Labyrinth Society (19 page)

“I'll walk you home,” Jackie said, linking her arm through Sarah's and pulling her. “We can get together tomorrow and I'll show you the willow tree.”

“Okay.” Sarah allowed Jackie to pull her forward.

They moved down the street and Jackie told Sarah all about the town of Harrisburg and its quirky characters. Sarah listened intently, forgetting the tingling feeling.
Maybe being stuck here for the summer won't be so bad.

Looking at the homes lining the streets, Sarah wondered what it would be like to grow up in such a tiny town. She lived in the city and enjoyed the hustle and bustle. Here everything moved at a slower pace.

Reaching her aunt and uncle's home, Sarah made plans to see Jackie the next day. After she said goodbye, Sarah climbed the stairs to the large front porch. She plopped down on the swing hanging from hooks above the stoop. Sarah always thought of their house as friendly, with its yellow siding and ample porch. This could be a great summer after all.
Exhaling a contented sigh, she looked forward to the next morning.

****

Sarah woke bright and early the next day. Bounding out of bed, she dressed in denim shorts and a yellow T-shirt.
As Sarah brushed her hair, she realized she was excited about seeing her new friend again. Giggling, she remembered how much she enjoyed Jackie's dramatic flair. It was like Jackie was the ying to her yang. They went together like peanut butter and jelly.

Suddenly, Sarah remembered a song she had learned at Y camp a few years ago. The song drifted into her mind…
Peeeanuuut, peanut butter….jelly. Peeeanuuut, peanut butter….jelly. First you take the peanuts and you smash them, smash them, smash them—.
She had sung it with her best friend Melanie and they would swing their hips to the beat, pretending to smash peanuts with their hands. Sarah laughed at the memory and realized she clicked with Jackie, not quite the same way as with Melanie, but in a way that was still fun.
Things are definitely looking up for the summer.

While waiting for her aunt to finish cooking breakfast, Sarah walked out into the backyard. She could tell it was going to be a scorcher, because it was only eight o'clock and already the dew had dried on the grass. Smiling, she turned her face to the sun, enjoying the heat.

Sarah listened to the sounds of the morning, the twittering of birds, the buzzing of insects, and the occasional bark of a dog. She loved this morning melody and her body tingled with anticipation.

Jackie arrived right after breakfast. Lacey beat Sarah to the door, and when she met Jackie she insisted on being included. Sarah didn't put up much of a fight and the three girls sat on the stoop making plans for the day.

Jackie studied Lacey. “Hey, you guys could almost be twins.”

Sarah laughed. “No way.”

“Way,” Jackie insisted. “You guys have the same blonde hair and green eyes.”

“But, Lacey's taller than I am and her hair goes all the way to her waist,” Sarah pointed out. “Mine stops at my shoulders.”

“Yeah,” Lacey agreed.

“Besides, our personalities are like night and day.”

“So, where does it say twins have the same personality?”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“We should go to the willow tree,” Jackie said, pulling on one of her curls.

“What? Bored with the conversation already?” Sarah teased.

Jackie cracked a wide smile. “Yeah. Let's go to the willow tree.”

“Where's the willow tree?” Sarah asked.

“It's down by the creek.” Jackie stood and descended the stairs. “I know. We can play truth or dare. Have you ever played?”

“I have.” Sarah stood to follow Jackie.

“How do you play?” Lacey asked.

Jackie explained the rules of the game as they walked to the creek. Sarah tuned her out and focused her attention on the world around her. Listening to the neighborhood as it came to life, she heard the roar of a lawnmower as a neighbor fired it up to mow. She heard the
spish, spish, spish
, of a sprinkler as it watered someone's parched lawn, and then the buzz of a bee as it flew by, searching for flowers. When she felt the sun's prickly heat on her skin, Sarah realized she loved summer.

The Cole girls followed Jackie to the end of a cul-de-sac. Beyond it, Sarah spied a sandy trail stretching through the weeds like a discarded shoelace, long and skinny. Walking single file behind Jackie, Sarah winced when the weeds clutched at her calves.

