by MJ Howson
The wooden box with the fertility pills and diary were hidden beneath the bed. Dawn retrieved the box, reached inside, and tossed the diary beside Eve. After taking a fertility pill, she returned the bottle to the box, leaving it on the floor.
Once in bed, Dawn pulled Eve close, opened the diary, and found where she’d left off. After she scanned the first few paragraphs, she looked at Eve and asked, “Another birthday?”
∞∞∞
November 9, 2012
Eve looked past Tina’s bare mattress at Suzie, flopped in her lumpy bed. A faded pink flannel blanket covered the young girl. Hugo was already fast asleep, buried beneath his covers. The rickety high-mounted windows howled as the cold air outside battered them with the wind. The steam radiator against the wall softly rattled as it struggled to heat the room.
“You’ve been so happy all day,” Eve said to Suzie, trying not to wake Hugo.
“Of course,” Suzie said. She sat up and turned toward Eve. Her smile revealed a perfect set of white teeth, lined with bits of pink frosting. “I’m finally going home.”
Suzie picked up the pink hand mirror on the table beside her bed. The accessory was intricately styled for a plastic mirror, with an oval shape that twisted into a curved handle. She began to fidget with her hair, now styled in a pony twist.
Eve flung her red blanket away and scurried over to Suzie’s bed. The sound of her corduroy slippers slapping against the floor echoed off the stone walls and vaulted ceiling. She sat down beside Suzie and asked, “Aren’t you worried?”
“No. And don’t ask me to contact anyone or get you a message. This camp was stupid and dumb. I’ve already told my parents they need to make this up to me.” Suzie tossed the mirror onto the blanket beside her and leaned closer to Eve. “What did we learn to prepare for becoming teenagers?”
“I . . . I don’t know.”
“Exactly. Nothing! We’ve learned nothing.” Suzie rolled her eyes. “And I’ve gotten straight A’s on every single test. My parents keep saying they’re proud of me, but all this stuff they’re teaching seems stupid.”
Eve nodded and said, “I miss my old school.”
“Father John and Mother Martha are horrible teachers.”
“I . . . I don’t think they’re real teachers.”
“I told my mom she’s taking me shopping next week. I’m planning on maxing out her credit card.” Suzie giggled and slid beneath her covers. “She owes me.”
“You saw your mom today?”
“No.” Suzie’s smile faded.
The lock on the door snapped loudly, causing Suzie and Eve to jump. As the door opened, Eve vaulted over Tina’s empty bed, flicked her slippers off, and dove beneath her blanket. Caretaker entered, carrying a tray with three glasses of water and a small glass bowl with two pills.
“Let me guess,” Caretaker said. “Hugo’s already asleep?”
“Yup,” Suzie said. “You’d think three pieces of cake would keep him awake.”
Caretaker closed the door and stopped by Eve’s bed first. She handed her a pill and a glass of water. She said, “Take your vitamin.”
Eve used her thumb to roll the pill deep into her palm. As she raised her hand, she let the pill fall into her open sleeve. She pretended to put it in her mouth before taking a few chugs of water.
“Show me,” Caretaker said.
Eve opened her mouth wide and stuck her tongue out.
“Good girl.”
Caretaker went over to Hugo’s bed and woke him. Hugo yawned and looked around, a bit confused.
Eve slid deeper beneath her bright red flannel blanket and rolled to her side. She could feel the pill wedged in the folds of her elbow. Eve smiled, proud of her deception. She ignored Caretaker as the woman finished with Hugo and sat and talked with Suzie. All Eve could think about was what she would do later when Caretaker came back.
“Sleep well,” Caretaker said.
Eve rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling as the room slowly darkened. The lock to the door closed. She sat up and stared at the light spilling from beneath the door. Her eyes adjusted so she could see Hugo and Suzie. Both were either asleep or soon to be there. Eve curled beneath her blanket and slid her hand under her pillow until she found her diary. She dragged her fingers beside the book until she felt the silver butter knife she’d stolen from the birthday party.
