The Earth Painter

by Melissa Turner Lee

  The guys were rolling with laughter at their bloomers and tights. They were funny enough to coax a smile from me. A couple of girls grabbed theirs and made their way to the dressing room. I looked through the rack of costumes, but didn’t see mine. I looked through again, checking the nametags, still couldn’t find mine. I was about to go get Ms. Jones when the girls who’d gone off to get dressed screamed and came running out of the dressing room.

  “Holly! Holly!”

  I turned around to see Trish and Nikki running to me. They were both pale and wide eyed.

  “Holly, come look. I think your friend from Bantam Chef has been here.” Nikki panted between words.

  I just looked at her at first, trying to process what she meant. “Shelby?”I tilted my head, looking at her like I didn’t understand, because I didn’t. “Why do you think she’s been here?”

  Nikki took me by the arm and pulled me to the dressing room and lead me to one of the curtained off stalls. There was my costume with my name on it, shredded beyond any possible repair. And painted on the wall over it were the words, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID.

  My mouth hung open, not sure what to say.

  “I’m going to get Ms. Jones,” Nikki said and ran off.

  Ms. Jones and Coach Scott came running in. Ms. Jones screamed, “Oh my…” She pushed Coach Scott towards me. “We’ve got to call the police. I’m going to get my phone. It’s in my purse up in the light booth. Stay with the girls.”

  Coach Scott reached into his pocket. “I’ve got mine on me”. He called 911. The police were there a few minutes later along with a TV news truck.

  Needless to say, everyone was questioned about what they saw. The place was dusted for prints, and I was questioned about Shelby and the freezer incident again. Unfortunately, the rehearsal never happened.

  By the time we were leaving and locking up, it was nine o’clock at night. Ms. Jones looked at me, her eye makeup smeared from her tears. “Maybe we should put off the play until next semester. Do it as our spring production. We didn’t get to rehearse, your costume is ruined. And there is a crazy girl on the loose.”

  “Maybe.” I couldn’t think of anything encouraging to say at the moment. I think I was in shock. It was too much all at once.

  When I got home, my parents had seen the news. Apparently, they’d tried to call me, but my phone was off. I sat with them—numb and answered their questions before we all went off to bed.

  Chapter 26

  The next day in drama, Ms. Jones was fluttering about the stage. “I decided last night that the show must go on. I called a friend of mine over at Converse College. He works in the theatre department. He’s going to find another medieval dress for you, Holly. It will be delivered this afternoon. We will all stay after school today and rehearse. We will do this. We will have our fall production.”

  Honestly, I didn’t care one way or the other. Crazy as it sounds, I was more upset by the fact that Theo had not come to see me about the fountain plans than I was about a crazy teen girl out to get me. Stupid, yes I know. But the priorities of teenagers in love are not always in the right order.

  As disappointed as I was, I honestly put forth a lot of effort during the mini run through we did with a partial cast during drama class. I enjoyed the release that came with being someone else for a little while. It was still a stupid play, but at the moment, being Lady Oliandra was better than being Holly.

  At lunch, Anthony and Wayne came to sit, but with Wayne was a blond girl.

  “Hey, Holly, This is Vonda, Mr. Winter’s baby sister.”

  “Younger sister,” She corrected.

  “Sorry… younger sister. She’s visiting during her fall break, and Mr. Winters asked me to show her around the school.”

  I smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Wayne was just telling me about the play you are in. I’m very intrigued to witness your interpretation of the character, Lady Oliandra. I, too, portrayed her just last summer at LARP camp.”

  I noticed Wayne’s interest at what she said.

  “Well, I’d love any pointers you can give. This is my first play.”

  Vonda shook her head. “No, I’d rather leave your interpretation untarnished by my input. That way I can see how yours and mine differ.”

  The extremely serious way she spoke almost made me giggle. It reminded me of the way Wayne spoke. “Vonda, you have the prettiest hair. It’s almost a platinum. Do you color it?”

