The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 31

Im feeling much better, Elena told Dr. Meggar. Id like to take a walk around the estate. She tried not to bounce up and cumulus on the bed. Ive been feeding steak and drinking milk and I flush took that vile cod liver oil you sent. Also I suck a very firm nail of reality Im here to rescue Stefan and the little boy inside Damon is a metaphor for his unconscious, which the blood we shared allowed me to serve. She bounced once, entirely covered it by reaching for a glass of water. I feel like a happy puppy pulling at the leash. She exhibited her newly designed slave bracelets silver with lapis lazuli inserts in fluid designs. If I die suddenly, I am prepared.Dr. Meggars eyebrows worked up and down. easy, I cant find both topic wrong with your pulse or your breathing. I dont see how a decent afternoon walk can hurt you. Damons certainly up and walking. But dont you go giving Lady Ulma any brains. She still needs months of bed rest.She has a nice little desk made from a breakf ast tray, Bonnie explained, gesturing to show size and width. She designs clothes on that. Bonnie leaned forward, wide-eyed. And you know what? Her dresses are magic.I wouldnt conceive anything less, grunted Dr. Meggar.But the next moment Elena remembered some(a)thing unpleasant. Even when we get the keys, she utter, we have to plot the actual jailbreak.Whats a jailbreak? Lakshmi asked excitedly.Its like this weve got the keys to Stefans cell, but we still need to put down down out how were deviation to get into the prison, and how were passing to smuggle him out.Lakshmi frowned. Why not but go in with the line and take him out the gate?Because, Elena said, attempt for patience, they wont let us just walk in and get him. She narrowed her eyes as Lakshmi put her head in her hands. Whatre you thinking, Lakshmi?Well, first you say that youre going to have the key in your hand when you go to the prison, then you act like theyre not going to let him out of the prison.Meredith sh ook her head, bewildered. Bonnie put a hand to her forehead as if it ached. But Elena slowly leaned forward.Lakshmi, she said, very quietly, are you saying that if we have a key to Stefans cell its basically a pass in and out of prison?Lakshmi b safeened up. Of course she said. Otherwise, what would a key be good for? They could just lock him in another cell.Elena could hardly conceive the wonder of what she had just heard, so she immediately began trying to poke holes in it. That would mean we could go straight from Bloddeuwedds party to the prison and just take Stefan out, she said with as much sarcasm as she could inject into her voice. We could just show our key and theyd let us take him away.Lakshmi nodded eagerly. Yes she said joyfully, the sarcasm having gone right over her head. And, dont be mad, okay? But I wondered why you never went to visit him.We can visit him?Sure, if you befuddle an appointment.By now Meredith and Bonnie had tot up to life and were supporting Elena on either side. How soon can we send someone to make an appointment? Elena said through her teeth, because it was taking all her trial to speak her entire fish was resting on her two friends. Who can we send to make an appointment? she whispered.Ill go, Damon said from the crimson darkness behind them. Ill go this nonethelessing give me five morsels. matt could feel that he had on his most cross and stubborn reflectivity.Cmon, Tyrone said, give earing amused. They were both gearing up for a wind up into the thicket. This meant putting on two of the mothball-clove-recipe coats each and then using duct tape to fasten the gloves to the coats. mat was sweating already.But Tyrone was a good guy, he thought. Here dull had come out of nowhere and said, Hey, you know that bizarre thing you saw with poor Jim Bryce last week? Well, its all connected to something even more bizarre all about fox spirits and the Old Wood, and Mrs. Flowers says that if we dont figure out whats going on, were going to be in real trouble. And Mrs. Flowers isnt just a batty old lady at the boardinghouse, even though everybody says so.Of course she isnt, Dr. Alperts brusque voice had said from the doorway. She put down her black pop still a enumeratery doctor, even when the town was in crisis and addressed her son. Theophilia Flowers and I have known each other a long sequence and Mrs. Saitou, too. They were both continuously helping people. Thats their nature.Well vapid had seen an opportunity and jumped at it. Mrs. Flowers is the one who needs help now. Really, really needs help.Then whatre you sitting in that location for, Tyrone? Hurry up and go help Mrs. Flowers. Dr. Alpert had ruffled her own iron-gray h propagate with her fingers, then ruffled her sons black hair fondly.I was, Mom. We were just leaving when you came in.Tyrone, seeing planenesss grim horror-story of a car, had politely offered to drive them to Mrs. Flowerss house in his Camry. Matt, afraid of a t erminal blowout at some crucial moment, was save too happy to accept.He was glad that Tyrone would be the lynchpin of the Robert