The minutes passed. An hour. Two hours. Eve found it difficult to stay awake so late, but she didn’t want to sleep through Caretaker’s return. She could hear Hugo snoring from the opposite side of the room. Suddenly the lock on the door snapped open. Eve felt her throat close with fear as she rolled over to face the door. She closed her eyes and draped the blanket over her face, partially obscuring her vision. She had just enough of an opening to allow her to see the cedar-lined armoire and the doorway. In the darkness and shadows, the wardrobe’s clawed feet, winged top, and serpent’s head looked ready to come to life at the slightest provocation.
Caretaker entered with Suzie’s luggage in tow. The light from the hallway flooded the room. She left the door wide open as she placed the bag near the armoire and walked to Suzie’s bed. Eve listened as Caretaker gently woke Suzie and told her it was time to leave. Suzie grabbed her mirror and followed Caretaker to get her luggage and clothes from the armoire. When they were done packing, the two went to the door and into the hallway.
Eve flung the blankets from her bed and reached beneath her pillow. She grabbed the knife and ran to the door, taking hold of the handle as Caretaker closed it. Eve used the knife to cover the faceplate, forcing the latch to remain in the assembly.
Eve pressed her ear to the door and listened as Caretaker slid the key into the lock. She pressed her body hard to hold the door in place. Caretaker stumbled and muttered as she fidgeted with the lock. An argument soon broke out.
“I want to go, now!” Suzie yelled.
“Hush!” Caretaker said. “The lock’s stuck.”
“Now!”
“Fine. I’ll . . . I’ll come back later.”
Eve’s heart pounded in her chest. She finally exhaled once she heard the clatter of Suzie’s luggage rolling across the cobblestone hallway floor. Eve waited until the sound had vanished. She slowly opened the door and jutted her head into the empty corridor.
Eve left the door open and looked back and forth, trying to guess which way Caretaker and Suzie had gone. A crash from one end of the hallway startled Eve. In the distance, she could hear Suzie say, “Don’t break my bag!”
Eve grinned and took off down the hallway, following the sound of Suzie’s voice. The cold floor ached as her bare feet slapped against the hard rough stones. How she wished she’d grabbed her slippers before leaving. Eve passed the schoolroom and playroom before reaching the end of the hallway. The hall connected to another corridor.
The echo of Suzie’s voice, complaining about something Eve couldn’t quite make out, resonated from the hallway. Eve stuck her head into the opening and looked to the left and then the right. The passageway to the left led to the cafeteria. Eve also knew the opposite end was forbidden. She smiled as she turned and headed to the right.
An orange glow reflecting off the white walls filled the dimly lit corridor. She could hear Suzie’s shrill entitled voice barking at Caretaker somewhere far ahead. Eve paused when she heard the sounds of squeaking hinges followed by a slam. Soon all went silent. Eve’s heart raced as she quickened her pace.
After a few turns, Eve came upon the iron gate. She tried the winged metal handle, only to find the door locked. Eve dropped to her knees and strained to slide beneath the opening but, just as in prior attempts, failed. She stood up and looked at the top of the gate. Although the bars didn’t extend to the ceiling, she wondered if there might be enough room.
Eve smiled as she jumped onto the gate and began to scale the bars. The coarse iron slats, weathered and flaking, scraped against her hands. Eve used the wall to keep a secure foothold as she struggled to pull herself hig
her. When she reached the top, she found the tips of the bars to be just as rusted and jagged as the bottom ends. A slam from somewhere ahead shocked her. She knew there was no going back. Eve flung her body over the top. The iron slats scraped and clawed at her red gown. She moved as quickly as possible and soon found herself sliding down the opposite side of the gate. Adrenaline coursed through her body as she hit the cobblestone floor.
Eve ran down the hallway, her heart throbbing in her chest. She made several turns until a black wooden door signaled the end of the line. Her feet, heavy with fear, dragged across the stone floor as she cautiously approached the doorway. Eve pressed her ear against the dark wood planks and listened. She could barely make out Suzie’s voice.
