Chapter 33: Divided Town

The tension in Eldridge Falls seems as though it will snap. Only been one day since that incident in the woods with that secret society, and already the rumors are flying left and right. People spoke in hushed tones on the street, fear-whites of their eyes wide wherever Emma went-suspicion weighing her down. They say there are witches, surrounded by demons, too if that could explain everything that has been going on around here." Mrs. Baker whispered to herself in a low, shrill voice as Emma passed the shop. Others took more time to sink in. The village blacksmith, Mr. Whitmore, stood on the corner of the market, shaking his head as he spoke to the small assembly that had formed around him. "Supernatural powers? Nonsense! There has always been some logical sort of explanation. This is just a lot of people getting scared over nothing.". They stood, bowed over by their weight, silent, and watched from afar. They had expected uproar in the town, but this was worse than they had anticipated. Nathaniel's face screwed up. "If they go on this way, disputes turn into violence." "I know," Emma whispered thickly, "but what are we supposed to do? If we tell them the truth, it will only make things worse." Nathaniel turned to her flashing dark eyes of frustration. "Perhaps. Or maybe they will understand and unite against society." Emma shook her head. "No. Some of them will fight back, while others, Mr. Whitmore,won't even believe a word we say. And what if society capitalizes on that division and tears us all apart? Nathaniel didn't say another word. He didn't need to. It was already a division in play between those open and those close to the supernatural, and it wouldn't be long before chaos would be hurled upon the town either way. The air was taut with portent that night. The dancing candlelight on the walls in their living room outlined shadowy figures on the wall, tending to give her an almost particular feeling that the night was closing in upon them. "I just have this really bad feeling," she whispered into the fire. "Like we get sucked into something much greater than we can handle. His hand found hers, lacing fingers in a soft squeeze. "We'll get through this. We've faced worse." Emma wanted to believe him, but deep down she knew that wasn't like before. Not only did the town fight against the secret society, but also against itself. A rap at the other side of the door sent them both leaping in startled surprise. In one second, Nathaniel sprang to his feet, his face taking on an alert expression. Who can that be?" Emma exclaimed suddenly, with her heart racing. Nathaniel strode to the door and opened it wide enough to see who was standing on the other side. Olivia, to his utter astonishment, stood before him. She was white and looking quite worn; actually, the whole family did on occasions like this concerning Olivia. White and strained, a mask of restraint etched on her features. "I have to talk to you," she whispered. "It's urgent. As soon as they were inside, Olivia didn't waste words on explanations. "There's something you should know about the town… its history." Emma screwed her face up in question, trying to decipher what it was Olivia had gotten at with her suddenly urgent tone. "What do you mean? Taking one deep breath, her quivering hands told their story as she began to say, "My family … Well, we have secrets. Big ones. You see, this secret society is not some sort of fairytale; it's real, and it has controlled what goes on in this town for generations. And my family … Well, we were part of it." Emma's heart bottomed. She had known Olivia had been keeping secrets, but there was just something about confirmation that made her stomach drop. "At first, I didn't know," Olivia said, still shaking. "But then after finding that diary and reading more about the prophecy, it started to make some sense. It was my ancestors who kept this town safe from dark rituals that came with a horrible cost." She turned to him, her voice in a low tone. "What kind of cost?" Olivia whispered almost in a trance, "Blood sacrifices. They would be the things that could save them from spreading the darkness." A shiver went down her spine. "And now? Still?" Olivia shook her head. "I do not know. The society has been more secretive than ever, and I fear they are thinking of doing worse. Nathaniel stepped forward, eyes intent. "Do you know what they want?" Olivia hesitated; her gaze slid to the floor. "There's some kind of artefact something they think's going to make their hope for controlling the prophecy come about, then there's you, Emma. We're in trouble if they get their hands on it." Emma's chest contracted. "What kind of artefact?" I don't know, Olivia replied. But I know someone who would. The following morning, Emma and Nathaniel followed Olivia along the twisting, turning roads of Eldridge Falls. The town lay uncomfortably still, stuck in some sort of anticipatory stillness as if it held its collective breath in preparation for something awful. They pulled in front of an old weathered house on the edge of town. "His name's Marcus," Olivia said, "a historian. He has been studying society for years. Emma frowned. "Why have we never heard of him?" Olivia glanced around behind her, her eyes darting and jumpy. "He keeps a low profile. He doesn't trust anybody." Nathaniel crossed his arms. "So why would he help us? Olivia let out a small, bitter laugh. "Because he knows more than any of us what's at stake. The door creaked open as they approached, and a wiry man above average height peered out at them, his greying hair thinning at the temples, his piercing blue eyes narrowed. "Olivia," he rasped. His gaze strayed warily to her companions. "You've brought company." "They're friends," Olivia said soothingly, though by the expression on Marcus's face, Emma would gather he wasn't buying it. Marcus stepped aside and ushered them inside. His home was cluttered with books and papers besides trinkets from all corners of the world. It smelled of stale parchment and dust. "I understand you've been asking some questions about the society," he said, his voice low. "And the prophecy." Emma nodded. "We have to stop them." Marcus's eyes narrowed. "What makes you think you can? "Because," Emma replied with heavy emotion, as gravity, "I'm the one they've waited for." Emma did tell her story, and furrows dug deeper into Marcus's face. "You're in more danger than you know," he said, jumping onto his feet and pacing around the room. "What do you mean?" Nathaniel asked. It's not after any power," Marcus said, the gravity in his tone replaced with something altogether more ominous. "It's after something way deadlier. The artefact they're looking for? That's a medium. A means of channelling the darkness of the centuries that have remained at rest. Emma felt her blood run cold. "What kind of darkness? Marcus's eyes met with hers, and in that fleeting moment, his balls ached anew. "Those that can ruin all. If they do, they will unleash forces we do not know. It was a silent moment-deadly so. The weight hung thick in the air. Emma's mind was in a tailspin as her heart jackhammered within her chest. "We have to find that artefact," she said finally. "Before they do." Much later in the night, Emma Nathaniel and Olivia were walking back toward the town centre when they saw just a flash of chaos: out in front of the town hall, a crowd congregated, shouting, and arguing. "They're dividing," Olivia whispered. "The town's splitting in two." The others were screaming at the top of their lungs in despair, as Mr Whitmore heard, "There is no such thing as magic! This is fear mongering! We must get back to reality!" Mrs. Baker was leading this lot, holding some talismans of protection in her hands while a few accompanying townspeople were wide-eyed with fear. "We have seen the signs! We know what's coming!" Emma and Nathaniel exchanged a look of heightened alarm-for here was just what the society wanted: the town turned against its own. Emma pressed forward, shouting over the din, "Everybody, please have got to pull together, not tear each other apart! But no one much heard her. The arguments grew louder and hotter. Then amidst the chaos, Emma saw something that made her blood freeze. Carved into the side of it, shining faintly in the dim light, was the same symbol as had been in her dreams. The enemy was already here.