The Ghost of the Lake

Chapter 27

Leo hears the footsteps too and looks at me.

My brain stops for a second then I think clearer. I motion to Leo to follow me. We let go of the floorboard and walk towards the bathroom door. We go through the door and and then into my room.

***

"I thought that door led into a closet," Leo says once we were safe in my room.

"I know I thought that too when I first saw my room," I reply.

"Well have you heard any more creaks?"

I thought hard, but finally shook my head. "I can't think of any place where that journal could be hidden."

I start to walk around my room. No creaks nor any squeaks. I walk towards the window. Leo follows me.

"Dang, you sure do have a sight," he tells me looking out the window.

"I know. Thats why I chose this room," I respond.

"You have good tastes."

He looked at me. I returned his gaze. I moved away and heard a faint squeak beneath my feet. You wouldn't be able to hear it if you weren't looking for it. I bend down. "Leo, I think I heard a squeak."

He looked at me. "Really? Where?" he asked excitedly with an odd expression. For some reason he looked bummed about something.

"Right here. Right where my fingers are." I tried pulling the board up, but it was too hard. "Leo, help me." He bends right next to me and starts lifting it.

Suddenly I hear a call from downstairs: "Opal, Leo, time for dinner." Ugh not now Nelly. We're so close to discovering something, I say in my head. Out loud I call out to her, "We're coming, Nelly!"

"We should hurry," says Leo. "We don't want someone coming upstairs right now."

"Yeah you're right."

The floorboard was heavier than the one in May's room. It took extra effort to lift it up. After what seemed like years, we were able to lift it so we could peek through it. I looked through and saw something brown inside.

"I think I found something. Lift it higher."

"I'm trying."

He lifted it higher and I was able to reach my hand through it. I grabbed something and pulled it out. What I had grabbed was a small rectangular shaped scrapbook. I felt so joyous I could practically jump up and down in my room.

"Leo, I've got it. You can let go now."

He lets go and makes a loud clunk sound. I sit on the bed and he sits right next to me. The cover was brown and looked worn. The corners were beginning to rip away. I carefully open the cover and laid it so it would stay on Leo's lap. The words were a bit faded, but still readable. I was about to read aloud the first paragraph when Little Miss Nosey, May, came into my room.

"Its time for dinner, Opal. You're keeping us from eating. Reu says we should wait 'till everyone is seated at the table," she states.

"Do you know how to knock. Or is your brain too challenged to do that?" I ask her.

She rolls her eyes at me. "Whatever. What are you even doing. Reading? Ugh. Just hurry up and come downstairs. I'm starving."

"Alright we're going," I say shutting the book carefully and standing up. She turns around and walks away.

"We'll read it later," Leo says.

"Yeah I guess," I reply disappointed. I hide the journal beneath my pillow and walk out the door.

***

"So, I heard you'll be joining us for dinner," Rue tells Leo. As we enter into the kitchen. He eyes us suspiciously.

"Yes sir. Mrs. Ballwin was kind enough to invite me," Leo answers.

"Well then you should have brought your sister with you," Rue says.

"She was doing chores when I left."

"Ahh, I see."

We enter the dining room and take a seat. Meadow and May were already seated and ready to be served.

"Alright people. Come on up and serve yourselves," Nelly tells us.

I stand back up and grab a plate. Nelly has made lasagna. One of my favorite dishes.

I serve myself and sit back down next to Meadow. Leo comes back and sits on my left. Everyone else takes a seat and we start eating. I find the lasagna very tasty.

"So, Leo, did you like Opal's shell collection?" Nelly asks him.

"Actually I did. They seem to be found from far into the ocean though," he lies. I did not show him my shell collection, but lying is better than telling my family what we were really doing.

"Did you see the ones she colored?" May asks him.

I save Leo from embarrassing himself. "I didn't get to show him those," I tell May. "Instead I showed him my books."

I got strange looks from everyone around the table.

***

After dinner Leo had to go home. I told him I would take pictures of the journal and send them to him. We said our goodbyes and he left without saying another word.

As soon as I cleared my area, I went upstairs to look at the journal. I closed the door behind me. I wanted to lock it but then rethought about it.

If I locked it, I would bring attention to myself. That's the last thing I wanted on my hands right now.

I take the journal from under my pillow and sit on the edge of the bed. I opened carefully, afraid that it might rip, and turned to the first entry.

As I read I noticed that her name was Rachel. At that time, she had been fifteen, a year older than me. She had also had a dog named Billo and an older sister named Susanna.

It seems as if she led a wonderful life, and enjoyed it. I wonder how she must have died. I knew she wouldn't have killed herself. She must have died from a disease, I conclude.

Many people back then died from what would be easily cured disease now. They weren't that advanced and hadn't invented anything like penicillin, aspirin, or tylenol.

As I kept reading, I felt as if I was living her life. I could hear the sound of hooves hitting the ground. The sound of water rushing, and how the birds sang gracefully on tree branches.

All of a sudden I feel someone standing in front of me. I stop reading and look up. I jump a foot off the bed when I realize that she was standing right in front of me. Rachel was staring straight at me. After reading through most of her fifteenth year of her life, I was still shaken at the sight of her. I mean, she is supposed to be dead and lifeless. Lying peacefully in her grave. But here she was walking towards me.