CANNOT BE SEEN
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Chapter 9
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." The Shawshank Redemption
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It was late morning, nearly midday, though the sky's lack of sun made it hard to decipher the time of day with any degree of accuracy. The clouds spread themselves over the blue sky, creating a seamless shield, making it look as if it were not clouds, but the sky had simply surrendered all of its astonishing hue. The rain had stopped falling, but had left moist evidence of its unwelcome visit in every crevice. There lay a sheet of water over the grass, puddles forming in the lower sections of land. The whole world, it seemed, was wet. The precipitation had left no surface untouched by its damp hand. It had left an icy chill in the air and a breeze that swept through the village unrelentingly. Water droplets dripped from the trees, the roof eves, and even some bed linens that had been left out to dry at a most inopportune time. Now they flapped in the breeze with dank turmoil. The smell on the air was clean and fresh, as if the rain had washed the entire village taintless. But, under the surface, the village was as sordid as ever.
After the Walkers had been beckoned to the Adams' house, the rest of the elders had been called upon as well. And as the doctor was working on young Marybeth, the elders sat clustered against the perimeter of the room. Silent.
It was some time until the doctor finished with the young girl and turned to the elders.
They watched him apprehensively. Most of all Mr. Adams, Mrs. Adams, and Matthew Adams, who were sitting together near the bed, all looking pale and overwhelmed by sorrow.
"For the moment, she is stable," the doctor started after a deep breath. "Normally, under these conditions…her health would fail-" He was interrupted then by a sob from Mrs. Adams. "-But, the medicine, left over from Lucius Hunt's injury, and contributed by Alice Hunt-" the doctor nodded in Alice's direction. She had been in possession of the medicine to administer to Lucius as he recovered and when the doctor had called upon her she had hastened to retrieve it and delivered it through the torrential downpour. "-has saved her for right now. It is all I could do and all we can do now is wait and pray." Here he took another deep breath and looked at the floorboards for some time, as if not knowing how to say what he wished to, before looking back up to the elders. "There…is no medicine left."
The elders exchanged gazes silently. It was the sick season, and if other children became ill, there would be no medicine to save them.
The room held a heavy, profound silence that no one dared break for some time. When it became nearly intolerable, Mr. Adams thanked the doctor profusely for coming and Alice for bring the medicaments. The doctor then took the queue and packed his instruments, soon taking leave, as did the rest of the elders. They had nothing else they could offer, so they gave their blessings and support, offering to stay, but the Adams' told them to go home, that there was nothing they could do. The doctor insisted to be notified if anything changed and promised that he would come check on the young girl in intervals. Then they left the Adams alone and instead, stood outside in the cold air. The first to speak was Mrs. Walker.
"What will we do?"
Edward sighed and turned away from the group for a moment before turning back. "We either live on as we had before this medicine was obtained, or…or we obtain more medicine."
Mrs. Walker grabbed Mr. Walker's arm. "You cannot be serious." She whispered.
Mrs. Clack then took a step closer to the Walkers, who were standing the middle of the group. "You mean to say that you…would send Ivy back to get more medicine?"
Edward looked for a second before he spoke. "I do not know what I say. I care only for the good of this village. Is it fair to provide medicine for Lucius and Marybeth, but for no others of the village who fall ill?"
There was a pause.
Edward went on, not wanting to start the wild argument he knew would follow if he did not intervene, "I do not know. This does not need to be decided now. It cannot be. We will all need to think on it. It can wait, whatever we decide."
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Lucius and Ivy were still kneeling in the front of the fireplace, lost in their own thoughts when Ivy finally spoke aloud.
"Lucius, what will we do now?"
Lucius was silent for he did not know how to reply. But the forlorn edge that sharpened her voice prompted him to say something.
"I do not know."
Ivy let out a distressed sigh. "We have no…evidence. No proof."
Lucius shifted to sit cross-legged and looked down deliberately at his laced hands. "Did your father know we have seen the books? Maybe you…warned him…of the dangers of keeping the books." Lucius suggested thoughtfully.
"Do you think I…ruined it for us?" The small tone of Ivy's voice forced Lucius to look up at her and in the time it took for him to think of the right words to say, he took her hand in his own, in his accepted outward sign of reassurance.
"You did not ruin anything. You did nothing wrong…At least now we know that they were not farce. They must have been important enough to burn."
