The Forgotten Girl

by India Hill Brown

  They dove deeper and deeper into the desegregation of Nelson’s Pond Middle. With every article, Iris realized that the decision wasn’t met with open arms.

  There were protests: adults showing up to the Nelson Nine’s first day of school with signs saying things like WHITES ONLY and KEEP THIS SCHOOL CLEAN. Avery and the others were spit on, their hair was pulled, and things were thrown at them, when all they wanted to do was go to school. To learn.

  Iris walked home, lost in thought. The ghost of a girl who desegregated Iris’s own middle school was visiting her at night, asking to be her friend, asking to be remembered.

  No wonder nobody cared about her step team. Some of the protesters’ children may have taught at Nelson’s Pond Middle; their grandchildren probably were sitting right beside Iris every day.

  She walked back home, opened the door, and was bombarded by a loudly screaming Vashti.

  “Iris! I have a great idea,” she said, grinning and jumping up and down. She wore a pink, frilly nightgown with a brown Barbie doll on the front. She waved an identical doll around in her hands. “We can play step team with dolls! We can put on a show in front of their dollhouse. Your doll can be the captain, and mine—”

  “Not now, ’Ti,” said Iris, trying to climb up the stairs.

  Vashti’s lower lip trembled. “But—”

  “Babygirl! The food is almost ready.” Mr. Rose came into the foyer with a big grin on his face. He whispered to the girls, “Don’t tell your mother, but I got some fruit punch soda for us.”

  Vashti squealed, looking bright eyed at Iris. It was a not-so-secret secret that Mrs. Rose hated soda, and Mr. Rose loved it.

  Iris smiled weakly, but Daddy was onto her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Iris couldn’t even answer this question. What was wrong? Fruit punch soda and dolls and step shows were all the things that made a perfect night. Why didn’t she feel it?

  She was sleepy, but too afraid to sleep. She was sad and mad and … scared.

  “I think I’m just tired,” she said, forcing a yawn, watching her mom walk to the foyer where the rest of her family was standing. “Can I eat upstairs?”

  Mrs. Rose looked at Mr. Rose with raised eyebrows. “Iris isn’t feeling well,” he said, answering her silent question. He turned to Iris. “You can eat upstairs tonight, but you know the rules. No red drinks upstairs. You’ll have to drink something else.” Iris couldn’t tell if it was disappointment or concern in his face.

  “Iris … are you really eating upstairs?” Vashti pouted.

  Iris hesitated. She could have fruit punch soda if she ate down here. And the season finale of her favorite show came on tonight.

  “Okay, I’ll stay.”

  Vashti squealed, and the four of them walked to the dining room, where a warm, filling dinner of chili and cornbread was laid out. Iris’s stomach growled.

  “Vashti, do you want to say grace tonight?” Mama asked.

  Vashti nodded, cleared her throat, squeezed her eyes shut, and said a singsongy prayer. She forgot some of it in the middle and giggled. Iris rolled her eyes.

  “Amen! Let’s eat,” Daddy said.

  And they ate, Iris getting sleepier and sleepier by the minute, eating pretty much in silence. She thought about telling her parents about Avery. Maybe it would ease her thoughts.

  “Mama,” Iris said, swallowing her food. “Daddy. Um … Daniel and I found some interesting information about our project.”

  “Oh?” Daddy said, helping himself to another serving of chili. “What’s that?”

  “Well, remember when I told you about that gravestone we saw? Avery Moore?”

  “Yes,” Mama said, giving Iris a knowing look. “You haven’t been back there, have you?”

  “No, Mama,” Iris said, fighting the edge in her voice, eager to get to the point. “We found out some more information about her. She was actually one of the first students to integrate Nelson’s Pond.”

  “Really?” her parents said in unison. “How did you find that out?” Mama asked.

  “In the library,” Iris said. “But it’s strange, because neither she nor any of the other students are on the Hall of Fame wall at school. We only found them in one book.”

  “It seems like you’re going to be the one doing the teaching when you present your project,” Daddy said. “That’s quite a piece of information.”

