Fiona's POV:
When I get home I shut myself inside my room for the rest of the afternoon. Grandma Helen's funeral is suppose to be in a week. While I'm inside my dark, messy room I grab onto my letters and find the first one. January, 3rd, 1984. When she was only nine years old.
Dear Father,
It's been five years since you passed away. Mom's doing good lately she's been talking a lot with my third grade teacher, Mr. Granville. Forkstoll is so small. I've already played everywhere in town and I'm starting to get bored of using my imagination. I don't have any friends except Mr. Dale down by the grocery store, but, he doesn't really count. He's nice though. Sneaks me sweets when his wife isin't looking. Boy, is his wife scary.
Today, I found a small creek. It looks really weird. There was a boy there though. He had blonde hair and was covered with something red. It kind of looked like the stuff that came out of my finger one time when I had a paper cut. It was kind of creepy. He seemed suprised I could see him, I wonder why? We played together all day and he told me all kinds of things. He said that if I wrote to you you'd be able to read it!
Before I left to go eat supper he told me his name. He said it was Alex but, that where he lived people called him Drowned. I didn't understand why and I didn't ask. Father, why would people call him Drowned? It seems kind of mean. Anyway, Alex can't leave the creek. He said he was bound to it? I don't know what that means. I'm going to go visit him tomorrow too! I bet he gets real lonely sitting there all the time. Goodnight, Father.
The letter ends. I furrow my eyebrows trying to comprehend my mothers letter. It all makes sense except... the part about the creek and...Alex? Why, did that name sound familiar? I'm sure I've heard mother whisper it before. Just every now and again muttering something about him... But, what?
I hear Terrie calling my name and stuff the letters into my desk, "Come in," I say. Terrie cracks open the door and frowns at me, "Are you alright?... Fiona?" She asks and walks in, closing the door quietly behind her. I nod my head, I didn't like seeing her make that face, like I was some kind of fragile piece of glass. It disgusted me. "Is that all?" I ask coldly when she just stays standing there. "Well," She shifts uncomfortable to her right foot, "The. Funeral. It's. In Helen's home town," My eyes widen. "You mean where mom was born?!" I ask excitedly.
I notice her flinch at the mention of my mom but, I didn't really care. "Y-Yes," She answers and quickly glances back to the door. "Um, I guess... I'll be preparing dinner then," And she walks as fast as she can away from me. I don't know why but, I love making her miserable. I knew it was bad but, I couldn't help it. She could never be my mother...
***
A week later we leave on a train to mom's Home town. The town was really small and was called, Forkstoll. A very... um, unusual name. Dad and Terrie sit infront of me on one of the leather benches and a wooden table seperates us. I sit alone by the window and watch as the city passes by onto country. In a few minutes of looking out the window I get bored and my stomach feels all acidy. I decide to read another letter and pull one out from my drawstring bag. The date was January 10, 1984.
Dear Father,
It's been a week since I met Alex and I meet him everyday. We promised too. Today I'm going to give him some sweets from Mr. Dale. Mr. Dale says he really wants to meet Alex but Alex said he couldn't. I don't understand why. Mr. Dale's really nice and he can make it to the creek! But, Alex says the creek is just our little secret. I've never kept a secret before, it's exciting!
When I reached the creek I could easily spot the skinny figure of Alex. I waved hello and yelled cheerily, "Hello, Alex!" He instantly turns around at the sound of my voice and smiles. Alex looks much better when he smiles. Not as scary. He should smile more often. "Hey, Kat," He says and shakes my head making my hair fly everywhere. He'd given me a nickname father! And it's the one you used to call me... "Alex?" I asked him.
"Yes?" He answered and sat ontop of the bridge that was suspended above the creek. "It's been a week," I smile up at him. He smiles back and pats the space next to him for me to sit. I do and tell him, "So, I got you a present! Cause' you're such a good friend! My best friend!" I say happily. Then, I pull out the paper bag full of sweets and hand it to him. He grabs onto it and opens it up, letting his dangling legs swing back and forth. "Ah,...these were my favorites," He whispers, popping a peppermint stick inside his mouth. He turns to me and grins, shaking my head once again, "Thanks Kat,"
I smile. I'm glad I could make him happy. "Want one?" He asks handing me a peppermint stick. "Yes! I love peppermint sticks!" I squeal. He chuckles at my child-like behavior and turns to look at the sky. It was dark and the stars were out. Don't be mad father but, I'd snuck out to see them with him. Alex has no one to play with when I leave... "The stars are really pretty...huh?" He sighs, looking at the stars with a far off expression. ( Alex taught me lots of new words! ) "Yeah..." I say looking up at them too. They reminded me of you, father.
"I-I don't know much about you yet," I tell him. He looks back at me with a small smile. "What would you like to know?" I look into his deep dark eyes, "Anything. Everything," And we talked and we talked. He first told me about his favorite things then his parents. Then his childhood... "Well, Kat I grew up in Rosemary Village a place really close to here, or, rather it was. It's long gone now... " He sighs sadly. I wrap my arms around him and he pats my head. "I'm sorry," I say. He laughs, "Why? It's not your fault,"
He countinues, "When I was twelve years old my parents died. A thief was in the house at the time and when they found him he killed them and ran off... Later, I was put in a foster home and got adopted by an old couple. They brought me here, to Forkstoll... And when I was fifteen I fell in the creek," He says. I look at him curiously, "What about after that?" I ask him. He shakes his head, "There is no after. That was the end," I pout, "No, you're here right now," He smiles.
And he told me. "That's because Kathrine... You can see ghosts. The restless souls forever locked to their death place," I gasp. "What?! But, then, father is?!" He shakes his head, "No, your father acsended. He is no longer on this Earth." I smile. You went to heaven father? "Then, why are you still here?" Alex smiles."Your father sent me back. He wanted me to help you understand," I feel tears prick my eyes, "You're not leaving are you?" Alex laughed, "I can't until your father thinks that it is time I returned,"
After that we watched the stars till I fell asleep. In the morning I woke up in my bed. DId Alex carry me home father? Or did you? Does he have wings? Can he leave the creek now? Please, don't make him go father. Not now. I'm not ready, Goodbye, Father.
I hear the voice of dad bring me back. "Fiona. We're here," He says. I stand up, my vision blurred, and stumble to the exit. I was? Crying? What had happened here inside this town to mom and Alex? I hope I got to find out.
