The Attic

Chapter 16

Jack, Betty, and myself all sat in the back garden of my house. The sky changing colors as the day was close to ending. The brilliant oranges, reds, pinks, and purples that danced in the sky. The last glow from the sun as it dips under the Earth until a new day is ready to begin. The silence between us muted by our own thoughts. I knew we were all thinking the same thing, trying to make sense of it all, trying to figure out the mystery of this sad story. Did we all think the same things, do we feel that we can solve this? I wanted for all of us to be apart of this. 

"I have the diary of Adaline, I've only read some pieces of it." Jack and Betty stared at me, curious to have something close to her.

"We should all read it together, get to know her. Maybe there's a piece of the puzzle." Jack was right, we should all take sometime and get to know her. The missing puzzle the last 20 years could be in that diary. It was hidden in the attic no one probably thought to check her diary or even knew she had one.

"Let's meet tomorrow here, we can read some of it together, its getting late now. Who knows how long it will take us." Betty piped in, her eyes look tired. There was much thrown at us this evening. I knew there were questions hanging in there. I could sense it. They wanted to know what I've seen, or if I've seen her. I wanted to spill all the strange things that have happened, even the in woods where Charlie Miller was walking alone. It felt good not being alone anymore, yet weird that we were sitting here absorb in a mystery that happened 20 years ago. If I have gone crazy it was nice that I wasn't alone in doing so. 

We said goodnight and made plans to meet tomorrow. There was a barrier between us, all of our thoughts consumed on the disappearance of Adaline McIntire. Our mouths spoken friendly and light but I knew our minds were dark with curiosity. 

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The hours seem to drag on as I waited for afternoon to come. The minutes couldn't go on fast enough, I kept checking the clock but time always seem frozen. I tried to keep busy by helping mother tidy up, thinking of a menu for next weeks meals, and I even tried reading "The Witch of Blackbird pond" a book I've read a hundred times and adored. I always dreamed of being Katherine Typer, the independent young girl who craved adventure and answers for her curious train of thought. A detective in a sense looking into a mystery beyond the greater good of the expectations. In a way Jack, Betty and myself were like Katherin Tyler, looking into a mystery that everyone has left alone. Fear of what the truth is, trying to sweep in all underneath the rug. We were going to figure this out, not for the sake to clean out the town but its what Adaline deserves. Her story needs to be heard so she can rest. The sky was gray, clouds full of water ready to storm down. Even with the sky painted gray the world still looked so beautiful. I had the diary up in the attic where I found it, I didn't want to risk any more people knowing my secret. Even though the day was somewhat warm and cloudy we decided to hang out in the attic. I had to distract my mother from wanting to clean up there. Whenever she knew company would be arriving she wanted to make sure wherever they are in the house, it was spotless.

"Why on earth do you all want to hang in a dusty attic? Who knows how long its been since someone cleaned up there." My mother was busying sweeping every inch of the kitchen, not a spot would be left over by the time she was done. If marriage was suppose to be myself working all day cleaning the same spots day after day cooking, and obeying a husband who got to explore the world, count me out. I wanted to be more than just a house wife. Trapped inside their house forced to clean and cook and then clean some more and if you're truly doomed you'd have children to chase after as well. I didn't want to be Cinderella, I was determined to created my own fairy tale.

"We want our own hang out mom, some place where we can just hang out all to ourselves." I was following her around the kitchen, avoid the little pile of dirt she was organizing.