The Power of Dark Page 18

  Cherry waved it in her face.

  ‘Look at it,’ she told her. ‘See this serious-faced gal stood behind them? Remind you of someone?’

  Lil glanced at it just to shut her up. Then stared more closely.

  ‘She . . . she looks like me,’ she said in surprise. ‘Must be a great-great-great-great-grandmother or something.’

  Cherry sucked her teeth and shook her head. ‘That’s what I thought at first,’ she said. ‘Then I had a real close squint at it.’

  Curious, Lil sat up and took the print from her. The resemblance was uncanny. Cherry took a magnifying glass out of her bag and passed it over.

  ‘Fasten your seat belt, kid. Take a good look at what she’s wearin’ on that shawl.’

  Lil moved the lens over the image. In spite of Cherry’s words, she wasn’t prepared for the shock it revealed.

  ‘I can’t believe it!’ she gasped.

  ‘You better start.’

  The girl stared more closely. There was no doubt about it. There, pinned to the shawl, was one of her own home-made badges.

  ‘How did she get that?’

  ‘Don’t be dumb, kid. She is you!’

  ‘But . . . that’s not possible.’

  ‘You’re still talkin’ about possible and impossible? Really? Blinkers!’

  ‘These photographs were taken over a hundred years ago.’

  ‘And you was there. Ooooh, ain’t that a puzzler? I have no idea how you managed that one, or are gonna manage it, I should say. Just don’t let the guild of time witches find out; you don’t wanna mess with those buzzkills. So you’d better stop feelin’ sorry for yourself and get some fresh air inside you. Stinks of feet and puke and pre-teen angst in here.’

  Lil peered through the magnifying glass to detect any sign of fakery, but the photograph looked totally genuine. She reached for the fleece at her side and stroked it.

  ‘What you doin’?’ Cherry asked.

  ‘I pretend it’s Sal,’ the girl said sorrowfully.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Her old blanket.’

  ‘This thing?’

  Cherry held up the fleece. Lil didn’t understand; if Cherry had it, then what was she stroking? Her heart beat faster. There was no mistaking that soft, silky fur. Then there was a movement and a wet nose pushed into the cup of her hand.

  ‘Sal?’ she murmured faintly.

  A much-missed gentle tongue licked her palm.

  ‘Sally!’ she cried.

  But, when she looked, there was nothing there.

  ‘Well now!’ Cherry exclaimed with an amused chuckle. ‘Looks like Annie left you a partin’ gift, sweetheart. She’s taken away all the chains and padlocks you spent your life puttin’ round your special talents. She might even have passed on some of her own skills. Welcome to the sisterhood. Lilith Wilson, you’re a bona-fide witch.’

  Lil burst into tears, but now she was laughing too.

  Cherry rose and called Lil’s father into the room.

  ‘She’s ready,’ she said.

  ‘What’s happening?’ the girl asked, blowing her nose.

  ‘The town’s cooked up somethin’ special for you,’ Cherry told her. ‘It was my job to come get ya.’

  ‘But I look a wreck! And I don’t think I’m strong enough to walk yet.’

  ‘You look beautiful,’ her father said as he lifted her from the bed. ‘And I’m going to carry you all the way.’

  ‘Where’s Mum?’

  ‘She’s waiting for us.’

  Carrying his daughter from the bedroom, he gave Cherry a grateful smile.

  Hearing them go down the stairs, Cherry wagged a finger at the empty spot on the bed where the Westie’s ghost had fleetingly appeared.

  ‘Don’t you keep her awake at night,’ she warned. ‘That kid needs to get her strength back. She can’t be playin’ with you at all hours. There are tough times ahead. There’s a lot I didn’t tell her. Let her enjoy today; plenty of time to be scared later. The Lords of the Deep and Dark can’t be thwarted so easy. She’s gonna have to know all about them. She’s got their attention – big time.’

  When Mr Wilson emerged from the cottage with Lil in his arms, a great cheer went up. Lil was startled to see the street lined with people. All the neighbours were out to greet her. As Mr Wilson walked by, they clapped and wished her well.

  The applause followed them down the street and the crowds along the way increased in number.

  ‘Where are we going?’ Lil asked.

  ‘You’ll see.’

  By the time they reached the 199 steps, the street was thick with people and the cheering was tumultuous.

  Lil gazed up at the steps; they too were crowded and everyone was smiling and waving at her.

  Only one face in that throng was sullen. Tracy Evans watched Lil go by and her mouth twisted in a sneer as she took a photo of the nauseating scene to send to her beloved. The phone in her hand was crusty with dried blood and most of her fingers were bound in plasters. Another plaster would be needed later. Tracy despised the sickening adulation the Wilson girl was receiving, but she clung to the certainty that her gorgeous Dark would be with her soon. He had told her he’d been granted a second chance and just thinking about that sent Tracy’s heart racing. Not long now . . .

  With his daughter still in his arms, Mr Wilson climbed the steps. Lil felt like she was floating in a dream. Her head resting on his shoulder, she looked back at the town. Whitby had never looked more lovely. The sun was sparkling over the sea, fishing boats were bobbing in the harbour, the sky was deep blue and kipper smoke wafted across the cliff. Hundreds of beaming faces were thanking her for saving them and she murmured back politely. Some pressed bunches of flowers into her hands and soon she was decked out in blooms.

  ‘It’s all for you, Lil,’ Mr Wilson said, bursting with pride. ‘But you haven’t seen the best part yet.’

  Turning her head, Lil saw her mother standing at the top of the steps, with her arms extended in welcome. At her side was Verne.

  ‘Put me down now, Dad,’ she said. ‘I can manage the last bit.’

  Still clutching his hand, she reached the top, where another large crowd was gathered to greet her.

  ‘Hello, darling,’ her mother said, stroking her hair. ‘This is Whitby’s present to you.’

  ‘What is?’ Lil asked, confused.

  ‘Everyone’s taken part. Absolutely everyone. The whole town.’

  There was a call for three cheers. As the jubilant hoorays rang across the cliff, the crowds parted and Lil finally saw what the people of Whitby had done for her.

  The ancient graveyard was a mass of colour. Every single headstone, as far as the eye could see, was covered in a brightly knitted grave cosy. Even the Caedmon Cross was wrapped in a huge, gaudily striped scarf.

  ‘It’s for the Goth Weekend,’ Mrs Wilson told her. ‘Cherry told us you were behind those lovely decorations and what you’d been planning. From now on we’re going to do this every year. It’ll be a new tradition. Everyone loves it. And I love you.’

  Lil didn’t know what to say. Was there ever a more perfect day? Her eyes prickled again and then her legs felt weak and she reached for her father, but it was Verne who steadied her.

  ‘Why haven’t you been answering my texts?’ he asked. ‘It’s all very well you having the mulligrubs, but what are we going to do about it?’

  ‘Do about what?’

  Verne pulled his rucksack open and Lil looked inside. A golden light shone up into her face.

  ‘The Nimius!’ she breathed in wonder.

  ‘Ssshhh!’ he told her, closing the bag hastily. ‘No one knows I’ve still got it!’

  Don’t miss

  Coming soon

 

 

 
yle = " -webkit-filter: grayscale(100%); -moz-filter: grayscale(100%); -o-filter: grayscale(100%); -ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share