The Search for Grandma Sparkle

by Darlene Miller

  “Yes, you get the idea.” Tom replied.

  “There is a Coalport church which holds a museum?” Sarah questioned. “I’d like to see it sometime.”

  “Maybe we could see it next week.” Tom said.

  “I hope Grandma and Jessica are found before then.” Sarah spoke wistfully.

  “That would be great. You know that they haven’t found any evidence that Opal and Jessica are in another part of Iowa or the country. I still feel that somehow the mines and your grandmother are connected because there were many small mines that weren’t reclaimed. These may have old buildings and debris where your grandmother and Jessica are hidden.”

  “I think that John is somehow involved but I didn’t think that he would hurt Jessica. Anyway, the law enforcement officers are still following him, according to his last phone call to Grandma’s house.”

  “You really help me, Tom, just by listening to me and caring what happens to them.”

  “I wish that I could do more. You help me too, by letting me voice my thoughts about my Iowa history paper.”

  “Goodbye now.”

  “Yea, goodbye.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  The next morning Sarah woke up and thought about calling her friend, Jill, just to get away from it all. She was taking a shower when she heard the phone ring.

  “Hello. Oh, hello, Jill.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about your Grandmother Opal and Niece Jessica.”

  “Yeah. Thank you.”

  “Have you heard any more about what happened to them?”

  “They found Grandma’s purse in the Des Moines River.” Sarah wandered down the stairs to get a cup of coffee. She wondered what she should tell her friend. The police wouldn’t want all the information to be repeated because some information could be used to check out a suspect’s story. She changed the subject by asking, “What are you doing today?”

  “I’m going for a boat ride. Would you like to take a ride on Lake Red Rock today?”

  “I thought about calling you and doing something together but I don’t know what mom has planned. I just woke up and showered but I haven’t been on a boat ride for ever so long. You know that my family avoids water since Grandpa Mark died in a boating accident. Dad won’t even go fishing.”

  “I forgot. It will be safe. I’m going with my friend Roger and thought that you might like to get away. We will go slowly and sight see. Roger has enough life preservers. Without wind, there won’t be white caps so the water should be smooth.”

  “I’ll call you back and tell you what Mom says. What time did you want to leave?”

  “About nine.”

  “Okay. Goodbye.”

  Sarah drove the half mile to her house and went searching for her mother. She found her folding clothes in the laundry room. “Mom, what did you plan for today?”

  Sarah’s mother placed another sweet smelling towel in the pile to go into the closet. “Well, I planned to bake today but it’s too hot. I have so many cupcakes and cookies from the SPARKLE CLUB and other church people that the freezer is full. Your dad will have plenty for coffee time. You know that I usually get my hair done on Wednesdays at three. Didn’t you plan to take me?”

  “Jill and another friend want to go riding around Red Rock Lake. Then we will probably go somewhere for lunch. If you want to get your hair done, I’ll be back to drive you this afternoon.

  I’ll call Jill and tell her that I can go but need to be back by two. That will leave me time to get ready and time to drive you to Knoxville.”

  Sarah returned the call to Jill. They decided that both Roger and Sarah would meet Jill at Jill’s house. Since she had neglected to tell her mother that she was traveling by water, Sarah didn’t want them to show up at her house with a boat and trailer behind Rogers pick up. She was twenty years old and didn’t share her father’s fear of the water.

  Jill and Roger were waiting for her as Sarah drove her old SUV into the lane. Roger was pleased to show off the eighteen foot V shaped boat with the 150 horsepower motor. It wasn’t long before they were at the Elk Rock State Park where they had a beautiful wide boat launch. It was evident that Roger knew what he was doing as he smoothly backed the boat into the water and jumped out to tie it to the dock. The girls jumped out of the pickup and stepped onto the dock while Roger parked the pickup. Then Roger helped them into the boat before he untied the rope that held the boat to the dock.

