Maureen chuckled and beckoned her daughter over. “I think she’s keeping herself busy.”
Gillian bent closer to the glass and shook her head. “What the hell is she doing?”
Maureen chuckled. “Haven’t you ever heard of imaginary friends?”
Gillian leaned into the glass. “Isn’t she a little old for that?”
“Don’t worry, hon. The girl’s a little lonely, that’s all. It’ll all go away when she starts school.”
“You sure?” Gillian’s eyes were wide in concern.
“Yes, I’m sure.” Maureen laughed. “You have the same expression on your face I must have had back on the farm when you were her age! You had your ‘make-believe buddy’ until you started school, don’t you remember?” She jerked her head back. “Scared the heck out of me, you being so alone on the farm and all, back then.” She put her arm over her daughter’s shoulders and pointed at Sarah. “Don’t worry– it runs in the family.”
“For real?”
“Yes. For. Real.”
“All right, Ma, if you say so.” Gillian grimaced. “Still looks weird.” She glanced at her watch. “We’ve still got three hours until the truck arrives. I’d say we’re doing pretty well for time.”
Maureen nodded and took the broom from Gillian’s hand. “I’ll finish up on this floor. You go down and tackle the kitchen.”
Gillian turned and bounded down the stairs while Maureen set the broom aside. There was just one thing left to do—get the bucket of soapy water from her bedroom at the front and pour it down the toilet.
She wandered over to the window and peered out, meeting the gaze of an elderly man standing in the park across the street. What was he doing staring at the house like that, just standing with his hands on a cane, not moving a muscle? She bent to the window to get a closer look. Elderly wasn’t accurate. The guy was ancient!
Silently they stared at each other. The expression on his face didn’t change; he just stood there impassively staring at a point above her head. All that was above her was the peak of the roof and the half-moon window in the closed-off room upstairs.
She watched as he took in a deep breath and held it. Like he was waiting for something to happen. Her mouth twitched. What made her think of that? After what seemed like an hour but was really no more than a minute, his lips moved like he was saying something. Then, he turned and walked up the street, almost hobbling, he was moving so slowly.
Maureen bent and picked up the bucket of water. She had better things to do.
But boy, that old guy sure creeped her out.
Chapter 28
The old man was surprised to see the car parked in the driveway of the house. His bushy, gray eyebrows drew together and his jaw worked overtime, grinding his dentures as he stood quietly on the sidewalk. Movement in the second-floor window caught his eyes and he blinked.
A woman stared back at him. She was too old to be a student. The hair that framed her jaw was silver. It was obvious she was watching him, probably curious as to why an old fella would be standing there gawking. If she asked him that question, he wasn’t sure he could give her a reasonable answer. Not that it mattered. Like all the others, she’d be gone soon.
He returned his gaze to the sorrowful half-moon window just below the peak of the roof.
He’d only missed a few days over the last twenty years, when there was an ice storm, or he’d picked up some flu bug. It always played on his mind to the degree he was never able to sleep until he resumed the daily visit. There was something about the house which drew him back, every day.
He never understood why he moved to Kingston after he retired. He grew up on a farm, went to war, came home and spent his working life out west in the oil fields. But when it was time for him to retire, the only place he considered was Kingston. Not Victoria, and not even Florida. He never lived in Kingston until he became an old man. And with the universities and colleges in the city, it was more a city for youngsters, really.
And here he was now, living in a nursing home. The high point of his day was this daily sojourn; a walk through the park to gawk at that house. He couldn’t explain it. He was drawn to the place, and yet at the same time repelled by it. Watching it from across the street was fine; but if he tried to cross the streeet, he’d get dizzy and feel very, very odd. He was a moth, and that place was a flame—he had to come near it, but too close and it would hurt him.
Still staring at the curved window, the sadness sharpened and took his breath away. He gasped and went still for a moment.
Finally, he said his daily mantra. “The circle must close.” He turned away and ambled through the park, making his way home.
But make no mistake... he’d be back tomorrow.
Chapter 29
Gillian finished cleaning the kitchen and peeked out the window to check on Sarah. She felt guilty watching her daughter straddling the seat of the swing, rocking sideways. It had been a lonely afternoon for Sarah but she would make it up to her... Maybe buy her some art supplies, something a bit more challenging than just coloring.
She opened the back door and her eyes narrowed peering at the child. She was talking to herself. “Sarah?”
The young girl looked up and grinned. She swung her leg over the seat and ran toward Gillian. “Hi Mommy!”
