Orphans of Stone: HomeComing: A Curious Middle Grade Fantasy

by Rae Craig

  As she left, she heard the man scold. “Tozer, get over here; you’re no help at all.”

  Walking back to their tent, she saw Grandma consulting with Tee Toish. After nodding in aggreement to a final statement from Tee, Grandma patted the woman’s shoulder as she turned to go. Then Grandma sat and tucked her head down in thought until Harriet got close enough to talk.

  “You buying herbs from Tee Toish?’

  Grandma raised her head. “Not today, but their cart is next to ours, so maybe I will tomorrow.”

  “I saw the oddest group of men, What are precious eaches?”

  Grandma laughed as they started for home. “Those are the Jempson boys. They are characters. What did they do that seemed odd?”

  “They were trying to put up a pen with old miss-matched fencing that kept falling down. They ran around, arguing with each other the whole time. Then the oldest one came over and asked me how to fix it.”

  “Those boys are like a tractor without a steering wheel --lots of activity, but not much direction.”

  “But why ask a complete stranger to tell them what to do?”

  “That’s their mother’s fault. She ran a tight operation on that farm. Everything was organized and her boys did just what she told them to. There was not a penny wasted on unnecessary expenses and she decided what was necessary. She passed to memory years ago and without her, they’re lost. Each one wants the other to decide what to do, but is angry if they try.” She smiled at Harriet. “You, being a female like their mother, walked up just when they needed you.”

  Grandma looked over toward the Jempson’s pen. “It is sad, but they never developed the independent thinking an adult needs. They just became older and older boys. I was afraid their farm would go downhill, but June Thompson on the next farm gives advice when they need it and in a much more respectful way than their mother ever did. They muddle along.”

  “What are precious eaches?’

  Grandma smiled a secret. “That should be a nice surprise tomorrow.”

  They were close to Debski’s where Deb was dragging chairs out onto her shophouse porch. Grandma called. “All ready for tomorrow?”

  Deb said. “We’ll be up early to bake scones. Customers will be coming all day.”

  “Could you save us four of each kind?”

  Deb wrote on her pocket pad. “Got it.”

  Grandma pulled out her snap top leather coin purse and paid for tomorrow’s scones.

  As they passed, Ella called from Doctor Menja’s office porch. “Harriet, come see Tomas’s map.”

  Grandma said. “Go have fun.” She shooed her granddaughter toward her friends. “Stop at my house later for supper.”

  Next to the door, Dana steadied a sign with office hours and Tomas nailed it up. A few old chairs were arranged along the wall. The porch would be a waiting room in good weather.

  Ella pointed to the map spread out on a table. “Look, Harriet, the Rose garden is right in the center of the valley.”

  “Let’s see.” Harriet had drawn her own valley map so she already knew about the folly, but Ella was so excited. She examined the map, noticing the ancient rockfall and the ferry over to the quarry. Dana and Tomas came over. She pointed to the spot where the lake outlet dove into the tunnel. She looked around to make sure they were alone. “There’s going to be a lot of people here for HomeComing. What if the doors aren’t locked? What if people get in?”

  Dana considered. “We can shut those doors and lock them.”

  Tomas interrupted. “You keep a handy lock in your pocket, Watcher?” He pointed and wheeled over to examine the tall boy’s pockets, suppressed laughter stiffening his face.

  Dana smiled at the joke and waved him back. “The padlock that’s there won’t open without the code, but we can lock it.”

  Ella stood at the far end of the porch, staring at something in the side garden. She whipped around to face them. “Someone is locking and unlocking those doors!”

  Harriet answered. “I know who.”

  They stared at her with rounded eyes.

  “Remember at the sorghum mill, when Sunny had me get his pliers?” And she told them about the window facing the tunnel and the telescope standing next to his desk.

  Dana said. “He’s watching us.”

  Taking a step toward them, Ella balanced up on her toes in excitement. “We’ll use the lake-side entrance instead.” She watched Tomas put his hammer into Lucy’s storage drawer and she deflated. “But you can’t get down there with your chair.”

