Contamperart

A New Light

"Tag! You're it!"
I try and run from Henry. All 5 of us were playing tag one October afternoon. All our chores were done, and there was time for play; even father cooked and got our favorite, steak. School finally started last week, and we're going four days a week... Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. My teacher is Ms. Jones, and she is the sweetest fellow you would ever meet! We have school tomorrow, and I'm so excited! Father decided to go to the plaza and get fabric for Alice to sew, which comes in handy because she's the only one who knows how to.
Henry shouts to me, "RUN! ALICE IS IT!". I run as fast as possible, dodging Alice's touch. I was almost as quick as Henry, and he's 15!
"Children, supper is ready!" Father called. We all hurried back to the rustic picnic table in the back of our farmhouse. It had steak, corn, applesauce, biscuits, and gravy.
"Father, how did you make this?" Alice asked.
"Oh, I found mother's recipes in the back cupboard. So it turns out she had the same recipe for what you children wanted! How coincidental!"
"Very!" I added.
We all sat down to eat. The October sun brightly shines down on us. That day was perfect. Well, at least the food was.
"Father, this food is almost as perfect as mothers!" Henry announces.
"Gee, thanks." Father acknowledged. We all laughed.
"So, everyone. How excellent does my dress look? I sewed it all myself, well, actually with my friend. But that's a big deal!" Alice declared.
"Yes, sweetheart, it very much is!" Father said.
        We all soon finished our platters, then we all helped father help clean up. I was washing the dishes when suddenly I saw something outside. "What is that?" I ask myself.
        "What is what?" Henry asked.
        "Look, Henry. Over there."
        Henry looks through the window. "Do you want to go see what it is? I was also thinking of inviting Clara. Should I?" I ask.
        "I don't think it'll be a good idea to invite Clara, but we two can go. Anyways, come on!"
        We were about to go through the door when Alice walked past us.
        "Where are you two going?" She asks.
        "Uhh," Henry stutters.
        "Out. Come on, Henry,"
        "Hold on! I'm coming, too." Alice responds.
        "Who will watch Walter and Bertha?" I ask.
        "Well, Henry should be. But he's going out... so it's not my fault. Unless I come." Alice reminds us.
        "Fine," Henry says.
        "Henry! She won't believe us." I note.
        "It's fine, now let her. The thing may be gone soon." He says,
        "What thing?" Alice questioned.
        "Little one, you have a lot to learn," I tell.
        We soon venture out to the field. I see it.
        "There!" I point to the Cross twins.
        "Aren't they missing?" Alice asks.
        I look at Henry. We have to stop and tell Alice everything, and so we do. And, everything. She questions, and we answer, but the Cross twins are still there. Eyeing us–Like they are becoming more and more impatient by the second. Their dark eyes look into ours, not the typical kind of eyes. Big, black eyes. Like they're trying to steal your soul.
        We continue to walk and finally reach the woods. There, we see something in the tree.
        "Look! There they are!" Alice points out.
        I gasp.
        "Wait for a second; that's not the twins," Henry notes.
        "He's right... They look like actual people." I say.
        "Who are you!" Alice shouts.
        The figure climbs down the tree, branch by branch, not uncovering their faces. When they finally reach the bottom, it takes off its mask.
        "Hello. I'm Frank. You might've seen me at the schoolhouse." He states.
        "Oh, I do remember you. You are the child who plays the piano! How old are you?" Henry questions.
        "I'm twelve. I also bake–"
        "What are you doing up in a tree?" Alice asks.
        "Oh, uh, that? Ha, so um, funny story. I don't like my parents right now, so I come here to that tree, and I'm trying to make a treehouse to come away at any time."
        "Doesn't seem that funny to me. I like it." I state.
        He smiles. "What are you three doing here, though?"
        "Looking for something." Henry declares.
        "I could help," Frank suggests.
        "No, it's fine." Henry answers.
        "Why not?" I ask.
        "Anne! You know why." Alice brings up.
        "Come on!" Henry motions his hands. And just like that, we're off to see the Cross twins, with no other distractions. So we walk, walk, and walk until I see them behind the tree.
        "Come here, Anne. Let me put her inside of you."
        "What was that?" Alice questions.
        Henry points to the twins. A deafening ringing noise starts. All three of us fall into the leaf-covered forest. A laughing noise also begins.