“Were you talking to yourself?” She leaned over and kissed the top of her daughter’s head.
Sarah drew back and her eyes were round staring at her mother. “I was talking to Alice and Agnes. They’re my new friends. They’re sisters.” She turned to look at the swing, then turned back to Gillian, her face puzzled. “Where’d they go? They were right there!”
Gillian looked from the swing to the fence bordering the yard. “Well, I guess they just had to go home or something.” She sighed and reached for her daughter’s hand. Mom was probably right; better to not make too much out of this. “Would you like to go shopping with me? I’ve got a surprise I want to get you.”
Sarah’s face lit up and she tugged at Gillian’s hand. “A surprise? What is it? Tell me!” She started bouncing on her toes.
Gillian could only smile at the sudden about-face, the excitement in Sarah’s eyes. “If I tell you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it? You’ll have to wait till we get there.” She opened the back door and led her daughter into the house, ignoring the whining protests to tell her what it was.
Maureen’s footsteps sounded on the stairway and a minute later she walked into the kitchen. “So you two are off now to get some groceries? Would you like my debit card? It’s bound to be a big list of things to buy.”
“No, that’s okay, Mom. I’ll get it this time. Anything special you’d like me to pick up?” Gillian grabbed her purse and smiled at her mother.
“Actually, why don’t you pick up a bottle of that wine like we had last night at the hotel? Let’s christen our first night here with a glass or two.” Maureen walked to the front door with Gillian and Sarah. She peered out but the old guy who’d been in the park staring at her, was gone.
Gillian held her arm up and grinned. “Twist my arm.”
***
It was ten o’clock that night when Maureen and Gillian trudged up the stairs. With a few glasses of wine coursing through their veins, easing the tension from overworked muscles, they were more than ready to call it a day. The moving truck had arrived on time, furniture placed, beds made and most of the boxes unpacked.
Maureen patted Gillian’s shoulder and said, “goodnight,” leaving Gillian standing in the doorway of Sarah’s room. The night-light cast a soft glow in the room, revealing the small body curled into a ball under the comforter. Gillian stepped closer to the bed and checked her breathing like she did every night since Sarah had been born.
The easel she’d bought that day was set up in the center of the room, displaying Sarah’s drawing. Gillian bent over to see what her child had created. There was a big tree, a swing and three little girls playing next to it. The figures were crude, as
any drawing a five-year-old would create but she’d put dresses on two of them. The third one was in shorts and her hair was braided. That had to be Sarah.
“Hello Agnes. How do you do, Alice?” she whispered with a soft smile. “School will be starting soon, so you’ll be moving on I guess.” She bent over Sarah’s sleeping form and kissed the top of the child’s head before heading to bed herself. She was beat to a snot.
***
A few hours later, the floorboards in Maureen’s room creaked. She woke with a start and sat up. Someone was watching her! What was that? The room was pitch black. The window was covered with a dark towel. The shopping trip to get curtains would happen the next day. After that old guy ogling her, there was no way she was getting undressed in a room without some kind of covering on the window.
Creak. There it was again! It was those floorboards in the center of the room. Her heart pounded in her chest and she held her breath, straining to see. “Gillian? Is that you?” Her voice was a fast whisper.
Silence was the only answer. But there was something there. The hair on the back of her neck rose, as the feeling grew. Someone was watching her! “Sarah?”
Again, silence.
She leaned to the side and reached for the chain on her bedside lamp. Immediately, light flooded the room. There was no one there. But she’d heard something. It had been loud enough to wake her from a deep sleep. She glanced at the clock. Twelve minutes past one. Oh my. She’d only been asleep a few hours.
She took a few deep breaths, willing her heartbeat to resume its normal pace. Old houses creaked sometimes. That was all it was. Maybe the temperature outside had dropped, or maybe the barometer, and the house was feeling that.
But what about that sense of someone watching her? She shuddered. Actually, that feeling was still there.
The light gave some comfort. There wasn’t anyone in the room. It was just her mind playing tricks on her. So much had happened over the past couple of months. Mike’s death. Leaving a home where she’d always lived. The last three months had seen more changes in her life than ever before.
She settled down into the bed and pulled the covers tight. One thing was certain though... the bedroom light was staying on.
Chapter 30
The next afternoon...
Another day and they were too busy to play or take her to the park. And they made it clear; she was too little to help put up curtains. They wouldn’t let her hold the ladder, Nana scolded her when she picked up the pliers, and Mommy gave a big huff when she said she was bored and told her to go to her room and work on her drawing. Sara stomped out of Mommy’s bedroom and down the hall to her own. Not fair!
