Lark's End Read online

  “Get up,” Andy said, grabbing her arm. “We can’t be in here. That thing’ll be back.” He dragged her out of the room and they sat at the top of the stairs. “Do you think that old man has something to do with this?”

  “I dunno, but it’s weird how he shows up and then strange things start happening.” She hid her face in her hands. “Wanna know the worst part?”

  “What?”

  “I had a dream about him last night.”

  Andy looked up. He swallowed. “Is he really the old guy your parents told you about?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “What would he want with you then? He gave you away.”

  “You don’t think he’s my father, do you?”

  “Oh, I hope not. That’d be gross. He’s old and smells funny.”

  “Yeah, he knows something about my past, though. I really wanna find out what.”

  “No!” Andy grabbed her by the wrist. “Don’t go back into the woods again. That man is dangerous. Look at what’s happened since we met him.”

  “It could be a coincidence.”

  “No, Tahmi. It’s not and you know it. I know you do because you’re like an open book—your feelings, anyway.”

  “That’s what my mom says. If that were true why didn’t she believe me when I told her about the pink cloud?”

  “Well, you weren’t your normal self I guess. You were all panicky the same way you get when you lie.”

  “I don’t lie.”

  “You do. Like, remember when you said you ‘floated’ down from that tree out back when you were five?”

  “I did float—okay I dunno if I did or not ‘cause I was FIVE but nothing recently.”

  “Tahmi, please; weird things always happen to you that make no sense.”

  “Kinda like this pink cloud, right?”

  Andy nodded, suddenly realizing that maybe the other odd things that happened to her were real as well. “What about when you ate the rat poison—was that true?”

  “I did eat it. I know my mom says when we went to the ER they said there wasn’t a trace of poison in my system. But I really had.”

  “Maybe we should find that old guy.”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “Don’t tell Charles about your pink cloud or he’ll be putting in security cameras.”

  “Tahmi!”

  Donna stood at the end of the staircase with her hands on her hips.

  “Yeah, mom?”

  “Get in your room and clean it.”

  “I don’t want to go in there. The cloud will get me.”

  “Tahmelia Russo, do as I say right now.”

  Tahmi stood, elegant and somehow regal. “It’s Andrews, remember?”

  Donna’s heart stopped. Or, at least that’s what she thought as Tahmi’s wicked words stung her chest. Had Charles been right? Was their daughter emotionally stunted for life? What in the world could they have done differently? “Clean your room!”

  Tahmi couldn’t look at her mom. The tears in Donna’s eyes tugged at her soul. Why’d she say something so cruel? “Fine, but if that cloud takes me away, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Donna closed her eyes at the sound of her daughter’s door slamming like it was the lid to her coffin.

  ANSWERS WANTED

  “I can’t believe her!” Tahmi kicked her bed. Can you say stupid? She doubled over and squeezed her foot with all her might. “Why’d I do that?”

  Andy laughed. “Serves you right for losing your temper.”

  “I’m gonna lose it on you next.” She waved her fist at him.

  “You look different when you’re mad.”

  “What’dya mean?”

  “I dunno.” Andy looked away. “Evil, I guess.”

  “I’m not evil.”

  “But look how fast you flipped on your mom today. Donna is the nicest person we know. She was gonna take us horseback riding even.”

  “All you care about is yourself. You’re selfish, Andy.”

  “Hey, she could’ve made me go home, ya know. But she ain’t mean like that. Don’t you think you should be nicer to her?”

  “I’ll treat her any way I want.”

  “See, there it is.”

  “There—what is?”

  “The evil look—check in the mirror.” Andy twirled her around and pointed at her reflection. “See, you’re scary.”

  Tahmi swallowed hard. Had she always looked like this? Why were her eyes almost red; high blood pressure, maybe? Something stuck in her throat and it wasn’t just her nerves. She could feel something building deep inside her.

  “We need to find the old man.”

  Tahmi nodded. “Let’s go right now.”

  Andy shook his head. “How?”

