Window in the Earth Trilogy

by Fish, Matthew

  “Well then,” Bones said, clearing his throat and breaking the steadiness of Christopher’s somewhat creepy stare. “I’m going in to pick up a few things. You guys hang out here.”

  “How are you?” Kylie asked as she and Bones briefly exchanged glances.

  “Oh, I’m great. How’s your mother?” Bones said as he opened up the door to the general store.

  “She’s fine, thanks,” Kylie replied, letting a brief smile slip from her lips.

  Christopher slowly made his way up to James and Kylie, a little apprehensive as he had realized that he was staring, and was recently made aware that she had realized this as well. He nodded at James for a moment and then decided to introduce himself: “I’m Christopher.”

  “I know,” Kylie answered with a half smile, holding out her hand. “Nice to meet you. James has told me a bit about you. I’m Kylie, by the way.”

  Christopher immediately shot his hand out, shaking her hand rather comically. He had shaken hands before, yet he had never found the gesture so interesting. It took him a moment to realize that he should let go. “I’m pleased…,” he muttered.

  “You’re such a dork sometimes,” James said, laughing and shaking his head.

  “Sorry,” Christopher said, more out of a need to respond than anything else. He sat down besides James on the bench, much too uncomfortable with the idea of sitting next to Kylie. “So, you walked all the way here?”

  “Yep.” James drank the last bit of his soda and tossed it into the trash bin nearby. “Was a good walk—you should have come with me.”

  “I walked here, too. I walk out here when I get bored sometimes,” Kylie said.

  “I would have come along!” Christopher exclaimed, almost coming across as offended. Besides, James had not even tried to wake him up or anything.

  “Hey, don’t blame me.” James folded his arms, feigning grumpiness. “Someone was sleeping.”

  “I didn’t sleep very well, so I slept in.” Now that Christopher thought about it, wasn’t there some specific reason that he couldn’t sleep so well? It seemed as though something had happened, something strange, although now he couldn’t remember whether or not it was a dream. It seemed strange to him.

  “I couldn’t blame you, for not sleeping well,” Kylie said, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “Not out where you live, anyway.”

  “Yeah, you’re going to love this,” James said, shaking his head. “She’s been telling me all sorts of things….”

  “What am I going to love? Stories about what?” Christopher asked.

  “Well, you see…,” Kylie said, a serious look washing over her face, “…located near your Grandpa Bones’ house is an old Niutachi Indian cave. It’s supposed to be some kind of holy place where it’s said they would do rituals and all kinds of strange things way back when.”

  “Like, bad things?” Christopher asked, deeply concerned. It wasn’t that he was very superstitious; honestly he didn’t really believe in ghosts, UFO’s or anything like that. Maybe Bigfoot, but that was a big maybe. He loved scary stories, and had read Stephen King’s It at the age of twelve; however, he never quite slept well during that time. That and after watching Aliens late one night—that movie creeped the holy hell out of him—he didn’t want to be alone again in the dark for the entire month of June.

  “Like spooky, ghosty bad things?” James asked, mostly just to mock Christopher’s obvious concern.

  “No, no, no…,” Kylie said, sounding a touch annoyed. “It’s just a cave that was sacred to them, and the area is supposedly haunted by their spirits.”

  “That doesn’t sound so bad,” Christopher said, knowing that there just had to be a ‘but.’

  “But…,” Kylie added, her voice growing more grim and serious. “About fifty years ago, long before even Bones moved in, a family lived in that same house. They had a daughter, about my age or so, and one day she just disappeared.”

  “Maybe she just ran off,” James said, sounding a bit less sarcastic than he had probably intended.

  “That’s what everyone thought for a while, so everyone in Pine Hallow and a few folks from surrounding towns came out and searched for her. Like, a hundred people or so all covered the area from the house all the way to Wakanta Lake. Some of the people even searched the lake area, because she could have drowned, you see?”

  “Did they find her?” Christopher asked, deeply engrossed in the story.

  “Nope!” James added, attempting to spoil the moment before Kylie could answer.

  Kylie shook her head disapprovingly at James’ interruption. “I’m serious here!” she cried, clearing her throat and then continuing again in her grim voice. “Alena, the missing daughter, was never found—just up and disappeared! The only clue to her disappearance was found in the Niutachi Cave.”

  “What did they find?” Christopher asked.

  “Just her shoes…and her silver necklace.” Kylie let out a sigh of relief, thankful that she had gotten through the story so well. “They never found her, and then about two years later her parents just up and left. They never returned, and they say that the ghosts drove them out. That, or losing Alena. Either way.”

  “Is that true?” Christopher asked.

  “It’s probably just some folklore: urban legend junk,” James quickly answered. “I wouldn’t let it bother you.”

