Inside the Hollow Tree

by Laurel Veil

  Jackson’s eyes grew larger when he saw the park. I remembered that feeling. I loved coming to this very park, when I was a kid too. He ran to the tallest slide, as quickly as he could. I ran after him, not just so I could keep an eye on him, but so I could join him. The wind lifted my hair off my shoulders and at the same time, lifted my spirits. Jackson was already giggling at the bottom, waiting on me. My stomach tickled all the way down.

  “Let’s do it again!” said Jackson as he jumped up and raced back around to the ladder.

  “I’m gonna get you, Jackson!” I laughed.

  He was already zipping down by the time I reached the top. I took a moment to enjoy the view. That’s when I noticed two figures at the edge of the playground near the forest. I felt a little queasy when I realized it was my ex-best friend, Emma and she was with Harper. I still went to the same high school that I always had, but it was so large, I never ran into either of them. I felt self-conscious as I made my way down the slide knowing they were now watching me.

  “Having fun?” asked Harper in her usual condescending tone when they walked up.

  Emma looked like she felt bad about the way Harper was acting. “Hey,” she mumbled.

  “Hi,” I said. I turned to make sure Jackson was safe. “Don’t go too fast—you’ll get dizzy,” I warned him. He was spinning himself on the merry-go-round. I nervously turned back around and tried to steady my breathing. Harper made me nervous.

  “How’s your mom?” asked Emma.

  Before I could answer Harper added, “Yeah, is she still crazy or what?”

  “Harper!” said Emma. Harper rolled her eyes and looked annoyed.

  My hands were now fists. “She’s showing signs of improvement,” I lied.

  “So, she’s still not home?” said Emma.

  “Not yet.”

  “So, you’re still not home? You’re with that weird family.” Harper snickered.

  I clenched my fists even tighter and watched as Emma shifted her weight nervously. I was sure at any moment my palms were going to start dripping blood. I had no idea why Harper thought my circumstance was amusing.

  I looked at Emma. We used to be close, so I was certain that she knew what my eyes were asking her. What are you doing with her? Emma looked down at her feet. She was wearing dark gray UGGs with fuzzy light gray rims. That’s when I noticed that they matched Harper’s. Wow. They we’re better friends than I’d realized.

  My anger began to morph into hurt. If only Emma’s mother would’ve let me stay with them when my mom got hurt, we’d still be friends. We drifted apart once I moved out of my house and we no longer saw each other after school. Emma said she'd pleaded with her mom. I believed her, I think. Mrs. Sanders was a perfectionist, and my moving in would’ve caused a disruption in her perfect world. I’m sure it was never part of her plan to have her daughter’s friend shack up with them. The Sanders had a perfect lawn, a perfect house and drove perfect cars. I probably would’ve gone insane.

  I had really needed Emma when my mom first had her accident. Even if she couldn’t help me, just her company would have been something. It hurt to know I’d evidently liked her more than she'd liked me.

  “Come play, Falon!” Jackson called from the swings. I was glad for the interruption, and quickly turned to go. I watched Emma and Harper leave out of the corner of my eye and exhaled.

  I was so full of emotion, I used the sudden burst of energy to zip across the monkey bars.

  “Whoa!” said Jackson.

  “Yeah! I haven’t been able to do that in a while!” We laughed as we ran to the seesaw.

  ◆◆◆

  I let Jackson play long enough for me to mull over everything that had happened. I still had no clue who Ruby was and as far as Emma and Harper were concerned, my plan was to ignore them and avoid them at all cost. I found a little comfort in knowing Harper had never been able to keep a friend for very long, and so her and Emma’s friendship probably wouldn’t last. Harper treated other girls like puppets. She liked controlling them—dressing them and telling them what to think. I guessed this meant that Emma was going to be popular now. Being popular was something Emma always wanted to be, and something she would’ve never been with me.

  I sighed. “I hate to say it, but it’s getting late. We better head back before it gets dark.”

