by Mav Skye
They say that a fisherman once walked up the trail to fish in the river. He saw the boy’s grandmother sunbathing on a great stone. She didn’t look a day older than the day she had left. She was humming and brushing her hair in the sun.
Upon seeing the fisherman, she jumped into the river like a fish and disappeared, never to be seen again.
The story had long ago captured Chloe’s heart and imagination. The story played like a movie in her mind and hearing Joey tell it brought tears to her eyes and a knowingness to her heart.
Her mother urged, “Tell me about its heart.”
Joey said, “You mean, the heart that can’t be seen, but only felt?”
“No, no, about the diamond. Tell me.”
Chloe was half asleep, but smiled anyway. Her mother always told this part afterward.
Joey said, “Under the seventh starry scale from its head beats the heart of the Horned Beast. Its heart is made of a great diamond that blazes with all the colors of—”
“Fire and Sea,” whispered her mother.
“Fire and Sea,” repeated Joey.
“He who overcomes,” said Mama Nola.
Joey continued, “He who overcomes the beast, and wins its heart is the most fortunate of all above and below creation. He and he alone reaps the great reward of being granted a single wish. The power to grant this wish does not come from the diamond beating within the beast’s scales. The power comes from a force so powerful that it cannot be contained by the strongest gems or conquered by the mightiest warrior.”
“Say it, Ohanzee.”
“Only the power of pure love can grant our heart’s desire.”
“Pure love,” repeated Mama Nola. “It’s our job, say it, Ohanzee.”
“It’s our job to protect the Uktena’s heart from those who would do it harm.”
“Protect the heart,” whispered Mama Nola. “We must always protect the heart of the beast.”
Chloe’s mind began to sink deeper and deeper into the dark when the next words from her mother’s voice startled her awake. “We trixied the eyes, but not the heart.”
“Shhh … quiet, Etsi.”
Louder, “We trixied the eyes, but not the heart.”
Chloe sat up and pressed her ear against the door, but Joey was hushing the old woman.
Chloe leaned back against the wall, her pulse thundering in her ears. What did it mean?
She wondered if Joey knew its meaning. And then a realization hit her: Joey was the boy in the story. This frightened her more than gave her comfort. What would he transform into? And more importantly, would he leave them all behind?
Soon, she heard the creaking of Etsi’s rocking chair… and she knew Joey was in it, keeping watch over their mother.
Chloe’s lids dropped over her eyes and, there against the wall, she slept, dreaming of a Horned Serpent with Joey’s face and her mother trying to stop him from plunging into the river that had turned into blood.
16
Circus Tonight!
THE NEXT MORNING, CHLOE AWOKE IN her bed. Mama Nola fussed about in the kitchen, and Joey sang in the shower.
It felt like a normal morning, but Chloe knew everything was far from normal. The long days of summer might try to convince her that life could go back to normal, that last night was just a dream, but when Chloe closed her eyes she saw her mother crawling on hands and knees down the hallway, her hair swept over her face like a curtain, her teeth snapping together. It was a testimony to the fact that nothing would ever be the same again. As if reaffirming this, her pinky toe throbbed.
She touched Godzilla, thankful for the small comfort, and wiped the sleep from her eyes before reaching beneath the mattress. The hatchet was still there. She rose and changed into clothes, glanced in the small vanity mirror above her dresser and tried to flatten out her hair that seemed to go in every direction. Finally, she gave up and went to greet her mother in the kitchen.
Mama Nola was singing and making tea. Eggs were in the frying pan, and the smell of fresh toast filled the room. Her face had been scrubbed clean of the black paint, and her long hair brushed and pinned back into a bun. It was as if last night had never happened.
Her mother handed her a mug of steaming black tea, popped a piece of toast with wild honey in Chloe’s hand, and kissed her on the cheek. “Svnalei, Ostu.”
“Good morning, Etsi.”
Chloe carried her toast and tea to the table and sat down. Mama Nola followed her, bringing two plates of scrambled eggs. She slid a plate to Chloe and sat down across from her, nibbling at her toast.