When the girls reached the creek, they continued to follow their new friend. She walked along the bank, chasing the current downstream. The scent of wild flowers wafted past Sarah and she took several deep breaths. Her chest loosened as her lungs filled with the heady perfume. Sarah cracked a smile as her body tingled.
This summer is definitely better than I expected.

The smell of wildflowers mixed with the sound of the water making its way to the ocean sent shivers of delight down Sarah's spine.
It surprised her to find the creek only a few blocks away from her aunt and uncle's house. In the city, there wasn't a body of water within walking distance of their home.
Even finding a mud puddle is a rare occurrence.

Walking along the bank, the girls came to the large willow tree and quickly claimed it as their secret hiding place. Creeping beneath the pliable branches, Sarah sighed, happy to be out of the sun. Jackie sat down on the ground and started playing in the soil with a stick. Sarah and Lacey plopped down next to her.

“Okay, Lacey why don't you start,” Jackie said.

“Okay…Jackie, truth or dare?”

“I guess…truth.”

“Oh, you big chicken,” Lacey whined, a disappointed pout on her face.

“I'm not chicken.
I just think you'll give me a wimpy dare,” Jackie said thrusting her nose in the air. “So, truth.”

“Okay, would you ever French kiss a boy?”

“Oh, what a
lame question,” Sarah grumbled
. “I can tell this is the first time you've played this game.”

Lacey shrugged. “So what if it is? Just answer the question, Jackie.”

“Boy, you can tell you're only fourteen,” Sarah said with a superior air.

“Ooooh, you're a whole year older.” Lacey rolled her eyes. “Okay, Jack, answer the question.”

“All right,” Jackie studied the toe of her shoe for a moment. “It depends.”

“On what?”

“On w
hether or not he chewed tobacco.
” Jackie nodded. “Yeah, if he chewed tobacco, no way…but if he didn't then I'd think about it.”

“What a lame question.” Sarah gazed at Lacey and raised her right eyebrow, and smirked. This was her infamous ‘are you brain dead?' look.

“Be nice, it
is
her first time,” Jackie said, smacking Sarah on the arm.

“Whatever.” Sarah rolled her eyes.

“Sarah, truth or dare?” Jackie asked, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips.

“Dare.” Sarah pulled her hair behind her ears and she sat up tall.

“Okay,” Jackie laughed. “You have to go up on the Cat Lady's porch and ring her doorbell.”

“Who's the Cat Lady?” Lacey asked as she pulled on the grass growing beneath her and tossed it in the air.

“She's a witch.” Jackie whispered the words as if the mere mention of the woman would conjure her up.

“Holy Cow!” Lacey chortled. “You're history now!”

“No way,” Sarah scoffed.

“Way.” Lacey threw a handful of grass at her sister.

“Well?” Jackie asked. “Are you going to do it, or wimp out?”

“I'll do it.”

“Are you sure?” Jackie wheedled. “You know, she's a witch.”

“Yeah,” Lacey piped up, relishing the teasing.
“I bet she casts evil spells.”

“You remember what I told you about Mrs. Farnsworth, don't you?” Jackie continued.

“Knock it off.
” Sarah crossed her arms over her chest. “I know you're just trying to freak me out.”

“What happened to Mrs. Farnsworth?” Lacey asked, taking the bait.

Jackie deepened her voice. “It was a long time ago.”

“I'm not going to listen to this.” Sarah stood and brushed the dirt off her shorts.

“What? Are you scared?” Jackie teased.

“No, I'm not scared,” Sarah said as she glared at Jackie. “But this is the hardest dare in the history of this game.”

“Yeah, it is,” Jackie snickered. “Are you up to the challenge, girlfriend?”

“Yep, let's go.” Sarah turned, and began walking out from under the green canopy. The willow branches stroked her face and arms as she moved through them.

Lacey and Jackie stood and followed her.

Sarah squinted and shaded her eyes against the sun as she waited for the other girls to catch up.

“So, what did happen to Mrs. Farnsworth?” Lacey persisted.

“She used to live next to the Cat Lady. They were always fighting over something,” Jackie began.

“So what,” Lacey shrugged. “A lot of neighbors argue.”

