Father
I thought of you today…
We are not so close
Not really…
We are friends, and we do speak
But as time goes by, I wonder…
Wonder of a world without you
You are wise…
And you are good
And yet…
We are not all together close
And I fear that any closer isn’t really possible
I hope you are well…
I think that you are
(Though we aren’t all that close, strangely we both have the same favorite Beatle album)
DarkJade-
PICTURE CREDIT – Father And Son
Sophia Cloud
by DarkJade
Chapter Three – Father
NEW YORK CITY
NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT
Sophia Cloud stepss out of the questioning room, tossing the gold band that apparently belonged to her now dead husband, up and down in the air.
“MRS. CLOUD!” suddenly calls Detective Lolette Jones, also coming out of the questioning room after Sophia.
“Yes?” responds Malcolm Cloud’s real wife, who is waiting in a chair near by.
Sophia comes to a halt, and eyes the woman who is apparently her husband’s real wife.
She is a short dark haired woman… Maybe 30… Attractive… With a mink scarf, and diamond earrings.
Detective Jones realizing that she just yelled out “Mrs. Jones”, not thinking about how the two of them would both likely respond.
Sophia then walks over to the real Mrs. Cloud and holds up the gold band.
“This was your husbands” with this she drops it into Markus Cloud’s real wife’s hand.
She is in shock.
“Congratulations on the 8.3 million estate…” Sophia says as she walks away.
“Too bad he borrowed 8 million of it from me… I’ll see you in court” are Sophia’s last words as she leaves.
JOSEPH EDDINGTON’S OFFICE BUILDING
TWO HOURS LATER
JOSEPH EDDINGTON’S OFFICE
Joseph Eddington, a fifty something year old, distinguished/pompous looking man in a silver mustache, stands behind his large black desk, gazing out the window.
Sitting across from him is Sophia Cloud… His daughter.
“So let me get this straight… I offer you a 250 million dollar bank account, if you just come work for me, and not marry that fool Markus Cloud” with this he now looks at his daughter.
“And now you’re telling me, the 8 million your grandmother left you, you gave to him, and now he’s not only dead… But he was never really married to you?” her father finishes with a sneer.
Sophia has her head bowed a bit “Something like that”
Eddington goes to his desk, where he opens up his large black check book.
“Sophia, you’re an even bigger idiot than I ever thought possible” he says as he writes her a check.
He hands her a two million dollar check.
“Go get yourself somewhere to live… Then contact me in a week… My job offer is still open… But you’re only getting 125 million if you join me” he explains, which causes Sophia to look at him.
“You’ve gotta learn somehow… Now get out of here, I have an important investor coming in soon” he says as he goes to his liquor counter, and pours himself a glass of whiskey.
Sophia sits and stares at the 2 million dollar check… Disgusted with herself for taking it, she swallows her pride, and leaves.
NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE JOHN HOLLING’S OFFICE
Detective John Hollings sits at his desk, stirring his coffee with the back of a pen.
Detective Lolette Jones, his partner, steps into the office.
“Well… That’s that” she says as she sits at a chair in front of John’s desk.
“All the alibis seem to be air tight with the two Cloud Wives… How weird was that by the way” she says, but John is lost in thought.
“John? Are you listening?” she asks.
He looks up at her “Sorry Lolette… There’s just something strange about Sophia Cloud don’t you think”
“Well… Yeah… But that doesn’t make her a murderer” she replies.
“Yeah… But” he says.
“John… Let it go… We don’t have a case… No prints on, or near the body parts… The wives alibis sealed tight… We’ve got nothing” Lolette finishes, then stands up to leave.
“Yeah… I guess…” he solemnly replies, still stirring his coffee.
THE QUANDARY RESTAURANT
Markus Cloud’s real wife enters the up town restaurant, The Quandary. Sophia Cloud’s favorite hangout.
Sophia Cloud is sitting at her reserved table, drinking white wine.
Markus Cloud’s real wife walks up to the table and slaps down a check for 8 million dollars.
