The Timber Effect

by Jacklyn Reynolds

  Henry got everything he needed out of the garage and started setting up. He spread plastic sheeting on the ground and then drove his car on top of it to eliminate all oil spill cleanup work since he could toss the entire sheet when he was done. He kept the car going for a few minutes to warm up the oil. Henry turned off the engine, jacked up the car, and placed all his tools on a tray.

  Before he slid it all under the car, he opened a new oil bottle and smeared clean oil on the new filter's gasket. He removed the drain plug and got the old oil flowing. Then he removed the oil filter and installed the new one. Once the old oil was down to a trickle, he installed a new gasket on the plug and tightened it by tapping the box-end wrench with the rubber mallet. Henry wiped the drips with a rag and he was done under the car. He refilled the engine using a funnel and recapped the bottle before he tossed it into the recycling bin. He cleaned everything up and went back into the house.

  Henry heard Timber stirring in the bedroom and went to go see if she was awake. He found her sitting on the edge of the bed pulling her hair back into a high ponytail. She looked more awake than she had earlier that morning.

  "How are you feeling, Baby?" he asked tenderly.

  "Better," replied Timber. Henry cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead.

  "I'm going to get changed and then we'll go see Xianna, okay?"

  Timber smiled and left the room, closing the door behind her. Henry grabbed his white skull t-shirt and black shorts out of the closet. He got dressed and fastened his studded belt before turning around with a start. There was a crash in the living room and Henry rushed out to see Timber in her wolf form running after something small on the floor. She ran under the dining room table, knocking his chair over in the process. He heard a loud squeak and Timber backed up and lifted her head with a look of unmistakable pride on her face. She had a large black rat in her mouth that was struggling to free itself. Timber went into the kitchen, stood up on two legs, opened the kitchen window with her paw and dumped the rat outside.

  "Thank you," said Henry. "I don't like rats."

  Timber Turned back and looked at him curiously.

  "I didn't think you were afraid of anything," said Timber.

  "I'm not afraid of much," said Henry. "I don't mind spiders or snakes but I hate rats. I have no idea why."

  "Are there any R.O.U.S's in Haven?" asked Timber with a grin.

  "What?"

  "You've never seen 'The Princess Bride'?"

  "No," said Henry. "What are R.O.U.S's?"

  "Rodents of Unusual Size," said Timber. "You have to watch that movie with me."

  "Alright," said Henry. "Well, are we ready to go see Xianna?"

  "Yeah," said Timber. "I feel I should warn you about something. I like to eat rats and mice. I noticed that she was pregnant, so I set her free, but mice are my favorite treats." Timber snickered at Henry's look of humor and disgust. "I'm still a wolf, don't forget."

  Henry began to feel anxious as they walked out to his car. He had never been to a hospital before. Any injuries he had gotten in his life after his bite, Queen Aiyanna Ryan had mended. Though, nearly all of his injuries had been caused by fights within Haven while he was still small. He couldn't remember going to the hospital before he was bitten.

  Henry and Timber got into the car and drove to Mendocino Coast District Hospital. It was a small hospital. It only had one floor so getting lost was difficult. The asked for Xianna Greydlan and they were sent to room 114. Henry felt his heart break when he saw Xianna and her brother. Xianna was nearly unrecognizable and her brother Orion looked almost as bad as Timber had the night before. Upon seeing her, Henry was suddenly glad that Timber had immobilized her father. Timber went and curled up beside her best friend and Henry sat down beside Orion, who was ten years Xianna's senior.

  "Is she going to be okay?" Henry asked Orion.

  "The doctors say she will be," said Orion quietly, running a trembling hand through his blonde hair. "She's never been beaten like this before. She would have told me. Actually, I don't think she would. She didn't tell me when the abuse started. Probably because she knew I would have gone to prison for murder. Anyway, I don't know if she'll be mentally alright after this. I don't know if we'll be alright after this."