  She shook her head. “No, my mother is Norwegian.”

  I had to grin at Wayne’s expression. Somebody should have their dream lover, right?

  Everyone went to the Bantam Chef for a quick bite before rehearsal, but I skipped it—not really in the mood to eat. Plus, I was the only one who had not tried on their costume.

  I walked back to the costume rack to see if mine was there yet, but it wasn’t there. I turned to leave, but then noticed a white box on the shelf above the hanging rack. I pulled it down to see my name on it.

  I took it to the dressing room, opened it and took the dress from the box. Ms. Jones’s friend over at Converse College truly came through in a hurry. The material was much finer than what the home arts class had used to make the ruined dress. My fingertips glided over the deep aqua colored gown. It almost felt like real silk.

  The stitching was well done. Mom taught me to notice the stitching when shopping. I held the dress against me and carried it to the curtained area to put it on. When I came out I looked at myself in the mirror. The dress matched my eyes perfectly, making them pop into focus under my red curls. My reflection gave me an uneasy feeling. Not an unpleasant feeling, but more like a stirring. It was like the butterflies I got on stage—a happy anxiousness that came from the excitement of being exactly where I wanted to be and doing what made me the most fulfilled.

  I didn’t hear Theo enter, probably because he used his back door, so it startled me when he spoke.

  “You look so familiar to me.”I turned to see him scrutinizing me, just as he had that first day on stage. “I’m Holly, remember… the girl you’ve been avoiding.” He moved closer. “But you look like someone I’ve seen… long ago…” His stare was confused but penetrating, like looking harder might help him remember. “More right now than ever, but I can’t remember who.”

  I walked over to the bench and sat to put on my shoes. Theo followed me. He stood in front of me and watched me. It was awkward. “Do you need something?”

  He sat down beside me. “Are you still nervous about the kissing thing?”

  I let out a sigh and continued getting ready. “Well it’s not the way I dreamed my first kiss would be, but I’m an actress. I’ll suck it up and do my job.”

  Theo leaned closer. “Well, I was thinking about your request. I know Bio is against it. And he has valid points. But…”

  My heart had stopped beating in my chest. It had to have, because I couldn’t feel it or hear it. The whole room was silent except for Theo’s voice. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks, heating them and turning them red. “But?”

  “You’ve done so much to help me secure the well. You never gave up until you found a way. You cared because it mattered to me. I saw the plans you brought by. And this kiss thing matters to you. So, I want to return the favor.”

  I stood up and walked to the stand where my bag was and started rummaging through it. “Forget it.”

  Theo stood and followed me. “What’s the matter? I thought that’s what you wanted?”

  “Having someone kiss me as a favor is worse than having my first kiss on stage.”

  Theo stared at me like he couldn’t process what I’d said. “This is impossible for me to get right. Bio was right. It’s a terrible idea. I’ve explained what this will not be for me because it can’t be that for me. I will be playing a role—copying human behavior that I’ve witnessed. I will feel your lips touching mine just to know I am touching something. That’s all. I can’t make it more. But if you want this, I’m willing.”r />
  I stared into my bag but didn’t see it. So the choices for my first kiss ever, were to either kiss a guy I felt nothing for, but who felt something for me in front of the town or, to be kissed by a guy I felt everything for, but who wasn’t able to feel that for me—here in private.

  Neither was the way I’d dreamed of since I was old enough to read a love story—to think about kissing a boy myself. It was supposed to be magical, life changing. That’s how I dreamed it would be.

  But today I would be kissed for the first time. That was already established, I had little choice in the matter, but I could choose who and where. The play—the part I played demanded that I kiss Wayne in front of the town. But kissing Theo was all my choice. He wouldn’t feel what I felt. It wouldn’t mean the same for him. It never would. This would be my first kiss—a good-bye kiss.

