The Haunting of Appleton Hill
Page 19
“Luckily for us, the records Claire kept in the shelter are proving to be of enormous help,” Jo carried on, removing me from the gruesome images I was conjuring in my head.
That was something else Jo had told me in a different phone call, a few weeks before. The shelter that had―perhaps not so miraculously―survived despite the blood flood, was Claire’s secret office. It was also where she would meet with Tom, away from her mother’s prying eyes, and that was why he was hell-bent on protecting that shed.
“It is filled with my memories of Claire,” the gardener stated in his testimony to the police. “But I was clueless as to the operation she carried on there. Claire never mentioned anything to me.”
Inside the shelter, the police found an old typewriter, stacks of papers, envelopes, and stamps. She also had stored in alphabetical order the identity information of those who had been Appleton Hill’s victims.
All information was perfectly kept. Claire even had an accounting ledger where she noted the name of the person and their address. If she knew their next of kin, she wrote it down as well. By getting in touch with the families of those whose details were in Claire’s records, the police were able to confirm that they all received a typewritten letter in which the missing relative stated they were going on a long trip, or that they had met someone and were eloping, or something similar. The excuse she made to each family was also registered in Claire’s ledger. Except she didn’t count money—she counted bodies.
Her system was impeccable. She even kept notes on what mail office she’d used to send letters. Claire never went to Ashwell’s post office. Instead, she created a circuit by visiting the post offices of nearby towns. It was an elaborate construction my friend had gone to the trouble of creating to ease the pain of those who would be missing their loved ones forever. And with her father being one of the victims, she knew a thing or two about that. Even as a kid, Claire was already hiding her mother’s secrets to the world.
“Any idea on what are they planning to do with the hill?” I asked.
“No, not yet. I’m sure they’ll transform it into some kind of memorial, but it’s too soon to tell. There are three centuries of bodies piled up on top of each other on that hill. The amount of work it’s going to take to put everything in order is… I can’t even guess how long it will take.” Jo sighed, demonstrating her exhaustion. Ever since Appleton Hill came tumbling down, the authorities in Ashwell had been working tirelessly. “And if you add that we can’t tell the truth about what happened… Yeah, it’s a difficult task, to say the least.”
“What’s the official reason?”
“A minor earthquake that occurred with no expansion waves, thus not affecting neighboring constructions or towns, combined with an unprecedented mudslide.”
“Mudslide?” I repeated. “I think it was a little too red to be mud, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Well, Ashwell’s soil is rich in ferric oxides, which gave the mudslide that particular shade of red. The good thing about an entire town being in on the lie is that no one is going to dig around trying to find out the truth. We all know what happened, and we are working together to bury it far, far away.”
I couldn’t quite blame the people of Ashwell for that. I never told Lena what had happened to me. I simply apologized for my horrible behavior, hiding it under the excuse of grieving for the loss of my friend. And there is another thing I am planning on keeping a secret from everyone else. Not only that I am doing it, but why am I doing it. To this day, I create a circle of salt around my bed every night before going to sleep.
“Oh, Althea, before I forget, when are you coming back to Ashwell?”
I told Jo I wasn’t sure, perhaps in three or four months. Although my antipathy for my hometown had decreased, I wasn’t eager to go back every month.
“Okay, because I went to Gertie’s Diner this morning, and she is driving me crazy. She wants to know if you made any progress on the Ashwell movie.”
I laughed. That Gertie was a tough cookie. She was pestering every person I knew to put pressure on me about the infamous, nonexistent Ashwell movie.
“Gertie told me to tell you that if you’re not doing the film, next time you come back, you better pay for the burger, the soda, and the coffees, because Nathaniel refuses to do it,” Jo carried on, seemingly determined to obtain an answer and get Gertie off her back. “What should I tell her? Do you know who’s playing her husband yet? Because she’s offering to play herself if Christina is not available, but Brad is non-negotiable.”
I muffled a chuckle. Maybe staying connected to my roots would not be as dull as I had anticipated.
“Tell her I’m still looking into it.”
The End
Thank you for downloading this eBook.
If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.
Thank you for helping me spread the word!
About the Author
TRINIDAD GIACHINO is an indie writer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. After many failed attempts, Trinidad has managed to combine her stage training background and her studies in literature and linguistics from Buenos Aires University (UBA) into a single purpose: to craft deeply human characters with a dark side that we can all relate to.
A yoga enthusiast, a cat lover, and a wannabe Flamenco dancer, Trinidad shares her days with felines, canines, and the occasional human while creating―or embodying―stories. She is also constantly trying to trick her palate by exchanging high coffee dosages for the always less amicable cup of tea (which we all know is a fruitless enterprise, but oh well, one can dream…).
If you haven’t joined Trinidad’s Scream Team yet, you can do so via the link below. You’ll receive a free eBook, as well as receiving early notice of her new releases, book recommendations, and other fun stuff!
https://www.trinidadgiachino.com/free-ebook-the-skeleton-bride
Other works by this author can be found here:
www.trinidadgiachino.com
Amazon
Connect with the author
To connect with Trinidad, you can use the following channels:
www.trinidadgiachino.com (you’ll find a contact form and an e-mail address)
Facebook Page: Trinidad Giachino