The Gold

by Krista Wagner

  Later that evening, Amanda heard a squeaky noise from the front of the house followed by the slamming of a door. Slow footsteps slapped on the wood floor.

  "Dad!" Jane squealed.

  Amanda gasped. "My dad's home. Quick, hide!"

  "What? Where? How?"

  Amanda scooped up Gold and gently released it in her bottom dresser drawer. "Just stay inside. You'll be safe." She rushed to the living room.

  Their dad was a stout man in his forties, a cross between Clark Kent and Superman, soft-spoken and gentle in his movements but exuding a sort of heroic aura with his broad chest and arms. He threw his coat on the couch, stepped past Jane, whom he had just finished hugging, and held out his arms. Amanda knew what that meant.

  She ran into his embrace. "Daddy!" They both shrieked with laughter as he spun her around in his arms. Amanda noticed Jane looking unhappy. Her arms were crossed and she wore a frown that cut into Amanda. She quickly looked away from Jane.

  Jane spoke up. "You said you were going to be gone another week."

  "Last minute changes so they sent me home, but I'll be heading back again soon."

  "I missed you so much. Don't ever stay away so long again!" Amanda shouted.

  "I missed you too, sweetheart. How is school? Are you making friends?"

  The thrill in Amanda's voice dropped. "No."

  "Don't worry. It will happen. How have things been at home?"

  Amanda's spirits lifted.

  "Fine, Dad. Except Amanda hasn't been helping around the house or listening to me." Jane was lying. Why did she have to lie? But their dad's next response alleviated her worries.

  "Now that doesn't sound like my little girl. There must be some kind of a mistake." He tickled Amanda under her chin. Jane stomped off unnoticed.

  Winter soon arrived, Jane, Amanda, and Daddy ate around the table. They started joking around, and, for once, Jane forgot about being jealous. It was just like old times, when their mom was still alive.

  Halfway through dinner, the lights suddenly went out. Daddy got up from the table and took something from the cupboard. "Looks like it's time for candles. I heard on the news earlier the electricity might be out for a few days." He lit a few candlewicks as they all looked at the refrigerator.

  After donning their winter gear of scarves, coats, and gloves, they started carrying boxes packed with food outside, where Daddy began to bury the refrigerated items in the snow. Jane brought mugs of hot chocolate to them as she joined in on their mission. Life in Idaho was becoming more and more foreign than the life they had been used to in hot Arizona. They stopped the work a couple of times to throw snowballs at each other. Amanda hit Jane on the back of the head with a tiny ball and Jane surprised Amanda by giggling. Jane hadn't been happy around her since before their mom died. The three of them carried on for several minutes, having a blast, until Dad decided they better finish the task so they didn't all freeze to death.

  As she dug into the snow with her thick gloves, Amanda stared up at the kitchen windows. Candlelight flickered, casting a jagged shadow across the yellow curtains. She thought of Gold, wondering if it ever got cold.

  After an hour, they finished storing their food. Jane and Dad decided to watch some TV. Amanda excused herself to go to her bedroom.

  She removed Gold from the drawer, cupping it inside her hand. Its mouth curled upward into a smile for the first time. She couldn't believe her eyes. "You smile!"

  It replied in a matter-of-fact way. "You sounded so happy out here."

  "I wish you could meet them, Gold."

  "Why can't I?"

  "No. They would never understand. It wouldn't be safe." She wanted to protect it.

  "Why?"

  "Remember how afraid I was the first time I saw you?"

  "Oh." All the anticipation in its voice drifted away. Amanda set it down. There was nothing more to say. The room itself even felt sad. She laid her hands on the typewriter, reflecting on the way Gold had changed. She typed: "The trees sang and danced. The Gold glittered, it seemed, with happiness as the girl cradled it in her hands. 'Let's make lemonade. I have a friend who makes lemons across the street,' said one tree. They all went together to the neighboring house. Ms. House shouted, ‘He's in the back yard waiting for thee!’ They all ran excitedly to the lemon tree, who held out his arms bejeweled with loads of lemons. ‘Good to see you, my friends!’ The Gold tickled her hand, and she giggled."