  I moved closer to Theo. I looked into his gray-blue eyes. “Ok, do it.” How unromantic was that?

  He came closer to me, and I panicked. I held my breath and braced myself like I was expecting something painful instead of something intimate. It seemed like an eternity passed even though it was actually just a few seconds. When his lips touched mine, my lungs were screaming for air. I exhaled to make room to inhale again and blew air into his lips. I was mortified.

  Theo jumped back and closed his eyes and shook his head.

  Was that my first kiss? A quick puff of air into his mouth? I’d heard first kisses could be awkward, but that was pathetic.

  Theo opened his eyes and blinked before looking at me. “I feel…” he swallowed, “different.”

  I made my way back to the bench, plopped down and put my face in my hands to cry. I could feel the warm tears dripping into my palms. “I ruined it.”

  Theo lifted my chin with his hand. I tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let me. “I remember now. I remember… you… but…but how?” He trailed his fingers up from my chin and touched my lips. “You’re lips are so perfect. Have they always been so soft and pink?”

  He leaned in closer. It looked like he was sniffing me, but I knew he couldn’t smell. I shivered as his fingertips traced my cheeks and down to my neck. “You’re freckles are exactly right.” His finger traced along the collar of my dress down the small of my back where it dipped. “Are they everywhere?”I turned to face him. His eyes were an inch from my face staring at me like he never had before. It was more intense.

  My heart was racing in my chest. I shivered as his fingers traced over my skin and into my hair. His hands were still in my hair behind my head, and my face was inches from his. His eyes…they were the same gray-blue eyes I’d looked into before, and yet they were different.

  He was pulling my face to his. His lips were on mine, nibbling at them at first. I breathed in his scent. I’d never noticed the way it made me feel before. Soon his tongue was tasting my lips. I instinctively closed my eyes and let his mouth explore mine while I did the same. I braced myself, grabbing his arms. I’d never noticed how hard and muscular he was before. Had he always been like this?

  For this not to be a real kiss for him, it certainly felt real. Like he wanted to kiss me. Like he needed to kiss me.

  Suddenly, the door burst open behind us. We stopped to look up at Bio and Chem staring wide eyed at us.

  Bio was the first to speak. “What the bloody hell are you two doing?”

  Chem entered the room and started looking around and under things. “Is there somebody hiding in here?” He had his nose high in the air and was sniffing. He sniffed me as he went by, then sniffed Theo. Suddenly, Chem stood still and looked at Theo more closely. Before he could say anything else, Khai-Ree came in yelling.

  “I just saw Fritz. He’s over at the railroad track with his Khai-Ree. They have a train car with a hose running from it into the reopened tunnel to the well. I overheard them. He’s trying to blow up the well. I need to find my painter.”

  Bio pointed to Theo. “There he is.”

  Khai-Ree moved closer and looked at Theo like he didn’t know who he was. “This is not my painter. A Khai-Ree knows his painter.”

  At the same time, Chem stopped in front of Theo and me and sniffed us. I hated when he did that. It was like somebody’s dog investigating us, but worse. Chem’s eyes grew wide.

  I looked at Khai-Ree who looked at Theo like he didn’t know him. Chem and now Bio were circling Theo while I tried to empty my head of that kiss so I could process what Khai-Ree had said. I shook my head and made my way to the door. “We’ve got to warn everyone.”

  Everyone stayed put glaring at Theo like he had grown a second head or a third eye. Bio answered me without taking his eyes off of Theo, “Go then. You’re the only one of us here who can pull the fire alarm and yell…unless….?”

  I was already out the door when I heard Chem answer him, “…unless Theo has suddenly grown a pair.”

  I ran out the door just as the class was coming in. “Get out. Someone has rigged the school to blow up.”

  They all looked at me stunned.

  “Go!” I ran over to the fire alarm and pulled it.”We all ran out, everyone stopped in the parking lot, but I was afraid that wasn’t far enough. “Keep going, get far away before it blows.”

