Water Town

by Laurel Veil

  * * *

  It wasn’t long until the second coat was dry. Aunt Pam then asked us to carry up some patio furniture she had stored in the shed out back.

  “That’s that,” Dane said when he set the last chair down around the plastic table.

  “So, we’ll come get you two tonight around eight,” said Jimmy.

  Shortly after they’d left, Toni went home to take a shower.

  I decided to take a quick nap before getting ready. But before lying down, I placed the sand dollar Dane had given me on the windowsill in the kitchen.

  5.

  The Orphanage

  I had just stepped out onto the front deck when Jimmy’s car pulled in. I was glad to see Toni approaching the foot of the stairs; I felt less nervous whenever she was around. She had a confidence about her that made me feel stronger. We never would’ve met if she hadn’t been brave enough to walk up to me and start talking.

  “Hey!” said Toni in a bubbly voice. “You ready for this?”

  “I think so,” I said.

  Dane hopped out the passenger side and opened the back door for me. He looked and smelled freshly showered. I was so distracted looking at him, I didn’t pay attention as I went to get in the car.

  “Watch it!”

  It was Jade. I hadn’t thought she was coming anymore. Why did they bring her?

  “Sorry,” I said. She finally scooted over. I didn’t know what she’d been waiting for. It was almost like she’d wanted me to bump into her so she could complain.

  “Why don’t we get something to eat?” Dane suggested when he closed his door. “I’m starving, and we should let it get a little darker.” My stomach tickled. I didn’t want it to get any darker.

  We stopped at a fast food restaurant for a quick bite, and in no time, we were back in Jimmy’s car and heading to the orphanage.

  We swerved left and right a number of times down a winding road, its shoulders overgrown from not being traveled on and a canopy of leafy limbs hanging overhead. Finally, when the trees opened up, a majestic building stood alone in a field.

  “Wow!” I gasped. It was enormous.

  “I knew you would like it,” said Toni. “It’s as old as Thorton Mansion.”

  Dane was looking at the construction equipment parked to the side of the property. “Check out those machines.”

  “I told you they’re knocking this place down,” Jade said. She sounded like such a know-it-all.

  “They haven’t started yet. Looks like we got here in the nick of time,” said Toni.

  We parked and made our way up the steps of the huge wooden porch. The door was cracked open and we stepped inside. I couldn’t believe I was doing this.

  The foyer was grand. The ceilings must have been twenty feet tall and an enormous staircase spilled out onto a dusty, hardwood floor. Our steps echoed as we walked around.

  “Let’s go upstairs,” said Jimmy.

  We used our cell phones to light our way, then froze when we reached the top and heard a noise coming from a long, dark hallway.

  No one said anything at first, like we were all pretending we didn’t hear anything and hoping whatever it was would go away. The sound came again though, so Dane shined his phone in its direction.

  When a raccoon stepped into the light, we all sighed with relief and then laughed.

  We continued exploring the second floor, peeking in and out of the many rooms. Some twin bed frames still remained, antique and made of iron. It made me feel sad when I thought of the little unwanted children that had lain there so long ago. It reminded me of how my own mother had made me feel. I felt my eyes get a little teary and quickly blotted the corners with my finger.

  Jade shined her phone in my face and I flinched.

  “Oh my gosh—you’re not about to cry, are you?”

  “No!” I felt my throat tighten. “This place is so dusty.” I pretended to cough. “It’s killing my allergies,” I lied.

  “The dust is getting to me too,” said Dane, smiling at me. “The third floor is the same as this one. Are you guys ready to go?”

  “No way,” said Jade. “I haven’t taken one photo yet and—”

  “What do you want to take photos for?” asked Jimmy. “Historical documentation? Please don’t tell me you’re trying to take pictures of ghosts.”

  “They’re called orbs. But if I capture a full-body apparition—a ghost—that would be even better.”

  “Orbs are just dust particles in the air reflecting the light from your flash,” said Jimmy.

  “Whatever,” she said as she snapped picture after picture. “Is there anyone here? Does anyone want to communicate with us?”

  Toni and I looked nervously at one another. Jade was making me feel like a coward. But then it occurred to me—she probably didn’t think she was really going to make contact. If she had, I didn’t think she would’ve even been in the orphanage, much less trying to talk to the dead.

  As Jade went on and on, we followed her like sheep up to the third floor, then back down to the first and into another bedroom. I stopped to gaze out a window for a while, wishing she would develop a sudden case of laryngitis. The moon wasn’t very big at all, but it was still bright enough to give everything a silvery shine.

  I was surprised when I turned away from the window and found I was alone. I hadn’t heard everyone go back upstairs. I started to head for the staircase, but stopped abruptly when I saw a little girl with a pink barrette sitting on a bed.

