Wish You Well by David Baldacci

on his head when he were a baby, or mebbe mule kicked him, don’t know which. He got a corn liquor still up here in one of the hollows, so’s he don’t like people coming round. I wish somebody just shoot him.”
    They soon reached another small clearing. Diamond held up his hand for them to stop and then proudly pointed up ahead, as though he had just discovered Noah’s Ark on a simple mountaintop in Virginia.
    “There she is.”
    The well was moss-crusted brick, crumbling in places, and yet undeniably spooky. The three glided up to it; Jeb guarded their rear flank while hunting small prey in the high grass.
    They all peered over the edge of the well’s opening. It was black, seemingly without bottom; they could have been staring at the other side of the world. All sorts of things could have been peering back.
    “Why do you say it’s haunted?” Oz asked breathlessly.
    Diamond sprawled in the grass next to the well and they joined him.
    “ ’Bout a thousand million years ago,” he began in a thick and thrilling voice that made Oz’s eyes widen, fast-blink, and water all at the same time, “they was a man and woman live up chere. Now, they was in love, ain’t no denying that. And so’s they wanted to get hitched o’course. But they’s family hated each other, wouldn’t let ’em do it. No sir. So they come up with a plan to run off. Only somethin’ went bad and the feller thought the woman had done got herself kilt. He was so broke up, he came to this here well and jumped in. It’s way deep, shoot, you seed that. And he drowned hisself. Now the girl found out what was what, and she come and jumped in herself too. Never found ’em ’cause it was like they was plopped on the sun. Not a durn thing left.”
    Lou was completely unmoved by this sad tale. “That sounds a lot like Romeo and Juliet.”
    Diamond looked puzzled. “That kin of yours?”
    “You’re making this up,” she said.
    All around them sounds of peculiar quality started up, like millions of tiny voices all trying to jabber at once, as though ants had suddenly acquired larynxes.
    “What’s that?” Oz said, clinging to Lou.
    “Don’t be doubting my words, Lou,” Diamond hissed, his face the color of cream. “You riling the spirits.”
    “Yeah, Lou,” said Oz, who was looking everywhere for demons of hell coming for them. “Don’t be riling the spirits.”
    The noises finally died down, and Diamond, regaining his confidence, stared triumphantly at Lou. “Shoot, any fool can see this well’s magic. You see a house anywhere round? No, and I tell you why. This well growed up right out of the earth, that’s why. And it ain’t just a haunted well. It what you call a wishing well.”
    Oz said, “A wishing well? How?”
    “Them two people lost each other, but they’s still in love. Now, people die, but love don’t never die. Made the well magic. Anybody done got a wish, they come here, wish for it, and it’ll happen. Ever time. Rain or shine.”
    Oz clutched his arm. “Any wish? You’re sure?”
    “Yep. ’Cept they’s one little catch.”
    Lou spoke up, “I thought so. What is it?”
    “ ’Cause them folks died to make this here a wishing well, anybody want a wish, they’s got to give up somethin’ too.”
    “Give up what?” This came from Oz, who was so excited the boy seemed to float above the supple grass like a tethered bubble.
    Diamond lifted his arms to the dark sky. “Like just the most grandest, importantest thing they got in the whole dang world.”
    Lou was surprised he didn’t take a bow. She knew what was coming now, as Oz tugged at her sleeve.
    “Lou, maybe we can—”
    “No!” she said sharply. “Oz, you have got to understand that dangling necklaces and wishing wells won’t work. Nothing will.”
    “But, Lou.”
    The girl stood and pulled her brother’s hand free. “Don’t be stupid, Oz. You’ll just end up crying your eyes out again.”
    Lou ran off. After a second’s hesitation Oz