  Tahmi pointed at the window. Andy backed away. “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “I ain’t climbing out the window.”

  “Sure you are.”

  “I don’t float.”

  Tahmi turned around, blushing. “I’ll catch you; c’mon lil’ girl.”

  Andy narrowed his eyes and body slammed her to the floor. They rolled around, knocking into a fragment from the TV. Tahmi swallowed. Had they broken the vortex entrance? Did the TV need to be in one piece to work as a portal?

  “Okay, you win.” Andy whispered, “Anything to get out of this room.”

  Tahmi went out the window first. She climbed down the drain pipe slowly, unsure of her footing. Andy was quick and like a fireman—sliding with great ease. Tahmi just shook her head.

  “I wonder if the old man is still out there.”

  “He has to be. I need to know who I am.”

  “He said you were a princess.” Andy smirked, pulling a strand of her blonde hair. She shoved him.

  “Where’s my castle, then?”

  He laughed. “You’ve got the drawbridge and moat right there.” Andy pointed at the white picket fence that surrounded the muddy “flower bed” Charles never could seem to grow anything in.

  Tahmi grinned. “Where’re my monsters?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Every moat needs a monster in it.”

  “Not if you’re the princess.”

  “Oh, that’s nice.” Tahmi shoved him. “I can’t stand you, freckle face.”

  “Pigment hater.”

  “Connect the dots.”

  “Sailor baby.”

  “He’s not my dad.”

  “You wish he ain’t but how do you know for sure? And don’t make your eyes red again.”

  “Shh.” She put her finger to his mouth. “I don’t want that geezer sneaking up on us.”

  They inched forward, tiptoeing into the woods. There wasn’t any sign of wildlife. Had the old man scared them away? “Sailor dude,” Tahmi’s voice cracked. “Where are you?”

  “Dock your boat.” Andy chuckled.

  “Put in your peg leg.” Tahmi giggled. “Anchors away.”

  The wind blew through the leaves, rustling them. The sound was relatively silent but to Andy and Tahmi—as loud as drums.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  Tahmi and Andy twirled around. Peg stood with her arms crossed in front of her. “Mom,” Andy shouted, “You just scared me half to death!”

  “Good,” she snapped. “Angelo, get home this instant.”

  “But, I need him,” Tahmi said. “He’s helping me.”

  “Yeah, helping you get in trouble,” Peg said. “Tahmi, go home before I tell Donna where I found you.”

  “But—”

  “Goodbye, Tahmi.”

  “Fine, bye.”

  Peg watched the girl run out of the woods and disappear into the light. She shook her head. Tahmi was going to be a handful for the Russo’s. She just hoped Andy wouldn’t follow down her same path.

  IT’S COMING

  Tahmi lay in her bed. It was close to midnight and she was afraid to breathe. Charles couldn’t speak when he came home and found her TV smashed to
smithereens. He nearly died when he saw her door frame. “Why would you destroy your mother’s house?”

  He never understood anything unless it was written down in a record log or on a chart or broken into percentages. “I got a pie chart for you, dad.”

  That didn’t go so well; grounded. She’d never been put on restriction before. So, instead of protesting—she used her alone time to rig an escape plan just in case the vortex came back. Tahmi was ready for that thing. It wasn’t going to get her—no matter how hard it tried. She only wished that Andy could be there with her. “Can Andy be grounded with me?”

  That didn’t go over well, either. “Grounded is not an activity that you share with your friends.” Charles’ eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. “Donna!”

  Tahmi glanced at the clock. It was after midnight and still, the vortex didn’t show. Maybe it was truly gone. Would she have to stay away from all televisions? Would that old man try to snatch her while she slept? She swallowed. Her heart beat at the thought—some old, wrinkled hand creeping up from under the bed and grabbing her by the ankle.

  Tahmi jumped. She cautiously leaned over and peeked under her bed. “I’m acting crazy.”

  She peeked at her open door. There was a sheet tied to the door knob and Tahmi held the other end in her hand. The biggest fear she had was that she’d fall asleep and let go of her only means of escape.