Eve stepped back and stared at the black iron handle. The edges appeared worn and scuffed. She debated if she should enter. Who would she find on the other side? Would she be punished for following Caretaker? Her hand trembled as she reached for the handle.
As her fingertips touched the cold dark metal, the knob suddenly spun, and the door swung open. The man they called Father John barged into the hallway, forcing Eve to stumble backward. She tried to see past him inside the room but couldn’t. He slammed the door closed.
Father John was an imposing man, more so to a child as small as Eve. Broad shoulder and chiseled, his sky blue eyes peered out from beneath his hooded black silk robe. With a bellowing voice, he asked, “How did you get out of your room?”
“I . . . I wanted to say goodbye to Suzie.” Eve said. Her heart pounded and tried to claw its way into her throat. Her mouth went dry as she struggled to gather her strength. “What’s behind that door?”
“It’s not your time.”
Father John grabbed Eve by her wrist and headed back down the corridor. Eve punched his hand as she struggled to free herself. She looked back at the black wooden door and screamed, “Suzie!”
Eve continued to resist, eventually letting her body go limp. Father John dragged her like a sack of potatoes, letting her feet bounce across the cobblestone floor. He stopped at the iron gate and tested the handle to confirm it was secure. Father John looked at Eve and asked, “How did you get past this?”
Eve ignored him and tried to pull away. She said, “I want to go back! I want to see!”
Father John ignored her and unlocked the gate. Eve continued to resist as they made their way through the maze of corridors. When they reached the door to the bedroom, Father John stopped and inspected the door latch. He noticed the knife resting on the floor. He turned to Eve and said, “Clever girl.”
Father John flung Eve into the bedroom, sending her crashing to the ground. He grabbed the knife and pointed it at Eve. “You broke the rules. Enjoy the rest of your night. Punishment comes tomorrow.”
Tears ran down Eve’s face as Father John slammed the door shut. She clutched her elbow, now throbbing from the hit it took when she landed on the stone floor. Eve pulled herself upright, staring at the light coming from beneath the door.
“Are you okay,” Hugo asked.
Eve spun around and searched the room. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She finally saw Hugo sitting up in his bed. She said, “I’m fine.”
Hugo got up and walked over and knelt beside Eve. He put an arm around her and helped her stand up. Together they walked to Eve’s bed. He asked, “What happened?”
“I . . . I followed them.” Eve slid beneath her blanket. The warm flannel felt good against her ice-cold feet. “Caretaker and Suzie.”
“Where’d they go?”
“I don’t know, Hugo. Just some room way on the other side of the complex. Beyond the iron gate.”
“You got past the gate?” Hugo asked, looking at Eve in amazement. “How?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Eve sank deeper beneath her blanket and ran her hands across the scrapes beneath her gown. “I got caught.”
Hugo sat on the edge of Eve’s bed. He looked at the armoire lurking in the shadows. Even in the darkness, the curved wings and serpent’s head appeared threatening. Hugo shoved his hands beneath his arms to fend off the chill in the air. He turned to Eve and asked, “What . . . what do you think they’ll do to you?”
“Who knows. Last time I broke the rules, I went all day without eating.”
“I remember. The punishments are always different.”
“Bad kids must be punished.”
“Well, whatever they do, you know I’m here for you.”
“Thanks.” Eve looked at Hugo. The light from the crack beneath the door barely illuminated his round face. She looked into his caring brown eyes and said, “It’s just the two of us now.”
The windows whistled as the wind tried to seep into the cavernous room. Hugo headed back to his bed, shuffling his feet along the way. He stopped, turned to Eve, and asked, “You said they took her to a room?”
“Yes. Another locked door. Why?”
“What . . . what do you think’s in there?”
