THE TWILIGHT STONE

[The sixth in The Scorpion Chronicles]

by Nat Faul [email protected]

DISCLAIMER: This is not posted for any profit but to share creative ideas with other Charmed fans on this and other websites. The characters of Prue, Piper, and Phoebe Halliwell, Leo Wyatt, and Bane Jessup, is property of Warner Brothers Television. The character Guinan is the property of Gene Rodenberry Productions. The Cthulhu Mythos is a creation of HP Lovecraft (1890-1937) and now the property of Arkham House. The name and history of Stregoicavar was created by Robert Howard (1906-1936) and now the property of Popular Fiction Publishing Company. Lyrics of Manna were written by Tanya Donnelly for her album Love Songs for Underdogs; copyright by Reprise Records, 1997. Other characters and names were created by this author. Any similarities to real persons living or dead are purely coincidental. The following account is fiction. Its sole purpose is to entertain.

RATED PG: Some disturbing imagery and sexual references.

"Thousands of years ago, before Europe was Europe, an old breed of humans dominated this land -- the Neanderthal. Although most lived in caves and other crude shelters, in these blue mountains, high above the great plain of many rivers, a city of carved stone arose. According to the oldest records, it was called Xuthltan [Hhoo-tl-tahn’]. Very little else was written of these people. They survived the invasions of the Indo-Europeans and later, the Magyars. They successfully resisted the Romans and Christianity. But not even they could resist the onslaught of the Turks, who annihilated them in 1526.

"After the Turks were pushed out of Hungary, other peoples came to settle this region, renaming this city, and the valley below, Stregoicavar. They soon abandoned the city, due to a superstition and built the village in the valley by the same name. Now, if you will follow me, we will view the central feature of the city."

The little crowd followed the tour guide through a breech in the crumbling walls. A path had been cleared of fallen stones and leads straight to a black pillar in the center of a wide open space, surrounded by walls. A few feet in front of it lies a long rectangular cut slab of stone. A little ways to the north of this spot, a group of archeologists worked several scattered shallow trenches.

The guide stood between the black pillar and the slab, as the tourists formed a circle around them. He continued, "It is here, where the people of Xuthltan made their sacrifices. Every year, during a mid-Summer festival, they would sacrifice a young woman, a young girl, and a female infant. Then their god would appear on top of this black pillar. They procured their sacrifices by raiding their surrounding neighbors. By this, they earned the hatred above that for the Turks. So when the Turks finally rid the land of these people, the surrounding Christians were more received than appalled at the brutality by which they were exterminated. The long history of such pagan activities made later occupants uncomfortable enough to move out after only a very short time."

*******

The tourists moved in on the black stone, examining it all over. It’s about 16 feet tall and a foot and a half wide. It has eight sides around its circumference. A series of faint scratches form a line, which spirals up around the shaft. Although badly faded, it appears to have once been a type of writing. Few bothered to look at the slab on its west side. It’s of common stone and badly eroded.

After taking enough photographs, their guide announced, "Now we will go to the east wall, where we can see the foundations of houses. We will see where and how the people lived."

Professor Toliman watched them depart, then went back to his work. He sat at a fold-out table with some of the excavated articles before him. He viewed each item through his wire-rimmed glasses, while pensively puffing on his pipe. Spread around were wide shallow trenches, where about 30 people stooped down, carefully scraping away the soil. The professor gave attention to one, wearing khakis and an Australian hat.

"Hey, Derek!"

He stood up and looked toward him. Professor Toliman waved him over. Derek stepped up out of the ditch, picked up and hoisted on his shoulderbag, and came over. Toliman handed him a small object. "What you think of this?"

Derek pulled out his magnifying glass and scrutinized this palm-sized stone. "It’s a female figurine, ... either an image of a deity or a wish for fertility.... Too small to be a votive offering, ... probably worn or carried around by its owner as a charm."

"How you think that?"

"Just a theory. Less it known of this site than all other prehistoric cultures. I’m just drawing from similarities in other cultures."

"Well, is good theory to begin with."

Derek handed it back to him. "I’ll take my break now."

"Good! You are good worker. Rest little now."

Derek ambled over to the black pillar and sat on the stone slab. From his shoulderbag, he took out a thermos and poured a cup of coffee. He cautiously looked around as he sipped it and moved to a corner of the rock. Here, he had noticed a crack running around a piece of the corner, a piece which can easily be broken off. When he was sure no one was looking, he pulled a small hammer from his toolbelt and gave that corner a hard whack. It made a loud "clang!", so he quickly hid the hammer and non-chalantly sipped away at his coffee, just in case the noise attracted any attention. When he was again sure no one was looking, he gave the rock another blow. This time the crack widened a bit. So he put his hand on it and leaned with all his weight, until he felt it give a little bit and saw the crack widen a little more. The pointed side of his hammer fit in, so he pried at the stone until it fell off. He put away his hammer and thermos, then set his shoulderbag down on the ground, up next to the slab. After one more check for any eyes looking his way, he stooped down, placed the freshly broken stone into his bag, buckled it closed, hoisted its strap across his shoulder, and casually moved back to his place at the excavation site. However, this theft did not go unwitnessed. Atop the black pillar, a pair of red eyes glowered at him.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, down San Bernardino Drive, Phoebe was approaching the American Psychic Society, when she noticed a change. Out in the front lawn, close to the sidewalk and the walkway to the house, now stands a sign. It’s large, white, and held up by two light blue posts and a lintel overhead. The engraved letters are also painted light blue. Large blocked letters read:

AMERICAN PSYCHIC SOCIETY

SAN FRANCISCO BRANCH

Underneath are smaller letters, in script:

"There are more things in heaven and earth than you have dreamt in your wildest philosophies."

-- William Shakespeare --

She felt that a sign and a motto made the APS even that more official. She went on in, feeling so proud to be a part of all this. Phoebe went upstairs to Irene’s office, as planned. Jules and Taylor were already there.

"Good!" said Irene. "Let’s get started."

She led them to an adjoining room. This is a little larger and has an L-shaped desk in each corner; each equipped with telephone, personal computer, lamps, drawers, and shelves.

"This is your office," Irene announced. "Now each of you choose your own desk."

With surprize and excitement, they milled around, looking into the drawers, checking the telephone’s dial tone, clicking the lamps on and off, and toying with the keyboards. Phoebe chose the desk between the door of Irene’s office and door leading to the hallway. She wanted to be able to take off for action at a moment’s notice.

The others chose their places and Taylor was all giddy with excitement. "Wow! I feel so official ... like part of a big business."

Jules cracked, "Yeah! Makes you wanna dump some toxic waste or something."

Phoebe commented, "Jules, there are times when you can be such a riot, ... then there’s now!"

He shot back, "Woo hoo! The star psychic makes a good one!"

Phoebe and Taylor giggled.