Chloe said, “You look good this morning, Etsi.”
Mama Nola smiled. “I feel good.” She lifted a forkful of eggs. “And hungry.” She giggled as she placed the bite into her mouth and chewed.
Chloe pushed the eggs around on her plate, occasionally glancing up at Mama Nola who ate with the appetite of a wolf. “Mama, where is the circus?”
Mama Nola smiled. “It is where I would go when I was young.”
Chloe sat up straighter. “You would go to the circus?”
“No, more like a show, but I called it the circus. I would pretend.”
“You would pretend.” This gave her no more answers than before, however, it was the most information she’d ever been able to get out of Mama Nola. Chloe opened her mouth to ask another question when Joey sauntered into the dining room, fresh from the shower, wearing only his jeans and wiping his head with a towel. “Morning, ladies.”
Mama Nola turned and looked at him, grunted, and faced Chloe again.
Chloe couldn’t help but notice how his biceps flexed as he rubbed down his hair.
Mama Nola said, “I’ve made for you tea, eggs and toast.”
He wrapped the towel around his neck, waltzed into the dining room, kissing Mama Nola on the cheek when he passed her. She blushed, and tossed her hand at him. He swayed into the kitchen and returned with a plate and a cup of tea and sat down by Mama Nola.
Chloe avoided him by biting into her toast, enjoying the taste of honey, then took a sip of her tea.
Joey said, “I’m happy to see you two bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I think we should have a family day—do something fun.”
Chloe spoke into her tea mug, immediately feeling guilt about the lie. “I can’t. I’m babysitting the twins.”
“Huh, that’s strange, because if I recall, they’re still supposed to be in Seattle.”
“Shirley called—”
“And you don’t have a phone.”
“I meant swung by early this morning—”
“And I would have heard. You don’t need to lie.”
Chloe lifted her cup to her mouth, glancing over it first at her mother—who had set down her fork and was giving Chloe the evil eye—and then at Joey, who had folded his arms and was waiting for a response.
She needed to call her aunt. Last night had been insane. Or maybe it was just Chloe who was insane; no one else seemed disturbed. Of course, Shirley may not be too happy with her today, not after what had happened last night with Joey.
Had he slung her over his shoulder like that? And she had kicked him.
She looked at him again. He was staring at her, reading her thoughts again no doubt. Chloe became aware that she was still holding her tea cup to her lips.
Joey said, “I’m still sore, you know, down there.”
Chloe choked and set down her tea mug a little too quickly, tipping it over.
Mother Nola jumped up, but Joey was already up and grabbing a towel from the kitchen, smiling the whole time.
A game. He thought this was all a game. That’s what he told Shirley last night, Duck, Duck, Goose. She was going to be angry. Chloe couldn’t go up there today. She was supposed to go in the next day to babysit; maybe she should wait to call until then.
Chloe stood and leaned against the window frame as she looked at the outside world. Despite the sunny day, the trees loomed over the driveway, making everything look washed out.
<
br /> As Joey wiped up the spilled tea on the table, he said, “What about you, Mama, are you up to an adventure? Maybe a walk down by Spindler River?”
“Uktena?” Mama Nola earnestly replied.
Chloe shook her head. First, it was the circus, now it was the river monster. She wished she had the imagination of her mother.
But don’t you? The deep, husky voice of Mr. Jingles asked in the back of her mind followed by the shake of a rattlesnake’s tail. Chloe shivered, feeling a sinking feeling in her gut. They were both flipping crazy.
She needed to talk to her aunt and soon. A tall, slim figure caught her eye at the far end of the driveway. “Who’s that?”
At first, she thought it was Mr. Jingles, but it was far too lean and tall. The figure’s shoulders slumped forward, and it kicked at the gravel.
“Dunno, I’ll check it out.”
Chloe followed Joey into the kitchen. “I’m coming, too.”
Joey grabbed a fresh t-shirt off the counter and slipped it over his head.