  “Yeah,” Iris said, piping up. “I can’t wait to show Heather and all of the other girls that my project deserves to be talked about.”

  “Iris,” Mama said sternly. “Remember what I told you about that. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Just do it for you.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I meant,” Iris said quickly. “But they need to see—”

  “Chasing the approval of these girls will leave you disappointed. Some people will never change, no matter what you show them,” Mama said. “It’ll drive you up the wall. Focus on doing your best.”

  Deep down, Iris knew Mama was right. “Yes, ma’am,” she said.

  Mama smiled. “But that is a great piece of information. Go, Iris.”

  Iris’s heart swelled. Her parents were finally paying attention to her the way they used to.

  “We’re trying to submit the project to the Cleanup Club, so we can get together and clean the graveyard. Daniel went to the meeting this afternoon, but he said some of the girls today were dead set on some other stupid project.”

  “Really?” Mama sighed. “I hate how cliquey these things can be.”

  “Yeah. He said that they pretty much brushed him off, and ragged on the basketball court and want to spruce it up.”

  “Well, they’ve got some nerve. Do your best on your project, Iris, and we’ll cross that bridge if we need to.” Iris could practically see her mama dialing the principal’s number in her mind.

  “Mama, can I watch TV now?” Vashti interrupted.

  “It’s my TV night, ’Ti,” Iris said.

  “Iris, what are you thinking about watching?” Mama asked.

  “The season finale of Missy Mysteries is coming on,” Iris said.

  “You know, some of the guys at work were saying they watched that with their daughters and it was pretty good,” Daddy said. “I’ll go set it up.”

  Even though she was still full, Iris popped a bag of popcorn and put it in a big purple bowl. She squeezed in between her dad and Vashti, whose hand instantly reached in her popcorn bowl.

  “Can I have some first,” she muttered. Vashti smiled as she threw the handful in her mouth.

  “All right, here we go.” Daddy hit the play button while Mama turned off the lights and sat beside him.

  Iris relaxed and lay back, grabbing a fistful of popcorn herself.

  They weren’t even ten minutes into the show before Vashti started crying.

  “It’s too scary!” she whined, covering her eyes and almost knocking the popcorn out of Iris’s hand.

  “Vashti, be quiet. It’s not real.”

  The green monster on the screen that Missy was fighting wasn’t nearly as creepy as Avery. Iris shuddered and instinctively looked behind her to the dark staircase leading up to her room.

  When Vashti started sniffling, though, her Dad paused the show.

  “Vashti?”

  “It’s too scary, Daddy!” she cried. Fat tears ran down her cheeks. “Can we turn it off?”

  Daddy gave Iris a look.

  “No, Daddy!” Iris yelled. “Can’t she go upstairs or something until it’s over?”

  Vashti screamed. “No! I can’t go up there by myself now! She’s up there!”

  “Now, Vashti, sweetie, there’s no one upstairs,” her mom said, leaning over to look at her.

  She?

  No. Vashti was just being a baby.

  Their Dad looked at Iris. “Iris, maybe we can finish watching this after Vashti goes to sleep.”

  “It’ll be about Iris’s bedtime then,” Mama said. “Sweetie, can’t we watch it tomor
row night?”

  Iris wanted to scream. Everyone was going to be talking about this at school tomorrow. After the day she had, all she wanted to do was watch her show. She had to give that up, too? All because Vashti was being a baby?

  “Do you want to try to find something else?” her mom asked.

  What else could she watch with Vashti crying in her ear? A baby cartoon?

  “No thanks, Mama,” she said. “I think I’m going to just go to bed early.”

  She got off the couch, dropped the empty popcorn bowl in the dishwasher, and wandered upstairs.

  Vashti was still throwing a tantrum, crying about being scared. She ran in front of Iris and blocked the stairway.

  “’Ti, come on,” Iris mumbled.

  “You can’t go up there, Sissy! She’s up there!” Vashti yelled, tears streaming down her face.

  “Vashti, move and stop being ridiculous,” Iris snapped. She didn’t have time to think about Vashti and her dolls.

  Vashti was holding firm, not letting go of the stair rail even when Iris tried to pick her up. “Nooo!”