Irene further instructed, "First thing you need to do is log onto your computers, choose a user name and password, then take note of your telephone number. Later we will have business cards make out for you, with your office phone number and E-mail address."

Things kept looking better and better for Phoebe. But soon she was sadly looking at the empty desk. "What will happen to the desk meant for Joyce?" Jules and Taylor also ruefully viewed the empty space.

Irene answered, "That is my other announcement. I have chosen a new member for the team." She opened the door to the hallway. "Tasha Donnerstadt."

Tasha stepped in to the astonishment of the three assistants. She was dressed in more than her usual black: long black dress with long billowing sleeves, a black shawl draped over her shoulders, her long black hair hanging straight down, black eyeliner, black lipstick, and black nail polish. All this threw her pale skin into sharp relief. She was both beautiful and frightful.

Phoebe was the first to greet her. Tasha acknowledge with a smile and wave. She likes Phoebe. She would be the only one to sit and talk with her while everyone else was put off by her appearance.

This was the first time Taylor met her, so she was blown away by her looks. She just managed to utter a feeble "Hi."

Jules just had to be the wiseguy, as usual. "Hey! You related to the Addams Family?"

Tasha just wrinkled her nose at him then went to the remaining available desk.

Irene went on, "Now, everyone, log onto your computers and get acquainted with it as your new research tool. The first thing you’re going to research is Stregoicavar and the prehistory of Hungary."

Phoebe’s attention was perked by the familiar name. "Derek’s coming back then?"

"Yes. Has Brenda told you?"

"No. Told me what?"

"He’s returning tomorrow." Pheobe felt her heart leap. "And he’s bringing us our next assignment. So it would be helpful if we did some research in advance."

After a few more statements on welcoming everyone to their new office, Irene left the room. Phoebe puzzled over why she felt so elated at the news of Derek’s return, until Jules derailed her train of thought.

"Hey, Chief! How are we doing this as a team?"

She turned around and roared through clenched teeth, "Will you stop calling me that? I’m not the leader!"

"Hey! Chill! It’s just an expression!"

"An expression I don’t like! And I’m getting tired of telling you to knock it off!"

"I haven’t used it that much!"

"Too much for me!"

"All right then!... Phoebe!... How are we doing this as a team? I mean, what I see is the four of us facing away from each other, each at our own computer. How’s that working together as a team?"

"Okay. Good question. Each of us choose a search engine and look up Stregoicavar. Take down or print out everything you can. Then at the end of the day, say five o’clock, we each compare what we’ve found. Tasha’s already started. She’s on Excite."

Jules volunteered, "I’ll take Yahoo!"

Taylor stated, "I don’t know much about search engines."

"Try Lycos," Phoebe suggested. "I’ll go with Alta Vista." Everyone turned back to his and her own PC. "And if you exhaust a search engine by five o’clock, go to another. But let the rest of us know which one, so more than one aren’t working the same ones."

Taylor acknowledged, "Right, Chief!... Uh ... I mean Phoebe!... Sorry."

Jules burst out laughing. Taylor giggled from embarrassment. Phoebe turned around with a wide vicious grin. "Oooo! Some people are just asking for a butt-kicking!"

Jules laughed all the more. Tasha looked around perplexed. No one had yet told her how this all began.

When Phoebe got home, her sisters seemed surprized to see her.

Prue noted, "You’re home early!"

Piper added, "What’s the matter? No more assignments at the Psychic Society?"

"Yes! We did have another assignment at the APS! I just need to consult The Book of Shadows."

"Why?" Prue wanted to know.

"More warlock and witch tests."

"So Derek is back."

"Not yet. He’ll be in tomorrow. I want to be ready for him."

"We just finished dinner," said Piper. "We haven’t put away the leftovers yet, so you can come on in and eat now."

"Later."

But Piper seized her by the wrist and dragged her to the kitchen. "We’re not letting get into the habit of skipping meals! If you want to stay sharp for all that studying, you’ve got to take care of your health. The Book of Shadows will still be there when you’ve finished eating."

Reluctantly, Phoebe sat at the kitchen table over a meal. Prue and Piper went about cleaning up after their dinner.

Prue commented, "You’ve become so obsessed over this Derek."

Phoebe replied, "No more obsessed than with any other suspected warlock."

"But with all the tests you’ve done, so far, you should have come up with a conclusion by now."

"Well, Leo did tell us that there are some warlocks who can fake passing the tests. So I have to come up with a fool-proof test, no warlock can slide by."

Piper wondered, "Why is he coming back to San Francisco? Hasn’t he already finished setting up the APS?"

"He’s bringing back our next research assignment from Stregoicavar."

That name jolted Prue and she turned to Phoebe. "What did I tell you about that place? I told you it’s evil! And anyone delving into its secrets will be corrupted by that evil! I don’t want you anywhere near that house when he gets back!"

"But if it is evil, shouldn’t we be there to stop it? How are we protecting the innocent by running away just so that we are safe?"

"You just want to be with Derek, no matter what!"

"Who can blame her?" Piper cut in. "After all, he is yummy."

"Yes, he is yummy!" Phoebe concurred. "But I don’t want to make the same mistake you did with Jeremy. You dated him for six months before realizing he was a warlock, planning to kill all of us."

"That was before we knew we were witches. We knew nothing of warlocks back then."

"Well, now we know. So I have no excuse for being taken in. So I’m going to keep hitting with test after test, until I come up with a definite answer."

"And then?"

"And then I’ll smother him with steak sauce and eat him up."

Prue and Piper burst into giggling.

The following day, Phoebe counted the hours and minutes up to the end of her last class. She was that anxious to get back to the American Psychic Society. During lunchtime, she called Brenda, to ask if Derek had arrived yet. He hadn’t. Finally when the last class was dismissed, she eagerly rushed off to the APS. She went to the main room to meet with Brenda but was surprized to see Piper there. Phoebe motioned her to an area out of range of hearing ears.

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought about what you said last night -- that if evil is to arise here, we should be here to stop it."

"Well, I’m glad you take me seriously! What about Prue?"

"She doesn’t want to set foot in this place."

"How come?"

"My guess is that she really doesn’t like Derek. And since this place is associated with him, she wants nothing to do with it."

"And what if evil should arise here and the Power of Three is needed?"

"I suppose she’d stand outside, waiting for it to come out, rather than coming on in."

"That’s so ridiculous!"

"What is?" asked Brenda, rolling up to them in her wheelchair.

Phoebe was caught off guard but managed to answer carefully. "Oh! Just a family disagreement."

"Nothing serious, I hope."

"Oh no! Nothing we can’t work out. Is Derek in yet?"

"He’s back but somewhere downtown. It’s always business wherever he goes."

Piper blurted, "So, when does this ‘unleashing of evil’ begin?"

