Murky Manor

  "Hey," Meredith said. The cat flicked his tail and dashed up the stairs.

  Meredith looked at the old rug. The pattern had faded into one mass of brownish green. Edison's attention would hardly be noticed.

  The steps were cold on her bare feet. She trailed her hand along the wrought iron being careful not to catch her fingers in the decorative metal leaves under the railing.

  She came to a landing where an open door led into the turret. The stairway continued coiling up into unexplored darkness. No time to investigate now. She wasn't sure she even wanted to know what was up there.

  As she entered the turret, she passed between tall narrow bookshelves. It was like walking into the pages of a book, a secret world.

  The panoramic view gave her a feeling of strength. Up here it didn't matter what she wore. There were no fashion police to forbid wearing Heather's color - pink. She could wear any color she wanted to up here. Of course she didn't have anything pink, so it didn't matter.

  Only the treetops could be seen poking out of the fog. The old willow tree looked like the head of a monster rising from a lake. With a shudder, she grabbed the cup from the desk and rolled it up in the tiny rug. Back in her bedroom, she finished packing her clothes and hurried downstairs to help Doris.

  The heavily packed SUV stopped in front of Green Earth Condos. Meredith pushed against the box that poked her side. This bumped the cat carrier, and Edison started howling again. He sounded hoarse.

  From the time they had imprisoned him in the carrier, he had been growling and meowing his disapproval. Meredith had given up trying to talk soothingly to him. Finally, he had settled down to a low rumbling growl, but the jarring had set him off again.

  Meredith picked up the carrier and followed Doris up the walk. A thin woman stood in the doorway watching their progress. She wore a long, moss green skirt that rippled in the faint breeze. Her sleeveless, brown tank top revealed impressive muscles. A vine tattoo circled one bicep. Meredith looked harder. Was that a butterfly in the tattoo? She shivered at the thought of how many needles that would take.

  With each step Edison's howls got louder and longer. The frown on the woman's face got deeper and darker. She crossed her arms. The tense muscles pulsed in her biceps making the butterfly appear to move.

  Doris smiled up at the woman when they reached the porch. Then Meredith recognized her as the woman from the Clipper. The one who had been talking to the fidgety man.

  "Hello Ms. Argon," Doris said, and set down her suitcase.

  There was only one step up to the porch, but Ms. Argon towered over them. Her eyes shifted from Doris to the cat carrier.

  "We have rules about noise levels. I don't recall your contract including a cat." Her eyes moved up to include Meredith. "Or a - child."

  She must think I have some disease, Meredith thought.

  "Oh that's alright," Doris said with a smile. "I don't mind they weren't mentioned. Meredith is family, and just visiting. I'm sure Edison won't complain about the noise - once he gets used to the apartment. He'll do his part to make sure there aren't any mice about."

  "Mice?" A flush of purple crept across her high cheekbones. Her voice dipped lower, and her eyes narrowed. "We have no mice." She enunciated each word.

  "Ah, well, I should think not. Now that Edison's here you won't have to worry about getting any. Nor rats either I shouldn't think."

  There was a soft hiss of air as Ms. Argon gasped.

  Doris picked up her suitcase and stepped onto the porch. "Come along, Meredith."

  Meredith's knuckles turned white on the carrier's handle. With Edison yowling and hissing, she squeezed past Ms. Argon and followed Doris into the lobby. The flesh on her back twitched as she waited for Ms. Argon to stop her, but that faded as she entered the lobby. It was like stepping into a jungle.

  Chirping birds and croaking frogs mingled with the soothing sound of wall fountains. Flagstone sections branched off the green marble floor creating paths that led into thick masses of plants and tall grasses. A flash of yellow fluttered past her head. She turned to see yellow, orange, and blue butterflies dotting the flowers. Trailing vines wiggled in the breeze from whirring ceiling fans. Through the branches of ornamental trees, she caught glimpses of tall windows. The serene atmosphere was broken by a loud voice.

  "Wow, this is really something."

  Meredith jumped and looked around for the voice. She spotted Tony standing on the pathway between the trees.

