Let's Play in the Garden (12 page)

“It takes a lot of practice to be an archer, Tobey.”

Simon’s attention had been drawn away by Tobey’s little game. The plan had worked. Simon walked from the garden and over beside Tobey. The two were then lost in a discussion of archery, occupations, and growing up.

###

Excellent!
Merydith slipped out of the house and made her way around the other side of the house as quietly as she could. In her sweaty hand, she clutched her little watering can as she sneaked out of the view of her watchful grandfather.

There it is, the open garden gate
. Waiting, unattended, unwatched…just a few steps away. It was hers for the moment.

Fear slithered through Merydith, settling in her stomach as she approached the entrance. So many memories, visions, and nightmares flooded her mind.

Her flesh crawled as she stepped through the gate. Quickly, get it done quickly, in and out. That’s what she wanted. The sound of the pump beat softly through the air. The whitish fluid showered through the air and gently fell upon every plant and flower.

She ventured a little further…and further still. She restrained herself from crying, knowing full well it would mean being caught. The mood of this place was disturbing but the garden remained as striking and breathtaking as always. She chose a nearby trail and walked where she could see the well-hidden metal rods and sprays of the vast pumping system.

She bent, trying to keep any flailing limbs or hair from tripping her up and held out the can and caught the life-giving, all-powerful, secret elixir inside it.

She watched as the can filled with something watery yet thick at the same time. It was pale, whitish in color, and odorless.

“Done at last,” Merydith said with a hush.
Finally, I have some of Grandpa’s secret formula
.
Now I need to get out of here as fast as I can. This is no longer a magical
place. It’s terrifying.

She slipped back through the gate and watched with sharp eyes as Simon continued to enlighten Tobey. With his back still turned to her, she ran up the porch and into the house.

Marion and Gladys were in plain sight, preparing dinner in the kitchen. Merydith managed to reach the stairs and attempted to hide the watering can under her shirt.

She held it close to her chest and it felt cold…so cold she actually sprouted goose bumps. Her room welcomed her with an open door and she rushed in as fast as she could. The icy watering can found its place on her desk as she went to the window to check on Tobey and Grandpa.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Simon hauled out his hose and began inserting the boards back on to the gate again, sealing the garden tightly until springtime.

“The moment of truth.” She walked over to her plant holder with its three occupants and hovered the watering can above them like a dark rain cloud waiting to unleash a flood.

“I have a special treat for you guys today,” she said to her plants. “Here we go, drink…drink.”
My Lord, I sound like Grandpa
.

With utter care, she poured the substance into each of her plants, the fern, the cactus, and last but not least, the violet. Her hands trembled but she held on firm, with a touch as delicate as a mother with a newborn. She was careful not to spill one drop of the precious fluid.

Merydith dropped the can to the floor and backed all the way to her bed. She sat and stared and…stared. She watched the fluid dry into the soil, into the roots, into the leaves and every inch of her plants. She just sat and waited for something to happen.

“Well, gees, Merydith, you fool. It’s not going to happen right this second,” she laughed. “Probably not even today. I’ll give it some time. What choice do I have?” With that, she stood up and left her room.

###

Days passed, and as of yet there had been no changes in Merydith’s plants. It was Thursday night, just after dinner, and the family had gathered again in the family room.  It was there that Marion and Gladys reminded the family that the season had begun for them to attend their favorite game.

“Gladys, we better get started now if we want to make it in time.”

“Absolutely, Marion,” Gladys returned. “We must never be late for bingo or all the good seats get taken at the local church.”

“What good seats?” Marion asked. “It’s not like anyone in town will sit next to us.”

“Well…” Gladys pushed Marion’s comments aside. “You never know, we could win a lot of money, and wouldn’t that come in real handy, especially with the holidays approaching.”

The two set down the sweater they’d had been knitting. It was finally completed anyway, a nice, warm sweater for Tobey—the next one they would start would be for Merydith—and stood up to get their heavy coats. The days were cooler, and the slight change in the air when it got dark out was quite noticeable.

