The Clan Calling

An Excerpt

A scream pierced Sadie's sleep. She bolted up, rushed to Mamo's room and flipped on the light.

Mamo was standing in the center of her bed swiping at the air. Her eyes were shut. "Stay back. Stay back. I won't let you." She swung her fist.

"Mamo," Sadie called.

Mamo's arms flailed like she was fighting someone. "No. Get off me." She twisted her body and kicked. She teetered near the edge.

Sadie rushed over and held up her hands. "Mamo."

Mamo righted herself and moved to the center, her eyes still closed. She kicked some more.

Sadie scanned the room for something, anything that would help her wake Mamo without making her fall off the bed. Or cause Sadie to get kicked in the head.

Maybe a spray bottle?

"Aaaaaahhhhhh," Mamo screeched. "Get away."

Sadie shuddered and rushed to the laundry room. She grabbed the bottle and set the nozzle to stream.

Please work.

Mamo stood near the middle of the bed, her pillows behind her feet. Sadie squirted Mamo's ankles, firing as fast as she could.

"No, no," Mamo said. She bent forward to swipe near her feet and toppled over, onto the bed. 

Sadie closed in and squirted Mamo's face.

"What? What?" Mamo's eyes opened.

"Sorry." Sadie eased back.

Mamo stared. "Sadie?" She wiped water from her face.

"Yes?"

"You're okay?"

Sadie stepped to the edge of the bed. "Yes, I'm okay. You just had another bad dream." She helped Mamo turn around and lie back on her pillows. She plucked tissues from a nearby box and handed them over.

"But I didn't," Mamo said, dabbing the remaining drops from her skin.

"Yeah, you did. See? You're in your room, I'm here with you. Everything's fine." Sadie untwisted the covers and pulled them over Mamo.

"You're really okay?" Mamo touched Sadie's face.

"Yes, and so are you."

"I thought you were gone. I thought they took you."

"Who?" Sadie sat.

"The Clan. They came for you." Mamo scrunched her eyes. "I couldn't protect you."

The Clan? "I don't think you're all the way awake, Mamo. Do you know where you are?" Sadie felt Mamo's forehead. It was warm and clammy. 

"I'm with you, right where I want to be," Mamo said.

A smidge of relief eased into Sadie. That's more like it.

Mamo grabbed Sadie's arm. "Promise me you won't go in the forest." Her eyes widened.

Sadie's stomach flipped. This is not good. She pulled at Mamo's hand. "Please let go."

"Promise me," Mamo said.

"I promise I promise." We don't even have any forests. Just cottonwoods and scrub oak.

Mamo released her grip. Sadie stood.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm really tired. Would you mind turning out the light?" Mamo asked.

Sadie scanned Mamo's face. Her expression was normal, calm, Mamo.

"The light? Sadie?"

"Uh, yeah. Of course." Sadie switched off the light and returned to her room.