The 13th Cardigan Sweater

Adrian is trying to find out what happened to Kat. Will he succeed or is there some underlying details? What is the deal with this sweater? And how did it kill Kathrin Bedford?

The 13^th Cardigan Sweater

By Brandon Rapier Childs “Bohann”

Hazel Crest, IL a town of such emptiness. The town is a small little suburb of Chicago to the south. Sometimes the suburb seemed very raggedy because of the dilapidated corner stores, and maybe even the ghetto section eight tenants that got a deal to move out here. Beside the point, I myself feel very dilapidated while sitting in front of this window watching the April ran pour drip by drip, drip after drop. Thinking of my loneliness and the death of my friend Kat. My friend Kat died last year from an unknown cause, whatever the hell that means. All I know is that her parents found her in the upstairs closet pale. Her blue eyes bloodshot red, and her hands were cringed onto a beige cardigan sweater with red owls printed on them with a weird diagonal sequence. Doctor’s speculate that it was a heart attack, but can’t be certain. Kat never had a history of having illness or being unhealthy. Still until this day, I yet do not understand Kat’s passing. I feel that there is a mystery that I have to solve. Hazel Crest has been so gloomy until this day, but Kat seemed to turn that into excitement to reverse the boring township’s soul reign. I remember when we used to go to the park, shop together at the Orland Park Mall, then volunteer to see the elderly at South Suburban Hospital. Aww Kat only if I could have been there to save you.

            After Kat’s death her mother has not been doing well. Mrs. Bedford had turned to smoking and she went on leave since the funeral. I’ve tried to be nice and talk of Kat, but the last time I saw her she said “Go away Adrian, I have enough problems, it is your fault that Katy is dead. I heard them speak to me you killed my baby girl by giving her that thirteenth sweater for her birthday.” When I saw Mrs. Bedford she said this to me and I looked at her with confusion. This was three days ago which was April 20^th Kat’s one year death anniversary. First off who are “them” as Mrs. B. put and second how can, could or would the sweater I had given Kathrin kill her first of all. I remember that beige and red beauty bought it from the Goodwill for half price too. I recall that in my head, and I remember Kat and I liked to shop, and add cardigan sweaters to our wardrobe. Collecting cardigans were our leisure time and made us feel better about this Hazel Crest. But as I think and recollect everything I still don’t understand the things Mrs. Bedford said to me. Also, I remember these last words before she slammed the door in my face, “The house, the closet, the house, the house, the wardrobe of death!” I don’t know what she meant, maybe this is my mission. I need to use the crazy info that came from Mrs. Bedford to find out what happened to Kat. I need to find the truth to cure Mrs. Bedford’s depression, my depression and some closure. I have a mission before I go off to college. I must find the truth of the thirteenth cardigan sweater I gave her.

 

 

My mission began after school concluded in June. It was the first Saturday after school ended. I woke up at 5:00 am in the morning, and I had to brainstorm. I remember that Mrs. Bedford gave the sweater back to me. She told me “I never want to see that thing again!” So after the funeral I took it off her hands. Seemed pretty heart aching that I kept it. I put it in my mom’s attic. I put it in this box labeled ME AND KITTY FOREVER, then I opened it. I pulled out the sweater and I touched it softly. I examined the sweater for any clues, but nothing easily found. I could smell the perfume and the fragrance of her being which made me cry. But then I turned the sweater inside out and I investigated the tags of it. Then on the back of the tag there was an address. It read 3237 West 183 Street, Hazel Crest, Illinois. What on earth is this address? Is it a lead? Did Kat go there? It also had an unfamiliar name on the tag which read Rosemarie Atkins-Macbeth. Hmmmmmm…..Maybe I need to go to this place where Rosemarie Atkins-Macbeth lives. I ran out of my house and I jumped onto my bike. On to Rosemarie’s we go.

 

 

I arrived at Rosemarie’s within twenty minutes at the most. She lived all the way on the other side of the suburb. I put my bike down in front of her house. Her house was very green and has way too many lawn ornaments, lawn gnomes, etc. I went through her lawn to her front door, which seemed like an eternity or even a path of death. I approach the door and I gave her door “shave and a haircut knock.” Behind the door I heard a sound of “ba boom, ba boom, baboom, kaboom!” then the door unlocks swiftly. As the door goes from ajar to completely open, I see an old women only about 5’2”! How on earth was she making those noises? How is that possible? I try to regroup and ignore that thought for a minute so I would not feel freaked out. She was old! She had blonde hair, brown eyes like chestnut a bit. She had some freckles, then her hair was in a bun with braids like the old ladies wear. She was wearing an all-black jumpsuit with black Skechers Shape-Ups. She had on a little too much black I thought.

