June 27, 1993
Went exploring today and found a spot in the woods I hadn’t come across before. It seemed like a good place to sit and reflect. I must have lost track of time because I sat out there for most of the afternoon. I’m exhausted. I think I’ll take a nap.
“Nice to know somebody went exploring.” Emma flipped the page bitterly.
August 1, 1993
I didn’t realize one could cry so much. I miss Gerry every day, and my grief blindsides me in the oddest of moments. I keep thinking a walk will do me good, but it just drains me. And as drained as I am, I’m having a hard time sleeping at night. I feel as though someone is watching me. It may be wishful thinking, but a part of me feels it’s Gerry’s spirit. I must admit though, the feeling is not comforting in any way.
The phone rang from the living room. Emma grabbed her towel and went to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Hey!” Paisley’s perky voice was faint but unmistakable.
“Paisley! I can barely hear you.”
“How’s it going out there?”
“Making headway.” Emma stood by the warm stove and towel-dried her hair. “How’s the car?”
“My car is shit. It needs a whole new starter, which they won’t get until next week. Good news, though! Derek said he’d drive me. He’s picking me up in an hour. You’ll have two helpers for the price of one!”
She paused. “Oh…great.”
“I know you two don’t get along, but seriously, Emma. Derek’s really nice once you get to know him. And he offered to help. I mean, what boyfriend would do that?”
“Um…well. There’s a problem. Gideon’s boat is out for repairs. I’m not even sure you can get out here.”
“How did you get out there?”
“This guy…a local fisherman. He’s a friend of Gideon’s.”
“Old salt, eh?”
“Not exactly.”
“Ooh, is he cute?”
“Oh yes, he’s cute,” Emma said without thinking.
“Any chance of a little something, something?”
“I doubt it. He lives on his boat. You know how much I hate boats.”
“You sure know how to pick them, Emma.”
“Shut up,” she replied, good-naturedly. “It’s a nice boat. I just don’t see him as the dating type, you know?”
“If they have two legs and wear cologne, they’re the dating type.”
“Well, he doesn’t.”
“Have two legs?”
“No, silly. Wear cologne.” Emma felt her cheeks warm. “At least, I didn’t smell any.”
“Interesting… Well, I’ll call Derek and tell him about the boat situation. How awful is it out there?”
“The cabin is a mess.” She tossed her damp towel across the stove to dry. “I’m making headway, but I should have brought some music. It’s so quiet here.”
“That would creep me out.”
“It doesn’t really bother me.” She glanced out the living room window. “It’s going to take a while to get used to the fact that I have no curtains, though. I have no idea where Dad put them.”
“Seriously? You’d have every peeking Tom, Dick and Harry at your window if you had no curtains at your place.”
“It’s kind of nice not to worry about other people peeking. In fact, I’m standing right in front of the window, buck naked, and don’t even care.”
“Oh, my god, are you serious?” Paisley laughed. “You?”
“Yes, me! It’s freaking cold, but—” The connection suddenly crackled and the phone went dead. “Dammit.” Emma jumped as a small, white spider skittered across the floor. “Keep going. Nothing to see here.” She grabbed her towel and wandered to the front window.
The rain drummed on the roof and ran in rivulets down the windowpane. The cabin was otherwise silent. I can see why Fae hung the bells. She probably couldn’t stand the quiet. I don’t know why she didn’t just buy a television set or CD player. Emma hummed a tune. It trailed off and her thoughts with it. In the back of her mind, it registered that she should probably get dressed. The cold seeped from the windowpane and into her naked skin. I kind of like that I can stand here naked all day if I want to, though. The perk of being on your own island. She spent a lot of time alone when she was a kid. Now, between nosy neighbors and city crowds, there was no such thing as ‘alone’ time. If she couldn’t see anyone, she could certainly hear them. The walls of her apartment were as thin as paper. I wonder if Fae ever got lonely out here. She imagined a different Fae, one who smiled and welcomed her granddaughter with open arms.