“Let me finish,” Jackie scolded. “Anyway, the biggest feud they had was over the Cat Lady's apple tree. Every year it dropped a ton of apples in Mrs. Farnsworth's yard. They made a huge mess.”

“I bet Mrs. Farnsworth was totally ticked,” Sarah said.

“Yeah, it bothered her so much, one day when the Cat Lady wasn't home, she hired someone to cut down her tree.”

“Oh, I bet the Cat Lady was so-o mad.” Lacey frowned and twirled her hair around her finger.

“She sure was.” Jackie nodded. “The story goes, the Cat Lady was so angry she cast a spell on Mrs. Farnsworth. She got some mysterious illness and died a week later.”

“I don't know if I believe that story.” Sarah shot Jackie a skeptical look.

“It's true,” she insisted. “She died with huge warts all over her face and body.”

“Oooh, so-o gross.” Lacey grimaced and subconsciously wiped her hands on her shirt.

“Yeah, it was. They were oozing yellow pus.”

Lacey gagged. “Gross! She had some horrible disease, the kind you get from an evil spell.”

“Did you actually see the warts?” Sarah's upper lip quivered with suppressed laughter.

“No.”

“Then how do you know it's true?”

“I just do,” Jackie asserted. “They were green and oozing yellow pus.”

Sarah hooted with laughter. “Come on, Jack. You don't believe that, do you?”

Jackie glared at Sarah. “Yes, I do. Everything I've told you is true. Remember what I told you about Gus Baker?”

“Yeah, I remember, but I don't know if I believe that, either.” Sarah gave her the raised eyebrow smirk she usually gave her sister.

“Stop looking at me like that!”

“Come on. You don't believe those stories, do you?”

“Do you have any evidence they're not true?”

“No, I don't,” Sarah admitted. “But we don't have any evidence that they are true, either.”

“You mean Mrs. Farnsworth's wart-covered body isn't enough for you?” Jackie demanded. “What about Gus Baker?”

Sarah sighed and shook her head.

“So tell me about Gus Baker,” Lacey said.

“Not now,” Sarah interrupted. “We're here.”

The girls stopped and Sarah noticed the sun vanished behind a cloud. Suddenly, the atmosphere around the house changed. Without the sun, it appeared dark and foreboding.
Sarah stood across the street and stared at the Cat Lady's place, looking for signs of ominous danger.

The house sat hunkered down as if it were poised to spring like a cat stalking a mouse. Sarah shuddered at the thought of going up on the porch and she chewed on her thumbnail.

Looking behind her, Sarah studied the church facing the Cat Lady's home. It was a strong structure built of huge stones. She could tell it was as old as the town itself and its presence made her feel safe. Motioning for Jackie and Lacey to follow her, she moved from the sidewalk to the huge oak tree growing on the church's lawn. The girls hid behind it, peeking out at the witch's home.

“Are you still going to do it?” Jackie teased.

“Yep.”

“Do you think she's inside?” Lacey asked wide-eyed.

Sarah smirked at her. “Where else would she be? I hear she never leaves her house.”

“Be nice.” Jackie smacked Sarah's arm.

“What are you waiting for? Are you afraid of the witch?” Lacey asked as she stared at the house.

“She's not a witch. She's just a freak, that's all.”

“Well, then what are you waiting for?” Jackie snickered.

“I just want to make sure the coast is clear.”

“Hey, you guys, look at all the cats,” Lacey whispered. She pointed at the clusters of felines lolling about on the porch and walking in the yard. “There has to be at least twenty of them.”

“Yeah, that's why she's called the Cat Lady.” Sarah rolled her eyes and then felt the sting from Jackie's slap.

“Do you think she put a spell on those cats?” Lacey asked with an innocent expression, twirling her hair with her finger.

“Could be,” Sarah snickered. “Or maybe she just…you know…gives them food.”

“Knock it off, Sarah.” Lacey glared at her sister.
“What's her real name, anyway? I'm sure she hasn't gone by Cat Lady her whole life.”

“Mrs. Fedewa,” Jackie said, as she stared at the infamous house.

“Okay, I'm going for it. I'll meet you back here.”