I looked to the woods, and suddenly I was sure I saw Daddy. He stepped out and started toward the house, but something stopped him and he was back in the woods again. I watched.

He stepped out and started toward the house.

Again something stopped him and he was back in the woods.

"Daddy!" I screamed, my tears lifting over my lids and sliding over my cheeks. He started for the house but stopped and shook his head.

He was back in the woods.

He can't come here, I realized.

I looked about. Shadows were moving everywhere and stopping.

They're all locked out.

Something was terribly wrong, and until it was made right again, we were alone. We were all deserted.

20.

A Dance of Death .

Sleeping didn't help Mama. If anything, she appeared to fall further into some abyss of madness.

She babbled incoherently when she was awake, then drifted off. I tried to get her to drink some water, but it ran out of the corners of her mouth. Her tongue was like a plug keeping any-thing from going down her throat. I knew that she couldn't last long like this, but I kept hoping that somehow I would get her sensible again.

I spent my day looking after Panther. Baby Celeste remained sullen and angry. Finally, when Panther was taking a nap and Mama was asleep again, I tried to satisfy Baby Celeste by going out to the garden. She did seem pleased, but because we couldn't stay long, she returned to her sulking, ate little, and ignored me. Finally, she went up to her room and closed the door. When I looked in on her, she was asleep in her bed.

Late in the afternoon. Betsy returned alone. She had bags and bags of clothing, shoes, cosmetics, everything she had lacked and wanted. I had to help her bring it all in and up to her room. It took me two trips. She didn't even look at Panther or ask after him.

All she did was babble about the wonderful new clothing she had gotten. I tried to be as interested and excited about it all as I could, just to please her.

Finally, she stopped and asked about Mama and our attorney. Mr. Derward Lee Nokleby-Cook.

"I've decided to join Tad's band," she told me.

"I'm going to travel with them and be their manager.

One of the first things I'm buying with my money is one of those buses with a bathroom in it. We're going to paint the name of the band on the sides. Everyone's excited about it. Well?"

"I'm trying to do what you want. But Mama's still asleep."

"What do you mean, still asleep?" she cried.

grimacing. "That's just a bunch of crap. She's pretending. And I can tell you it won't work."

She threw down her new blouse and marched out of her room. "Betsy!" I cried after her. "Don't."

She forged ahead and burst into Mama's bedroom. Mama was still in bed, of course. her eyes closed. Betsy charged right at the bed. I ran after her, but she got there first and started to shake Mama.

"Wake up. Sarah. This pretending won't work with me. I want my money and I want it right away.

Wake up, damn you!" she screamed, and shook Mama so hard her head bounced back and forth.

I grabbed Betsy's arms to stop her, but she was so determined, she broke free of my grasp and shook Mama again. Mama's eyes opened. but she didn't speak nor did she look at Betsy.

"Stop pretending to be in some sort of a sick daze!

You do what I asked and do it now, damn you!"

she screamed.

Mama didn't speak, didn't even utter a sound in defense or protest. Her eyes closed again.

"If you don't do what I want, go downstairs, boil water, and throw it on your face,"

Betsy threatened.

Mama's eyelids fluttered, but didn't open. Betsy flung her back to the bed and pillow, turned, and glared hatefully at me.

"I'm sick of you. Sick of her. Sick of this place.

She's not getting away with stealing my money! Betsy bellowed.

"She's not stealing it," I said as calmly as I could. "Your father wanted it this way."

"He did not. She made him do it." Betsy pointed at Mama, "She had him hypnotized or something." She glowered at Mama, "You're not getting away with any of this anymore. Sarah." she shouted.

"She can't help it. She's not well. I can't even get her to drink water."

"Oh. stop. I know what she's up to. She probably thinks her spirits will save her, but not this time. You're not the boss this time. Sarah. You're not telling anyone to do anything anymore. I want my money!"

Mama's lips moved slightly but her eyes remained closed.

"She's not pretending. You'll have to wait until we get her well again!"

"Is that right, Noble Celeste? I have to wait?"