  “Which way do you want to go?” Roger asked. “East and south will take us to Coalport and the Whitebreast area toward the dam. West and north will take us under the mile long bridge toward Swan. If we cross the lake on the north side we see Painted Rocks and the Peace Tree that is almost completely covered by water.”

  “Both,” Jill answered. “Let’s go slowly to see the bluffs and then return and go under the mile long bridge, past the Peace Tree and then cross the lake and go west.” Jill answered.

  “Okay, we can go slowly along the bluffs until we cross the lake but you had better put your life jackets on when we go fast to cross to the north shore.”

  Sarah enjoyed the ride along the bluffs. She saw swallows fluttering around the holes in the sandstone cliffs which probably held their nests. She noticed the layers of different colored sandstone and shale with black layers that were coal when they neared the area where the town of Coalport had been. She thought about Tom and how much he would like to see the area by water.

  She shuttered when she saw the red headed vultures. They didn’t seem to be eating anything but vultures frightened her.

  Sarah climbed down onto the cushioned area on the floor between the seats where Jill and Roger were sitting before they went under the bridge. The swallows here had different nests that were made of dried mud dabbed on the underside of the bridge.

  The Peace Tree had been the largest sycamore tree around before the lake was formed by the dam. There were protests to the Army Corp of Engineers when other trees in the area were cut down so it was decided not to cut the sycamore Peace Tree. Now it was dead with most of it under water. Sarah remembered the stories of the Indians and white men meeting and making treaties under the tree.

  “Hold on girls,” Roger yelled. “Now you will see what this baby will do.” He revved the engine. The front of the boat tipped up and slid along at a fast speed. Water splashed on them. Sarah grabbed her hat and sun glasses and closed her eyes so they wouldn’t get water in them. It was exciting to Jill and Roger but scary to her. Soon they were along the north side by Painted Rocks. Roger slowed the boat as they neared the bluffs. Sarah didn’t tell her friends that they were nearing the place below Swan where Grandma Sparkles purse had been found. That had not been public knowledge.

  They skirted around where some fishermen in a boat were throwing their lines in the water. Roger was careful not to make a wake to disturb them.

  The return trip to Elk Rock State Park was uneventful. Sarah was glad that they stopped for lunch in Knoxville because it gave her time to dry off before she went home.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The child sobbing woke Opal. She blinked her eyes and tried to focus them. Where was she? Who was the child?

  “Mommy, Mommy,” the little girl cried.

  Opal’s first thought was that is was Susan. She opened her eyes again and recognized the child as her three-year-old great-grandchild, Jessica. Why wasn’t Susan taking care of her? Where was she? Why were they here? Was anyone else here?

  “Hello. Is anyone here?” She called in a loud voice. Startled by the cry of the old woman, Jessica cried louder. Her blond curls bounced in rhythm with her sobbing. Opal blinked again and opened her eyes. Jessica was lying beside her in an old smelly bed.

  “Sh- sh- shush. Grandma Sparkle’s here. We’ll find your mommy. Hush, I will take care of you.” When she moved to hug the little girl, her left foot and ankle were hurting her something awful.

  Opal looked at her great-granddaughter and asked, “Do you hurt anywhere?”

 
Jessica shook her head negatively. Opal raised her left hand to gently touch the back of her own head and felt the goose egg that had formed there. She looked at her hand but didn’t see any blood so her head probably wasn’t split open. Jessica was still crying but her sobs were more quiet now. She felt like crying herself but that would frighten the child even more. Of course, all she had to do was phone Susan and the child’s mother would drop everything and rescue them.

  Opal sat at the edge of the bed and looked around for her purse and cell phone. It was dark inside the shack but there was some light coming from a dirty window covered with a rag of paisley print for a curtain. It must be daylight.

  The cot they had been lying on smelled musty and the old quilt was filthy. A mouse peaked at her from the corner before it scurried into a hole in the wall.

  Jessica cried, “I need to go potty.”

