Read Online A Girl Between by Marjorie Weismantel - Free Book Online Page A

changed.  I had a dim memory of
seeing a table against the wall with a bench on two sides and no tablecloth.  This
kitchen had a table with chairs around it and a table cloth on it.  It was
pretty old furniture, but definitely not as crude as those benches were.  Miss
Cassie also had bunches of herbs hanging in two corners of the kitchen.  I
remember seeing the bunches of herbs.
    She made the tea and sliced some apple bread that she had
made, and we carried it to the front parlor.  Both of us sat on opposite ends
of a stiff, ornate couch.  While we were sitting in the parlor a strange
thought flashed into my head.  I remember seeing a plain old coffin in here on
a table right in the middle of the room.  I wonder where that thought came from.
    I had the impression she was thinking something about me
because suddenly she focused her intense green eyes in my direction and stated,
"Tess, you must be aware that you have some special abilities.”
    "What are you talking about?  What do you mean by
special abilities?"  I felt shivery.  She sounded like Dr. Lee.
    "I don't have to explain it to you.  You know.  I'm
sure things have happened to you recently.  Sometimes you can ‘see’ things
before they happen.  Isn't that true dear?"  She patted me lightly on the
hand while she spoke.
    "I wouldn't say that I see things before they happen.  That
would be impossible anyway."  I couldn’t look in her sharp eyes as I lied.
    “You don't see things during waking dreams or, perhaps in
your night dreams?" she reiterated in a calm voice.
    "Well, maybe.  I think it’s just coincidental, though.  People
have dreams all the time.  I don't think they mean anything."  I was
starting to sweat.  She knew I was lying to her.
    Miss Cassie’s little wrinkled hand gently lifted up my chin
to look at me.  Her eyes were smiling.  "Seers can also see things when
they are completely awake.  Sometimes, they see events just before they happen.
 It is nothing to be fearful about.  Sometimes it is helpful.”  Her eyes
widened in surprise as she peered at me.  “And you, my goodness, something has
happened to you.  You have acquired additional sight.  You can read the auras. 
That is so unusual.  What happened to you, Tess?"
    I studied the knots in the oak floor and nervously swung a
leg back and forth as I responded, “I was involved in a train accident and a
piece of metal went into my head.  I started seeing the colors after that
happened.  The doctors attribute my auric sight to that injury.”  I paused and looked
at her, “I’ve been seeing auras ever since then.  I haven’t mentioned this
ability to anyone else.  It’s too weird.”
    “Tess, I would never tell anybody.  It is our secret.”  As
she responded I could see visages of the golden aura still around her.  
    “Miss Cassie, how do you know all this about me?”
    She leaned toward me and answered in a gentle tone, “I have
the Sight, too, my dear.  I always know when I’m around others of similar
abilities.”
    I was starting to freak out.  This was getting to be too
much for me, so I changed the subject.  "So, Miss Cassie, uh…. how old is
your house?"
    She lifted up her teacup to take a sip before she answered,
"The older part of the house was built in 1659.  A couple of rooms were
added on later.  Do you know anything about the history of this town?  Did you
know that one of the condemned witches lived in this house?"
    Hearing that was shocking. "For real?  A condemned
witch lived here in this house?  What happened to her?"
    "Unfortunately, she was hung.  That's what happened to
most of the condemned witches.  She was the first one to be hung as a witch
around here."
    Hearing that was kind of unsettling, but I still wanted to
know more.  "Who was she?"
    "Her name was Alice Casey.  She was one of the village
healers,” answered Miss Cassie.
    “What was wrong with those people?  Why would they want to
hang a person who heals