Jack_ Secret Vengeance - F. Paul Wilson [83]
“What kind of building?”
“Let us call it a temple of sorts. And let us assume that what went on in that building forever changed—one might say tainted—the place where it sat. It is not the earth itself, it is the place. Remove dirt from there and you will find it supports life very well someplace else. Move new fertile soil in and it will become barren—whatever you sow will not germinate, whatever you plant there will die.”
Jack swallowed. This was so weird.
“And if you ‘plant’ something dead there…?”
She shrugged. “Perhaps it will rest easy, perhaps not. Let us assume the poor Kurek girl was buried in such a place. Perhaps she rested quietly and would have continued to do so had not a certain sequence of events been initiated.”
Jack realized what she was talking about.
“Toliver’s attack on Weezy.”
She nodded. “Violence begets violence. Raw fear and lust are potent emotions.”
“Do they attract pine lights?”
She nodded. “You witnessed something few humans ever see.”
How did she know that?
“What are they anyway?”
“They are known to some as lumens, but in essence, they are what they are.”
Thanks for clearing that up, he thought.
“But what did it mean? What were they doing?”
“Who can explain the lumens? They remain mostly isolated and disconnected, but under certain circumstances—the autumnal equinox, for one—they become organized. Something triggered their activity.”
“Weezy—”
“Her pain and terror—perhaps. As I was saying, the Kurek girl might have remained quiet had not her killer attempted violence upon another girl so near to where she lay.”
“She woke up?”
“No, of course not. She is dead. Death is death, but sometimes death is not the end. A remnant became aware, and with that awareness came rage at the one who had so shortened her young life.”
“Wait-wait-wait.” This was too much like the ghost story he’d made up. “He asked about someone being haunted. Are you saying it’s true? That Marcie’s ghost got into Toliver’s locker and left those things for him?”
“I am saying no such thing. I am saying that if an object exists in one place, it can be moved to another.”
“But something has to transport it.”
She nodded. “I agree.”
“But—”
She gave Jack an intent look. “Sometimes the living help by opening that which is closed.”
It took a moment or two for that to sink in. And when it did, the meaning blasted through Jack like a winter storm.
Was she saying that whatever “residue” of Marcie had awakened had been able to follow him into Toliver’s locker? But how could Mrs. Clevenger know about—?
Oh, crap. Had Walt told her about meeting him in the dead of night? Had she put it all together?
Or did she just … know? She seemed to know all sorts of things. If she knew about his father’s vasectomy becoming recanalized, and knew about him watching the pine lights a couple of nights ago, then she could easily know about his secret trips to Toliver’s locker.
Though she seemed harmless, even benign, this old woman gave him the creeps.
“Wh-who helped?”
She smiled. “Not to worry. I will tell no one.”
Tim had said the sheriff’s office would be looking for whoever had broken into Toliver’s locker. He couldn’t imagine them questioning someone everybody considered crazy, or believing her even if she went to them. Still, you never knew.
“The police—”
“The concerns of the police are of no concern to me. You acted nobly. Weezy is lucky to have such a friend.”
Jack couldn’t help a swell of pride at the compliment.
“So … is it over?”
She nodded. “The Pine Barrens are all about balance. They allow the scales to remain uneven for only so long, then they must be brought back into line. The scales are balanced.”
“Are they? Someone told me something about piney blood on Toliver’s hands.”
“That would be Saree. She is right.”
“Then—”
“It is over.” She rose and leaned on her cane as she looked down at him. “I will leave you now. I know you helped the balance. I have no need to discuss it with anyone else.”
With that she turned and walked slowly away, her dog following in its strange, three-legged gait.
He watched