Brenda gave her a puzzled look. "The what?"

Piper became embarrassed when she realized what she had just said. "Oh! ... What I meant was ... when are you having that...?" She turned to Phoebe. "What do you call that thing you’re suppose to be having tonight?"

"Assignment," said Phoebe. Then she explained to Brenda, "Irene told us, in the Research Department, that Derek is bringing us an assignment from Hungary. We were just wondering when he’s bringing it in."

Brenda looked surprized at Piper. "You’re interested in seeing that?!"

Piper felt on guard. "Well, ... I just wanted to see...."

"That’s wonderful! I’m so glad to see you taking more of an active interest in the Society! Others will also be here for it, myself included, so we’d be happy to have a psychic of your caliber join us."

"My caliber? What do you mean...?"

"Derek is bringing it in whenever he gets here. As for it’s unveiling, ... exhibition, ... or whatever you want to call it, that’s at 10:30 tonight."

Phoebe gave Piper an awkward look. "Oooo! You’ve got to open the club at ten!"

"I can open it and leave it in capable hands and still get back here in time."

Again Brenda was impressed. "You’d do that?! You’d leave work for this? Wow! Your dedication is going to be an asset to the Society!"

"I’m flattered, but it’s just a curiosity."

"As it is with us all. I hope your curiosity continues. As for the ‘unleashing of evil’, you’re actually not that far off. Ten thirty is when the full moon will be at its peak. And this will take place is the attic."

Phoebe and Piper gave a surprized look. Brenda just gave a mysterious smile. "You’ll see ... tonight ... 10:30 ... in the attic."

She turned her wheelchair around and drove it off, leaving the two sisters to wonder and worry.

"Oh boy!... Hooo boy!" Piper vented. "Good thing I’ll be here. Now to convince Prue."

However, Phoebe was dubious. "Wait. Maybe she’s joking. I heard Derek is a practical joker. Maybe it runs in the family."

"Are you willing to take that risk? You said you did some research. We should look over that before tonight."

"Sure. I have notes up in my office."

"You have an office?"

"Yeah! I forgot to tell you! I have an office! It’s upstairs! Come on! I’ll show you!"

Later that evening, at 10:25, Piper was back, making her way upstairs to the attic. It had been drastically changed since she had last been there. The top landing was a long narrow corridor with many doors. No one had told her which attic room this was to be. Fortunately, Phoebe was waiting outside the appointed room.

Piper remarked, "They sure have changed this place! I haven’t been up here since we exorcised Amelia."

"Yeah. They divided it up into about a dozen rooms. Each has its own purpose. Is Prue coming?"

"No. She still refuses to set foot in this house."

"Why? What reason did she give?"

"She just didn’t think it would be necessary."

"Did you show her the copies of the notes of our research?"

"Yes. I left them with her when I went to the club. Whether she read them or not, I don’t know."

"What is her problem?! She’s been here a few times before!"

"And something made her very uncomfortable, but she won’t say what."

"We’ve really got to have a talk with her!"

They stood quietly for a moment, as other people arrived and went on into the room.

Then Piper continued, "You’ve got a plan?"

"I don’t even know what is going to be unveiled! If anything evil emerges, you’ll just have to freeze it and give us time to think of our next move."

"I guess that will have to do."

"Good evening, Ladies!" chimed Derek, as he ascended the stairs, followed by a small entourage. They exchanged greetings and he led them on into the room. Brenda sat in her wheelchair by the door, greeting all whom entered.

The room was large but appeared narrow due to the slant of the roof. It was bare, except for chairs set in a semi-circle in front of the gabled window. Many were already seated. The curtains were drawn but moonlight could be seen shining on the other side. On the floor, between the window and the seated group, lay an enamelware basin.

Phoebe talked with Brenda awhile until 10:30. By then, everyone else was seated and she found none for herself. So she went in front of them all and sat cross-legged on the floor. She turned and gave a wave to Taylor, Tasha, and Jules. Derek stepped before the group and set down his shoulderbag on the floor.

"As you know, I just got back from an archeological expedition in Stregoicavar, Hungary. Some of you may be familiar with this locale, so I’ll give a brief synopsis for those who aren’t. This was a city built in prehistory. No records of it survive, so very little is known. What is known is that its pre-Judeo-Christian religion survived until its destruction in the 16th century. Its interest to us is that this ground is saturated with millennia of psychic residue. Many who have spent the night there have experienced visions. Most went insane. Many died screaming in insane asylums. Those with strong constitutions have left us with accounts of visions of the past: the people, houses, clothing, and especially the rituals of human sacrifice. These visions always occurred in mid-Summer under a full moon. Well, tonight, it is the middle of Summer and there’s a full moon out. And...."

He stooped down, opened his shoulderbag, lifted out the stone, a little less than a cubic foot in size, and placed it in the basin. "...I brought a piece of Stregoicavar here."

People leaned forward in fascination. Those in the back stood up to get a clearer view. It was an ordinary-looking stone but the implications were thrilling.

"This is a piece of a corner of the sacrificial altar, which has witnessed thousands of years of human carnage. Its psychic residue can tell us a story. As most of you have guessed by now, I am going to open this curtain, allowing the moonlight to touch the stone, and we might experience part of that vision. Now this is only a tiny fragment of that vast city, so we’ll be fortunate to see anything at all. Most of us will see wispy moving forms. The more gifted may make out something recognizable. So, here we go."

He pulled aside the curtain and moonlight flooded in. The stone was completely illumed. Everyone in the room looked around in anticipation. As expected, wisps of lines and blurs flitted around the room. But very gradually a complete scene phased into view. Above was the wide open sky, where the tremendous full moon lit up everything. All around were high stone walls and high towers. But the outline of the gabled window and other features of the attic room could still be discerned.

Around and through the viewers marched a silent procession. Most were dressed in animal skins; some in some kind of fabric with colorful patterns. The people’s appearance were apish: short, thick-built, sloping foreheads, wide noses, and thick lips. They shook and beat musical instruments and moved their mouths, but not a sound was heard. The entire scene was dead silent.

When the celebrants had passed, the seated observers could now see before them a tall black column of stone. Derek recognized it as the pillar in the middle of Stregoicavar. Before it a fire burned in a brazier, supplementing the moonlight in revealing the entire setting.

Phoebe found herself lying on her back, naked, bound to a slab of stone with course rope, in front of the pillar and fire. Looking down on herself, she didn’t see her own body. This body was compact, shorter with more solid proportions. It was Neanderthal.

The people of the city stood on a wide semi-circle in front of the pillar. Behind the pillar, an old woman squatted, beating a black drum and she appeared to be singing or chanting. A little girl, about 10 or 11 years in age, sat nearby, bound hand and foot. The people too seemed to sing or chant as they wildly swayed and waved their arms in unison. Still no sound could be heard by the modern observers.