  Later in the week, Daddy was busy shoveling the driveway. Amanda and Jane stood nearby. "The electricity's been on a good two hours, so we should be able to return all the food to the fridge," he said between scoops.

  "We'll get right on it, Dad." Jane was quick to take responsibility. Since their mom died, she had tried hard to please their dad. It was her way of comforting him.

  "Hold on. I have some news for you. I need to get a few more details, but I should be able to tell you soon." The girls looked at each other, wondering what it could be. He jangled the keys to the car.

  Their dad drove across a two-mile bridge. Jane sat up front in her usual spot, listening to her headphones. Amanda stared out the window, enjoying the view of the twists and turns of Lake Pend Oreille off to the right. They arrived at a park a short while later. Jane took to preparing their lunch at the picnic table while their dad and Amanda tossed a Frisbee around, though Amanda found it hard to concentrate when she was thinking about what her dad's news might be.

  The day was bright and sunny. Most of the snow had already melted off the tops of the benches and the playground equipment.

  "Think fast!" Daddy threw the Frisbee and it sped toward Amanda. She caught it with precision. She smiled as they tossed the disc back and forth. Indeed, she smiled so much it began to hurt. A good hurt.

  Eventually, they grew hungry and headed over to the bench. Jane pulled out drinks from an ice chest. On the table were three plates of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a small bag of potato chips. The three of them sat down to eat, though Jane and Amanda played with their food, waiting for Daddy to speak. He liked to hold them in suspense when he was about to share good news.

  "So, how's the job going?" Jane asked as she nibbled on some crackers.

  "Well, I'm glad you asked." He wiped some jelly from his mouth before clearing his throat. "Gary's got an opening on the east coast and he wants me to fill it."

  "Are you taking it?" Jane put down her sandwich to give him all her attention.

  Amanda wasn't so sure this was good news. What about Gold? "Are we moving?"

  Daddy was clearly unaware of her concern. "I haven't made any decision yet. I told him I had to consult with my VIPs first."

  "Who are they?" Amanda asked, now more worried than before.

  "My girls, of course. So, what do you think?"

  "Dad, not to be a downer or anything, but all my friends are here, and I only have two years of school left."

  "Amanda?"

  "She wouldn't notice."

  "Jane," he admonished.

  "I'm serious, Dad. She's always in her room. She doesn't have any friends."

  "I want to stay." Jane looked at her in surprise. Amanda was also shocked. This wasn't like her. She hated school. But something had changed. She couldn't forget that, and she hung her head, feeling terrible for not sharing his excitement about the move.

  "Then it's settled. We stay." She jerked her head up. He winked at them both. She practically tripped over her feet as she hastened over to him. Wrapping her arms around him, she squeezed tight. He felt so warm; she didn't want to let go.

  "Are you OK?"

  "I'm glad we're staying." She wished she could tell him about her discovery outside the forest, but if he didn't believe his own eyes or started to distrust her, it would be too hard. Daddy was too important to her. He had always believed her, and she didn't want that to change. In fantasy movies, no one ever believed the kid. You could have a really good relationship with your parent, like Elliot did with his mom in ET, but still have to hide
what you found. Because no matter how much they loved you, parents didn't believe you when you said you saw something that was out of this world.

  Gold sure couldn't be from this world, either, or everyone would be talking about it. It didn't even know how long it had been inside the forest. She didn't want this experience to be taken away from her.

  Dad grabbed the Frisbee, ran far out to the playground area, and pitched the disc at Jane and her. They both leapt up to join in, and soon all three of them got caught up in the thrill of being together.

  Chapter Eight

  The end of the school year soon arrived. Amanda, Jane, and Dad were all sitting around the kitchen table eating ice cream. The radio was playing classic rock. Jane was complaining. "Oh, Dad, do we have to listen to this stuff? How about I change it to some good music?" She rose from her chair.

  "Sit down," Dad told her, shaking his head and smiling. "When's your last day of school again?"

  "Tomorrow, Dad, remember? Don't forget Westen is going to be coming by a lot."

  "It's pretty serious, huh?"

  Jane's face lit up. "I'm in love."

