She sounded frantic. Jason was yelling in the background about something.
"Oookay," Elizabeth said. "I'm listening."
"I -- I -- we went to the p --" Maybell erupted in giggles. "We went to the park -- me and Jason."
"Uh-huh. Go on."
"We -- we were there for a couple hours, just hanging out on the swingset, by the coffin, and --" She was laughing so much she could hardly speak.
"Maybe you should call me back once you calm down."
"No -- no! Wait!" She let out one last titter. "Okay -- I'll tell you."
"She jumped so high!" Jason's voice came from the speaker. "Like a rabbit!"
"Did not," Maybell said. "Don't listen to him, Liz. Any -- anyway, we were hanging out, and we heard this noise from the coffin, right? Which is what we were waiting for."
"Uh-huh."
"So we go and sit next to it. Just to hear it better. And -- and I swear -- I promise I'm not lying, Liz -- the lid moved. Jumped. Like something hit it really hard from the inside."
"No. Way," Elizabeth said. "And Jason was with you the whole time?"
"Liz, I'm telling you, he didn't do it. Couldn't have. I would've noticed."
"I promise I didn't do it, Liz." Jason's voice again. "It would've been impossible, anyway."
Elizabeth was still skeptical. When it came to pranks, anything was possible with Jason.
"So?" she said. "Did you guys try to open it again?"
"Um, yeah, right," said Maybell. "It moved, Liz. Like we're going to let out whatever's in there."
Jason laughed in the background. "I wanted to, but May was too chicken!"
"Oh, shut up!" said Maybell. "Anyway, we left. We were arguing whether to call the police. Jason doesn't think we should, 'cause it'd ruin all the fun, but what if there's someone in there? What if they like, buried a person who was still alive? That happens, right?"
"Yeah. I think I've heard of that before," Elizabeth said. "And it might make sense, if the coffin was actually buried."
"Liz."
"What?"
"You really don't believe me, do you?"
She laughed. "What am I supposed to say? 'Yes, Maybell, I think there's a zombie trying to eat your brains.' I mean --"
"I'm telling you, the lid moved."
"Okay. Okay, I believe you, but that could've been anything. The wind, a squirrel --"
"You think there's a squirrel in the coffin?"
"Well, why not?"
"That's just stupid," Maybell said.
"Or maybe your mind is playing tricks on you. It happens all the time; you get spooked, and you hear, see things that didn't happen."
"Both of us? Both of us saw it at the same time?"
"Well... I don't know. It's possible."
"I'm not crazy, Liz."
"I never called you crazy."
"Might as well."
"Listen... Maybell," Elizabeth said. "If you're so worked up about this, why don't you just open it?"
"We already tried; and besides, whatever's in there, we can't just let it out."
"Then forget it! There's nothing more you can do."
Nathan shot a nasty glance at Elizabeth for talking over the movie.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"It's just so strange," Maybell said. "I mean, where'd it come from? It doesn't have any markings or anything. It's just a coffin. Don't you think that's weird?"
"It's weird," agreed Elizabeth.
"So? Don't you ever wonder?"
The movie ended early in the evening. After a hasty dinner of mac and cheese, Nathan began pestering Elizabeth, saying that it was the perfect time to play hide-and-seek outdoors -- light enough to see, with enough shadows to make things interesting. Elizabeth resisted at first, but realized it would be less work to play than argue.
As she lay hidden from Nathan in a shallow ditch at the backyard's end, she couldn't shake the phone conversation from her mind. Maybell was overreacting, as usual, but in one way she was right: It didn't make sense. The streets slept in Mayfield. The neighbors were quiet and there were no loose ends.
The sky blushed and rose curls twisted through the blue.
Shadows from a nearby tree draped Elizabeth's legs. The minutes passed, and she began to think her hiding place was better than it looked. She hadn't heard anything from the kids. Either Mr. Rude was terrible at this game, or the girls were gold medal champs.
She poked her head out and scanned the darkening yard. Neither of the kids were in sight.
Thinking they might already be waiting at home base, Elizabeth made a run for it, but found the porch step deserted. Confused, she checked the backyard again.
No one was there. Only the sun was hiding, an ember crown on the horizon.
Where are they? she thought as she searched the yard.
She cracked the door to the shed and peered in.
"Liz, is that you?" said a voice.
"Wha -- oh -- Nora, you almost gave me a heart attack," Elizabeth gasped.
Nora giggled and stepped into the light. "Is the game over? Where's Nathan?"
"I don't know. I've been looking for him. He didn't come by here?"
She shook her head.
Elizabeth shot another glance around the yard, then looked at the house and frowned.
Typical. What was she thinking? Nathan, excited about something? His idea of fun was ruining it for everyone else. This was just the sort of stunt he'd love -- tell people he'd play a game, then ditch and laugh it up while ransacking the fridge.
"Come on, Nora. I think I need to have a talk with your brother."
Elizabeth flipped on the entryway lights.
"Nathan!" she called. "You jerk!"
She peeked around the corner to check the kitchen.
The table was untouched, the counters still littered with pizza boxes and cookie packages.
But there was no sign of the boy.
She doubled back and traipsed through the house, ground floor first, then moving upstairs, calling Nathan's name and shouting every threat she could imagine.
No answer.