  Jackson nodded, but he looked sad. He didn’t want to leave yet either.

  “I tell you what,” I said desperately trying to make him smile again. “How ‘bout I take you by the pond first?”

  His face lit up. “Can I throw six wocks in it?”

  “Six rocks. But that’s it. We can’t be late or Ms. Alice won’t let us come here again.”

  Jackson threw closer to sixty rocks. He was having so much fun, I couldn’t stop him.

  “Wow, that was the biggest splash yet!” I cheered.

  A moment later, I heard something move in the woods behind us. I hoped that maybe it was Emma coming back to apologize.

  My blood turned to ice, when I turned and saw a tall, dark figure standing a few yards back. Branches blocked me from seeing it plainly, but my instincts were clear. They shouted, run—fast!

  I reached for Jackson and pulled him by his arm. “Let’s go,” I whispered frantically as I tried to rush him along. He looked confused. I felt terrible, but I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that our lives were in danger.

  “Why?” he asked as we continued walking quickly back toward the playground. When I didn’t respond, he looked behind us for the answer.

  He gasped. I was too afraid to look myself and tried to make him walk even faster.

  “There’s a shadow behind us,” he whispered. I squeezed his hand tighter. Suddenly, adrenaline surged through me and I scooped him into my arms and ran out of the woods and across the playground. Jackson wrapped his arms around my neck and buried his face. I didn’t blame him for not wanting to look. I darted down familiar streets and then into the backyard of a little wood frame house that sat on cinder blocks. I ran up the steps to the porch and reached under the third flower pot from the door and removed a key.

  “Hurry,” Jackson pleaded.

  I couldn’t get the key into the lock my hand was trembling so much. “I’m going to have to put you down, Jackson.” He squeezed more tightly, then reluctantly released me.

  I used my other hand to steady my grip. I inserted the key and pushed our way in. I locked the door behind us and ran to the front of the house and peered out the window through the blinds. Jackson ran up beside me and clutched my waist with a death grip.

  I flinched when I finally saw the shadow figure coming. It camouflaged itself among the trees that lined the street. I would have missed it, had I not been looking. I squinted as I strained to comprehend what I was seeing. When the shadow stopped, I held my breath. Though it didn’t have eyes, or even a face, it was as if it were looking around. And, it seemed confused. I felt a slight sense of relief when I realized, it didn’t know where we were. Something suddenly appeared from within the shadow. My heart raced when I realized it was Ruby’s sweater. The shadow was using it to track my scent.

  Just then, a car came down the street. Before it past, the shadow vanished into the air and the sweater fell into the ditch.

  “This is your house.”

  I jumped. I had forgotten for a moment that Jackson was there.

  “Yep. My real home.” I looked around and did a quick inventory of my surroundings. It had been a while since I had been there, but everything seemed to be as I had left it. “My mom and I live here.”

  Jackson’s eyes were big now. “Wow,” he said, barely audible.

  “When my mom gets better, you can come live here with us,” I promised him.

  A huge smile filled his pudgy cheeks. “Do you have any toys?”

  I led him to my room and switched on the overhead light. We had electricity because our bills were still being paid automatically from my mom’s checking account. I opened a large chest
that sat at the foot of my bed. It was filled with my childhood.

  Jackson wasn’t shy. He raced to the trunk and rummaged through it. He inspected everything and declared that each item he found was his favorite. The lighting in my room brought out the gold in his eyes and hair.

  “I never realized before, just how much your hair is like mine, Jackson. We’re both strawberry blonds.”

  “Oh, this is my favorite,” said Jackson lifting another toy. I wasn’t sure if he was ignoring me or simply didn’t hear me.

  “Do you even know what that is?” I asked.

  The look on his face told me he didn’t have a clue. I took it and giggled. “It’s called a Rubik’s Cube. You’re supposed to turn it so that each side is a solid color.” I spun it back and forth a few times.

  “Let me see! Let me see!”