“I don’t want your money… In fact I don’t want anymore to do with you” she says, then turns to walk away.
Sopha lights a long cigarette “Good… This way I don’t have to kill you” replies Sophia as she takes a hit off her cigarette, which stops Markus’s wife in her tracks… But then she continues walking, and leaves the restaurant.
Sophia smiles and takes her father’s 2 million dollar check out of her purse.
“Sorry daddy…” and rips it to pieces.
DarkJade-
PICTURE CREDIT – First Impressions
“LION’S ROAR”
A Novel
by DarkJade
Prologue;
“Within the heart of all of us, there is a Lion…”
“For each of us… A different Prey… For some it is a Love… For others… A Career… And for some, the will to Stay Alive…”
Jack Shade-
Billy Shade, or rather William Jacob Randolph Shade the Second, stands in the doorway of his ran down rental home in Ness City Kansas. He’s a rather thin young man of twenty six, weighing maybe 165lbs. at best. Which wouldn’t be that bad if he wasn’t also 6’2″ in height. His hair was short and spiky brown, but he’d always wanted to grow it out… And now maybe he would.
Billy, though his friends just call him “Shade”, is wearing some old blue jeans, and your standard one size too big white undershirt. In his hands he holds onto an also thin, cat by the name of Jeremiah. Jeremiah meows at Shade to put him down, but he does not listen… He just keeps stroking him and stroking him. Though don’t let old Jeremiah fool you, he’s also purring away, and is basically in kitty paradise.
Shade’s eyes are a dark steel blue, and he simply gazes outward into the warm Kansas Day, lost in thought.
On the kitchen table behind him is an open envelope, with a letter laid out, read, on it.
THE LETTER;
Dear William,
I’m sorry to have to tell you that your Father, Bill, has died… This is a difficult time for your six half brother’s and step sister as you might imagine. Old Red Horn and his two brother’s have come back to the Ranch early to manage things well your siblings try to deal with the grief. You don’t know old Red Horn, he is a Native American that helps us run cattle during the season. He and his two brothers have meant a great deal to the “Shade Ranch”. Anyway, I’m rambling a bit, I… I just don’t know what I’m going to do without Bill. And your Step Sister Kate is… Well, lets just say she isn’t herself. Now I know you have been estranged from your Father for a long time, some 22 years now, but that’s only because your Mother Marcy wanted it that way. Bill would have preferred both you and your Older Brother Nicholas to be more involved with the Ranch. Such is life. Now your Brother’s and Sister don’t know that I’m writing you this letter, but what they do know is that your Father left in his Will a note asking that we contact you upon his demise. Sadly there is no mention of Nicholas.
It is of the utmost importance that you make your way to Montana, and the Reading of your Father’s last Will and Testimate. I’m sure it’s nothing, he probably left you a bit of money or something, as the Ranch has done quite well, what with Bill, Red Horn and your Six Brother’s running things. My Oldest Joseph has been a great help to your Father, and is very angry now that he’s gone… Oh well, time will hopefully make it easier for him. Anyway, if you could come right away to Montana, I’ve included a round trip ticket for you, and some money.
Most sincerely, your Step Mom
Martha-
Chapter One – Lion’s Roar – The Arrival
Other Novel’s in progress by DarkJade; “I Died Once” – Writing Project, “One Knight”.
“I Died Once” – Writing Project
by DarkJade
CHAPTER VI – Taking Flight
“You Must Seek The Truth… It is Inherent in you”
“From This Truth… Will come Love…”
“From this Love… You will Fly Free”
THE CHRONICLES OF MADY MONROE-
The next morning I was awoken by the light oh so bright. An African Day awaited me. Outside I could hear the loud rumblings of some sort of engine.
To my surprise as I drew the curtains back in my room, I could see a decent sized four engine prop plane. Sam, err, my Father, was all garbed out in goggles and a pilots hat and jacket, and was headed towards my guest house.
