Weeping Willows

Chapter 11

 Hear nothing, see nothing, say nothing

                The next morning dawned with the chirping of birds and a palate of colors splashed across the sky.  The storm from before was pushed away with the golden rays lighting up the world.  The only left-over trace being the humidity in the air a result from the excessive moisture they’d had.  The melodic cadence of lazy waves coming to shore at the reservoir could be heard in the not too far distance. 

                The light rumbling of an engine could be heard joined by the crunching of gravel under tires.  Elliot’s large dark blue Dodge truck came into view as it rounded the last curve coming into the gravel drive.  Before he had even fully stopped the vehicle, Dan was out of it racing to the steps.  He slowed his approach putting his hands out cautious of spooking the creature before him.  Reaching out gently he took Elizabeth’s cold hand in his.  It lay limply in the warmth of his much larger one as he took in the sight she made.  Feeling the roughness of her delicate skin against his he turned her hand over noting the damage to it.  Placing it gently back into her lap he inspected the other one only to find it in much the same condition.  Elliot, having slammed his truck into park, was now standing at Dan’s side staring at her in fear.  Elizabeth was vaguely aware of the people now with her, but she was currently trapped in the events of the night before.

                “Jesus, what happened to her?”  Instead of answering him Dan knelt in front of her pushing her disheveled red mane out of her darkened glazed eyes.  There was not even a flicker of movement from her haunted gaze as he did this.

                “She’s burning up.  Call Addison and get her out here.”  As Elliot ran back to his still running truck with both doors still sitting wide open where they were flung, Dan scooped up the frail woman hauling her up to his broad chest.  Elizabeth cried out causing him to pause looking for the source of her distress.  Elliot, now with keys and phone in hand, was back beside them pointing at the foot Dan had bumped.

                “It looks like she might have got it caught on something.”  Dan nodded in acknowledgement and began to take her inside.  Elizabeth gripped his shirt tightly catching some of Dan’s chest hair within the fabric.  Elliot held the door open for them only following once he retrieved the damp stained blanket from the porch.  Elliot sat next to her on the couch holding her to him in an effort to warm her up as Dan made his way into the kitchen.  Elliot looked down at her worriedly as she began to mumble about a woman she needed to find.  

                 By the time Dan had reemerged carrying a steaming mug Elizabeth was beginning to come around again.  Taking the warm cup, she thanked him gulping down a couple of swallows of mildly hot water.  The screen door crashed into the wall as it was heaved open in Addison’s haste to get to Elizabeth.  She was followed in by a fresh-faced wide-eyed Jan who was rushing in directly behind her.  The two women descended on her like clucking mother hens each worrying away but too afraid to physically touch her.  Elizabeth smirked at them taking in their equally disheveled states.  Jan’s hair had been hastily thrown on top of her head into a short ponytail that threatened to fall out.  There were hanks of hair hanging loosely around her head that had already escaped the confines of the elastic that once held them.  All along her scalp the hair was bubbled up to different degrees belying the haste with which she had thrown up her do.  Addison’s brownish blonde locks had been captured into a mess which was caught somewhere between a messy bun and a low ponytail that wasn’t pulled completely through the holder.  Both wore a pair of sloppy sweatpants.  Jan had paired hers with a holey old misshapen sweater while Addison had on what appeared to be one of Elliot’s t-shirts.  The shirt had some obscure college logo on it and swallowed the poor pregnant woman whole. 

                 “You two look terrible.”  Elizabeth pointed out causing Elliot to snicker and Dan to groan.  Jan towered over her scowling in dismay, but Addison reached out to slap her on the arm.  Being quicker than his wife Elliot easily caught her arm stopping her assault before she made contact.

                  “I know how you like to give love taps Addy, but we still don’t know how hurt she is.”

                 “Speak for yourself Lizzy.  What happened to you?”  Jan inquired relaxing her posture and looking Elizabeth over while Addison apologized contritely.  At Jan’s question the event of the previous night came back.

                 “There was someone out in the willow grove last night calling my name.  I tried to find her, but I lost her in the trees.  I ended up tripping over the roots and by the time I got back up she was gone.”  She began to tell them a recounting of her late-night adventures watching the reaction of each person in the room.  The four friends exchanged worried glances before looking at her again.

                  “Guess they whammied you all in one go.”  Elliot nervously chuckled out dodging the slap his wife aimed at him.

                 “What are you talking about.”

                 “Ghosts.  He’s talking about ghosts.”  Addison angerly gritted out.  Elizabeth snorted in response.

                 “Not you guys too.  Everybody in this town seems to believe this place is haunted.”

                 “After last night don’t you too?”  Addison tentatively asked looking worried.

                 “Absolutely not.  It was just somebody who got lost is all.  Probably disoriented after being caught in the storm.

                “Who called out your name?”  Elliot asked looking at his wife to see if he set her off again.

                 “I had been woken up in a rather startling fashion I was probably just confusing what she was actually saying with what I thought I heard.”

                “And the tears?”  This time it was Dan that asked shocking Elizabeth that he too believed something supernatural had happened to her.

                “It had just rained outside so naturally the leaves were wet.  They are probably coated in minerals that are in the air from the springs around town and mixed with the rainwater.  What is with you guys?”