  We ran out into the street, halting cars and running into the grocery store parking lot on the other side of the street. I watched as school janitors walked out the door, looking around. I couldn’t leave them there. I ran back. My friends called after me. “Move, get away there’s a bomb.”

  I think they all recognized me as the target of the crazy girl, so they did as I said.

  A few minutes later, just as fire trucks rolled up, whatever Fritz was pouring into the well combined. It must have run up all the water pipes, because explosion after explosion occurred until the only part of the school still standing was the cafeteria because the school board had already had it connected to the public water lines.

  The streets and parking lots filled up with people. Everyone was asking what was going on. I didn’t notice when the sciences showed up until Chem was tapping me.“It was Fritz alright. He stole a train car of sodium chloride and hid it at the old mill down the street. He piped it into the well. He didn’t bother to use humans as middle men either. This was all him—a direct supernatural attack towards the humans. This is such a gross violation of protocol. We must act.”

  Bio and Geo were with us soon. He turned to them. We need a plan to cover this supernatural battle and make it look human.

  “You could whisper the idea that Shelby and Brad did it.”

  Bio shook his head. “We cannot incriminate innocent humans.”

  I looked around at the spot where the new school was to be built. “Why not have Theo paint the new school, have it presented, then whisper to everyone that the school was demolished because the new school was built?”

  The sciences all looked at each other and at me, like there was something I didn’t know. Bio finally spoke, “Go to the district building where the new plans are, get them to Walden to make a painting to present. Then, start whispering.”

  It was unbelievable. Within minutes, there was a new school where there had not been one and everyone around me changed their conversation. Instead of asking what had happened, they were all reminiscing about their memories of the old school and how sad they were to see it go. They honestly believed they’d all gathered there to watch the school’s demolition.

  The sciences were so thorough that Ms. Jones was talking about how glad she was to have put off the production for the spring when it could be in the new auditorium.

  It wasn’t until all had calmed down that I began to ask where Theo was. Again, I got that look. Bio pulled me aside. “Theo is not in a good state right now with…all that’s happened. It will probably be a while before he comes to Chesnee again. If he ever comes again. You need to move on. Forget all this and be a normal human. Live a normal human life.”

  He then walked off and disappeared into the crowd. I was left standing there
watching after him. I felt so empty and numb.

  And that was the last contact I had with the sciences…or painters.

  Chapter 27

  I sat in the bright, white and black ultra- modern auditorium. I’d be walking out on the football field in a few minutes to accept my diploma. I took a deep breath and let it out. The new auditorium didn’t smell right. It smelled clean and stark. I missed the earthy smell of the old one.

  A few weeks prior, I’d finally kissed Wayne, but it was just acting for both of us since he was in a serious long-distance relationship with Vonda Winters. She flew out to watch us and was somewhat pleased with my version of Lady Oliandra. I’d gone to prom with my group of friends, no real date. And my dad’s boss had offered him his own car lot to run up in Ashville, North Carolina. Mom had even checked into working as a decorator at the Biltmore House. They would be relocating in a few days, but I was staying because I would be attending college locally starting this summer and living in Grandma’s house.

  I took another breath. Still the wrong smell for an auditorium.

  I wandered out the door and through the parking lot. I trudged up the hill to the site of the old Chesnee High School. I put my hands and face against the chain link fence that kept curious students out of the now cleared area.

  I’d made it through the rest of the school year without Theo. I’d passed my classes, talked to my friends, and all the normal stuff that was expected of me. And yet, it felt like I was back to painting in plain gray when once upon a time I had painted a forest. I probably wouldn’t know the difference if it weren’t for Theo. Theo, who was so disappointed with my failure that he left and never came back.

  “My word, of all the places I could find you… Here? Really?” I knew the voice immediately. I spun around to see Khai-Ree standing with a cloth covered canvas in his hands.