The Magpie Effect - The Magpie Chronicles Book 1 (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 25

Aunt Vera's eyes were closed when I slipped through the front door. She'd been asleep for the majority of the past twenty-four hours, and her rare waking moments were spent in episodic fits of what I could only describe as hysteria. She was delirious, Vivian had told me, but her temperature was normal and she didn't have a fever. It was more like she kept drifting in and out of some prowling nightmare.

I closed the door lightly behind me and tiptoed my way to the stairs. I could hear the gentle tinkering sounds of Vivian moving in the kitchen. My father, I assumed, was fussing about in the garage.

"You've been to visit her, haven't you?"

I froze with my foot hovering above the first step. When I turned, Aunt Vera was peering at me through the narrow slits of her eyelids. She could easily have been sleeping. I imagined her watching me as I entered, her frail shape entirely dwarfed by the mountainous blankets on top of her.

"Aunt Vera, you're awake," I said, and I moved to her side. If she was going to say anything, I wanted her to say it quietly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a rusty old garden shed," she growled. "Don't dodge the question, girl. Where have you been?"

"I wasn't dodging the question," I replied. "I wanted to make sure you didn't shout out anything weird that would make Vivian ring the loony inspectors on us."

At that, Aunt Vera's eyes widened. I felt an instant pang of guilt rack through my body.

"Aunt Vera, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I just don't want anybody to overhear," I said. "Listen. What were you doing at The Ritz yesterday? What drew you there?"

"My sister, that's what," she muttered, "and that bitch who's keeping her holed up in that theatre."

I was so absorbed that I didn't even wince at her vulgarity. "What do you mean? Winnie isn't in The Ritz, Aunt Vera. I wish she was, but she isn't."

Aunt Vera locked me in her gaze. "Think what you want, girl. I've had a connection with my sister ever since we were born. I know she's in there."

I had to bat away the frustration. Just play along, I told myself. "What do you know about Rigatona, Aunt Vera? About the spirit who took Winnie?"

"I don't know anything about her, just that she's got my Winnie," Aunt Vera said, her voice rising. "You need to stay away from her, Sapphire. She'll get you, too."

"I can't stay away," I hissed, "I'm already in too deep. If I try to stay away, she'll come for me-"

"Aunt Vera, you're awake!" Vivian's voice drifted through the open door, followed shortly afterwards by her shuffling figure. She had a mixing bowl hugged into her chest, which she set down on the coffee table before rushing to Aunt Vera's side. "How are you feeling?"

"Why does everybody keep asking me that question?" the old lady barked in return. "Just get me some tea, will you, woman?"

"Ah, feeling a lot better then," Vivian said under her breath, and then she straightened herself up. She fixed me with a suspicious glare, the kind that made me think she possessed weird x-ray vision. "Where have you been?"

"Just out," I said. I blinked, perhaps a few times too many.

"Out?"

"Yes, out."

"You never voluntarily leave your bedroom before noon on a Sunday, Sapphire. Now tell me, where have you been?"

I tried to pull of the signature whiny-teenager groan. "I was at Debbie's ok? Girl problems."