“Where did that come from?”
Joey wiggled his eyebrows at her. “That’s for me to know and you to—”
“Shut up.”
“’kay.”
Chloe opened the door, skipped the third step, and raced Joey around the side of the trailer when she recognized who the slim stranger was. Only he wasn’t a stranger at all.
Joey called out. “Wassup, my man?”
Chris froze like rabbit confronted by a dog. He relaxed as he recognized them, then he bowed his head over his yellow shirt and started kicking at the gravel again.
As they approached, Chloe said, “Looks like someone forgot he had work today.”
Joey shook his head. “I already asked for today off.”
“Then why is he here?”
“I don’t know.”
It wasn’t until Joey tapped Chris on the shoulder that he acknowledged them.
Joey said, “You’re awesome.”
“You’re awesome,” repeated Chris, a blush highlighting his cheeks.
“You smell—
“—like a monkey,” Chris finished for him, and all three of them laughed.
“Well,” said Chris, “hello there.” He lifted his baby blues and looked from Joey to Chloe, then back to Joey again.
Chloe said, “It’s good to see you, Chris.”
Chris’s lips lifted in a shy smile, and he continued to kick at the gravel.
Joey said, “Does your dad want me to come to the office?”
Chris shook his head and spoke so softly that both Joey and Chloe had to step closer to hear him.
“Say that again?”
Chris whispered, “Mama Nola…”
Joey and Chloe looked at each other. “You want to see Mama Nola?”
Chris nodded, relieved.
Chloe said, “We were just finishing up breakfast. Would you like to come in? I think I saw leftovers in the frying pan.”
“Coffee and donuts,” said Chris.
Joey laughed. “Afraid we’ve only got tea and eggs, does that work?”
Chris hesitated, then nodded again. He followed them back to the house where he walked into the dining room and sat down next to Mama Nola at the table.
Chloe made toast and warmed up the eggs, while Joey turned on the hot water and began to wash dishes. Chloe could hear the murmur of Mama Nola’s voice, and she quickly hushed when Chloe walked into the dining room with Chris’s breakfast.
She eyed her mother suspiciously, but the old woman simply stared at her folded hands on the table.
Chloe said, “Can I get you another cup of tea, Etsi?”
She shook her head.
Chloe walked back into the kitchen and helped Joey dry the dishes. “Do you think Dan knows he’s here?”
Joey said, “I was thinking the same thing. I’ll pop over after we’re done here.”
Chloe continued to dry the plates. Dan’s office would have a phone. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll pop around to see him.”
Joey gave her a funny look. “You?”
Chloe said, “Sure.”
Joey said, “You’re up to something this morning.”
Chloe gave him a dirty look. “After last night, you have no right to go there with me.”
He said, “Yeah, about last night. Wanna tell me why you knocked on the door and tried to kill my guest?”
“I already told you.”
Joey handed a wet tea cup to Chloe. “Yeah, but not really.”
“Where was your grandpa?”
“You just changed the topic.”
“No shit, Captain Obvious.”
Joey gave her a look.
She formed the shape of an L with her thumb and pointer figure, then turned to put the cup on the dish rack.
Joey snapped her butt with the kitchen towel.
“Ow! You have no right!”
“And neither do you.”
Chloe threw the tea mug at him, which he caught easily and set back down on the dishrack.
“I am going to talk to Dan.” Chloe turned and stomped out the front door.
She had just made it past the fork on the road and was passing Mrs. Price’s trailer—she was at the window with her binoculars trained on Chloe—when Joey tapped on her shoulder.
Chloe squeezed her fist together. “Go. Away.”
“No.”
“Then shut up.”
“You.”
Chloe bit her lip and kept walking. Joey trailed behind her all the way to Dan’s office. Chloe went to knock, but Joey stepped in front of her. “I got this.” Chloe shoved Joey as he opened the door and they both piled in, to find Dan behind his desk with paperwork scattered everywhere. He glanced up from his work. “Well, hello there.”