I quickly threw my dark hair into a ponytail, though my hair is very wavy, and tossed on some khakis and a white blowsy shirt.
He came in. “Good Morning Mady…” he said. I waved back. “It’s time you saw a bit more of Africa, as well as my Diamond Mine”. “Alright?” I replied. “Come on” he waved me outside.
Before I knew it we had taken flight, and I was in the air…
My instinct was to close my eyes, and stick my arm out the window, but I would have to settle for closing my eyes.
“So you really are a Pilot…” I spoke. He looked at me “Yes…”.
This plane was very loud, and yet for some reason I did not mind it’s rumblings. I closed my eyes, and just listened to the engines hum as we hit the sky.
“Look” he touched my arm. I looked down upon the African plain, and saw a whole flock of Giraffes running… Behind them, a Male Lion. I gasped “Will he catch them…” my Father looked at me “All he wants is one…”.
It was beautiful to see… And yet… Somehow… Tragic. My eyes started to tear as we flew over. Wow, it seems as though everything makes me cry these days.
The Sky in front of us was vast to say the least. Filled with strips of invasive clouds, surrounded by soft misty blue skies.
I closed my eyes for most of the journey, as I didn’t need them to see… It was made quite clear to me why I was here. The pains inside would do their best to keep hold. But they would not be victorious… Not here… Not now.
Soon we reached the site of the Diamond Mine, a huge hole the side of a mountain.
“There it is” he said. “Ah…” I replied. He then swung the plane over and around it, and headed off into a completely new direction. “We’re not landing?” I inquired.
“Nah…” he replied. A man of few words. The next half an hour or so were filled with such sites from above, I can hardly put it to words. My insides filled with mysteries and questions that only the landscape could answer.
After a while I found myself dosing off, and noting this, he turned back and headed towards his estate.
Bleary eyed I rolled my head towards him, as I lay it against the seat.
“So… What do yah think?” he asked. “I tried to kill myself” was my reply. With this his eyes widened.
“Well…” he managed. Why did I say that, what was I thinking. “That is a thing” he continued. A thing, yeah, okay, I turned and looked out the window. Suddenly he put his hand on my shoulder, grasping it really, and so I returned my gaze to him, my blue eyes darkened.
He stared at me with his deep brown eyes and said “My god I’m glad you didn’t succeed” and with this, he was the one who teared up… All I could do is simply smile… Something I hadn’t done in a long… Long… Long time.
End of Chapter VI
- Chapter One -State of Murder
- Chapter Two – Mother No More
- Chapter 2.5 – And Then He Came
- Chapter Three – My Father From Africa?
- Chapter 3.5 – A Diamond Mine
- Chapter Four – Dream State
- Chapter Five – Withdrawal
- Chapter VII – The 13th Day
- Chapter VIII – Safari
- Conclusion – Stranger Ends
“I Died Once” – Writing Project
by DarkJade
CHAPTER V – Withdrawl
Our next days of traveling, we didn’t speak all that much… But the Sites and Views of Africa were more than apt to sustain me.
As my deep blue eyes stared outwardly, they seem to widen and deepen… Or at least it felt that way.
Minutes became hours, hours became days… Until at last we reached my Father’s estate. I was starting to give up on referring to him as Sam, even in the sanctum of my own thoughts.
He seemed to have business with a dark skinned man that ran the place well he was gone, and so I adjourned to the room I was given, which was actually near a small lake. I seemed to be dragging a bit today, as my bag seemed quite heavy. And I knew that it was not.
Once inside, it was a very nice room, and would more than due. It was at that point that I found myself, in some sort of catatonic stagger, making my way to the waters edge… And it happened.
The next thing I knew, I had most likely collapsed, as I lay their in a flood of my own tears.
Was it my mother’s death? Or the elapsed vigor of the journey… I knew not.
What I did know was I wasn’t going to let my father find me this way… As I’m sure he too is feeling the affects of this “sudden” daughter. And so I somehow rose to my feet, and made my way to the main house.
