Clicking Stones

By Nancy Tyler Glenn

Why do some people see the brilliance, and gain energy from two stones when clicked together? A mysterious old woman knows the answer and gave seven-year-old Erica a clicking stone, which would forever change her journey in life, and throughout the years, love transcends the test of time between Erica and Morgan—a love of extraordinary intensity and eroticism, and finally, of the passing of time itself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: wickedpublishing
• Release date: Oct 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370246489

Book preview

Chapter 1

With a carefree gait, Erica Demar headed into the woods, following the same path she had taken the day before.

Don’t go too far from the cabin, her mother, Paula Demar, called. Your father wants to get back to town in time for President Truman's speech.

All right, Mommy, the little girl called back. I just want to find my ball. Her eyes searched the ground, and she kicked at piles of leaves. After a while, she was no longer looking for the ball, she was having too much fun kicking leaves, sticks, rocks, anything else she found.

The deeper into the woods she walked, the darker it got. Boo! she said to a tree. She liked to scare herself.

Then Erica wasn’t scared anymore, she was frightened. Mommy! she wailed. "Daddy! I’m lost. Mommy!"

She turned her head from side to side, straining to hear any sound of her parents' voices. The dense forest made it too dark to see. Daddy!

Suddenly, Erica came up against a soft wall. She pushed against it, and felt it give way abruptly, causing her to fall forward onto her hands and knees. "Ow! Mommy."

A soft wind churned around her. The harder she cried, the stronger the wind whirled. At times, it almost lifted her off the ground. Help! She was surprised at how small her voice sounded. She tried to run, but the wind whipped her hair into her face, where it stuck to the wetness from her tears.

I’m going to die, she moaned. She could picture her mother and father clinging to each other in their grief. As she became absorbed in this fantasy, the storm subsided, and suddenly there was calm.

In the distance, Erica saw a flicker of light. She moved toward it. It must be a search party. She had heard the term on the radio when some boy scouts had been lost in the mountains.

I’m over here! she called, her voice vibrating on the wind. Here I am! Erica ran toward the light, waving her arms in fear and hope, not watching where she was going. Then she tripped over a tree trunk and pitched forward.

Stunned, she watched as the light came closer, and saw an old woman, bent-over with age, peering at her. The source of the light was an object the woman held in her hand.

I’m lost, Erica said. She had never seen such an old woman. Even her father's mother, Babu, wasn’t that old. She stood up, brushing the dirt, sticks and leaves off her overalls.

The old woman’s eyes twinkled. You’re not lost, you just forgot where you put yourself.

Erica giggled. Then she sobered. I’m not lying, I’m lost. My mommy and daddy have a search party looking for me right now. I’ve been gone for hours.

Probably not as long as you think, the old woman said kindly. Time does funny things out here. Let's get you cleaned up a little. She brushed Erica’s hair back with her gnarled fingers, then moistened the tip of a handkerchief with her tongue and wiped the dirt from the little girl's face.

Are you going to take me back? Erica asked.

Yes, I’ll go with you for a bit. The woman held the light in front of them and took Erica’s hand.

That’s the brightest light I’ve ever seen. Erica was dazzled.

You can see it? the old woman questioned eagerly.

Of course! Who couldn’t see it?

The old woman chuckled from deep within her belly. You’d be surprised how many people think they can’t. Eventually, though, everybody will see it.

Erica shook her head. They would have to be stupid not to see a light that bright.

They reached the soft wall.

This is as far as I can go with you, child.

But it’s dark, I’ll get lost. I’m scared. Erica started to wail.

Would you like to hold my light? The old woman placed an object in Erica’s palm. Tell me what it feels like.

Erica closed her fingers and moved it around in her hand. It’s hard and smooth. It feels like a stone.

"It is a stone." The old woman laughed.

Erica returned the light to the old woman. What kind of stone? Erica asked, her curiosity peeked.

One that is clicked. With effort, the old woman bent down and found a smooth, flat stone. She gave it to Erica. Here, hold this. Now, hold it up. With a flick of her wrist, she tapped Erica’s stone with her own. An explosion of light enveloped them.

Look! Erica squealed excitedly. Mine lighted. How did you do that?

The old woman chuckled. Anyone can do it if they have a clicked stone.

Erica looked in awe at the light in her hand. Is that what I have?

It looks as though you do. The old woman smiled.

I like you. Erica hugged her. Can I come see you again?

The old woman shook her head sadly. I’m sorry, but, no, you can’t. But one day, you’ll come this way again, and you’ll go down that path. She pointed a gnarled finger in the direction from which they had just come.

How do I get through this wall? The last time, I fell through.

Don’t push so hard. Just pretend you’re walking through water. Gently, the old woman pushed Erica through the wall.