“Hi.”
Chloe and Joey said it at the same time, and Chloe scowled at Joey.
Dan raised his eyebrow and glanced back and forth between them with his eyes finally resting on Joey. “If I remember right, you’d asked for the day off, right?”
Joey said, “Yeah, yeah. Just wanted to make sure you knew Chris was visiting with Mama Nola.”
“He is?” Dan dropped the pen he was holding and blew out air. He ran his fingers over his eyes. “I had no idea. I thought he was still watching Bugs Bunny. He’s been changing lately.”
Joey asked, “How?”
“Well, for starters he keeps dancing in the living room like a ballerina. He’s done that the last three nights after supper.”
Joey laughed. “You should buy him a tutu.”
Dan rubbed his bald head, staring into space as if he hadn’t even heard Joey. “And he keeps saying the damnedest things.”
Chloe spotted the brown phone on Dan’s desk. Now she needed to figure out how to get the guys out of the office, so that she could make that phone call. She wandered over to the other side of the office looking at a photograph of Dan with a much younger—and shorter—Chris on the wall. They were holding hands and smiling. A woman with blue eyes and freckles, who was most definitely Chris’ mom, knelt beside Chris with her arm around his shoulders. A sign behind them said, Circus Tonight!
Curious.
“What kinds of things?” asked Joey.
Dan said, “I just don’t get it. He keeps saying he wants to go to the circus.” Dan noticed Chloe observing the photograph and said, “That time there. That’s the only time he’s ever been to the circus and the only dancing people were clowns.”
Joey said, “Maybe he has dreams of becoming a clown.”
Chloe turned away from the photograph, toward the men. “A clown?”
No way. It wasn’t possible. The idea was utterly insane. Chris wasn’t old enough. Even still, Chloe’s breath caught in her throat.
“Why, Chloe,” Dan said, “you look like you just saw a ghost.”
“Does,” Chloe swallowed, and forced herself to speak. “Does he have a costume.”
“Chloe.” By the set of Joey’s jaw, Chloe knew that
he wasn’t happy with her. Joey knew what she was thinking, the absurdity of it. But he hadn’t had a clown with a hatchet stalking him for years. He hadn’t had a red balloon delivered to his house. She needed to seek out all possibilities. Time was a ticking bomb with an evil clown at the end of the fuse.
Mr. Jingles could be anybody. Anyone.
Dan said, “Let me think here. Might be something in my old costume trunk. Must have a dozen Halloween costumes we’ve collected over the years.”
Chloe asked, “What about bunny ears?”
“Seriously, Chloe, can you see Chris in bunny ears?” asked Joey.
Dan tapped a pencil on the desk, frowning. “My wife, Lou, used to sew those for youngsters and attach them to headbands. Kiddos loved them.”
Chloe knew that Dan was sensitive about his late wife, and she felt guilty for bringing up a memory that obviously pained him.
Joey said, “Chloe and I should be getting back.”
Chloe followed Joey to the door, thinking about Chris. About Mr. Jingles.
Dan stood. “If you don’t mind. I’ll tag along and grab Chris. I promised to bring him to the lake this afternoon.”
“Sure,” said Chloe and Joey at the same time. Again.
Dan guffawed as they walked out the door. “Gonna start calling you the Grady twins.”
Joey grabbed Chloe’s hand. “Come play with us, Danny. Forever and ever and ever.”
Dan burst out laughing. “You two are something else.”
“Yeah, well, perfection is hard to come by.”
Dan peeked a look at Chloe, and her face turned red as beets.
Joey quickly said, “I was talking about myself, of course. Chloe is my inferior.”
Joey still clutched Chloe’s hand, and she shook her palm free. “Oh, shut up already.”
He said, “You.”
Chloe said, “I liked you better when you just said ‘’kay.’”
“I liked you better when you laughed at my knock-knock jokes.”
“That was before you moved on to Yo Mama jokes.”
“Yo Mama is so fat; she has more rolls than a bakery!”
