It had turned dark when she heard something heavy rustle the brush. It could be a deer, or it could be one of Pryde's beasts. Samantha tightened her grip on the club she'd brought along. Her body went rigid as the rustling sound became louder. Whatever it was, it was closing on her.
Her instincts took over as something emerged from the brush. She scored a direct hit, the thing collapsing to the ground. It let out a very human wail. Only then did Samantha realize it was a little girl on the ground.
"Rebecca?" Except even in the moonlight she could see a glint of copper hair. "Prudence?"
The girl rolled over and Samantha saw it was her friend. Prudence rubbed the back of her head. Tears flowed down her pudgy cheeks. Yet those cheeks weren't nearly so fat while her hair was much longer than she usually kept it. Her entire body looked smaller, like that of a small child. "Prudence, what happened? Did you fall in the fountain?"
"No, I didn't fall. He dumped the water on me."
"Who, David?"
"No! Mr. Delgado."
"You're lying!" Samantha shouted. She raised her club to strike. "Take it back."
"I am not lying. He made Miss Brigham a baby. Then when Rebecca and I went to the cave to find evidence, he threw some water on us too."
"Miss Brigham and Rebecca, are they…dead?"
"No. I left them at Mr. Pryde's house. In the cellar." Prudence started to sob. "Rebecca took most of the water. She's just a toddler now. But she saved Molly."
"That doesn't make any sense. Why would Uncle Hector do that?"
"Because he wants the water. He wants to take it to the mainland, to sell it."
"You're lying! Uncle Hector would never do that. He's a good man."
"He is not! Look what he did to me! And to Molly. He almost killed us. He would have if David hadn't saved us."
Samantha's grip on the club loosened. She lowered the stick to a less dangerous position. She thought back to when she'd gone to the cave. Uncle Hector and David had been fighting. She hadn't seen Prudence or the others, but they could have left already.
"No," she whispered. "Uncle Hector wouldn't do that."
"Samantha, please, you have to listen. He's dangerous."
"No he's not."
"Then how did I get little again?"
"Maybe you did it yourself."
"Why would I do that?"
"To make me think he was bad. So I wouldn't go with him. You've been jealous of him all along. You want to keep me here forever."
"That's stupid! I wouldn't make myself little again just to keep you here. Why won't you believe me?"