Onto the scene stepped a monstrous figure. This appeared to be the shaman or medicine man. A sheet of animal skin was wrapped around his waist and a wolf mask covered his face. He seemed to lead the choir in the song or chant, by waving his arms and body in rhythm with their motions and the old woman’s drumbeats.

Another woman stepped out into the scene, presenting the shaman with a baby, only a few months old. He swept it up in his arms and whirled around in a dance. Then to the horror of the observers, he held it by the ankles and dashed against the pillar, bursting open its head.

Piper wanted to freeze the whole event but found herself frozen. All she could move were her eyes. As she looked side to side, she could see everyone else was also gripped in a paralysis.

The shaman swung the infant corpse back and forth, spattering its blood onto the pillar. The blood seems to fade soon upon landing, as if the living stone was drinking it all in. After a few splashes, he dropped the lifeless child into the fire. Soon a yellow smoke began billowing upward.

Next he picked up a stone knife and went to the altar. Terror welled up in Phoebe. Here she was, bound, naked and helpless before this knife-wielding man-beast. He raised the knife high over his head. Piper was just as horrified and wanted so desperately to save her sister. But the paralysis still held. In fact, she noticed the only person who could move was Derek. He leaned forward to Phoebe with the "calm down" gesture (hand held downward, parallel to the floor, waving gently up and down) and emphatically whispered, "Don’t be afraid! It’s not real! It’s just an apparition!" (His voice was the only sound heard in all this.)

The knife came down. Phoebe flinched but felt nothing. The butcher made a cut from below the chest to the abdomen, then with both hands, pulled it wide open. He made a few cuts here and there inside, then lifted out the intestines and dropped them into the fire. Blood and fat poured out of the body onto the altar and ran down the sides. He did the same with the heart and kidneys. Phoebe watched all this in helpless astonishment, as well as the seated audience. Derek appeared casual, with all the detachment of a scientist.

The wolf-headed shaman then turned to the pillar, holding up his bloodied hands to the sky. He appeared to be shouting a prayer or chant. Then all eyes were turned upwards. A figure, silhouetted in the moonlight, was descending. Narrow straight wings, like those of a dragonfly, were spread out and vibrating. It soon came to alite atop the pillar. The firelight revealed a horrifying image. Its body appeared to be primate, with long fingers and toes and a long claw protruding from each. But the most notable feature was its head. It looked like a huge octopus set on its shoulders. Its tentacles flowed over its knees and feet, as it squatted menacingly atop the black rock. It looked down on this event, held in its honor, with glowing red eyes. Only Derek uttered its name.

"Cthulhu!"

The shaman next picked up the little girl, sitting bound by the old woman at the drum. He held her up to the monster, whose long tentacles reached down for her. The girl desperately struggled and screamed in a panic as the tentacles lifted her up out of the shaman’s hands. Suddenly the silence was broken by the sound of screeching tires, crunching metal, and breaking glass. Derek went to the window, took a brief look, then quickly drew the curtain. With the moonlight cut off from the stone, the vision faded out.

The participants began recovering from their paralysis and their revulsion of the ghastly performance. Phoebe was relieved to find herself back in her own body, intact and fully clothed. Piper quickly rushed to her and helped her to her feet.

"Are you all right?!"

"Yeah.... Uh ... Fine. It was ... just a vision."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I’m sure."

Derek announced, "Listen up, everybody! It appears that I have underestimated the power in the stone. That vision, you were watching, was actually being broadcasted over several blocks. Now the whole neighborhood is in an uproar. So this concludes this exhibition until further notice. As you leave the building, don’t talk to anyone about this: neighbors, police, or reporters. Let our PR people handle this. Remember the rule of confidentiality -- what happened here stays here."

He then turned his attention to Phoebe. "Are you all right?"

"Uh ... Yeah. Just ... shaken up a bit."

Unexpectedly, he took her into his arms and held her tight. "I am so sorry! I never knew this would happen. As I said, I just expected to see little wisps. I should have check it out myself before exposing this to others."

Phoebe was hardly listening. She was too preoccupied melting in his arms. She felt the strength of his arms and the warmth of his chest and simply melted. His hands running up and down her back set her heart and stomach aflutter and sent swirls of warmth through her chest and belly. She just closed her eyes and softly moaned at the pleasure of his touch. When he finally released her, she stepped away only reluctantly.

Then Jules walked up to him. "That was way cool! You gonna do that again?"

Piper and Phoebe looked at each other in surprize, then at him in disgust.

Derek responded, "We need to find an isolated area first; somewhere away from a highly populated area."

"Let me know when you do." Then her turned to Phoebe. "That was cool, watching your guts getting pulled out like that!"

"Those weren’t my guts, you ignorant little wart! They were of some poor unfortunate, some thousands of years ago!"

"Well, that’s the job I want to have -- hacking open naked women!"

Astonished and enraged, she glared at him, baring her teeth. Taylor quickly cut in, "Watch it, Phoebe! He’s just jerking your chain! Don’t let him get to you."

Then she dragged him away. "You sicko swine!"

Others began gathering around Derek, asking him questions. Phoebe felt a pang of disappointment in being cut off from him.

Piper whispered to her, "We better go."

She nodded absently and slowly followed her to the door, making repeated last looks to Derek. She nearly walked into Brenda, who gently tugged at her arm.

"Are you sure you’re all right?"

"I’m sure. Don’t worry."

"If there’s anything you need...."

"Just tell Derek ‘Good night’ for me."

Piper waited for her in the hall. Phoebe noticed her sly smirk. "What!"

"I saw that."

"What!"

"That smile on your face when he held you."

Phoebe covered her mouth with surprize. "Was I? I was smiling?" She blushed.

"Not exactly efficient for a warlock hunter."

Phoebe hung her head and whined, "I can’t help it! Every time he holds me, I turn into goo!"

Piper gave an understanding smile and took her by the hand. "All right, Goo-Goo Girl. Let’s get you home."

Sleep was not kind to Phoebe that night. She dreamed of a very unusual city. Everything was massive. The buildings were taller than any skyscraper she had seen. Their tops blotted out the sun and hid most of the sky. They were formed of stone blocks, larger than most houses she had seen. The walls were covered by strange markings, resembling hieroglyphics, and no windows could be seen. Ever present were many gradations of green.

The streets and sidewalks were also immense. The sidewalks were as wide as four-laned highways and the streets -- twice as large. They too were in various shades of green. But there was no traffic of any kind. Phoebe found herself alone in this colossal setting. Not a sound could be heard but the perpetual moaning of the wind, somewhere high up above.

She didn’t know where she was going, but felt drawn to the center of the city. As she walked, she noticed more anomalies. Something was not right with the dimensions of the surroundings. Her depth of field seemed to shift with each angle of view. Buildings kept changing: smaller, larger, straight, leaning, and so on. The streets also altered their width while and after she crossed them. The spatial mathematics of the entire city seemed thrown off.

