These are a few pages from Chapter two of my most recent finished Novel. It came in at around 72,000 words and would be classified as Sci-Fi / Horror.
CHAPTER TWO
“Ready, Set, Go!” Brother Heizer blew a loud whistle something like a Basketball orFootball coach would have done to instruct their team to make moves or not – His, instead was used to signal the start of the Egg Hunt. It was an appropriate start to the competition as the noise put you in the mind set of winning. The age-old question stillremaining Who would be this year’s winner?
There were colorful eggs scattered all over the property, some half way hidden and the others just lying still in tall patches of clumpy green grass. I can remember how excited Iwould get at Easter time when I was but a boy. The thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of the find and the hope that the Golden Egg would be mine – It never happened though. Inever found the Golden Egg. I couldn’t even tell you what they filled it with back then.
The story of my life – I am only and have always been simply mediocre at everything.Children ran off in every direction, I kept my eyes peeled and was aware of every move Katrina made. My Mom was cheering her on and snapping pictures of her as she clumsily dropped a number of the eggs she put into her basket. My Father followed behind her and quickly picked up the lost eggs and put them back into her basket. This was one of the few activities he participated in with her.
He liked to be classified the victor just as much as the next man even in child’s play. I think more men held this characteristic than women but I believe everyone has a competitive side. I watched as she moved closer to the street, hoping that My Dad was paying close enough attention to not let her actually enter into the road. He had a tendency to glance at all of the Mothers who were there helping their children find eggs.
He did that a lot – Look at other women. I suppose my Mother noticed his behavior but she never said a word at least not in front of us anyways. I wonder if he ever thought about his actions and how embarrassing that would be for my Mother, for me and Katrina – if any of the other Church Members ever picked up on his gawking?
I started walking closer to where the two of them were and just as Katrina screamed “I found it!”
Another large truck passed by – the Driver laid on the horn for what seemed like forever.
My Dad snatched her up by her little arm and pulled her in close to him. He saved her from what would have been a fatal hit undoubtedly – Everyone around us knew that to be true. The Egg hunt virtually stopped while everyone screamed in excitement because she had found the Golden Egg or at least that’s the reason Katrina thought they were all running towards us and her.
My Dad’s face turned red with anger – Attention had been called to him and not because of some magnificent deed but because his child was almost run over by a semi – A late arriving Circus truck.
I took Katrina from his arms and began to walk away with her. She nuzzled her face into the area between my arm and chest. She whispered “But Nicholas, I found the Golden Egg.” “I know you did. You are the winner. Let’s go inside and check to see the contents of all these eggs you found.” I told her. My Stomach turning from the idea that we could have lost her to something so grizzly and at a Church function. I would have never been able to come back here.
We sat down at a large table in the back corner of the room and began to open her eggs.
Some of the older women were making circles around us as they cleaned up all of the mess that was left from lunch. It saddened me that grown folks would leave plates and cups still full of leftover food and drink for these ladies to throw away. How hard could it be to carry those items to a trash can? There were so many placed around the room.
Never the less, they worked tirelessly to keep our Church building in tip top shape.
“Excuse me Sweetie.” A lady that I didn’t recognize was running her already dirty cloth across the table Katrina and I were sitting at. “I’m sorry Ma’am – I thought maybe you ladies had already cleaned this one. There wasn’t a spot on it.” I was telling her that as a compliment.
She stopped for a second and looked me dead in my eyes. “There was a spot on it, Nicholas!”
She grinned and with teeth just like that of the passenger in the Circus truck I saw earlier.
She had an extra tooth or so more than what his mouth contained. How she knew my Name didn’t even cross my mind until later. I grabbed Katrina and moved closer to my Grandmother who was in the Kitchen wiping down some counter tops.
“Are you alright son?” My grandmother asked me. I told her that I was fine and just needed a place where Katrina and I would be out of the way.
“Just sit on the floor – You will be fine over there Nicholas.” She smiled and pointed towards a corner that was unoccupied and usually not used for anything. Thank the Lord my Grandmothers teeth still appeared normal. Maybe my mind was tricking me earlier.
