Those 70ish Girls

We all have our vices I guess. The little Murdo Girl has chosen today to explain a few. When you identify someone’s flaws, is it gossiping? At first, I thought she was going down the wrong road with this subject, but at the end of her story, she summed it up pretty well.

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Murdo might need to get some new teachers one of these days. Not because they’re bad teachers. All my teachers so far, have been good. I just think it’s not really fair that some of my teachers taught my parents, and most of my other relatives too. I don’t like science. Mrs. Lathrop said, “I don’t understand why you don’t excel in science. Your Dad was brilliant in science.” I wanted to say, “Oh yeah! Well my Mom flunked Algebra.” She really did. She told me she wasn’t supposed to sit with the seniors in assemblies, because she had to pass Algebra to be considered a senior. She sat with them anyway, and a couple of the others yelled, “Loretta isn’t a senior! She has to sit with the Juniors.” She ended up graduating with her class. I was curious about it, so I dug around and found her high school diploma.

We have a teacher in our school that eats chalk. (It is not Mrs. Lathrop.) I won’t say who it is, but the teacher I’m talking about, always has white chalky lips. It’s distracting to try to pay attention to someone who takes the chalk and writes on the board, then takes a bite, writes on the board, then takes a bite. Other than that peculiarity, the teacher is pretty good.

I know it’s not nice to gossip. Sometimes Mom and my Aunt Elna get together and talk about people. They don’t really run them down. They just like to tell funny stories. When they tell a story about someone, they get up and act it out. Mom will get up and say, “Look, Look, who’s this?” Then she acts out her story. They’re so good at it, sometimes even I can tell who they’re mimicking.

Mom makes up words too. Have you ever heard of alldumb? There isn’t such a word. She made it up. It’s a word she uses to describe someone who is not as dumb as you think. Let’s say you’ve always thought someone wasn’t all that “aware” of what’s going on, then all of a sudden, you find out they know a whole lot more than you thought they did. (“So and So isn’t alldumb.”)

When Mom talks on the phone with my Aunt Ella, she doesn’t like it if she doesn’t get her share of the time. If she thinks Aunt Ella talked too much, she complains when she gets off the phone. She says, “That Ella just wants to do all of the talking. She doesn’t want to hear any of my news!” I can hear Mom’s side of the conversation, and she talks plenty. I love to watch and listen to it all. You never know what Mom’s going to say next.

Mom smokes Salem cigarettes, but she doesn’t want Grandpa Sanderson to know it. Some of Mom’s friends smoke too. One day, they  were all having coffee at Aunt Elna’s, and they looked out the window. There was Grandpa walking up to the door. All of the women but Aunt Elna, who doesn’t smoke, ran to the bathroom to flush their cigarettes. I saw Mom act it all out later. She said, “Here we all were, crammed into the bathroom, trying to keep Grandpa from finding out we smoke.”  Elsa Peck piped up and said, “Why am I hiding? He’s not my Dad.” I felt sorry for Aunt Elna when I heard about it. Don’t you know Grandpa walked into a room full of smoke, and it was just her standing there?

Mom goes to a lot of trouble to keep Grandpa from knowing she smokes. We have a picture of Mom holding a cigarette. She loves that picture of herself, and didn’t really want to throw it out. She took the scissors and cut the hand holding the cigarette out of the picture. All that’s fine, but I thought she went too far when she threw a burning cigarette into her purse, when she saw Grandpa coming.

I’m not alldumb, and neither is Grandpa. He has to know Mom smokes. The lesson here is, don’t uncover an “Aunt” pile if you don’t have to. If someone wants to smoke or eat chalk, you just have to mind your own business.

 

 

 

 

I’ve talked with some of my family and friends, and they all say they remember very little of their childhood.  One day, the little Murdo Girl, will be happy she had this opportunity to write about the many things she experienced as she was growing up in Murdo. Her children and grandchildren will know what life in Murdo was like during this time in history. It’s been said that God gives us memories so that we might have roses in December. This little girl will have dozens of bouquets, thanks to the good people of Murdo, South Dakota.  

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The lady told me I have to save writing about the Sanderson Christmas Eve celebrations until last. Thats okay, because we just got a call.

Billy called us from California. He wanted to tell me a bunch of stories that I should write about. Maybe I will and maybe I won’t.

