Free My Guardian Angel by Sylvie Weil Page A

ago. One of his former teachers recommended it.”
    â€œSo what are you waiting for?” urge the twins.
    â€œI can’t. My grandfather does not allow that sort of thing in his house, and my father certainly wouldn’t want it in his.”
    Rachel and Naomi won’t give up. “Oh, please, Elvina, no one will know!”
    â€œAnd we’re not in your house!”
    â€œNor in Solomon ben Isaac’s!”
    Bella joins in, “We’ll keep it secret, I promise, won’t we?”
    â€œOh yes, yes!” they chant excitedly.
    Muriel begs her, too. “Do it for me, Elvina; I’d be so grateful.”
    â€œAll right.” Elvina finally relents. “But let’s be quick about it. Naomi, Rachel, go to the other side of the bed. Bella, come next to me.” Four pairs of eyes are gazing at Elvina. “The fever demon is called Ochnotinos,” she whispers.
    The resin torch crackles and sputters smoke, its flame grows first bright, now dim, and the shadows dance. Bella is hanging on to Elvina’s arm so tightly that it hurts. The twins are glued to each other. They are all expecting to see the wicked fever demon appear.
    Elvina speaks: “We are going to shorten his name until there’s nothing left of it. The demon will be very upset. He’ll disappear and leave our Muriel in peace.”
    Naomi whispers, “He can’t exist without his name, can he?”
    â€œNo demon can exist without a name,” replies Elvina.
    Without letting go of her sister, Rachel jumps up and down saying, “The wicked demon will get smaller and smaller. . . .”
    â€œRepeat after me,” orders Elvina. “Ochnotinos.”
    Bella, Rachel, and Naomi repeat, “Ochnotinos!”
    â€œGood. Now we’re going to make him smaller.”
    The four girls all have their eyes fixed on Elvina, who is leaning toward Muriel. The other three imitate her. Elvina takes a deep breath, then pronounces, “Ochnotinos.”
    â€œOchnotinos,” the girls echo.
    â€œChnotinos.”
    â€œChnotinos.”
    â€œNotinos.”
    â€œNotinos.”
    â€œOtinos.”
    â€œOtinos.”
    â€œTinos.”
    â€œTinos.”
    â€œInos.”
    â€œInos.”
    â€œNos.”
    â€œNos.”
    â€œOs.”
    Rachel and Naomi, with their mouths shaped like
O
s and their round eyes full of mischief, make the “O” last as long as they can: “. . . OOOOOOOOOOOSS- SSSSSS.”
    Then there is silence. “He has disappeared,” Rachel whispers. “I’m sure he’s disappeared. Muriel, don’t you feel better?”
    Muriel sits up, shakes herself a little, and smiles. “I think I do. Thank you, Elvina.”
    Before leaving, Elvina reminds them, “Just don’t forget that you’re sworn to secrecy!”

XIII
    The day is still leaden and gray when Elvina leaves Muriel, but the sky has returned to its place high above the earth. Elvina pauses on the doorstep. Sniffing the air, she can make out the delicious smell of freshly baked cakes. She thinks that she may buy one. The men have stopped fasting now, for they do not want to become too weak. Her father loves these cakes and it might please him to eat one. This morning, after three days of silence, he has finally asked her if she has slept well . . . but he has also told her to go out as little as possible! The cake may not be such a good idea after all.
    The street looks almost like its old self again, although there are fewer people about and less noise than usual. The women do their shopping as fast as they can and then rush home. The merchants no longer shout at the tops of their voices to attract customers. People hold their children’s hands and forbid them to wander off. The latest news is carried in whispers from one person to another: “Only yesterday the Crusaders were running high and low through