  "You should come see the neat tables they stuck over by the window," Tony said pointing behind him. "There's a little pond too, but I couldn't find the frogs. I think it's just a recording."

  Meredith set the carrier down with a thump. The cat let out a howl.

  "How did you get in here?" Ms. Argon said.

  "Oh, he's with us," Doris said.

  "I suppose he's family too? Hopefully temporary?"

  "Just here to help us move in."

  "Well, see that he stays with you - at all times. I will not have anyone trampling through my conservatory. These plants are delicate, expensive, and rare. You'll be responsible for any damage. How long a stay are you planning?"

  "I was planning just a week, but I found out this morning that the contractor I lined up for the job has cancelled. It's hard to say how long it will take to line up someone else."

  Argon's face paled. She cleared her throat. "I could recommend someone if you'd like."

  "Why, that's very kind of you. Yes, please do that."

  "I'll have him stop by on Monday to see you."

  "That's wonderful news," Doris said. "Here, Meredith. I'll take Edison." She took the carrier and led the way.

  Tony picked up the suitcase, and they all squeezed into the elevator. Meredith pushed aside a runner from a hanging plant. As the doors were closing, she caught a glimpse of Ms. Argon. She stood with clenched fingers resting on her hips and a frown on her face.

  Tony mumbled, "Nice muscles. I'd like to get a tattoo."

  CHAPTER 4 - THE GAZEBO

  They made only four trips across the gleaming marble floor, but each time Meredith felt like someone was watching her. Once she caught a glimpse of a green skirt as Ms. Argon disappeared around a curve on the flagstone walkway. Another time all she heard was the rhythmic tapping of heels on the stone walk. They paused, then started again.

  On their last trip through the lobby, an old man with his arms full of groceries shuffled ahead of them into the elevator. A shock of gray hair covered his head. It stood up in back where he had either forgotten to comb it or had been unsuccessful. He turned around and stared at the elevator buttons.

  "Come onboard," he said. "I don't take up that much room. Besides, it would be helpful if you'd push the button for the second floor. Name's Hank."

  Meredith could see Argon frowning at them from the front desk as the doors closed.

  Tony introduced them, then asked, "Can I help with those?"

  The old man handed him a bag. Meredith took the other one, and they followed him to his apartment.

  As he fumbled with the key he said, "There's another stairway you know." He pointed a bony finger towards the end of the hall. "Not so visible if you take my meaning." He winked. "Ms. Argon can be a bit overbearing."

  He took the groceries, said thank you, and closed the door.

  "We can check it out later," Meredith said. "Let's eat."

  The two children sat on the floor in the living room. Meredith's plate was empty except for a few grease spots left by the pizza. Mushroom chunks littered Tony's plate where he had carefully pulled them off and lined them up on the edge. They hadn't prevented him from eating five large pieces. Now he looked sadly at the empty box. If she ate that much, she'd have to stop shopping in the juniors' section. It didn't seem to be hurting him any. He looked like he'd been working out.

  There were a few mushrooms lying in the bottom of the pizza box. She loved mushrooms, but she was afraid to pick them up
. Tony might think she wanted his leftovers. His hands might look clean now, but she still remembered the mud from the night before. No sense taking chances.

  Moving in had not taken long because the apartment came with furniture. It also came with plants. They were everywhere. She got up to throw away the box and had to push aside a vine to reach the wastebasket.

  "These silly plants are everywhere," Meredith said. "They've invaded the apartment. It's like a rainforest."

  "Complete with an Amazon warrior."

  "With what?"

  "Argon - the Amazon." Tony grinned. "Didn't you notice the muscles? She'd be perfect running through the thick jungle chasing?chasing?"

  "Kids like us," Meredith finished. "I wouldn't call her that to her face. She looks like the type to put us in a cauldron and have us for breakfast."

  "Exactly. She probably stocked the pond with piranhas. Hey, that's why I couldn't find any frogs! They've all been eaten, and that recording is their last feeble cries for help."

  Meredith made a face. "That's disgusting."

  "Has anyone see Edison?" Doris asked as she walked into the room.

  Meredith gasped. "Maybe he got out and wandered down to the lobby."