E. Lee High football team in the coming year. Ty was the kind of guy you could count on as witness his immediate offer of help today. He was a good sport, and absolutely straight and clean. Matt couldnt help but see how drugs and drinking had ruined not lone(prenominal) the actual games, but the sportsmanship of the other teams on campus.Tyrone was also a guy who could pass off his mouth shut. He hadnt even peppered Matt with questions as they operate back to the boardinghouse, but he did give a wolf whistle, not at Mrs. Flowers, but at the bright icteric Model T she was driving into the old stables.Whoa he said, jumping out to help her with a grocery bag, while his eyes drank in the Model T from fender to fender. Thats a Model T Fordor Sedan This could be one beautiful car if He stopped abruptly and his brown skin burnt-out with a sunset glow.Oh, my, dont be embarrassed about the Yellow Carriage Mrs. Flowers said, allowing Matt to take another bag of groceries back through the kitchen garden and into the kitchen of the house. Shes served this family for to the highest degree a hundred years, and shes accumulated some rust and damage. But she goes almost thirty miles an hour on paved roads Mrs. Flowers added, speaking not only proudly, but with the somewhat awed respect owed to high-speed travel.Matts eyes met Tyrones and Matt knew there was only one shared thought hanging in the air between them.To restore to perfection the dilapidated, worn, but still beautiful car that spent most of its time in a converted stable.We could do it, Matt said, feeling that, as Mrs. Flowerss representative, he should make the offer first.We sure could, Tyrone said dreamily. Shes already in a double garage no problems about room.We wouldnt have to strip her down to the frameshe really rides like a dream.Youre kidding We could clean the engine, though have a look at the plugs and belts and hoses and stuff. And dark eyes sparkle suddenly my dad has a power sander. We could strip the paint and repaint it the exact same yellowMrs. Flowers suddenly beamed. That was what dear Mama was waiting for you to say, late man, she said, and Matt remembered his manners long enough to introduce Tyrone. outright, if you had said, Well paint her burgundy or blue or any other color, Im sure she would have objected, Mrs. Flowers said as she began to make ham sandwiches, potato salad, and a large kettle of baked beans. Matt watched Tyrones reaction to the mention of Mama and was pleased there was an instant of surprise, followed by an expression like calm water. His mother had said Mrs. Flowers wasnt a batty old lady therefore she wasnt a batty old lady. A huge weight seemed to roll off Matts shoulders. He wasnt alone with a fragile elderly woman to protect. He had a friend who was actually a little bigger than he was to rely on.Now both of you, have a ham sandwich, and Ill make the potato salad while youre eating. I know that young men Mrs. Flowers always spoke of men as if they were a special kind of flower need lots of good hearty meat ahead going into battle, but theres no reason to be formal. Lets just dig right in as things are done.They had happily obeyed. Now they were preparing for battle, feeling ready to fight tigers, since Mrs. Flowerss idea of dessert was a pecan pie split between the boys, along with huge cups of coffee that cleared the brain like a power sander.Tyrone and Matt drove Matts junker to the cemetery, followed by Mrs. Flowers in the Model T. Matt had seen what the trees could do to cars and he wasnt going to subject Tyrones whistle-clean Camry to the prospect. They walked down the hill to Matt and Sergeant Mossbergs hide, each of the boys giving a hand to help the frail Mrs. Flowers over rough bits. Once, she tripped and would have fallen, but Tyrone dug the toes of his DC shoes into the hill and stood like a mountain as she tumbled against him.Oh, my thank you, Tyrone dear, she murmured and Matt knew that Tyrone dear had been accepted into the fold.The sky was dark except for one streak of scarlet as they reached the hide. Mrs. Flowers took out the sheriffs label, rather clumsily, due to the gardening gloves she was wearing. First she held it to her forehead, then she slowly drew it away, still holding it in front of her at eye-level. He stood here and then he bent down and squatted here, she said, getting down in what was in fact the correct side of the hide. Matt nodded, hardly knowing what he was doing, and Mrs. Flowers said without opening her eyes, No coaching, Matt dear. He heard someone behind him and whirled, drawing his gun. But it was only Matt, and they spoke in whispers for a while.Then he suddenly stood up. Mrs. Flowers stood suddenly and Matt heard all sorts of al sleeveing little pops and crackles in her delicate old body. He went walking str iding down into that thicket. That evil thicket.She set off for the thicket as Sheriff Rich Mossberg had when Matt had watched him. Matt and Tyrone went hurrying after her, ready to stop her if she showed any signs of entering the remnant of Old Wood that still lived.Instead, she walked around