Chapter Seven

Sister Phoebe’s eyes widened slightly at seeing her in the doorway. “Vicky, you’re late.” she remarked in an icy tone.

She inwardly groaned. “Yes, ma’am. I had to go to confession and see Father Thomas.”

“Indeed. Why is it that that doesn’t surprise me?”

Vicky’s mouth dropped open. “I don’t know Sister Phoebe. I’ll try not to make a habit of it.”

A skeptical eyebrow greeted her protest. “Only time will tell with that one, won’t it?” Sister remarked. “Take your seat. Class has already begun.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She brushed past Sister Phoebe to get to her desk.

In this class too, the other students openly stared at her. She sat, sliding down in her chair, and glanced over at Sara, who had a satisfied smirk on her face, but was carefully avoiding Vicky’s eyes.

Sister Phoebe picked up a piece of chalk, addressing the class, “I’m going to write your classroom assignment on the chalkboard.”

Vicky took out a notebook and pen from her bag, and copied the assignment as Sister Phoebe wrote it. Suddenly, a large, black spider scurried across the top of her desk. Her heart racing frantically, she took in a terrified breath, and jumped, dropping the pen on her desk.

What’s wrong? Luke asked frantically in her head.

There’s a huge spider on my desk.

Vicky glanced at Sara, who stared at the spider, her eyes wide. She looked away, snickering behind her hand.

Well, kill it, Luke’s mental voice was demanding.

She started at Luke’s command, slamming her notebook down on top of the spider and muttering under her breath.

Sister Phoebe turned from the chalkboard, glaring at her. “Is there a problem, Miss Phillips?”

“N-no . . . no, there’s no problem, Sister Phoebe. I was just killing a spider.”

Sister Phoebe gave Vicky an icy glare. “Spiders are God’s creatures, Miss Phillips. Thou shall not kill.” She enunciated each word.

Vicky’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “But it was just a spider.”

Sister Phoebe raised an eyebrow. “It’s still one of God’s creatures.”

Vicky swallowed hard. “Yes, ma’am.

With a sharp glare, Sister Phoebe returned to the chalkboard and resumed writing. Sara giggled at Vicky’s misery and Sister Phoebe paused in mid-sentence. “Is there a problem, Miss Jenkins?” she demanded without turning back around.

“No, Sister. There’s no problem with me.” Sara snickered again.

Vicky glared at her until the smile left Sara’s face then picked up her pen, to copy the instructions from the chalkboard. This time two black spiders scurried across Vicky’s desk. Her eyes grew wide, her heart slamming in her chest. She dropped the pen again. “Luke! There’s two more! ”

Kill them!

I can’t! Sister Phoebe will make me go see Father Thomas again.

Well, then use your notebook and brush them off of the desk.

Okay. Vicky flowed into action. She used the notebook, flinging the spiders off her desk, to land on Sara’s.

Sara jumped out of her desk. “Hey!” she shouted. “Cut that out!”

Sister Phoebe whirled around to face the class. “Sara Jenkins! Please control yourself, and explain that outburst!”

Sara pointed an accusing finger at Vicky. “Vicky flung two spiders at me!”

Sister Phoebe trained her glare on Vicky again.

Vicky swallowed hard. “You told me I couldn’t kill them,” she said. “I’m afraid of spiders. They had to go!”

Sister Phoebe rolled her eyes, and most of the class sniggered. “Miss Phillips, you will control yourself in this class, or you will be going to see Father Thomas again. Have I made myself clear?”

Vicky bit her bottom lip while Sister Phoebe chewed her out. “Yes, Sister, crystal clear,” she replied in a strong voice, then slouched down at her desk trying to appear less noticeable. Luke, I’m dying in here.

Just try to hang on. Class is almost over.

I just want to get out of here.

It’ll be lunch before you know it.

Not soon enough. She picked up her pen again to write the assignment. This time a spider dropped down from the ceiling, dangling right in front of her face. Her eyes darted frantically around the class, a cold sweat beading her forehead and upper lip.

She caught the startled look on Sara’s face too. She placed the pen on the desk. Luke . . .

What?

There’s another one, and it’s dangling right in front of my face.

What, again?

Uh huh.

Vicky, unless you’re sitting under a nest of spiders, that can’t be a coincidence. Take your notebook and gently bat the spider to the floor.

She did as Luke suggested. Sara didn’t take her eyes off of her as Vicky gently batted the spider to the floor and let out a relieved breath. Okay, it’s on the floor.

Good. Now, check around and see if you see a nest of them somewhere.

Vicky investigated under her desk and up on the ceiling, turning her head to scan the aisles on both sides of her desk. “I don’t see anything.”

It’s witchcraft, Luke growled in her head.

What?

Black magic

But, Sara seems just as afraid of the spiders as I am.

She may be good at hiding it, or there may be a different culprit.

Well, if it’s not Sara, then who can it be?

I don’t know. No one here knows you well enough to be setting you up. Do they?

I’ve never seen anyone at this school in my life, at least that I remember. But someone knew that I was coming. Sara said so yesterday.

You may have to find out from Sara just where she got her information.

You don’t really think that she’s going to volunteer that information, do you?

Probably not.

Great .

Take a look around and see if anyone is giving you any strange looks.

Luke, after this morning, everyone is giving me strange looks.

Then just peek to see if anyone is giving you a smug look. They should be pretty happy with themselves right now, since you’ve been getting into trouble.

Okay, I’ll look. She pressed her lips together into a thin line, turning her head to stare around the class. No one seemed to be paying any attention to her except Sara, and she was paying attention in a worried way. Vicky noted the pen on her desk, staring hard. It seemed like every time she picked up that pen, another spider made an appearance. Luke, you know more about black magic than I do. Can an object be cursed?

Yes, why?

Every time I pick up that pen to write, another spider appears from thin air.

Where did you get the pen?

I took it out of my bag, why?

Is it yours?

She shrugged. It’s just a generic pen. I have a whole bag of them at home that look just like it.

How many did you bring with you to school today?

Two I always have two in case I lose one, or it runs out of ink.

Don’t be obvious, but check your bag.

Vicky picked up her bag, and shuffling through it, she pulled out two more pens.

I have two more pens in my purse.

Carefully pick the pen up and place it on the floor next to your desk. Be prepared for another spider, just in case. The cleaning people will sweep it up tonight.

Vicky allowed it to roll off the desk, hitting the floor. Sara looked down at the pen on the floor and then back at Vicky. She shrugged, reaching for the object until Vicky placed her hand on her arm to stop her. Sara glared at her hand, yanking her arm back. Vicky shook her head no, motioning with her eyes to the pen on the floor. Three more spiders scurried away from it. Sara’s eyes grew wide.

It was the pen.

Okay, how did it get in your bag?

That’s the million dollar question.

Who have you been close to today?

Well, there was Father Turner, Chuck, and Sara—but she genuinely seems confused by all this. Then, of course, you, and I’m pretty sure you’re not a witch.

Everybody’s suspect until we get to the bottom of this.

Even you?

He chuckled softly. You can hear my thoughts. Do you think I’m a witch?

No, of course not, I would trust you with my life, and I have actually done that.

Has anything happened in the last few minutes?

She glanced at the pen on the floor and then around the room, studying the faces of the other students. No, everything seems normal, for now.

I’ll see you at lunch, then.

Lunch sounds good.