“Hello, Good Afternoon are you Rosemarie Atkins-Macbeth, I am Adrian Dalman?” I said softly but loud enough.

“Yesssss, I am! Call me Ms. Rosie and I am no longer a Macbeth just the Atkins. That b*****d of a husband died years ago” Rosemarie responds with a cracked up voice.

“I am very sorry for your loss Ms. Rosie”

“Oh kid that b*****d deserved it, I taught that son of b***h not to cheat or f**k with ‘us’ ”

“Ohhhhhhhh ok………” And there we go again with, who are “us?”

“What do you want kid?”

“I bought this sweater from the Goodwill about a year ago for a friend. And my friend died with it in her arms. Then your address and name was written on it…….Were you the previous owner?”

 “Let me see” said Rosie.

“Oh yes, this is my sweater of secrets hahahahaha” she laughs sadistically.

“Great…..”

“It’s so magical!! Oh I mean wonderful……, come in and we’ll discuss it more” with an untrustworthy demeanor.

As I enter the doorway, something really unreal happens. Some force or magical being pulls me into the house, then I am pulled into some other reality. Then there is a table full of 3 witches over a bowl. Chanting spells. They are all dressed the same as the old woman Rosie. What on earth is going on here?

Omg, is this how Kat died, omg what is going on? God my Lord help me!

 

“You should know never come to an old woman’s house haha! That is my sweater it is my own creation I use it so that my witches and I trap and kill victims like you! Especially, the children” said Rosie.

“Why? You don’t have to do this ma’am please let me go, I want to go home!”

“I knew you were coming today, I know what you wanted to know and find! It was me, I killed that loud mouth girl of yours. She was having mysterious things happening to her child. She said the owls on the sweater came to life and tried to kill her. She came here looking for help, then I told her I was a good witch. But, I lied and I used that as a lure. I brought her down here child; I trapped her, fed her the “juice of strangulation” then I transferred her into a void somewhere so her death would be unidentifiable, hahahaha!!”

 

“Haha, yes indeed Rosie, haha hurry up the stew is getting cold the poison is clunking!!!” said the second witch.

 

“Be quiet Wilma! You think I do not know that. You and Rita Mae get stirring now!” said Rosie.

 

“Okay you big head winch, I am trying…..” said the second witch Wilma.

 

“What did you say to me wretch?” said Rosie.

“I saiddddddd, okay you big head winch…..”

 

Within an instant with an incantation of words Rosemarie turned that witch into an earthworm. Then she stepped on her ruthlessly.

“Who is the winch now? Anyone else have something to say? Rita……?

“Oh no, no, no……no!” said Rita Mae hesitantly.

“Now is that potion ready for him to drink?”

 

“Yes ma’am it is very ready Rosemarie!”

 

“Come here boy now!”

 

She called my name, but I was still and too scared to move a muscle. Then all of a sudden I feel my body being pulled my some force or telekinesis. It was Rosie and I couldn’t fight it at all! I just hope something comes to save me I am only seventeen I don’t deserve this at all.

“Please do not do this ma’am, I know that you are a good woman at heart!” I said.

“No, I am not a good woman! I am evil!” said Rosemarie.

 

“Please don’t please!”

 

“Hold him down Rita!”

“I am trying okay….” said Rita Mae.

“Try harder” said Rosie.

Then all of a sudden some projection appeared to me! It came out of some existence, then projected into my consciousness. Then it was a head of a girl! It was Kathrin. Then she spoke to me with a voice of aid. I looked to her, and pretend I was not in both of the witches’ grasp.

“Adrie, be still and patient. I am here to help, you are my best friend. I promise you will escape the witches. Your fate will not be mine. Adrie, it’s not your fault I am dead. You had no idea of that sweater’s enchantment” said Kat.

 

“Oh Kat, aww I am happy to see you and thank you! I really miss you” I said.