  He smiled as he took a bite of chocolate ice cream. "Oh, young love."

  Jane's face grew serious. "Don't do anything embarrassing."

  "Me?"

  Amanda's mind started wondering about her secret treasure. It had been alone all day. "I'm going to go to my room."

  "Love you." Dad blew her a kiss.

  When she got to her room, she noticed Gold was perched on the windowsill. "What are you doing?" It was sad to think about. No matter where the pebble was, it still couldn't see. The sky was a beautiful shade of pink and orange; the colors cascaded off the yellow curtains, but it couldn't make out any of its beauty.

  "Oh, nothing. Just waiting for you. It's so nice and warm sitting next to the window. I can feel the sun's hands." Amanda thought that was a funny thing to say. But what did she know about being a pebble? The world must be so different for it.

  She went to the typewriter to start typing her story.

  "What do you like to do?" it asked her.

  "Like, for fun?"

  "Yes. I hear Jane watching the TV a lot or talking on the phone with her friends. Do you like TV too?"

  "I like to watch movies, like cartoons."

  "What's a cartoon?" Amanda stopped typing, her eyes bright with an idea.

  "I'll be right back!"

  In the living room, Dad was bent over the coffee table, sketching plans for work. Jane lingered in the corner, her ear stuck to the phone, the cord spiraling across the floor.

  "Hey, sweetie, what's up?"

  "Dad, can we go to the drive-in this weekend?" He tipped the pen to his lips, thoughtful.

  "The drive-in. Now that's somewhere we haven't been in a while. That's a great idea. Sure."

  Happy, she whirled on her feet and hurried back to her room. Quietly, but with sheer excitement, she said, "You're about to see your first movie. We are going to the drive-in this weekend."

  "What's a drive-in?" it asked. Amanda's heart tickled her, as if velvet clock hands were spiraling out of control. The questions it asked reminded her of how innocent it was. If it were human, she thought it might be a three-year-old for how curious it was. But those moments when it spoke with such wisdom also made her wonder how much older it must be. Figuring out its origins, anything about it, puzzled her.

  "An outdoor place where you sit in your car or in a chair and watch movies on this big screen, like a huge TV."

  "That sounds exciting, but. . ."

  She understood. "You can't see. But you could still listen."

  "That's OK with me. But how will I go with you? Won't they see me?" The glow around Gold looked larger than before. How was she supposed to keep it a secret if it kept getting brighter? Amanda pulled a small backpack from her closet, her hands trembling. She was scared and happy and excited all at once.

  "You can hide in this. And, look, there's a little hole here, so you could still hear the movies."

  "Amanda, you're a true friend." For the first time, its voice didn't sound weak or like it was inside a cave. It sounded small, yet strong; earthy. Yes, that was it. The voice sounded like an underground secret. Before, its voice broadcasted itself as though from a great distance, way up high somewhere, above the clouds—a place no one could see. Yet now, its voice sounded earthy because it reverberated from a place that was closer. But what did it mean? Amanda scooped it up and held it high. The glow splashed across the ceiling as if to declare her joy.

  At the drive-in, the parking lot was packed full of vehicles. Some patrons sat on lawn chairs or blankets on the ground while others hung out in the bed of their trucks. A playground was situated in the middle of the lot. Three large screens were spread around the parking structure. Dad backed up the truck into a middle spot, its fender diving into the slope of the space. Jane pulled out blankets and pillows and piled them onto the tailgate.

  Amanda was careful to carry her bag close to her, hoping no one would look too closely and detect Gold through the small hole. She opened the lid to a small cooler of drinks.

  "Who wants popcorn?" Dad pulled out a large plastic bowl covered with aluminum foil.

  "Oh, Dad, this is great, just like when we were little," Jane shrieked, giddy with joy. She pulled off the foil and scooped out a handful of popcorn.

  Amanda said, "Thank you, Dad. It tastes the way you used to always make it." Their parents had taken them to the drive-in back in Arizona on several occasions. Mom used to call it Family Night. It had a much deeper importance than just going to watch some movies. Mom's phrase meant that no matter how hard the week may have been, they would all come together to a place where they would just enjoy life. No talk about homework or chores or business (she would wink at Dad). All they were allowed to do was watch the movies, talk about them, eat popcorn, drink soda, have fun, and enjoy being a part of the family.

