x
CHAPTER FOUR - THE HEATHER AND THE ORCHID
690Please respect copyright.PENANAD6nHSq8t04
Roasting coffee. It is the first thing that Elizabeth smells as soon as she walks from the stairs into the small kitchen. There, she sees her mother, pacing around the room. Her mother moves like the wind— without stopping for a moment, even to look at Elizabeth standing there at the threshold. She wants to speak, but she is afraid her mother won’t hear her. She walks to the old table that they use as a dining table and sits, looking out the window. Elizabeth wishes it were sunny this morning, but it isn’t. There is an overcast that hangs over their property like a depressed soul. Is it going to rain? She hopes not. She is planning on going to the mansion today.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAu5Y9nreQSP
She can’t help it anymore. The mystery and the curious nature of the home is beginning to stay in her mind. She knows its an obsession and a thought that needs to be sedated, or she fears she’ll lose her mind completely.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAHzpy7mj9Sc
“I didn’t see you come in,” her mother says, finally aware of her daughter.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAB1t78DuohT
Elizabeth turns. “Yeah, I’ve been here for a minute or so.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANANhgWmpg6Gi
When can I make my way out of here? After breakfast? No. Too soon. Ma’ll notice and then I’ll probably lose my life.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAldk56Z8Xzj
“Got biscuits in the oven. I know ya like those. They’re buttermilk. Yer fav’rite.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA9tKgyVmOaJ
Her stomach thunders and she puts her hand against it. “Sounds great!” She forces a smile, then looks out the window again. “Say, why don’t I—”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAk1VBVB0HyG
“I know what yer about to say, young lady. And no. No going outside. Only unless it’s on the property.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAL1oGOeN0aV
“Ma, I was only gonna ask if I can have some coffee.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAcUg6XXQ9mu
“Are ya kiddin’ me?” Her mother laughs, shaking her head. “Yer too young for coffee. It’ll getcha too hyped up.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANASoXH1BtCoC
She sinks. “But Pa always gave me a cup…”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAPMDME019Pz
“I ain’t yer pa.” Her eyes are dark, serious.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAtxfawrTZ7r
“Please? Just one.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAqvwtEut3rn
She shakes her head and puts a firm fist on the table, causing it to resonate. Elizabeth scoots herself back and looks at her mother with eyes wide open. Her mouth is agape.
690Please respect copyright.PENANACMNhLvDeqC
“Sorry, Ma. I won’t ask again.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA4ko1Kz5TFX
I guess getting out of here is going to be harder than I thought, but I’m going to do it anyway. I have to. I can’t take it anymore.
690Please respect copyright.PENANA1L5qFT8gAU
She does not know if her mother notices her opening the front door ever so softly, but she closes it behind her and walks out towards the road. Dashing, her heart thunders as she tries to be unnoticed. Soon, her feet have a syncopated rhythm. Every motion she makes has intent as she keeps her eyes ahead. She can’t wait to see the mansion and hopes that Mr. Guillory won’t be there to interrupt her.690Please respect copyright.PENANAp3wGjJRwIo
690Please respect copyright.PENANAYauWSRssTb
Elizabeth passes the row of homes that she’s begun to grow even more familiar with. The little old ladies like to gather together on each other’s porches every weekend and indulge in the gossip about the town. As they notice Elizabeth, they wave at her and she reciprocates the gesture. She knows they are talking about her, though. She can see it in the way their eyes are following her every move. A part of her feels that her mother is in the crowd, watching her wth eyes like a hawk. But Elizabeth chooses to ignore it.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAw21XAlXiuX
When the homes are out of sight, she feels a sense of freedom. She feels as if she is flying as her speed picks up. But then she notices a few daisies on the sidewalk. She must stop. Smiling, she kneels down and begins to pick them. They are as pure and white as Mr. Guillory’s Celie. She picks a few, sitting on the ground, not caring if her dress becomes filthy as a result. Elizabeth begins to link the stems together in order to make a crown. When she is done, she puts the string of daisies atop her head and stands up. A crown of daisies for her father. A crown of daisies for herself. She smiles, feeling closer to her father than ever before.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAx8YazrfSEQ
She is not paying any more attention to what is in front of her, instead, she escapes into her world of her father and deep thoughts. She collides against something—or someone. Stepping back, she looks directly into the eyes of someone she recognizes. It is the same boy from church last Sunday. He stands with a younger boy, who also looks at Elizabeth. His eyes are more inquisitive than the older boy. The older boy looks at her with narrowed eyes. Elizabeth does not look at him directly, rather beyond his shoulder.
690Please respect copyright.PENANA5rAZXONEnn
“Watch where yer goin’.” He says, crossing his arms against his chest. “Why ya wearin’ flowers on yer head?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA6T0qvgmwjj
Elizabeth says, now looking directly at him. “’Cause I feel like it. That’s why.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAcYq5YJWPAk
“Ah…”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAURCdTrN8qI
“I like it,” the younger boy says. “Daisies are pretty.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA5EoqEwxCDj
“Oh come on, Sam.” He scoffs. “Daisies are for girls. You ain’t no girl.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAnrQdM6SGIM
Sam hangs his head and shuffles his feet. “Aw Luke…I just thought I’d pay her a compliment.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA9FhAX8vJAW
“Well come on. We gotta go home before Mama chides us for bein’ late.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAFmv6fmKh8O
Elizabeth walks away and doesn’t turn to look back at the two boys.