Come with me. Erica turned back to look at the old woman, but discovered she was suddenly alone. A hot pain filled her chest, and her eyes brimmed with tears. Bye! she whispered forlornly.

Turning away from the wall, and lighting her way with the bright glow from the clicked stone, Erica easily found her way out of the woods.

* * *

I’m here, I’m here, she called, running breathlessly toward the cabin.

Good. Ross Demar slammed the trunk of his '38 Chevy. He had bought the car seven years ago, a month before Erica was born. It’s time to go now.

Did you find your ball? her mother asked.

No, I got lost. An old woman found me. She gave me this. Erica held the stone in her palm for her mother’s inspection.

That’s nice, dear. Her mother opened the car door and Erica climbed into the back seat.

Her father slid into the driver's seat next to his wife. What does she have?

A rock, her mother said.

The old woman had one too – it made a beautiful light, just like mine, Erica said.

Her father glanced back at his daughter. Kids have such wonderful imaginations, he said to his wife.

Erica studied her parents' faces for a long time, then closed her fingers around her precious stone. The hum of the engine and the buzz of her parents' voices lulled her to sleep.

* * *

When Ross Demar pulled the Chevy into the driveway of their home in Los Angeles, Erica was still asleep.

Don’t wake her, he said to his wife. I’ll carry her upstairs. You go in and turn on the radio. The President's speech is about to begin.

Ross lifted his daughter's small form from the back seat. As he carried her, Erica’s hand relaxed and the stone dropped, unnoticed, to the ground.

* * *

Erica awakened in darkness and felt around in her bed for the stone. She got up and turned on the light and looked on the floor, then under her bed. It has to be here somewhere. She looked on her dresser and in the drawers, then searched her closet. Where is my stone? she asked her doll, Sweetie Pie. The doll's shiny eyes stared ahead blankly.

Erica carefully opened her door and tiptoed down the hall.

Her mother sat up in bed and switched on her bedside lamp. Ross, wake up, I think someone’s in the house.

Ross turned over, shielding his eyes with his hand. He got up and lumbered to the door.

Erica turned to see her father standing in the hallway. I lost my stone, maybe it’s in the car.

Go back to bed; we’ll find it in the morning.

No! Erica started to wail. I want it now! It’s mine, the old woman said so. I want it now!

Erica’s mother got up and slipped into her bathrobe. What’s going on?

Ross was angry. She’s about to get spanked, that’s what’s going on!

I want my stone! Tears streamed down Erica’s face, but her jaw was set.

She’s tired. Paula touched her husband's shoulder lightly. Why don’t you go down and get her rock so we can all go back to sleep?

Exasperated, Erica’s father shook his head and headed down the stairs, Erica right behind him.

When he opened the front door, Erica squealed, There it is! She slipped past him and ran to the brilliant light on the ground next to the driveway. Her smile was ecstatic when she returned to her daddy.

Now get to bed, her father scolded. I don’t want to hear from you again till morning.

Triumphantly, Erica returned to her room and slipped into bed. Her mother tucked her in, but as soon as she was alone, she sat up and played with her stone. She threw it in the air and caught it, watching the shadows play against the walls.

Finally, sleepy, she put the stone under her pillow and snuggled beneath the covers. Several times during the night, she lifted her pillow and light filled the room. At last she slept.

* * *

The next day, Erica had to stand in the cloakroom at school for telling a fib. Her teacher, Mrs. Adams, had asked all of the children to tell what they had done on their summer vacation. When she was done sharing her story about the old woman and the stone, the room filled with laughter. No one believed her. Her eyes stung, but Erica promised herself she wouldn’t cry.

During recess, Erica played clicked stone with a few of her classmates. Those whose stones lighted went home excited after school, to show their mothers, and were told not to play with the little girl with the overactive imagination. Those who couldn’t see the light soon got bored with the game, and tossed their brilliant gems on the blacktop. Erica carefully gathered these discarded stones and took them home with her. She vowed not to play clicking stones anymore. It just caused too much trouble. But the next day, her stone began to fade. By the third day, the light was almost gone.

She tried clicking two stones together herself, but nothing happened. Erica had discovered that it took two to click.

To keep her stone illuminated, she had to be inventive.

Daddy? Erica snuggled up to her father. Play click with me.

Her father rustled his newspaper. I pay a fortune for toys, and you spend all your time playing with a damned rock.

Tears filled Erica’s eyes.

All right, just once. Ross took the stone his daughter offered and allowed Erica to tap it.

Erica was happy again. She loved throwing the radiant light in the air and catching it. But as the stone began to dim, Erica again became anxious. She began looking for opportunities to click.

