Gypsey Blood by Lorrie Unites-Struff

hillside to the derelict mansions. A weathered gate lay on the ground, the no trespassing signs nailed to the wood barely legible. Dark clouds swept the sky, blocking the sunlight and coloring the distant hills a murky gray. The van rolled onto the cracked pavement. Weeds sprouted high between the fissures, rustling as they swept the undercarriage.
    The van crawled upward, swaying from side to side. Dragus hugged the wheels to the wild brush side of the road. The down lane offered broken cables that once protected drivers from riding too close to the drop-off. Rita crowded next to Matt on the rear bench and clutched his arm. Between the tips of scrub trees, she caught occasional glimpses of the railroad tracks and river far below. She tightened her grip and wriggled nervously on the seat.
    The mansions sat back from the road. Broken windows gaped at Rita, reminding her of Lucien’s stony, gray eyes. Porches sagged and shingles lay scattered over long, neglected yards.            
    Anna reached across the back of the driver’s seat and tapped Dragus on the shoulder while cradling the tote on her lap. “Faster. The clouds are not a good sign. The sun will soon slide behind Cranston ’s Peak to our west. It will grow dark earlier here.”
    “You want end up down in river? No. Better I go slow .”
    Matt sat hunched over, his fists clenching and unclenching.
    “Ma, are you sensing anything?” Rita asked.
    Anna pushed the button to slide the window open a few inches until her face caught the air. “There’s wind today, and I do smell rot.”
    Rita slid her hand down Matt’s arm and held onto his hand tight. His palm felt damp, or was it hers that was sweating? She wished it were the night before when she lay curled next to Matt.
    A jolt of their connection buzzed through her again. Rita turned and kissed him, his lips softening slightly under hers. She sensed his reined-in fear, his desperate need to finish this monster.
    They crested the hill and spotted a rusted, black van across the lot, near the edge of the slope, and under a giant maple tree. It sat partially hidden behind a thick, broken branch. Dragus rolled the transit van over the rough ground to wedge it in front of the other’s bumper to prevent Lucien from fleeing. The sun began to sink over the high, western peak, and dark clouds muted the rays of sunlight.
    Rita studied the crumbling monstrosity before them. The porch roof bowed. Two round holes in the wood siding on the upper level seemed to stare at her, sending shivers down her spine. The double front door hung askew, the veranda style porch warped and buckled.
    Anna clutched her bag and pushed the lift controls. The mechanism whooshed, opening the door, and then lowered the chair to the ground. Rita stepped out next, followed by Matt. He dropped his duffle on the dead grass and unzipped it.
    A train whistle echoed in the distance. Leaves spun and blew over the spongy earth.
    Anna tilted her head as if listening, sensing something. She looked to Matt. “Have trust in me. It is important that we all face Lucien together.”
    Tears shone in Dragus’ eyes. “Anna, please. Stay in van.”
    Anna reached for his hand. “You know destiny always wins, my brother, and we must do this together as a family.”
    Rita wanted to shove her mother and uncle back into the van and force them to go home, even if she had to carry them. But, her gut told her Anna spoke the truth. They had to face their monster from the past, and Matt would need them. Her throat clogged with fear. “I feel it too, Matt. We all have to go.”
    “Damn it to hell.” His expression grim, Matt dug into the duffle bag. He handed Dragus a HID Litebox. “I have two of these. You ladies will have to use the Maglites.”
    Examining the rectangle casing, Dragus studied the light. “This nice.”
    “Yeah,” Matt said. “It’s charged. Throws light as bright as a car headlight. Should last well over an hour. And here’s a couple