Abandoned by Abigail Livinghouse (distant reading txt) 📕

Cyndi nodded, her face lighting up once again.

“Yes, I would love for you to meet them, however”, she looked uneasily at Chip, Tessie did too, and was taken aback at his appearance.

His face was chalky white, his eyes glazed over like he was daydreaming, and he was gripping the countertop for support, his legs wobbly and looking like they would not support him much longer. Tessie moved forward and gripped him by his arms, looking sadly at the sweet young girl.

“I’m sorry, but I have to get him home.”

Cyndi smiled sympathetically. “I understand. There is plenty of time for introductions. You must take him to his house before he swoons.”

Tessie nodded, shuffling the woozy Chip out the door. She struggled over the distance between his house and the school, stopping a few times to catch her breath. But eventually she got him there, telling Mrs. Kyle that he felt lightheaded while they were playing a 3-D video game. It was a weak excuse, Tessie knew, but the motherly woman was too concerned with the state of her son to worry. She thanked Tessie and took hold of Chip.

He seemed to come through right when Tessie was about to leave. He touched her arm as his mother went to get a thermometer.

“Hey, sorry. I just began to feel a little sick in there. Did you see that girl?” He asked, serious.

“Who Cyndi? Yes, of course I saw her. You weren’t hallucinating Chip, trust me. You’ll be fine. Get some rest.” She gave him a smile before she headed back to the school.

When she got inside she saw Cyndi waiting in the foyer. She smiled when she saw Tessie. “Welcome back. How is Chip? Is he feeling better?”

Tessie shrugged. “I’m not sure. I think so, he’ll be all right. Now, who are the others that you’re talking about?”

Cyndi took hold of Tessie’s hand once again, leading her into the living room. “There are many of us who have died on this property. But there are only few of us who will show ourselves to the living.”

Cyndi sat Tessie down on the sofa while the little girl rested next to her.

“Why did you wait to introduce yourself to me? Why leave all the little clues? You were making me think I was going insane.” Tessie said angrily.

Cyndi patted Tessie on the arm. “You are not insane, Tessie. I was unsure of showing myself at first. Can you blame me? It’s been years since humans had ever trodden on our sacred ground, this was as much a surprise to you as it was to me.”

I seriously doubt that, Tessie thought. But she didn’t say anything. Instead, she asked a question.

“Who are the others?”

 “Be patient.” Cyndi said calmly. “You will meet them. In fact,” She stood, Tessie stood along with her. “I do have someone who is most anxious to meet you.”

 Cyndi took Tessie’s hand and guided her down the hall and into the library that used to be where the old school’s library was. It was the only part of the house that was used for the same purpose as Chester Elementary had used it for. Cyndi released Tessie’s hand.

 “Who is it that you want me to meet?” Tessie asked.

“You will know him when you see him.” Cyndi said simply.

Tessie did not quite understand, but before she could ask, Cyndi walked forward and placed her palm against a bare wall that had only a painting of a lake on it. She shut her eyes. Tessie new better than to disturb her, instead she stood back and waited.

A few moments later, Cyndi’s eyes snapped open and she backed up until she was once again standing next to Tessie. Tessie opened her mouth to ask the girl what was going on, when a boy seemed to come out of the walls, just as Cyndi had done.

The child had shaggy black hair, and intimidating black eyes. He wore tan slacks and a white shirt. He glared at Tessie as he spoke, even though his words were directed at Cyndi.

“Who is she?” He asked her, his voice surprisingly deep for such a young boy.

Cyndi smiled sheepishly. “You have but to touch her to know who she is.”

Mild surprise registered to Tessie, but she wasn’t that surprised. With what was currently going on nothing could surprise Tessie. The boy stared at Tessie a few minutes longer, seeming to size her up.

He looked to be about eight years old, maybe a year or two older than that, but he still looked incredibly young. But, the power and intelligence in his eyes showed that he was much older than he looked. The knowledge in his eyes reminded Tessie of Cyndi’s eyes. He seemed to decide as he stared deeply into Tessie’s glowing green eyes. He walked forward and before she could react, took hold of Tessie’s hand in a swift but gentle grip. Tessie immediately was affected.

The walls around her swirled until she was no longer standing in the library, but in a classroom, the smell of chalk and ink in the air. A teacher stood in the front of the room and slapped the board with a ruler, barking at the students. Tessie–or maybe it was the boy–cringed at the educator’s yells.

Kids around the boy sucked in terrified breaths of anticipation. The teacher had a temper, they all knew it. The educator gripped the ruler in his hands so tightly that the stress on the wood was too much. It snapped to pieces in his hands. The teacher roared in outrage and threw the remains of the ruler to the floor, the wood splinters scattering everywhere. One large chunk hit the boy’s foot, causing him to jump slightly. The teacher noticed the child’s fear.

He came bounding to the boy’s desk and placed his red hands on the edges, blowing hot breath in the boy’s face as he growled at him. His ugly face pinched in anger.