He was inside a smoking room, with a short drink of whiskey at his side. “Well hello…” with this he rose to his feet, and sat down his paper. “Caught a nap did yah…” this struck me as a curious thing to say, as we had just arrived… But then as I looked at my small watch around my wrist, I realized that I must have been laying by the water for some three hours, and not realized it. I removed the watch and sat it on the end table nearby, for I had no interest in time as of late… Time had stopped the moment I descended into my mother’s pool… And in truth, I have yet to have ascended. He approached me with a smidgen of curiosity in his eyes.
“What’s this on your face…” all slowed down as he reached to my face, and wiped away a bit of dirt near my right eye, the side of my face that had made a resting place of the ground by the water.
I teared up. Now I knew he didn’t know how to react to this, so instead he began to walk by me… I felt my heart sink, but then his hand took mine as he passed “Come on Mady, Tatenda has prepared us some food…”.
And so we went to supper.
End of Chapter Five
- Chapter One -State of Murder
- Chapter Two – Mother No More
- Chapter 2.5 – And Then He Came
- Chapter Three – My Father From Africa?
- Chapter 3.5 – A Diamond Mine
- Chapter 4 – Dream State
- Chapter VI – Taking Flight
- Chapter VII – The 13th Day
- Chapter VIII – Safari
- Conclusion – Stranger Ends
“I Died Once” – Writing Project
by DarkJade
CHAPTER FOUR – Dream State
BLACK AND WHITE SEQUENCE
A Young dark haired Girl, maybe three, plays with a beach ball by the pool of Mady’s Mother’s estate.
As She plays, she is distracted by the sounds of fighting within her home.
The ball becomes loose, and bounces towards the pool. The little girl pursues it and grabs it just before it falls into the water.
The Fighting continues.
She turns towards the house where she sees a man and woman fighting in the living room of the home.
The little girl takes a step backwards, and is in the pool.
As she falls, she lets go of the ball, and so sinks slowly to the bottom.
She stares upward through the water, but does not breathe. Not one bubble.
Suddenly a man is in the pool, and pulls her out.
“Mady!!”. “Are you alright!!?” he says frantically, the woman stands behind him and watches.
ALL TURNS BLACK
“I can not stay here Scarlet… I must go” are the last words she hears before…
COLOR
I am awake. I find myself laying inside of some sort of tent. I ascertain that it must be night, as the tent walls glow a wobbling yellow. Like fire light.
I grab a sweater, and step outside.
My Father… Er… Sam…
Has started a campfire, and appears to be cooking something. His back is turned to me.
“Boy you really passed out…” he spoke.
“Mmm” I replied as I approached the fire.
He looked at me, whilst also cooking something on a stick.
“Bad dreams…” interesting that he wasn’t asking, he was simply stating it like a truth.
“Perhaps…” I replied.
Much silence went by, save the clanker of the tin plate as he dished me up some local meat, and greens.
“Thank you”.
The sounds of the African night were… Well… Torrential to the senses.
But to the darkened soul, what else would they be.
It was at this point that he started to interrogate me again… Or rather… Make conversation.
“So… Pool… Last breath… Anything?”. This surprised me, only because of the dream I had just had.
“Was my mother’s name Scarlet?” I replied.
He simply sat there staring at me.
“It used to be… Yes”.
“You didn’t know your mother’s name?”
“No…” I solemnly replied.
“Fred insisted on calling her Mrs. Holden” as that was, er is, Fred’s last name. Frederich Walter Holden the Third. Argh.
“And she insisted that I call her Mother”.
“Well… Yes… Scarlet Violet Monroe… Er… Vanderbelle, was her maiden name”.
“What a tremendous name” I proclaimed.
“Yeah, well, with a great name, came a lot of pressure from her parents… And in the end, her Grandmother Edith Donday Vanderbelle” with this he seemed to almost growl.
“I see”.
“Before you ask me a third time about not breathing in the pool, you might consider talking to me about something trivial…”
“Trivial?” he replied.