The last time I was in California, I stayed with our Aunt Vava, and Uncle Bob Bowers. One day, Billy came and got me. He said he was going to take me to dinner, but we had to stop by his house first. Billy is going to college, and he lives in a house with a bunch of other guys. Bob Brewer, Earl Rada, Jim Judd, and Denny Dominicak, are some I know. Everyone except Bob Brewer is from Murdo. They kind of come and go, so I don’t think all of them live there now. Anyway, I hadn’t seen the house they rent before, so I looked around a little. In the front window, they have a pyramid made out of beer cans. That’s about it, for decorations. I was talking to Bob, and I absent-mindedly ran my finger across the furniture. When I started to write my name in the dust, Bob said, “Is there a problem?”

Next, I walked into my brother and Earl’s room. Billy came in and said, “I want you to clean the house before we go to dinner.”

I said,”Are you kidding? It would take me two hours to find your bed underneath all the stuff piled on it.” Earl’s was just as bad. He gave me his, you’re really just a bratty little sister, look. “Besides,” I said. “It’s way past dinnertime and I’m hungry.” Then he got his, I’m the boss of you, smile on his face. “In California, dinner is supper,” he said.

I did his stupid pile of dishes, and hung up some clothes. Finally, we got in his car to go eat. He said, “How do you feel about the Golden Arches?” It sounded pretty nice to me. The next thing I knew, we were at McDonalds. Murdo doesn’t have McDonalds, so I didn’t know what to expect. I loved it!! I think Billy knew I would.

I should have remembered people in California call dinner lunch and supper dinner.  Once, My cousin Valerie and I stayed with my Aunt Margarete, and Uncle Bill Turner. They have a swimming pool in the backyard, so Valerie and I loved it there. On the first day, we swam all morning. I came in the house for a minute, and I smelled something really good cooking. Aunt Margarete said we were having spaghetti for dinner. Around noon, she called us inside to eat. I looked at my plate, and there was a cold minced ham sandwich on it. I don’t like sandwiches much, and I hate minced ham. I said, “I thought we were having spaghetti for dinner.” She said, “We are.” That was the first time I’d heard anybody call their dinner, lunch.

My Uncle showed us how to eat cheese. You’re supposed to roll it around in your mouth, and kind of mush it up. He called it, “mastication.” I only like that kind of cheese a little better than minced ham, but it was kind of interesting to watch.

We also got to go with Walt Disney’s brother, Ray to the premier of a new movie called  Moon Spinners, with Haley Mills. We had to dress up and everything, but it was worth it.

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President Kennedy’s funeral was today, and we watched it on TV. I don’t think I’ll hear”Hail to the Chief,” again without thinking of this day. Mrs. Kennedy looked stricken, but she didn’t cry. Carolyn and John John looked so little standing next to their Mom. They wore matching little blue coats, and John John saluted as the casket and the riderless horse went by. I’m sure the President taught him how to salute.

Mom said if I want to remember all of this history in the making, I should start a scrapbook. I also got a really nice poster of President Kennedy. I looked around, and the only frame I could find that the picture would fit in, was a big one with a picture of Grandma and Grandpa Sanderson in it. They were standing in front of their car. I wonder why back in the day, everyone had their picture taken in front of their car.

I put President Kennedy’s picture in the frame and hung it in my room. When I showed Mom she said, “You had better not let Grandpa Sanderson see that. Grandpa doesn’t like Democrats, and he’s a faithful Methodist. The Kennedys are Democrats and  Catholics.” I don’t think Grandpa will be bothered by it. I really like this picture.

some pictures that I love

1) Stephanie and John Davis,  2) Stephanie, Mark, Valerie, Mary, Greg, and Andrea

3) Valerie Leckey Halla with Aunt Elna Miller

1) Valerie, Aunt Elna, Andrea, Uncle Jerry    2) Aunt Irma and Valerie

I should have named this…Valerie gets around

Anyway, this is my life story so far. Next month, I will be twelve.

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The little Murdo Girl is feeling especially sentimental about her wonderful life in Murdo and all of the Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, and Cousins, that make up this remarkable family.