Emma was jerked from her daydream with the sudden feeling that someone stood behind her. She whipped around, her heart leaping in her chest. Geez, you’re going cuckoo just like Fae. She took a deep breath and let it out again. Once it stops raining, I’ll go for a walk. I think this place is starting to wear on me. Going to get dressed, she found that the lantern had gone out. She lit it again with a sigh.
After an hour of half-heartedly sorting through magazines and important papers, Emma shoved the last of the magazines into a garbage bag. She stood and stretched her aching limbs. “Making headway, slowly but surely.”
Glancing out the bedroom window, she saw the rain had let up. Her gaze traveled to the over-stuffed armoire. A muddy boot lay on the floor. Long underwear trailed from one of the drawers. A ratty-looking slip peeked from one of the shelves. Making a quick promise to herself to return to the unwanted task of sorting through everything, she blew out the lantern and grabbed a flashlight. Emma started to close the front door behind her and remembered the door key.
Searching in vain, she was dismayed that she’d somehow misplaced it. “Whatever. I’ll look for it later. It’s not like there’s anyone out here.”
With little daylight left, Emma hurried toward the rocky field. She was reasonably sure she could retrace her steps to the pile of rocks from there. A faint drizzle misted the trim of her parka’s hood. Her footsteps were muffled by the pine needle-carpeted forest. I have enough time to figure out what’s under them, she thought with renewed excitement. If it’s a cave, I may have to wait until tomorrow to explore it.
Splashes of dark and light greenery surrounded her. Pine needles, dripping with rain, sparkled in the muted light. She reached the field and continued along a path that skirted the forest. Right about here. Emma took a detour through broken undergrowth. Expecting to come across the fallen tree and pile of rocks, she became disoriented when the overgrowth ended at a clearing. I don’t remember this place. Where are the rocks? She glanced behind her. I didn’t pass them…I don’t think.
The area had been cleared at some point during the island’s history. Moss-covered stumps and low-growing ferns were all that remained. Emma walked through the wet undergrowth and tripped over the remnants of a crumbling wall. Fire-damaged, the brick still showed soot stains. She followed the wall and was surprised to discover what looked like the perimeter of a fairly large house. I wonder why the owners didn’t try to rebuild it. It was probably nicer than the cabin. Emma poked around the rubble and uncovered several pieces of broken china encrusted with mud. Slipping the pieces into her pocket, she spied another shard and picked it up. Curved and more delicate than the others, it appeared to be the head of a child’s porcelain doll. The doll’s blue-painted eye stared back at her. Transfixed, she brushed her thumb over the smooth surface. The eye became smeared with red.
Emma stared at the blood that welled from a cut on her thumb. Her wound quickly became tainted as blood mixed with dirt and ash. She wiped it on her jeans and carefully pocketed the sharp-edged porcelain. I’ll bet the rest of the doll is here somewhere. Dropping to her knees, she searched. A quiet whistle sounded from behind her.
She turned and peered into the woods. That has to be a bird. The feeling of being watched crept over her. “Hello?” Her voice echoed through the trees.
The light was fading quickly and the temperature had dropped. A breeze shushed thro
ugh the trees overhead. I’ll have to look for the rocks tomorrow. Emma stood and brushed off her jeans. Maybe I took a wrong turn. Quietly singing to herself to break the stillness, she retraced her steps back to the cabin.
Emma emptied her pockets onto the kitchen table and sorted through her finds. I wonder how old this stuff is. She examined the piece of broken doll. The eye stared back at her, still smeared with her blood. I’ll bet the child was sad when it broke. Poor kid.
Emma went to search for a Band-Aid for her thumb and was startled as a pale lizard ran across the floor. It darted under the bed, tail flicking behind it. Dropping to her hands and knees, she peered underneath. “You need to go back outside. There’s nothing for you to eat in here.” She thumped the mattress and there was a faint skittering sound. “I know you’re under there.”
Emma stood and unlatched the bedroom window. “I’m too tired to chase you around. If you happen to see my door key, grab it for me, will you?”
