Read Online Undertow by K Conway - Free Book Online

fabulous.” I looked at her array of jewelry.
    “Gypsies wear a variety of accessories to ward off evil intent or carry protective powers,” said Dalca, absently touching the collection at her neck.
    I glanced at the gray vial that hung from her collarbone, nestled among the other stones. For some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. “What is the gray stuff?” I nodded toward the longest necklace.
    For a brief moment Dalca seemed to debate something in her head. I glanced at Ana, whose eyes were looking at her carefully.  I completely felt like I was missing the elephant in the room that seemed so obvious to them.
    “What? What is it?” I asked, unnerved.
    Dalca unwrapped the long, braided leather necklace from around her neck and placed it with the vial attached on the table between us. Ana was no longer interested in her book and closed it, sliding it to one side.
    “Why don’t you take a guess?” asked Dalca.
    “It isn’t a dead relative or something is it? Because that would really gross me out,” I said, very worried it was Dear Uncle So-and-So’s ashes.
    “No, no,” said Dalca with a dismissive wave, “Not a relative. We Gypsies believe that the soul can reveal itself through how one perceives certain elements. This ash contains many elements and people all smell something different, but what they smell reveals part of who they are.”
    I looked at Ana and she shrugged.
    I was suspicious, but went with bold. I reached for the vial and looked through the smooth glass sides at the sand-like contents.  I was taking my time and Ana started to drum her fingers impatiently.
    “Oh, for crying out loud. Look, I’ll smell it first,” she huffed, taking the vial from my hand and unscrewed the metal top. She held it to her nose and sniffed. I watched carefully to make sure she didn’t turn green.
    “See? Nothing. No one ever smells anything. Dalca wants you to sniff to see if you have a hidden talent or creepy spirit. It is an old Gypsy belief.”
    I looked at Dalca and she gave a quick nod. I warily glanced at the re-capped vial being offered to me in Ana’s hand.
    “Okay fine,” I said, quickly grabbing the vial and unscrewing the top before I lost my nerve. Some strange instinct told me not to draw breath over the glass container, but I didn’t want to look like a complete wimp. I brought the vial to my nose and took a little sniff.
    The smell was unimaginable.
    I dropped the vial and nearly fell to the floor, gasping though my mouth to rid myself of the burn that had assaulted me.
    Dalca and Ana vaulted to their feet and ushered me quickly out the back door of the house into the fresh air. I could hear them arguing under their breath, but I felt too ill to care. My head was spinning and I closed my eyes to keep from throwing up.
    My entire body felt weak.
    “Here, sit her down,” I heard Dalca command, and Ana sat me on the cold, granite step.
    Soon I smelled something altogether different and opened my eyes. Dalca had a bunch of leafy greens with white tips under my nose. I started to feel better, almost normal. Another minute passed and I felt fine.
    Ana and Dalca watched me for a few more minutes before either one of them spoke.
    “What did you smell?” asked Ana, almost in a whisper as all signs of sarcasm had vaporized.
    I looked at her for a long time, debating screaming at her for such an awful trick, but decided I might be wrong. Maybe it wasn’t a trick, because Ana seemed fine, as if she really didn’t smell anything.
    She leaned toward me, her eyes full of concern. “Eila, what did it smell like?” she asked again, slowly.
    I could only think of one thing that came remotely close. That distinctive, telltale sent of an animal that didn’t make it across the road. I looked at her and Dalca, trying to forget that horrific odor.
    “It smelled like death,” I said, swallowing back the urge to puke.
     
    After the fiasco at Dalca’s, I was hurried out of her place under the