Marion took a small purse, as did Gladys, though neither one ever carried a pocketbook with them. They slipped on their big coats and gave each family member a kiss goodbye.

“Need the keys to the old pickup, Simon,” Marion said. She always did the driving. Gladys never learned how.

“Sure thing. You two have fun now.”

“We will!” Gladys answered with glee.

“Win a lot of money, Mother!” Tobey called.

“We sure will try, Tobey,” answered Marion.

Merydith said nothing.

“Goodbye, Merydith,” Marion said with a little bit of concern.

“Goodbye,” Merydith answered, seeming not the least bit interested.

They left the house in silence.

One hour ate into the other as darkness and silence swallowed the house. Simon sat in the family room, watching TV, as the children finally retired to bed.

###

Miles away, at the old Mellmary Hall, the bingo game was at an end. Ten-thirty at night and all the attending townspeople began to clear out.

Toward the back gloated a most happy Gladys. She had won fifty bucks. The first time in a long time, nothing to boast about, but fifty bucks was fifty bucks.

There the two sat alone at the back of the hall as they did at every single bingo game since they’d started playing. As Marion had said, no one would sit with them. People ignored them as if they didn’t exist.

Marion could always hear some of the old crones whispering about them, but she paid them no mind. The Santaneens had learned how to tune out dislikable people very easily.

Now the two sat in the very empty hall, slowly packing up all their belongings. They took their sweet time in doing so for there really was no rush. There was nothing to return to except bed.

They walked outside under a sky speckled with a blanket of stars. Across the parking lot, the green eyesore waited for them, dormant, cold. The two thought it was time it was put out of its misery.

“Congratulations, Gladys. That money should come in handy,” said Marion simply to carry on some type of conversation, something to keep her from going completely insane—something just to break the silence which had smuggled its way into their bingo game. It wasn’t the first time.

“The money.” Gladys had a dazed look upon her face. “We would have more than we would know what to do with if Simon—” She stopped. What she was about to say could be dangerous, and she knew it. “Yes, this money will be quite handy. I’ll find a place for it right quick.” She smiled oddly.

Marion simply nodded and unlocked the door.

###

Simon sat in the family room, reading, something he did frequently. He kept a healthy collection of things to read on his shelves. He preferred it to the TV. TV was more for the children and to keep him and the adults informed about current events.

Turning the page of his thick, aging book, he paused. Some sound had caught his attention. It was at first faint, but soon grew louder.

Crack…shred…bang.
Something outside. Something that grew louder and fiercer. A terrible roar and a thunderous bang immediately followed the sounds.

Simon leapt from his chair in shock. His book tumbled to the floor as he ran to his bedroom and pulled out a shotgun.

Rip…ka-plunk.
The sound mostly resembled wood being shredded and crushed like paper. Again a roar, filled with undeniable rage and fury, vibrated through the air.

Simon flew out of the house!

“Get the hell off my property!” Simon hollered at the top of his lungs. “I will blow a hole in you as big as the Grand Canyon, you son of a bitch. I’ve used this shotgun before and I won’t hesitate to use it now. I swear it!” As he dashed around the side of the house, he caught a glimpse of a shadow, blacker than the night, massive and hulking, twisting and wriggling against the siding, but it faded away as quick as chimney smoke when he approached.

Simon shot the gun into the air. A loud crack echoed and then dwindled. Heavy footsteps thumped all around him.

One moment they were behind him, next in front of him, beside him. In a confused reaction, Simon shot into the air a second time. “Get out!”

A faint roaring filled the distance, combined with the rustling of brush and then sudden, eerie silence.

Simon felt it was a bad omen of evil to come. That sudden calmness and peacefulness was the most terrifying thing Simon had ever experienced.

His eyes searched about the yard and fixed on the effects of the latest rampage—the garden gate had nearly been torn into pieces. Shreds of it dangled like the last bits of ash in a roaring fire. The secured boards had been ripped off as if they were feathers, their nails apparently ripped out.

