Spirit Eyes by Lynn Hones Read Free Book Online

her mother next. “Are you in that manpause thing?” She bent to pick up an apple that had fallen on the floor. “Jenny Hastings mom has manpause and it makes her kinda mean and stuff.”
    “Pearl, it’s called menopause, and no I don’t have it, I’m too young.”
    Ruth shook her head for the third time, this time for the conversations she had with her youngest. If she wasn’t so frightened, Ruth might have even smiled at that little comment. As it was, however, she felt as if she wouldn’t be smiling again for a long time.
     
    With the kids tucked in and Puddles calmed down, Ruth crawled into bed and snuggled next to Paul.
    He put down his book and took off his glasses. “So what in the hell happened?”
    She parted her lips to speak, but the words didn’t come out.
    Paul flashed an inpatient look and she sighed.
    “I haven’t got a clue what’s going on, Paul. But whatever it is, it involves my Pearl, and that pisses me off.” She sat up, turned, fluffed her pillow, and leaned back down. “I heard this noise, like a man coughing, ya know, in the garage. It freaked me out and I dropped the bags and ran into the house. The radio, the one that belonged to my mom, came on and, and well—I’ve never been so afraid in my entire life.”
    “The lights have gone off before. That’s not unusual. That radio has faulty wiring. That’s why I told you not to use it. When the lights went out, it probably caused some glitch that made the radio turn on and off quickly. You only imagined it played once everything went dark. Heck, you were probably scared to death. I really don’t blame you.”
    “Don’t you dare patronize me. That radio is not even plugged in,” she stated. His scientific attempt at a logical explanation pissed her off. “What about the dog? I mean, Puddles was going nuts. He was growling and barking like there was someone or something in the next room.”
    “Hello? He was picking up on your vibes.”
    “Okay, I’m imagining things.” Determined not to surrender to his analytical bull, her voice raised several octaves. “You weren’t there. That’s not how it went at all.”
    “I’m not going to let you bait me, Ruth. Besides, you said yourself that it was neighborhood kids playing a prank on you.”
    “You think I’m stupid, don’t you?” Her question, straightforward, shocked her.
    “No, of course not. I’m simply trying to figure out what this is and why it’s happening to you.” Paul stretched out and put his hands behind his head.
    “Oh, I see—happening to me, as opposed to happening to you. It’s happening to Pearl, so that means it’s happening to us.”
    “It started with Pearl,” he said, “and now the hysteria is spreading.”
    “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.” She peered ruthlessly at her husband.
    “It’s not unlike the Salem Witchcraft mania,” he continued. “One person gets all weirded out and then, boom, the whole village is…”
    Ruth burst out laughing. “The whole village? What? Are you serious? You are oblivious.” With that, she turned over and switched off the light.
    Paul stroked her shoulder softly. “Ruth, honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you like this.”
    Not saying a word, she ignored his touch and tried to fall asleep. She wanted to get away from it all, if only through a few hours of sweet oblivion. She coughed and felt as if she was coming down with something. She’d been achy all day and prayed, what with all the things going on, that she wouldn’t get sick.
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    The playground, divided by grades, provided Pearl’s class with full use of the swing set. Dangled from monkey bars three feet off the ground, the kids laughed and pulled at each other’s hair as it swung in the dirt around them. It was a warm spring day, and all felt right with the world.
    “Race you to the grass,” Pearl yelled. Her friends shot off the bars and raced after her. When they reached their destination,