I shot straight up in my bed. Sweat rolling down my body and tears gushing from my eyes. I wiped my eyes and looked around as if I should be dead. The tension I felt in my dream was still felt in every muscle. I realized I was safe in my room, sitting on my bed. I stopped crying. I released a small whimper that carried a smaller amount of tension away. I tried to loosen my muscles and calm myself. It didn’t work. I wasn’t sure why this recurring dream bothered me so bad. Sure I have dreamed things before and then they happened. But, I didn’t know anyone with a big blue car. And, I certainly didn’t know anyone with looks that could easily pass for an angel. I have been having this dream every since I can remember. I think it started when I was five.
I do dream things a lot that then happen. It’s not like déjà vu, I clearly remember the dream. I am able to think about it after I wake up. When whatever happened in the dream happens, I can say, “Hey, I dreamed that!” One time I dreamed that a witch knocked me down as I came into my kitchen. Well, I knew that would never happen. Two weeks later, on Halloween, the broom we had dressed as a witch fell and knocked me down as I walked into the kitchen. Weird, huh? I have also dreamt that I was talking to someone and whatever I was saying started an argument. Those times I enjoyed my dreams because I just changed what we were talking about and avoided an argument.
I can’t dwell on the dream this morning. We have things to do. It’s my older sister’s birthday today. I am happy for her. Our parents have been whispering for weeks about her present. I think it must be something very exciting. I am eight years younger than her. That makes me ten years old. It also makes the year 1986. This was a year of change and disaster in my life.
My bedroom door swings open and I look over to see who it is. “Get up lazy butt, Mama and Daddy want to give me my birthday present before it’s time for me to go out.” Georgia was bouncing with a smile plastered across her face that I knew would be there all day. She didn’t notice my tear stained face, and the tension that was held in my body was gone in an instant. I had dreamed the scene so many times that it had become habit to let it go.
“What do you think it is?” I asked obviously not having a clue. Think about it, if you have a secret to keep, don’t tell the ten-year-old!
“I have no idea, just come on. I want you to see it when I do.” She grabbed my hand and we were both off to see what my parents had come up with.
My parents had lived in Georgia when they were first married. They always said that they were happiest there. They used to tell us stories about that time in their lives filled with laughter and love. After a few years of marriage, they moved to South Carolina to be near my Mom’s parents. When my mother became pregnant with my sister, they said it felt natural that they name her Georgia so that they would always remember their happy younger days. When I came along, they thought it fitting to name me Savannah, a city in Georgia, because I looked so much like my sister. I liked it because there wouldn’t be a Savannah without a Georgia. On the other hand, Georgia’s friends often picked on me asking if they couldn’t leave the ‘little city’ behind. Georgia always laughed, but almost never left me behind.
My parents, Nora and Will, were standing in our family room arguing about something. Nora was a petite woman with short brown hair with gray streaking. She was tan with red blotches on her face from her excessive consumption of alcohol. Her hands were thin with her nails kept long. She wore three rings, her engagement ring, her wedding ring, and her mother’s ring. Will was a tall man with hands bigger than my head. His hair was jet black. He wore it short and always combed back and to the side, kind of like men in the 1950’s, but without the oil. They were both good looking people. When they saw us come into the room they straightened up and put smiles on their faces. This was nothing new. They were always arguing except when they were full out fighting. It was very predictable, Mom would start drinking and Dad would start yelling. After a while they would both get tired of it and start hitting each other. When that got old, Dad would turn on us, the kids. Georgia always puts herself in front of me and takes the brunt of it. She is my protector. Georgia always makes sure that I’m safe, no matter the cost to her. I know that she will move out and go to college next year. The thought of living with them alone makes me shutter.
“I’m ready for my big surprise!” Georgia announced barely holding her squeals of excitement. Her long brown curls were bouncing on her shoulders. Her green-brown eyes were sparkling with excitement.
Nora smiled warmly and explained that there was a game to play in order to find the present. “Your gift is quite big, so you are going to have to work for it.” Will began to chuckle at the angered look on Georgia’s face. “Oh, no, you are getting the gift. You just have to find it first. We’ll give you clues. It’s just a game,” Nora explained as Georgia’s face softened.
“OK, Savannah will help me find it. Don’t you think that will be fun?” Georgia bent down and pinched my fat cheek.
Yes, I said FAT. At ten years old I was short, fat, and had dull brown hair. Nothing was special or unique about me. As you can imagine, I was a joy to be around.
“OK, I know I’ll be able to find it! Will you share it with me if I help you find it?” I pleaded with my sister knowing that she would say yes. She couldn’t refuse me. She never had been able to. For as long as I could remember she bought me toys and took me on dates with her all because she couldn’t say no to her adorable little sister.
Georgia looked at me. I could tell she thought my fat cheeks and odd sized teeth were cute. I loved the way I looked in her eyes. “Of course I’ll share unless it’s something you wouldn’t want.” Georgia looked at Nora to see if she could get a hint.
“Oh no, I’m not going to give anything away. We worked too hard on this game to ruin it before we even start. You girls need to get ready for the first clue before your dad gives in.” She smirked at dad and winked. You see, even though they fought, they still loved each other. We just never knew what would set them off.
“Girls, I’ll give you the first clue. The answer to this clue will lead you to the next and so on.” Dad, or Will to you, began to read the clue. “It is as plain as the nose on your face if you had stopped to see when you first stepped onto the floor this morning.”