  Was that old guy her dad? Did he really know her? Why would someone give away a baby? Why did she have to be that baby? Tahmi closed her eyes, barely breathing. She didn’t want to make any noise.

  A chill blew in her room, cooling her exposed feet. It felt nice. The coldness blew inside her covers, sending her blanket flying. Tahmi held on tight to her sheet. The room was black and she couldn’t see more than a foot in front of her. Her body jerked backwards—nearly pulling her arm out of its socket. Tahmi’s body flew towards her broken television. But the sheet stopped her like a leash on a dog. It hurt worse than anything she’d ever experienced. The suction from the vortex was unbearable, more so than earlier.

  With all her strength, Tahmi pulled herself against the wind. She was a salmon swimming upstream, a girl running up the down escalator; she was going to make it—defeat all odds.

  Nearly to the door, the vortex grew larger and colder, pulling against her even more. Unable to breathe, Tahmi grabbed her doorknob. She wrapped her feet around the wood of the door and held on as if she were scaling a mountain or skyscraper. The suction from the vortex blew her fiercely back and forth, smacking her into the wall—exactly what she’d hoped for.

  Ignoring the pain in her side, Tahmi squirmed her way out the door and hid against the wall in the hallway. She stared down the stairwell. Would it be wise to run to the living room or kitchen? No. The vortex only went away when she was near Donna. She needed to get into her mom’s room. That was the only way.

  Her door shook, the vortex made noises—almost as if someone was screaming her name. Smoke crept out from underneath her door. It was cold and Tahmi knew it was coming for her. She grabbed hold of the stair railing and within an instant, her door ripped from its hinges and flew towards her window—smashing it. Glass fell to the ground and Tahmi could see Peg’s bedroom light go on across the yard. If Peg was awake—maybe the cloud would stop.

  “Help.” Tahmi tried to scream but nothing came out. Her fingers burned and she could hardly hold on. Two fingers slipped and she felt dizzy from lack of oxygen. It’d been only a few seconds without air but felt like an eternity.

  “What are you doing?” Charles shouted. Tahmi’s body slammed into the wooden rail. It broke and together she and the broken piece of railing skidded down the stairs landing against the front door.

  Charles stomped out of the room in his robe. He saw the sheet in the hallway and his eyes followed it towards the missing door. It lay on its side smashed into the TV and window.

  “Tahmi!” Charles hollered. He peeked inside the room to find her bed empty. “Where are you?”

  “Down here, Dad.” Tahmi held onto her back. It throbbed. “The cloud came back.”

  “I knew we’d stunt her emotionally by telling her she was adopted,” Charles muttered to himself. “What have I done?”

  “Daddy,” Tahmi called. “I hurt my back.”

  “I’ll get you one of my back patches.”

  “Tahmi.” Andy knocked on the front door.

  Tahmi stumbled back just far enough so that her body leaned against the wall near the front door. She opened it. “What are you doing here?”

  “You’re making awful noises. Woke my mom up and I just knew that cloud came for you again.”

  “Peg let you come over?”

  “Are you crazy? No! I snuck out.”

  “Come in. My dad is awake, so I think we’re safe.”

  “Um, Tahmi,” Andy stuttered, pointing at the living room TV.

  “What?” She turned sideways and gasped. “Not again.”

  Andy grabbed Tahmi by the arm and the two skidded across the tile floor, knocked into the coffee table and rolled towards the spiraling, pink cloud that was now turning pitch black. There was no getting away this time.

  “Hold your breath,” Tahmi said. Andy nodded and disappeared into the black. “Andy!” She screamed.

  Tahmi was sucked in next. She fell so quickly through a narrow tunnel that the sides brushed against her shoulders. It felt like carpet burn. Her gut climbed up in her throat and she knew she was going to die.