Dread pooling in her stomach, she searched the basement, to no avail.
She'd thought he was hiding. But she'd checked everywhere.
After fifteen minutes, she retreated to the living room and sat on the couch. Her ears burned with anger and embarrassment. How could he do this to her? She quickly corrected herself. Of course -- of course. No surprise. Not from Nathan. But running away? Even he wasn't that juvenile.
Where was he?
She had failed tests before. Done stupid, dangerous things and once almost starved a neighbor's dog. But none of that compared. She'd always had an exit. Always a way to redeem herself. She'd always retained a glimmer of confidence because she knew there was a second chance.
No second chance. No second chance for losing someone's kid.
One strike, you're out.
"Liz. Liz," said a voice.
She shook her head.
Nora was looking up at her with wide eyes.
"Where d'you think he is?" Nora asked.
"I -- I'm not sure."
Nora looked down. Her fingers were fiddling with a stray Lego.
"Nora."
No response.
"Nora," said Elizabeth. She knelt and tried to make eye contact. "Nora, do you have any idea where he might've gone? Any clue?"
Nora paused.
"Maybe," she said finally.
"Maybe? Where? D'you have a -- can you guess, Nora?"
"Am I gonna get in trouble?"
"What? 'Course not. Where d'you think he is?"
"I always get in trouble for what he does, Liz. It's not fair. He blames me for everything."
"Nora." Elizabeth grabbed her shoulders. "Nora, you're not gonna get in trouble, but if you know where he is, you need to tell me, okay? Then we can find him."
"Derek," Nora mumbled, her head still down. "Derek -- Derek. He dared him. But I didn't think he would do it. He's a wimp."
"Do what?"
"Go to the park." She lifted her head and looked Elizabeth in the eyes. "Go to the park and open the coffin."
Elizabeth stared back, baffled. "Why? Why would -- what's the point?"
Nora shrugged. "I don't know. To prove he's not afraid."
Elizabeth stood slowly. Her mind raced.
The park?
Nathan, young, defenseless, alone in the park.
Of all the stupid things he could've done.
How long ago had he left? Five minutes? Ten?
She paced the room, weighing options in her mind. She couldn't just leave Nora and go on a wild goose chase. That would make things even worse.
"Should we call 911, Liz?" Nora murmured.
"No!" Elizabeth stopped in her tracks. "No, no; there's no way anyone else can find out about this. Okay? No one can know. Not even my parents, Nora. Or yours. Especially yours."
"But... we need help finding him."
"Not -- no we don't. Not if we know where he went. We have an idea. But your dad is coming at eleven, right?"
"I think."
"Okay. That gives us plenty of time."
She was trying to convince herself more than Nora. And she wasn't doing a very good job.
She looked out the window.
The sun had set.
* * * *
Elizabeth was not surprised to find her bicycle missing from the garage.
She grabbed a flashlight, hopped on her dad's bike, and put Nora on the seat behind her. She wasn't going to lose another kid.
They hit the streets. The park was in the middle of town, and Elizabeth knew it wouldn't take long to get there if she made the effort. She pedaled hard, legs burning. Sleepy air embraced her as street lamps threw phantoms across the pavement.
Nora held tight around Elizabeth's waist. She whimpered complaints, but only got mouthfuls of her sitter's hair as the wind swept it back in a tangle. Even in her panic, Elizabeth felt a tinge of pity for the girl -- she was rude, but she didn't deserve to be punished for her brother's actions. She promised herself she'd give Nora a double-helping of ice cream when they got home.
They plunged down a hill and into the park, welcoming valley breeze.
They drifted into the woods.
"Liz," Nora said quietly. "Liz, what do you think is in the coffin?"
Elizabeth took a deep breath. Her chest ached. "I don't know. Probably nothing."
"Do you think it's a vampire?"
"No. Nothing, Nora. There's nothing in it. It's just -- a stupid coffin."
Crickets welcomed night with a chorus. Elizabeth's bike whirred over pavement.
Nora was silent for a moment.
"I've never seen one before. In real life."
Elizabeth paused.
"A coffin?"
"Yes."
"I have," she murmured. "Once. At my grandma's funeral. Looked really expensive -- had -- red velvet inside, I think."
"Did you see her?"
"Who?"
"Your grandma," Nora replied.
"Yeah. I saw her."
They rounded the bend.
Light spilled from the half-moon, trickling down wisps of clouds to illuminate a clearing. The swingset was centered in a circle of wood chips. Red paint on the set's bars had peeled away, baring rust. A lone tree stood nearby, straight and tall like a soldier at attention. Guarding his treasure.
A rectangular silhouette rested at the base of the trunk.
Elizabeth stuck out her foot and brought the bicycle to a hault. She could feel Nora's breath against her neck.
They sat a moment. No sounds but their hearts beating, crickets singing.
Nora whispered, "Do you see Nathan?"
"No," said Elizabeth. She only saw shadows twisted in the moonlight. She wanted to walk closer but her legs refused.
"Liz?"
"Hm."
"Maybe he chickened out. Maybe he went home."
Elizabeth knew better. She couldn't leave until she was sure Nathan wasn't there. She finally summoned the strength to dismount the bike, and began walking towards the tree, Nora at her side.
* * * *
Part three HERE.