Standing in front of the easel, she picked up the black pencil from the tray on the front. All of a sudden the room smelled really nice, like flowers. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply. She kept her eyes closed even when she felt a smooshy pressure all over. It was like she was all wrapped up in warm bread and soft fur at the same time. It felt so nice she shivered a little. Her hand moved around the easel for a few seconds and then everything went away.
She opened her eyes. The picture on the easel was… prettier or something. She saw that Agnes and Alice looked… realer somehow. And both girls were smiling, happier too.
Sarah’s eyes sparked. “Maybe they’ll come and visit again!” Putting the pencil down, she scooted back to where Mommy and Nana were working.
“Can I go out and play in the backyard?”
Mommy was at the top of the ladder fooling with the curtain. She glanced over and said “Sure, sweetie.”
The day was hot and humid, making the strands of hair which escaped her braids, stick to her neck. She raced over to the swing and hopped up onto the old wooden seat. Her legs strained out in front of her and collapsed quickly. This was the way Mommy had said to pump and go higher. It still wasn’t working though.
“Hi Sarah!” The voices of the twins spoke in unison.
Sarah grinned and turned her head to see them, her eyebrows knotted. That was weird. They were wearing the same clothes as the day before and their hair ribbons were still slipping off at the side again. Mommy always made her change her clothes every day.
“Hi Alice. Hi Agnes. How come I didn’t see you come in the gate?”
“No silly, we were already here! We were hiding! Want to play tag again?” Agnes reached for the rope, pulling Sarah closer.
“Okay. That was fun yesterday. But aren’t you hot in those dresses and socks?” Sarah popped down off the swing and turned to look at her friends.
“No. We’re fine.” Alice tapped Sarah’s arm. “Tag! You’re it!” She grabbed her sister’s hand and they raced around the thick tree trunk, with a flurry of lacy slip and black leather shoes flying high.
“Wait! Let’s get a drink of water first. I’m thirsty.” Sarah started toward the house and stopped midway there, turning to see if they were with her. “Hey! Come with me. I’ll show you my drawing and my room.”
The two girls stood on each side of the tree and their smiles faded.
“We can’t.” Agnes looked down at her feet, while Alice shook her head from side to side, her lower lip pushed out. For just a moment it looked like they were going to cry.
“What’s wrong?”
“We have to go out on the boat later…” Alice’s voice was low.
“Alice! Now you shush!” Agnes said sharply. “The circle’s still open!”
Alice turned to her sister, holding out her hands like a plea. “But Sarah’s little, like us!”
“What circle?” asked Sarah. The twins whipped their heads around to her. Their eyes looked a little funny. Sarah felt a little scared and took a step backwards.
Alice’s face got funny, like she was gonna start to cry. “I don’t know!” she said.
Agnes put her arm around her sister’s waist. Still looking at Sarah, she said, “It just is.” She gave a sad sigh and her eyes looked okay again.
“You’re talking all mixed up,” Sarah shook her head a little.
Alice stared at the door to Sarah’s house. “It’s Bridey, Sarah. She insists we go to the lake,” her voice was just above a whisper.
“And she forbids us to go inside the house,” added Agnes.
“Forbids? What’s that mean?”
“It means we’re not allowed,” said Alice.
“How come? It’s okay. I’m really thirsty. My mommy won’t mind.” Sarah took a few steps toward them and crossed her arms over her chest. Bridey sounded mean. “Is Bridey your mommy?”
“No!” they said together.
“We told you! Our mummy died and Bridey married Papa,” said Alice.
“She’s your stepmother? Like in Cinderella?”
They nodded.
Agnes clasped her hands in front of her tummy. “We’ll wait here for you, Sarah. Then we’ll play on the swing and play tag and have such jolly fun!” She smiled, but it wasn’t a for-real smile, Sarah could tell when people didn’t smile for real.
“Please, Sarah, let’s not speak of this anymore,” said Alice. “Fetch yourself a drink of water and we’ll wait here for your return.” She took Agnes’ hand. “While you’re inside, I’ll cheer up my sister, don’t you worry.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.” Sarah spun around and raced to the back door. When she got there, she turned before going in. Were they still there? Yesterday they ran away when Mommy came outside.
The Haunting of Crawley House (The Hauntings Of Kingston Book 1) Page 17
