The missing mortals, p.12
The Missing Mortals, page 12
Doug, however, had gotten there ahead of her and was shaking his head in disbelief.
“What’s the matter, Doug?” Emma asked with a sinking feeling.
“See for yourself. There’s no barrel.”
“What?” Sebastian asked in disbelief. He had come up behind Emma just in time to hear Doug’s statement. “There’s got to be a barrel here somewhere.”
“Well, there’s not,” Doug said angrily, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
“I don’t get it. Why would the Reaper tell us to put the sculpture in a barrel that doesn’t exist?” Sebastian asked, beginning to get angry himself. Why couldn’t things ever be easy? Why did they always have to be so difficult?
“Hold on here,” Martha said in a calming tone. “Before we get too excited, let’s think. Exactly what did the note say?”
“It said to put the sculpture in the old wooden barrel in the back of the storage room beneath the kitchen,” Doug said, pulling the note from his pocket. “See for yourself.”
Martha took the note from Doug and read it for the second time. In a moment, she looked up and said, “That’s what it says all right, so what are we missing?”
“We aren’t missing anything!” Doug shouted, causing Martha to flinch in surprise.
Emma had never seen Doug so angry. He was normally even-tempered and easygoing. No one said anything for a long moment. It was so unlike Doug to behave this way. They were all too shocked to speak.
Doug, who had been standing with his head bowed, sighed loudly and seemed to be making an effort to pull himself together. Finally, he raised his head and said quietly, “I’m sorry, Martha. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. You were only trying to help.” Emma was certain she could see unshed tears glistening in his eyes. He was under more stress than any of them had realized.
“It’s okay, Doug,” Martha replied.
“No, it’s not. It’s never okay to talk to your friends like that.” Doug would have liked to have said more but didn’t trust himself to continue.
Relieved that the old Doug was back, Sebastian put a hand on his shoulder and said, “We’ll figure this out, Doug. We always do.”
“Yeah, Doug, we won’t quit until we find that stupid barrel,” Martha agreed, putting a comforting hand on Doug’s other shoulder.
Without a word, Emma came up behind Doug and put a hand on his back until they were all standing around Doug in a manner that reminded her of laying hands on the sick. Doug bowed his head again and struggled to get a grip on his emotions. He didn’t deserve friends like these, but even so, he sent up a prayer of thanks for them. It was in that moment that an idea came to him. He raised his head suddenly, startling those around him. “Could there be another room besides this one?”
“I don’t know,” Sebastian answered. “This is the only one I’ve ever been in.”
“Look for another door,” Doug said. “It could be behind something. If it’s got stuff like an old wooden barrel in it, it’s probably not been used in a long time.”
Emma found herself getting caught up in Doug’s reasoning. What he said made sense. Everything in the room they were currently in was relatively new. Why would anyone keep an old barrel in it? There must be a door to another room somewhere. The note had said that the barrel was at the back of the room, so if there was another room, the door leading to it should be along the back wall. Emma began searching along the back wall, peering behind the shelves and other objects that lined it. The others were doing likewise.
A moment later, Sebastian shouted, “I found it!”
Quickly, the others rushed to his side. Sebastian had found an old wooden door behind one of the room’s many refrigerators. The refrigerator was plugged into an outlet just to the left of the door and was tall enough that it hid the door from view.
“I owe you another one, Sebastian,” Doug said.
“Let’s just hope the barrel’s in here,” Martha said, crossing her fingers.
“It’s gotta be,” Sebastian exclaimed.
Together, he and Doug rolled the refrigerator forward so they could open the door. It swung open on rusty hinges with a loud creak. It was apparent from the door’s condition that it hadn’t been used for some time. The room inside was dark and had an earthy smell. A shaft of light from the storage room revealed a single bare bulb hanging from a beam in the center of the room. Without a word, Doug walked over to the bulb and pulled the string. The light from the bulb showed old wooden shelves lining the walls on either side. Along the back wall, standing next to another door, was an old oak barrel.
Emma could have cried in relief, and she was certain Doug was feeling the same way.
