SKIN DEEP

by

AUTHOR C

EPILOGUE

The Chapters

INTRO

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

EPILOGUE

An ice cold wind swept through the upright stone markers, making an odd moaning sound. The sky was cloudy, making it seem more like twilight than mid-afternoon. Joe Hardy walked through the graveyard toward the Morton mausoleum and stopped. Memories good and bad slid through his mind and he sighed. A recent project had brought a lot of memories back.

His social studies class had assigned the students a project: research on the background of customs, especially in regard to certain holidays. Remembering that his mother had once told him that Mexico had a three-day festival for honoring the dead on Halloween and the first two days of November had prompted him to do his project on that festival. But the research had brought all the memories back of that particular Halloween seven years ago.

He took a deep breath, remembering how cute Iola had been as a pixie. He felt a hand on his arm and turned to see Vanessa beside him. "You okay?"

"Yeah." He gave her a sideways glance. "Do you believe in magic?"

Vanessa thought a moment. "Mom has that song. It is a song, right?"

Joe remembered hearing it played out at Vanessa's house once. He shook his head. "I'm not talking about a song. Do you believe in magic?"

Vanessa studied him for a moment. "Why do you ask?"

He spared one last look for the mausoleum and steered her toward the cemetery’s exit. He told her what had happened seven years ago, something he'd never even mentioned to Frank again after that day.

Vanessa frowned. "How scary."

"Yeah. But sometimes I wonder if it all really happened? There's been a slew of shops there since then. I think it's a comic book shop now where after hours they set up role-playing games." Joe shook his head. "It's just so bizarre."

He started for the van, knowing Frank was probably wondering where he'd disappeared to. He'd told Biff to tell Callie to tell Frank he could ride home with her, but he wasn't sure if Frank had.

A woman stepped out from behind his van. She was slender, with long black hair. A thick streak of white hair made her appearance startling. She was dressed simply – faded blue jeans, an embroidered peasant blouse. "Hello, Joe."

Joe blinked. Did he know this woman? "Who are you?"

"Liberty Anderson. I was the resource librarian seven years at Bayport Elementary."

Joe stopped cold in the path and Vanessa bumped into him. "Why'd you leave?"

"My work was done." She had the faintest of accents but Joe couldn’t place it.

"Your work?"

Liberty Anderson took a deep breath. "I wish I could have stopped her before she said those words to you."

Joe took a deep breath. Those words had brought him to the cemetery today. Remy had been right. He had known pain – the pain of losing someone he cared very deeply about. "Who was she?"

"Remembrance Bennett. She came from a long line of witches in the old country. When she came over here, she changed her last name and worked on keeping her beauty and youth at the expense of children's lives."

Vanessa gasped. "She actually killed children?"

Liberty nodded slowly. "She usually took in unwanted children, urchins off the street, little ones no one would miss. It is only in the last century, she's been less discreet."

Joe frowned. "And you, what are you?"

"I am a witch also. I had tracked Remembrance to here. I'd watched her set up her shop. I—"

"Why didn't you warn anyone? Do you know how many of us bought costumes there?"

Liberty looked away. "I was unsure of her motives until the night of Samhain. Forgive me."

Joe glared at the ground for a minute. "There's nothing to forgive. You probably saved our lives that night."

Liberty studied him for a moment. "I must go."

"Wait." When she stopped, Joe took a breath. "Why did you come back?"

"To make sure you were well." She spared a brief, curious glance for Vanessa. "And happy."

Joe wrapped an arm around Vanessa's shoulders. "I'm well and happy."

Liberty smiled then. "Good." She looked up at the sky. "It will be cold tonight for Halloween."

Joe had seen the weather report. They were all headed out to Vanessa's later for a Halloween party and movie-time. Several people had been designated to bring movies and Joe was going to bring Van Helsing tonight. "Yes. But we're a little old for trick-or-treating anyway."

Liberty laughed softly. "Good-bye, Joe...and blessed be." She nodded to Vanessa. "Blessed be." And then she was gone.

Joe stood there a moment later and then helped Vanessa into the van. "Come on. We still have to get snacks for tonight, right?"

Vanessa nodded as he left the cemetery behind. "Yes. I have the list of stuff right here. A friend of ours said she was bringing out-of-town relations. I told her the more the merrier."

Joe grinned at her and focused on the road, but not before giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Blessed be....

The End

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