  I handed it to him and then went to look out the window. I wanted to ask him about shadows, and I thought he might talk more freely if I wasn’t looking at him and he was distracted with the toys. With my back to him I asked, “So, what did you call that thing, we saw in the woods?”

  “A shadow.”

  “Earlier today, when I found you in the closet, you said you were hiding from shadows. What exactly are shadows?”

  “They’re bad.”

  I shivered. “How do you know that?”

  “They just are.”

  I looked a moment longer out the window. There was still no sign of it, hopefully it was long gone. It was getting darker, we had no choice but to leave.

  “Come on. It’s time to go now.”

  “Can I have this?” He held up a Slinky.

  “Sure.” I helped him pick up the rest of the toys and put them back in the chest. I froze when I picked up the Rubik’s Cube.

  “Jackson!”

  He jumped at my tone.

  “You did it. You solved it!”

  He simply shrugged and looked down at the Slinky and made the spring bounce from his left hand to his right.

  I shook my head. “Come on, let’s go, silly.” I slipped on a light jacket and pulled my long waves of hair up under a ball cap to try and disguise myself. I had Jackson wear a cap too.

  ◆◆◆

  I breathed a sigh of relief once we were seated on the bus.

  “So, you know how you told me Ruby had a light around her that was red? And, the nurse at the desk was brown?”

  He nodded like it wasn’t a big deal to have this ability. “It tells me if they are good or bad.”

  “Wow. That’s pretty cool.” I was quiet for a moment as I thought about what he’d just said. “Do...I have a color?”

  “Yellow.” He smiled.

  “Is that good?”

  He giggled. “Yes, silly. You’re good.”

  “What about...my mom?”

  “She doesn’t have a color. I think she’s too sleepy.”

  I nodded and wondered if that meant her color was

  fading, because she was dying.

  “I saw your garden. Maybe we can work on it together.”

  I smiled. "I'd like that."

  ◆◆◆

  It wasn’t long until we were walking up the driveway. “Remember, Jackson, don’t mention anything about the shadows or going to my house,” I said as I took our caps and stuffed them into my pocket. I didn’t want Ms. Alice asking me where I had gotten them. Jackson nodded that he would keep our secret, and I knew he would, as I watched him stuff the Slinky into his pocket without even being told.

  A motor suddenly roared from somewhere in the backyard. Jackson ran to see what was going on and I followed.

  A guy, who looked older than me, was hunched over, adjusting something on a lawn mower. He noticed Jackson first and then looked up at me through his long, dark bangs. We held each other’s eyes for a moment. When Ms. Alice let the screen door slam behind her, he stood and switched off the engine.

  She waddled her way down the steps. She was greeted by a stray cat and several of her kittens that came out from underneath the porch. She shooed them away. “I just don’t know where all these animals come from or why they hang out around here now,” she grumbled.

  Jackson and I gave one another a quick look and tried not to smile. We knew why. We were always feeding them whenever no one was looking.

  “I see you got that thing running,” said Ms. Alice a bit winded.

  I sighed and wondered when she was going to make me use it.

  Ms. Alice was still looking at the new guy, when to my surprise, she said, “I expect you to get this place mowed tomorrow.” She looked around the yard. “I’d have you do it now if it wasn’t getting so late.”

  Wait—what? She actually hired this guy? I wondered. No way, she was too cheap for that. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why she didn’t have Jacob, mow. He and Daisy did nothing around the house to help out.

  “Hi, Mom,” said Daisy as she walked up with Hazel and Angela and placed a kiss on her mother’s cheek. Daisy was wearing a strapless top that needed to be pulled up and cut off shorts that showed off every inch of her dimpled thighs.

  Ms. Alice squeezed her. “Hi ya, sugar plum.”

  “Is this the new foster you said Jackson told you about?” asked Daisy.

  Ms. Alice nodded. “Yes, Ty.”

  What? I looked at Jackson. His face was blank. When I looked at Ty, his expression looked as confused as I felt.