  ORANGE

  Tahmi fell from the sky. She’d always wanted to try out skydiving, except with a harness. Free fall had never been on her list of things to do. She opened her eyes, letting the wind smack into her face with a great vengeance. What was the ground covered with? It was orange and flat—almost like a desert except instead of sand—something else. She braced herself for the end. If only she’d gone upstairs with Charles—she’d still be alive. Tahmi hit the ground.

  The orange surface molded around her, softening her fall. It felt like slightly melted jello encompassing her body. She gasped for air and clenched her stomach. She struggled to surface for air. Tahmi was stuck in the goo. Was this some form of quicksand?

  “Stop moving,” a muffled voice said. “You’ll float up.”

  Tahmi obeyed, feeling her chest expand as it searched for any remaining oxygen left in her lungs. Her body slowly rose, inch by inch.

  A mouth with teeth like chic-lets grabbed her by the shirt and tugged. She gagged as air filled her lungs—making her want to vomit. Her body sunk down some as if she were in a few inches of warm gooey snow.

  “Tahmi!” Andy landed next to her. He was covered in the orange substance from head to toe. “I thought you were gonna die in there.” His eyes watered and he leaned against her shoulder.

  “I thought I was a goner, too.”

  “Where are we?” Andy looked up. There was nothing but miles and miles of orange surrounding them.

  “I feel like I’m in some weird desert full of jello.”

  “It’s orange, too.” Andy laughed. “Are you sure we’re not dreaming? Or maybe one of us is dreaming and the other is just an extra in the dream?”

  “This ain’t a movie, Andy, geez.”

  “Hey, at least I’m trying to figure out what’s happening—you’re just sitting there with your mouth open.”

  “I could tell you where you are,” the voice said. Tahmi and Andy finally looked up at the chic-let teeth. They belonged to a brown horse. “You’re in Gadaie.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” Tahmi said.

  “No, really, this is Gadaie,” The horse repeated.

  “No, you’re talking. I must be crazy. This has to be a dream.”

  “I’m not a horse,” The horse said.

  “You sure look like one to me.” Andy scrunched his nose up and sniffed the air. “And smell like one, too.”

  “Name’s Trusty.”

  “How are you not a horse?” Tahmi asked, sti
ll trying to figure out where the heck she was. “And what’s a ‘Gadaie’?

  “Oh, it’s a long story,” Trusty said, dipping his head into the orange goo. He pulled his head out with a strawberry in his mouth. It wasn’t just any strawberry, either—it was almost as big as a baseball.

  “Wow, that’s the biggest strawberry I ever saw!” Andy exclaimed.

  Trusty had a pouch on his back. He turned his head and dropped the berry in the bucket hanging down on his side. “This used to be a beautiful garden once. But now the only thing that grows here is fruit and we have to dig our way through this guck that tastes like oranges in order to get to it.”

  “Is there a way for us to go home?” Tahmi climbed to her feet. She wiped her face with the inside of her shirt. The guck didn’t penetrate like water and stayed on the outside of her clothing which she was grateful for.

  “I dunno.” Trusty dipped his head into the guck again.

  “Where can we find help?” Andy shouted. Trusty lifted his head, rolling his eyes. “Where can we find help, Mr. Horse?”

  “Call me Trusty. And you don’t have to shout. I hear just fine, little boy.”

  “I’m not little.”

  “Who are you guys, anyway? You’re not from here, are you?”

  Tahmi shook her head. If this was a dream it was certainly not lacking in crazy. “My name’s Tahmi and this is Andy.”

  Trusty looked up, eyes wide. “Tahmi?” He reared, neighing. “Tahmelia Andrews?”

  “No.” Tahmi backed up. Why would this horse know her name? This had to be a dream. “You’re fake, this is a dream and I’m going to wake up any second now and laugh my freakin’ head off.”

  Trusty stepped forward. “You need to go see your mother.”

  “My mother?”

  “Yes, she lives in the Silver Palace—straight over the wooden bridge.”

  “Wooden bridge?”

  “Yes, it’s a bit of a ways from here. I’ll show you.” Trusty stamped and Tahmi winced at the sound of his hooves sinking down into the orange goo.”