Three

The walk down the hill was much faster and easier than the walk up, even with my heart tightly clenched in my chest. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how long I had, or how long she would keep me until she killed me, like she did to that other eleven-year-old girl. I kept my head down, the grass was yellow colored, and stringy. It broke off from the ground and stuck to my sneakers, and they squeaked the entire walk to the house.

 

She told me to leave my sneakers on the porch and I did as I was asked, afraid of what she might to do me if I didn’t obey her. Maybe the other little girl just didn’t listen? What if she had an attitude? What if she was dumb? I’m not dumb. I know how to hold my tongue and I surely know how to follow grown folks’ directions. I knew how to cook and clean. Maybe she wouldn’t kill me because I’ll be better than her granddaughter. That’s it. All I need to do is be better than her granddaughter.

 

I noticed I was spaced out somewhere over the porch and into the horizon, the sun was setting- I hadn’t realized how late it was. We left late, mostly because Miss Oakland wanted me to sleep more, but darn the day really escaped me. I stifled a yawn and walked through the threshold, feeling the soft carpet through the thin socks Miss Oakland gave me to wear with my sneakers. Then, I trudged up the stairs and turned on the water supply. It wasn’t nearly as cold as it was the night before, that was a relief. I stepped into the water and let it fall over me, the warmth was unbelievable- she had to have a steam heater. Maybe that’s where she burned the body. I shook my head and removed myself from entertaining that thought, I wasn’t going to cloud my goal with that miserable tragedy.

 

‘Miserable tragedy,’ that’s what they used to call me when I first came to the orphanage. The girl who suffered a “Miserable Tragedy.” But why did I always have to be “that girl”? Why did I always have to live in the shadows of the things that’s happened to me like a demon attached to my shoulders. Hovering like demons do, just patiently sitting there- the knowing of the things that’s happened, and the things I don’t remember.

 

I turned off the water when my fingers turned wrinkly, and stepped out onto the plush bathroom carpet. I wiggled my toes and looked up, at the hook on the door and reached for the fluffy lilac towel I was given yesterday. I wrapped my shoulders in the towel and walked over to the window. It was hallway open, and a small breeze was coming through. It smelled like frost, like winter. I sighed, and a puff of smoked escaped my lips. Closing the window, I dropped the towel and quickly scurried to pick it up and wrap up again, afraid someone would walk in on me.

 

I was dry, but I kept myself wrapped in the towel as I placed my night clothes on. Undies, Shorts, and nightgown. The nightgown only reached my knees this time, I assumed this one is meant for summer. I didn’t complain, I didn’t want to be a bother. If she said something, then I would oblige, but one thing I wasn’t doing was giving her a problem to fix that she didn’t even care to fix in the first place.

 

She called my down for dinner. I wasn’t all that hungry, but to keep my image, I trudged own the same creaky wooden steps (which I could have sworn weren’t splinter proof) and sat at the table quietly, awaiting to be served. I smelled something hearty, like soup or stew. No, stew, there was an outright beefy odor that drenched the entire dining room in udder amazement. It was like my nose was in a play house, and I was absolutely loving it.

 

“Beef stew, that’s what you’re smelling young lady,” She smiled as she brought in a huge bowl, bringing the beautiful aroma closer and closer. “My auntie’s recipe, she taught it to be when I was ‘bout fourteen. Maybe I could teach it to you, huh?” She ladled some of the stew into my bowl and sat down on her side of the table, anxiously waiting for me to respond.

 

However, I’d already started engulfing myself in my food and my thoughts, and pretty soon- I was able to completely ignore her existence. And focus.

 

So, she said she might keep me, that’s a good sign. She doesn’t want to kill me. Not yet, at least. So I can be cool for a while. She’s a talkative lady, maybe being quiet isn’t how to earn her likeness. I decided I’d have to talk to her, so I put down my spoon and quickly thought of something to talk about.

 

“So, Miss Oakdale?” She looked up at me and awaited me to continue. “You said you had a granddaughter. “What. if you don’t mind me asking and all…?” I trailed off, more unsure of myself than I even realized. I always thought I knew exactly what to say, and since I didn’t say much, it would always come out right. She placed her food spoon down and looked up at me.

 

“Honey, you remember what those officers said about your daddy when they took you to that there orphanage?” I didn’t know where she was going with this, but I nodded, and waited for her to continue. “The same thing that happened to you Dad, happened to my little girl and her little girl just a few years later.” She said this nonchalantly. She didn’t flinch, she seems unbothered by it almost- like she was empty… Like she didn’t care.

 

Did she kill them both?

 

I stayed really quiet after that, and finished my food quickly. I cleaned my plate and excused myself to my new room, without even turning on the light I stumbled across the room into the bed, and sobbed into the pillow. I was so scared. I was in the house with a murderer. I just kept my head in the pillow. And cried… until I fell asleep.

Author's Note

Note any grammar or typo's please.

Questions are accepted, comments appreciated.

Reviews

[chubbycatchan]

In the quote: “You said you had a granddaughter. “What. if you don’t mind me asking and all…?” I was a bit confused by the period after the 'what'. I really liked this chapter! You are an amazing writer since I can easily picture what's going on and every time a chapter is finished I want to read more :)
I really like the main character in the story, and I hope that she and Mrs. Oakdale will become close later on. Please update soon!

[ZombiieszAreReal]

Its Miss Oakdale.. And I meant to do the "..." But spell check pooped on me