Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Story Time Tuesday Chapter 5

If you missed STORIES FROM HOME - Chapter Four just click here. Jenny Matlock
STORIES FROM HOME - Chapter Five

Julia held out a halting hand to stop her sisters.

She was unsure what to do.

Since they had started walking, they had only slept inside once. The falling-down shed that had been their temporary shelter had looked nothing like this little house.

Most nights had found the three sisters cuddled into a pile like puppies, finding warmth and safety in tangled limbs. But none of them ever slept well, and as soon as the sun rose in the eastern sky, the grey-pink light awakened the restless girls.

But children are resilient, and although they had made sleeping outside an adventure, the thought of slumber inside a house was breath-taking.

Riley whispered loudly, “Maybe someone lives here!”

And Julia replied, “I don’t think so. I think this is an abandoned house.”

Morgan chimed in, “Julia, what does ‘abandoned’ mean?”

“Morgan, it means no one lives here, ” Julia said.

Morgan shouted, “Then we will!” and took off running toward the little house.

Her sisters quickly followed behind her and caught up with her on the front porch. With great curiosity, they looked around in the fading light.

“Oh,” breathed Riley, who had always had an artistic eye, “Look! The front door was painted red once.”

“Oh,” breathed Julia, who had always had a good imagination, “I bet a family sat here on this very porch drinking lemonade on summer days!”

“Oh!” huffed Morgan, who had always been a little impatient, “I’m going inside!” and she turned the knob and pushed the front door open.

Now sometimes when you go inside a house that’s been empty for a long time, it feels like the ghosts of memories fill up all the space and there is no room left for a welcome.

But sometimes when a house has been long and well-loved, the ghosts of memories are warm, and wrap around you like the comfort of your favorite blanket.

And that is just what all the wonderful memories inside the sad, little house did.

While the sisters stood in the front hallway with their mouths forming perfect “ohs”, the sad, little house thought very, very hard of all the wonderful times when it was filled with chaos and clatter and the chatter of children and the steady, calm voices of a mother and a father.

And the girls felt welcomed. And safe. And although it had been some time since they had felt the emotion, they knew that this little house felt like a home to them.

The girls looked carefully around the hallway in the very last light of the fading day, and they didn’t notice the piles of dead leaves and dirt. In their imaginations, they clearly saw the clutter of shoes and bookbags.

And at first, they thought they were dreaming that there were candles and a little pile of matchbooks on the dusty bottom step, but when Julia reached out to touch them, she discovered they were real. It was just as if someone had left them there for the girls to find.

Julia quickly lit a candle with shaking hands just as the dark, violet-blue rectangle of the doorway turned almost completely black, and then she firmly and quietly shut the door.

Riley and Morgan gathered close by the flickering, golden light for a whispered discussion of what to do next.

They were so tired. And somehow it felt like the right thing to start up the steep staircase together.

At the top of the stairs a small landing offered a choice of three doors.

Again, Julia put out a halting hand. Often the responsibilities of being the oldest weighed heavily on her thin, freckled shoulders. And this choice was no exception.

She hesitated a bit, uncertain of what they might find.

Morgan edged closer to her sister for reassurance. Her dark blue eyes shone with a mixture of curiousity and worry in the candle light.

This time it was Riley whose impatience got the best of her. “We can’t just stand here all night, Julia!” she said in a loud whisper. She reached out and pushed open the door on her right.

There was a bit of creaking as the hinges tried to remember their duties and small, skittering sounds of tiny animal feet running to hide

And as the girls looked around the room lit only by the candle’s dancing light, all three of them gasped in fear.

It took a moment for the girls to realize that the white ghosts filling the room were nothing more than imagination, and furniture covered in white sheets.

Between two little windows was a big, rectangular object. Julia grabbed a corner of the dingy, white cloth covering it. Riley grabbed another corner. And when they pulled, a cloud of dust surrounded them.

Coughing and sputtering, both of the older girls tried to catch their breath. When the dust cleared Julia and Riley saw Morgan already curling up on the giant, old bed.

The soft, worn colors of the old quilt on top of the high mattress looked welcoming, but Riley wanted to explore the rest of the upstairs.

“Morgan! Get up!” Riley said, “We need to look in the rest of the rooms!”

“No!” said Morgan, “I’m hungry. I’m tired. No!”

