Nobody Can Say It's You

48

They pulled into Hadley's driveway.

"Thanks," Lou Edna said. "I owe you."

"Big time," Hadley said. "Let me see if I can get back into the house before the neighbors call the asylum to alert them of a possible escapee."

"Call me," said Lou Edna.

"I will," Hadley said, walking briskly to her back door.

It was the cold, she told herself. Just the cold. That was what put the spring in her step. Not the fact that she looked like terrible.

A quick shower and a change of clothes made all the difference in the world.

Hadley had just finished feeding Onus and cleaning his litter box when her cell rang. She washed her hands and grabbed a paper towel.

"Hello," she said hoping the caller was still there. She had been in such a hurry to answer, she hadn't checked caller ID.

"Hey, Hadley, I'm so glad I caught you," Ruth said. "I am short-handed at the shelter today. I was wondering if you could possibly help me out. I know it's short notice, but Tobias Jennings has been bitten by a spider. He's had to go the hospital. His wife, Bonita, called and said he was going to be okay but he has to stay in the hospital for a couple of days and can't come over and help with the animals.

Bonita told me she's furious with Tobias. She's told Tobias to stop using the old outhouse. She's begged him to tear it down. They've had indoor plumbing for years now, but he's stubborn. Bonita said he kept telling her he liked the privacy of the privy.

She said tonight she is going to pour gasoline over the old building while Tobias is away at the hospital and burn it to the ground."

"Sounds like a bonfire at the Jennings' house. Maybe we should get some marshmallows and some sticks and go over for a roast," Hadley said. "On second thought, I don't think I want any roasted marshmallows with roasted poop fumes on them.

But I can't say I blame Bonita. Tobias has no business sitting in that old thing. He could catch his death of pneumonia, not to mention the spiders. It's been really cold lately.

Sure, I can come over. I was looking at another long day of boring myself.

Could use a change of scenery, and I miss having someone to talk to.

Well, you know I talk to Onus but his only reply is to either ignore me entirely or start licking obsessively. I think he finds my conversation about as stimulating as watching ice melt."

"Great," Ruth said. "And don't mind Onus. I have a sneaking suspicion cats think they are far superior to humans anyway. They surely don't need us as much as we think we need them."

'"Ain't that the Gospel," said Hadley, hanging up with Ruth.

Onus meowed.

"Well, speak of the Devil, and here he is in orange fur."

Hadley looked at the tabby staring at her from his roost under the kitchen table.

"I hope you weren't eavesdropping, Onus. Anyway, if you were, you know I will be going over to the animal rehab for a while to help Ruth out. I hope you won't miss me too much."

Onus made a snorting noise and bent his head down. He stretched out his back leg and with toes pointing straight out and started vigorously licking his bottom. Hadley chuckled and went about throwing together a snack for lunch. With everything in her brown bag, she grabbed her purse and locked the back door.

She drove down the service road by the abandoned amusement park. The eerie clown's head was smiling at her. She always felt those eyes were following her. Silly, she knew. But there was something strange about that head. She'd always thought so. Goosebumps ran down her spine as she remembered her encounter with a drug-crazed man trespassing in the park. She took a deep breath, let it go, and muttered, "Courage, old girl."

Pulling up to the box, she buzzed the security gate and waited to be let into the center. The gate opened, and she parked her car. Walking to the center, she saw her guardian goose, Sprat, peeking at her from between the legs of a huge cement black bear. Bending down on one knee, she made kissing sounds with her lips.

The goose waddled over to her, and Hadley reached into her pocket for some cabbage leaves she had brought with her from home. He gently took the leaves from Hadley's outstretched hand and daintily nibbled at them.

"You're looking mighty fine today, my fearless, feathered friend," Hadley said.

Sprat would always hold a special place in her heart, right beside Harry and Onus. He had saved her by attacking the spaced-out guy holding a knife to her throat.

After he finished eating, she bent down and extended her neck out so the goose could entwine his neck around hers. It was their special way of greeting each other. The goose made soft sounds in his throat as Hadley gently rubbed his chest.

"Thanks for saving me, Sprat."

The goose ambled off, and Hadley made her way into the center.

"Hello, Hadley," said Ruth. "I have a strange request for you today. Instead of working with me, I was wondering if you would go out in the woods and gather up as many acorns as you could find. I am nursing a couple of injured raccoons who would need to eat a lot of acorns in order to store up enough fat to get them through the winter.

I have a couple of baskets here if you don't mind going hunting. Since the acorns have fallen from the oak trees, they should be easy to find on the ground. If I had a store of acorns, I could supplement the raccoons' diet and help them put on the extra weight they needed when they are ready for release."

"I don't mind at all," Hadley said. "Maybe I can find Beanie, and he can help me. We could gather twice as many acorns as I could by myself."