Page 14 of Fall Into Temptation
Donovan was following her so far.The Monthly Moondedicated an entire page to astrological signs every month.
“These planets are obviously not static. They’re constantly moving. Some slower than others.” Charisma began drawing arrows for motion. “The further out the planet, the slower it travels.”
So far so good, Donovan thought, picking up his coffee.
“In 1987, we experienced some seismic spiritual shifts, shall we say, when Uranus crossed Pluto.” She scribbled more circles and added a few x’s. The board was starting to look like an offensive line play.
Donovan rubbed the back of his neck. “Okay. What do Uranus and Pluto rule?”
She grinned at him like a prize student. “Very good question. Uranus rules qualities of change and originality. Whereas, Pluto rules power and transformation. When they crossed in 1987, the angle of the earth was perfectly aligned for a direct hit on Blue Moon”
That sounded implausible and very, very bad.
“So, what exactly happens when these planets cross?”
Charisma scribbled three blobs within circles and a triangle. “They magnify the effects of each other. Change and transformation becomes monumental rather than small shifts. Add in originality and power? That’s a big time strong, creative push to change.”
“So, it’s possible people might feel compelled to do things that are generally out of character?”
“Exactly!” She jabbed the marker in his direction.
“How often does this crossing happen?” Donovan asked.
“Every fifteen years,” she said.
“Why didn’t we experience the same thing fifteen years ago?”
Charisma went back to the board. “I’d have to check some resources, but my guess is the planets crossed at another time of year when the angle of the earth to the sun was different. Someplace else in the southern hemisphere probably went crazy that time.”
“So, it’s possible that we could be looking at another 1987?” Donovan clarified.
“More than possible. Highly probable.” Charisma didn’t look scared. She looked like she was thrilled at the possibility. “Let me do some research in the school’s meteorology/astrology lab so I can tell you definitively whether that’s what we’re looking at.”
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Donovan didn’t need Charisma’s chipper “it’s happening” email that afternoon to tell him what he already knew. Chaos, or at least the beginning edges of its stormy presence, had officially taken up residence in Blue Moon.
His mother had called him back and effectively scared the shit out of him. Hazel had pointed him in the direction of a locked file drawer in the station’s storage room. When he’d opened it with the key he hadn’t known was taped under one of his desk drawers, he’d felt the first tickles of panic.
The drawer was full of neatly typed and filed police reports all centering around October 1987. At one point, the doorless cells had become so overcrowded, Hazel had to start remanding prisoners into the custody of the head librarian who opened the doors of the library to accept detainees until they could bond themselves out.
“Do you want us to come home?” Hazel had offered.
“No, Mom. I know you guys have another camping trip planned. I’ve got two deputies and Minnie. How bad could it be?” he’d insisted.
If he had half a brain, he should have called her back and begged her to come home. The rest of his morning was spent fielding a series of bizarre calls. He was on his way back to the station after helping old man Carson find the lawnmower he swore had been stolen when he dialed Minnie.
“Find the mower?” Minnie answered.
“Under a tarp next to his back porch. Carson swears he never parks it there.”
“Vandals or old age?” Minnie asked.
Judging by the years-old tire ruts the tractor was parked in, Donovan’s best guess was old age.
“This is just the beginning of it, isn’t it?” he asked.
Minnie gave a mirthless laugh. “Oh, honey. Ain’t seen nothing yet.”
