The Suggestion Box (Volume 1)

Part 2: Two Sisters (2)

Based on the following Suggestions:

Names: Tammi & Tina Carmody
Places: Pierce's House, rural countryside
Times: 4AM, Early morning
Objects: Bloody shirt, tabby cat, pile of bones

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Neither woman could move or speak as the car pulled to a stop right in front of the porch. They held their breath, waiting for the driver to emerge as a perfectly amiable gentleman in need of a place to stay; yet he remained in the car in a way neither sister appreciated.

"What—" Tina began, but Tammi gripped her wrist.

"Hush!"

Finally, after several long, agonizing minutes, the door opened, and a pair of shoes landed on the ground beside the car. He was so close that Tammi could distinguish the pattern of his brown brogues. Who was this man? He stepped beyond the door, and the Carmody sisters got their first good look at this mysterious stranger. He was simply dressed, in a tan business suit, with a smart burgundy tie settled just below his neck. He wore a brown hat pulled low over his face, so they could not distinguish any part of it at first. Abruptly, he raised his head, and Tina saw the angled chin, the narrow nose, and the heavy brow as he seemed to examine the house closely, setting his mouth in a thin line of appraisal.

His gaze swept carefully over the whole structure of Pierce House; he stared for so long that Tammi had no doubt he could count the shingles, the boards, the windows—all the way down to the spindles on the front porch railing. And yet he did not seem to notice the frozen ladies in the front room. Perhaps the half-closed lace curtains obscured his view from that particular angle. The man stood, staring, for a good while longer, but then he climbed back into his car and slowly retraced the way he had come.

Tammi looked at Tina. Tina looked at Tammi.

"What was that all about?" Tina blustered.

Tammi could not find a reasonable answer.

The two sisters remained on edge for the rest of the day. Every out-of-sight noise was jarring and caused them both to freeze and identify the source as quickly as possible. Tammi was so distracted that Tina caught her trying to peel the chicken with a vegetable knife after she had abandoned the bowl of raw potatoes that she had unsuccessfully attempted to mash. Tina—inattentive though she may be—proved rather calm in this disturbing situation, and sent her sister to lie down while she prepared dinner herself.

Having done this, the sisters sat down to eat, but the stranger had taken any appetite with him when he left them alone after his unnerving performance. They picked over the simple casserole. Tammi tried to stimulate appetite by generating conversation.

"So, Tina—I noticed the other day that the general store was expecting a new shipment of confections and cloth. Maybe tomorrow you could go into town and see if we could pick up something special for our guests."

Tina picked through the heap of casserole on her plate. "No," she said slowly, "I think it's time that we looked after our guests' health. I rather think the candy dishes are more of a disservice than a compliment."

Tammi glanced at her sister; normally it was Tina who was begging her sister to go out and get the candy; to hear Tammi's own objection coming out of Tina's mouth was a disturbing change. "Well, if you're not feeling well, sister, I would be perfectly happy to—"

"No candy, Tammi. Let's just stay at home for a while. We have enough. We don't need to go out for anything till—till the food runs low. Later, perhaps—but not this week." Tina Carmody lapsed into silence, which continued till the end of the meal.