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Stephanie Miller-Davis and Jerry Miller

My Dad and Uncle Jerry were out driving around today like they do sometimes when they’re talking about  jobs. Dad is a plumber and Uncle Jerry builds houses. Dad said they pulled up to a stop sign and there was Greg (Uncle Jerry’s son), throwing rocks. He was hitting a sign and causing it to dent all up. Well, Uncle Jerry wasn’t too happy about it, so he rolled down the window and was about to call Greg over to the car. Before he had a chance to say anything, Greg ran over to the car and said, “Dad, I want to have a talk with you when we get home.” Dad said Uncle Jerry didn’t know what to say then, so he just rolled up the window and they drove off.

 

Andrea Miller-Sheehan, Jerry Miller, Blake Haverberg, Helen Haverberg, not sure, Wayne Sanderson, Elna Miller

Uncle Jerry doesn’t talk much, which might be kind of good, because there are plenty of people in our family who do. Two weeks ago we had a little mixup at my house. Mom went to Pierre, to buy flowers for the Motel planters, and to spend the night with a friend. She thought Dad was taking care of me. Well, Dad thought Mom was going the next day, so he went out-of-town to check on a job.

 

Spagetti at Mom and Dad’s (Bill and Loretta Francis) Mom and Dad, Elsa Peck, Uncle Jerry and Aunt Elna (Miller)

When I got home after school, no one was there. (Billy was gone somewhere too.) I waited until suppertime and started getting hungry. Murdo is a small town. If your Mom and Dad get mixed up, there is always somewhere to go. I started walking and headed South of Hwy 16. I was really  hungry by then, so I stopped at the first relative’s house I came to. Aunt Elna is a good cook, and I like to play with my cousins, Andrea, Stephanie, and Greg. Aunt Elna said, “Sure you can stay here, and we’ll just keep calling your house in case someone gets home.” Then, we all had chicken pot pies.

Al Leckey (Ella), Bill Francis (Loretta), Jerry Miller (Elna), not pictured, Bob Haverberg (Helen)

I ended up spending the night and the next morning, Uncle Jerry got me up early and took me to my house so I could change my clothes and get my saxophone for band practice. That was pretty nice I thought. He even gave me a ride to school.

Since I’m writing about Uncle Jerry, I will tell you about his office. My other cousins and I don’t go in there, because that’s where all his house plans, and other work stuff are kept.

Guess what? My cousin Andrea, (Jerry’s daughter), invited my cousin Valerie to go in the office. She said there’s a really nice stereo in there. She got to listen to a Gene Pitney album. I love Gene Pitney. He sings “A Town without pity.”

I’ m going to ask Stephanie if I can hear it too.

 

 

 

The Days were Splendid, Every One

The dollmaker was in her workshop. She was inspecting the beautiful dollhouse she found at an estate auction two months before. The story was, a gentleman started building it when his three daughters were very young. Due to unfortunate circumstances, he didn’t complete it until 40 years later. Beatrice thought it looked pristine. Every detail was finished to perfection. The tiny furniture, the dolls, and their clothing were so carefully and lovingly finished. Few appreciated such workmanship more than Beatrice. There was even a tiny carved dog.

Beatrice was excited about the day ahead. The children would soon be there to begin their lessons in doll making. Beatrice had asked each of the children to bring the doll that she had made to look like them. She had been the evil dollmaker then… full of hatred.

It’s almost time, she thought. She walked over to the cabinet and pulled out her dark, hooded cloak. She knew when she put it on, she would become the evil dollmaker. She walked over to the potbelly stove…yes, it was burning nicely. She could direct each child to take their doll and throw it in the fire. The dolls served no purpose now, did they?

Beatrice could hear the children knocking on the door. As she walked to the door, she stopped and unfolded the cloak. She walked passed the stove and opened the door to the fire…she then folded the cloak up again, threw  it in the fire, watched it burn a minute, and shut the door.

“Oh my,” she said as she welcomed the children, “Just look at this beautiful doll house. Now…bring your dolls over here and let’s play.”

 

Morning came. What would this day bring to the lives of the children who had been through so much?

Belle was at her daughter’s bedside waiting to meet with a doctor that had come highly recommended. Amanda was so sick, yet according to the staff at the sanitarium, she hadn’t been diagnosed with anything other than exhaustion and depression.

In the two days Belle had been with her, Amanda had talked very little. She said nothing at all about what her life had been like these past two years since her father had abducted her. She had been ripped away from her home and the friends that were her family.

