Read Online The Altar by James Arthur Anderson - Free Book Online
Authors: James Arthur Anderson
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quartz was harder than almost anything, except diamond, he remembered. The hammer hadn’t broken by itself.
Then he thought about the Indian, Dovecrest. Maybe he would understand.
Todd couldn’t remember the Indian actually finding him in the woods, but he sensed that somehow, Dovecrest knew . Yet despite being rescued by the strange man, the thought of speaking to him was almost as frightening as the black rock itself.
Loneliness suddenly consumed him and he shivered harder. He wished Faith were here to console him. Scratching her ears and listening to her purr always made him feel better.
“Mom!” he shouted. “Mom!”
Having a fever definitely had its advantages. His mother immediately hurried up the stairs to tend to him. She entered his room and he noticed that she walked funny now. It was because of the baby growing inside of her, and he suddenly felt bad about making her hurry.
“What is it, Todd?”
“I’m cold. And I need Faith.”
“Oh, I put Faith out about an hour ago. She was scratching at the door. She should be back soon, though.
“Oh,” he said, disappointed. Then a sudden chill ran up his spine as he thought of what might be lurking outside.
“Can I bring you some chocolate milk?” his mother asked.
“I guess so. But I really wanted Faith to sleep with me.”
“I’ll bring her up as soon as she comes in.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
His mother leaned over and hugged him, and it was good. Even though he was a big boy now, too big for such things, he hugged her back as tightly as he could.
-2-
“Well, Erik said, placing the bag of groceries on the table. “How did I do on my world-wide radio debut?”
“Just great,” she said, hugging him. “You did fine. I even missed my favorite soap opera for you,” she teased.
“That was very nice of you. But, really? Did I sound ok?”
“You sure did. I taped the show so you can listen to it for yourself.”
“Great. Than I can hear me embarrass myself on the radio. Now that everyone else has heard.”
Vickie laughed. “But seriously. Even I didn’t realize you know so much about old movies.”
“Just bad ones,” he replied. “I had a warped childhood.”
“That explains a lot of things.”
They both laughed.
“How is Todd? Is he any better?”
“He’ll be all right. It’s just a cold. And he had a scare. He’ll be fine.”
“What’s he doing now?”
“He fell asleep.”
“Not from listening to me on the radio, I hope.”
“No. He listened to a little. I don’t know how much he understood, because we don’t let him watch horror movies,” she teased.
He laughed. “The kid must have a bad cold. It’s not like him to sleep during the day. We’ve got enough trouble getting him to sleep at night.”
“He hasn’t slept much since we moved in. But I’ve been giving him cold medicine. That makes you sleepy.”
“I know. Let him sleep.”
Vickie nodded. “Erik, you haven’t seen Faith around, have you? Did she follow you in?”
“Ah...no. I don’t think so. I haven’t seen her since this morning. Why?”
“Well, I let her out this afternoon right after your show and I haven’t seen her since. It’s been at least an hour.”
“She usually stays out all afternoon, Vic. I wouldn’t worry. Did you call her?”
“Yeah. That’s what bothered me. Todd wanted to sleep with her so I went outside and looked around and called her. It’s not like her not to come when she’s called. You always say she’s like a dog that way. You don’t think she’s gotten lost, do you?”
“I don’t think so. Cats are really good about finding their way home. I read an article once that a cat found its way home all the way across the country.”
“You don’t think she headed back to the old place, do you?”
“No. She’s probably out exploring. Probably stalking a blue jay or something. Or maybe she’s sleeping in the SUV. You left the windows open, you know.”
“Oh, I forgot. Did you close them for
Then he thought about the Indian, Dovecrest. Maybe he would understand.
Todd couldn’t remember the Indian actually finding him in the woods, but he sensed that somehow, Dovecrest knew . Yet despite being rescued by the strange man, the thought of speaking to him was almost as frightening as the black rock itself.
Loneliness suddenly consumed him and he shivered harder. He wished Faith were here to console him. Scratching her ears and listening to her purr always made him feel better.
“Mom!” he shouted. “Mom!”
Having a fever definitely had its advantages. His mother immediately hurried up the stairs to tend to him. She entered his room and he noticed that she walked funny now. It was because of the baby growing inside of her, and he suddenly felt bad about making her hurry.
“What is it, Todd?”
“I’m cold. And I need Faith.”
“Oh, I put Faith out about an hour ago. She was scratching at the door. She should be back soon, though.
“Oh,” he said, disappointed. Then a sudden chill ran up his spine as he thought of what might be lurking outside.
“Can I bring you some chocolate milk?” his mother asked.
“I guess so. But I really wanted Faith to sleep with me.”
“I’ll bring her up as soon as she comes in.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
His mother leaned over and hugged him, and it was good. Even though he was a big boy now, too big for such things, he hugged her back as tightly as he could.
-2-
“Well, Erik said, placing the bag of groceries on the table. “How did I do on my world-wide radio debut?”
“Just great,” she said, hugging him. “You did fine. I even missed my favorite soap opera for you,” she teased.
“That was very nice of you. But, really? Did I sound ok?”
“You sure did. I taped the show so you can listen to it for yourself.”
“Great. Than I can hear me embarrass myself on the radio. Now that everyone else has heard.”
Vickie laughed. “But seriously. Even I didn’t realize you know so much about old movies.”
“Just bad ones,” he replied. “I had a warped childhood.”
“That explains a lot of things.”
They both laughed.
“How is Todd? Is he any better?”
“He’ll be all right. It’s just a cold. And he had a scare. He’ll be fine.”
“What’s he doing now?”
“He fell asleep.”
“Not from listening to me on the radio, I hope.”
“No. He listened to a little. I don’t know how much he understood, because we don’t let him watch horror movies,” she teased.
He laughed. “The kid must have a bad cold. It’s not like him to sleep during the day. We’ve got enough trouble getting him to sleep at night.”
“He hasn’t slept much since we moved in. But I’ve been giving him cold medicine. That makes you sleepy.”
“I know. Let him sleep.”
Vickie nodded. “Erik, you haven’t seen Faith around, have you? Did she follow you in?”
“Ah...no. I don’t think so. I haven’t seen her since this morning. Why?”
“Well, I let her out this afternoon right after your show and I haven’t seen her since. It’s been at least an hour.”
“She usually stays out all afternoon, Vic. I wouldn’t worry. Did you call her?”
“Yeah. That’s what bothered me. Todd wanted to sleep with her so I went outside and looked around and called her. It’s not like her not to come when she’s called. You always say she’s like a dog that way. You don’t think she’s gotten lost, do you?”
“I don’t think so. Cats are really good about finding their way home. I read an article once that a cat found its way home all the way across the country.”
“You don’t think she headed back to the old place, do you?”
“No. She’s probably out exploring. Probably stalking a blue jay or something. Or maybe she’s sleeping in the SUV. You left the windows open, you know.”
“Oh, I forgot. Did you close them for
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