The White Lady

Chapter 4

The property was going to be fun to explore. Ever since he saw that tree Seth couldn't get it out of his mind. The big old tree had to be several hundred years old and Seth could only imagine the stories that tree could tell. 

The pond was on the way to the tree and Seth decided to stop by it to skip some rocks. I bet this pond it deep he thought to himself. The water in the pond was murky and brown but for a split second, Seth thought he saw something floating just under the surface about four feet out. It was white and thin. As fast as it appeared it disappeared. It disappeared just as fast from Seth's mind as the rock skipping got boring very quickly. 

It didn't take long to make it to the huge old tree. Seth wasn't sure whether to fear the tree or just respect it for its age. But something about this tree had his attention from the moment he had laid eyes on it. He didn't know what kind of tree it was but it called to him. Something happened here he thought to himself. This tree has seen something bad. Its branches were thick and large. One branch in particular about 20 feet up had strange marks on it like two ropes had been swinging from them for a very long time. Maybe they had a tire swing or something Seth thought. 

Seth thought the tree would make an excellent tree fort for him, Walter and Joe to serve as their home base this summer. They could throw water balloons down at dad and the gardeners as they work on the yard. That would be so much fun! Walking around the base of the tree looking up at the huge branches Seth was trying to decide where they would start building their tree fort.  He was so busy looking up at the tree he wasn't watching where he was walking. 
As he walked around the back side of the tree something caught his toe and down he fell. Face first into the dirt Seth went. Instinctively he reached to break his fall. Something sharp jabbed into his palm with a sting. 

"Ouch," Seth screeched. "That hurt!" He looked at his hand. It had a rather large thorn sticking out of it. "Oh man. Dad is never gonna let me do this again if I come home hurt. I'm fine." 

Seth got up and pulled the thorn from his hand. It really hadn't been more than a scratch and he knew he was fine. Now to find what had caught his toe and made him fall. He began scanning the ground around the trunk of the tree. Not far from where he fell, about 2 feet from the trunk of the tree was where he found it. The corner of a box. What looked to be a somewhat large box. 

Seth rushed to the base of the tree and knelt down. He touched the corner of the box sticking out of the ground and thought to himself what have I found? With a blaze of excitement burning inside him Seth feverishly began digging around the box, as to reveal what amazing mystery it might hold. 

The wind began to whip and howl around Seth. A storm seemed to be rolling in. But nothing going on around him now mattered. All he could see was the box. What was inside that box? How old was the box? Maybe he would find a treasure map! Or better yet treasure! He could be rich! Dig Seth dig! 

An electric energy seemed to be emitting from the box. He had to get it out. He had to open it. Seth had to know what was inside the box. He had decided this was what had been calling him to this giant old tree. This was the reason he needed to come to explore the tree. The box needed him to open it. Seth almost sensed a lonely longing coming from the box. It made no sense that a box would be lonely but it made him sad nonetheless. 

Dig Seth!  This box is important somehow. It needs to be out of the ground. Seth almost had about half the box uncovered and it seemed to almost be humming now. The wind was lashing at his back now but Seth still hadn't taken notice. The dark clouds swirled around the sky like an angry ocean of menace waiting to swallow its prey whole. For a brief moment, Seth could almost feel love around him holding him, encompassing him. Love? Strange. Thrummm thrumm the box broke the moment and regained Seth's attention.  It was just then Seth realized the weather was getting worse. He needed to act quickly and get the box back to the house. He badly wanted to know what the contents of this box were. 

It took about another thirty minutes but Seth finally got the box uncovered. There was really nothing remarkable about the box. It was just an old wooden box. Very old. It had no markings. It wasn't fancy. The box was about twelve inches long and about nine inches deep. Seth shook the box softly and could tell there definitely was something in it. 

Thunder marked the need for Seth to begin heading back to the house.  He wasn't sure if he was going to make it back before the rain began to fall but he didn't care. He had found a treasure on his first day of exploring! How lucky was he? A strange feeling came over Seth as he started walking away from the tree, a feeling as if he was being watched. The feeling stopped him dead in his tracks. He had a strong urge to run as if something huge was about to stomp him out of existence. However, he couldn't help himself. He had to look. He had to see what was watching him.

 Quickly he turned around and in the darkness of the stormy wind whipping around the giant tree, Seth swore he could see two figures swinging from the lowest hanging branch. One was white and very tall and thin. He was sure it was a woman. The other looked like a man. Then a flash of lightning brightened the sky causing him to close his eyes. When he opened them the figures were gone. Was that his imagination? 

Seth reached the front porch just as the rain began to fall. He was so lucky today. He found something so cool. 

Straight up to his room he rushed hollering "Back Dad. It's really gonna storm. Yes, I had fun. No, I'm not wet. I'll be down in a bit for lunch." as he ran up the stairs.  He didn't want his father to get involved with his newest find. This was his treasure and nobody else's!

In his room, Seth placed the box on his bed. He was super excited to open it and find out what was inside! There was no lock on the box. Just a simple slide latch to open it. His treasure was moments away. Thunder roared outside his window as if to say he shouldn't open the box. This just egged him on to open it more. 

Slowly he slid the rusty latch. It creaked slightly in protest but then slid dutifully open.  As the storm raged on outside Seth Jackson opened the box that would change his life forever.