  Henry, sensing that Orion did not want to have this discussion in front of the women, told Timber that he and Orion were going to get some air. Timber nodded and continued stroking Xianna's blonde hair. Orion and Henry walked outside and across the street in complete silence. Henry could see Orion fighting back tears as the weight of his worries wore heavily on his mind. When they sat down on the curb, Henry looked at him.

  "Explain."

  "I had to go to Willits for a business meeting and my fiancé Hannah went with me so she could take photos for her photography portfolio. Xianna had felt uneasy about me leaving. She asked me to wait to go several times but I went. I didn't want to miss such an important meeting. I should have stayed home. I don't know if she's going to blame me for leaving."

  "I have no reason to believe she will," said Henry. "It won't be easy, but you two will be fine." Henry looked across the street to the hospital for a moment and then back to Orion. "So do you have any idea what happened last night?"

  "Police said that they found evidence that he had stalked her for a while. That might be why she's been so uneasy. She knew something was wrong but she didn't want to seem paranoid. Anyway, they looked at Xianna's phone and the first person she called was Timber. She called three times and then there were no more calls."

  "Timber and Emily got into a huge fight last night and Timber's phone broke. She came to my place last night."

  "That explains a lot," said Orion. "I couldn't figure out why Timber didn't answer. She always answers when Xianna calls. Oh! I saw my dad being rushed in as I arrived."

  "What happened?" asked Henry.

  "They said some sort of animal almost literally ripped his legs apart," said Orion. "They told me that the attack was very nearly surgically precise. It was like the animal knew where and how to cause the most damage without killing him but there's no way to find out what kind of animal attacked him."

  Henry let out a short sigh and said, "I don't mean to sound cruel but if I am honest, he had it coming."

  "I concur," said Orion. "If I knew what would happen to Xianna when I moved out ten years ago, I would have taken her with me and fought for custody of my sister. She never told me. I didn't find out until a few months ago. She finally came clean about everything. The beatings, the sexual abuse, all of it."

  "She was very good at hiding it," said Henry. "I didn't know until Timber told me. Timber was always the first person Xianna went to."

  "I should have been a better brother," said Orion. "I should have been the kind of brother that she could have come to if she was in trouble. I played with her when she was small. I taught her how to ride her bike. I thought I did everything right. I should have protected her more. I should have taught her to defend herself. I want to thank you for being a good friend to Xianna. It means a great deal to me."

  Henry's phone rang.

  "Excuse me." He looked at the screen and saw Xianna's name. "Hello?"

  "Xianna's awake," said Timber's voice. "She's asking for Orion."

  "We'll be there in a minute," said Henry and he hung up the phone. "Your sister is asking for you. You two will be fine."

  Henry and Orion walked into the hospital and back to the room. Xianna was sitting up against her pillow and Timber was feeding her lunch. Orion went and sat down beside his sister.

  "I'm so sorry, Xianna," he said. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

  "I love you, Orion," said Xianna and Orion began to cry.

  "Timber, come on," said Henry. Timber got up and followed Henry out of the room. "Let's give them some time alone."

  Timber nodded and they left the hospital.

  "I think Xianna's going to be alright," said Timber.

  "Me too," said Henry. "W
hat was the surgery for?"

  "She had some internal bleeding," said Timber. "They fixed the damage. She's going to be in the hospital for two weeks unless there are complications."

  "I'll excuse Xianna for homework for the next two weeks," said Henry. "I don't know about her other teachers, but I'm not going to give her added stress."

  "You're a good man, Henry Santelli," said Timber.

  It was a few days before Valentine's Day when Timber got the news that Andy had passed away. Mrs. Holborn had taken him in after the Winter Workshop. She took him for one last day on the beach when he fell asleep and he never woke up. The death of the eight-year-old saddened the entire town. Those who knew him, and those who didn't, all mourned the loss of the small crippled boy who always had a smile.

