Night World by L.J. Smith

Author:L.J. Smith [Smith, L.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: 2016-12-06T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Things have to be right,” Poppy said. “Things have to be just right for this. Get some candles, Phil.”

Phil was looking ashen and haggard. “Candles?”

“As many as you can find. And some pillows. I need lots of pillows.” She knelt by the stereo to examine a haphazard pile of CDs. Phil stared at her briefly, then went out.

“Structures from Silence . . . no. Too repetitious,” Poppy said, rummaging through the pile. “Deep Forest —no. Too hyper. I need something ambient.”

“How about this?” James picked a CD up. Poppy looked at the label.

Music to Disappear In.

Of course. It was perfect. Poppy took the CD and met James’s gaze. Usually he referred to the haunting soft strains of ambient music as “New Age mush.”

“You understand,” she said quietly.

“Yes. But you’re not dying, Poppy. This isn’t a death scene you’re setting up.”

“But I’m going away. I’m changing.” Poppy couldn’t explain exactly, but something in her said she was doing the right thing. She was dying to her old life. It was a solemn occasion, a Passage.

And of course, although neither of them mentioned it, they both knew she might die for good. James had been very frank about that—some people didn’t make it through the transition.

Phil came back with candles, Christmas candles, emergency candles, scented votive candles. Poppy directed him to place them around the room and light them. She herself went to the bathroom to change into her best nightgown. It was flannel, with a pattern of little strawberries.

Just imagine, she thought as she left the bathroom. This is the last time I’ll ever walk down this hall, the last time I’ll push open my bedroom door.

The bedroom was beautiful. The soft glow of candlelight gave it an aura of sanctity, of mystery. The music was unearthly and sweet, and Poppy felt she could fall into it forever, the way she fell in her dreams.

Poppy opened the closet and used a hanger to bat a tawny stuffed lion and a floppy gray Eeyore down from the top shelf. She took them to her bed and put them beside the mounded pillows. Maybe it was stupid, maybe it was childish, but she wanted them with her.

She sat on the bed and looked at James and Phillip.

They were both looking at her. Phil was clearly upset, touching his mouth to stop its trembling. James was upset, too, although only someone who knew him as well as Poppy did would have been able to tell.

“It’s all right,” Poppy told them. “Don’t you see? I’m all right, so there’s no excuse for you not to be.”

And the strange thing was, it was the truth. She was all right. She felt calm and clear now, as if everything had become very simple. She saw the road ahead of her, and all she had to do was follow it, step by step.

Phil came over to squeeze her hand. “How does this—how does this work?” he asked James huskily.

“First we’ll exchange blood,” James said—speaking to Poppy. Looking only at her.

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