“There it is!” Sebastian couldn’t help exclaiming loudly.
Doug had set the sculpture down in the storage room in order to help Sebastian move the refrigerator. He went to get it now. He was back in seconds and walked quickly over to the barrel as if he were afraid it would disappear if he didn’t act immediately. Sebastian lifted the lid and watched silently as Doug laid the wrapped sculpture gently on the barrel’s floor. Then Sebastian replaced the lid and dusted his hands on his pants.
“Let’s get out of here. This place smells,” Sebastian said with a sniff.
“It sure does,” Martha agreed.
Martha, Emma, and Sebastian headed to the storage room door. Doug, however, remained by the barrel, looking curiously at the closed door beside it.
“Come on, Doug,” Sebastian prompted.
“I wonder where this door goes,” Doug said as if he hadn’t heard Sebastian. Without waiting for a reply, he walked over to the mystery door and tried the handle. It was locked. Doug did not seem to be surprised.
Emma wanted to know what that was all about but decided she could ask him later. Right now, all she wanted to do was get out of the basement and into some fresh air. Sebastian was right; the room they’d just discovered smelled, and for some reason it was giving her the creeps.
“Come on, Doug,” Sebastian urged again. This time Doug followed. After moving the refrigerator back into position, they turned off the lights and headed upstairs.
They didn’t encounter anyone on their way back to their dorm rooms. Although it seemed as if they’d been in the storage room for an eternity, only fifteen minutes had elapsed.
Later that night, Doug lay in bed unable to sleep. He felt badly about the way he’d behaved earlier. He’d have to do a better job of holding himself together, or he’d never make it to the end of this terrible nightmare. There were still four more sculptures to find and deliver. Before falling asleep, he prayed for strength in the days to come.
The next morning, Emma awoke with a feeling of excitement. The seventh graders would be arriving in just a few hours, and already the castle had a different feel to it, almost as if it were coming alive after a winter’s sleep. Emma looked over at Martha and saw that she was beginning to stir. They might as well get up and have some breakfast before the new students arrived. It was going to be nice being eighth graders this year. No longer would they be the youngest class. Emma remembered back to that day last year when she had first arrived at the academy. She had fallen in love with the castle and its grounds at first sight, and in no time, Dinswood had begun to feel like home. Emma hoped the new arrivals would feel the same way. With a happy sigh, Emma hopped out of bed and went into the bathroom to get ready.
Doug and Sebastian were already in the dining hall by the time Emma and Martha arrived. Most of the school’s teachers were also present. Emma noticed that Mr. Criderman appeared to be the only new member of the faculty. Once again, she was struck by his handsomeness and how unlike a librarian he looked. Remembering what had happened the last time the subject of Mr. Criderman had come up, Emma wisely kept her thoughts to herself.
“And so it begins,” Sebastian stated as Emma and Martha took their seats on the opposite bench. “In a few short hours, we’ll be overrun with seventh graders.”
“We were seventh graders once,” Martha couldn’t help pointing out.
“Yes, but we’ve matured so much since then,” Sebastian said in a deep voice meant to mimic Mr. Godfrey, the school’s math teacher. Instead, his tone reminded Emma more of Miss Grimstock. When she told Sebastian what she was thinking, Sebastian raised his eyebrows and shuddered. “Don’t remind me of Grim. It’s taken me all summer to forget her.”
“Well, you’d better get a grip, because we’ll probably have her for history again this year,” Martha stated without sympathy.
Sebastian didn’t reply but merely shuddered again. Emma and Martha laughed at Sebastian’s exaggerated response. Doug smiled and slapped him on the back. “It’s okay, buddy. She’s really not that bad.”
“That’s easy for you to say. She doesn’t glare at you with those beady eyes of hers like she does me. I’m telling you that woman doesn’t like me.”
“Well, I can see her point,” Martha replied and then laughed at Sebastian’s shocked expression. “I’m just kidding, Sebastian.”