it, with the badge held to eye height. Tyrone and Matt nodded at each other and without speaking, each took one of her arms. This way they skirted the edge of the thicket, all the way around, with Matt going first, Mrs. Flowers next, and Tyrone last. At some point Matt realized that tears were making their way down Mrs. Flowerss withered cheeks.At last, the fragile old woman stopped, took out a webby handkerchief after one or two tries and wiped her eyes with a gasp.Did you find him? Matt asked, unable to hold in his curiosity any longer.Well well have to see. Kitsune seem to be very, very good at illusions. Everything I saw could have been an illusion. But she heaved a sigh one of us i s going to have to step into the Wood.Matt gulped. Thatll be me, then He was interrupted. Hey, no way, man. You know their ops, whatever they are. Youve got to get Mrs. Flowers out of this No, I cant risk just petition you to come over here and get hurt Well, what am I doing out here, then? Tyrone demanded.Wait, my dears, Mrs. Flowers said, sounding as if she were about to cry. The boys shut up immediately, and Matt matte ashamed of himself.I know a way that you both can help me, but its very dangerous. Dangerous for the two of you. But by chance if we only have to do it once, we can cut the risk of danger and increase our chance of finding something.What is it? Tyrone and Matt said almost simultaneously.A a couple of(prenominal) minutes later, they were prepped for it. They were lying side by side, facing the wall formed by the tall trees and tangled underbrush of the thicket. They were not only roped together, but they had Mrs. Saitous Post-it notes situated all over their arms.Now when I say three I want you both to reach in and grab at the ground with your hands. If you feel something, keep hold of it and pull your arm out. If you dont feel anything, move your hand a little and then pull it out as fast as you can. And by the way, she added calmly, if you feel anything trying to pull you in or immobilize your arm, yell and fight and kick and scream, and well help you to get out.There was a long, long minute of silence.So basically, you think there are things all around on the ground in the thicket, and that we might get hold of them just by reaching in blindly, Matt said.Yes, Mrs. Flowers said.All right, said Tyrone, and once again Matt glanced at him approvingly. He hadnt even asked What kind of things could pull us into the Wood?Now they were in position and Mrs. Flowers was counting One, two, three, and then Matt had thrust his right arm in as cold as it would go and was sweeping his arm while groping.He heard a shout from beside him. Got it And then instantly Somethings pulling me inMatt pulled his own arm out of the thicket before trying to help Tyrone. Something dropped down on it, but it hit a Post-it note and it felt as if hed been whacked by a piece of a Styrofoam.Tyrone was thrashing wildly and had already been dragged in to his shoulders. Matt grabbed him by the waist and used all his strength to haul backward. There was a moment of rampart and then Tyrone came popping out as if suddenly released like a cork. There were scratches on his face and neck, but none where the overcoats had covered him or where the Post-it notes were.Matt felt a desire to say Thank you, but the two women who had made him amulets were far away, and he felt stupid saying it to Tyrones coat. In any case, Mrs. Flowers was fluttering and thanking people enough for three.Oh, my, Matt, when that big branch came down I thought your arm would be broken at least. Thank the dear captain that the Saitou women make such excellent amulets. And, Tyr one dear, please take a swig out of this canteen Uh, I dont really drink much Its just angry lemonade, my own recipe, dear. If it werent for both you boys, we wouldnt have succeeded. Tyrone, you found something, yes? And then you were caught and would never have been released if Matt hadnt been here to save you.Oh, Im sure hedve got out, Matt said hurriedly, because it must be embarrassing for anybody like The Tyreminator to admit they needed help.Tyrone, however, just said soberly, I know. Thanks, Matt.Matt felt himself blush.But I didnt get anything after all, Tyrone said disgustedly. It felt like a piece of old pipe or something Well, lets have a look, Mrs. Flowers said very seriously.She turned the strongest flashlight on the object Tyrone had risked so much to bring out of the thicket.At first Matt thought it was a gigantic rawhide dog bone. But then an all-too-familiar shape made him look closer.It was a femur, a human femur. The biggest bone in the body, the one from the leg. And it was still white. Fresh.It doesnt seem to be plastic, Mrs. Flowers said in a voice that seemed very far away.It wasnt plastic. Matt could see where little tiny bits had curled up and away from the exterior. It wasnt rawhide, either. It waswell, real. A real human leg bone.But that wasnt the most horrifying thing the thing that sent Matt spiraling out into darkness.The bone was polished clean and marked with the imprints of dozens of tiny little teeth.