Free Shadow Keeper by Unknown

it?”
    “I couldn’t go.” I glanced away so she wouldn’t see the anguish. My mom didn’t have the money for me to take an expensive trip like that, but I told Lisa a different story. “I got a job working for Carson’s dad during the summer and that cut into my travel time.”
    “Oh, well.” She shrugged as if it was unimportant. “Summer isn’t the best time to see it anyway. It’s too hot.”
    I leaned back in the lawn chair. She probably guessed the real reason I couldn’t go, but was being nice about it.
    Her tongue swiped across her lips. “The best time to go is during the spring or autumn equinox. That’s when you can see the shadow of the serpent slither down the giant staircase.”
    “That’s when I plan to go.” If I ever have the money. I tried to steer the conversation away from me. “Does your father still teach?”
    “No.” She put her head down and stared at the cement patio. “My dad became very ill a few months ago. He’s in the hospital right now.”
    “I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. “Is he going to be all right?”
    She shook her head. “The doctors don’t know what’s wrong. Until they figure it out, they can’t make him better.”
    “A couple years ago,” Carson said, “my dad got really sick. When the doctors told him it was cancer, it was rough for a while, but they knew how to treat it, and he got better. It’s got to be harder not knowing what’s wrong.”
    “It is hard,” she said. “The doctors won’t let him out of the hospital. That’s why my mom and I moved here, so we could be closer to my dad. My mom got a position at UCD and we’ve been staying there with some friends.”
    I mentally calculated the miles from my house to Davis. “That’s a long way to drive if I want to come and see you—about homework, I mean.”
    A smile tugged at her lips. “We’ll be moving to Esparto soon. The house we rented will be ready on Friday, which is the first of October. That’s when our furniture should arrive. Mom’s car is supposed to be delivered also. Then I’ll be able to get around without waiting for her to drive me.”
    Carson’s eyes lit up. “You’ll be driving the Hummer?”
    “No, I’ll get my mom’s Lexus.”
    “You just ruined Carson’s day,” I said when he let out a heavy groan. “He was hoping to take a ride in the Hummer.”
    “Sorry, but it doesn’t matter which car I drive. I only got my license in May when I turned sixteen and can’t have anyone underage in the car unless my mom is with me.”
    “That could work,” Carson said. “Maybe your mom could take all of us in to Woodland for pizza or something.”
    She smiled at the suggestion, but glanced at me. “That would be fun. I’ll see what I can arrange.”
    “Talking about pizza makes me hungry.” Sherry scooted out of the chair. “I’m going to see how my mom is coming with dinner. We’re having spaghetti if you guys want to stick around and eat.”
    I figured Carson would want to stay, but he did a brief shake of his head. I went with his lead. “Thanks, Sherry, but we have to head out soon.”
    “Yeah,” Carson agreed. “We can’t stay much longer.”
    “Then I’ll bring out some sodas.”
    “I’ll help you.” Carson jumped up and followed her.
    When we were alone, Lisa turned to me. “My mom thinks she knows what’s wrong with my dad, but the doctors won’t let her do anything to make him better. They think that what she wants to do is too unorthodox. You know how doctors are. If they can’t see it with a microscope, they don’t believe it exists.”
    “What sort of treatment does your mom want to do?”
    “Exorcism.”
    My body twitched. Was she serious?
    “You think that’s weird, don’t you?”
    “Not really,” I lied. Exorcism was at the top of the weird list, but I tried to say something positive. “Don’t the Catholics do that all the time?”
    “Maybe, but my mom isn’t Catholic.”
    “Then what’s she going