  The morning of his funeral, Timber got dressed in all black. Her black lace dress, hat and lace gloves and her black heels appeared too bright a color. She tried hard not to cry as she remembered her last day with him. It was only one week prior that she and Henry had taken him out for a couple of hours. They bought him lunch and a soda at Piaci Pub and Pizzeria and then took him to the park. He was thinner and paler than he was during the Winter Workshop and he had less energy but his smile never faded. Not once, in the month and a half that Timber spent with Andy, did he ever talk about death. Life and hope were what he spoke of.

  Grace, who was acquainted with Andy through Timber, was also attending the funeral. She, Timber, and Henry drove in respectful silence to the Chapel by the Sea for the memorial service before going to Rose Memorial Park Cemetery where Andy was to be buried at his request. When they entered the chapel, Timber was surprised to see how many people came to say goodbye. There were at least twenty children and thirty adults. Timber recognized Andy's nurse, Mrs. Holborn, Michelle, and her grandmother, and to her great surprise, Lord Avanti who looked rather dashing, but odd in a suit and tie. Henry also pointed out an elderly Indian woman in a black sari who was his old elementary school teacher from Heiligdom.

  Timber, Henry, and Grace walked over to the group and offered their condolences to Mrs. Holborn, who had grown to love Andy as her son. She was trying hard to conceal her tears to be strong for the younger ones who still didn't quite understand what death was.

  "I'm glad you made it, Timber," said Mrs. Holborn pushing stray grey strands off of her forehead. "Andy loved you very much. I hope I'm not asking too much of you, but I hope you might say something during the memorial."

  "Of course," said Timber calmly, though on the inside she panicked.

  She had nothing prepared and public speaking was not something she was good at. When the service started, Timber took a seat between Henry and Lord Avanti. It was a beautiful memorial. Timber couldn't stop the silent tears. Andy's smile and courage had touched so many people it was easy to see how much love one small person could possess. When Timber was announced, she trembled nervously as she walked up to the platform.

  "Umm... Hello?" she said timidly. "My name is Timber Brogan. I met Andy this past December. He came to the Winter Workshop at the high school and we became good friends." She took a shaking breath. "So many people have already mentioned his smile but it was so much more than a facial expression. It was his soul. Andy was always happy no matter how much physical pain he was in. In the brief time I knew him, Andy changed the way I view life and death. For Andy, who loved to read, death was another chapter in what he called his forever story. His life's message to us was to be brave and kind, no matter what the circumstances. I want to live my life like Andy lived his."

  Timber stepped down to polite applause and took her seat beside Henry.

  "That was beautiful," whispered Henry. Timber produced a weak smile.

  After the memorial, Andy was buried. At this point, Timber couldn't take anymore. The tiny casket being lowered into the ground made Andy's death too real. Timber left to the group and walked into the trees so she was out of sight and she Turned. She sat on the railroad tracks and remained still. She watched birds playing in the trees and squirrels chase each other over an acorn. She could smell Pudding Creek close by, the old wood and metal in the tracks and the scent of the evergreen trees as they danced mournfully in the cold ocean breeze.

  She could not hold herself back anymore and let out a long, heartbroken howl. The air seemed to mourn with her and the temperature dropped slightly. The birds and the squirrels stopped playing and everything was still. Timber sang for Andy, whose spirit was off somewhere in the Beyond. She filled the area with the sound of her howl for a few minutes when Henry and Lord Avanti came to join her.

  "I am glad you are here," said Lord Avanti, as he loosened his tie. "We thought you might have wanted to run off." Timber hung her head in apology. "Andy wanted you to have this."

  Lord Avanti pulled out a sheet of paper and unfolded it to show Timber. It was a crayon drawing of Andy, Timber, and Henry next to what looked like swings. Timber lowered her ears and head and whined. Henry pulled her in closer to him.

  "He's not in pain anymore," said Henry soothingly. "He's in Heaven where it's warm and sunny, with lots of room for him to run and play."

