Fireflies Page 22

  When Owen rose and came down to breakfast, Sarah reminded him to call on Pastor Lincoln and invite him and Mae to dinner. Obviously Pastor Lincoln had something he wanted to speak to Owen about Wednesday morning when he was nearly tossed out the door. It was past time for Owen to make amends and he could drop in briefly on his way to the office and make the invite. Owen agreed and he and Connell were on their way.

  It was finally Friday and the long week was beginning to show on everyone. Their lives had turned from a predictable but happy existence to a river of rapids after a storm nearly overnight and it both thrilled them and wore on them. Sarah was anxious to hear what the pastor had to say and was arranging for the children to have their supper a bit early so the adults could speak freely without prying ears.

  After a bit of light household chores, she had set the children to their own tasks and they happily went about their own ways to find them. She had, however, kept Liffey at her hip, to assist her with preparing meals and baking for the day and as always, Liffey was happy to oblige as her pursuits mirrored her mother’s.

  Teagan and Ennis had again wandered off to the Morgans’ to visit the kittens and hoped for yet another cup of Mrs. Morgan’s delicious lemonade. They were again pleased when she invited them in for a chat and this time, she had freshly made cookies as well.

  “Thank you so much, Mrs. Morgan. Our ma was in such a sweet mood this morning she gave us very few chores and told us to enjoy our day. This is so far the very best part!” Ennis smiled.

  “Well you are very welcome, Ennis. I had hoped you would be dropping by this morning so I made extra,” Mrs. Morgan replied.

  “These are delicious. You’ll have to give me the recipe,” Teagan said through a mouthful of cookie.

  “They will be in the recipe box which I will happily give to you on your wedding day, Teagan,” Mrs. Morgan said with a wink. “See? Willie loves them too,” She added as she handed a patiently awaited cookie to him.

  Teagan washed down the cookies with some lemonade and swallowed hard. Oddly enough she felt extremely awkward at Eli’s mother even mentioning their wedding. She wanted to marry Eli but the actual wedding hadn’t even crossed her mind yet. She was happy with the way things were and only wished they could stay this way for a while. Although they had rushed head on into their affections toward each other to a point, Teagan was more than satisfied with the pace at which their romance was progressing and had no intention to accelerate it.

  “Well, thank you so much for the cookies!” Teagan said, patting Ennis on the back and ushering him toward the back door. “I want to get this boy out to the barn to see his kitten.”

  “Thank you for dropping in!” said Mrs. Morgan, as she waved to them from the back door.

  Teagan and Ennis raced across the yard to the barn and this time she slowed down and let him win. As Ennis ran into the barn, he stumbled and fell to the ground. Teagan rushed to him and scooped him up and examined him carefully.

  “Ennis are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  “I’m all right, Teag. I’ve just skinned my hands a bit. See?” he raised both hands to her and she could see they were a bit rosy and scraped.

  “Oh, you’ll be fine I’m sure in a minute,” she laughed, knowing most likely he’d heal himself.

  “Teagan, something is different.” Ennis said as he approached the box of kittens.

  “What is it Ennis?” she asked, sitting down in the hay.

  “I don’t know really. I haven’t figured it out yet but there’s something strange about the barn today,” he said. “Well, I’m sure it’s fine. Maybe it’s just because I fell down.”

  Ennis looked over his shoulder a few times and then turned to play with the kittens. He was delighted with how each day, they’d changed and were more active and noisy than the day before. To Teagan, this was where he appeared the happiest.

  Watching Ennis turn again several more times and look around, began to make Teagan uneasy so she thought she’d just have a look around the barn.

  “Stay here, Ennis. I’ll be back in a minute,” Teagan said as she stood up to go and explore.

  The barn was two stories which included the cat walk above which led to the loft. She’d decided she’d rather not climb the old wooden ladder but she could at least just poke around a bit behind the bales of hay and take a few peeks into the four empty horse pens. As she strolled along she could still hear Ennis speaking sweetly to the kittens which somewhat lifted whatever was causing the anxiety and uneasiness from turning in her stomach. All of the animals were outside grazing happily in the mid-morning sun and the quiet snapping of straw beneath her feet was all she heard other than the soft mewing of the kittens.