* * *

Erica was walking by the baseball field when Jimmy Clark hit a home run, the ball sailing out of the park toward her. She snatched it out of the air as easily as she caught her stone. Ignoring the sting in her fingers, she tossed the ball to the waiting fielder.

Jimmy, the team captain, motioned for Erica to come to the baseball diamond. How did you do that? he asked.

Erica shrugged. It was easy. She took out her stone and threw it casually into the air and caught it behind her back without as much as looking over her shoulder.

Jimmy looked at the others. She’s on the team.

But she’s a girl! one of the players protested.

Shut up! he growled. Then, turning to Erica, he asked, What are you playing with?

It’s my... lucky stone. She held it up for him to see. I want one, Jimmy demanded.

Erica always carried a spare in the event she found someone to click with. She reached in her pocket, retrieved the stone, and handed it to Jimmy.

What makes it lucky? held it up, examining it, his expression doubtful.

This. Erica quickly tapped the stone he was holding. She was pleased with her own ingenuity.

Hmm. Do you have any more of these?

Erica nodded, trying not to let her excitement show. After practice, Jimmy walked home, tossing his stone into the air. The team never lost another game. The ritual before and after every game or practice was the same. Everybody clicked.

* * *

Erica was glad when the school year ended. She was also glad when her mother informed her they wouldn’t be spending the summer at the cabin. There was no one to click with at the cabin.

The rest of the summer, when Erica wasn’t playing ball or practicing her flute, she rode her bike down to the creek to look for unique stones. When she found the ones she liked, she brought them home and added them to her growing collection.

When I’m grown up, I’ll be able to click with anyone I want to, she promised herself. Then she had another worry. What if her stone didn’t light when she was a grownup?

Chapter 2

By midsummer Erica was bored and restless. She was glad for ball practice, because it gave her an opportunity to click. But the boys were stupid. None of them saw the wonderful light their stones emitted.

She had collected stones all summer, and they were piled in a basket on the dresser in her room. One morning, when she was sitting on her front steps trying to learn to spin her stone on one finger, a moving van pulled up in front of an empty house down the street. Burly men carried furniture and boxes into the house. A while later, a car drove up, and a man, woman, and little girl got out of it and went into the house.

Erica waited and watched. After a while, the big van pulled away from the curb. Then the little girl came out and sat on the front steps. Erica waved. The little girl waved back, and suddenly Erica felt shy and awkward. For the first time in a long time she dropped her stone. She scurried to retrieve it, and when she looked up again, the little girl was walking toward her.

Erica was fascinated. She had never seen a child move with such grace and boldness. The way she held her head, the tilt of her chin, everything about her held Erica’s attention.

I’m Morgan Janus, said the girl, standing in front of her.

Erica swallowed. The sound of Morgan’s voice struck a chord in her. For some reason, she couldn’t understand, she felt totally happy. I’m Erica Demar.

I’m almost nine. I’ll be going into the third grade, Morgan offered.

Me, too. Erica’s attention was riveted on Morgan’s dark eyes.

What’s that light you keep tossing in the air? Morgan pointed to the stone in Erica’s hand.

Erica panicked. No one had ever referred to the light, only to the stone. Her jaw dropped. You can see it?

Of course I can see it. Morgan sounded annoyed.

Would you like to hold it?

Morgan plucked it from Erica’s palm and began moving it in her fingers. It feels like a stone.

Erica’s heart was beating wildly. It is a stone, she managed to say.

What kind of stone makes a light like that? Morgan examined it more carefully.

A clicked stone.

Morgan looked puzzled. She returned it to her new friend.

Erica reached into her pocket for her spare and handed it to Morgan. Hold it up. When Erica tapped it with her own, Morgan cried out in amazement. Erica watched Morgan’s delight with a kind of pride she had never experienced before.

Where do you find clicked stones? Morgan asked.

You don’t find them. Erica’s tone was lofty. They're made from other clicked stones.

You mean you can make any stone do this?

Erica nodded. She told Morgan all about clicked stones.

What about these? Morgan scooped up a handful of gravel.

I don’t know. I’ve never tried it with anything so tiny. Erica held up one of the miniature stones. Click me.

Morgan tapped the tiny piece of gravel and it lit up like a diamond.

Both girls squealed with delight. They clicked each of the pieces of gravel until they had a pile of tiny, brilliant gems.

While they were playing this new game, Jimmy Clark rode up on his bike. He stared at Morgan for what seemed a long time. Morgan returned his gaze, cool and unblinking, without curiosity. Finally, Jimmy turned to Erica. It’s time for practice.

I’m busy, Erica retorted arrogantly.

Jimmy muttered, Girls! He wheeled his bike around and rode off in the direction of the park.

