Free The Possession by Spikes J. D. Page B

own. I won’t do it again. I swear.”
    Her back stiffened. I actually saw her resolve.
    “I’ve got to go. I have to finish the cemetery, so I can move on to the next project.”
    To make sure she had no time to argue, I ran from the room.
    After a quick brush of my teeth, I slipped out the front door. Coming down off the porch, I spotted Zach sitting on the rail fence near the shed. The wind was off-land today, and lifted his hair from his shoulders, billowing it away from his face.
    I tried to keep my pace steady, so he wouldn’t suspect anything was amiss. He jumped lightly to the ground as I reached him.
    “Morning.” His smile held a knowing warmth. The certainty our shared confidence had bonded us. Happy that we would get to share the day. A glance past him toward the house revealed Aunt Dwill watching us from the center arch of the porch.
    I smiled back, “Morning, Zach,” and gently took his face in my hands. He leaned forward to meet me and I kissed him soundly as his arms encircled me, hands pressing me near. We parted and I pulled my baseball cap from my back pocket. Before I could clamp it on my head, he stopped me.
    “Wait.” He pulled something from his shirtfront and I noticed for the first time that he wore two beaded necklaces. The pattern of beads matched, and a small leather pouch hung from the center of each. One pouch had a fringe, the other did not. He lifted the fringed one over his head and held it between us.
    “This is for you. It’s a medicine pouch. Like an amulet. My grandmother put an offering of tobacco in, and something she said she knew you would need. The rest will be up to you. As you find objects that are good, strong medicine, you add them to your pouch.”
    He placed it over my head, and I saw the pouch would nestle just inside the vee of my t-shirt. I stroked the beads and lifted my eyes to him.
    “To keep you safe,” he whispered.
    “Thank you,” I whispered back, and he kissed me again.
    Without looking back to the house, I followed him across the yard and climbed onto the tractor. Once my arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, we drove off.

Chapter 11
    Chantal must have left her bike farther back along the path. She stood beside the tractor, one eye on Zach and one eye combing the area. Looking for me? I slipped farther back behind the tree but not enough to lose sight of her.
    Zach continued to rake the third row, his back to the tractor, oblivious; not knowing I had returned or that she waited.
    The gate bell sounded. I reminded myself to kiss Zach for reinstalling it.
    She posed at the gate then stalked towards him. Okay, stalk isn’t really accurate. I may have known that’s what she was doing, but to anyone else she simply sauntered forward, hips swaying. Her shorts were short, her sleeveless blouse tight. The sun through the trees picked platinum strands from her dirty-blond hair and she seemed almost radiant.
    I couldn’t see Zach’s face, but he gripped the rake in front of him, his arms straightening enough to create a personal space.
    “Why aren’t you off playing basketball, Zach, on such a beautiful day?”
    He said nothing.
    “Your dad making you work?” Her gaze went face to toes and back again. I wanted to smack her, even though I understood.
    “I work because I want to.” The smoky tone of his voice carried to me.
    “Oh. That why you go off to Canada every year, too?”
    She knew about that? For someone who couldn’t stand him, she kept pretty good tabs.
    He tilted his head. “What do you want, Chantal?”
    Her eyes fastened on him, the gleam unmistakable . . . at least to another woman. She lowered her gaze. “Hmmmm. What do I want?”
    Chantal strolled forward, moved to his left as if to pass, and suddenly kicked out with her foot. The rake almost sailed from his hand.
    She was good.
    But not good enough.
    “You’re wasting my time, Chantal.”
    “And you’re wasting yourself on that vacationer!” she spit out between gritted