HIDING BEHIND THE SHADOWS

Chapter 5 - Finding Things

A cold wind blew my face as I open the door of the cottage, an old familiar scent from the inside and the warmth I felt in my heart… I look around to see how things changed but the same warmth is still there.

The inside of the cottage was still as neat and clean as before as if someone still lives on it.  The old cushions were still placed neatly on the sofa, photos of Jessie and I smiling on top of the fireplace was still there. To my surprise no spider webs, dust and dirt on it. “How can it be?” I asked as I looked at Harry behind me.

“Ow! I told you I came here every once in a while to check on things, sort things out and clean the mattresses” said Harry “I have to make sure it stays the same, you both decided to come back here… “

I faced Harry brows crossed, confused.

“.. I..I… I mean just in case… any of your family wanted to… to spent a vacation in here…” said Harry startled.

“But why did ask me if I still have my key?” I asked “Oh that?” he said… “… just want to check if you still remember where things are after seven years you know” he answered me with a deep sigh.

Really? I said to myself.  I may have doubts hoping Jessie might be here every once in a while but I put it at the back of my mind. I will stay here and sort things out. My hopes were high and if things won’t go my way I should properly bid goodbye to my past right here where it all started.

“Seems we don’t need to fix things out here… the cottage is in good shape” Harry said. “maybe except for the heart the wishes would be fixed in here” he laughs

“Yeah… yeah … I hope so” I said slightly smiled “Do you think Jessie still comes here every once in a while?” I asked

Harry shakes his head and said “Nobody knows where Jessie is… but to tell you honestly Aaron, I also hope that she will find her way back here where she left off” he said picking up my bags, brought it to the bedroom.

“Your dad had sent someone to fix the bedroom months ago…” he said “and some other parts of the cottage…”

“Did he come here often?” I asked

“Who?” Harry asked back “Dad?” I said “Did he come here often?”

 “No… no … “ harry said shaking his head “Nana Ysabelle would send me here to check on things, you know, cleaning and other stuff and If I found something that needs to be repaired that I can’t handle” she would call your Dad and send someone here to fix things” says Harry

“Why does the bedroom needs repairs?” I asked

“… I guess it’s the storm a few months ago, the windows were broken and… the roof slightly fall out of place” he explained

“Do you think, someone intentionally broke the windows?” I asked

He look at me confused “I… I… I don’t think ... someone would be responsible for that” he said looking away from me “besides, there really was a storm”

“Did he also fixed the room upstairs?... in the Attic?” I asked

“No..no..no…” he said shaking his head “Your dad wants to leave the attic that way”

“Huh?” was my only reaction.  Knowing Dad he don’t want to leave things, out of order if he had sent someone to fix the bedroom why not fix the attic?

“He specifically said… not to touch anything in there”… Harry said trying to smile a little “He said he said that there were personal things in the attic, you know from your grandparents?”

“Yeah… I guess so.. “ I said “We were not allowed to go there, even when we were still kids” I said remembering my grandfather used to tell me and my cousins not to go in there. And nobody dares to go there.

Harry helped me unpacked, the goods that we brought with us, right stuff in the right places, he seemed all familiar with cottage. I was scanning thru the cabinets when I found something.  “Harry….Harry” I showed him the box of mix pancake and pasta ingredients. “I don’t think you brought these here do you?  Not unless you stay here for days may be.”

“I.. I.. er- maybe some campers found your keys and use the cottage for the night…” said a startled Harry. “But I thought you said nobody dares to cross the creek?... old tales?” I said.

“I… I don’t know… maybe someone did dare to cross the creek”… he said. I ran to the fireplace and touch the base and found it still a little hot from the night use I guess “Harry the fireplace seems to be used for the night” I told him.

“No! It can’t be… that’s careless of her!” he seems to be talking to himself but never realized he spit it out loud “Whose her?” I asked “Harry please tell me who’s her? Is Jessie here all along? Harry please tell me?” I spit out my anger and confusion on him, when I heard a loud noise in the bushes. We both panicked and run outside to check just to see there’s nobody out there.

“Old tales seems to be true Aaron, there something behind the shadows” he said.

“I just hope the shadow’s realizes she’s still welcome in our home…” Harry knows what I meant and with it, I went back inside to ignore things. Harry never said a word checked on the pile of woods for the kitchen among other things.

I dropped myself on the couch, holding Jessie and I’s picture, wherever she is… I hope she’ll find her way back to the cottage, I closed my eyes wishing Jessie would hear me … My love I’ll be waiting for you my love… I thought to myself.  Warm wind blows to my face, and I open my eyes to see the images behind the curtains.  I gently closed my eyes and open it again but saw nothing.  I guess that was just part of my dream.