As The Yellow Storm Approaches

Sadie Handler

August 13, 1793

The man thrashed wildly at first, but soon looked too exhausted to continue. The medics easily dragged him to the nurses once he was limp, and the nurses injected something into his neck, making him almost immediately fall asleep.

I went back into the kitchen as soon as they dragged him out, and helped Mandy do the dishes and cook, and everything that anyone had to do in the kitchen. When Mr. Jensen's pie was ready, I had to take it out to him. Once I got out there, I heard the whole store talking about the man that was just in here. When I got to Mr.Jensen's table, I heard him and his brother-Mr. Jared-talking about him, too. I set the pie down for Jensen and refilled Jared's coffee, then leaned into their conversation.

"-maybe it could be a new sickness," Jared said, shrugging his arms then smiling up at me and taking a sip of his coffee.

Jensen took a big bite of his pie, and spoke with his mouth still half-full. "Or maybe it's a ghost~" he said in a playful manner.

There haven't been many known hauntings in the United States; just a few like the Bell Which. People don't really like to talk about their ghost experiences if they have had any. And if they do, then it doesn't really spread around.

Jared shook his head, snickering. "Like there would be one here. Even if there were such a thing as ghosts they wouldn't come around here. We're too unknown for 'em."

Jensen shrugged this time, and took another big bite of his pie. "Well we won't know unless we look will we?"

The two looked up at me with kind smiles, that only people that really knew the two would know that those are mischievous smiles. I looked between the two, and realized what they were thinking. I put my hands up and shook my head. "Ohhhhh no. You know what my mama would say." I said the last sentence quietly with a quick glance in the kitchen to make sure my mama wasn't listening.

Jensen attempted a puppy dog face, but only managed to make me laugh. "Please, Sade," that was my nickname. "We really need the research done, but we both have to work. I promise we'll make it up to you. Won't we, Jared?"

Jared nodded vigorously, and I sighed. "Fine, fine. Just make sure my mama doesn't find out until I say she can hear about it. Got it?"

They both nodded in unison, and I sighed, going back into the kitchen.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Mandy was waiting for me when we closed down the restaurant. She bobbed her eyebrows up and down, and nudged me gently with her elbow. "So? What were ya talking to the boys about earlier?" She slightly whispered so mama couldn't hear us from her bedroom.

I shrugged, pretending not to know what she was talking about. "Just the usual."

Mandy put on a knowing face, and raised her eyebrows. "I was right behind ya picking up the dishes. Ya wouldn't be whisper'n if ya weren't talking about something pretty secret, huh?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Okay. You got me. They want me to research that man for them. Who he is; his family; his life; and most importantly, what he has. They wanna figure it out, ans they want me to help them." I opened my bedroom door and walked in, Mandy following close behind me to help me change into my night clothes.

"Maybe you can catch one of their eyes'?" she asked, untying my corset. I stood still as she did, as I always did.

I thought about it for a second before answering with, "I don't think either of them are interested in marriage. Much less marrying me if they are. After all, I am only a silly 17-year-old."

Mandy let out an exasperated sigh and grabbed my nightgown. "They aren't much older than ya. And what type of attractive man like them isn't ever looking for an attractive woman like yourself? Also, I heard they have a nice fortune on their hands. Their daddy left 'em a lot of money when he passed."

I lifted my hands up as she slipped the gown over me. "I don't know, Mandy. Maybe. I would just like to get to know them better, is all."

Mandy smiled. "Well you certainly can what with your help for them. Yeah?"

I turned to my vanity and grabbed my brush. I brought it over to my bed and sat down, Mandy sitting behind me. I handed her the brush and she gently stroked my hair with it, making sure all of the tangles were out. "Hopefully," I said with a sigh.

Once she finished brushing my hair, she put the brush back at my vanity and helped me get the blanket comfortably around myself. She left the room with a smile, and blew out the candle on my side table. "Night, sweetheart."

"Night," I said quietly, and the room fell silent as I slipped into a deep sleep.