Belle wondered if Amanda resented her. Did she think her Mother hadn’t looked hard enough to find her? Joseph had hidden Amanda well. He had unsavory connections in the business world and prison hadn’t rehabilitated him. It seemed it had only made him more bitter and vengeful.

Poor Amanda. Would she ever feel safe again? Belle’s thoughts were interrupted by a nurse with a message. The doctor she was meeting with had arrived.

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They made it through the night. Beau had done his best to keep Abby from freezing. She had been so close to giving into the cold, but Beau had saved her. She knew she had probably suffered some frostbite. Her fingers were blue and waxy looking, and her toes had been numb for hours. Her drowsiness was a sign she might be on the verge of hypothermia.

It was extremely difficult for Abby to walk , and they had to leave the sled behind. Beau knew exactly where he was going, and he patiently led the way. He was careful to avoid deep snow and other perils. When she thought she couldn’t take another step, Beau whimpered or barked to encourage her on.

Finally, she could see the cabin hidden in the trees. When they got a little closer, Beau ran ahead and barked at the door. Alice and Andy came running out, and Tony stood in the doorway grinning. At first they only saw Beau, but he ran back to Abby to show them he was bringing her home.

The cabin was cold. They had run out of wood, but the children had it all figured out. Andy would get the wood. He would take Beau with him, so he wouldn’t get lost. Alice and Tony helped Abby into some warm dry clothes. They rubbed her hands and feet with the homemade salve she had so lovingly rubbed on Tony’s legs, made sore from the Ill fitting prostheses.

The four brave little souls had been through so much. They learned to survive the many challenges they were faced with, but they wondered if they would ever get to be children again.

Beau helped Andy collect some wood and soon the little cabin was warm again. They would have to go farther from the cabin for a better supply, but perhaps Beau could help them locate the sled. Alice made Abbie some warm broth to sip. They were so grateful for Beau. The loyal dog was clearly worried about Abby, who was suffering the effects of being too cold for too long. Beau was nervous and impatient. Immagine how the poor dog felt knowing he had to leave them all again.

Aaron and Andrea got up early the next morning and went back to the clearing. They didn’t know what else to do. They prayed the coon hound, Beau would be back to guide them to wherever it was he wanted them to go. Was it crazy for them to believe that after two years, the children would be found? It was unlikely, but they had to try once more.

The two ranchers had insisted they would meet Andrea and Aaron in the clearing. This time they would bring two extra horses. They had thermoses of hot coffee and rolled up extra blankets behind their saddles.The group was determined they would see this out. They just needed the dog to be there to guide them.

Beau wasn’t there to meet them, so they proceeded to take the same path they had abandoned the day before because of darkness. They didn’t have a plan beyond getting to the area where they had turned around. When they got there, they stopped to have some hot coffee and figure out what to do next. It was cold, but not as bitter cold as it had been the day before. The skys were clear and the wind had not yet begun to blow.

They were all lost in ther own thoughts when Andrea clearly heard a dog bark. The other’s heard it too. Soon, they saw Beau running toward them. He was beyond excited, and so were Andrea, Aaron, and the two men who were so willing to help them. Once again, they were trusting the beautiful coon dog to lead them to the children, wherever they were.

They couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the cabin. who had built the little log house so far out in the middle of an area with no roads or even wide paths to get to it?

They thought it was probably abandoned…then, they saw the thin sliver of smoke coming from the chimney. “Could this possibly be where the children are?” Andrea didn’t dare to hope. Beau went running to the door. He was barking, whimpering, and running back and forth between the cabin and the humans on horseback, who came to get the children and take them home.

Andy opened the door when he heard Beau, but when he saw the horses, he became frightened. Andrea recognized his fear. She got down from her horse, but before moving toward him, she tried to find the right words.

“You must be Andy,” she said softly. “I am Mr. Sander’s niece, Andrea, and this is my husband Aaron. We have come to take you home.”

Andy began to cry as he walked with Beau to where Andrea stood. He had not seen a grown up in ever so long. He was sobbing as he looked up at this lady, who spoke so softly. “Abby Ann is really sick, he said. We really need someone to help us.” This little boy who would barely even talk to the other children, had found his voice. He let Andrea hold his hand as they hurried back to the cabin. The exhausted Beau had completed his task, now all he wanted was to eat some food and sleep by the fire.