  Tomas cocked his head with self-assurance. “I’ll scoot down.” He smiled playfully and swung out of his chair and onto the floor, scooting up and down the steps and all over the front garden.

  Ella laughed. “You scoot like a squirrel!”

  Menja poked her head out from where she was painting the office and laughed. “You should’ve seen Scoots when he was little. He never used his wheelchair, because he’d get there faster on his own.” She came out on the porch and ruffled his strawberry blond buzzcut after he glided back up the steps. “But then you discovered your wheels.” Framing his russet face with her hands she planted a big kiss on his forehead, laughing as she went inside.

  Tomas swung up into Lucy, looking pleased with himself.

  Ella jumped off the porch without touching the steps. “Scooter Squirrel, how fast do those wheels go!”

  They scrambled for their bikes, but Harriet froze. She had left hers at home.

  Tomas rolled up. “Hop on cousin; you won’t slow me down.”

  On the back of the chair, she toed down a platform just big enough to plant her feet. Tomas zoomed away at top speed, Harriet’s arms wind-milling for a hold on his chair back.

  They rode around the back of the Commons. Tomas was right; he scooted down the hill faster than they could go on two feet. The doors were locked and that calmed their fears about strangers getting inside, but, made the brilliant plan that suddenly burst into Harriet’s head even more exciting.

  Dana pulled on the padlock. “No one can get in.”

  Harriet knelt down along the outlet channel’s rock wall, lowered her head close to the water and peered under the doors. She sat back on her knees with a smile of triumph. “Just as I thought; the door comes right down, but there’s no barrier under the water.”

  Tomas guessed. “You’re afraid of someone getting underneath.”

  Taking her time, she stood up and faced them.

  “We.” She paused with a grin. “Are getting underneath.”

  After a moment of stunned silence, Dana asked. “Right now?”

  Tomas opened his mouth to make a helpful suggestion when Ella droned. “I can’t swim.” Her empty, cringing eyes pleaded with Harriet’s, making her remember the blue-eyed girl’s blank episode in the grotto entrance.

  Harriet knew what to.

  Grabbing the stiff, unresponsive girl by the shoulders, she thrust her forward to face the stacked granite wall that held back the hill above them. Tomas watched with questions in his eyes as she placed Ella’s palm flat on the sun-warmed stone, steadying the girl’s shoulders from behind. Dana watched and remembered Harriet’s healed palm.

  Ella’s free hand drifted up to touch Harriet’s, then she moved it to rest against a rose crystal

  They existed in the moment, feeling the breeze ruffle their hair and the sun warm their backs. Silence cocooned them.

  “Bang! Crash! Clank!” From inside the tunnel came the clatter of a dropped tool box and a buzz saw voice complained. “Those ungrateful juveniles!”

  They fled on their bikes, pulling up behind the common barns. Ella laughed. “At least we know Sunny can’t see us when we come in on this side!”

  Dana didn’t laugh. “He needs watching.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  HomeComing Market and Dance

  Grandma tied up the last tent flap. “Harriet, go pick up the scones and get some milk from the Matta’s to wash them down.”

  A sliver of s
un peaking over the valley’s edge washed the front of the tavern as Harriet toed down her kick stand. Deb came out the door and set a sign on the sidewalk with scone and burger prices. Her eyes crinkled in a smile. “There you are, Jimmie!” She reached back inside for a plump bag with ‘Kate’s scones’ stenciled in deep blue.

  Harriet asked. “Who makes the burgers today?”

  “Kate does the scones and I do the burgers. This year we hope to make enough money to fix up the old music hall upstairs.” She watched Harriet swing back onto her bike. “I’m looking forward to hearing you play tonight.”

  Harriet peddled to Matta’s Market stand near the schoolhouse. Standing in their truck bed Ella tossed Harriet the last bundle of asparagus. “Put that on the table with the rest. And make it look pretty.” She hopped down.

  Harriet pointed to the bag in her basket. “I need milk to go with these.”

  Ella reached into a metal cooler for two small bottles. “Good news; Ann Mann wants us to supply all her milk and vegetables for the guest house this summer.” She smiled in delight. “She says she’ll make salsa from the ground cherries I planted.”

