Subj: Petofi's Maze chapter 13
Date: 99-02-28 18:02:15 EST
From: miranda
Chapter 13
Upon returning to the house by the sea Nicholas greeted Tom with a
harsh slap to his face. Before Tom could recover a sharp burning
pain started to coarse through his whole body. He felt like he was
being burned alive. Tom recognized the pain.
"Yes Tom, you know this feeling don't you?" Nicholas spat. "The
pain of the sun destroying your body. The only difference is that
I can make this pain continue indefinitely." Nicholas slowly
walked over to the couch and sat down. He watched Tom writhe in
pain on the floor. "I told you not to kill any member of the
Collins family and you disobeyed me. I will not tolerate
insubordination."
"I didn't know it was her until tonight! I didn't know!" Tom
pleaded.
"Well, you should have been more careful." Nicholas released Tom
from his punishment. Tom lay on the floor unable to get up. "The
only reason I am allowing you to live is because I am using this
opportunity to get rid of an old foe." Tom slowly rose and crawled
over to a chair. "And now I have an important task for you. I
have chosen your next 'sibling'. Jeb Hawkes will rid me of one
enemy and I will make the other into an ally."
"Who is it?" Tom asked quietly.
"Julia Hoffman," Nicholas noticed the expression on Tom's face.
"Yes, I thought you would be happy to hear that. The idea pleases
me as well. Now go rest and prepare for tomorrow night. After
midnight, Julia will most likely be alone." Tom gladly
dematerialized. Nicholas leaned back on the couch on closed his
eyes. He considered which powers he would give to Julia. Should
it be fire, air, or earth? He pictured Julia transforming into a
flame or a whirlwind or being able to shake the earth at will,
causing her enemies to perish. "I think it will be fire,"
Nicholas said out loud. "I think that suits her."
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All through the night and the next day Jeb thought about Nicholas'
offer. Could he actually kill Barnabas even if it meant he would
have Carolyn back alive? What kind of a spirit would demand such
a thing to begin with? Nicholas was obviously evil, but he was the
only one to answer his desperate call.
After nightfall Jeb began to feel more and more hopeless. He continued to pore
over his many books on the occult trying to find a way to resurrect Carolyn himself.
Nicholas' appearance was the first proof Jeb had that the supernatural did indeed
exist. Before, he viewed all this as nonsense that was the belief of fools. As
midnight approached he began to realize his efforts were in vain as he could find
nothing helpful on the subject in his library. Feeling numb now he set out to
the Old House in order to lure Barnabas to Carolyn's grave.
***************************************************************
Barnabas tried to hide his impatience, but this task was becoming
much harder to accomplish with every passing minute. Here he stood
in Eagle Hill Cemetery when he should be helping his comrades map
the maze between Collinwood and the Old House. Barnabas reminded
himself of the grief he felt losing Josette and felt sorry for Jeb.
"Jeb I know this is a hard time for you, but why did you ask me to
come to Carolyn's grave? It must be midnight already."
"Look at the grave," Jeb said in a monotone voice. A bewildered Barnabas turned
and stared at Carolyn's grave. Jeb pulled out a large knife from inside his jacket.
He positioned one hand to grab Barnabas' neck and readied himself to slit his
throat with the other. Jeb then raised the knife.