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Abby was not well enough to ride on the back of a horse, and once again it was getting too late in the day, to make the arduous trip back to the clearing; especially with the children in tow. The ranchers brought in plenty of wood to keep the fire stoked, then rode back to the clearing. They would be back with a sled to carry Abby. Hopefully, she would be some better in the morning and be able to make the trip. The other children would ride behind Andrea, Aaron, and one of the men.

The little family in the cabin got very little sleep that night. The excitement of going home kept them awake, plus, they wanted to make sure they weren’t dreaming.

Andrea sat by Abby through the night. Abby thought surely she must be dreaming, but she looked up at Andrea and ask the question that was most on her mind.

“Did they find Amanda?” she asked. “Will she be home when we get there?”

Her Father had placed her in a sanitarium, which is a place to convalesce, but Amanda wasn’t getting better. When Belle saw her daughter for the first time in two years, she was saddened and terrified. Amanda was withering away. Gone was the smiling child who had brought so much joy to everyone who knew her. The rosie cheeks were now pale, and the smiling eyes were now dark and vacant. She needed to be home with her Mother and Grandfather. She most definitely had to be under a doctor’s close supervision. Belle found herself wishing that Abby Ann could be there. Amanda needed her soulmate. She needed love, and prayers, and hope to survive.

Belle faced a dilemma. Amanda was not strong enough to travel, but perhaps she would do better in a more healing environment. In the end, she decided to take her daughter home. First she must search out a competent doctor who would take over Amanda’s care. She needed someone who would be willing to accompany them home, and remain there until Amanda had recovered. Belle knew Amanda wanted to live and she would do everything in her power to help her.

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The four on horseback had followed the determined dog about as far they could if they were going to make it back to the truck before dark. Continuing would put everyone in danger. This was not a good place to get lost.

Andrea couldn’t justify putting these two kind men and their tired horses at risk. They had to go back. They could regroup and try again in the morning.

Beau wouldn’t go with them. They did everything they could to persuade him. He was tired and hungry, but he continued on his mission alone.

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Per Andrea’s instructions, the van driver returned to the estate with Charles, Beatrice, and Mandy. The three unlikely companions were determined to stay together, rather than go to their rooms. The housekeeper served them a light supper in the drawing room, but they ate very little. The concerned nurse checked on Charles and Beatrice and determined they were holding up pretty well considering the recent turn of events.

Charles thought about all that had happened. It would have been easy to blame his sister Beatrice for everything; but in truth, he had to accept his part in her spiral into such darkness. It was true. He had dismissed her as a baffoon. In his mind, she was nothing but a simpleton to be tolerated. She must have been so lonely. He had stoked  his own ego by creating a perfect combination. He thought himself magnanimous because of all he did for the poor children. He felt needed by them. When they were gone, there was nothing more for him to do, but have a breakdown. When had he ever done something, just because it was the right thing to do?

Charles looked at his sister. She was holding the dolls she had created. They were the product of such talent. She was talking to them softly. He asked Mandy if she would push his wheelchair so he could be near Beatrice. His beaten down sister looked at him and smiled, then handed her brother Charles the Amanda doll.

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The children in the cabin were huddled near the fireplace. They had only used enough of their remaining wood to keep the embers burning. They all knew that Abby should have been back from collecting wood hours ago. It was dark now. They would have to wait until daylight to go in search of her. It had taken all of them working together to survive. Because of Abby, they knew how strong and competent they were. Now, they would work together to find her.

 

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Abby knew she had to stay awake. She walked and moved around as much a her numb limbs would let her. Thankfully, the wind had died down. If she could only keep going until daylight; she might have a chance to find her way to the cabin. She had been through too much in her young life to give up now. She was so very tired.. She wanted to sleep, but she had to stay awake. She had to get back to the children. This can’t end badly she vowed.

Was she dreaming or hallucinating? Was that a cold, wet nose on her cheek? Was it really Beau? She could feel the fear subside. Beau was there. In just a few hours it would be daylight and Beau would take her home.

 

“How would a dog get way out here? We’re miles from any towns or villages, that I know of. I have no idea where he could have come from,” Aaron said.

“He came here to get us,” Mandy said. “He knows where Abby is.”

“Aaron,” Andrea chimed in. “We can’t follow him. Who knows how far he’ll take us, and for that matter, where he wants us to go? We must get Aunt Bea and Uncle Charles home.”

“We’re not going anywhere,” Charles insisted. “I think that dog knows where the children are.”

