The Suicide Forest (The River Book 5) by Michael Richan Read Free Book Online

asked.
    “Yes,” June said, “and I think it’s best that way. Evie
becomes quite upset whenever anything about the gift is discussed, and even
more so if Robbie is around. So I’d just as soon keep her out of it, if we
can.”
    “Alright,” Steven said. “The other thing we’ll need is some
privacy. My father needs to conduct another trance, but this time he’ll need to
do it in private.”
    “Oh,” June said. “Would my bedroom work?” She rose, and led
them down the same hallway to the second door on the left. “Here it is, is
there enough room for you?”
    “We’re going to need a chair,” Steven said. “Can we use one
from your kitchen?”
    “Yes, I’ll get one,” June said, turning to leave.
    “Can you manage it without dropping the token?” Steven asked.
    “Yes I think so,” June said, already going down the hallway.
    “I’m still not sure I’m going to do this,” Roy said. “Feels
creepy to get naked in a strange woman’s bedroom.”
    “Many people might consider it a turn on,” Steven said.
    “I do not,” Roy said. “Do you think there’s enough room here
to draw the circle at the foot of the bed?”
    “I think so,” Steven said. “We’ll put the chair in the
middle, draw the circle around it, and then I’ll leave you to it.”
    “Oh no,” Roy said. “You’re staying in the room to watch me.”
    “No, I’m not,” Steven said. “Judith specifically said I have
to leave you alone for this to work. The circle will protect you.”
    June returned with the chair, and Steven took it from her and
sat it at the base of the bed.
    “We’re going to pour some charcoal over the carpet here,”
Steven told her. “I think it will just vacuum up after we’re gone. Is that
alright?”
    “Yes,” June said. “Whatever you need to do.”
    “Would you excuse us?” Steven asked June. “I’ll join you in
the living room in just a minute.”
    “Alright,” she said. Steven followed her to the bedroom door,
shutting it behind her.
    “You strip down, I’ll start the charcoal,” Steven said.
    “Hmmpf,” Roy said, and began removing his shirt.
    Steven removed a lunch-size brown bag from his backpack, and
began lightly pouring the mixture in a circle around the chair. When he was
done, a naked Roy stepped into the circle and sat in the chair.
    “You remember what to do?” Steven asked.
    “Yes,” Roy said. “Let’s hurry this up. It’s cold in here. Put
on the blindfold.”
    “You can’t have the blindfold,” Steven said. “You have to do
it without it. She said you could not be wearing any kind of clothing.”
    “Goddamnit,” Roy said. “Fine then — yes, I remember what to
do. Let’s start.”
    “Alright,” Steven said. “Yell if you need me. I’ll be
listening.”
    Roy nodded, and Steven walked out of the room. He went back
down the hallway and joined June in the living room.
    “Everything OK?” June asked.
    “Yes,” Steven said, sitting on the sofa. “He’s about to try
another trance. I’ll need to listen for him in case there’s any trouble, so
we’ll need to be quiet out here while we wait.”
    “Alright,” June said, sitting back in her chair.
    They waited in silence, June twisting the token back and
forth between her tightly pressed palms. More than once while he was sitting in
the sofa, Steven wondered what was happening with Roy, and he felt the hair go
up on the back of his neck. He was trying to think of a blank wall, per the
instructions from Judith, but he’d never been good at clearing his mind or
meditating. His mind always ran a million miles an hour.
    After twenty minutes, they heard the bedroom door open. A
fully clothed Roy emerged carrying the kitchen chair, which he walked into the
kitchen to replace before joining them in the living room.
    “How’d it go?” Steven asked.
    “June,” Roy said, “we’ll be back tomorrow to pick up that
lantern. I will need to speak with your daughter. Can we come at a time when
she’ll