Twenty Eight
Taylor
Dr. Cole tapped his index finger against his damp lower lip. He sighed as he stared at the notepad in front of him. The top read Easton-D 12/6/19 #12. The office windows howled from the cold December wind blasting against them. The dust-covered radiator hissed and clanged as it tried to heat the chilly room. He reached for the recorder on the edge of his desk and pulled it closer. As Dr. Cole hit the rewind button, his office door opened.
“How’d your session go?” Flo asked as she stuck her head into the room. Luna bolted between her legs, ran across the rug, and pounced onto Dr. Cole’s desk. “Or do I not want to know?”
“Luna,” Dr. Cole said with a sigh.
He removed his glasses, picked up Luna, and placed her on the floor. Flo walked across the office and stood beside her husband’s desk. The old Panasonic whirred and vibrated as it rewound the tape.
“Considering she hasn’t been here for a month, it went better than expected, although not how I’d hoped.” Dr. Cole glanced at his notepad and frowned. “All she wanted to do was talk about her boyfriend. He’s been reluctant to come in for a joint session. The problem, however, is that she continues to fight me about her mom.”
“Fight you?”
“She’s just so vague.” Dr. Cole leaned back in his chair and groaned. “And she’s always contradicting herself.”
“Well, she is getting better with her makeup. She’s still gotta do something with that damn hair. At least she didn’t bring that freaky doll today.” Flo shook her head and rolled her eyes, her confusion over Dawn’s therapy on full display. “I wonder if she ever bought it new clothes. Last time it was looking kind of ragged. Or was it just me?”
“I haven’t noticed. The doll is simply an outlet. I haven’t been paying attention to how it looks.”
“Why? Shouldn’t that let you know how she’s progressing?”
“The goal isn’t to make her a good mother.”
“Well, that’s good because that doll’s a mess.” Flo crossed her arms and frowned. “What is it, Winston? You seem a bit . . . rattled.”
The tape finished rewinding, causing the unit to shudder loudly. Dr. Cole hit the eject button and removed the cassette tape. As he stared at it, he reflected on his most recent session with Dawn. He said, “She’s . . . she’s become infatuated with this diary she obtained.”
Flo stepped closer to the desk and leaned forward, trying to read her husband’s chicken-scratch notes. She asked, “What diary?”
“Today, she told me it belongs to the doll. It’s so . . . odd.”
“What’s in it?”
“From what I’ve gathered, it’s a group of children at camp. And their birthdays. Only their birthdays.” Dr. Cole ran his finger across his notes. “Billy, Tina, and Suzie were the ones she talked about today. Oh, and Eve, of course. The doll.”
“Billy, Tina, Suzie, and Eve.” Flo tried to read the rest of the notes on the pad. “How are these kids related?”
�
��I . . . I don’t know. It’s most likely nothing.”
“How many kids are there?”
“I can’t remember.” Dr. Cole leaned back in his chair and scratched his beard. “I know there were others. Anna. Charles, I think. I have them in my notes. Why?”
“Do you want me to do some investigating for you?”
“I don’t think it’s that important.”
“You know I can help you with your research. I’ve helped you before. All you have to do is ask.”
“I prefer I get my answers from my patients. It builds trust.” Dr. Cole pointed to the Trust plaque. “It’s an organic process.”
“If you say so.” Flo turned and headed toward the door. She stopped briefly and scooped Luna into her arms. Flo looked back at her husband and asked, “Has she brought the diary in for you to see?”
“No.”
“Mm-hmmm.” Flo sighed as Luna ran her head beneath her chin. “Sounds to me like she’s hiding something.”
“Perhaps. But she needs to be the one to share it when she’s ready.”
“You’re a saint, Winston. I wouldn’t have that kind of patience. I would have searched her family’s history and everything by now.”
Dr. Cole laughed. He asked, “What are you thinking for lunch? Should we take a walk?”
“Oh, it’s way too cold to go out. I swear, Florida can’t get here soon enough. Besides, there’s no time. You’ve got a one o’clock.”
“I do?” Dr. Cole frowned and shook his head.
“I already called in an order to our favorite deli.”