While they all bantered back and forth, Mandy slowly walked over and knelt by the dog. “See,” she said. “His dog tag says Beau.”

“Be careful Amanda, we don’t know how friendly he is,” Andrea warned. The dog was whimpering, clearly trying to get them to do his bidding.

“There’s only one thing we can do,”Aaron surmised. “I’m dressed warmly. I will stay with Beau while you go get help and take Charles and Beatrice back to the estate. Tell the authorities we’ll probably need snowmobiles or some other way to get through all the rough terrain and trees. And Andrea, it’s probably best you don’t tell them the children were lost two years ago.”

I don’t like leaving you here Aaron, it will take us until mid afternoon to get back to you. I just can’t think of another way, so we’ll do as you say.”

Aaron walked over to Beau and found a stump to sit on. “It’s going to be a long few hours Beau,” he said. ” I sure hope you’re  not sending us on a wild goose chase.”

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Abby and the other children were beside themselves with worry. Beau hadn’t returned and it had been three days. Was he harmed by a wild animal or had he tired of the hard life they had to live? No, he was nothing if not loyal. What if he’d gone back to the people he lived with before. He had a tag, but it only said Beau. Abby coudn’t imagine never feeling his soft tongue licking her face again.

The weather had been icy cold and snowy.  Abby needed to take the sled and find more wood. She only had a few hours before it would be dark. She cautioned the other children to stay inside while she was gone, then bundled up as best she could before heading out. They had found three warm jackets, gloves, and boots in the cabin, which they were grateful for, but when the weather was bad, they couldn’t all go outside at the same time.

She hadn’t talked about it to the others yet, but Abby knew they were going to have to leave in the spring. She had to find someone to help them, but how far would they have to go, and who would they meet up with? It still terrified her to think about that day on the bus. The day they lost everything but each other.

They were growing, and they didn’t have enough clothes to wear. It was a miracle that none of them had been seriously ill in all this time. The one she worried about the most was Tony. He needed protheses that fit him.

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Andrea asked their driver where they might find the closest police station, or would it be better if they found another source of help that would involve less hassle? They had driven about halfway back to the estate, when off in the distance, she saw what looked like two men on horseback. “Pray everyone,” she said,  “This could be our answer.”

The two horsemen were more than a little surprised to see the small van carrying the driver, two elderly people, a young woman, and a small child. They weren’t close to anything and the weather was less than ideal for an outing. They themselves had been out looking for some missing cattle and were riding back to their truck and horse trailer.

After telling them as much of the truth as she dared, the two men agreed to go back to where she had left Aaron and Beau. Andrea told the van driver to take everyone else home, then to please come back to the clearing and wait. Amazingly, they all agreed to do a she asked. The plan was for her to ride double with one of the men back to their truck. They would load up the horses and take the truck to the clearing. Andrea started to get up on the horse, then quickly went back to the van to get the Abby Ann doll. “We need all the help we can get,” she whispered.

When they arrived at the clearing, Aaron and Beau were waiting. The men let them both warm up in the truck for a bit while they discussed a plan. Finally, they decided that they would follow the dog as far as they could, but they would have to double back in time to get to the truck before dark.

They discussed if they should leave Andrea with the truck, but in the end, the four of them rode the two horses, and Beau ran ahead looking back every few minutes to make sure they were still following him.

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Abby left the cabin later than she should have, and  had gone too far in search of wood that wouldn’t take too long to dry. She was so distracted by her worries, she feared that she had gotten lost. “Come on Abby,” she told herself. “You know all the short cuts, and you have been in this direction many times.” The fresh snow had made her disoriented. Abby felt the panic well up inside. She didn’t want to stop, yet she was afraid going on might get her even further from the cabin; where Alice, Andy, and Tony were waiting for her. They would be almost out of wood, and they didn’t even have Beau with them to make them feel safe. Abby sat down on her sled and put her head in her hands, “Please God,” she prayed. “Don’t let them leave the cabin. Don’t let them try to find me.”

 

 

Who would be knocking on the door of the dollmaker’s workshop, Mandy thought as she crossed the room. When she opened the door, she didn’t recognize the man in the wheelchair. Behind him was a nurse who pushed the chair though the doorway. The man looked around the room and then his eyes fell on Aunt Bea.