  My heart almost jackhammered its way out of my chest when I realized it was the girl from that morning! I felt afraid, and couldn’t speak. How did she get here? What does she want from me? My heart pounded even harder and my hands felt clammy. When she smiled, I felt a tiny bit better.

  “Who are you?” My throat was so dry, my voice came out in a raspy whisper. “Are you lost? Are you okay?”

  Her eyes looked sad now, and I felt guilty. She turned to go.

  “W—Wait,” I said. “Don’t leave.”

  She turned around. I swallowed nervously. What was I thinking?

  She lifted her hand and with a soft smile, motioned for me to follow her. I hesitated for a moment and then quickly caught up with her before she left my sight.

  She walked down a hallway I hadn’t been through, and it suddenly occurred to me that I wasn’t using my phone to light the way. She was emitting the light that illuminated our path. What’s going on? Is this a prank?

  When the young girl turned to look back at me one last time, her face transformed into that of another girl. My heart raced. Her hair was darker now, and she now wore a dress with laced-up boots. Was I actually looking at another… ghost?

  My question was answered when she turned back around and passed through a closed door at the end of the hall. I stepped up to the door and tuned the rusty knob, half expecting it to be locked—or maybe I was just hoping. I slowly opened the door and its hinges creaked to life as I woke them up from their decades-long slumber.

  I could no longer see her. I held up my phone for light and saw a narrow set of rickety, wooden steps before me.

  “Cool,” whispered a male voice in my ear. I jumped and accidentally bumped Dane’s head. He grabbed his forehead. “That’s gonna leave a mark,” he teased.

  I gulped. “Sorry.”

  “You found the basement.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re not going to go down there, are you?” he asked.

  I held up my cell and looked down at the ominous staircase. My skin prickled and I shook my head.

  “Where are you guys?” Jimmy’s voice echoed.

  “I found her!” Dane responded. “Come on. Let’s go before they see this and make us go down there.” He gave me a quick smile and closed the door.

  “There you are.” We almost plowed into Jade. She looked at Dane before turning her laser glare on me. “Looks like we found our lost dog.”

  * * *

  The radio played as everyone talked about going ba
ck one last time before the demolition was completed. I sat quietly though, thinking about the little girl I had seen. I felt nervous, knowing I would have to spend the night alone. What if she comes back?

  “What’s the matter?” asked Toni.

  “Nothing. I guess that place just gave me the creeps. I don’t suppose you would want to spend the night?”

  Even in the dark I could tell Toni’s eyes were lighting up. “Yes! I would love to!” She leaned forward and tapped Jimmy on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about dropping me off. I’m staying with Ronnie.”

  “Don’t you have to ask your mom?” I asked.

  “I’ll text her right now and let her know.” She squealed. “This is gonna be so much fun!”

  Before we got out of the car, Jimmy said, “So, Bill showed us where the paint is this afternoon before we left. I guess we’ll come by around ten and get started on the inside.”

  “Okay,” I agreed.

  Dane smiled at me. “See ya.”

  6.

  Miss Betty

  Toni and I crashed on the lounge chairs that night. We were startled awake by the slamming of a vehicle’s door the next morning. Toni walked around to the front of the house.

  “Hey! We’re out back.” I heard her say. “It’s Jimmy,” she sang happily to me. “And he has food.”

  “Kolaches,” he yelled.

  I could smell sausage.

  I was relieved when I saw Jade wasn’t there, but neither was Dane. I guessed when he’d said see ya, he hadn’t meant today.

  It surprised me that I was so disappointed he wasn’t here. I bit into my kolache and tried to hide my pouting.

  “This is really good, Jimmy. Thanks.” I said.

  “Yes ma’am. They’re Dane’s favorite. I like ’em too ’cause they don’t hurt my stomach.” He patted his belly.

  Oh gosh, here we go again. “I’m gonna go get the paint.” I jumped up and bounced down the stairs so I wouldn’t have to hear Jimmy and Toni talk about their digestive tracts. I went inside the storage room beneath the house and tripped over someone hunched down on the floor.

  “Are you okay?” Dane asked, trying not to laugh.

  I got up as quickly as I could and dusted off my knees. “I didn’t see you.” I was so embarrassed I couldn’t look at him, so I continued to wipe my knees even though they were spotless.

  He didn’t say anything, and his silence was unnerving. Unnerving. U-n-n-e-r-v-i-n-g. Unnerving.

  When I finally looked at him, he was giving me that crooked smile I was starting to become fond of.

  “What are you doing down here, anyway?” I asked.

  He was still on his knees. “I’m getting the paint. It’s on the bottom shelf.”