  Obviously there wasn’t a bathroom in the one room cabin. Opal spied a few warped boards that held some dirty pans and dishes. She hobbled to the open cupboard. Her left foot was swollen and hurt even more when she tried to put her weight on it. She removed the largest pan. “You will have to go in this.”

  Jessica obeyed her great-grandmother but obviously didn’t want to use the pan. Of course there wasn’t any toilet tissue. Where was her purse with the Kleenex tissues?

  Opal sat down again. She closed her eyes. Then she opened them half way. The wooden chair wobbled when she moved to look around. At first she thought that it was dust that covered everything in sight but when she touched the oilcloth table cover, she realized that the dust was really soot. It covered the cast iron sink along with an old stove that looked like it burned wood. There wasn’t any wood nearby but a black bucket held what looked like coal.

  Opal looked at her feet which were swollen, black and blue and hurt something awful. Her eyes searched all over the little shack, but she couldn’t find her purse or her phone. An old wooden dresser stood near the bed. She spied a few cans that looked like soup or beans that were on the open wooden shelf. At least they wouldn’t starve.

  Fear gripped her as she realized that she didn’t know where she was. Where was her phone?

  She removed her shoes and pulled herself up using her elbows as leverage on the table. Then she shuffled to the window. Spitting on her finger, she rubbed the glass and peered out. What she saw were trees and more trees. Further down the small rutted path appeared a cloudy, rainy sky. Since she couldn’t see the sun, she couldn’t tell what time it was. Well, she thought, I’ll just look at my cell phone. I need to call Susan and tell her where we are.

  Her eyes searched all over the little shack, but she couldn’t find her purse or her phone. Fear gripped her as she realized that she didn’t know where she was. Where was her phone?

  Opal was so tired. Jessica’s little face was tearful as she cried, “I want my mommy.”

  “I know dear. We will stay here until mommy comes to get us.”

  Where was her purse and phone?

  “I’m hungry.” Jessica’s curls bounced as she skipped to the make shift cupboard.

  They can use my phone and new credit card to trace my location, Opal realized. How did I get here and where is my purse and phone?

  “I’m hungry,” Jessica repeated.

  “Can you climb on the chair and bring that can to me?”

  “Yes, but I’m not supposed to climb on chairs,” Jessica answered.

  “Well, granny’s foot hurts so I need you to help me.” Opal answered. “See that can opener on the shelf? I need it and two spoons.”

  Jessica asked, “Do you mean this thing?” She pointed to the opener?

  Opal said, “yes.”

  She opened the can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew but didn’t make any attempt to heat it. She stuck two spoons in it and told Jessica to eat.

  “I never had cold soup before.”

  “It is hot in here so I won’t make a fire in the stove now.”

  “Why don’t you heat it in the microwave?”

  “We don’t have a microwave here. Do you see a microwave?”

  “No. This is a funny house.”

  “Is this supper?” The little girl asked.

  “I’m sorry that we don’t have pizza or macaroni and cheese--” “No, granny, if this is supper, we should pray first.”

  “You are right, Jessica. Do you want to pray?”

  “God bless Mommy and me and Granny and help Mommy find us. Amen.”

  Jessica laid down after eating half of the can of food and was soon asleep.

  Opal felt more pain than hunger but ate the other half of the stew. With such limited supplies, she needed to use everything they had.

  Opal wondered where was she? If she was going to tell Susan her location, she needed a reference point.

  She hobbled to the window and pushed the torn and dirty paisley curtain aside to look outside. She yelled and jumped as a spider dropped down beside her.

  Opal quickly glanced at Jessica but she was still asleep. Peering out the window, Opal saw dark clouds covering the sky. An overgrown path, that led to another path of sorts, must have been the dirt road that brought them to this desolate location. Huge cotton wood trees with drooping branches and thick vines creeping up their trunks covered all she could see.