“Hello sister,” the man said. “You look distraught.” He looked pale and gaunt and his voice was weak, but his eyes were clear as he focused on the sister who was responsible for almost killing him.

Beatrice looked at the man for a brief second, then turned back to focus her attention on her dolls.

“You took two years of my life from me,”Charles continued. “You alone are responsible for the fate of the school children, including my granddaughter. Why Beatrice? What possesed you to stoop to such madness?”

Mandy had only heard about Uncle Charles, but she knew exactly what he was talking about. She looked at Aunt Bea, who spoke next.

“Two years? I never existed at all. I meant nothing to you. I never had a place in your heart, did I Charles?” her speech was slow and measured. “Your precious school children were all you cared about. I couldn’t wait for you to hear they were gone, along with your precious granddaughter. You lost your mind, because you are weak. It didn’t take much to keep you in your stupor. I only had to keep you alive awhile longer, for my plan to work. You see, Andrea was going to be blamed for your death. ” She was silent for a moment, as if mourning the death of her plan. “Oh my,” she lamented. “Do with me what you will, but you will get no satisfaction. You can’t destroy a life that never was.”

Mandy and the nurse watched this exchange in silence.

“We’ll continue this conversation another time,” Charles was getting tired. He was still a long way from good health. “Go back to your room, Beatrice,” he said., “You and I are going on an outing in the morning. Maybe it’s not too late for redemption… for both of us.” As an afterthought, he turned to Mandy. You must be Mandy, my niece’s daughter. Could I ask you to help me to my room?” He turned to the nurse and asked her to help his sister. “And Beatrice,” he said. Please bring your dolls.”

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Amanda was coming home. Belle hadn’t seen her daughter in two years. Aunt Beatrice had involved  Amanda’s Father in her scheme to get rid of the children. Belle knew Joseph only carried out the plan because he hated is ex wife. Poor Amanda was ill and her Father had tired of his game. Belle went to The city to see if Amanda was well enough to make the trip back to the estate.

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Andrea couldn’t believe all that had happened since her little family had uprooted and moved thousands of miles to start a new life. They had certainly gotten more than they bargained for. Now what? she thought as she went to go find Mandy.

When she got to Mandy’s room, Andrea immediately got concerned. Where was Mandy? Belle had reassured her that she left Mandy with a maid. There was something else that disturbed her…the dolls were all missing. She was about to leave the room in search of Mandy, when Aaron walked in the room. When he started to speak, she told him she didn’t know where their daughter was.

When they got to the bottom of the stairs, they saw someone in a dark cloak leaning heavily on Charles’ nurse. Imagine their surprise when they discovered it was Aunt Bea. They didn’t have time to ask questions, but the nurse did tell them Mandy was with Charles. They hurried to the tower and to Charles’ room. He was resting in bed, and Mandy was sitting at his bedside holding his hand.

“Mommy..Daddy,” Mandy screamed, “You won’t believe who the dollmaker is. She had begun to fill them in on eveything, when Uncle Charles said there was something he needed to tell them. “Belle is on her way to get Amanda,” he said. “She is quite ill, but we’re hoping she will be able to stand the trip home.” He was overcome with emotion. “I thought Belle knew where the other children were, but she doesn’t. I must have been

dreaming in my semi-conscious state. I have this strong feeling they made it to safety and they’re still alive.”

“Uncle Charles,” Andrea sat next to him on the bed. “I would so much like to believe that too, but if they had been found by someone, surely they would have contacted you.The area is so remote. It was searched the day they ran from the bus. They thought even their teacher had abandoned them, and most likely didn’t think they could trust anyone. They were little children.”

Charles looked at his neice beseechingly. “Beatrice and I are going back to the area they were last seen. We’re going tomorrow morning. I want you and Allen to come with us..Mandy too. I feel strongly that God has protected those little ones, and something tells me we should go back there.”

Andrea smiled at her distraught Uncle. “Of course we’ll go with you.” she said.

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The driver was in the foyer early the next morning. Andrea insisted the nurse accompany them as well, since neither her Aunt or Uncle were feeling their best. It was a 2 hour drive and thankfully, Mandy slept most of the way. All of the dolls except the Mandy doll were placed between her and Aunt Bea. Mandy was holding the Mandy doll as she slept.

When they got to the clearing in the woods where the nightmare began, they helped Aunt Bea and Uncle Charles into wheel chairs. Thankfully, they were bundled up because it was cold and snowy.