  Teagan reached the last stall and leaned up and over to peek in. Still she didn’t see or hear anything so she shook her head and turned to walk the fifty or so feet to the front of the barn.

  “Ennis? Everything is fine back here!” She called, just before a hand covered her mouth and a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her into the last stall.

  “Teagan?” Ennis called as he went back to playing with the kittens.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Teagan fought and struggled ferociously but the man was much too strong for her. He struggled as well to keep her still and was holding his hand so tightly over her mouth and nose she thought she’d lose consciousness. With his other arm wrapped tightly around her, he pinned her arms at her sides, held her firmly against him and pulled her back into the corner of the stall, holding her up so that her feet dangled above the floor.

  “You hush now, girl. You hush or when I’m through with you, I’ll take care of that little brother of yours too,” the man said in a husky deep whisper.

  The threat of any harm coming to Ennis caused her body to go limp in his arms but he was not about to release her just yet. She couldn’t see his face and she was searching her memory for any voice she thought even resembled this wicked growl. Her mind was racing with fearful expectations and she was trembling at every repulsive thought that crossed it as he pressed her left cheek against the stable wall and pulled her hands behind her back. Her voice was now free and she instinctively resisted him until she saw the blade of a knife rise next to her face.

  “Yeah, you see this now don’t ya’ girl? You Whelans all think you’re too good for anybody but you’re not too good for this steel are ya’ girl? Don’t you make a sound,” said the malevolent whisper again, this time directly over her ear like the hiss of a snake.

  “Please…” she begged for her life, as he pulled a rope from his belt and began tying her wrists together behind her back. “Please don’t hurt my brother.”

  “Then hush your mouth,” he said as he pulled a burlap sack over her head and pulled her back away from the wall. “We’re going for a little walk, girl.”

  The man yanked at her bonded wrists by the rope and pushed her in front of him toward the rear barn door. He pushed it open as slowly and quietly as he could while looking down to the front of the barn to certify Ennis was still occupied with the kittens. Teagan shook with terror but forced herself to remain silent. She knew Ennis was a very bright boy and when he realized she was missing, he would run and get Mrs. Morgan for help. Nothing she may endure would damage her as much as the thought of anything bad happening to Ennis.

  “Move,” the man said as he pushed at her toward the back door of the barn.

  Suddenly, Teagan fell forward onto the floor and she heard the sound of a loud ping and a thud.

  “Noooo!” Ennis screamed at a level of sound which Teagan had never before heard in all of her life.

  Teagan was sure somehow Ennis had tried to stop the man and the man had turned on him and killed him. She began to scream as loud as she could for if Ennis was hurt or worse, she had no care for her own life or safety and prayed Mrs. Morgan would hear her cries for help.

  “Ennis!” she shouted through the sack over her head. “Ennis are you all right?!”

  �
��What on earth is happening out here?” said Mrs. Morgan, as she came running into the barn with Willie on her hip.

  “Help me, Mrs. Morgan, please!” Teagan shouted.

  Mrs. Morgan rushed to her side, sat Willie down and pulled the sack from over her head. Blood ran from Teagan’s nose and mouth from where she had fallen and she struggled to get to her feet as Mrs. Morgan took her arm and helped her.

  “Ennis?!” she cried out again running toward him, as Mrs. Morgan was all the while, trying to untie her hands from behind her back.

  There on the floor of the barn lay the man, face down in the dirt and straw, with a terrible wound to the back of his head. Ennis stood frozen over him, looking down as if in a trance. Teagan rushed to Ennis and scooped him up in her arms holding him tightly until she dropped to her knees and sat him on the ground.

  “Oh Ennis, what happened?” she cried.

  “Teagan? I believe this is what happened,” said Mrs. Morgan, holding a large, long handled shovel. “Shovel,” echoed Willie.