I stared at Georgia’s face trying to see if she had something on her nose.
“Stop looking at me. It’s not on my nose. Let’s think,” She giggled. I caught a sideways glance at Georgia as she put her hand quickly to her nose, just to check. We both thought and looked around the room half expecting the answer to jump out at us.
“I know, I look in the mirror to see my nose and I first step onto the floor when I get out of bed.” Georgia always was the smart one.
We rushed down the hallway to the bedroom we shared. She let me run in front. We got to our room barely noticing our parents behind us. I saw the yellow piece of paper stuck to the mirror over our dresser. Georgia reached up and pulled it down and read it aloud.
“Great job. We knew you could do it. You just left the next clue. Savannah will be in front of it in no time.”
“It’s on the TV in the family room,” I stated with great confidence. Remember, I was quite fat. You don’t keep that physique by playing outside.
We ran back down the hallway back to the family room. I got there first and saw the yellow piece of paper sticking to the TV. Georgia laughed and snatched the paper before I could read it.
She stared down at the paper and read, “Birds of a feather flock together, but do they keep the cage clean.”
“Well, what the crap does that mean?” I said out loud right before I could put my hand over my mouth to keep the words from being heard. I looked around and gave a sigh of relief when our parents were just walking into the room. There was no way they would have heard me.
Georgia giggled, “I guess it means that Bo and Luke have our next clue.” She pushed me so that she had a head start and headed down the steps to the bird cage. She ran down the steps that landed in the entryway with a large main door for the house and a giant window. One more set of stairs and Georgia arrived at the bird cage before the rest of us.
“Ew!” I arrived just as Georgia was pulling the yellow piece of paper from the bottom of the bird cage. Bo and Luke were flying around the cage going crazy.
“Dad, really! That’s gross.” Georgia gave him a disgusted look and held up the paper.
“It’s too early for lunch, but too late for breakfast. If you fry something up, I’ll tell you the next clue”
I smirked. If I knew anything, I knew food. It was obvious the clue was in the kitchen, but I knew it would be with the eggs. I slipped out of the room while Georgia was still holding the last clue.
I ran back up the stairs past the main door and the huge window that over looked the tidy front yard. At the top of the stairs and just to the left was the kitchen. I was running so fast that I hit the side of the door with a loud THUD. I was stunned for a second. It was long enough for Georgia to get up the stairs and fly past me into the kitchen.
“OK, where is it? Savannah, I know you guessed, tell me!” Georgia was half yelling and half laughing.
“It’s with the eggs.” My voice was shaking with laughter. I was so proud of myself.
Georgia went to the fridge and opened it. She looked in and pulled out a piece of yellow paper. She handed it to me and told me to read it since I was the one who found it.
I smiled. I took the paper and began to read, “Your mom asks and asks, but no one ever wants to complete this task. You’re almost to the end so don’t get lost.”
We both scratched our heads. I knew I didn’t like to complete any ‘task’, so I had no idea on this one.
Georgia giggled again. “Well, I lose a lot of socks in the dryer and I hate doing laundry, with a passion.”
“yeah, that sounds right,” I agreed. I would have agreed to whatever she said because I had no clue.
We ran back down the stairs past the main door and large window and into the laundry room. We looked around searching for the yellow piece of paper.
“Check the dryer,” Georgia demanded.
I did as I was told and opened the dryer. The yellow piece of paper was stuck to the door of the dryer. I snatched it off and slammed the door closed leaving the unfolded laundry inside. I handed the paper to Georgia, it was her gift after all.
“This is the last clue. If you don’t get it this time I’ll know they really SWITCHED my kids at the hospital. I’ll have to get in the car and take you back.”
“Since I was the last to get in trouble I know what SWITCHED is referring to- the tree in the front yard. I say the clue is on the tree.” I shifted uncomfortably remembering last week when I had gotten into trouble and been beaten with a switch from that very tree.
“You’re right, let’s go!” Georgia bounced. She could hardly contain her excitement. Her eyes flickered as if she had figured out the second part of the clue. She grabbed my hand and headed, once again, up the stairs.
We ran, hand in hand, up the stairs to the main door of the house with the large window over the top. We had passed this window at least three times this morning. I never saw anything out there. Georgia peeked out the small window next to the door. She shoved her back against the door pulling my back tight against her stomach. Her breathing became fast and shallow. I was starting to get scared.
“What is it,” I asked almost afraid to hear the answer. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. “Tell me!” She was holding me so tightly that I couldn’t move from her grasp.
She began to laugh uncontrollably and covered my eyes with her hand. She opened the door and led me out to the front yard. The mood had lightened considerably. I now knew she had found her gift. I was almost giddy.
She guided down the small step not bothering to close the front door. I could feel the grass under my bare feet. She uncovered my eyes and turned me to the side so I could see.
“Look.” She whispered. Her voice shook and her breath caught in her throat as she whispered closely into my ear.
I opened my eyes. Excitement fought to over take me. It must be some present to have to store it outside. Last year they got her a skirt for her birthday.
Parked in our front yard with our parents standing in front of it was a new car for my sister.
It wasn’t just any car. It was beautiful and shinny. It had new tires and wheels that sparkled in the sun. There was a speaker box in the back window. I could see that the seats were soft black leather and the paint was dark blue. My face dropped and my heart fell. Tears welled up in my eyes.
My parents had gotten my sister THE car. It was a 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme- dark blue and destined to kill my sister.