690Please respect copyright.PENANACKRwIwHGNv
“Where ya goin’?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANADKBS2NbZ0v
It is the older boy’s voice. Luke’s. Elizabeth turns around and says, “Ain’t none ya business where I’m goin.’”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA1pgRhXJ4LZ
“Girl like you shouldn’t be goin’ around alone.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA9r5IvvgIg9
“Oh come on,” she says. “This place is safe. No baddies around here.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAOVkYoDNQhn
He shakes his head. “That’s what you think.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAruT0IQvQtO
Elizabeth chooses to ignore them and walks away, but she hears their footsteps behind her. Instead of fading away like they should be, they are approaching closer. She turns around again and asks, “What?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA517eMdXBnm
“Like I said, girls shouldn’t be walkin’ alone.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAuexjRgF9vF
She shakes her head and doesn’t respond to him. She resumes walking, but this time her pace is faster.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAV9eOXIlM05
“Wait for us!” Sam says. “Wait for us!”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAPkhuEN7iag
“Fine,” Elizabeth says, realizing that they are not going to stop following her. “Luke.” She narrows her eyes.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAXnv5PFUFwB
They pass another string of homes, ones that are nicer than the homes of the older ladies. Elizabeth likes to look at these. There is one home, a lovely purple home, that has a beautiful flower garden in the front yard. There, in the middle of a garden of dark purple orchids, is a pregnant woman. Elizabeth looks at her, the way she flows as she moves. It is as if she is one with the orchids. The woman notices their presence and waves at all three.
690Please respect copyright.PENANA6A10TMf8MB
“Hello, Luke! Hello, Sam! And you, I don’t know, but hello!”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAE0yMgBqDCo
Elizabeth loves the warm, honeyed overtones in her voice. Everything about her is purple and a brilliant white. She is a true Southern Belle — in every meaning of the word.
690Please respect copyright.PENANA9CvkrM4YUD
“Hello Mrs. Frechou,” Luke says with a single wave.
690Please respect copyright.PENANA0SThKz1DL7
The woman waddles closer to the fence. As Elizabeth is getting a closer look now, she sees that the woman is due perhaps any day now.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAMVTMvqDScv
“And who are you?” she asks, smiling as she looks at Elizabeth.
690Please respect copyright.PENANA4uf3PYyZPT
“My name is Elizabeth, ma’am. But please call me Beth. I prefer it.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAWcYJfpuMZ5
“Well aren’t you just darlin’ with those daisies in your hair? You look like a natural princess.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAatmctocx7G
Elizabeth gushes. She loves the compliment especially after that Luke fellow had insulted the fact that she has daisies in her hair. But memories of her father came flooding back into her mind.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAhbc4GOKIqZ
“Thank you, ma’am. My Pa always used to make daisy crowns for me. He was a great gardener and farmer.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA7B5xt2LE0g
Her eyes soften as her face falls. “Was?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAqn1Anj8fxO
“Yes.” The lump is rising in Elizabeth’s throat. “He died earlier this year, ma’am. Right before we moved here…”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAQdwwhvne6o
Her shoulders slump. “I truly am sorry.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAMbCTOck6KF
Elizabeth says nothing in response. She only looks at the woman with a smile on her face. It is the only thing that she can do. She doesn’t want to create an emotional, heartbreaking scene in front of complete strangers, for that is what these people are to her.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAUu04g3T534
“We’ll best be goin’, now Mrs. Frechou. Have a nice day.” Luke waves and begins to walk away.
690Please respect copyright.PENANA5FcdVCdN3Z
Elizabeth says nothing to the boys that keep following her.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAWtWRSNw2Bd
“Seriously… Beth,” Luke says. “Where are ya goin’? Home?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAwCLhT7NE0g
“I ain’t tellin.’ Go on home. I just wanna be alone.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAdJksVMuHaK
“Me and Sam ain’t leavin’ you alone. Tell us where yer goin’.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAmGqUdgFY9M
Elizabeth shakes her head and resumes walking. Elizabeth and Luke are silent, but Sam is humming a tune. Elizabeth turns around and asks, “Whatcha hummin’?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAhZuhUZ8BH7
“My Ma’s fav’rite song. It’s—”
690Please respect copyright.PENANANJ4tt32etQ
“Heather.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAUzDb86ZjLB
“Yeah. How’d ya know?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAg3GOm1YKm3
“Ma’s fav’rite too. She always sings it…”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAfQQrFTiqy3
Heather… It is such a beautiful melody. About finding solitude in hard times. Yeah, that’s prolly why it’s his Ma’s fav’rite too. We all need our solitude…
690Please respect copyright.PENANAWLp2sJbyqH
Elizabeth sees the mansion in the distance. She smiles and runs toward it, the big house never leaving her sight. She doesn’t care if the boys are followin her any longer. The only thing she wants is to go inside, regardless of who will try to stop her. Seconds turn to minutes and minutes turn into what seems like ages. When she finally stands in front of the gate, she gasps, panting. She wipes the beads of sweat that glisten on her forehead. She turns around to see Luke and Sam walking towards her.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAvP1TFYcqOW
Luke shakes his head and asks, “What do ya think yer doin’ here?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA3cjL71gfQW
“I’m gonna go in.” Elizabeth’s eyes narrow.