  “Ennis couldn’t have done that. He could barely lift a shovel that size, let alone swing it,” Teagan said, her tears flooding down her cheeks and mixing with the blood.

  Teagan turned back to Ennis who still appeared to be lost somewhere inside of himself and his eyes were so far away she was afraid he’d never find his way back.

  “Teagan, the man is still alive but he’s going to need a doctor. I’ll need your help,” Mrs. Morgan said as she took the rope she’d removed from Teagan’s wrists and began to bind the man’s hands together behind his back. “Just in case he wakes up and tries to get away. Teagan, grab me that leather strap hanging over there on the wall and I’ll bind his feet as well.”

  “But Ennis?” Teagan said as she watched Mrs. Morgan hog tying the man.

  “Ennis is in shock, Teagan. That could explain where he found the strength to swing that shovel,” Mrs. Morgan said, now scooping up Willie and motioning to Teagan to bring Ennis and follow her up to the house. “Come on. Let’s go get you cleaned up.”

  “Wait,” Teagan said as she rose to her feet and walked over to the man lying face down on the floor. “I want to see his face.”

  Teagan crept towards the man carefully and walked around his still body until she could see his profile, now covered in streams of his own blood running down from beneath his hair. She gasped when she realized who this was who had terrorized her and threatened her brother’s life.

  “Thomas Kennedy!” she said aloud.

  “What?” Mrs. Morgan asked in disbelief. “Come along Teagan. Let’s get up to the house now,” she said as she put her hand on Teagan’s shoulder and nudged her away.

  “I should fix this,” Ennis said softly.

  “Leave it to Da this time Ennis, please,” Teagan implored.

  Teagan took Ennis’ hand and they followed Mrs. Morgan and Willie quickly to the house and into the kitchen. Ennis was like a toy doll, bending and moving only at Teagan’s pushes and pulls as she led him to a chair and sat him down. His gaze focused at nothing. His eyes moved only to blink.

  “Teagan, can you stay here with the children while I go and get some help?” Mrs. Morgan asked.

  Teagan nodded, unable to pry her still weeping eyes away from Ennis, as Willie reached up to the table for a cookie.

  “Teagan here, wipe your face and pinch your nose with this while I run to get your ma,” Mrs. Morgan said, as she handed Teagan a wet cloth. “Teagan, are you listening to me?”

  “Yes ma’am. I’ll wait here,” she replied, sitting down in the chair next to Ennis and taking Willie and his fistful of cookies into her lap.

  Mrs. Morgan bolted out the door and headed to the east pasture to run the half mile to the Whelans’ and retrieve Sarah. She hoped one of the boys would be there so they could head to town to get Dr. Whelan and the sheriff.

  “Ennis, please talk to me. Please, Ennis. What did you do? I know you didn’t swing that big ole shovel Ennis. I know you didn’t but you saved me. You saved us. Please Ennis just look at me,” Teagan begged.

  Ennis finally turned to her and looked at her tear and blood stained face. “Teagan, I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I couldn’t help it,” Ennis said painfully.

  “Oh Ennis it’s all right. It’s going to be all right,” Teagan said as she reached out and started to place her hand on Ennis’ head. As her palm hovered, his curls began to reach up away from his scalp to meet her. She quickly drew back her hand and let out a yelp in fear. “Ennis? What’s happening?”

  “What is it Teag? What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know,” she said as she slowly again began to place her hand on his head and as before, those thick amber ringlets began to stand on end as if he were charged with some sort of static electricity. “Ennis, this is amazing. Your hair, it’s standing up on its own when I try to touch it.”

  “Well, can you just touch it please Teagan? I’m afraid,” he said as he looked sadly up at her.

  “Touch it,” said Willie, as he reached out and sat his hand flat on Ennis’ hair and then pulled his hand back swiftly. “Hot!”