She reach what she knew to be the city’s center. It was a plaza of several acres of Cyclopean, smooth-cut stones. In the center was a statue of greyish-green stone, about five stories high. As she drew closer to it, she recognized it as the image of Cthulhu. Although repulsed, she was helplessly drawn. As she approached it from its left side, the pedestal appeared vertically straight. But from the front, the front wall was sloped. The two-leafed doors on the front swung open. Cold fear stabbed Phoebe deep inside, but she was continually drawn on against her will. From deep within the earth, came up a low rumbling voice.

"Cthulhu fhtagn! Cthulhu fhtagn!"

She was drawn to descend the stairs into the darkness. The light, coming in through the door, revealed the floor at the bottom of the stairs. It was covered with corpses; naked women, chalk-white from their bloodlessness, with their torsos cut open, showing their insides hollowed out. When she reached the landing, she found, much to her horror, that they were not dead. They were writhing about, moaning and weeping in agony. Terror exploded in Phoebe and she shot up in her bed with a gasp. She was panting and sweating heavily. Her heart pounded so strongly, she covered her mouth, overwhelmed by the feeling that it would jump out.

She got out of bed, opened the window, and began fanning herself with a notebook. She paced back and forth furiously to calm down her trembling. It was still very early in the morning, but no way was she going back to sleep. So she showered, dressed, and while it was still dark, left for the university.

Later that morning, Phoebe was sitting in the student union, over her third cup of coffee. She wanted to get enough caffeine to stay awake all day. Her mind was in a fog but, by now, was gradually being penetrated by a loud conversation nearby.

"Really? The exact same dream?"

"Get out! Come on!"

"No, really! All three of us! Exactly the same!"

"Right! Exactly!"

"No way!"

"It was exactly that way! A giant green city! A statue of an octopus-headed monster!"

Phoebe’s eyes snapped wide open and looked over to the source of the voices. A few tables away sat a group of young women, some looking very serious; others laughing. Phoebe picked up her backpack and coffee, non-chalantly walked over to a table next to them, and sat down. She listened to the argument, back and forth, some confirming, others denying. One recognized her.

"Wait! Phoebe would know something about this! She’s an expert on the supernatural!"

"Hey, Phoebe! What does it mean when three people have the exact same dream?"

Phoebe chose her words carefully. "I haven’t quite finished my studies on dreams. But what you’ve been saying sounds interesting."

She questioned them for exact details and found that their dreams matched hers. However, none of them said that they entered the doors underneath the statue. Then she asked everyone, in the group, both those who had the dream and those who didn’t, where they lived.

Piper sat at the kitchen table with her second cup of coffee. She was trying hard to get started for the day. Prue walked in.

"Piper, I just got off the phone with Darryl. He’s had a busy night; five ritual murders, eight suicides, 14 attempted suicides, and so many acts of assault and vandalism. When he questioned those, who attempted suicide, they all said that an octopus-headed monster, they saw in their dreams, was after them. In fact reports were coming in of many people having the same dream. So now, Darryl wants to know if magic has anything to do...." Then she noticed Piper staring at her wide-eyed. "What!... You? Same dream?"

Piper slowly nodded.

"Does this have anything to do with what happened at that house last night?"

Piper looked away.

"Piper! Tell me everything that happened last night ... and your dream ... Everything!"

Phoebe came out of her first class just as fogbound as she went in. Another bleary-eyed student noticed her yawning. "You had that dream too, huh?"

"What? What dream?"

"That dream a lot of others had -- the giant green city with the octopus monster."

"A lot of others had it?!"

"Yeah. That’s all I’ve been hearing all morning. It might have something to do with that weird thing that happened at the American Psychic Society last night."

"The what?!"

"Didn’t you hear the news this morning?"

"It was in the news?!"

"Say! Aren’t you a member of that club?"

"Yeah.... I’m a member."

"What do you know about it?"

"I’m going their right after my classes and ask around."

"Great! Let the rest of us know what you find out."

A young man ran up to her, handing her a slip of paper. "Phoebe! The Message Center, at the Student Union, got a call from your sisters."

"My sister?!"

"Yeah. They said it’s urgent but not to interrupt your class."

"Well, ... Thanks, Eric."

"No problem."

Phoebe accepted the message and he left. She unfolded it and found scrawled in pencil, "EMERGENCY. COME HOME NOW."

She got there as quickly as possible. Prue and Piper were sitting, waiting for her in the livingroom.

Prue sternly asked, "Have you heard what’s been happening in this city since last night?"

"I’ve been picking up bits and pieces at the university."

"The whole city is in chaos!"

"Not the whole city. I found out that the only ones affected were within a mile and a half radius from the APS last night."

"Do you realize how many people have died? And there may be more people dying now?"

"No. I never heard that."

"What were you doing at that house last night? Didn’t I tell you to stay away from there?"

"This is not my fault! It would have happened whether I was there or not!"

Piper stood and threw up her arms. "All right! Let’s not fight! We’ve got to solve this problem! We’re just making it worse by turning on each other!"

It was then Phoebe noticed how haggard Piper looked. "You look as bad as I feel. What happened to you?"

"I caught something going around, ... called the ‘Green-City-and-Octopus-Monster’ nightmare!"

"You too?"

Prue asked, "What about you, Phoebe? Did you also have this dream?"

"Yes. That’s why I went to school so early. I didn’t want to go back to sleep and risk having the dream again, so there was no point in staying at home."

"Exactly the same as the others?"

"Only mine went a little further. I entered the doors under the statue. On the first landing, the floor was covered with women who had their bellies cut open, and...."

Piper clapped her hands over her ears. "I don’t want to hear it!"

So Phoebe ended it right there. "And that’s the point where I woke up."

Prue kept on. "First landing? You saw more?"

"I noticed a passage going further down."

"I wonder why you would be the only one with an extended dream."

Phoebe thought about it awhile. "I was the closest to the stone, when it was exposed to the moonlight. So I may have gotten a stronger blast of ... whatever was released.... Maybe.... I don’t know."

"I just remembered something else," Piper added. "When we were all frozen by that vision, Derek was the only one who could move. And he knew that monster by name."

Prue asked, "What’s the name?"

"I’m not sure. I wasn’t close enough to hear clearly. Phoebe was closer; almost right next to him. What was the name, Phoebe?"

"Cthulhu."

Prue was stunned. "Oh ... my ... God!"

"What is it, Prue?" Piper asked. "What is this ‘Cthulhu’?"

"Only one of the most powerful, most evil, most destructive demons on earth."

"So he can summon up demons. Looks like you were right about him after all, Pheebs."

Phoebe was speechless. Ever since the day after she first met Derek, she had suspected him of being a warlock and tried so hard to prove it. Now she was hoping she was wrong.