690Please respect copyright.PENANA6l1UlBw98Z
“Oh no you ain’t. Ya ain’t gonna go in there.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANASaw1ctvqOe
She scoffs. “And why not?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAUHW2IHIpdJ
She turns around. The darkness looms all around this home. But there is something about this mansion that speaks to her.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAZdZOzwcuRe
She turns to look at Luke — his face is white and his eyes are big like saucers. “Because this dark place is not safe for girls like you.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA4HRkokUcX0
“Not safe? How?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA3HN00aoh3J
He shivers. “Crazy man lives in there.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA23SleM2Imz
So someone does live in there. She smiles. “All the more reason to go in.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAUUR9B14HAy
“No!” he practically shouts. “There’s a crazy man in there. We’ve seen him ourselves. He’s crazy, crazy, crazy!”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAzcY8UooFeJ
“I don’t care. I think yer lyin’.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAQITEdRqyUv
“I ain’t lyin. I’ve seen him with my own eyes.” He shakes his head. “Yer not gonna take my warnin. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya. Come on Sam, let’s go to Mama. She’s gonna want us home now.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANASwMYOXOpUg
Elizabeth begins to open the gate slowly, not caring what the two boys are doing. “I ain’t goin’, Luke. I’m gonna stay with her. I wanna see what’s inside.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAn3i7tV5b3t
Luke’s shoulder slump. “The crazy man’s gonna getcha. He’s gonna getcha both. And then yer gonna be sorry. I’ve heard stories about this man. He’s hurt lotsa folks. I even heard that he hurt a little kid who was doin’ the same thing yer doin’ just cause he touched a lamp. A lamp! Do you wanna get hurt? Both of ya? What are you two thinkin’?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANADl3VoQVdAT
“There’s no sense in not goin’ in now,” Elizabeth says, crossing her arms against her chest. “I came all the way over here. And I’m gonna go in whether you like it or not. I don’t even know you both. Yer practically strangers to me. Don’tcha think that I might think that yer lyin’ to me, just so that I can’t go in? Mr. Guillory doesn’t want me in here either.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANApdRezebuDv
“Cause Mr. Guillory knows! He knows about the crazy man… He knows all about the crazy man… Don’t be a rebel. You look like the kind of girl that’s a mama’s prize. You want yer mama to be cryin’ over yer death?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAyG63zD1lzi
“My mama doesn’t cry over me. She never will.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAmnTqwPojFN
She cries over David.
690Please respect copyright.PENANApGzQVx5DV3
“Well, then… I suppose yer mama won’t want ya to leave yer home.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANANMVzFHKDvQ
“I’m goin’ in.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAYK2EOD7mfO
The gate is opened fully by Elizabeth. Luke stares at her and shakes his head. “I told ya… Don’t say you weren’t warned. Sam, you ain’t goin’ in. Yer stayin’ right here with me.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAdSXjPu96et
“I suppose you two’ll be here when I come out?”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAQ140CsKKhs
“No.” Luke shakes his head. “Good luck, then. I can’t get anything through yer thick head.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANAqVfUbkJ3Tu
Elizabeth grimaces and puts her first in the air. “Why I oughta…” But her words trail off. “Never mind. I’m goin’ in.”
690Please respect copyright.PENANA9V2Kge8lDp
She turns around and takes a deep breath as she walks towards the dilapidated steps. Her heart thunders as she inches her way towards the front door. She turns around, seeing that Luke and his brother are still standing there, watching her. Sam is leaning against the picket fence, his eyes full of just as much curiosity as Elizabeth. But Luke, Luke is frowning. Or at least it looks like he is frowning from where she is standing.
690Please respect copyright.PENANAENi38XQSGa
Elizabeth turns around one more time and opens the door, which to her honest surprise, is unlocked. It makes a sound like a dying old man as it opens and her heart skips a beat. What if the so-called crazy man hears her come in? What will become of her?
690Please respect copyright.PENANAh5gHSIFr9I
690Please respect copyright.PENANAO6zJb64QeH
690Please respect copyright.PENANAV7126kHq11
690Please respect copyright.PENANAaOO0QogQ91
690Please respect copyright.PENANA6MxzixYVbZ
690Please respect copyright.PENANAUedyvIxpOZ
690Please respect copyright.PENANAKeBtl8BhKk
690Please respect copyright.PENANAmN20W3O0L7
ns 172.69.59.156da2