Girl From the Tree House, стр. 44
“Thorry, I wake you up. Thorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I’m sorry that I’m a burden for you.”
Maddie looks at him trying to figure out what he means by burden. I can see her little mind ticking. Her mother called her a burden many times and got furious. She didn’t think he’s a burden like that, and she doesn’t feel angry at all. She walks toward him, one hesitant step after the other.
He pulls himself up and watches her approach. Maddie stretches out her hand and touches his head.
“Does it thtill hurt? I thee you in the car.” She yawns and claps her hand to her mouth. “Thorry. You has blood everywhere. I’m glad we was strong enough to pull you out.”
He points to the end bit of the couch. “Come, sit down, if you don’t mind.”
Maddie doesn’t think twice and climbs on the sofa, pulls up her little legs and crosses them under her.
If I had a body, I would roll my eyes now. Where is Ama? How could she have allowed Maddie to sneak out? Not even Phoenix, whose job is to guard the tree house, is around. Maddie’s energy must have been very strong that she bypassed everyone. Ama and I will have to find out where the girl gets it.
“I wondered how I can thank you for stitching me up. I’d like to take you out for a coffee, or a dinner.”
Maddie giggles and leans back and forth as if she is sitting on her swing. “You’re thilly, I’m four years old. I don’t drink coffee and I’m not allowed out after dark.”
That’s what you call my worst nightmare. Ama. Ama. Where is that woman? I’m now shouting at the top of my lungs into the expanse of the tree house. If we don’t stop Maddie, she’ll blather us back into the loony bin.
Scott notices something off-kilter and raises his eyebrows. No surprise here. He’s not stupid. I’m surprised he didn’t notice when Lilly swapped places with Elise earlier. That’s nothing though, compared with having a conversation with a four-year-old. She’ll give us away in no time. Already, his face shows a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. He stares at Maddie as if he wants to see what’s behind her eyes.
I feel exposed. Is it possible that he sees us huddling just at the edges of Maddie’s mind? But then, that’s not how it works. From experience, I know whatever people concoct about us is never as weird and as unbelievable as the reality of our existence. Still, we all press into the recesses of the tree house and shut our doors. Except for Ama. Finally. She arrives to get Maddie back inside.
“You don’t have to take the mickey out of me. A simple no would have done the trick. Anyhow, I am very grateful for your help.”
The poor man has to wait for a response, because Ama is switching places with Maddie who trundles up to her room, her right thumb in her mouth, and Madeline dangling at her side. She smiles as she leaves, and I suspect she enjoyed checking out the stranger in our house. That girl has more daredevil in her than I give her credit for.
Only when Maddie closes the door behind her, does Ama turn to our neighbor. “I’m just playing with you. No malice intended. It’s late. We both should aim for another few hours of sleep before the day starts.”
“I feel much better already. Nor more dizziness. I’m sure I can go home tomorrow and be out of your hair.”
Ama squints at him and bobbles her head from left to right. “I’m making no promises. Let’s wait until tomorrow morning. I’ll put my nurse’s hat on and will give you my verdict then.”
At the top of the stairs, she turns around. He’s still watching us with this pensive stare I don’t like. He looks like a sniffer dog that’s not letting go of the trail he’s on. Elise decided he was okay. She saw into his life. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t be a threat to our freedom if he continues to nose around in our life.
Lilly: 21 November 2015, Early Morning, Wright’s Homestead
If there’s something weird in your neighborhood and a job needs doing, who do you call? Me. Lilly. Anybody who’s after ghosts has to talk to Elise. That’s her specialty. She sees things all the time. I feel sorry for her, because, I mean, this is not the Sixth Sense movie where it’s okay to see dead people. In real life, you don’t get a million-dollar movie contract for seeing things that are not there. You end up behind locked doors, heavily medicated.
Consider this. If you tell a person that you are talking to people nobody can see, that they talk back to you and instruct you on what to do, they label you schizophrenic and that’s your career down the toilet if you have one.
If you sit in a church and tell people you are talking to someone nobody can see that he talks back to you and instructs you on what to do; you are a good Christian. It’s a numbers game. If you’re hallucinating, make sure you’re in the company of lots of other people who live under the same spell.
This morning it’s my job to dispel whatever theory our lovely neighbor formed after Maddie’s grand appearance last night. Sky says I have to dress for the occasion, but I’m ignoring her. A herd of ten horses won’t get me into these stupid Bali pants and as for those sweaters fit for