Chapter One

Chapter One

Kelly and Colin Bennett were your typical eleven and nine year olds. Monday through Friday they woke up and staggered into the kitchen for a glass of orange juice. A dose of liquid sunshine would have their sleepy lids fluttering as they made their way back into their bedrooms to dress for school. Thirty minutes later, clothed and groomed, they could be found once again sitting in the kitchen chewing on a piece of toast or a toaster pastry or loading spoonfuls of honey cereal O’s into quiet mouths. Mornings took on such somber moods since the children were on their own to ready themselves for school. Mrs. Bennett was up much earlier preparing for work so that she could be home early enough to welcome Kelly and Colin home from school and get them started on their homework.

     This was not such a morning. Although Kelly and Colin sat in the kitchen with tousled blonde hair and fluttering blue eyes, they were neither dressed nor groomed. You see this was spring break. The celebration of the vernal equinox when day and night are equal and children everywhere celebrate by staying home from school to quietly chew on toast while wondering in their minds how to occupy such vast quantities of time. As Kelly and Colin chewed, they stared at each other with expressionless eyes silently asking each other the timeless question of youth ~ “What now?”. The answer was an empty silence as they both stood to clean up their places and proceed to their bedrooms to dress and ready themselves for the uneventful day ahead.

     “What should we do today?” Colin asked Kelly as they both flopped themselves onto the flowery couch in the family room with long, exaggerated sighs of boredom.

     “What are we going to do today? What are we going to do all week!?” Kelly said with her hands up and shoulders shrugged with a quizzical expression on her face.

     The kids enjoyed being off school, but honestly didn’t know what to do with themselves. Their mother worked and the days were long. They were allowed out of the house, but had to keep in touch by cell phone with their Mom. There weren’t many other kids on their street. The few that would be home were either not interested in playing outside or running errands with their moms who stayed home and didn’t hold jobs. Sometimes Kelly and Colin would try to imagine what it would be like to have their own mother home all day. Their mom had worked all day ever since they could remember. Mr. Bennett had left the family many years ago when Kelly and Colin were very young for reasons their mother told them were adult issues and not their fault or concern. Honestly, they couldn’t remember his face and simply didn’t try very often. They had a few photos to quell their curiosity when it would occasionally flare, but never thought to dwell too long on the subject. They loved their mother and knew how hard she worked to keep the household running and still devote much needed time and attention on both children. Her non-working hours consisted of homework help, shuttle services and meal preparations. She accomplished it all and still maintained her light-hearted disposition and sense of humor that drew the children to her. She had to work though and this the children understood and Mrs. Bennett was much suited to work having completed a college degree many years ago. She had her place in the workforce and so the children could only sit and imagine what life would be like to have a mother who never left the house to work.

     “Well?” Colin asked Kelly.

     “Well what?” Kelly mumbled as she carefully picked a small piece of cuticle from her finger and winced at the quick and relieving pain.

     “It’s 10am. I don’t want to watch TV. I finished reading my book last night. Let’s go outside?” Colin asked with a slight hint of enthusiasm.

     “And do what?” Kelly snapped and threw Colin an expression filled with preteen attitude.

     “And be outside? Can’t we just be outside?”
     “I suppose”, Kelly grunted and slid off the couch to put her shoes on.

     Colin grabbed his shoes and the two kids slowly walked out their front door and perched on the front stoop of their townhouse. They both propped their elbows on their knees and rested their chins in their palms and blindly stared at the empty spot by the curb where their mom parked her car. They rarely saw that spot occupied except for the weekends. Saturdays were for running errands and cleaning. Sundays were for the kids. The small family would visit museums or art galleries or just stay at home and watch movies. But it was not Saturday nor was it Sunday so the parking spot stayed empty and allowed for nothing other than an oil spot for the bored children to fixate on. 

     “It’s 10:06”, Colin said without even bothering to look at his sister.

     “Yup”, Kelly said in a dull voice.

     “I have some allowance left,” Colin brought up hopefully. “We could go to Pete’s?”