  Teagan again placed her palm over his head and slowly guided it down through the puffs of standing strands and slid it down over his head. “Oh Ennis, you are very warm and your hair feels prickly like Da’s chin before he shaves but a little softer.”

  “What do you think it means, Teagan?” Ennis asked.

  “Well, I don’t know but something very strange is going on inside of you Ennis; something magical and wonderful all at the same time.”

  “Teagan, I didn’t swing that shovel. I know you know I didn’t and you’re right. It was standing against the wall and I was thinking in my mind, when I saw that Thomas Kennedy pushing you and having you all tied up like that, that I wish I could hit him with that shovel.”

  “So, you didn’t touch that shovel at all?” Teagan asked apprehensively but already knowing the answer.

  Ennis just nodded.

  “It’s coming on you stronger now isn’t it Ennis?”

  “I suppose but this time was different. I didn’t see that angel,” he replied. “I saw lots and lots of them.”

  “Ennis, where?”

  “Everywhere, all around the barn. They were all standing there and watching,” he replied. “What do you think it means?”

  “Ennis, I can’t even begin to imagine what that means but we really should tell Ma and Da as soon as we are home safe.”

  “I wonder why Thomas wanted to hurt you Teag? You’d never do anything to hurt anyone.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t understand it at all. Da says some people just aren’t right. He sees a lot of that in his line of work,” Teagan replied, bouncing Willie on her lap.

  “Well I guess you’ll get to see it too, then,” said Ennis. “Those angels Teagan?”

  “Yes? What about them?” she asked.

  “They were singing. Not like a choir, you know all in tune but they were singing,” Ennis said as he stared blankly ahead.

  Just as Teagan was left with no opinion to offer yet again, she could hear her mother’s voice coming up the back steps towards the kitchen door.

  “Ma!” she called out as she plopped poor Willie down in the kitchen chair and ran to the back door.

  “Teagan! Are ya’ hurt child?!” she cried.

  “Just a bit, Ma, but I’ll be alright,” she replied falling into her mother’s arms.

  Mrs. Morgan came in the door behind her and walked to the table and sat down next to Willie and pulled the half eaten plate of cookies away from him.

  “Ennis, Ennis are ya’ all right, son?” Sarah asked as she walked to him slowly, observing the blankness in his eyes. “Son?”

  “Yes Ma. I’m fine. I’m just very tired, Ma,” Ennis said as he stood up from the chair and took her hand.

  Sarah pulled him close to her and he wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her stomach. Sarah felt the strange energy
that filled him now. His hair responded to her touch the same as it had to Teagan and Willie. She pretended not to notice it but as Teagan had, she pulled her hand away at first touch until she realized no harm would come to her. She wondered if all of the excitement and fear had triggered this and as he relaxed and felt more secure in her embrace, it would begin to wane. However, she’d been here before in the state of mind of hoping for him to suddenly return into her sweet baby boy and perhaps she’d finally have to accept it would never happen.

  “Teagan, I’ve sent Brogan to fetch yer da and the sheriff. It’s just a matter of time now dear. I don’t know how long it will take but I suppose the better part of an hour or maybe more. Thomas is secured out in the barn according to Mrs. Morgan so I want you to take Ennis straight home now. I’m sure the sheriff will be by the house after he’s finished here,” Sarah said.

  “Ma, later, Ennis and I need to tell you something,” Teagan said as she took Ennis’ hand and turned towards the door.

  “I understand dear. I’ll see you at home,” Sarah replied.

  Teagan and Ennis walked past the barn quickly and made their way to the fence and forward on to home. Neither of them spoke a word and walked almost in step with each other, all the way to their own back door. Liffey was pacing back and forth on the back porch waiting for them and at the sight of her sister and brother she bolted from the porch and met them half way through the field.

  “Teagan! Oh Teagan your face! Come on to the house and I’ll get you a cold rag,” Liffey said as she wrapped her arm around her sister’s shoulder and took Ennis by the hand. “Ennis, I think you have a fever. We’ll get you a cold rag as well!” Liffey said as she led them to the house.