The Oak Hotel - Watty Awards 2013 Finalist

Chapter Twenty-nine - Preparations

Chapter Twenty-nine

Preparations

For a long moment, Mynah said nothing. Her cool, dry fingers moved effortlessly over both Kayleigh and Lincoln’s open hands. Her face grew somber as nearly a full minute passed.

To Kayleigh, she said softly, “Your Grandmother will soon be revealed to you.”

To Lincoln, she said, “Can’t trust him.”

With conflicting emotions in their hearts, they moved to Hymna. The room was impossibly quiet and although they knew they were being watched, Kayleigh and Lincoln felt as if they were entombed twenty feet underground. There were no open windows, but a stale breeze brushed past them.

To Kayleigh, Hymna whispered, “The Queen’s responsibility is for the first oak as well as the last.” When she was done tracing the avenues of Lincoln’s palm, she frowned and said, “Tick, tock.”

The false grandfather clock behind them chimed a lonely tune and doled out a cryptic count of nine. A dark chill caused Lincoln to shudder.

They moved with trepidation toward Ahnmy. Her fingers moved more slowly than her sisters. She touched specific areas of Kayleigh’s hand over and over again, drawing gentle circles with the tips of her fingers. After careful consideration, she licked her lips and said, “Kayleigh must die.”

Kayleigh pulled back in shock. Lincoln did the same, but Ahnmy grabbed his wrist and held it with impossible strength. She needed only to pass her open palm across his to complete the final reading. She spoke clearly, but sadly. “You must learn how to say goodbye.”

When Ahnmy finally released his hand, Kayleigh took it and rushed him outside.

“No!” Lincoln hissed, sunlight falling down upon them through the trees. “No way. That is not going to happen.”

His face was flushed with anger and fear, but Kayleigh put her hands on his arms to steady him and said, simply, “Calm down.”

“Calm down? Are you crazy?” he asked.

“Probably,” she said, although her voice was a bit shaky. “We can’t take everything they said literally. There might be other meanings to what they told us.”

Lincoln refused to listen, shaking his head. “Kayleigh must die doesn’t leave much room for alternate meanings.”

She let go and Lincoln began to pace aimlessly up and down the empty street. Though her palm reading was far from a cheerful one, seeing Lincoln like this really bothered her. Catching up with him, she said, “Maybe it just means that one day when I’m, like, a hundred years old I’ll be walking down the street and an old tree will fall on me.”

Lincoln looked at her. Shaking his head slowly, he said, “With your luck, it would probably be an oak tree.”

They heard a door open and close. Joe walked quickly over to them.

“They’re about to fall asleep,” he told them. “I guess the readings tired them out. Nova is looking after them now.”

“Too bad they didn’t get a chance to read your palm,” Lincoln, unable to hide his ill mood.

“They did,” Joe said.

“Really?” Kayleigh asked.

“I’ve never asked them, even before, but when you left, they called me over.”

“What did they tell you,” Kayleigh asked after a brief moment of silence.

Joe shook his head. “Well… it didn’t make much sense. Mynah said I should remember to feed Gepeto, Hymna said to watch out for Sidhera and Ahnmy said something about Grendesh. Isn’t that odd? I haven’t the slightest idea what any of that means.”