“Julia? Let’s go explore,” said Riley.

“No,” said Julia, “This feels safe. We can stay here for tonight.”

As soon as all the girls had clambered up onto the big bed, Julia unzipped her backpack and pulled out apples for dinner.

Within minutes, the apples were gone and all three sisters were cuddled into a pile, fast asleep.

And as the fireflies finished their dance under the star-filled sky, the hopeful little house waited anxiously for morning.

To be continued on Tuesday, May 25.

(c) 2010 Jennifer R. Matlock
This publication is the exclusive property of Jennifer R. Matlock and is protected
under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Jennifer R. Matlock. All rights reserved.

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30 comments:

Jocelyn said...

Oh I loved this one Jenny....I so look forward to each of your posts!!!!

So glad that the little girls found comfortable shelter and ahhhh the house!!!!

Wishing you a wonderful day sweet friend....

Cheryl said...

I love the direction you're taking with this. Your imagery is astounding.

Jules said...

You know it is really irritating that I have to wait a week to read some more! I was never much good with serials far too impatient!!! Our very first home as a married couple was like this one even to the furniture being there when me moved in and it always made me feel safe an warm. I am soooooo enjoying this!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Jenny, this was an absolute delight! Thank you for sharing it with us.

XO,

Sheila :-)

Michele {The Scrap Shoppe} said...

I'm itching to know the back story on the 3 little girls!

Jeanie said...

"But sometimes when a house has been long and well-loved, the ghosts of memories are warm, and wrap around you like the comfort of your favorite blanket." This line feels like the heart of this wonderful story. This has been so fun to read and I'm glad there will be more.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, the suspense is "terrrrrable"! :-)

*^_^*
.

Viki said...

I love it so far. Did I miss something about the 3 girls? Hopefully, we'll find out soon why they are out on their own.

grammy said...

Love the story (o:
Had fun reading all the garage sale banter (o:

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

And I waited anxiously with the little house!!! You rock, Matlock!

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

Poor little urchins!
The only thing I would caution about is the repetitive tagging of dialogue with "breathed", "breathed" and "huffed", when the girls enter the house.

Tina said...

I love the direction this is taking! Want to know more about the girls, of course, why they're on their own, and how the house got abandoned...keep 'em coming!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Your chapters alwasy leave me wanting more and it is hard to wait a week for the continuation. I love how you use your grand girlss names in the story ..they must love it!

♥ Pat

Julie Harward said...

A sweet story indeed..way to go Jenny! :D

Susan Anderson said...

Looking forward, as always, to the next installment...

=)

Julia Christie said...

I love it I love it I love it!!!
I hate waiting I hate waiting I hate waiting!

Smiles

Andrea said...

Just when you think the next week couldn't get any better. I am loving this story.

Lisa said...

Oh I love your story!! See you next week!!
Hugs, Lisa

Terra said...

Oh, I had chills twice and tears in my eyes. So anxious to find out why they are walking and the houses story. So anxious Miss Jenny. This is really a beautiful story. I always wait till I have time to sit and really enjoy it before I stop by on Tuesdays. I am never disapointed.

Ms. A said...

Time always seems to fly by... except for the time spent anxiously awaiting the Tuesday installments. Can't wait!

Marlene said...

You write so descriptively. Love reading these little stories.

Brenda said...

You know how it is when you get into a book and you must stay up half the night to finish it even though you have to get up early for work. Well I would stay up and read this until the end if I did not have to wait. Still loving it!

Brenda said...

Ok so I was a little scared there for a minute at the door thinking the SLH was haunted...man, you were getting me all worked up there... and where's the cat? The cat could have jumped out and scared the bjesus out of me, LOL!
I'm psyched to read what morning will bring. Better wear a sweater next time as I do have a chill going up my spine. It was a little touch and go there for a minute, hee-hee

Bossy Betty said...

Can't wait for more!!

Bossy Betty said...

Can't wait for more!!

Nishant said...

Love the story
post free classifieds

Lourie said...

Oooh! This one was tooooo short!!! I can hardly wait til next week.

Survivormama said...

Jenny, can't wait to read next week's part! Great imagination, I can imagine I am right there in the room with the big old bed curled up on the worn quilt sleeping!

Tara said...

I am loving this story, I can't wait to read it each week!

Mrs. M said...

I bet they will sleep great! Can't wait to read MORE!