“Yes… Like, where I got these boots… Or…” I rise to fetch a glass of water, he hands it to me. “Thank you”.
“Why I never wear my reading glasses, and instead set a book on my desk, and use the telescope from Uncle Henry to read them, whilst I sit in the comfort of my bed…”
He stood “I don’t do trivial…”. With this he cleaned up and headed for a blanket he had laid out on the ground for himself.
I simply watched. Well, no wonder he left my mother, if he doesn’t do trivial, then he couldn’t have possibly “done” her, as the whole of who she was was trivial. I went to bed.
End of Chapter Four
“I Died Once” – Writing Project
by DarkJade
CHAPTER THREE – MY FATHER FROM AFRICA?
That ride was very odd indeed. The rest of the way I didn’t say a word. When I sent that note to my father’s supposed address in Africa, I never for the life of me expected a reply, and certainly not like this.
Perhaps showing you the note might illuminate a few things.
Dear Father,
Fred has killed mother, and wrapped her in your living room rug.
Best fetch me at once, for he just took three close range shots at my bed with his revolver, fortunately I was out at the pool breathing my last breath.
Your Daughter, Mady
No indeed I did not. And yet, here he was, sitting next to me, almost on top of me really as I was squished between the old man and he. He finally spoke as he rolled a cigarette. “So what’s this you say about Breathing Your Last Breath…” “Huh? Oh… The Note… It’s nothing”. He looked at me “Nothing eh… Doesn’t sound like nothing” I did not reply, and instead went on looking straight ahead. “Oh well, maybe later than”. “So you brought Fred a Rug?” I’m not exactly sure why I asked that, perhaps some part of me wanted to talk to him on a more intimate level, but instead found the trivial. “Oh, yeah… You said he wrapped yer mum up in that African Rug I had in the living room… So I thought I’d give him a new one…” with this he looked at me “You know… As kind of a “I know what you did” message to his subconscious…”. This surprised me. “Uh, isn’t that kind of dangerous, I mean, he’s a Killer…” with this he smiled. “Oh no, I’m the killer, you should see my Library Wall at home, every hunt worthy beast in Africa has found their head mounted there”. “No, old Fred, I suspect, as I’ve always suspected, is just a Money Hungry Greedy Bastard, heh… And a sloppy Murderer at that”. Well, with this I had to agree with Dad… Dad? Ew, don’t think I like that. I’ll just call him Sam.
To Be Continued in Chapter Three (Part Two)…
DarkJade-
- Chapter One – State of Murder
- Chapter Two – Mother No More
- Chapter 2.5 – And Then He Came
- Chapter 3.5 – A Diamond Mine
- Chapter Four – Dream State
- Chapter Five – Withdrawal
- Chapter VI – Taking Flight
- Chapter VII – The 13th Day
- Chapter VIII – Safari
- Conclusion – Stranger Ends
“I Died Once” – Writing Project
by DarkJade
CHAPTER TWO (PART TWO) – And Then He Came
And then he came…
On the eleventh day after my mothers death, an old pickup truck arrived in the driveway of my mothers estate. An old man drove it, and a man in an old brown leather jacket and a hat pulled down over his face got out of the passengers side. The man in the hats pants and boots were also very beaten down.
Now Fred ran out to the driveway arms flailing, assuming they had taken a wrong turn or something.
I took a bite out of my apple, this was getting good. The man in the hat merely pointed at the back of the pickup truck, and the old man took out what appeared to be a wrapped rug, threw it over his shoulder and headed towards the house.
At first Fred tried to stop him, then followed him in. This is when the man in the hat looked over my way and motioned for me to come quickly. Some how he knew I was behind the bush.
What would I do? What could I do. Before I knew it I was sprinting at him and he quickly opened his door and shuffled me to the passenger side floor, then shut the door.
“Well, certainly appreciate the rug” suddenly I heard Fred’s voice. It was the first time I had heard it since the night he killed my mother. Terror filled me, my heart started to beat rapidly, and I began to sweat.