They continued their light-hearted conversation throughout breakfast. As they were putting their trays up, Doug said, “Oh, I almost forgot. Dad wondered if we wouldn’t mind showing the new students around today. I mean, they’ll get the usual tour by Miss Grimstock, but they might need help finding their dorm rooms and stuff like that. Dad suggested we show them around the grounds too.”
“Sounds good to me,” Emma said as Sebastian and Martha nodded their agreement.
The rest of the day passed quickly as the buses began to arrive from the airport. Miss Grimstock and Dean Harwood greeted each new group. Then Doug, Sebastian, Emma, and Martha would take over. Some of the seniors were also on hand to act as guides and go over the rules with the “new recruits” as Sebastian called them.
Emma fell into bed that night tired but happy. Tomorrow was Saturday, and some of the older students would begin arriving. Clarice had called Martha earlier in the week to say that she and Susie weren’t coming until Sunday. Emma and Martha would have the suite to themselves one more day. Although Clarice could be a bit of a snob, Emma was still looking forward to her return. She kept things lively with some of her outrageous statements. Susie did her best to emulate Clarice but possessed too sweet a nature to succeed fully.
Saturday dawned bright and clear. It was going to be another beautiful day. At breakfast, Doug informed them that his dad had offered to take the four of them to Windland so they could purchase their school supplies. Once again Emma was reminded of what a thoughtful man Doug’s dad was. Emma had been so caught up in the search for the sculptures that she had completely forgotten about getting supplies for the upcoming school year. She could tell from their looks of surprise that Martha and Sebastian hadn’t thought of it either.
Shortly after breakfast, they found themselves on the front steps of the castle waiting for Doug’s dad to pull around in his silver Ford Explorer. Emma wondered if Miss Jennings would be coming along, but when Doug’s dad brought the car to a stop, Emma could see that he was alone. Maybe Dean Harwood didn’t think it would be appropriate for him to be dating one of the teachers while there were students in residence. Whatever the reason, the trip to Windland was made without the cheerful presence of Miss Jennings.
Windland was a small town approximately thirty miles southwest of the academy. Every weekend during the school year, weather permitting, a group of students from the academy was taken to Windland. The trips were taken by class and were designed to give students an opportunity to purchase any personal items they might need. Although it was a small town, it boasted a lodge-style motel and several businesses, including a bank and an insurance office. Lining the main street of the town was a restaurant, a candy store, a general store, and the bookstore Lord Dinswood owned.
When they arrived in Windland, Doug’s dad parked the car in front of the general store. Last year, Emma had learned that the Windland General Store was a miracle of sorts. Although it occupied little space, it gave new meaning to the term “variety store.” The diversity of items it contained was enough to boggle the mind. They should have no trouble finding everything they’d need for school in there.
As they got out of the car, Dean Harwood said, “Take as much time as you need. I’ll wait for you in the restaurant across the street. I could use a good cup of coffee and a chance to catch up on town news.” Then with a smile and a wave of his hand, he left them to do their shopping.
When they entered the store, by mutual consent, the two girls separated from the boys. “I don’t want to waste time looking at fishing poles and sports gear,” Martha told Emma.
“Me neither. I’d much rather waste time looking at clothes and makeup,” Emma said with a laugh.
Knowing that Dean Harwood was waiting, however, kept the two girls from wasting too much time. Instead they concentrated on getting school-related items. Along with the usual paper and pencils, Emma found a backpack in the academy’s colors of red, green, and black. Although the store did stock a small assortment of clothes, the girls really didn’t need to shop for any as they would be wearing the school uniform most of the time. The Dinswood Academy girls’ uniform consisted of a black pleated skirt, a white blouse, and a green and red plaid vest. The boys’ uniform was similar except they wore black pants, and the plaid vest along with a white shirt and black tie.
When the girls had made all of their selections, they went up to the cash register to pay. Before splitting up, the boys had told them they would meet them later in the restaurant along with Doug’s dad. Assuming that the boys had already finished, the girls didn’t wait around in the store but left immediately after making their purchases. When they entered the restaurant, they saw that the boys had indeed finished before them. The boys wisely made no comment on the fact that the girls had taken longer and scored even more points by saying that they hadn’t been waiting long. Dean Harwood just looked on with a smile. The boys were quickly getting the hang of dealing with girls.