He didn’t see the light from the stones, Morgan said with surprise.

Hardly anyone can see it. If you tell grownups about it, they think you’re a liar.

Morgan stated flatly, I think my mother and father could see it.

Erica shook her head. Raise your right hand and swear on your stone you’ll never tell a grownup.

Morgan raised her hand. I swear never to reveal our secret of the stones.

If I do, my light will go out, Erica instructed.

If I do, my light will go out, Morgan swore solemnly.

* * *

Erica has been so much happier since you and Ted and Morgan moved here, Paula Demar told Donna, her new neighbor.

We’re just thrilled that Morgan found a new friend so quickly, Donna said. It was so hard leaving the friends she grew up with. We were worried about her.

While their mothers were talking over coffee, Morgan and Erica came in with their arms around each other, giggling, and climbed the stairs to Erica’s room.

They play together so nicely, Paula said. Ross and I were concerned. Her only interest was playing baseball. I don’t think she’s had her catcher's mitt on since you moved here.

Donna Janus laughed. Children change so fast. One day it’s one thing, the next day it’s something altogether different. Morgan just started a new hobby.

Oh, what is that?

She’s begun a rock collection. Donna smiled proudly.

Chapter 3

One of Doctor Ross Demar's first social responsibilities as the new head of the philosophy department was to entertain Swami Chichinanda, a guest lecturer from India.

What am I going to fix for dinner? Aren’t they vegetarians? Paula asked plaintively.

Don’t worry about it, Ross calmed her. Two Indian students have offered to prepare and serve the meal.

Swami Chichinanda chattered and laughed in a high musical voice throughout the meal. Paula was nervous, and Ross had a little too much to drink. But Erica was delighted with the dark, funny man.

After dinner, as they relaxed in the living room, Paula turned to Swami. You certainly have a way with children. I’ve never seen Erica warm up to anyone so quickly.

The Swami laughed in his twinkly voice.

Erica looked at him shyly. Would you like to see my room?

Yes, yes, I would, the Swami said.

Erica led the way up the stairs, the Swami and the two Indian students following.

It is a very nice room, yes…yes, he laughed. The two Indian students smiled and nodded. Erica watched the Swami's face, and was ecstatic when his eyes darted to her basket of stones and widened to amazement. She skipped over to her basket and brought it to the Swami. He pointed to Erica’s special stone. "That one is very nice."

Erica took her stone out of the basket and held it possessively. She indicated the remaining stones. Do you want to play?

Oh, yes, yes indeed. Swami Chichinanda giggled.

Pick a stone, Erica said excitedly, and hold it like this.

The Swami slowly and deliberately chose a stone. Erica noticed that the one he chose was still partially illuminated.

He held it up. With a flick of her wrist Erica tapped his stone, and the explosion of light caused the Swami to step back. He looked at his brilliant stone, and then at Erica. Erica laughed gleefully and jumped up and down.

The Swami turned to the two students. Did you see that?

They smiled nervously and nodded, but their eyes were blank. Erica held out the basket to the students and each of them obediently took a stone. The students held their stones as they had seen the Swami hold his. Simultaneously, Erica and the Swami clicked the waiting stones. When the room exploded with light, the child and the guru shrieked with laughter. The students laughed sympathetically, but their eyes were still vacant.

May I keep this? the Swami asked shyly.

Erica grinned and nodded. She turned to the students, her voice proud. You may keep yours, too.

When the foursome rejoined Paula and Ross in the living room, the Swami and Erica were still giggling, and the confused students looked uncomfortable.

Ross took a long swallow from his drink. I bet you’ve all been playing with the rocks, he said thickly.

That night, long after Erica should have been asleep, she was sitting up in bed, tossing and catching her stone. A grownup had seen the light. There was a wildness in her eyes.

Chapter 4

Erica was propped up on her bed, reading Doctor Doolittle's Trip to the Moon, idly fingering her stone. Morgan was busy making intricate designs with lighted stones, occasionally taking one to Erica, saying Light this one. Erica would absently flick her wrist and tap the fading stone. Morgan would then take the newly brilliant gem and place it strategically in her design.

A tap sounded on the door, then the sound of Paula’s voice. Time for bed.

Erica protested, There’s no school tomorrow.

Well, just a little while longer, Paula agreed. But if you want Morgan to spend the night again, you have to go to bed when you’re told.

Morgan brought a small stone to Erica. Light this one.

Erica tapped it, and Morgan placed the radiating little gem on her ring finger and held it out for Erica to see. Look, I’m engaged.

To a boy? Erica grimaced.

"Not just any boy – Jesse, my stepbrother. He’s ten years older than me, and he is the best artist in