  “Well, it’s the story I’ve always heard. We should all check it out sometime,” Kylie said with a nod and smile.

  “Yeah, sounds like a real good time,” James said, turning his head away from them.

  “You’d really want to go?” Christopher asked.

  “Sure, I mean, I’d like to know, you know?” Kylie replied.

  “Yeah…,” Christopher said, although he was very unsure about any of this. He didn’t really want to know, but in a way it was intriguing enough that he might want to know.

  “You boys ready?” Bones asked, startling the group. “Unless you guys feel like walkin‘ back?”

  “I’m ready,” James said, standing up. He had been more than eager to go for a walk to the general store this morning, but he was not even near the quota of motivation he needed for a return trip.

  “I’m ready,” Christopher answered, though he would have much rather have stayed behind and talked to Kylie more about, well, anything really. To him it really didn’t matter; he could sit there and listen to her read from a dictionary and it would be interesting. The fact embarrassed him a bit as well.

  Christopher watched out of the side mirror of the truck as the three drove back toward home. Kylie remained on that dirty old brown bench beneath the store’s archway. He watched as she shrank as he went farther and farther away. Their eyes met for a moment as she was disappearing from sight and he quickly glanced away, his face growing hotter.

  “I can see why you like her,” James said, playfully pushing up against Christopher. “She’s not my type, but I can see why you like her.”

  “I don’t like her.”

  “I bet.”

  “So, Alena’s Cave,” Bones said. “I haven’t heard that one in a while.”

  “You heard?” Christopher asked, glad that he didn’t have to talk about Kylie anymore. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t like talking about her; it just made him rather uncomfortable.

  “I walked in at the very end, but I knew,” Bones said. “I don’t want you guys to worry.”

  “I’m not worried. I don’t really believe it.” James folded his arms underneath his chest.

  “Good,” Bones said. “It’s true, at least historically, about Alena, and that the cave was a Niutachi cave, but Catharine and I had lived there for such a long time. Never had any problems at all. Didn’t ever really go fooling around in the cave or anything like that, but the whole area’s supposed to be haunted, since the family who lived in the area before disappeared after their daughter went missing and all. But I don’t think the superstition part holds any weight to it, though.”

  “But the ca
ve is there, and the shoes and the necklace and everything?” Christopher asked. He was a bit relieved that there wasn’t anything to worry about, and yet found himself a bit more concerned when Bones confirmed the story.

  “Yeah, it’s a short stretch from the house, right by the creek, don’t know if you saw the creek or not,” Bones said. “Don’t think the shoes and the girl’s jewelry are still there though; I’m pretty sure the family went and reclaimed that stuff.”

  “Before they ran off,” James added.

  “Yeah, before they disappeared,” Bones agreed. “I doubt anything bad happened to them. I’m pretty sure they just couldn’t stand to be in the area. Sometimes being somewhere where you’ve lost someone you love is hard. Sometimes even I think about leaving Pine Hallow, and I’ve always loved this land.”

  Once the three had returned, James, tired from the walk, decided to head up to his bedroom for a short nap; Christopher, making good on what he had agreed on earlier, helped Bones take the dogs out for a short walk. Christopher was much happier today, and it seemed as though a lot of good things had happened. Things felt better, and when they pulled into the driveway to the old house, it felt like home. It was a strange thing to think about, but it really did feel like that. It was a good feeling, he decided, even if it was an uncertain one. He felt good enough to help with dinner; he had helped before with his parents, so even that was a nice return to something familiar. Throughout dinner James had remained silent. It was strange that he seemed to go in and out of these “moods.” He had seemed a little happier earlier, and had even joked around with Christopher and Kylie.

  Christopher finished bringing the dinner dishes into the kitchen, and was returning to the dining room, hoping for a chance to talk with James. To his surprise, however, James’ seat was already empty.

  “Where’s James?” Christopher asked, stepping back into the kitchen.

  “I think he just stepped out. Why don’t you go check?” Bones said as he scrubbed a pot in the sink. “It could be a good chance.”

  Christopher nodded once and headed toward the door.

  Night had fallen already and the air was full of the sound of crickets. It seemed so much louder here than back home.

  “Fireflies,” James whispered, nodding to Christopher.

  “Really?” Christopher asked, excited. It’s not that there weren’t fireflies back in Bloomington, it was just that there was scarcely a chance to see them. He loved fireflies, and when he was little he would keep the few he could find in a jar in his room and stay up as late as he possibly could to watch them.

  “Yeah, they’re everywhere,” James whispered, as if he were to speak any louder the fireflies would flutter away and never return.

  “Beautiful,” Christopher whispered back. All around him and farther out in the woods were hundreds of glowing, flashing green orbs of light. It was like being in space a million miles from earth, with every star in the universe shining back at you. “I’ve never seen so many.”

