Kevin's problem was he thought he knew everything. Cassie smiled. Kevin wasn't her true brother, he was her adoptive brother. The Edgewood's gave her love and security. Cassie knew since the age of four that she was "specially chosen."
Cassie was searching for her natural parents. The Edgewood's fully supported her. Kevin showed her the resources available on the 'Net.
Cassie was having terrible nightmares. Cassie couldn't recall the details just an impression of evil. Cassie decided to use her brother as a sounding board.
HE IS A FOOL, YOU DON'T NEED HIM, CASSIE.
Cassie frowned in
concentration, not that Cassie doubted her natural mother was unwed
when she
was born. She was born in 1979, not 1959. Why would her
mother
be sent to an asylum? Whitehead Beach Mental Health Resort went
"belly
up" in 1982. No records. The adoption agency was
defunct.
Cassie tried to track down persons who worked with the agency, it was
as if
they had vanished from the face of the earth.
"Cassie?" Kevin tapped her head.
"Doesn't the lack of records seem suspicious?" She asked quickly, grimacing in apology for her in attention.
"Red tape,
half-hearted
efforts, seems normal."
CASSIE, YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND ME, GET RID OF THE DWEEB."Thanks Kev. I'm going to run up to Whitehead Beach. I didn't check their newspaper archives." Thanks brother, a lot of help, you aren't.
"A two hour drive? Man, you're obsessed."
Cassie grinned. Grabbing her keys and a light jacket, she left.
**************************************************
Cassie stood in the graveyard of Whitehead Beach First Baptist Church. She stared at the grave stone. How could she be sure that this was her mother?
Linda Anne McCaffrey. Born 1963. Died 1982.
Her mother, eighteen, when she drowned. The obituary in the Whitehead Chronicle said, her mother was the village idiot -- correction: mentally challenged individual.
1982? Coincidence? Doubtful.
Especially after she checked the 1978-79 microfiche. Linda
McCaffrey
had been raped. Her hysterical ravings about her assailant having
leathery
wings had earned Linda committal for evaluation.
HELLO DAUGHTER, DO YOU KNOW ME, NOW? I HAVE GREAT PLANS, WONDERFUL ATROCITIES. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A CULT LEADER? SUCH AN EASY WAY TO ENSNARE SOULS.Cassie twirled, that voice, so familiar!
WHY DON'T WE START WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE? LET'S TAKE OUT THE EDGEWOOD'S. THEY MAKE ME PUKE. SO LIBERAL, SO POLITICALLY CORRECT.Her father was an honest to God daemon? She amazed herself with her calm acceptance. Her intuition told her it was true.
DON'T USE THE "G" WORD, CASSANDRA. LIKE SOMEONE SCRAPING THEIR FINGER NAILS ACROSS A CHALK BOARD. BE A GOOD GIRL, DO AS "DADDY" TELLS YOU."No!" Cassie shouted. Where was he?
OH, I DON'T NEED TO EMERGE TO SPEAK TO YOU, MY DEAR. YOU ARE "FLESH OFMY FLESH." YOU'RE MINE, THERE'S NO ESCAPING IT."No!" Cassie repeated, striding quickly across the resting places of the dead, getting into her car and turning the key in the ignition. Her natural father may be a daemon, but that didn't necessarily mean she had to do as he said!
IT'S A NATURAL THING TO WANT TO KNOW YOUR ORIGINS. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD. THERE AREN'T MANY HALF-DAEMONS LIKE YOURSELF. HITLER, HE WAS YOUR OLDER BROTHER. CHARLIE MANSON? HE'S YOUR SECOND COUSIN."Like, Hell! I have free will! I don't have to do evil. I can choose to do good!" Cassie's satisfaction, discovering her origins, was all encompassing.
OH, THAT'S RICH! I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING THAT AMUSING IN CENTURIES. WHAT A CARD YOU ARE, MY DEAR. YOU SEEM TO FORGET SOMETHING, I AM IN YOUR BLOOD, THE VERY GENES THAT CREATED YOU. YOU WILL NEVER BE RID OF ME.A small smile crossed her features as she slowed to make the left turn to the main highway. "Oh, I don't mind the company, Daddy. Just think how awful it's going to be for you, having a daughter who constantly disobeys you." He really was a dear old thing!
CASSIE, HONEY, YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT TO YOUR OLD MAN, WOULD YOU?Cassie's smile grew to an ear splitting grin. "Just watch me, Daddy. Just watch me!"
