Wolf Hollow

Chapter 26

Leah made both of her kids go to bed at the instant. Darren went to shower instead, hoping she wouldn't mind it.

Leah cleaned up the dishes and the table and sweeped everywhere, even the basement. She noticed the small chained door, and the key on the top of the rack.

She slowly took the biggest key and barged it into the lock on the chained door. It reeled open with a loud thud. She stood back.

She crawled inside. It was damp and reeked a rotten smell. There was a box at the end. She crawled toward it. Something pulled onto her leg and she couldn't escape. She held the box tight.

"Help!" Leah shouted. It was an echo. She shouted out again.

Kent came down to the basement looking around. He was puzzled. She shouted another time to let him know she was in the small door.

She kicked the door and it swung open and hit Kent in the leg. He jumped back.

She crawled back and Kent helped her out. She was still holding onto the mysterious box. Kent took it in his hands.

To their surprise, the key to the chained door worked for the box. Inside it were stamps, cards, and notes that Henry and Albert shared to each other. By looking at it, you would think they were in love.

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Darren went to pick up Eleanor and Felix. Wayne, Ryder, and Pat never answered his calls. They grabbed snacks from the gas station and took them back to Darren's house.

They went through the collection in the box that Leah found. Come to find, it was nothing but junk. It only showed how passionate Albert and Henry felt for each other.

The rest of the afternoon was just board games, a movie, and popcorn. Leah and Kent came home around the same time. Usually, Leah came later.

Eleanor's uncle Raymond wouldn't be asking where she was. He was out of town. Raymond's wife didn't mind as long as she was safe.

As for Felix, his parents would call later asking how he's doing.

Next door, Clara was picking up wood in the yard. She wiped her face with a washcloth. She laid back in the hammock to rest.

Across the street, Jack Blevins was sitting in the rocking chair on his porch, with the porch light on, "smoking a cigar.

The look on Blevins' face was blank. He was smoking the pain away. He coughed and nearly choked. He rocked back and forth.

Darren studied him through the window. He couldn't see Clara anymore, but Mr. Blevins was very visible, especially because of the porch light.

He could hear snapping from Eleanor, but he chose to ignore it. He got out of his daze.

"Feeling like playing the piano." She said.

She started laying her fingers on the piano softly and playing a song none of them had ever heard before, though it sounded pleasant.

She proceeded to tell them she made up the song she played. They all clapped for her, except Darren, because he couldn't focus.