In Laymon's Terms

“Right. Not that I believe in that stuff. But whatever she’s got to say, I don’t want to hear it. Don’t let me stop you, though.”

“Chicken.”

“That’s me.”

Lynda laughed, but she felt a little funny as she skated up to the table. “I guess I’d like you to tell my fortune,” she said to the old woman.

“Sit down,” Madame Agatha told her.

Lynda sat on a chair and looked into the fortune teller’s clear blue eyes.

The old woman held out a hand. “Cross my palm,” she said.

Lynda put two five dollar bills in her hand. Looking back, she saw that Neal was standing behind her.

“Tarot cards, the crystal ball, or your palm?” the old woman asked in a low voice.

“The ball, I guess.”

Madame Agatha moved closer and stared into the clear glass. After a moment, she said, “I see dark times for you. In the past and in the future. I see animals attacking you.”

Lynda’s heart pounded. “Yes. That has...uh, already happened.”

“You are an actress. Yes. And you are making a movie.”

“That’s right,” Lynda whispered. She wet her dry lips.

“You must stop making that movie. If you do not stop, you will die.”

Lynda jerked her eyes away from the crystal ball. She forced herself to look up at the old woman across the table.

“You will die!” Madame Agatha said again. Then, in a flash, she pulled off her scarf. Her gray hair came off with it, letting her real, blonde hair be seen. Then she started pulling off the old, dry skin from her face.

Lynda couldn’t move. It’s not skin, she thought, it’s makeup. She could only stare at the pretty young face now before her.

“Do not make the film about me, Lynda!” The woman stood up and pushed the card table over on Lynda.

Lynda jumped from her chair, forgetting about her skates. Her feet flew out from under her but Neal caught her from behind.

They both fell.

When Lynda looked up, Madame Agatha—Elizabeth—was gone.

CHAPTER 6

TRAPPED

“I can’t see you tonight,” Lynda said.

The words gave Neal an empty feeling. “What’s wrong?” he asked into the phone.

“It’s my parents. They’re afraid more crazy stuff will happen if I go out.”

“The Pizza Palace would be safe,” he told her.

“They don’t think so. I’m sorry Neal. Really. I tried to talk them out of it.”

“Well...”

“I asked them if you could come over here, but they didn’t go for that, either. They won’t be here, and...”

“You mean they’re leaving you alone?”

“One of Dad’s friends is having a dinner party.”

“They can’t leave you alone!”

“They think I’ll be safe as long as I stay in the house. I’m sorry, Neal. Look, I’ll see you tomorrow at the studio. OK?”

After they hung up, Neal picked up his book, The Genius of Alfred Hitchcock. He tried to read it, but couldn’t. He could only think about Lynda all alone in her house.

Lynda sat in the living room and stared at the television. She missed Neal. She had really been looking forward to going out with him.

Whatever made her parents think that she was safer here, alone, than at the crowded Pizza Palace with Neal? Did they think Elizabeth hadn’t already found out where she lived?

That thought gave her the creeps.

She decided to phone Neal again. Even though he couldn’t come over, she would feel better if she just talked to him.

She called his number.

“Hello?” his father said.

“Hi. This is Lynda. May I please speak to Neal?”

Neal’s father didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he said, “Do you mean he’s not there? He left here an hour ago. He said he was on his way over to your house.”

Lynda closed her eyes. “He’s not here,” she said.

“That’s strange.” Mr. Portis sounded worried.

“Yes. It is. Well...if he shows up, I’ll have him give you a call.”

“Yes. Please do.”

Lynda hung up the phone. For a moment, she frowned at the television. Then she walked across the living room and looked out the front window. She stared through the darkness outside the house.

Then she let out a long breath.

Neal’s car was parked across the street. She could see his dark shape behind the wheel.

He’s worried about me, she thought. He’s so worried he came over to make sure everything was all right.

Grinning, she rushed to the front door. She started to turn the lock. It wouldn’t move. She pulled on the door handle. She tried the lock again. The door wouldn’t open.

Elizabeth?

The thought made her skin crawl.

Whirling around, she ran into the kitchen. She grabbed at the back door handle. As it came off in her hands, the lights went out.

Neal, watching from his car, saw the house go dark. Only minutes ago, the voice on his car radio had given the time as 9:00 P.M.

It seemed pretty early for Lynda to be going to bed.

And why would she turn off the porch light? After all, her parents were still out.

It seemed very strange.

Neal waited for light to fill one of the upstairs windows.

They all stayed dark.

Something is wrong, he thought. Sick with worry, he threw open the car door and raced across the street.

Lynda ran through the dark house. If only she could reach the front door and call out to Neal!