Deciding to call it a day, Emma set to work preparing the fish Nathanial had brought. She pondered on how many times Fae had done the same. I wonder if she thought Nathanial was hot too. Naughty Fae. She snickered at her own thoughts. Feeling lighthearted, she broke into a very loud rendition of Duran Duran’s Hungry Like the Wolf. Using the spatula as a microphone, she finished her song with a, “Thank you and goodnight!” She bowed toward the front window with a flourish.
When she straightened, Emma let out a surprised yelp. For a split second, she thought she caught a pale face peering in at her from the window. Heart thumping, she looked outside. Her breath fogged the glass and she wiped it quickly away. The clearing was empty.
“It’s just your reflection.” She laughed at herself. “You’re the only one out here. Remember what you told Paisley? Hell in the middle of an ocean abyss. And nobody,” she picked up her plate and settled beside the stove to eat her dinner, “lives in hell. I have to admit, though, the cabin is kind of cozy.” She let her mind wander as she watched the fire burn. I would have to start up some sort of Internet business in order to make a living out here, though. That, or take a boat to the mainland every day. She grimaced at the thought. Adding another log to the fire, she finished her dinner and turned in for the night.
Emma lay in her sleeping bag and stared at the ceiling. Shadows from the firelight danced across the walls. The light made shapes, elongating and changing until they settled. Her thoughts too, sunk and surfaced until she was finally pulled into the brink of sleep. Briefly, she felt as if someone stood over her, but was too tired to indulge the thought.
CHAPTER FIVE
EMMA WAS STARTLED awake by the phone. “Hello?”
“Yay! Your phone’s working. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for hours.”
Emma lay back, glad to hear her friend’s voice. “The reception out here is crap.” Pale sunlight slanted through the open window. “What time is it?”
“Ten thirty, sleepyhead! So, I talked to Derek this morning and he was adamant about coming out. He didn’t like the idea of you being on the island alone. Isn’t that sweet? He’s rented a boat for the week and everything. I’ll call Gideon and let him know you’re squared away. We’ll probably be there by this evening.”
It took several seconds for the information to soak in. “He didn’t have to do that.”
“He wanted to! Derek likes you, Emma.”
“Bring your sleeping bags.” Emma pulled hers up to her chin. “And food.”
“Between the three of us, we’ll have your grandmother’s place ship-shape in no time,” she said. “Anyway, I gotta go. See you soon.”
Emma hung up, a vague feeling of discomfort in the pit of her stomach. “It’s only for a couple days,” she assured herself.
The rest of the morning she cleaned with renewed vigor, hoping to get most of it done by the time Paisley and Derek arrived. Several days with Derek, she reflected. She hadn’t seen him since Paisley’s birthday party two weeks ago. She planned to tell Paisley what had happened. She just hadn’t quite figured out what she was going to say.
Emma surveyed the kitchen and wondered what the next owner would do with it. There wasn’t much cooking space, but more than enough storage space. She flung open the bottom cupboard and let out a cry of surprise as a skinny gray squirrel leapt out and ran under the bookcase.
“Geez, you scared me!” Emma held her hands to her chest. “Lizards and squirrels are not a selling point.” She opened the front door and stomped her feet beside the bookcase. “Out you go!”
The squirrel skittered past her with something shiny in its mouth.
“Hey!” Emma ran after it.
Scampering up the nearest tree, the squirrel froze on one of the branches, its tail flicking.
To her dismay, Emma saw that the shiny object in its mouth was her missing door key. “You little thief!”
Grabbing the lowest branch, she pulled herself up. The squirrel skittered up the trunk, staying just out of reach. Cursing, Emma climbed after it. She secured a toehold and bit back a cry as the wood snapped. She grabbed one of the other branches just in time to stop herself from plunging to the ground. She hung by one arm, the ground swaying dizzily beneath her.
“It’s a good thing I’m not afraid of heights,” she breathed as she pulled herself back up. “And her friends found her dead on the forest floor. The end.”
Staring down at her with its oddly pinkish eyes, the squirrel dropped the key from its mouth. The key bounced off the tree to the forest floor.