Strange marks appeared all over the wood, deep holes, roughly triangular in shape, cut jaggedly across the gate. He studied the damage until making a disturbing discovery…a whitish, slimy substance coated the gate. It matched what had been found on the house. Simon touched it. Cold to the touch, and sticky like a paste. He recoiled in horror.

Just then, a bright light poured into the yard, lighting it up like a spotlight. Gladys and Marion had returned, and they had seen him. They wasted no time in rushing to his side.

“My God, what happened?” Marion asked, obviously upset, her face flushed and eyes wide.

“Someone tried to break into the garden. I scared them away. Look at the damage, they were really desperate.”

“Simon, this could not have been someone trying to break in,” Marion stated. “These marks were made from the inside. Someone tried to break out.”

“So, I’m not such an old fool!” Gladys screamed. Her nostrils flared and her face reddened. “There can be no more doubt, Simon. I’m right and you know it. Now we’ll all pay. You best be ready!”

“Oh, I’m ready, Mother. More than ready.” He rubbed his shotgun firmly. He could not argue. Gladys had been right all along.

###

From a window above, an all-seeing eye was upon the sins of the Santaneens. Merydith and Tobey watched in awe.

Tobey was struck with utter terror. All color had drained from his face.

Merydith was tingling all over with joy and fear. Joy that made her feel like crying out with laughter and shame at the same time.

The two had witnessed it all. Not even the dead could have slept through that disturbance. They held each other close and hid in the dark so the adults would not see them.

“If there was ever any doubt before, Tobey,” Merydith whispered, “there can be none now. We both saw. Our family is strange and this whole place is strange. All that I told you is true. They’ll be against us one-hundred percent. We’re alone in this and we must solve the riddle of our family on our own. Let’s get back to bed before they see us.”

“Merydith, I’m so scared.”

“I’m here, Tobey, and I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
Sure, just
like I promised Aaron.

Tobey ran to his room and sealed himself under his covers like it was a tomb.

Merydith turned to glance out her window one last time.
It’s in the garden and it wants out.

11. Here Be Fall

Merydith opened her eyes and everything was fuzzy. Bright light streamed through the windows and hit her in the eyes. She disliked it and groaned. At least it was Friday, the last day of school for this week.

It took a moment to shake the fuzziness out of her senses and allow things to come slowly into focus. Strangely, everything in the room looked different. The furniture and keepsakes at first seemed to be made out of jelly, for they appeared to wiggle crazily.

As she finally sat up, everything seemed to stop moving. Everything looked normal again, except for one thing.

Her jaw dropped and she rubbed her eyes for good measure. What she was seeing had to be impossible. She couldn’t believe it. Blinking her eyes did no good—the African violet remained huge.

Merydith jumped out of her bed and ran to her plant shelves. It seemed at any moment the planter would collapse under the immense pressure now being inflicted upon it.

All of the plants had grown immensely in a matter of days. They were gigantic, as large as basketballs, perhaps larger. She speculated that they had grown about three or four times their normal size.

They burst from their pots, pieces of them littering the floor. It was an incredible sight, but a dangerous one, if anyone else in the house was to see. She couldn’t let that happen. First, she grabbed the fern with both hands. She grimaced, discovering how heavy it was.
Got to hide these things.

She set it on the floor and pulled open her closet. It was cluttered with hatboxes, dresses, shoes and junk. She hoped she could fit them all in there and hide them well. One by one she laid the heavy, overgrown plants in the closet, their roots stretching all over the floor, their leaves as big as paper plates, the prickles on the cactus as long as her fingers.

“The shelf,” she mumbled. “It’s empty now. That stands out too much.” She looked around her room and saw some dolls sitting on a shelf. “Ah-ha.” She promptly took down three and put them on her plant stand in upright positions. “Perfect.”

She caught the watering can out of the corner of her eye. “No need for you anymore,” she said. “I better stash you too. Why would my can be here and no plants to water? Into the closet with you.”