 

“I know, I know, but focus!” she said. Then Kat took her hand and put it on a necklace around her neck and begin to chant something. “Owls, owls, owls, come out and around. Circulate, circulate round and round, please complete your task and free him of the witches’ grasp!”

All of a sudden that cardigan sweater flew up in the air, then the owls on the diagonal sequence did a dance in a circle. The circle came to me and owls created a force field around my body. Their energy made a fire protecting me and propelled the witches.

All of sudden both witches Rosemarie and Rita Mae screamed “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” then both witches were blown to dust. The room was engulfed in fire then the owls projected me out of that existence to somewhere….I have no idea. The blast took away my consciousness. My blessing came true my fate was overturned.

 

 

 

            I finally woke up and the alarm clock was at the same time and date as this morning. What is going on! I was in my bed wearing my pajamas. Then out of nowhere a projection of something appeared and girl walked out. It was my friend, my hero, maybe even my love Kathrin Bedford.

“Close call there huh Adrie?”  Kat giggles as if this conversation is not weird.

“Yeahhhh! Thank you Kat how did you do that?” I said

“Somethings are better unanswered. Let’s just say I was foolish and God gave me another duty to do in an alternate reality. I died because of those witches and that possessed sweater of Rosemarie Atkins-Macbeth. After I died I thought my soul was going to be tortured. But God, saved me in an instant. Then he gave me a duty to save other children under suffering so they’ll have a second chance like you.”

 

“Kat thank you. I am sorry I was only trying to save you…”

 

“You did save me Adrie, because you cared and never forgot me! You were always good to me, and it was time for me to prove my friendship in this form. I want to stay, but…..”

 

“Why, but what? I love you Kat more than a friend I miss you!”

 

“I know Adrie, and I love you too.  But, I have a job to and I am no longer a part of that reality. God has given me a contract to save other children before they are damned. I can’t stop this is my found destiny!”

“Will, I ever see you again Katy?” as the tears roll down my face being a wimp.

 

“Yes you will Adrie, as a matter of fact!” Kat in an instant summons a white cardigan with my name and my old soccer number saying DALMAN 27. “Whenever you want to talk to me chant my name ‘Kat’ three times while wearing it. I’ll come immediately if I am not working haha. But, I’ll always be with you, with or without that sweater.”

 

“Awww Katy, I’ll never lose this. Now get out there and do what you’re destined by God to do!”

 

“I will and I love you Adrian Dalman” as Kat comes over and kisses me deeply. I begin to blush and I kiss her back.

“Another thing Adrie, you cannot mention anything that has happened because you cannot. It is because those witches are dead. No one knows what happened this same day because of magical divinity. So the witches never existed, that sweater is now holy, and you are safe. If you even dare say anything about what happened then you will be reverted back to this very moment! You can’t tell my mother anything either, but tell her I love her and I am okay! That’s it!” she smiles.

 

“Okay I promise, I will not disobey you!”

“Okay Adrie, I will see you later just call me later on with the sweater. I will be there for you! Bye!” she smiles turns around dressed all in white with two celestial swords on her back. She is a holy warrior. My friend, my love disappears in the closing void.

 

 

I finally get out of bed! My sweater glows instantly. Many things happen in life maybe that was the only thing interesting that transpired in this little Hazel Crest. Kat is okay and I finally found my closure. She is always here with me, and in spirit I am there with her. I walk out the room to get ready to do something to start my summer. The door shuts behind me, then as I walk around the bathroom I say, “Thank you my holy warrior.” My hand glows and I know that is Kat’s signal of a “your welcome.”

 

THE END.

 

B.

Author's Note

The story is great and it flows well. I wrote it to the greatest ability. It might still need some polishing and it also might need some grammatical corrections.

Reviews

[Kelsey Schadt]

Interesting premise for a story. You establish a strong voice for your protagonist by choosing to tell this in first person point of view. I am a bit confused about the witch scenes. Did Adrian actually go to the house, or was it a dream. I would work on making that a bit clearer. Also you have many "All of a sudden"s and "out of nowhere"s in your story. I would try to reduce those as well. Keep writing, as you have a flair for the creative.

[branbohann27 "Bohann"]

Thank you so much Possum. I am happy you like the story. And those scenes that change for a reason; a story is not meant to be explained in detail. You have to read between the lines. No it was not a dream it was a situation that turned into a dream to save him. But you have to really read and think. I'll try to so down the all of a sudden in feature writing.