Maybe I was just reacting to the trauma of Katrina almost being ran over. There is no way that Old Ladies teeth shared such a resemblance with those of the Circus Creeper.
“Nicholas, Look what’s inside my Golden egg.” Katrina was tugging at my shirt trying to get my attention but I was now listening to everyone coming in from outside and the conversations they were having. The focus had shifted from Katrina’s near-death experience to the fact that Tommy had found the Golden Egg. “Uh – uh – Nicholas.
Tommy didn’t find the Golden Egg. It was me, I found it.” She was getting angry and I knew this was going to turn out really bad plus now I find myself having more questions about all of this. I put my hand loosely over her mouth but covered it enough so I could make a point to her. “Shhhhh….” I told her. “Don’t say a word. Let me listen, okay? I need to hear what they are saying.”
“Mmmm..hmmm..”She shook her head yes and made a mumbling noise inside my hand that gave my fingers a bit of a slobber bath. I moved my hand away from her mouth fast and wiped it on my jeans. “Ugh. That was nasty!” I said as she giggled a little bit which prompted me to just shake my head. I loved my little Sister so much but she had the tendency to work my nerves.
I was listening closely to the crowd. “Hey Tommy, what did you get in your Golden Egg there boy?” I heard someone ask. Tommy responded in his squeaky little four-year-old voice – However strange his tone was; He was still an exceptionally smart kid. He was already in Kindergarten – He and Katrina shared a classroom. ” I got Five dollars and two quarters and I got this sticker of a smiley face and .. and.. I got this paper.” He said as he held it up – his little eye glasses sliding down his nose; he carefully pushed them back into position.
“What is that paper?” His Mother asked him. “I don’t know them words yet, Mom.” He said and the crowd laughed.
She took it from his hands and began to read aloud “Dear Golden Egg Winner” the note started. “Please take this with you throughout your whole entire life.” She continued on.
“Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” She finished and looked over towards the leader of our congregation “Good one Preacher!
We could all stand to keep this close to our hearts.” She said.
“Amen, Sister! You don’t know how right you are.” He replied and peacefully walked out of the room towards his office. He stopped midway down the hall and turned back, scanned the room and continued on. I could see and hear everything that was going on even though Katrina and I were out of the crowd’s sight.
Mom and Dad were back to enjoying themselves and chatting once again with the neighbor folks.
I took the Golden Egg that Katrina had in her hand and slowly emptied its contents.
“Look Bubba, Circus tickets.” Katrina said to me. “Four of them. You, Me and Momma and Daddy – We can go there. We can go there and eat Cotton candy.”
I wasn’t sure how I was going to crush her heart from this Circus dream but we were not going to anyone’s Circus. This couldn’t be legitimate. I mean why was the egg sitting basically in the street? None of these Church going people would have even let that thought cross their minds – to hide an Easter Egg in the road. No, No way.
The only other thing that the egg contained was a brass colored coin about the size of a half dollar- There was a picture of a trapeze artist stamped into it. I took it and the ticket and then I put them in my pants pocket.
“Katrina, you can’t tell Mom and Dad about this. Okay? I know you want to go the Circus and I promise you I will figure it out to where you get to go. But you have to swear to me that you will not tell Mom and Dad, Pinky Promise?” I held out my Pinky finger and she locked her finger around mine. We now had an agreement – But she’s five and I knew this wouldn’t last long. I had some detective work to do and fast.
I needed to know, who left the egg and was it solely intended for Katrina to find and our family to attend this so-called Circus?
“Nicholas, Katrina.” My Dad was calling for us. “It’s time to go.” He said. He walked back to the Kitchen to kiss his own Mother bye and spotted us on the floor. “What are the two of you up to?
It’s time to head out. Get all of those eggs and pack them up.” He pointed to the floor and directed his instructions to Katrina.
I knew she wouldn’t move too quickly so I got them all together and as a family, we headed out to the car.
I did basically what the Preacher had done during his exit. I turned, looked over the crowd and walked out. Where had the table cleaning lady gone? I don’t recall her leaving.
Oh well, another mystery I suppose. I added her to my list of unanswered questions for Easter Sunday, 2000.
Leesa Writes 