  Harriet wedged the bottles next to the scones. “See you at the dance tonight. If you can get away this afternoon, we’ll go see the animals.”

  Dad nodded as she put two scones on his desk and poured his share of the milk into his empty mug. He was busy discouraging two men from buying a rare harvest basket to use as a bed for their dog.

  Mom’s workshop door was propped open by a basket full of beautiful hiking sticks. A family erupted from the doorway and piled into their truck.

  Mom sighed and watched them go. “Harriet, your timing is perfect.” She pushed her hair away from her face. “That family,” She shook her head. “wants four of the new style rockers. Go tell Grandma.”

  Harriet sped by the cars heading to the freshly mown parking meadow across from the commons.

  “Yes, rocking is soothing.” Grandma smiled reassuringly at a nervous woman holding on to two children who pulled away from her like kites in the wind.

  A stoic faced woman loaded the rockers into their truck. When she thought no one was looking she closed her eyes for a minute, then turned back to the kids with an encouraging smile. “We’ll rock on the porch, won’t that be fun.” They drove back across the commons.

  Harriet ate the last bite of her scone. “I love this apple/black walnut flavor.” She used her finger to gather the crumbs from the handkerchief Grandma had spread and popped them into her mouth.

  Grandma laughed. “I’ve always had a reputation as a big eater. If you don’t watch out you will too.”

  “Is that like Dad’s Debski burger story? To be a big eater does the food have to stay down?”

  Grandma laughed. “Your dad was a lot of fun growing up. He had a way of getting into situations.”

  “Tell me one.”

  “One day your dad and his friends went skinny dipping in the creek where it empties into the river. He didn’t know it at the time, but he sat in a patch of poison ivy.” She hesitated for a moment. “He found out soon enough.”

  Harriet laughed.

  Grandma said. “His friends never let him forget it.”

  “I love hearing about Mom and Dad when they were little.”

  “We’ve all got to start somewhere.” Grandma shook out her handkerchief and gazed over the commons. “Gird your loins. Here they come.”

  They helped customers all morning. Harriet made several runs between the commons, antique store and workshop. Between errands she stood outside their tent and watched people file into the dance hall, then eat at the tables under the trees.

  She turned to Grandma who stood next to her. “There’s people everywhere; is it always like this?”

  “For all the yearly celebrations: HomeComing, MoonFall, WinterWay and SpringRise. Last year we made enough from the lunches and suppers to pay for the maintenance on all farm equipment in the common barns.”

  Midafternoon, Grandma shooed Harriet away. “Go see the animals.”

  Ella ran up next to Harriet as she watched Hetric Rethic direct the building of the bonfire mound. After a few minutes holding her side and getting her breath back, Ella said. “So, do you think the bonfire tomorrow night will be like the one on May Day?”

  Harriet remembered Ella’s desperate plea on May Day. “I broke the May Pole! What should I do?” She smiled at her fiend. “I’m really glad you are May Queen. My Grandma Jameson was May Queen when she was our age. That made her feel better at a difficult time.’

  Ella rested her hand on Harriet’s shoulder.

  Harriet said. “Let’s go see those ‘precious eaches’.”

  A throng of laughing people crowded around the Jempson’s pen and she hoped it would stand up to the strain. Ella and Harriet snaked their way up to the front. The crowd became silent, focused on what was happening inside.

  “Click, click, click, squeak.” The youngest Jempson brother wrote with brightly colored chalk on a large blackboard. With him was a small muscular horse harnessed to a two-wheeled wood cart.

  The man wrote “Tozer” in yellow chalk and pointed to his chest. He gestured toward the horse and wrote “Hoot.” The horse nodded her head in agreement. The crowd laughed.

  He drew a horse laying down in some straw and pointed to Hoot, who nodded again. More laughter. Blue ZZZs came out of the horse’s mouth. The ZZZs got bigger as they got farther from the horse, until they filled the board. The man covered his ears and shook his head. More laughter. He erased some of the Zs and drew an owl with red HOOT-HOOT-HOOTs coming from its mouth, then rapped on the HOOTs with his knuckles and pointed at Hoot the horse. With big nods, the horse’s head almost touched the ground. The most laughter ever.