Betsy said, smiling madly. "Me? I'm the one who has to wait for my own money?"

"Can't you see how she is?"

She turned back to Mama. "I see a phony, a lunatic. That's what I see. Okay, you want to play hardball. Sarah, we'll play hardball. I'm going down to boil the water."

She spun around and charged past me, pushing me aside as she went by and out the bedroom door.

Mama moaned, but she didn't open her eyes.

"Please. Mama." I said. "let's get her the money and get her out of here for good."

Mama didn't open her eyes, didn't move her lips. I touched her face lovingly and called to her, but she didn't react. She doesn't hear me. I thought. It was what I had always feared. Facing the reality of Noble's death drove her down so deeply, her own body had become her coffin and she was about to close the lid on herself.

"Oh. Mama," I moaned, lowering myself to press my cheek to hers. "can't we live happily as we really are? Can't I be your Celeste again? Please.

Mama."

My tears rolled off my cheeks and onto hers, but she didn't open her eyes. I felt the vibration of a moan within her, a vibration that sounded like a long, hollow N000000000! Then I stepped back, looked at her, and waited to see if she would react before I left the bedroom. I had to go. I had to calm down Betsy and &lire out some sort of solution until I could get Mama some help. Perhaps I would call Mr. Bogart, I thought. He would know what to do. Or I could call the Reverend Mr. Austin and his wife. Tani. They were so nice, so understanding. They would help us.

I'll tell Betsy my plan, I thought. It will calm her down to see I'm trying to do something.

When I went looking for her, I did find her in the kitchen. She had put up a pot of water and brought it to a boil. She heard me behind her and turned.

"Has the queen decided to play ball? Is she up and ready to make the call?"

"No. Betsy. I told you. She's not pretending.

I've decided to call Mr. Bogart or the Reverend Austin and ask them for help. They'll know what we should do."

"Oh, is that your solution? Call her herb distributor or that silly reverend, who'll probably come here and make wonderful speeches about how lucky we all are to be together? Maybe she isn't pretending. Maybe she is crazy. but I'll snap her out of it. I have everyone waiting for me. Tad is getting it all together. We're leaving tomorrow after I get my money. Timers up." She put a pot holder around the pot handle, lifting the boiled water off the stove.

"You can't do that. She won't even know you're threatening her."

"Oh, she'll know. NI let a drop or two fall on her face and she'll suddenly see the light," Betsy said, her eyes wide with excitement. "Get out of my way or I'll throw it all on you." She brought the pot back and up, poised to cast the water at me.

"Please. Just give me the chance to get us help.

It's the best way." "Move!" she shouted.

I had no doubt that she would throw that boiling water at me. I stepped aside and she walked quickly out of the kitchen with me following and cajoling her to be reasonable, to give me an opportunity to do the things she wanted.

She didn't respond or pause until she was halfway up the stairs. "If this doesn't work, then we'll go to your plan. but I think it's going to work. Trust me." Then she continued up, stopping about three steps from the top.

Baby Celeste had come out of her room and was standing glaring down at her. "Get that kid out of my way or I'll scald her."

"Celeste, get out of her way," I screamed, and hurried to catch up.

Rather than get out of Betsy's way, Baby Celeste held her arms out to prevent her from going past her and, to my shock and surprise, stepped down toward her, practically challenging her to attempt to go farther.

"She's as crazy as your mother," Betsy said, and brought the pot back to cast some of the boiling water at Baby Celeste.

I charged up the few steps that separated me from Betsy and seized her right arm.

"No!" I shouted, and wrenched her back. She missed a step, but the force of my pull sent her flying against the wall on my left. She hit it hard with her forehead, spun like a ballerina in the air, and then came down two steps below, her legs crumbling under her weight, sending her head over heels down the remaining steps. The pot of boiling water seemed suspended in midair for a moment, then came crashing down behind her, the water leaping out of the pot, some of it splashing on her legs. She landed at the bottom of the steps, her body twisted awkwardly so that her torso was going in one direction, but her head in the completely opposite. The pot clanged on the floor and rolled to a stop.