        "Come here, Anne. Let me put her inside of you." The high squeaky voice says. Then, suddenly, the agent starts chanting, "Come here, Anne! Come here, Anne! Come here, Anne! Let me put her inside of you! Come here, Anne!"
        "MAKE IT STOP!" I yell. But it won't. Then I'm pulled by something, and everyone's screaming and shouting. It's like I can hear every single sound in the entire world. It won't stop. It keeps chanting, and I keep being pulled. But then, my head eventually drains everything all out until there's complete silence. I feel dizzy—just silent. And then, finally, I faint.
Henry and Alice lie down next to me as I wake up in the valley. I then turn around and see Frank. He's looking at us.
"Frank? What–" I mumble.
"Hello, uh, Anne. You all were on the ground in the forest, so I took you all out. It looks like you were having seizures. I'm glad you woke up."
He smiled.
I smiled back. Thank goodness he did that. "Thank you, Frank. I appreciate it."
"You know you are stunning when the sun glimmers in your ocean blue eyes."
I giggle.
"Woah... where am I?" Henry awakes.
"Henry? Anne?" Alice asks as she wakes up.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Frank. The treehouse kid. I saw you three, all simultaneously, looking like you were having seizures, but then I took you out of the forest, and you stopped. So here we are now."
"Wow, thanks, bud." Henry smiles as he responds.
I get up, and then we say goodbye to Frank. We then head back to our farmhouse. It took a few minutes to get there, but it wasn't bad.
"What happened back there?" Alice questions us.
"I don't know, but it wasn't pretty." Henry answers.
"I heard voices and chants; how about you all?"
"I also did," Alice answers back.
"Me too." Says Henry.
We head through the front door as the night rolls in. Biscuits are on the table. We all sit down and munch on them.
"Where were you three?" Father comes down the stairs and asks us. His eye is giving us the death stare.
"Out. Right everyone?" Henry looks at us.
        "Yes, we were!" Alice and I say in unison.
        "Okay... where to?"
        "Uh, to the fabric store! We didn't buy anything; we just wanted to look at the fabrics!" I make up.
        "Okay... wash up for bed soon. You children have school tomorrow."
        "Yes, father!" We all say in unison.
        "Phew, that was close," Alice says.
        "Yeah. Let's wash up. I'll see you in the morning." Henry announces to us.
        Then we put away the biscuits and head up the stairs. I used the restroom and went into my closet to plan my dress for tomorrow. My silly marionette was facing the wall, so I decided to fix it. Alice came in.
        "What are you wearing tomorrow?" She asks me.
        "Look." I show her my flower-patterned dress with a white bow at the waist.
        "Pretty."
        "Thank you. What about you?"
        "I don't know yet." She looks in the closet. "Ah-ha! How about this?"
        "Wow, I forgot about that dress. Mother made it years ago for me when mother and father got married."
        "And it fits me." She lets out a giggle.
        "Yes." I smile. It was a light blue dress with a black ribbon at the waist and a white-collar.
        "Hmm, now for the perfect accessories." She goes back into the closet. "Ooh! I have the perfect one–AHH!" She screams at the top of her lungs.
        "What is it, Alice!" Then I see blood dripping out of her arm. "ALICE!"
        "SOMETHING BIT ME!" She jerks away. Then I see my marionette. But instead, black eyes. The mouth is open, and the teeth are huge and stuck out of its face. Dripping in blood. Father runs in.
        "FATHER!" Alice screams. She runs into his arms.
        "WHAT'S GOING ON?" He yells to me.
        "Look!" I point to the marionette. "Can't you see?" I ask.
        "What are you talking about?" Alice continues to cry. "There's nothing there, girl! Your talking nonsense! It's time for you to grow up!!!"
        Everything fades away from me. Silence. Everything. Blocked out. It's all in slow motion. I can see the marionette with its blood-soaked, jerked-out teeth and black eyes. How did father not see it? It fades back in.
        "Huh? And you made Alice cry!"
        "Father, I didn't do anything–"
        "Zip your mouth! Poor Alice, it's okay. Come with father." He gives me the death stare, then slams the door. I'm stuck with this marionette. I look over. It's not there.
        "Uhh... It's okay, Anne. Calmly back away to the door...." Until I touch something.
        "Come here, Anne. Let me put her inside of you."
        I scream, but no one hears me.
        I'm... silent.