  She moved to the wooden shelves that held a dozen cans of food plus an unopened jar of peanut butter. Beside it were two metal cans. She opened them and saw that one contained matches while the other held crackers. The cracker that she bit into tasted stale but it was food and edible. She wondered why they were in metal cans until she remembered the mouse she saw last night, or was it two days ago?

  She couldn’t stand on one foot very long so she returned to the bed and propped her foot up on the blanket.

  Rain was falling in steady streams against the window. It was hard to tell what time of day it was. Then booming thunder and a flash of lightning startled her. Rain seeped through a hole in the roof and leaked onto the floor but she just couldn’t get up again to put a pan under the leak.

  The child must have been very tired to still be asleep. Maybe it was the trauma that made her sleep. She hoped that Jessica slept as long as possible. The way Jessica climbed onto the chair and ran around showed that she wasn’t hurt.

  Opal laid down on the cot beside Jessica. She felt tears start flooding her face as they sluiced down the lines of her cheeks. Her whole body shook. She cried for herself, Jessica, Susan and the rest of the family and friends who were looking for them. She didn’t want to wake Jessica but sobs just rolled over her like ocean waves breaking over her whole body. She felt broken.

  “Lord, help me,” she pleaded.

  Then she slept.

  A short time later she woke again. Opal remembered her crying spell. Why me God? She wondered.

  She fell asleep until she saw a bright light and heard a voice. Was it a dream or vision?

  “Opal, I am with you. Think of the child. If you handle this properly, she will not be afraid for the rest of her life. Think SPARKLE. You must give her kindness, love and encouragement.”

  The light faded away.

  “Okay, I will SPARKLE .

  SHARE but how can I share our situation with anyone without a cell phone? I can’t walk more than a few steps and I surely can’t carry Jessica when her little legs get tired.

  PRAY - Of course, I can pray. I’m always saying God help me at the back of my mind. This must be what it is like to pray “without ceasing.”

  ACTION - What action can I do? Well, I guess I can check on food and water.

  RESEARCH - I don’t see any “How to do it” survival books but I can check the dresser drawers for what is available. I can replace anything that I use.

  I need KINDNESS, LOVE and ENCOURAGEMENT. Jessica needs it too.

  Yes, I can make this an adventure for Jessica. She mustn’t see that I am afraid. All crying must be done while Jessica was asleep. I must be positive.

  Anyway, I can’t leave the cab
in until Jessica wakes up.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Opal thought about the camping trips where she and Mark had taken with their children and with their grandchildren. Maybe her experiences could help her survive this ordeal in the cabin. At first they had only a tent but later were able to borrow their neighbor’s camper. Their farmer neighbor needed Mark and George to help with planting or harvesting and had no cash to pay them so he lent them the camper that fall after harvest. It saved face that the work wasn’t done for nothing and Mark preferred the camper to sleeping on the ground.

  They did a lot of what Mark called “boondocking” in those days. That meant that they didn’t have electric hook-ups. Usually they parked the camper near the Des Moines River near Eddyville. While the men fished, Opal and Mary would lie in the sun and read books or wander down the path beside the river. When fishing was successful, Mark cleaned the fish and fried them in the skillet over an open fire. If it rained, they played card games in the camper.

  What she liked best was just sitting quietly and immersing herself in nature. There wasn’t a “to do” list. She was content to feel the warm sun on her skin and do nothing but ponder on the mystery of life around her. You could see the animal trails that the deer took at sunset. Ants were always working carrying pieces of food larger than themselves. A bird, that she didn’t recognize, sang a lovely song to her. She felt the breeze over her left ear.

  Boondocking didn’t mean doing without conveniences. They had a bathroom, water on tap, and tanks, one that held fresh water and one for waste water. They could shower in warm water and even had refrigeration due to the propane tanks.

  She had a feeling that it would be easier to boondock in a camper than to live in this shack. The water that at first was brown from the pump now was clear. If she boiled it, it should be safe. They had cans of food but no indoor toilet facilities. Without electricity or a generator, they didn’t have refrigeration, hot water or fans.