Betsy's right arm was turned and bent all the way back at the elbow. Her left arm had slapped against the step so hard. I could see that it had broken at her forearm, the jagged bone actually piercing the skin and starting a trickle of blood. I stared down at her, astonished at the strange ballet I had caused, a ballet I realized almost immediately was a dance of death.

I stood there in shock, not realizing for a good minute that Baby Celeste had come down the steps and taken my left hand into hers. She was staring at Betsy, too.

"Oh, my God," I said. "I think she's dead."

Then I realized Baby Celeste was there and I looked at her. She was as still as a statue, intrigued with the sight before her. I lifted her into my arms and slowly descended toward Betsy's broken body. Her eyes were still wide open, but had already taken on that glassy appearance of two marbles, no longer bringing any information into her head. They were now two snuffed candles, not even smoldering.

Darkness had entered her and quickly drowned every thought, every memory. She was filled with silence.

"What are we going to do?" I moaned.

Baby Celeste stared down at her and then turned to me, her little eyelids blinking rapidly.

"Put her in the garden," she said.

The shock of her suggestion truly hit me like a bolt of lightning, but instead of making me feel hot, it drove the blood into my feet and turned my heart to ice. Still carrying Baby Celeste in my arms. I turned and ascended the stairway. Mama will know what to do. I thought. Mama will tell me. She has to wake up now She has to help me.

I entered the bedroom as quickly as I could and went to Mama's side. lowering Baby Celeste to the floor. She stood there beside me looking at Mama. I took Mama's hand in my two hands and went to my knees, lowering my head like someone in prayer.

"Mama, a terrible thing just happened. I tried to stop Betsy from throwing boiling water at Baby Celeste and coming up here to throw it at you. and I made her fall down the stairs. I"m sure her neck's broken. I"mm sure she's dead. Mama. She's dead.

What should I do? Please. Mama. Please wake up and help me, help us. Please."

I waited, but she didn't move, nor did she speak. Nevertheless. I remained there and pleaded with her. I don't know how long I was there on my knees, but darkness fell around the house and my knees suddenly stung and ached. Baby Celeste was gone when I turned to look for her. and I could hear Panther crying. He sounded hoarse so I was sure he had been crying awhile and I had just not heard.

I pulled myself up and looked down at Mama.

She had her head turned a bit to the right. Panicked. I felt for her pulse. It was there, but so very slight. She was running down like some old windup toy. I thought.

I"ll make her something to eat. I'll prepare one of her many cereals with honey. If I get her to take in some food, she'll get better. I decided. Yes, that's all I have to do: get her to take in some food.

And I have to look after Panther and Baby Celeste as well. I thought, and rushed out. First things first. I told myself. After I've done everything that has to be done. I will sit in the living room in Grandpa Jordan's chair and I will wait to be told what I should do. That's it. They'll tell me. Things will be fine. I should have thought of that before. How silly of me.

They won't let anything bad happen to us.

I went directly to Panther and changed his diaper first. Then I soothed him and calmed him and carried him down to feed him. He looked at Betsy's body with some curiosity, but no emotion. He didn't call to her or reach for her. Instead, he tightened his little arms around my neck.

"There, there," I said. It will be all right. Well all be fine," Baby Celeste was in the kitchen nibbling on a graham cracker.

"Hungry." she said angrily.

"I know. Celeste. I'm going to make us all dinner right now. Keep Panther occupied while I do it." I put him in his high chair. I gave him one of the crackers Baby Celeste was eating, and like a good girl she sat with him and talked to him while I worked on our dinner.

We are going to be fine. I thought. I fed them both. then I took the bowl of food with a cup of herbal tea up to Mama. She hadn't moved a muscle, changed her position one inch. I fixed the pillows and propped her up. but her head fell forward. I lifted it gently under the chin.

"Mama, please try to eat. I have something very good for you." I spooned some cereal into her mouth, but her jaw didn't move. The cereal remained on her tongue.

Maybe I can wash it down with water, I thought, and filled a glass. I held her head tilted and poured it in. She gagged and spit it up along with the cereal, but her eyes didn't open.