  The painting from Theo’s parlor popped into Harriet mind. That horse and cart racing with the wind looked just like this one. And the cart’s size matched the grooves on the rockfall trackway.

  Harriet turned to Ella. “They’re little horses!” She thought about her unwelcome worklearners assignment and hoped. She spoke into the blue-eyed girl’s ear, “Rockfall trackway?” and Ella’s eyes got excited.

  Hoot was tan with a brown mane and tail, about four feet high at the shoulders, with strong, stocky legs. Tozer led Hoot toward the gate, Dana and Tomas swinging it open. Harriet and Ella caught the boys’ attention, pointed to the cart and nodded their heads.

  The girls worked their way around to stand next to Dana and Tomas near Hoot. Tomas leaned toward them. “I think we have our answer about the cart.”

  Ella smiled in agreement, but Harriet was annoyed that he had announced it first.

  She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find Tozer right next to her. More laughter from the crowd.

  He guided her into the back of the cart. With her sitting and him standing, he grabbed the reins. Off they went, bouncing over the grass, with everyone laughing and clapping. When they drove by Fread, Harriet called out and the girl looked up in surprise, Fread’s dad turning away in disgust. Back at the Jempson’s pen, Harriet climbed down, her friends excited to talk to her.

  Tozer rapped on the cart to get her attention. He pointed to Dana, Tomas and Ella and then back to her. He crossed his arms over his chest and hugged himself, then pointed to Harriet.

  Harriet hesitated, then answered. “They are my friends.”

  He gave Tomas and Ella a ride. When Dana got his turn. back they came with Fread. As they got out, Tozer pointed to the tall girl and then to Harriet, crossing his arms and hugging himself. Harriet nodded her head, what else could she do?

  Fread looked like she wanted to run away, so Ella said. “We’ll give you a ride to the dance tonight. I thought your dad might not have time to go, so we’ll pick you up.”

  Ella had not said anything about taking Fread tonight. With the girl hanging around they couldn’t talk about their plans for the Outlet tunnel tomorrow night, but the happy look on Fread’s face make Harriet feel uncomfortable
with that thought.

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  Sunny Kensen’s caterpillar brows followed every move Harriet made as she placed chairs around the dance area. Maybe, instead, he should pay more attention to the way his accordion kept bumping the back of May Giffin’s head. She scooted her chair forward, smiled at Harriet and rolled her eyes.

  As the sun set over the western cliffs, valley people and guests had gathered near the bandstand. May stood and spoke to the crowd. “A big Shi-octon welcome to all our guests. We will play three kinds of dances tonight: reels, circles and polkas. Gather into lines facing each other and we’ll practice the reel.”

  With lots of laughter, the visitors quickly learned the dances, the valley people teaching the steps while May beat the rhythm on her drum.

  Music began. Torches surrounded the dance area, light catching faces as they whirled by. In the chairs around the edge of the dance floor people bounced their humstrummers and stomped their feet to keep time to the music.

  At the end of a polka Ella swung Harriet and herself into chairs and gushed. “I have to have one of those humstummers. Bounce, stomp, bounce, stomp, bounce stomp. I just have to have one!”

  Tomas rolled up next to them, Dana and Fread right behind.

  Tomas chimed in. “We’ll make them! Just need a wood pole, a couple of tin pie plates screwed together with bells inside and a bouncy rubber tip.” He pulled his braces up over his legs, getting ready to climb onto the bandstand.

  Ella said. “I’ll paint my pie pans red and add streamers coming out the top!” She leaned forward toward Fread. “What about you?”

  “I have my mother’s.”

  There was no enthusiasm in the Fread’s answer, just the fact. Harriet figured Fread’s humstrummer was covered in beautiful carvings and would put their pieced together instruments to shame.

  When the band left for a break, Grandma stepped up onto the band stand. “We have seven new musicians to play for you tonight: Fread Tuddle, Stevie Gribes, Dana Rethic, Ella Matta, Tomas Donnellson, Jordy Ontow, and Harriet Jameson.”