  "Andy's life, while short, was profound," said Lord Avanti. "There are very few people who I can remember from one hundred years ago. Andy will be someone I will never forget. Do not let his death sadden you for too long, Timber. Andy would not want you to mourn his death, but to remember his life. I must say farewell for now. I have business I must see to in Haven. I hope to see you soon, Henry, and you too, Timber."

  Lord Avanti vanished in a flash of blue fire and Timber got to her feet. Lord Avanti was right. Timber cheered herself up and Turned.

  "Can we go home?" asked Timber.

  "Which home are we referring to, because you also call my place home," said Henry.

  "Your place," said Timber.

  She was overwhelmed by the feeling of remorse and her aunt would want to talk about the service. Timber needed a quiet place where she could be with Henry.

  "Alright," said Henry. "Life will be happy again soon. Don't worry."

  Two months later Timber was in her bedroom with Emily getting ready for her first and last school dance. Emily was bouncing to some extent on Timber's bed with a wide grin on her face as Timber got ready. The backless dress Timber picked out was a deep red color that brought out the red tint in her eyes. It had an illusion neckline and a full-length chiffon skirt that fell an inch above Timber's toes. The waistline was embroidered with minimal gold beading. The effect was the appearance of a smaller waistline which made Timber happy.

  Prom night held many firsts for Timber. Grace had taken her to Nutone Tanning Day Spa on Franklin Street to have her nails professionally done rather than Timber doing them herself as usual. Timber came out with beautiful and simple French tips on her fingers and her toes rather than the simple solid pink that was standard for her. Before she slipped into her gown, Timber had also straightened her long, fluffy hair with Emily's flat-iron. It was sleek and soft and she liked how she looked with straight hair. She applied her usual simple makeup and then took a look at herself in her mirror over the top of her drawing from Andy. She was pleased with the result.

  "I'm happy that you're going tonight," said Emily, who was sitting on Timber's bed, painting her toenails red. "Everyone should at least go to one school dance."

  "Says the constant ray of sunshine who never misses one," teased Timber and Emily laughed.

  "You never miss a home football game or track meet," teased Emily.

  "That's because Ashley is on the football team and Xianna is on the track team," said Timber. "You also know I love watching our team destroy Willits."

  "So I guess tonight you and Henry are finally going to make your relationship public?" asked Emily as Timber began putting in her diamond earrings she got for Christmas.

  "Yes, and it's about damn time," said Timber. "I've wanted to make our relationship public for months but Henry wanted to wait."

  "All the girls are
going to be so jealous of you," laughed Emily. "And all of the girls at my school are going to be upset that he's taken."

  Timber looked at Emily with surprise and amusement.

  "What?"

  "Didn't I tell you? Henry's startling good looks have reached my school. There are so many eighth grade girls who want to be in his class. I can't say that he only teaches eleventh and twelfth grade because I don't want to be bombarded yet."

  "Poor Henry," said Timber with a sarcastic grin. She looked at Emily with a hopeful expression on her face. "So how do I look?"

  "Stunning," said Emily. Then she grinned. "You've changed a lot since the summer you know. I know you're a lady and you dress like one, but this summer you were opposed to wearing dresses and heels unless you had no choice. You're more open to the idea now. You're more accepting of yourself too. You hold your head higher. You didn't even walk this tall for your debutante ball."

  "I guess Henry broke me," laughed Timber. "Though, I may be getting used to this new me. I'm not sure about wearing heels for dancing, but at least your mom made sure I can walk in them a long time ago. You'll still never get me in stilettoes, though."

  "Well, I like the change," said Emily as she closed the bottle of polish. "You're going to turn a lot of heads tonight. Oh, Diana is going to be so jealous! You look better than she ever could."

  Timber laughed.

  "What's a prom without drama right?" Timber and Emily laughed heartily as they imagined the look on Diana's face when Timber showed up at prom on Henry's arm.