“Who did you say sent it”
“A man called Sam Monroe, from Africa…” “Oh, okay, well thank you…”
“Can I get you two gentleman a drink?” please say no… I thought to myself. “Nope, we’ll be on our way…” spoke the man in the hat. He had a notably soothing voice, which seemed to calm me a bit. And a huge knife on his belt, that didn’t hurt either.
“Very well, thanks again…” and we left.
The old man never looked down at me curled on the floor, as if the man in the hat had told him to expect a visitor.
After a while, the man in the hat looked down at me “You can come up now…” and so I did hesitently.
“How did you know I was in the bushes?” I managed.
“In Africa, you must always be watchful of things in the brush…”
“Africa?”
“Yup, and that’s where we’re headed”.
He then did the oddest thing, he stuck his hand out “My names Sam by the way… Sam Monroe”.
End Of Chapter Two
DarkJade-
- Chapter One – State of Murder
- Chapter Two – Mother No More
- Chapter Three – My Father From Africa?
- Chapter 3.5 – A Diamond Mine
- Chapter Four – Dream State
- Chapter Five – Withdrawal
- Chapter VI – Taking Flight
- Chapter VII – The 13th Day
- Chapter VIII – Safari
- Conclusion – Stranger Ends
“I Died Once” – Writing Project
by DarkJade
CHAPTER TWO (Part One) – Mother No More
Slowly I brought my head out of the water, and peeked over the ridge of the pool. My dark blue eyes piercing through the darkness, into our living room inside.
Fred looked to be holding one of our ivory horse bookends. He sat it down, and grabbed my mother’s feet as she lay motionless on the floor.
The next things that happened became a bit of a blur, but I believe he wrapped her in her favorite African rug, a gift from my mysterious father.
He then made his way to my room, he looked to be holding a gun. I watched, frozen, in shock, and horror.
When he reached my room, he didn’t turn on my light. He simply fired three shots into my bed. We had no nearby neighbors, so no one was likely to hear the shots, or see the flashing of light through my window. No one but me.
After this, he went back to the living room, picked up my mother who was now wrapped in the African rug, and took her out the front door. I assume he put the body in the trunk of his car. He then drove off.
In a trance of a sort, I got out of the pool, grabbed my pajamas, and went inside the house. I hesitantly made my way into the living room, holding my pajamas in my arms. There was a small amount of blood on the floor, and I was dripping water.
I quickly made my way to my bedroom where my bedding and bed had been ripped up from the gun shots. I got some clothes on, sat down at my desk, wrote a short note and put it in an envelope. I then opened a wooden box, said to have been sent from my father from Africa. Inside of it I took out a scrap of paper with an address in Africa on it, I copied the address onto the envelope.
I then ran outside and put the note into the mail box.
After this, I went to Tommy’s home, he said I could stay with them well I waited.
And waited I did.
I simply told his parents that they were fumigating our estate, and I didn’t want to stay in a hotel with my mother and Fred, who was actually my step father.
What a shock it must have been for Fred, when the next morning he found that my body wasn’t there.
He favored himself a hunter, and so I would imagine the hunt was on.
Each day I would make my way to my mothers estate hiding in the bushes near the long half circle driveway. For the first few days, the Police would come, I avoided the days they would search for me.
How did he explain it, originally his plan might have been that my mother shot me, and then disappeared. But what now, my mother and I simply left town?
And what about my mother’s body. How can he place the body somewhere where they could find it and still hope for her inheritance, when I am still missing. If her money is what he’s after.
He must be very stressed right now, very stressed indeed. With this I smile slightly.
After a week or so of doing this, I had got into a bit of a routine. A simple breakfast with Tommy’s family, and when I say simple, I mean boxed cereal. Followed by a journey from their home to my mother’s estate, where I lay behind the bushes and watch Fred tear out of the driveway in his little silver convertible that my mother bought him last Valentines Day. Happy V-Day Fred. And then he’d return skidding into the long curved driveway, and rush inside the house.