Piper next asked, "So now what do we do?"

Prue counseled, "You two go back to that house and confront him about this."

"And you?"

"I’ll ... go look this up in The Book of Shadows."

She got up to walk away, but Piper grabbed her by the arm. "Wait a minute! We might need you there too!"

"Oh no! I’m sure you two ... can handle it ... fine on your own."

"But if Derek is a demon-summoner, we’re going to need the Power of Three!" (Phoebe felt a bit received to hear Piper say "if", thus giving Derek a benefit of a doubt.) "Prue! You’re making excuses again, for not going to the Psychic Society!"

"I am not! I just think that ... you can handle this without me!"

Phoebe backed up Piper. "She’s right, Prue! You’ve been evading that place ever since the opening party! First you jump all over us about this problem, now you won’t help us with a solution!"

Piper pleaded, "Whatever it is ,,, all three of us can face it together."

Prue sat down with a sigh and spoke without looking them in the eye. "I just don’t like that Medusa mask."

"The what?"

"That mask over the doorway. Its eyes light up whenever a ‘psychic’ walks under it. It’s like a big sign over my head, telling the public ‘This is a witch’."

Piper and Phoebe exchanged a curious look.

Piper commented, "I hardly notice that."

"Me too. It lights up for nearly everyone who walks under it. So much so that most people don’t pay any attention."

Prue countered, "It’s those who do pay attention that worry me."

"But that’s over the main room. We’re not going there. We’ll be passing that by and going up the stairs."

Prue looked up with surprize and relief. "Oh!... Well ... all right then."

"But first let’s rest a little. I’m so tired!"

Phoebe and Piper sat down on the sofa and leaned on each other.

Piper grumbled, "Only four hours of sleep! But I’ve been afraid of having that dream again. It’s not even noon yet and I don’t know how I can stay awake much longer."

"Tell me about it! That’s why we’re so bitchy!" Then Phoebe turned to Prue and tersely asked, "What’s your excuse?"

Prue looked aghast. Piper snickered, then Phoebe. Soon all three were laughing.

At the APS reception desk, Phoebe asked where they could find Derek and was directed to the top floor of the southeast tower. On their way to the stairs, they passed the main room. Prue suspiciously eyed the mask of Medusa, wondering how close one would have to be to cause its eyes to react. They climbed the stairs all the way to the attic. In her tired state, Piper complained about the lack of elevators. They passed through the farthest southeastern room then entered the tower.

The room is round with many windows all around. So plenty of daylight was getting in. Books and curious objects were stuffed in boxes and piled on the floor. Amidst all this, Derek sat on the couch, pouring over a large black tome. He looked up as they entered.

"Phoebe! What a surprize! I thought you’d still be in school."

"I ... felt that this problem is more important."

"I admire your dedication. But if you can’t read Latin, I don’t know how you can help."

"What? Why Latin?"

"I said, before I left, I’d bring a copy of the Necronomicon. And so I have. It’s in Latin. I’ve been pouring over it all morning. I can’t find anything that even explains what happened last night, let alone how to solve it. It’s unprecedented."

Piper came right out an asked, "Derek, did you summon up Cthulhu?"

"Hmm? Cthulhu? No. Cthulhu still sleeps in R’lyeh, at the bottom of the ocean."

"What?"

Phoebe sat down beside him. "Derek, what is Cthulhu?"

"He was a high priest of the Great Old Ones, who inhabited this earth long before humanity. He and other higher-ups were overthrown during a civil war. The winners, now called the Elder Gods, entombed him and some of his cronies, in a perpetual sleep, in the city of R’lyeh. Over the ages, as the tectonic plates moved and the earth changed, R’lyeh sank into the Pacific, somewhere between South America and New Zealand. But he still reaches out to humanity with his mind, looking for lackeys to help set him and his kind free. That would mean the destruction of humankind."

Piper asked, "Would R’lyeh happen to be gigantic and green and have Cthulhu’s statue in the middle?"

"Yup. That’s the one. All those buildings are tombs. Cthulhu’s is under his statue."

Phoebe asked, "Did you have that dream that’s been going around last night?"

"Many times. Every time I’ve fought against him."

"You fought him?"

"Well, his cult followers at least. They’re all over the world. I’m wondering if they committed those ritual murders, I heard of, happening last night."

It took awhile for Phoebe to realize that she was resting her head on his shoulder. Embarrassed, she slowly lifted her head up, hoping no one had noticed. Prue was looking over some of the books lying around. Piper was fighting hard to stay awake. Derek was preoccupied.

Then Piper came right out with it. "Last night, everyone who was watching that vision was paralyzed ... except you. Can you explain that?"

Derek had a distant look in his eyes. "I need an expert’s opinion. Excuse me while I make a phone call."

When he left the room, Piper gave his sisters a suspicious look. "Did you see that? He ignored the question!"

Phoebe suggested, "Maybe he didn’t like your accusatory tone."

"I wasn’t being accusatory!"

Prue cut in, "All right! Don’t you two start fighting now!... Derek has a lot on his mind. I noticed that faraway look in his eyes. So he just didn’t hear the question.... And Phoebe, you’re starting to get defensive in his behalf."

"Remember when you trusted Bane and no one else would?"

"Are you sure that’s how you really feel about him?"

Phoebe nodded.

"Has this anything to do with what Madam Guinan told you?"

"I had forgotten all about that!"

"Yeah! Right!"

Pheobe felt insulted. She narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth as Prue smirked and turned away. But she was too tired to fight.

Prue picked up the Necronomicon, which Derek had been studying, and against her own warnings of its evil, began looking it over. She wanted to see if there was anything Derek was hiding from them. She knows Latin well enough to make out the basic meanings of what she can read. She sat at a desk and started at the beginning. It tells of a race, now called the Great Old Ones, who came down from the stars to this earth, eons before the advent of man. They filled the world with a civilization, far more advanced and sophisticated than humans have today. In time, one generation became corrupted and evil. They were overthrown by a younger generation, now called the Elder Gods. The vanquished were sealed into cities or cast through "the Gates" to be imprisoned for eternity. Eons later, as earth’s climate began changing towards what it is now, becoming more unsuitable for their species, the Elder Gods returned to the stars. But when humans began multiplying on the earth, those imprisoned reached out to them mentally, teaching many the specific spells to be uttered at specific times to release them.

As she read on, her eyelids grew heavier and the letters in the book began to blur. Slowly her head went down onto the book and her eyes closed. She found herself on the streets of R’lyeh, being drawn towards the city’s center. Remembering what Phoebe had described filled her with trepidation.

The heights of the building were overwhelming. The knowledge that these are tombs, where a race of evil giants sleep, was very disconcerting. The ample expanse of the streets and sidewalks were intimidating. The distant echoes of wind and dripping water made her shudder. She observed the inscriptions on the walls. They weren’t like any written language she had seen.