  Tell me again, Mom,” Daisy looked at Hazel and Angela as if to say, get ready, because you’re not going to believe this, “how did Jackson know about Ty?”

  “He said he had a dream about him,” said Ms. Alice. “The little...guy kept nagging me, so I checked on it. Sure enough, he was right." She motioned to Ty. "And, here he is.”

  Now Ty looked as amazed as I felt. Daisy on the other hand scowled at Jackson. “You little weirdo.”

  Daisy eyed Ty. “So, he’ll be staying with us?” She raised her brows, at Hazel and Angela and they giggled.

  “Let’s hope at least long enough to get this yard in shape.” Alice laughed, but I knew she meant it. I should have known she was too cheap to hire someone.

  Ty and I gave each other a quick look. I couldn’t help but believe we were thinking the same thing. These people are mental.

  Daisy continued discussing Ty with her mom as though he wasn’t standing right there. It was like he was a new horse her mom had just purchased to do work around their farm.

  Finally, Ms. Alice told Daisy to tell her friends bye, and everyone else to go inside for dinner. Though it was never very healthy, one thing Ms. Alice could do was cook.

  I helped Jackson wash up and then we set the table. It was long and had two benches that ran along its sides. There was a chair at one end where Ms. Alice sat and another at the opposite end for her husband when he was home. He spent most of his time on the road, driving an eighteen-wheeler. I didn’t blame him for staying gone.

  I placed the bowls and Jackson set out spoons. Ty was busy filling six glasses with ice and tea when Jacob and Daisy sauntered in and took their seats.

  Ms. Alice placed a large pot in the center of the table and ladled chili into every bowl. In between bites, Daisy begged her mother to buy her a dress for homecoming.

  I tried to ignore them, and glanced at the window. It was so dark, all I could see was my reflection. I wished I was having dinner with my mom and talking about homecoming dresses. I quickly dabbed at the corner of my eye. When I looked back, Ty gave me a tiny smile that told me he was sorry for whatever was making me sad. It made me feel a little better.

  “I’m still hungry,” said Jackson. The pot was now empty though. Daisy and Ms. Alice had eaten more than the rest of us combined.

  “You’ve had plenty,” said Ms. Alice as she got up from the table. “You three get this mess cleaned up. Jacob, honey, you and your sister run along and get ready for bed. We can’t all shower at once.”

  Great, I thought. No hot water again. I didn’t care so much for me. I could hop i
n and out of a shower pretty quickly. But Jackson, he was just a kid. He deserved a long, warm bath. And bubbles, he deserved bubbles too. Once the three of them left, I gave Jackson my crackers.

  “Here,” said Ty, “you can have mine too.” He smiled as he handed them over. “Are they always like this?” he asked me in a low voice.

  “Pretty much.” I said.

  “So, your name is Jackson, huh?”

  Jackson nodded.

  “I think that’s a really cool name,” said Ty. “You don’t hear it too often. It was my grandpa’s name. You’re the youngest person I ever knew with that name.”

  Jackson smiled.

  “So, you had a dream about me—and that’s how Ms. Alice knew to come get me?”

  Jackson looked uncomfortable. In a timid voice he said, “I don’t willy want to talk about it.”

  Ty grinned. “That’s OK, buddy.”

  “Yeah. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, Jackson,” I said.

  While Jackson nibbled on crackers, Ty and I cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher. “I had the same speech impediment when I was a kid,” said Ty quietly.

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yeah, I couldn’t say my r’s if my life depended on it.”

  “Well, you would never know to hear you now.”

  He took a bow and I laughed. “I try.”

  When we finished, Ty took the towel from me and hung it on the oven door handle to dry. “Thanks,” I said. “It was nice to have help. I got done a whole lot faster tonight.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  ◆◆◆

  After helping Jackson get ready for bed, it was finally my turn. I enjoyed my lukewarm shower the best I could then slipped into the sweats I used for pajamas. I was surprised when I stepped into the room that Jackson and I shared and saw Ty laying on a cot that was pushed up against the wall.