Poor Betsy was let go at some point, I don’t think Fred wanted anyone else around.
And to be honest with you, Fred wasn’t all together that couth. At this point, I think he had become the main suspect, as detective’s came and went frequently.
To Be Continued in Chapter Two (Part Two)…
DarkJade-
Just a Note to my Readers, “I Died Once” is just a Working Title. Chances are it will not be the Final Name. Enjoy
“I Died Once”
by DarkJade
CHAPTER ONE – State of Murder
I sat alone, legs crossed, in my short black skirt in the waiting room of yet another know all, fix all Quack of my mothers finding.
I am a fifteen year old girl, five foot eight, lean, dark haired, blue eyed, with skin not as fair as I might like.
I crossed my arms tightly, feeling the softness of my dark blue sweater, a gift from my fathers mother, some two or three Christmas’s ago.
My father… What a joke that is, a “Pilot in Africa” they say. How nondescript.
“Caroline Monroe” the nurse called out, I pretended not to hear her. Besides, my name is Mady. My mothers, mothers, mothers name. Madeline that is.
“Excuse me miss, are you Miss Caroline Monroe?” the nurse leaned over at me.
“Mady…” I replied. “Oh yes, your mother mentioned you go by Mady”.
“Nice of you to listen…” I spat, and rose from my seat, and grabbed my small blue rhinestone bag. A gift from a cousin… Well, actually, I took it.
The next two or so hours would be the non-interested Doctor Spiner asking me many, many questions. And lets face it, who cares what the answers were, in the end it would all be the same.
“Now Caroline…” “Mady!” I replied profusely. “Oh yes, your mother mentioned that you prefer your middle name”. “Did she now” I sighed. “Now Mady, I want you to take two of these pills twice a day…” he handed me a large bottle. “It will help you to relax”.
On the long ride home, going anywhere with my mother was a long ride home, I stared blankly out the window which was open slightly. Discretely I would drop one pill after another onto the outside road. “Plink, Plink, Plink”.
When we arrived at my mothers home, a large estate left to her from her industrious father, I quickly made my way up the long windy stairs– “Now Mady…” but not quickly enough. I turned to face her.
Now my mother had a long faced countenance, and over dressed for every occasion. I believe she was wearing a ball gown.
“Yes Mother” I replied. “Betsy is preparing a fine dinner, do be back down in no more than fifteen minutes will you darling…” “Okey Dokey…” I turned away. “Your father and I shall be going out…” I turned and faced her once more. “Fred is not my father…” “Oh Mady, must you be so–” “Honest? Yes” I interjected. “I was going to say–” but I was already up the stairs, and into my room SLAM! “–difficult” she muttered to herself.
As I sat alone in the dark, staring at the ceiling, I could here Betsy quietly enter and set a tray of food on my desk. She always did, she wasn’t so bad. But she wasn’t worth staying for.
Roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a big fluffy roll… How delightful. Tommy would really like this.
Just then a small pebble struck my window, as it did every evening at this hour. I opened my window to see Tommy Wilkens standing down below. As he always did.
I quickly lowered down the food tray to him, and then back up again. “Thank you Mady…” he whispered just audibly enough that I should hear him, and I waved to him as he snuck off to his home, some one or two miles down the road. His family lived in a back shack of another estate, as his father was their Gardner.
Tommy’s family was very poor however, as the job did not pay well, being at the mercy of the tightly fisted Johnsons. I had fed him for years. Who would feed him when I was gone?
When midnight struck, I made my way to our large pool in the back. Beyond Mothers Roses.
Before the pool, I stripped down completely, why ruin a perfectly good set of flannel pajamas. And dove in…
Under the water was beautiful, and quiet. Above I could see all the brilliant stars.
Now I was a decent swimmer, so this may take a few minutes as I sat on the bottom of the pool. And that’s when I heard the scream.
End of Chapter One
DarkJade-