None of us were here that day,”Andrea said. “What is it we should do now Uncle Charles?”

“Where is the Abby Ann doll?” He asked. “Someone please bring her to me.”

“Abby Ann was the first doll I made,” Aunt Bea said. “Even before the Amanda doll.” She then handed Mandy the doll to give to Charles, but before she did Andrea spoke.

“Mandy believes Abby Ann talks to her through the doll. I believe she even talked to me once.”

“You hold her Mandy.” Uncle Charles said. “Abby Ann and Amanda were best friends, but Amanda isn’t here. I rather think that you will be close friends with both girls”

They waited in silence…for what, none of them knew for sure.

“I made the dolls for an evil purpose,” Aunt Bea said. “Abby Ann may be waiting for me to tell them all how sorry I am. They all took on a life of their own. None of them were evil.”

They stayed as long as they could, but it was cold, and it wasn’t good for Bea and Charles to be out too long. They didn’t know what they were waiting for, so they guessed it was time to leave. They were getting settled in the car when they heard a dog bark. They looked around by the trees and saw a beautiful red dog sitting there.

“His name is Beau,” Mandy said. “And he wants us to follow him.

 

 

 

Mandy stood there watching the dollmaker with her beautiful creations. Each doll made to look like the children she claimed to despise. She held them close and began rocking them back and forth, as she spoke in a soft soothing voice. “Oh my children, I have missed you so.”

Mandy realized the dollmaker was no longer blocking the door. She didn’t know if she should run for it, or stay with the poor old woman who no longer seemed so threatening.

There was a knock on the door…Mandy looked at the dollmaker who nodded her head to open it. The dollmaker, Aunt Bea, drew a deep breath and closed her eyes tight as if she was trying to prepare herself for whatever would befall her

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Abby pulled the sled loaded with wood to the door of the cabin. Andy would be ready to help her stack it. When the work was done, she could warm herself by the fire and eat whatever had been prepared for supper.

In the two years they had lived in the cabin, they had become creative with the limited variety of sustenance they could find. Beau, the coon dog who had come to them early on, kept them supplied with small game and fish. The children picked edible wild berries, onions, and greens. In the warm months, they would dry the fruits and vegetables for use in the winter. The meat could be dried for the days Beau’s hunting expeditions weren’t productive. They learned how to preserve their meager supply of fresh food by following the instructions in a book they discovered in the cabin.

They had been frugal with the supply of flour, sugar, and cornmeal the previous occupant had left behind, but they had used the last of it, a few months before.

It was a cold clear night, and the warmth of the fire felt good. They had 2 small beds in the loft area, but more often than not, all four of them huddled together in the big bed below. Their faithful protector, Beau, would stretch out in front of the door.

On this night as everyone prepared for bed, there was an unspoken fear in the hearts of the children…Beau had not come home.

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In the drawing room of the estate, Belle Sanders Jackson, and Andrea Allen, were meeting for the first time. They were first cousins, and the only offspring of the generation before them. Belle was the daughter of Charles,and Andrea the daughter of Audrey, (who was deceased). Beatrice Sanders, the sibling of Charles and Audrey, had no children.

Belle and Andrea were close to the same age. They each had one child. Both girls were named Amanda, although Andrea and her husband Aaron had always called their daughter Mandy.

The cousins had something else in common. Aunt Beatrice had virtually turned their lives upside down. Neither were totally aware of just how much.

As part of Aunt Bea’s grand plan to be rid of all the school children, Amanda was abducted  by her father who had managed an early release from prison. He had taken his daughter to Europe, where they had been for the better part of two years. Amanda became despondent, and her health deteriated. She grew thin and weak. Her Father soon tired of dealing with her. He traveled with her back to the states where he placed her in a sanitarium. His plan was to return abroad. He cared about his daughter, but he hated his ex wife more.

Recently, he decided Belle had been punished enough. He sent word to Belle’s father Charles, telling him of Amanda’s whereabouts.

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This was the current state of affairs in the lives of the Sander’s family, and the lost school children.

This was the day Mandy found herself in the tower with the dollmaker. No one had known the extent of Aunt Bea’s jelousy and resentment.

Yes, she was with the dollmaker, but her friends the dolls were there too.

Aunt Bea had nodded, so Mandy went to see who was knocking at the door.