                “Nothing!  It’s nothing.  We need to get you cleaned up and take a look at you.  Don’t you agree Addison?”     Addison jolted at the sound of her name startled by the not so subtle redirection of conversation.  It took her a moment to catch on but once she did, she gave a curt nod going into drill Sargent mode.

               “Dan lets get something cooking to get some nutrients in her.  Jan why don’t you help her get cleaned up.  Elliot get the medical kit out of the car and give your dad a call to see if he thinks we should bring her in.  Elizabeth strip, bathe, and get your butt back out here in that order.”  Each person nodded once their task was given and they all went off to do her bidding.  Addison came up on the other side of her ready to help Jan if needed.  Elizabeth shuffled along feeling stiff and sore all over.  The three women made slow progress to her room which she was thankful was still on the first floor.  She had been tossing around the idea of moving it to the second floor but with the way her body currently felt, was thankful it hadn’t been done yet.  Addison stood in the room with her arms crossed tapping a tiny foot impatiently.  Elizabeth looked at her quizzically wondering what she was waiting for.

              “She wants your clothes Lizzy.”  Jan pointed out helpfully smiling from ear to ear.  With a roll of her eyes Elizabeth began the painful process of undressing.  With each piece that was discarded it was handed to Addison as she made mental notes of each injury that was uncovered.  At last Elizabeth stood bare and embarrassed but feeling too tender to cover herself.  Jan gently led her into the bathroom where a warm bath was waiting for her.  Addison waited until they were behind the closed restroom door before she left with the dirty clothing in hand.

              Jan helped her into the tub of hot water with salt soak she had prepared.  Elizabeth hissed out air between clenched teeth as her scrapes and cuts encountered the water.  She sank back feeling each ache leftover from her late-night adventure.  Jan sat down on the floor leaning her back on the tub, quiet in her thoughts as Elizabeth’s muscles slowly released their tension.  Jan’s quiet voice broke the solitude of the room.

            “Promise me the next time you see that woman in the willows that you’ll just go back inside and pretend you didn’t see anything.”  Startled by her words Elizabeth met Jan’s sincere gaze.  Elizabeth blew out a frustrated breath and sunk further into the tub.

            “You don’t believe me either do you?”

             “It’s the fact that I do that I’m asking this of you.  A lot of people have seen and heard her over the years Lizzy.  None of us want to see you get hurt especially me.  Chasing ghosts isn’t worth putting yourself in danger over.  Especially when it’s not the right one.”  The last was spoken so softly Elizabeth nearly missed the words.  She wasn’t sure if Jan even meant for her to overhear them.  A knock on the door stopped Elizabeth from questioning the statement.

           “Just thought you’d want to know that Ryan just pulled up.”  At Addison’s words Jan turned to Elizabeth wiggling her eyebrows suggestively making her moan and sink lower into the tub. 

           “Come on Lizzy, let’s get you cleaned up and dressed so lover boy can see you for himself.”  Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her friend’s antics but gave in and let Jan help her clean up.  The earlier conversation all but forgotten as Jan teased her about Ryan.  Elizabeth argued that he was just being friendly and that there was nothing between them.  The childish banter helped to distract her from the pain of moving as together they got her all cleaned up and redressed.  No sooner had Jan opened the bathroom door then Ryan strode in sweeping Elizabeth up into his arms and whisking her away. 

           “My lady your chariot awaits.”  Jan giggled quietly following behind them giving Elizabeth big wide innocent eyes while making a kissy face at them.  To which Elizabeth mouthed back real mature.  Ryan moved from the bathroom to the bedroom oblivious to what they were doing.  He gently placed her on the bed next to Addison and her gigantic first aid kit.  Elizabeth’s eyes bugged out as she watched the other woman methodically remove items from what was once an over-sized toolbox. 

          “She’s very thorough.”  Jan snickered while Addison rolled her eyes.

           “I like to be prepared for anything.”

          “Clearly.”  Elizabeth breathed out the words in awe never seeing anything like it.

          “Make sure you doctor her up good Addy, we have a schedule to stick to next week.”  Elizabeth laughed as Jan’s eyebrows rose into her hairline like she couldn’t believe he had just said that out loud.  Elizabeth just smiled and mouthed I told you.  To which Jan rolled her eyes throwing herself back and pouting on the bed.  Ryan looked between them confused as to what was going on which made them both giggle uncontrollably until Elizabeth was moaning in pain.  

          “Stop making her laugh or I’ll make sure you’re in just as much pain.”  Jan mimed zipping her lips shut as Addison began Doctoring Elizabeth up.  Once Addison was done poking at her she packed up her things and toddled out into the next room.  Elliot came right in to take away the monstrous kit followed by Dan with a warm bowl of soup and a glass of water.

           After they were each done coddling her, they left her alone with strict instructions to get some rest for the afternoon.  Elizabeth didn’t argue as her eyelids drooped lower with each blink.  Her gaze lingered on the box on the nightstand feeling the urge to read yet another letter.  The need was not stronger than her bodies want for rest as her lids closed for the final time the letters forgotten.  Left alone in the quiet room she sunk into darkness with the phantom feeling of a soft kiss lingering on her brow.