  Tony jumped up. "He'll be eaten by the piranha. He won't know they aren't goldfish. We've got to rescue him."

  A clattering crash came from the kitchen. It was followed by a scratching noise on the tile floor. A furry, cream colored blur with fluffed tail shot through the doorway and fled down the hall.

  "Ah, there he is. No doubt looking for his supper," Doris said.

  "Okay if we go explore the grounds?" Meredith asked.

  "Yes, but try to stay out of Ms. Argon's territory."

  "Let's take the stairs that Hank suggested," Meredith said.

  The steps were concrete. Scuff marks and scratches marred the plain white walls. A water stain darkened a ceiling tile.

  "This is elegant," Tony said. "Nothing pretentious like carpeting or wallpaper. Just the basics."

  "Hank was right though. It has something more important. A back door."

  Meredith opened the door at the bottom. A sidewalk extended a few feet before splitting into two paths. One led around the building to the front. The other path disappeared among trees in a park.

  Tony grinned. "We skip the rainforest and the Amazon. Good move. This is great."

  They raced down the sidewalk. Maple tree branches intertwined overhead creating an arbor. Meredith slowed her steps to avoid slipping on the spinners and yellow pollen that littered the path. Flowerbed borders overflowed with multicolored impatiens and daisies.

  They came to a wooden footbridge. Meredith leaned over the rail. A flower box had been built along the bottom edge. It was filled with primroses that climbed up the sides of the bridge and trailed down towards the water.

  They followed the path around bushes and trees. It stopped at a huge weeping willow. Hanging limbs from the old tree drooped down, hiding the path.

  "Shall we go in?" Tony asked. It was foggy under the tree. As he moved the branches, the mist scattered. Meredith felt the tingling sensation she always experienced when a storm was coming. The dangling branches in Tony's hand quivered. It was like he was holding hands with the tree. She ducked, and scooted past him. The tiny leaves brushed her arm in a caress.

  It was cooler under the canopy. Light filtered through the branches throwing bright speckles on the mossy ground. Ivy vines with glossy leaves crept up the trunk.

  "The path doesn't end after all," Meredith said. She pointed to flagstones that led around the tree. Stepping from one stone to another they came to the backside. The path picked up again and led out through the hanging branches.

  Meredith stepped off the last flagstone. She parted the branches and stopped.

  "What is it?" Tony asked as he stepped up beside her.

  She let the branches fall and pointed. A wooden gazebo sat in a clearing a few feet away. Evenly spaced windows wrapped around the building.

  "It's a gazebo," Tony said. "Let's check it out."

  She remembered the willow tree branches scratching at the open doorway during the storm the night before. She grabbed his arm. Her voice was hoarse. "No," she said. "It's the turret from Murky Manor."

  Tony tilted his head and squinted at the building. "You could be right. Maybe they were built by the same person. I only saw it at night. I don't remember the turret that well. I was more impressed by the figurehead underneath it. They had a spotlight on it for the Halloween party."

  He stepped onto the gazebo's small porch and looked in.

  "It's kind of messy in here. I guess the Amazon doesn't come out this far."

  He turned around with a big grin, but it faded when he looked at Meredith's face.

  "You don't look so good. Are you feeling okay? Maybe you should come in and sit down."

  He took her hand and pulled her inside. It was not at all like the turret room. No desk. No bookshelves. Instead of padded window seats, a built in wooden bench ran around the inside walls. Empty flowerpots with dirt still clinging to their insides littered the room.

  Relieved, she sank onto the bench. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. Silly she thought. Of course it isn't the turret room. This must be the turret from David's house. Doris said it survived the fire and was turned into a gazebo.

  A breeze through the window ruffled her hair. It carried the scent of tart cinnamon. She inhaled the pleasant aroma and thought of apple pies and cinnamon buns.

  Suddenly she stiffened. It was the same smell as last night but without the rain. And what about the willow tree pawing at the doorframe? The tree at Murky Manor couldn't have been at the door. The turret door was on the inside of the house.

  A crash made her jump, and her eyes flew open. Tony was hopping on one foot. He limped over to the bench and sat down. "Didn't see the dumb thing," he muttered while rubbing his ankle.

