audrey's mouth hung open long after Della lowered her skirt. "What are we?" she breathed.

"Don't know for sure," Della replied. "Some call us blest, others say we're cursed. Mark of Cain and such."

"You mean, like in the Bible?"

"Yup. Cain slew his brother, but the Lord saw what he did. God sent him away from his people. Cain was 'fraid someone would kill him for what he done, so the Lord put a Mark on him, t'let ever'one he came across know they weren't 'llowed to kill him."

"I went through my catechism classes, I know the story," Audrey said. "But wasn't the Mark supposed to be on his forehead?"

"That's what the modern-day Bible says, but many people b'lieved that some parts were changed durin' the first translation."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Della answered patiently, "that the 'scholars' who translated the Bible kinda did a half-assed job f'it."

"You're saying that it doesn't say-"

"Right. In the Hebrew language, there was no mention of where God put the Mark on Cain. It just says that He put a Mark upon him."

Audrey's eyes were filled with wonder. "You can read Hebrew?"

"Surprised?" Audrey nodded. "I can act'lly read five diff'rent languages and speak 'em too. But anyway, let's not get off track here. Where was I? Oh, yeah. God put the Mark on Cain, but if you read the Hebrew version of he Bible, you'll find that it makes no mention of where the Mark was on Cain's body. Theologists just assumed that it was on his forehead."

"But what does the mark mean for us? That we can't die?"

"Nosiree. We most cert'nly can die, it's just harder to kill us than normal people. Damn near 'mpossible for a human, too. Now anyone who's got even a drop a demon blood...well, let's just say offin' us would be easier'n cuttin' through cheesecake for them." She paused, smiling at the shocked look plastered on Audrey's face. "No, the Mark means we're special. Means we got...powers," Della continued. "I've met sev'ral people with the Mark and most of us seem to have the same 'bilities. Most f'us can see things that ain't there."

"What you mean like ghosts? Parallel universes?"

"Spirits. Demons. Some even claim to be able t'see the future."

Audrey's eyes widened even more. She wasn't sure if she actually believed what this woman was saying or not. Then she thought of something. "So you're saying we can see ghosts?" she challenged. Della nodded. "What about the guy, Charles Whatever? John saw him too, and I don't think he has a birthmark on him anywhere."

"There's a few simple explanations for that. Just like not ever'one with the Marh has the Sight, not ever'one who has the Sight has the Mark." She paused to let that sink in. "It could also be simple transference."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that since you saw the spirit and John was with you, he saw it, too." Audrey looked confused, so Della continued, "Remember what I said 'bout mass halluc'nations?" Audrey nodded. "It's kinda the same principle. You included John in on your Sight."

"Will he- Will he always have the -be like that?"

"You mean will he always have the Sight? No, he'll only see what you clue him into seein'." Audrey still looked a little confused, so Della explained, "Let me give ya an example. Say you saw something, I don't know, a green beach ball, that John didn't see, down here in the lobby. You can describe that beach ball to John, but he'll still only have his impression of a beach ball, one o'them with the stripes, prob'ly."