  “I know.”

  “How are you? I mean…” Christopher fumbled around with the words for a moment. “…are you okay?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

  “What’s wrong?” The concern growing in Christopher’s heart was so great he thought it would explode. He knew that something was wrong after all. He could tell, ever since the funeral James had been so distant.

  “I don’t feel like myself anymore.” James fidgeted around with his hands. “I don’t…well…I don’t know what’s wrong.”

  “You don’t act like yourself sometimes. I mean, back at the store you were okay. We don’t talk, but I know we haven’t really had a chance.”

  “I know; it’s okay though. I just miss mom and dad. I mean, well...” James hesitated for a few moments. “It’s silly. I should be better. Really, how are you? You’re the one I’m concerned about.”

  “I don’t know,” Christopher said, surprised at how this had turned back to him. He had been so worried about James that he had only given it some thought about how he was holding up. Perhaps that was his way of hiding how upset he really was, by being so concerned with James. “I don’t know, James; I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel.”

  “I know what you mean,” James said. “I don’t know either. Do you miss them?”

  “Of course. Then again, sometimes I don’t know how to miss them, or if I’m doing it right. I feel bad when I’m happy and guilty when I’m sad. I don’t know…I just don’t know.”

  “I’m sorry,” James said, shaking his head. “I should have been more supportive. I don’t know if anything is right anymore. Last night, I thought I was going crazy. Seriously, I thought I had completely lost it.

  “Last night?” Christopher asked, vaguely remembering the night before. Something had happened, hadn’t it? It was something out of a dream, this something involving weird voices. If only he could put his finger on it. “What happened?”

  “Well…,” James began, seemingly very hesitant to do so. “I don’t know whether I was dreaming or not, but there was a girl in my room. She was just sitting there in the dark, crying.”

  “Was she a ghost?” Christopher shuddered for a moment.

  “She was beautiful—really, really beautiful. She made me feel so sad. I had been feeling crazy all day, and that just made me feel worse. I don’t know if she was a ghost or not.”

  “What did you do?”

  “Well, I talked to her. I think I talked to her. I felt so crazy…I mean, I was so upset about mom and dad, I just thought I was going crazy.”

  “What did you say?” Christopher asked, growing more and more uncomfortable with each word that passed from James’ lips.

  “I asked her what was wrong. Shit, I was scared; really, really scared.” James wrapped his arms around his body as if to comfort himself. “I thought I had completely lost it. I still think I did.”

  “Did she answer?” Christopher placed an arm around James. He knew this wouldn’t be much comfort, but he had to do something. “Did she talk back?”

  “Yeah…she said she was sorry about my parents, and that she knows what it’s like to feel alone.”

  “Oh my god….”

  “Yeah, if it wasn’t a dream, then I’ve lost it, Chris. I’ve really lost it,” James said, whimpering, and almost driven to tears. “I’m afraid of losing my mind. I don’t want to not be myself; I don’t want to be crazy.”

  “You’re not crazy,” Christopher said, squeezing James tightly as he hugged him. “Something happened to me last night, too—I thought it was a dream or something. I don’t know.”

  “Something happened to you, too?” James asked, struggling to keep his composure. It was already apparent that he felt like crying—he just didn’t want to do it in front of Christopher.

  “I don’t know. I wish I remembered—then it would prove to you that you aren’t crazy,” Christopher said, his mind racing through the events of the night before. There was something, but he was just so upset that he couldn’t remember it.

  “I want to go to the cave…,” James said, hugging his brother back for the first time since the funeral. “Just to see.”

  “I thought you didn’t believe in any of it.”

  “I don’t, but maybe it will clear my mind. I feel that it’s something I need to do. Will you come with me?”

  “Of course,” Christopher said. He didn’t even have to think about it. He was so happy to talk with James again, and even happier to finally be able to help. “Let’s go check it out.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, we can go tomorrow.”

  That night Christopher and James slept in the same room. The fireflies danced and played outside their window, and the crickets slowly lulled them to sleep. Christopher squeezed Fred the stuffed dog closer to his chest, and for a moment he almost remembered something—something he was sure was important—but before he could think on it much more he was asleep.

  Chapter 4: A
Wind through the Mill of the World

  Into the mouth of the world, the echoes of all we hear. At the base of the throat, our losses being all we feel.

  “No, no…,” Christopher protested, waving his hands. “Cereal is fine today; you don’t have to cook.”

  “Are you sure?” Bones asked, sounding somewhat disappointed. “I really don’t mind; don’t think that you’d be putting me out or anything.”

  “No, we have…um…,” Christopher said, his words tapering off as he poured himself a bowl of Cheerios, hesitating in his search for something to say that wouldn’t come off the wrong way. “We have a real busy day today; me and James are going out exploring.”