     Pete’s was a small shop down the street from the Bennett's. It was modeled after an old 50’s soda shop, but updated to modern times. Pete’s had an awesome drink bar that served sodas, smoothies, coffee and the best hot chocolate around. People drove from across town for Pete’s hot chocolate. It was made from milk instead of hot water and was thick and rich and served with an iceberg of cold, real whipped cream with chocolate shavings sprinkled on top. In the back of Pete’s there were bins of bulk candy that was referred to by the neighborhood children as “bag candy” and was priced per pound. Pete also had a small pastry selection which always proved to be a great after school snack on particularly rough days. Pete welcomed both kids and adults. It was a great place for friends to meet up and many adults (and a few kids too) took advantage of Pete’s free Wi-Fi. 

     “Are you offering to pay?” 

     This prospect tore Kelly out of her reverie and she looked up suddenly.

     “Well, not really. Don’t you have any money of your own?”

     “Sure, but it really did sound like you were offering?”

     “Well, no. I really wasn’t offering. I guess we can just stay here.”

     “What?” Kelly squeaked and slapped both of her palms down onto the concrete.

     “Well, if you don’t want to spend your money then there’s no point of going. Pete isn’t going to give us stuff for free.”

     Colin repositioned his aching bottom. Concrete steps can be comfortable for only a short time and Colin had reached his limit. He had hoped that his indifference would light a spark under his sister and get her motivated to do something.

     Kelly cautiously eyed Colin looking for a catch and wondering what he was up to. Her bottom had been steadily growing numb as well and occupying a concrete step all day was not in her plans. Her mind drifted to Pete’s and a vanilla cola and a fresh blueberry scone. Pete mixed his own flavored colas and they were ten times better than anything that could be found in the store.

     “You win”, Kelly announced and stood to go inside and get her money.

     A small, sly grin slowly spread across Colin’s face as he too stood and followed Kelly back inside.

     The weather matched the mood of the day. Dull and boring. The sun was lazying behind gray tinted clouds and everything seemed to have a pall cast over it. The air was crisp yet smelled slightly of an impending spring shower. As the children silently walked down the sidewalk they absent-mindedly passed tiny crocus that peeked their colorful heads up from beneath the mulched flower beds of their neighbors. The forsythia blooms were breaking out their yellow petals to begin screaming “SPRING!”. 

     “Did you call Mom?” Colin asked Kelly.

     Mrs. Bennett gave the kids plenty of independence. Their town was small and safe. Everyone knew everyone else and thankfully, due to Ms. Mattison and Ms. Berk, everyone was well informed of the goings on throughout the neighborhood. The kids were also required to keep their cell phones on them at all times.

     “Yes”, Kelly answered.

     “Is she coming home early?”

     “I’m not sure. I didn’t ask.”

     “So what are you getting? What do you have a taste...”, Colin stopped and realized he was alone. He looked around and then back and saw Kelly was frozen and her eyes were directed at a house that Colin didn’t remember seeing before. He slowly walked back to Kelly and laid his hand on her shoulder. 

     “Kell, what is it?”

     “Where did that door come from?” Kelly asked to the empty air even though Colin was standing right beside her.

     “What door...”, Colin’s voice trailed off as he followed Kelly’s gaze.

     Through the black rod iron gates, up a red brick pathway with wintered flower beds on each side and up three concrete steps stood the most beautiful door the children had ever seen. It was thick and heavy with elegant designs etched into the oak wood. Green ivy had migrated up the brick wall and across the top of the door and down the other side. The growth was dense and it was hard to figure out where the original plant was bedded into the chilly earth. Neither one of the children had noticed this door before and the lack of weathering on the door itself reinforced the idea that it was quite new. Despite the voice in their heads that told them that they shouldn’t go onto someone's property, the children slowly entered the gates as if being beckoned by something unseen. They slowly walked up the path side by side until they were standing right in front of the big, ornate wooden door. Quietly the children stood looking up at the deep carvings in the wood. Silently they both stood together with shallow breaths. The door seemed to call to them. The deep furrows in the wood invited the children’s hands to touch. The rough edges of each gully that formed the intricate designs beckoned silently with an overwhelming urgency until finally the desire became unbearable and Kelly reached out and gently stroked the beautiful door before them. Silently it opened.