Reapers, Inc. - Brigit's Cross Read Online Free Page B

broken
it.

    Maggie forced a smile as she handed another
miniature goblin a handful of candy. Mama Dee was declaring how
scary the pint sized ghost behind the goblin seemed as tiny hands
peeked out from under the flora-print sheet the child’s mother had
decided to use as a last minute costume. Despite the cheerfulness
of the crowd, Maggie couldn’t help but think that the nagging
feeling at the back of her mind would only go away at the sight of
Brigit striding through the crowd. The world could completely
dissolve and everything would still be fine in Maggie’s mind so
long as Brigit was beside her.
    Mama Dee turned to face her companion.
Despite the smile on the young woman’s face, Mama Dee could see the
worry deep behind her dark eyes. Like Maggie, she too had a nagging
feeling that would only go away at the sight of Brigit coming
toward them. It was a feeling Mama Dee had come to know too well in
her sixty plus years of walking the earth. She prayed tonight was
just a false feeling brought on by the holiday that so often played
on her superstitions and senses…
    “She still ain’t called?”
    “No,” Maggie sighed. “I’ve called her cell
phone three times. The voice mail keeps picking up. Something is
wrong.”
    “Maybe she laid her phone down somewhere. You
know how she misplaces things sometimes,” Mama Dee suggested,
remembering how she had spent an hour helping the girls look for
Brigit’s keys just yesterday morning.
    “I know,” Maggie said as she passed another
handful of candy to twin princesses. “She’d misplace her head if it
wasn’t attached to her body. Most days, I have to give her a pat
down list before she leaves for work,” Maggie said as a little boy
without a costume came to stand in front of her.
    “I know, I’ve heard you,” Mama Dee laughed as
her eyes fell on the little boy. “Sweetheart, what are you supposed
to be?” she asked the child.
    “I’m a little boy,” the child replied. Mama
Dee and Maggie exchanged glances. It wasn’t a little boy standing
before them, but rather, a little girl in boy’s clothes. Mama Dee
gave the child a handful of candy.
    “They’re getting started earlier and earlier
these days,” Maggie muttered under her breath. Mama Dee shook her
head and sighed in amusement.
    “Maybe you should go on home and wait for
her,” Mama Dee suggested. “We’re about done here anyway.”
    “Are you sure, Mama?”
    “Yeah, go on home, honey. Just give me a call
when she gets in so I don’t spend the evening worrying too,” Mama
Dee replied with a wave of her plump hand.
    “I will,” Maggie replied as she turned and
snatched up her purse and sweater.
    Maggie glanced over her shoulder at Mama Dee
as she exited the shelter. The small black woman had fully returned
her attention to the line of children parading before her, their
pillow cases held wide open to receive their treats. For a moment,
Maggie found herself smiling. Mama Dee loved children, but the
little old woman had never been able to have any of her own.
Instead, she doted on those who needed some love the most. Everyone
in the neighborhood knew Mama Dee. Everyone could always feel the
love.
    During the walk home, Maggie called Brigit’s
cell phone three more times. Each time, she only heard Brigit’s
voicemail message… Hi, this is Brigit, sorry I missed your
call … Each time, Maggie would disconnect the call before she
heard Brigit’s instruction to leave a message. It wasn’t like
Brigit to not contact her. Even if she had misplaced her cell
phone, Maggie knew Brigit would have found a way to call and
explain the situation.
    Yet, no call was coming.
    As Maggie climbed the stairs to their
apartment, a sinking sensation was forming in the pit of her
stomach. Something was definitely wrong. Everything was too quiet
in the building and her intuition told her it had nothing to do
with the holiday.
    Glancing over her shoulder as she put her key
in the lock, Maggie had the feeling