“You think I’m funny boy? Do you really? Well, why don’t you just go straight to the office then? Or, better yet, get up.” The teacher barked, taking a step back and pointing to the front of the classroom.

The child didn’t hesitate, he couldn’t. The educator was angry enough, and he didn’t want to increase that frustration by disobeying a direct order. The boy walked to the front of the class, looking up at the teacher.

“Turn around you foolish child.” The teacher commanded.

The boy did as he was told. He turned, now facing the class. Suddenly, a fierce slap whipped his buttocks. He howled in pain, gripping his backside as he fell to his knees. The teacher merely smirked.

“You still think I’m funny boy?” He asked, sneering in the child’s face.

 The vision swirled out of focused, colors and scenery shifting from brown classroom to green playground. Older children towered over the shorter boy, who cowered below them in fear. One took a swing at him, socking him in the gut. The boy fell to the ground, gasping for breath. This only made the children laugh.

Enjoying the boy’s pain, they punched him a few more times, and got in a few kicks. Once they became bored with him, they began to disperse. The boy struggled to his feet, bruised and bleeding. The older children realized that the boy was on his feet, and they turned around, heading back for round two.

The boy took off, running for the chain link fence. He climbed it as quickly as he could, ripping his good pants on the sharp edges in his haste. He landed on the hard asphalt on the other side of the fence, outside of the school. He began to run.

He ran and ran, until he soon got lost in the nearby trees of the forest. He wandered for hours, calling for help until he lost his voice. That night, it became so cold, he curled up in a ball and fell into a deep and numbing sleep. He did not remember waking up.

Everything fell away as the vision ended. Tessie felt herself returning to realty, and she saw that she was once again standing in the library. The boy’s pupils had become so large that there was barely any white left to his eyes. They dilated for a moment before returning to ordinary size. He let go of her hand but did not move away from her. Tessie took a deep breath.

“You were the child who jumped the fence and disappeared.” Tessie knew his history now, but she did not know his name.

 The boy, seeming to read her mind, said, “Conner.”

Tessie scowled. “What?”

“My name is Conner.” He then took a few steps back and stared accusingly at Cyndi.

“I said I would meet her at the right time. I did not want to be forced.” He said.

Cyndi snickered. “Terribly sorry, but since I had already thrown myself in the fire, I figured I might as well go ahead and take you with me.”

 “Without asking permission?” Conner asked her.

She let out a sweet laugh. “No, of course not. Do you not know me at all?”

Conner permitted himself a small smile. “I know you perfectly well.”

 “Than this should not surprise you.”

He rolled his eyes, his smile fading. Tessie watched the odd exchange with interest. The children bickered like they were related.

“Did you want me to meet anyone else?” Tessie asked Cyndi.

Cyndi blinked a few times like she had just remembered something that she had forgotten. She shook her head. “Not now. Maybe another time. But I promise you, you will meet them.”

Conner seemed to have gotten bored with the conversation for he turned around and took a seat in Tessie’s father’s desk chair, where he swiveled around in circles while his eyes remained focused on the ceiling. Tessie and Cyndi watched him with mild interest. Cyndi grew bored.

 “Tessie, I would like to speak to you in private.” She said, her tone completely serious.

Tessie nodded sternly. “Alright.”

The girls began to leave. They were halfway out the door when Conner suddenly sat bolt upright.

“Where are you going?” He asked Cyndi, getting up. She gave him a sweet smile that did not look the least bit forced, which Tessie could tell it was.

“We are just stepping out for a bit. Don’t worry. We will return soon.”

 Conner scowled, lines of worry showing on his forehead. The boy was so young-looking, it was hard to believe he could have worry lines at his age. Tessie stole a glance and Cyndi.

The smile on her face looked even more plastered than it had before, like it was about to crack and then shatter into a million pieces, revealing the pain shining in her eyes like a pleading beacon. Conner, however sharp, did not say anything about her fake expression. He just nodded curtly once.

Cyndi took Tessie’s hand and nearly dragged her out of the room. She was strong for such a little thing. Whatever Cyndi had to tell Tessie, she figured that it was fairly urgent. They headed to the back covered porch. Cyndi barely took a few steps over the threshold before she hopped back inside. Tessie scowled in confusion at Cyndi’s fear. The little girl was eyeing the doorway like it was a hazardous area.

“Why don’t you come outside?” Tessie asked her.

Cyndi ignored her. “Tessie, you know how I died, do you not?”

Tessie nodded. She had noticed how Cyndi had conveniently avoided her question. She figured she would bring it up later.

“Yes, I do.”

Cyndi nodded, her expression grave. “You read how I died, in Room 15?”

Tessie nodded again.

“The doctors who examined my body said that I died from my lung cancer. They noted that my lungs gave out from too much fluid filling them. They said my lungs burst.” Cyndi let out a bitter laugh. “They did not.”

Tessie’s scowl deepened. “I’m lost.”

Cyndi waved a hand. “Tessie, I did not die from my lung cancer. It’s true that the doctors told me and my