Island of Lost Girls - Jennifer McMahon [88]
Peter and Tock dragged Dads body up on the stage and rolled him into the hole, closing the trap door on top of him. Then Tock came back to hold me again.
And thats what I walked in on, Rhonda said. Shed been silent long enough. It was as much her story as theirs from that point on.
None of us ever knew how much of it youd seen, Lizzy told her. I always wondered how long youd been watching, maybe too scared to make a move, if you knew what Id done, hated me. Peter said you hadnt seen anything, that you would have done something. Try to stop it, run back for help, something. But I was never sure. And after a while, I guess Peter and Tock wondered too.
Rhonda shook her head.
No, Peter was right. I had no idea. I thought you all had had a fight. I thought maybe something was going on with you and Tock and Peter was pissed. I couldnt tell.
Lizzy nodded. Blinked hard and continued.
Well, you were there for the rest of it. Peter decided to tear down the stage; turn it into a pile of rubble and busted lumber that no one would ever think to look under. So we dug out the rest of the tools in the box and tore apart the stage in a crazed frenzy. We were all kicking and smashing the boards apart. You and Peter got hurt when the back wall came down and it was good because later it explained the blood on our clothes.
The mosquitoes had found them now, there in their place in the ferns. Lizzy swatted at her bare arms.
You wrapped your jacket around my head, Rhonda remembered. She shivered to think that that jacket had already been splattered with Daniels blood.
I got rid of my clothes that nightor actually, I guess your mom must have gotten rid of them. While I was in the bath Justine took them away. I never saw them again.
And you stopped speaking, Rhonda said.
Peter said we couldnt tell. We could never speak of what had happened in the woods that night. Of course, Tock and I listened to himhe was the leader, right? Always. He went over it again and againif we said nothing, it was like it had never happened. Nobody would ever know. I was afraid. Afraid that if I opened my mouth, everything would come pouring out. Words seemed dangerous. Does that make sense?
Rhonda nodded.
When Mom started to well and truly lose her shit, it was even harder. She was never too tightly wrapped, but thinking Dad had left her was the last straw. And I knew it was my fault, all my fault, no matter what Tock and Peter said. Eventually, not speaking wasnt safe enough. I had to leave. Get as far as I could from what had been done to me; from whatId done.
What made you come back?
Lizzy shook her head. Its silly, really. Peter had been after me for months to come and I was too scared. But then, remember that whole thing with that little girl in Virginia?
Ella Starkee, Rhonda said.
Yes, Ella Starkee. I saw her on TV. When she talked about her kidnapper being dead and how she thought it was sad. She said, Sometimes, what a person needs most is to be forgiven. Thats what brought me back, reallythat one sentence. It was a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. It felt like, after all these years, it was time to forgive my father; time to forgive myself.
Nine one thousand, ten one thousand. Ready or not, here I come!
Pat raises her head and scans the yard. The sun is blinding. Sweat prickles her forehead. Her chest and stomach itch. Heat rash. Maybe later, when Mamma gets home, they can go swimming.
Pat crosses the yard, pokes around in the vegetable garden, peers behind the row of giant sunflowers, the little patch of sweet corn. She checks the rain barrels (dry ), and the toolshed. No Birdie. Then, turning away from the house, she scans the cedar hedge that borders the yard. There, in the corner, a flash of red. Birdies dress. Pat pretends not to see. Goes closer, then walks right by, mumbling, Where can she be?
Then, turning quickly, she shouts, Found you! and