Eliza's Shadow Read Online Free PDF Page A

she’d spied a black widow spider on my shoulder, sent a hot wave of
nausea rolling over me. Without thinking, I blurted it all out, recounting
every detail I could recall.
    Cora frowned as she listened studying my face.
    After a few pensive moments, she rose from the bed
and motioned for me to follow her. She plodded down the stairs and headed
directly to the back of the house and into the kitchen. She opened cabinets and
drawers pulling various items from each. I watched her work with curiosity.
    "I know how to send bad dreams away."
She said determinedly.
    I watched her use twine to tie some feathers and
what looked like small bones together. Then she connected them to form a
circle. She repeated the process over and over again until she had a pile of
nets. She handed them over to me.
    We started in the living room at the front of the
house. Cora mumbled something low and musical under her breath as she hung one
of the nets on each window like a Christmas ornament. I followed her around the
house as she proceeded to adorn every window, humming the whole time.
    When we finished, she towed me back to the kitchen
and headed straight for the pantry. She pulled out a jar of what looked like
flour. She sat down across from me at the kitchen table and reached for my
hands. I offered them, weakly. She closed her eyes and silently traced the
lines on my palms with her thumbs. Then she sprinkled the powder on my palms
and rubbed it into my skin. She rose and gently touched my temples and the top
of my head. I blinked as the white powder fell on my eyelashes. I sat silently
waiting for her to say something I would understand.
    After a few minutes of reverent silence, she
opened her eyes and smiled.
    "There now, it's goin’ be fine. Eliza, you
won’t be havin’ any more bad dreams.” She reassured me.
    Mustering courage, I asked the question that
burned in my heart.
    “Cora, what happened to my mother? Please tell
me.” My voice shook. Cora may have led the sheriff to believe that my mother
left me behind, but by the way she was behaving, I knew that wasn’t the case.
    Cora inhaled deeply before answering.
    “That’s a hard question to answer, child. I don’t
rightly know exactly where she’s gone or how she got there. But she called me
in for a reason, to protect you, until she gets back. And that’s what I’m goin’
do, best I know how.” She said gravely.
    Then drawing herself up in her chair added, “Child,
someday, you will have to face the things that frighten you. There will come a
time when all this confusion goin’ sort out, then you’ll understand more ‘bout
your mama, more ‘bout yourself. Don’t you worry any about that today. You’re a
strong girl and when that time comes, you’ll be brave, won’t you?” She pressed.
    I nodded in response, though I didn’t feel very
brave.
    The next two nights were calm and dreamless. But
on the third night, I woke with a start to Cora's voice. It was still dark in my
room and I had a feeling that I hadn’t been asleep very long.
    "Wake up, child, wake up." The urgency
in her voice was unnerving.
    After all I had been through, I couldn't bear to
have my last thread of sanity shaken. I sat up in bed.
    "Eliza, listen to me, child. It's time for
you t’ go." She whispered sternly.
    "Go?" I balked.
    "I been feelin’ your nightmare comin’ back,
lookin’ for a way inside. It won’t be long b’fore it breaks through.” She said.
    "But… I need to be here. What about my
mother? How will she find me?" I begged feeling as if I’d found myself in
the middle of a new nightmare.
    “Eliza, your mama wants you to be safe. You’re too
young to be messin' with this business. Child, you must go. We’ll call your
Auntie Jane. You can stay with her awhile." Cora said decidedly.
    I was surprised to hear Jane’s name. And surprised
that Cora even knew about her.
    Cora gently pulled me up off my bed and led me
down the stairs. She dialed and spoke quietly to Jane. From