She reached the gargantuan plaza at the center. Although the image of Cthulhu was dwarfed by all the other structures of the city, it was still awe-inspiring. The voice, from underground, served as a foreboding of the horror below. But she was still drawn onward. She went through the doors below the image and down the stairs. The sight of the mutilated women filled her with revulsion. Some of them walked around and begged her to put an end to their suffering. This only added more distress. She was drawn on to another passage, which led down more flights of stairs.

The stairwell ended in an immense chamber. Its walls were filled with more terrifying images. In the center, on a bed of stone, lies Cthulhu himself. Prue could see his chest rising and falling in a breathing rhythm. Although the fear within her was solidifying, she was still drawn closer.

A low voice uttered, "At last! A body with which I can enter the world."

Prue next felt as if she were inhaling freezing cold air. This numbed her all over. She felt a power, other than her own, move her legs. She walked back up the stairs, back to the surface. The walking corpses stood aside for her, as for a high-ranking officer. On stepping out the door, she was lifted off of the ground as if by a pair of wings. She ascended high over the colossal buildings, then over the Cyclopean city. She saw the massive area it covered, the land, the continent. She arose ever higher in the sky, seeing the oceans, other islands and continents; the whole world. The skies began filling with black clouds. Lightening, hail, and storms filled the world. The oceans began turning into blood. The screams of humanity filled her ears. Prue released a long, loud scream. "No!"

"Prue! Prue! Wake up! Prue!"

She looked up to find Piper shaking her. "Wow! That was some nightmare! The same as ours?"

"Yes. But mine went even further. I saw Cthulhu himself. He took over my body and used me to destroy the world."

"Does this mean he’s chosen you as his lackey?"

"I don’t know what this means. All I know is that this is bigger than anything the three of us has ever had to face."

Piper and Phoebe held her to exchange comfort and encouragement.

Suddenly Piper asked Phoebe, "What did Brenda mean by ‘a psychic of my caliber’?"

Phoebe simply shrugged. Prue gave them both a puzzled look.

A few minutes later, Derek returned. The sisters watched as he stood in the doorway with an awkward expression. He threw up his arms. "Well, It’s all my fault."

"What?" all three exclaimed.

"I brought the psychic-saturated stone from Stregoicavar to the Pacific Coast, closer to R’lyeh. The energy of the repeated ritual and me mentioning his name got his attention. So he sent a piece of his energy here. Now it’s spreading out, causing pandemonium. It will continue spreading until it reaches a certain point, then collapse back in, and embody itself."

Phoebe asked, "You mean it will form a body around itself, with which to walk around?"

Piper guessed, "Or it will take over a body."

Derek concurred, "That would be it."

The sisters exchanged worried glances. Prue asked, "What kind of a body would it choose? I mean, in a house full of psychics, would it go for the most powerful or what?"

"With the power he has, it won’t matter what the body has or hasn’t. It will catch one who is off guard, ignorant, or willingly open to it. In fact, the easiest ones, the Old Ones can control, are the ignorant, mentally unstable, and mentally handicapped. As for the intelligent, those alert, and those with psychic abilities, the only way they can get any co-operation is by making a deal; y’know, the promise of wealth, power, glory, and all that; just like the Devil."

Prue felt relieved and her sisters with her.

Phoebe then asked, "What solution did the expert give about this problem?"

"I have to perform the Incantation Against the Ancient Ones."

"An incantation? You mean like a spell?"

"Counter spell. Witches, warlock, wizards, demons, and others cast spells. Us helpless mortals can only do counter spells as protection from all those others."

"Where do you get that incantation?"

"In the Necronomicon."

"Could I help. I’m real good at casting spells."

"Phoebe!" Piper hissed, fearing that she is letting their secret slip.

But Phoebe added, "Irene teaches us, in her coven, spell-casting. And we’re all becoming very skillful at it."

Derek shook his head. "I appreciate it. But I’m the one who called it forth, so I have to send it back.... However, you can be on stand-by, in case anything goes wrong."

"What can go wrong?"

"Dunno. I never did this one before."

"So, should we get to it right now?"

"Can’t. Need the full moon again. That won’t be until tonight, around nine."

Piper complained, "I can’t stay awake that much longer!"

"Then get some sleep before then."

"But I don’t want that dream again!"

"You won’t. You only get it once."

"What?!"

"I only got it once last night. So did Brenda. And several others I know. We all went back to sleep without its recurrence."

The sisters looked at each other in surprize.

"We could have gone back to sleep all that time?" Piper hung her head. "I feel so stupid!"

"Not stupid," Derek assured. "Just inexperienced. Now from here on, you’ll know. Tell you what -- Go on down to the banquet hall and have yourselves a good hot lunch. Then go to the third floor, take any room with an unoccupied bed, and sleep ‘till nine."

"You have bedrooms with beds here?"

"They’re for our sleep experiments; such as what one would experience sleeping with a certain haunted object in the room."

"That’s the kind of assignment I’d like," said Phoebe. "One I can sleep through."

The attic room had been left the way it was the night before. The chairs were in a semi-circle in front of the window. A basin sat on the floor between the chairs and window.

The sisters sat in the front row with Irene, Vincent (branch co-ordinator), and Joan (head of PR). Brenda was back in her place by the door. Once again, Derek set the stone in the basin, then began setting up five black candles around it.

Prue spoke up. "Excuse me. May I ask something?"

"Certainly."

"Why does the stone have to be set in a wash pan?"

Derek was lining up the candles to form a pentangle around the stone. "Some psychically charged items can give a sudden burst of energy, which can damage most surfaces. For example, some can start fires. Other may exude water, such as the ‘weeping stones’ of Scotland. So whenever I activate an object of psychic activity, I make sure it’s insulated."

He lit the candles then stood by the window. He took up a sheet of paper in one hand and a grey ceramic disk, with a five-pointed star inscribed on it, in the other. He looked at the window. The curtain was drawn but moonlight could be seen shining on its other side.

He looked to Phoebe. "Could you help me with just one little thing?" She got up and walked over to him. "When I tell you, open the curtain. I have my hands full." She took a position close to the window and put her hand on the curtain. "And stay behind me. Keep me between you and the stone."

Meanwhile, Prue whispered to Piper, "When I tell you, freeze everything."

Derek began the chant. It was in some foreign language and sounded something like: "Oo-toog hhool! Ah-lah hhool! Ghee-deem hhool! Moo-lah hhool! Deen-geer hhool! Mahs-keem hhool!"

He nodded to Phoebe and she opened the curtain. Moonlight hit the stone and almost immediately, the air seemed to thicken.

"Zee ah-nah kahn-pah! Zee kee-ah kahn-pah!"