  “Vashti, move!”

  Vashti let go at the exact same moment that Iris gave another tug, sending both girls tumbling toward the ground. Vashti hit her head on the bottom stair and started wailing.

  “What are y’all doing in here?”

  Mrs. Rose ran into the foyer to see Vashti crying and Iris huffing as she helped her sister to her feet.

  “Vashti wouldn’t move and I’m trying to go upstairs.”

  “She can’t go up there!”

  “’Ti, will you please cut the dramatics? Gosh, you act like such a big baby.”

  “Hey!” Mrs. Rose yelled, pointing at Iris. “There will be none of that.”

  Iris looked up at her mother, exasperated. “Me? So you’re not going to acknowledge that Vashti was trying to block me from going to my own room?”

  “Iris, she’s four. And she hit her head. Vashti, go in the kitchen with your dad so he can see if you need ice for your forehead.”

  Vashti wandered away from the foyer, still whimpering, rubbing her head.

  “Iris Rose, what has gotten into you?”

  “Mama, I didn’t do anything.”

  “You’re yelling at your sister! She’s sensitive, Iris. And she misses you. You’ve barely paid any attention to her lately.”

  Iris sucked her teeth. “Oh, so I’m the bad guy all around now.”

  Mrs. Rose narrowed her eyes. “I know you didn’t just suck your teeth at me. And watch your tone. What’s all that talk about?”

  “Nothing,” Iris mumbled. “I’m sorry.”

  Mrs. Rose looked Iris in her eyes, her sternness melting away into concern. “Iris, are you sure you’re okay? You can talk to me, you know. About anything.”

  Iris debated talking to her mom about her strange day. Would her mother believe her if she said she thought something—something like a ghost—had been visiting her?

  “Mama?” she looked up at her mama’s brown eyes and watched them soften.

  “Yes, baby?”

  “Do you—do you believe in ghosts?”

  “Oh, sweetheart. I think the research about graves and Suga’s superstitions are starting to get to you.”

  “Mama, I’ve been dreaming about the girl on one of the graves I’ve seen—Avery Moore.” Iris tried again. “But, I’d never seen her face in a photo before today. But it was the same face … that I dreamed about …”

  Her mom’s brows knit together. “You’re having more nightmares? You can keep your night-light plugged in.” Mama lowered her voice. “I won’t tell anyone.”

  “No, Mama.” Iris was getting desperate. “I don’t think they’re dreams. My room becomes cold. My window is open when I wake up. It’s real …” Iris trailed off. She knew she wasn’t making any sense. Her mom was nodding her head, trying to understand, but Iris could tell she didn’t.

  “It sounds like you’re sleepwalking, baby,” she said, taking her daughter and hugging her. “I can’t even believe I’m suggesting this, but maybe you should focus on your project earlier in the day, so it won’t bleed into your dreams.”

  Sleepwalking? Iris hadn’t even considered that. But maybe … maybe she was sleepwalking, opening her window, and that’s why she would feel so cold at night.

  But how did she dream of Avery’s face? Maybe she really did see it before, like Daniel said.

  Iris didn’t know what to believe.

  “I know it’s hard, baby, with your project and the step team, but you’ll be okay.”

  Iris relaxed a little until she heard her sister whimper, her dad’s cool voice soothing her.

  “You’re okay?” Mama said, glancing toward the kitchen. Iris could tell Mama was distracted by Vashti now.

  Iris just nodded, feeling down again.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, Mama. I-I promise.”

  “Okay.” Mrs. Rose furrowed her brow. Iris wasn’t sure that her mother believed her. “Come apologize to your sister.”

  Iris walked with her mother to the kitchen, where her sister was sniffling. Vashti cut her eyes at Iris.

  Mrs. Rose looked at her head. “There’s no knot, thank goodness. I think you’ll be okay, baby.”

  Daddy looked at Iris pointedly.

  Iris sighed. “’Ti … I’m sorry for pulling you down. And not playing with you lately. But guess what! You know I’m out of school next week for winter break. We’ll have plenty of time to play then.”

  Vashti’s angry, wet face opened up into a grin. “You promise?”