  Meredith shivered. In the middle of the floor a brass spittoon was slowing spinning on its side.

  CHAPTER 5 - THE IMAGE IN THE CUP

  Meredith pushed the gazebo out of her mind. It had been a long day. She just wanted to finish unpacking and go to bed.

  She placed the last of her clothes in the dresser. The smell of new carpet replaced the odor of particle wood as she slid the drawer closed. The furniture had come from an "assemble it yourself" store and looked like standard hotel room furnishings. After the eccentric antique pieces at Murky, the modern furniture was dull but functional.

  The only unusual things in the apartment were the plants. They populated all the rooms. Like aliens who were curious about the new tenants, they seemed to watch her movements. The drab beige walls made a striking backdrop for the abundant shades of green foliage. Dark forest green rubber trees lurked in corners with their roots tucked into clay pots. Ivy and spider plants dangled from the ceiling. Their vines and leaves tickled her face when she ducked through doorways.

  Even her bedroom had plants. A skinny fichus tree stood in the corner and leaned into the room. Blue morning glory vines climbed out of a squat brown pot on the floor. They wound around the leg of a small square table in front of the window. Several leaves poked over the tabletop and reached for the light.

  Of course the flowers were blue. It seemed to be the only color in her life since Heather had chosen it for her. Even the flowers on her nails were tiny blue forget-me-nots. "So you won't forget your friends while you're gone," Heather had said.

  She sat on a chair by the window. The screen on the bottom half blurred her view of the park. The sun appeared to be sitting on the top of the trees. Branches scattered the light as it made its way to the ground. She traced the stone path that led to the willow tree.

  As dusk settled in, the full moon appeared to get brighter. It was probably quite dark now under the willow. The branches quivered. They seemed to be beckoning things to venture closer. Close enough to be caught and drawn under the canopy.

&
nbsp; The branches parted at the bottom, and a small creature jumped out. It looked around for a moment. Then began nibbling on the grass. Only a rabbit she thought. What was she expecting?

  The wind picked up and stirred the leaves making them dance along the branches. She squinted at the dark gazebo windows. It looked like there might be movement inside. After watching carefully, she decided it was just the play of light and shadows.

  Something tickled her shin. She jerked her leg and hit the table.

  "Ow!" she said.

  "Meow!" said Edison

  The plant wobbled on the table. She caught it before it tumbled over the edge.

  "You almost dumped the plant, Edison. Ms. Argon will turn you into a stuffed doorstop if you kill one of her plants."

  She reached down and scratched the cat's back. He responded with a loud purr. She straightened the pot.

  "Looks like this plant is already on its last leg. Or rather stem. Its leaves look like shamrocks, but it hasn't been too lucky."

  It was the only plant Meredith had seen in the apartment that wasn't healthy. The tiny flowers were so badly shriveled it was impossible to tell what color they had been. The leaves were wilted, and the dirt in the pot was hard and dry.

  Meredith picked up her tiny rug and shook it out in front of the bed. The cup spilled out and rolled across the carpet. Edison growled and pounced. He caught it just before it hit the chair leg.

  "Good catch, Edison," Meredith said as she pulled the cup from between his paws. He swiped at her with an indignant meow.

  She went to the bathroom sink. In the fluorescent light the cup had a definite blue tint that she hadn't noticed in the turret. Maybe it was just the candlelight that had made it look black.

  After watering the plant, she filled the cup again and waited for the water to seep into the soil. The chair cushion didn't offer much padding, but the plastic had a spring to it as she sat down. She set the cup on the windowsill.

  Leaning forward, she clasped her hands around the cup and gazed at the liquid. A reflection of the moon floated in the water. In the moonlight, the shiny lines on the cup appeared brighter than last night.

  Ripples from her breath distorted the image. Her eyes felt heavy. A mist skimmed over the surface. It looked like the form of a bird landing on the water in slow motion. She caught a whiff of tart cinnamon and suddenly was wide-awake. The mist swirled to the sides of the cup, and she bent closer. Something bobbed up and down on the ripples. Cool, damp air touched her face making her shiver. It was a girl floating on a piece of wood.