A cold wind blew low over the floor. Prue remembered inhaling air this cold in her dream. All five candleflames pointed inward towards the stone.

"Zee deen-geer en-leel la loo-gahl koor-koor rah geh kahn-pah!

Zee deen-geer neen-leel la neem koor-koor rah geh kahn-pah!"

Visions began taking shape. People and animals dances, twisting their shapes and transforming into other beings. Mutilated women and girls came into view, writing from their agonies. Blood began pouring down the walls.

"Zee deen-geer nee-neeb ee-bee-lah eh-shah-rah geh kahn-pah!

Zee deen-geer nee-nee neen koor-koor rah geh kahn-pah!

Zee deen-geer ah noo-nah deen-geer gahl-gah-lah eh neh kahn-pah!"

Piper put up her hands ready to freeze the whole scene. Phoebe signaled to her "No."

"It’s not real! It’s just a vision! Let it take its course!" So Piper refrained.

"Zee deen-geer ah-nah kahn-pah! Zee deen-geer kee-ah kahn-pah!"

A rumbling was heard and the attic shook like in an earthquake. Still Derek did not falter.

"Bah-bah-bah-rah-rah-rah ahn-the mahl-dah-dah!

Bah-bah-bah-rah-rah-rah ahn-the geh-geh eh-neh-neh!"

Suddenly all went quiet and still. The visions had faded, leaving no traces. Derek nodded to Phoebe and she closed the curtains. Derek knelt down and touched the stone with the clay disk. There was a spark and crackle, like electricity, at the contact point. The stone cracked and crumbled to smaller pieces. "It’s done. It’s over."

Irene asked, "What was done exactly?"

"I summoned the energy, released last night, to return to the stone, then broke the stone up, diminishing its psychic residue. Moonlight will still induce each little piece to give visions, but not as strongly as last night."

"What will become of the pieces?"

"I’ll scatter them among various APS branches."

Phoebe asked, "What language were you using?"

"Sumerian."

Prue came up to him and scrutinized the ceramic disk. "What is this you’ve been using for the spell?"

"This is the Star of Mnar. It’s used as a protection against all evil; especially those empowered by the Great Old Ones. I had it in one of my vest pockets last night. That’s why the vision didn’t paralyze me as everyone else."

With that, the sisters were satisfied that he is not a demon-summoner. Phoebe felt relieved that Derek had been vindicated.

Piper announced, "I’ve got to go open the club."

Prue said, "I’ll drive you. You coming, Phoebe?"

"No, I ... have a few things to do here."

"What about you, Brenda? You’ve never been to our nightclub. We’ll buy you a drink and have a chat."

"Sure. Don’t have my dancing shoes but it would be a change in atmosphere."

Irene explained, "I have to go and put all this down in our department report."

Then Vincent added, "Joan and I have to prepare a statement for the police and the neighborhood committee tomorrow."

Derek poured the fractured stone pieces into a plastic bag and also left the room. Phoebe followed him up the hall. "What about you? What do you have to do?"

"I have to put my affairs in order and start packing."

"Are you going somewhere?"

"I’m leaving."

They went back to the tower room, where Derek busied himself with gathering certain books and packing them into boxes.

Phoebe persisted, "To where?"

"Back to where I came from. Back to the road. Back to the four winds and the seven seas."

"When are you coming back?"

"Maybe in a year or two, just to pass through and see how this place is doing."

Phoebe’s heart sank. She had come to love this man. She wanted him. She wanted him to stay. She couldn’t just let him go like this. But how could she make him stay? What could she say to change his mind? She had to say something; say anything!

"What about us?"

"What? What about us?"

Derek turned and looked at her, and saw a lost, frightened child. He took in a breath and opened his mouth, but stopped short. He was at a loss for words. They stood there in silence, reading each other’s eyes.

He looked down and slowly walked over to her. Her eyes widened and breathing quickened. He raised a hand and opened his mouth, but still couldn’t think of anything to say at a time like this. This man, of eloquent speeches and quick wit, has finally run out of words. But Phoebe didn’t want words. She wanted him. A desperate plea flew around in her mind. Kiss me! Kiss me! Oh kiss me! And he did.

Her heart and stomach fluttered. Her knees buckled. They stood in each other’s embrace and read each other’s eyes. They liked what they saw. The kissed again, this time with more fervor. Their body heat mingled. Phoebe’s head spun, her heart pounded, and her stomach sank into a warm ocean. She hadn’t felt like this for a long time. And she wanted to keep this feeling forever.

And so to bed to bed

My soul to share.

An island for the brave

My soul to save.

In hope that God’s awake

My soul to take.

Next morning, Piper walked into the kitchen, where Prue sat with a newspaper and a cup of coffee. "Have you seen Phoebe?"

"No. Why?"

"She has classes in an hour, so I went to her room to see that she doesn’t oversleep. But she’s not in her bed. Her bed looks like it hasn’t been slept in."

"She spent the night at that house?"

"I don’t know. Why would she?"

"To be close to Derek."

Piper went to the sink and began rinsing a few dishes. She happened to glance out of the window. "Oh! There she is."

"Where?"

"Derek’s pick-up truck, with that little wooden house on its back. It’s in our driveway."

Prue came to the window and looked. "Isn’t that a bit early?"

"Not for Phoebe."

They went out the side door and down the driveway to this odd mobile home. Piper lightly rapped on the door. They heard a muffled response and carefully opened. Inside were closets and furniture compacted into a small space. They could make out the stove, refrigerator, a television set, and the bed. There lied Derek, half covered, giving them a slight wave. Next to him, Phoebe was curled up, wrapped in most of the sheets, with just part of her face revealed.

Seeing that she was still asleep, Piper didn’t want to wake her. She whispered to Derek, "Phoebe’s got to go to school today."

He whispered back, "I’ll wake her in a few minutes."

"It better be soon. Her first class is in less than an hour."

"All right. I can drive her there myself."

"Okay. Thank you.... Nice place you’ve got here."

"Thanks. Not much but its home."

They closed the door and went back to the kitchen.

Piper commented, "Did you see his arms and chest?"

"Did you see the smile on her face?"

"Another boyfriend for Phoebe. How long do you think this one’s going to last.?

"I don’t know. But Phoebe has grown. She’s more mature and careful. She might hang on to this one for some time, if she really wants to."

"And Madam Guinan said that this is her true love."

"Oh yes! Let’s not forget Madam Guinan!"

"Oh my God!"

"What is it?"

Piper covered her eyes and pointed out the window. "That truck and that house thingy ... is rocking!"

"What?! Now?! At night I can understand! But in broad daylight, the neighborhood can see!"

Soon they could hear Phoebe’s cries of ecstasy in rhythm to the rocking.

"Now they can hear it too!"

They stood in helpless embarrassment, hoping it would be over soon.

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