Justice and Her Brothers by Virginia Hamilton

Author:Virginia Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781453244951
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
Published: 2011-01-26T05:00:00+00:00

7

LEVI FELT A THROB of pain over his left eye as he stood there at the kitchen counter. He couldn’t think why he should have a headache now when he felt so good fixing—He couldn’t recall what he had been doing. He looked down to see pork chops and onions in the porcelain pan; he didn’t remember slicing any onions. He did recall having turned the oven up high to cook potatoes. He must have been daydreaming, because he sure didn’t recall those onions. And he would have to wait awhile on the potatoes before he could turn down the oven and put the meat in.

Levi poured sauce evenly over the chops. There was something in the back of his mind he needed to remember. He had to tell his mom something important, but each time he tried to remember what it was, his head would throb all the harder.

He thought vaguely, Something to do with Ticey, and his headache immediately got worse.

Or did it have to do with Tom-Tom?

Through a cloud of headache pain, he remembered Thomas disappearing from the house. But that was all.

Mom … Warn …

Pain exploded behind his eye, halting all thought. Levi sucked air through clenched teeth and stifled a wrenching moan. Now it was revealed to him what was happening. Thomas was inside his brain. He could feel his brother’s strength surrounding him. Knew that he was a prisoner and that there was no escape for him until Thomas was finished with him and let him go.

Warn Mom about what, Lee? Thomas stood to one side, tracing these words on Levi’s mind. This way of communicating mind within mind pleased him. For while tracing, he never stuttered.

Not so much to warn, finally Levi traced back. He sighed inwardly. Standing at the counter, he was shaking. Thomas had spun an illusion. Levi saw himself trapped in a wooden cup with a crack in it from rim to base. The cup soaked in a dishpan; and through the crack it was filling with soapy water. Thomas could weave terrible illusions. Levi had been forced in the past to visit incredible places where he was in constant danger. Thomas’ strength over him weakened his nerve and damaged his will.

Yeah, buddy, you’re weak, all right, Thomas traced. But it’s not my fault. I couldn’t do any of this if you were ever strong enough to stop me.

Then why do you have to do it? Levi traced.

Well, do I ever get you hurt? Huh?

You scare me half to death, traced Levi. Get me out of this cup, will you? The dishwater’s up to my knees!

Don’t you think I know it? Thomas traced back. Don’t be such a scaredy-cat, Lee. I get afraid of it the same as you and I’m the one that has to figure a way for you to get out.

One of these times, I’ll never get out. I’ll die!

Now, don’t be dumb. But Thomas could feel Levi’s terror grow as the dishwater rose to his waist. Thomas conjured up some underwater cement and tossed a tube of it over the rim of the cup to Levi.

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