  Dad rolled down both windows, tugged on the speaker next to their truck, and slid the metal clip over the passenger window. The projector light pulled up on the screen and a Woody Woodpecker short appeared. Amanda held the backpack in her lap, adjusting it a bit for Gold to peek through the hole. Woody's famous chuckle exploded from the speakers across the parking lot, a reverberation much like Gold's from the other evening. She laughed, hoping Gold thought it was funny too.

  Within the comfort of the backpack, a light flickered erratically. Amanda gasped, but Jane and Dad were perched on the tailgate a few feet away from her, their attention on the screen. Amanda could barely see Gold's mouth open as low soft laughter escaped. She wiggled her finger inside the small hole and let out a soft laugh.

  During intermission, Jane went with Dad to the snack bar. Amanda pulled out her new friend once they were out of sight. "How do you like it?"

  "Michael J. Fox is funny. It would be so cool to go in a time machine with him and Doc."

  "Where would you go? What year?"

  Gold blinked frenetically, like it was deeply contemplating. "The 50s sound like fun. I really enjoy listening to the music."

  "Did you know tomorrow's a special day?"

  "Is it your birthday?"

  Not for the first time, Amanda wondered at the answers it gave. For being a pebble confined to the forest for so long, it sure seemed familiar with a lot of things. How did it know what a birthday was, for instance? How had it ever learned to talk at all? "No, it's the Fourth of July," she said simply. Somehow she knew asking these questions would only produce the same kinds of answers to her previous questions; it wouldn't be able to explain.

  "What's that?"

  Amanda was glad she could answer. She had just learned a lesson on this in her history class last week. "It is the day we celebrate our independence from Great Britain since 1776. It's a big deal and people set off all kinds of fireworks. They are beautiful flashes of color, which I wish you could see, but at least you'll get to hear them."

  "Where do we go? How do we get the
re?"

  "We can just sit outside the house when it starts to get dark." She looked up. "Oh, they're coming back." She quickly returned it to the backpack, but not before Jane noticed how she was scrambling to get something back inside the bag. She frowned at Amanda as she sipped on her soda. Though they spent the rest of the night enjoying the second film, Amanda knew Jane would be confronting her as soon as she got the chance to. Amanda had no idea what to tell her.

  Chapter Nine

  Independence Day was a big deal in Sagle. By eight o' clock in the morning, a huge crowd had already gathered along Acacia Avenue. Vendors adorned the lake, offering a variety of goodies: hotdogs, hamburgers, fried Twinkies, blue or pink cotton candy, jumbo pretzels, deeply battered churros and funnel cakes, French fries, and candy apples dipped in chocolate, peanut butter, or caramel. The atmosphere flooded with sounds of laughter and patriotic music.

  Amanda and Jane were sitting with Dad on a blanket atop a small grassy knoll. All appeared pleasant until Jane spoke.

  “Why do you have that backpack with you all the time?" She nudged Amanda.

  "I like to read." Inside, her mind roiled with worry and fear, tangled up within a secret too surreal to be true. But Jane remained oblivious to Amanda's inner turmoil.

  "Whatever. That's what class is for."

  "Not school books. Fairy tales," Amanda clarified.

  "What a fantasy." She scoffed as she turned her attention back to the parade of vendors and passersby.

  "OK, that's enough. Let's enjoy our time. We're here to celebrate," Dad said.

  Jane jumped up. "Simone, wait up!" She wandered off.

  A band started playing "America the Beautiful" and the band members began to march down below, circulating throughout the many clusters of people that grew with each minute. Amanda found herself lost within the crowd. She tuned out the sounds of chatter, the music, even the smells of food. She stared at her backpack.

  A small soft golden glow peeked through the tiny slit. She imagined herself in that light, only a light a hundred times bigger, something like an umbrella. No, that wasn't it. Much bigger. Like being inside the arms of the sun as it wrapped itself around her.