Read Online Nightmare by Joan Lowery Nixon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joan Lowery Nixon
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of pans and dishes coming from what must be a kitchen.
Two sides of the room were occupied by low cabinets on which were arrayed statues of saints, candles, and bottles that contained strange dark liquids. On a small table lay an assortment of charms and pendants beside a card on which was hand-printed, $15 APIECE .
The walls were covered with crucifixes of all sizes and framed prints of religious paintings. Rosaries hung from pegs on each side of a doorway leading into a hall. Facing the windows, in the middle of the center wall, stood what looked like a makeshift altar with statues and candles in glass holders placed on a lace-trimmed white cloth.
In front of the altar sat an overstuffed chair, the top, back, and armrests covered with huge crocheted doilies. Opposite the chair was a matching sofa, its original hues faded into a colorless smear.
Mr. Salgado motioned to the sofa, and Haley immediately sat down, pulling Emily with her.
As Mr. Salgado seated himself opposite them, Haley said, “Em has received two warnings from Loki, which she has drawn from the runes. She must be in danger, but we don’t know what it is or where it’s coming from.”
Mr. Salgado pursed his lips and shook his head. “I am not familiar with Loki or the runes.”
“You don’t know about Loki?”
“I follow my own path,” he explained. “Or, should I say, my father’s path, for he was a
curandero
before me. I give consultations and advise people on how to cure their illnesses or solve their problems. Occasionally, when it is necessary, I will go beyond giving advice in order to perform a purification rite.”
Emily squirmed to the edge of her seat. “Maybe we should—”
Haley leaned forward, ignoring her. “We know that Em is in danger. Will your way tell us what we can do about it?”
Mr. Salgado nodded. “If it is in my power,” he said. Before Haley could answer, he added, “I am considered a very successful
curandero
. In the winter, when I reside down in the valley, I sometimes receive as many as fifty clients a day.”
Emily attempted to stand. “I think we ought to—”
Haley grabbed her wrist, pulling her down. “Tell us what we should do,” she said to Mr. Salgado.
As he walked to the windows, lowering the shades todarken the room, Haley hissed at Emily, “Sit still, and keep quiet. This is for your own good.”
Mr. Salgado seated himself again, and Emily was surprised to see that he had wrapped a white robe over his clothing.
Although the light in the room was dim, Mr. Salgado reached out and took both of Emily’s hands in his. He bent his head over her open palms, studying them.
After a moment he raised his head, his face close to her own. “You are in good health,” he told her. “I can feel a vital energy passing through your body. The danger your friend spoke of does not come from any physical condition.”
Releasing her hands, he stood and lit the candles on the altar behind his chair. A spiral of smoke rose from the small incense bowl, and Emily wrinkled her nose at its oversweet aroma.
Mr. Salgado reached down to the floor next to his chair and picked up a lapboard. Next, he pulled an old, stained deck of ornate picture cards from a pocket in his robe and began to lay them out on the board.
“Tarot?” Haley asked as she leaned close to watch.
“No,” Mr. Salgado said. “I told you, I follow my own path.”
For a long moment Emily watched as Mr. Salgado swept up the cards, shuffled them, then laid them out again. During this time the room was silent except for low, murmuring whispers that occasionally escaped his lips.
When he finally drew the cards together and looked directly into Emily’s eyes, she leaned as far back against the sofa as she could and shivered. “What are you going to tell me?” she asked, dreading his answer.
“Your friend is right,” he said. “You are in danger.”
“How?” Emily asked. “Danger from what?”
“There is something locked inside
Two sides of the room were occupied by low cabinets on which were arrayed statues of saints, candles, and bottles that contained strange dark liquids. On a small table lay an assortment of charms and pendants beside a card on which was hand-printed, $15 APIECE .
The walls were covered with crucifixes of all sizes and framed prints of religious paintings. Rosaries hung from pegs on each side of a doorway leading into a hall. Facing the windows, in the middle of the center wall, stood what looked like a makeshift altar with statues and candles in glass holders placed on a lace-trimmed white cloth.
In front of the altar sat an overstuffed chair, the top, back, and armrests covered with huge crocheted doilies. Opposite the chair was a matching sofa, its original hues faded into a colorless smear.
Mr. Salgado motioned to the sofa, and Haley immediately sat down, pulling Emily with her.
As Mr. Salgado seated himself opposite them, Haley said, “Em has received two warnings from Loki, which she has drawn from the runes. She must be in danger, but we don’t know what it is or where it’s coming from.”
Mr. Salgado pursed his lips and shook his head. “I am not familiar with Loki or the runes.”
“You don’t know about Loki?”
“I follow my own path,” he explained. “Or, should I say, my father’s path, for he was a
curandero
before me. I give consultations and advise people on how to cure their illnesses or solve their problems. Occasionally, when it is necessary, I will go beyond giving advice in order to perform a purification rite.”
Emily squirmed to the edge of her seat. “Maybe we should—”
Haley leaned forward, ignoring her. “We know that Em is in danger. Will your way tell us what we can do about it?”
Mr. Salgado nodded. “If it is in my power,” he said. Before Haley could answer, he added, “I am considered a very successful
curandero
. In the winter, when I reside down in the valley, I sometimes receive as many as fifty clients a day.”
Emily attempted to stand. “I think we ought to—”
Haley grabbed her wrist, pulling her down. “Tell us what we should do,” she said to Mr. Salgado.
As he walked to the windows, lowering the shades todarken the room, Haley hissed at Emily, “Sit still, and keep quiet. This is for your own good.”
Mr. Salgado seated himself again, and Emily was surprised to see that he had wrapped a white robe over his clothing.
Although the light in the room was dim, Mr. Salgado reached out and took both of Emily’s hands in his. He bent his head over her open palms, studying them.
After a moment he raised his head, his face close to her own. “You are in good health,” he told her. “I can feel a vital energy passing through your body. The danger your friend spoke of does not come from any physical condition.”
Releasing her hands, he stood and lit the candles on the altar behind his chair. A spiral of smoke rose from the small incense bowl, and Emily wrinkled her nose at its oversweet aroma.
Mr. Salgado reached down to the floor next to his chair and picked up a lapboard. Next, he pulled an old, stained deck of ornate picture cards from a pocket in his robe and began to lay them out on the board.
“Tarot?” Haley asked as she leaned close to watch.
“No,” Mr. Salgado said. “I told you, I follow my own path.”
For a long moment Emily watched as Mr. Salgado swept up the cards, shuffled them, then laid them out again. During this time the room was silent except for low, murmuring whispers that occasionally escaped his lips.
When he finally drew the cards together and looked directly into Emily’s eyes, she leaned as far back against the sofa as she could and shivered. “What are you going to tell me?” she asked, dreading his answer.
“Your friend is right,” he said. “You are in danger.”
“How?” Emily asked. “Danger from what?”
“There is something locked inside
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