Breaking the Chain by C D Ledbetter Page A

for anyone as she's been for you. That's why we came."
              Mary resumed her seat. "Fine. I'll listen to what she has to say, but that's all. At least for now."
              Sadie leaned forward. "I know this is frightening; it scares me, child, like nothing I ever seen before. Spirits called me to warn you, and to help you if I can. Jack ain't the one's that gonna hurt you, but if you don't listen to what I'm gonna tell you, he just might get you both killed. I done seen it in my dream. You gotta beware the brown man. I don't know how or when, but Jack's connected to the brown man, and you gotta be on your guard. That man's evil, I done seen it."
              "What brown man? Do you mean a black man? Someone with brown skin? What?"
              "I don't know. All I know is he's a brown man." Sadie rubbed her face. "I'm getting old. My visions ain't as powerful as they used to be, and every time I have one of them, they ain't clear." She squeezed Mary's fingers. "You have the power; I done seen that God's given you that gift. Only, it ain't like mine. Your power's different. You see things done happened; I see the future. The child you and Jack are going to have will be blessed with this gift, too. Maybe even stronger 'n you."
              Mary patted the old woman's hand. "I'm sorry, Sadie, but I don't think I have the 'power' you're talking about. I've never been psychic, and I don't think anybody in my family is either."
              Sadie's eyes glittered with anger. "If you don't have the power, how come you seen so much about them dead folks that used to live in this here house? You tell me that, missy."
              Mary sighed. "I can't. I don't know why I could see glimpses of Jean-Pierre and Magdalene. Maybe I did have some of this psychic power you're talking about, but whatever it was, it's gone now."
              "You sure about that?"
              She shook her head. "Yes... I haven't seen or heard anything since I found the skeletons of Jean-Pierre and Magdalene in the tunnel. No ghosts, no eerie voices calling me..." She paused for a moment, lost in thought. "There was something... Yesterday, when Jack and I were in town, I thought I heard somebody calling my name. It was weird, like they were a long way off."
              Sadie nodded. "That's good."
              "I'm not so sure I want this 'power' you talk about, considering that it nearly drove me mad the last time I had it."
              "Humph. That was 'cause you didn't have nobody to teach you how to use it. That's why I'm here; to help you learn to use your power for good."
              Mary stared at the old woman for several minutes, then glanced away. "Sadie, I need to ask you something, but I'm not sure if I want the answer."
              "You want to know about Jack's dreams, don't you?"
              Mary felt her jaw drop. "You know about Jack's nightmares? Oh God, I'm so glad. I...I mean, I'm glad you already know about them. He's been having them for weeks."
              "You sure you want to know?" Sadie asked. "Because it mightn't be what you want to hear." She glanced toward Justine and bobbed her head.
              "Whatever it is, we need it out in the open." Mary took a deep breath. "Please tell me, Sadie. I...I want to know. I need to know."
              Justine draped her arm around Mary's shoulder. "Whatever it is, I'm sure we can find a way to solve it."
              "Jack's been having dreams 'bout you dying, child. He sees you lying on the floor, covered in blood." Sadie paused for a few moments. "He's got a gun in his hand."
              "Oh my God." The cup Mary'd been holding fell to the floor, shattered into tiny pieces.