  “Oh.”

  He stood and handed me an assortment of brushes and supplies. “Here ya go.”

  We carried everything upstairs and got busy taping edges and laying plastic tarps on the floor. We were going to paint the ceiling white, to match the new cabinets, doors and trim that had been recently installed. The walls would be a light shade of taupe that reminded me of the sand on the beach when it was wet.

  The house was very small and with the four of us working, we would have it knocked out before evening.

  Jimmy and Toni worked together—big surprise—which made me and Dane partners by default. He made a pretty good one, though. He was fast and painted in straight, even lines. Now and then he would sing along with the radio, and he had a pleasant voice.

  ***

  “Looks like we’re going to be finished soon,” Dane said, stepping back to admire our work.

  I nodded. I was glad we were about to have the work behind us, but did that mean I wasn’t going to see him anymore? I was starting to like having him around. He’d turned out to be really… nice. Nice sounded lame, but a truly nice person was hard to come by. At least for me.

  “Bill said you were doing this to earn money for school.”

  “Yeah.”

  “He said you were looking for another job as well.”

  How much have they talked about me? I nodded.

  “Do you already have another job lined up?”

  “Not yet. I’m going to babysit my cousin Danielle some. And, Uncle Bill said he has a neighbor that needs help. Why, you don’t happen to know of anyone who is hiring, do you?”

  He glided his rolling brush into the tray of paint. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah, Fins is always hiring. It’s a grill on the boardwalk, near Treasure Pier. They need part-time wait staff.”

  I can take orders and serve food. “Thanks! I’ll go by there in the morning.”

  * * *

  Uncle Bill and Aunt Pam both seemed pleased with the work we’d done. Uncle Bill paid us and then sent everyone on their way so he could finally take me to meet his neighbor.

  As we rode over in his patrol car, he told me about her. “Her name is Betty. She’s ninety-five. I wish I could tell you she’s a sweet little old lady, but… she’s not.”

  “What exactly is she?” I wondered what I was about to get myself into.

  “She’s—” My uncle took a deep breath. I could tell he was searching for a polite adjective. “Independent.”

  “So, she doesn’t want me there.”

  Uncle Bill didn’t answer, but the look on his face told me everything.

  “There have been others before you that have quit. She’s not running on all four cylinders either.” He tapped his temple. “From what I’ve heard, she’s always been a tad mentally impaired, and now that she’s getting older, well…” He took in another deep breath and sighed.

  Gravel crunched beneath the tires as he pulled into her driveway. Her little house sat at the end, and looked to be in pretty good shape even though it was ancient.

  I saw her come to the screen door. Even her silhouette looked mean. Wicked. W-i-c-k-e-d. Wicked. At least she was mobile. That would make my job a little easier.

  Uncle Bill removed his hat as we stepped out of his car. “Afternoon, Miss Betty.”

  The door squeaked opened and she stepped out onto the porch. She was a tall, thin woman. And, she had a rather large nose that didn’t quite fit her waiflike frame. Her hair was pulled back in a sleek, silver bun with white highlights. She wore a simple camel-colored dress that went just past her knees and a thin belt around her tiny waist. A dainty butterfly brooch made of rhinestones was fastened to a starched collar that matched the cuffs on her short sleeves.

  “Bill.” She nodded to say hello. Her posture was perfect, stiff as royalty.

  He looked at me. “This is my niece, Ron-da.” I guess he figured calling me Ronnie wasn’t proper enough for someone like her.

  Even I opted to say hello instead of hi. To say she smiled in response was an exaggeration. Her pale, thin lips merely twitched, like an old mare shooing off an annoying fly.

  “Would you two like to go ahead and arrange a schedule?” Uncle Bill suggested.

  “No need,” Betty said matter-of-factly, then turned her gaze back on me. “I take it you have a cellular phone device.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I’ll get your number and call you when I need you.”

  “Sure,” I agreed. Uncle Bill and I stepped inside her house as she held the screen door open for us. Like most old people’s homes, it was a little warm inside, but at least it was bright.

  She walked past us and we followed her into the kitchen, where she proceeded to get a small notepad and pencil that had been sitting next to her rotary phone. The stationary had kittens on it. I almost laughed when she handed it to me. She didn’t strike me as the soft and furry type. It would’ve seemed more fitting to see illustrations of coiled rattlesnakes or bats or something.

  She must have seen me smile, because she asked, “You like kitties too?”

  I bit down on the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t laugh. I never would’ve expected that sentence to come from her mouth. I sm
iled, nodded and wrote down my information for her in large, easy-to-read print.

  When I was finished, Uncle Bill said, “Well, I guess we’ll be going then.”