The trip back to the school was spent showing each other what they had bought. The boys at least managed to feign interest in all of the girls’ purchases, which had Dean Harwood smiling again. The boys were finally coerced into getting out the things they had selected, although neither Doug nor Sebastian could understand all the fuss over folders and pencils. By the time they arrived back at the school, Doug’s patience was wearing a little thin. Using the excuse that he wanted to spend a little time with Lord Dinswood, Doug left the others saying he’d see them all at supper. Sebastian was eager to see if Phil and Tom had arrived yet, so he left the girls as well. Emma and Martha barely noticed that the boys had gone. They were eager to open all of their packages and get everything organized for school.
THE ARRIVAL OF Clarice and Susie the following afternoon was preceded by the appearance of an impressive amount of luggage. It had been the same last year. Emma had entered the suite for the first time to find her one tattered suitcase sitting forlornly on her bed, while a mound of luggage had awaited her suitemates. It looked like Clarice had once again packed enough clothing to outfit Dinswood’s entire student body for the whole year. Considering the fact that they would be wearing their uniforms most of the time, Emma didn’t understand why Clarice felt compelled to bring her entire wardrobe to school. There was no use asking her about it though, because she would undoubtedly give some caustic reply. Clarice was from one of the richest families in the country and wanted to be sure everyone knew it. Her father, Samuel Danvers, was the founder and owner of Danvers Communications, a company involved in everything from computers to cell phones.
Susie Penniman’s family wasn’t as rich as Clarice’s, but that didn’t stop Susie from imitating Clarice in everything she did. Emma didn’t hold it against her though. Susie was so sweet that it was easy to overlook this one flaw. It was Susie who got the conversation going. “How was everyone’s summer?” she asked brightly as she opened her first suitcase.
Martha looked over at Emma before answering. They had agreed at breakfast just that morning that it would be wise not to mention anything about returning to school early or the task Lord Dinswood had given them.
Realizing that Susie was still waiting for an answer, Martha answered just as brightly, “Mine was great. Dad took the whole family to Paris, and we spent a couple of weeks in Hawaii.”
“Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to Paris,” Susie said with a sad sigh. Then brightening once again, she added, “I’ve been to Hawaii though. We spent a couple of weeks touring the islands last summer. This summer, we spent a month in Greece. I absolutely loved it! The water is so blue, and all of those old buildings are just fascinating. Have you ever been there?”
Emma had to stifle a laugh at Susie’s mention of old buildings. Emma assumed she was referring to ancient Greek temples such as the Parthenon. She looked over at Martha and saw that she was struggling to keep from smiling. It took her a moment to compose herself enough to respond.
“No, I’ve never been to Greece, but I’ve always wanted to go.”
“We’re planning on going next summer,” Clarice said, finally joining the conversation. “This summer, we went to Rome and then toured some of southern Italy.”
Emma was definitely beginning to feel out of place. She hadn’t been anywhere of note this summer except to the water park a couple of times. Her family couldn’t afford elaborate vacations like those of her suitemates. Dinswood Academy was the farthest she’d ever been from home, and last year she’d taken her very first plane ride. Martha came to her rescue by changing the subject.
“Wait until you see the new librarian. You’re not going to believe it.”
“Yeah,” Emma agreed with a grateful look at Martha. “He’s young and handsome—about as far from Mr. Hodges as you can get.”
The conversation centered on Mr. Criderman for the next several minutes and then switched to boys in general. Both Clarice and Susie had met cute boys on their vacations and were more than happy to fill Emma and Martha in. By the time Clarice and Susie had shared all the glorious details, they had finished unpacking and it was time for supper. As the girls entered the dining room, Clarice said, “Oh, I forgot to tell you that my cousin Preston Danvers is going to school here this year. He’s a freshman. I’ll introduce you to him as soon as he comes in.”
