Kisses & Curses

Chapter 12

"You've got to be kidding me," Vivienne murmured. 

The Austin Historical Society Museum was nothing but a one-room building with an unorganized maze of antique curios and glass display cases pushed up against the wall. A woman reading a copy of Reader's Digest sat behind one of them when Vivienne entered. Considering she could probably devour the entire contents of the museum's artifacts in less than fifteen minutes, she didn't bother asking for the woman's help.

The museum was a walk back into time to the early miners who settled the area in the 1860s in search of silver after a Pony Express rider whose horse had kicked over a rock containing the precious metal discovered it. Vivienne walked from case to case absorbing the pictures, old newspapers, clothing, and other artifacts salvaged over the years. When she came to glass case containing an open ledger and several mining stock certificates, she stopped and read the exhibit card:

"The Mystery of the Worth Its Salt Mine"

"Oh, great," she groaned under her breath. "I should have taken the town tour before I went shopping."

"Ah, I see you've come to our most popular exhibit." 

Vivienne jumped. Stealthier than a fox, the museum attendant had crept up on her. "It's the first thing ghost hunters come looking for when they visit Austin."

"Gh-ghost hunters?" 

The woman nodded excitedly, causing her bowl cut hairstyle to swing back and forth. "Local legend says The Worth Its Salt mine is cursed."

Goose bumps ran down Vivienne's arms. "Is it cursed?"

The other woman shrugged her shoulders. "That's up for debate. Some people say they've seen and heard things.  I also know that when the mine went up for sale a few months back, no one in these parts bought it despite the the mine being rich with minerals." The woman reached up and scratched her head. "I heard it was sold to an out-of-town buyer, poor soul."

"I'm the out-of-town buyer," Vivienne gulped.

The woman stared at her for a beat and then she smiled. "Since you're still standing here then there might be some hope." She stuck out her hand. "Mrs. Nola Purdy."

"Vivienne West." 

Nola clapped her tiny pale hands in the air. "Since the formalities are out of the way, let's get to the more interesting stuff! So, Ms. West, did you find anything in the mining shaft?"

Vivienne nodded her head.

The other woman leaned forward. "Did you cash it in yet?"

"N-no, why do you ask?"

Mrs. Purdy fumbled in the pocket of her green sweater and withdrew a set of keys. 

"According to legend, the Worth Its Salt sits on sacred Indian grounds. Supposedly, the Pah Ute used the old mining shaft to bury their dead. Due to the Western Expansion, they were given their eviction papers and their land was parceled out to settlers." 

Mrs. Purdy unlocked the case and lifted the glass top back onto its hinges. "One such settler was a man by the name of Otto Loudermilk, whom according to this record, purchased several hundred acres in hopes of finding his fortune. That was in 1863."

Vivienne looked down at the man's name, but dismissed it since it didn't prove Zeke's innocence.

"Loudermilk purportedly found the mother lode, but soon after striking it rich, he disappeared."

Vivienne clenched her hands to stop them from shaking. "He disappeared?"

Mrs. Purdy nodded her head as she flipped to the next page. "The mine seemed to exchange hands faster than a call girl on a Saturday night. None of the subsequent owners faired any better. Either they lost everything or abandoned the mine altogether. But none of them struck it rich."

"So, no other strange occurrences?"

A sense of discord settled in Vivienne's gut. Deep down, she'd secretly hoped Zeke was telling the truth. 

"In 1868 another prospector, a man by the name of Ezekiel Proctor, bought the claim." Mrs. Purdy picked up a worn black folio pushed to the back of the case. "This is a picture of Mr. Proctor. Handsome, isn't he?"

Vivienne gazed down at the cabinet card and her blood froze. As plain as day, Zeke was staring back at her. Needing support, she grabbed onto the glass case and slurped in large pockets of air.

"Are you okay?" 

Vivienne shook her head. How could she be okay when she was having a mental breakdown? 

"Come on and sit down."

She allowed Ms. Purdy to lead her over to an antique parlor couch. 

"Don't worry about the sign. We tell the patrons to not sit on it to keep the fabric clean. Now you sit right here, while I go fix you a cup of chamomile mixed with a little bit of honey and lemon. That should help calm your nerves."

"Can you mix in a little Valium?" Vivienne whispered after her. Considering the odd turn of events, only drugs would rectify her day.

Mrs. Purdy emerged from the back carrying two blue mugs. She handed Vivienne one of the cups then sat down on a nearby stool. 

"Are you willing to indulge this old woman's curiosity?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Vivienne whispered as she brought the cup to her lips and took a sip.

"Try me."