  Iris hesitated. “Yes. I promise. We’ll have plenty of time to play together.”

  “See, Vashti? You just have to be patient, okay?” Dad told her sister.

  “I’m going to go upstairs and get ready for bed early,” Iris announced, wishing she would’ve just done that instead of foolishly thinking she’d enjoy a TV show.

  She said goodnight to Daddy and Vashti, raced upstairs, and let her mom wrap her hair, kissing her goodnight.

  She was tired, but when the house fell silent, she was nervous.

  She could be sleepwalking, that was the most logical explanation …

  But what if she wasn’t?

  Avery could be making her way to her window. Right now.

  She fought against her heavy eyelids, trying to stay up, watching the shadows the night-light cast in her room. Even if she was just sleepwalking, she didn’t want to have another nightmare about Avery. She thought of Avery’s face in that picture. Thought of Avery’s ghost, haunting her. For once, she wished her parents let her drink coffee.

  Tap-tap-tap.

  She heard it again. That tap on her window.

  She trained her eyes on the night-light.

  Don’t be afraid, she told herself. You haven’t been asleep yet, so you aren’t sleepwalking. Just look up, and prove to yourself that it’s just a branch rubbing against the window.

  Iris pinched herself, the sting assuring her she was wide-awake.

  Tap-tap-tap.

  One the count of three, Iris thought. One … two … three …

  She glanced up.

  A girl was staring in her direction. Her eyes swallowed the night sky.

  Avery.

  The night-light flickered, then went out, leaving Iris in total darkness.

  A scream left Iris’s mouth, but it disappeared into the thick darkness before it could make a sound.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” Avery whispered. “I need your help.”

  Iris wasn’t frozen to her bed. She wasn’t sleepwalking. This was real.

  She slid off her bed, knocking her knee on her nightstand, and stumbled backward onto the floor. Shivering, she slowly inched backward to the door.

  But before she could run to her parents’ room, she stopped. Escaping now meant nothing if Avery would just keep coming back. She needed to face this. To stop this.

  “Please, just leave me alone,” Iris whispered,
her eyes filling with tears.

  “Help me be remembered. I don’t know who I am anymore.” Iris could hear Avery more than she could see her.

  She struggled to get enough breath to speak. “You’re Avery Moore,” Iris said. “One of the first nine Black students to attend Nelson’s Pond Middle. It was a historical moment … a great thing …” Iris felt as if she were reading the history book she saw today.

  She looked up at Avery’s shimmering figure, her black eyes staring at Iris.

  “Maybe you were killed by a spirit of the snow.”

  “I’ve never heard of such spirits.”

  Iris took a deep, shuddering breath. Inhale, exhale the fear.

  “Please. That’s all I know.”

  “I did a great thing, you say? Why have I been forgotten in death?” Avery’s voice went from high-pitched to something deeper, more sinister, and it frightened Iris. What if she lashed out at her?

  Tears falling from Iris’s eyes blurred the ghost in front of her.

  “Look, I feel forgotten, too, a lot of the time,” Iris said quickly. “My mom said if my school doesn’t want to recognize me, then it’s their loss.”

  “Oh, but they will. They will see, Iris Rose, and you will make them.”

  Iris started at the edge in Avery’s voice. Her voice grew deeper, even deeper than Daddy’s in a split second.

  What did she mean by that?

  “You can change things for the both of us, and show those who have doubted us,” Avery said, seemingly reading Iris’s thoughts. “Once and for all, they’ll see. They’ll remember me. We will stop at nothing to make them.”

  Iris thought about her mom’s words from earlier.

  They didn’t match up with Avery’s.

  Iris lay there, letting Avery’s words cover her.

  “I have a way. Come with me.”

  Iris thought of everything with the Cleanup Club, the Young Captains Society, with Vashti, with her project, with her step team. She didn’t want to be forgotten ever again.

  The moon hid behind a cloud, making her room a little darker.

  Avery held out her hand, and a sharp, cool wind hit Iris in her face.

  Somewhere in the back of her mind, she thought of how Daniel would tell her how dangerous this was.