“Gee, thanks,” she said, glaring up at it. “Have you got a nest up there, or are we playing a game of tag?”
Emma settled on one of the larger branches to catch her breath and assess her injuries. Gazing across the tree tops, she had to admit the island was beautiful, in its own secluded way. The forest was populated with spruce, pine and cedar. Dappled with sunlight, the thicket they made was crisscrossed with narrow trails that ran the forest like tributaries. Her gaze sharpened. That’s odd. Nobody’s lived on the island for seven years. Why would the trails still be visible? Come to think of it, none of the trails have completely grown over. She pushed a strand of hair from her forehead and looked up at the squirrel again. I swear there are animals bigger than squirrels on the island.
“Have you got friends? Is that it? I didn’t think anything lived on this island.”
The squirrel stared back at her silently, its pink eyes calculating.
Emma carefully climbed back down. Now, I’m curious. I should leave some food out and see what else comes poking around. I’ll bet Mr. Squirrel wouldn’t mind some scraps, either. Maybe it’ll keep him out of the kitchen. After searching for the key, she picked it up and stuck it into her back pocket.
Emma went inside and rinsed her face and hands. She had several scratches along her arms, but nothing major. She grabbed a small blue dish. Setting it beside the door, she glanced up at the squirrel. “Your scraps go there. No squirrels inside. It’s going to be hard enough to sell this place as it is.”
The squirrel scampered down several branches and froze on the bottom one.
She eyed the pale rodent. “Don’t look at me like that,” she said, half-serious. “Keep your distance or I may decide to banish you for good.”
* * *
Evening came and Emma wandered down to the dock to wait for Paisley and Derek’s boat. Paisley had called earlier from the Oyster Bar to let her know they were on their way. After talking to her, Emma had spoken briefly with Gideon.
“Nate was concerned you’d be stuck out there alone,” Gideon said. “It seems your friend’s young man has it all under control.”
“Derek’s in control, all right,” she said blandly. “Tell Nathanial thanks again for me. I didn’t think he was actually going to call you.”
“Nate stays true to his word. Like I said, he’s a good guy. Should I tell him anything else?”
“No, Mr. Matchmaker,” Emma said. “Just tell him thank you.”
“You
take care, angel face.” He chuckled.
Emma stared out at the black ocean. A full moon lit a path across the choppy waters. Strong gusts of wind brought a salty spray. She wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the chill. A part of her didn’t want Paisley’s help, after all. And certainly not Derek’s. She was doing okay with the cleaning and packing on her own. It wasn’t the best vacation she’d had, but it wasn’t awful. She usually spent vacations working. It was kind of nice to have some downtime.
“Hail, Emma!” Her friend’s unmistakable laughter echoed across the waters. The dim light from the boat pierced the darkness.
Plastering a smile on her face, Emma went out on the dock to meet them.
“You’re right!” Paisley yelled. “It is out here in the abyss!” The boat slid alongside the dock. Paisley landed next to Emma with aplomb and gave her an enthusiastic hug. “First Mate Paisley, at your service!”
A tall, light-haired man landed on the dock beside her. Dressed in an expensive-looking dress shirt and cardigan, he stood in contrast to Paisley’s striped tights and corset dress. “Long time, no see, Em.”
Emma stiffly accepted his hug. The strong scent of cologne hit her nostrils.
“Renting the boat was ridiculous. Locals, man.” He slung his arm around Paisley’s bare shoulder. “Good thing I make bucks ‘cause there’s no way Paisley would have been able to pay for it.”
“I’ve got comic books you couldn’t even afford, mister,” Paisley said in mock indignation.
“So why don’t you sell them?”
“Because they’re collector’s items,” she replied, pursing her red lips. “Brr! I’m going to grab my coat.”
“It’s beside the cooler, babe.” Derek waited until Paisley was gone before turning his attention to Emma. “She got a little hot on the way out here.” He gave her a lazy grin.
Emma shoved her hands into her pockets and looked away.
The Island Page 4