The Carvings

The Move

             I'm unpacking my stuff in my big attic room, in my big scary house. We had just moved in and I already hated it. I hated the house, the town, and I was sure I might hate my new school, even if it was summer vacation. I was hating ahead of time. Of course my older sister, Joan, loved the move. Her boyfriend had moved here a couple months before, they had stayed together but were ready to end things. Finally, mom had gotten a job offer and we moved to the same town, now they could hang out all the time. My younger brother Dan, didn't really care.

"Well, I don't have friends here anyway, so at least when we move, I can make friends not enemies." He said when mom told us the news.

"Glad you feel that way son. We can put you in a sport if you like?" Dad had said.

"We'll see." Dan said.

Anyway, after that dreadful day, mom loaded us up and moved us to our big, creepy, house. I hated it. It was a house on a hill. The town had spread stories about it.

"Oh yes, Martha had lived there once. She was beautiful. Her hair was long and blonde. She was loved by all. Every woman could only dream of being that beautiful. And every man could only wish to one day marry her. She was also the most kind person. Always with manners. And she had a way with kids. But sadly, one day she just disappeared. It was a sad day. One minute she was here, shopping for bread, next she was... well, no one knows." This came from a woman at the market. Mom had asked her where the milk was and she asked us if we lived in the old house.

No offense lady but, we wanted to find milk. But, what she had told us about Martha stuck. As I unpacked, I thought about her. Obviously, she had been beautiful. But how beautiful? Model beautiful? Or inside beautiful? And where did she disappear to? Was she murdered? Did she run away? Could she be found on the internet? If she was still alive that is.

   "Oh yeah that house on the hill? That place is terrible. Martha, the one that used to live there was murdered. Murdered by a man she didn't love. He was so in love with her but she could never love him back. They talked for a while and then he took her up to her balcony, and when she wasn't looking he pushed her. After that, he buried her. Deep in the forest. He disappeared before the cops ever found out young Martha was missing. No one ever found out she was murdered." This came from a man at the library. Dad had asked where the mystery books were and the poor confused man started talking about our house.

   "How do you know she was murdered?" I asked. "If no one ever found out, then how do you know?" The old man looked at me darkly, then smiled.

   "I know all." He had said, then walked away. So, as I unpacked, I also thought about what the strange man had said. Did poor Martha really get murder? Or did she up and run away, like the woman said? Should I care? I mean, if she died here, in this house, shouldn't I be concerned?

   "The house on the hill? Oh yes. Beautiful Martha once lived there. My ex husband, Randy, fell in love with her, like most men did. He would always come and bring her flowers and tell her how beautiful she looked that day. She had enjoyed his company and compliments. They would sip tea on the front porch and talk. He often made her smile. Oh what a beauty her smile was. Eventually, they fell in love. I have the feeling they ended up in bed together. Randy started to drift apart from me. I started questioning him. Why wouldn't he dance with me in the living room anymore? Why wouldn't he eat dinner with me? Why wouldn't he kiss me at night? Word of our fighting got 'round. One day, Randy went over to Martha's house. She told him that she felt responsible for mine and his fighting. Said they had to end things. He was married and she had to respect that. Once he got home, he demanded we get a divorce. I was heartbroken. I begged him to let things go back to normal. To when he loved me, but he couldn't. I blamed Martha. The town always said she was a wonderful girl, well she's the reason my marriage was ruined. After the divorce was final, Randy went back to her. She wouldn't take him back. She felt bad. She didn't want him to leave one girl for her. She then told him they could never see each other, ever. A couple days later, she disappeared. Didn't bother me none. I remarried after she left, knowing she couldn't take Scott from me. But I always wonder where she went and why." This came from a slightly older woman at the game store. Dan had asked where the PlayStation games were, and she went on rambling about our house. What is up with this town and our house?

    So as I unpacked, I also thought about that. If Martha was murdered, it could've been by Randy. I mean, he loved her but she wouldn't take him back. That's similar to what the confused man said. Or it could've been the woman at the game store. I mean she had motive, Martha stole her man. I'd push someone off a balcony if they were taking my man too. Okay maybe not but I'd make them pay.

       "Julia! Dinner!" It was my mom. I quickly ran down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. Joan was setting the table, which had been brought out of the moving van. Actually, the whole kitchen had been nicely decorated. Dan was sitting on the counter talking about the lady at the game store. He laughed and made a creepy voice as he said it.

     "But that woman was crazy. Her husband probably only ran off with Martha because she was actually nice and bright." That made Joan laugh.

     "Hey now, that's not nice. We should be making friends with the people here, not making fun of them." Mom said.

     "Hey, make up a crazy story like that and you'll get made fun of." Dan said.

     "Actually, I don't think that story was made up. You said the woman who used to live here was named Martha? Well at the library, someone told Julia and I about Martha. I guess she was murdered." Dad said.

     "Murdered? No no she just disappeared one day that's all. Probably ran away or something." Mom said. I listened to all this as I grabbed a plate of chicken and sat down to eat.

    "Come on. You guys don't really believe all this do you?" Dan asked cocking his head. "These people are just trying to scare the new comers." He continued.

    "I don't know. It all seemed real to me." Mom said.

  

     After dinner, I went back up to my room. I layed on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. 

      "Tell me they didn't get you thinking about Martha did they?" It was Joan.  I sat up in bed.

      "Please, I've been thinking about her since I heard the first story when I was out with mom. What if those aren't just stories?" I asked. Joan came in and sat on my bed next to me.

   "I don't believe they're just stories. I was out with John today, and I told him that our house is so creepy. He said he wasn't surprised. Martha haunts the house. He said after she disappeared, Randy became very sad and lonely. He missed her. He would sometimes come back here and walk around in the house. One day, he broke down. Screamed at god to bring her back to him, if she was still alive. Then, poor Randy snapped. Somehow he just knew, Martha was dead. So, with that, he hung himself." Joan barley got the words out. I stared at the floor for a while. Poor Randy, poor Martha, poor divorced and remarried lady at the game store. Joan quickly got up. "Okay, we have to go to sleep."

"Why? It's summer vacation. We can stay up." I said too frightened to sleep.

"Ha! Julia, the move took a lot out of you. Go to sleep." Joan said before leaving. She was right. The move had taken a lot out of me because as soon as I layed my head on that pillow, I was out.