Ivy let out the breath she was holding slowly and nodded somewhat reluctantly. "I suppose." She took a moment to think. "Why do we not just go to my father now? Ask him about the books, tell him we know…"
Lucius thought about this for a moment and then shook his head. "He might deny it. If we still had the books, perhaps we could bring them…the elders could not lie then. But, now…I think we must find some other way to approach this. Some different kind of evidence."
There was another resounding silence and then Ivy sucked in a deep breath and let it out leisurely. "You are right. We will just need to find more evidence…"
Lucius looked at Ivy, regarding her, "More evidence…" he repeated, thinking how terribly difficult…maybe near impossible that task would be. This may have been their only chance at finding the truth. And it was gone, and they may never really know the secret of the village.
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It was quite later in the day when Edward Walker knocked hesitantly on the Hunts' door. He shortly considered leaving with haste before the door was answered, but before he could seriously consider it, the door opened in front of him.
"Oh, Edward…" Alice's voice was lightened with surprise as she looked on at her unexpected visitor.
Edward, for a moment, forgot what he had come here to say and Alice stood in silence, waiting. When he said nothing she opened the door wider for his entrance. "Come in please, will you not?"
Edward smiled and nodded, stepping inside as she shut the door behind them and turned to face him.
The soundlessness was overbearing and Edward cleared his throat loudly.
"Young Marybeth has awoken." He announced as it came to his mind to reveal the reason to his visit.
Alice let out the breath she was holding and smiled easily. "Oh, that is excellent news! What does the doctor say?"
"He says that she is still very ill, but the…odds are considerably better." Edward smiled ruefully.
"That is good. That is very good." Alice nodded, The silence then becoming awkward. She looked down at her clenched hands and then back up at Edward.
Mr. Walker shifted his feet nervously, thinking rapidly. "Uh, How is Lucius? I saw the boy early this morning but Ivy led him away before I could even say 'Hello'" Edward smiled at this and so did Alice.
"He is well. He is very excited about the wedding." Mrs. Hunt shook her head happily, leaning into the comfort of the conversation.
"Yes, so is Ivy," Edward sighed, the memory of when he was young and in love, and he knew what he wanted from life, making his heart ache for more simple times.
Alice smiled at the look on Edward's face, feeling the same as he. "My only son is going to get married and soon have children of his own." She sighed again. "I feel old."
Edward chuckled. "I as well."
"Grown children will make one feel that way." He reflected then after a moment's pause.
Alice nodded. Thinking for the first time what it would be like then when Lucius wed and moved, with Ivy, into the new cabin that was currently being erected not too far from their house. The wedding was to be very soon and the entire village was anticipating it. There was not one person in the small town that did not think Lucius and Ivy were the perfect match, and many of them had thought, even as Lucius and Ivy were children, that they would be together when the time came. Everyone was terribly excited about the entire affair and the excitement grew every day.
When the day came, however, it would be slightly bittersweet for Alice, for the Walkers as well, for that matter. She wanted her son to be happy, of course, as all mothers do. But, it also meant that he was leaving her. He would be moving out and leaving Alice alone in the house that used to be their's. She always knew this day would come, but she was not prepared for the emotions that flooded her chest at the thought of it now. It may not have been so bad if she was not going to be alone. She could even now feel the silence of loneliness that would prevail when Lucius was gone. Not that he filled the silence so much with words, but with his presence. It is distinct, the feeling of someone's presence even if they do not make it known.
Alice felt immediate guilt as she brooded this. She should be overjoyed at Lucius's happiness, she insisted to herself. She was being selfish by feeling sadness of any sort at her son's new life. Mrs. Hunt chastised herself, trying to force herself into complete joy at the very thought of the wedding. Her conflicting thoughts made her mind ache dully.
Edward stood and watched Alice as she was consumed by her thoughts. A troubled mask settled over her features and her breathing eradicated ever so slightly. It was perfectly clear that some unhappy thought plagued her mind and Mr. Walker watched carefully as she thought deeply. He did not know what she was thinking exactly, but he assumed the gist of it. And after a few moments of her contemplating, he broke through her reverie.
"Alice…" He tried to catch her attention.
She looked up after the very shortest of pauses and blinked away her tangled web of thoughts as if tearing down a cobweb that was in the path of her clear thinking.
"I apologize…I was caught up in my thoughts." Alice forced a small smile.
Edward smiled kindly and took a step forward, unconsciously placing his hand on Alice's arm in compassion. "Were you thinking about Lucius and Ivy's marriage?"
Mrs. Hunt did not respond right away, distracted by Edward's touch. It made her whole arm tingle and her heart leap into her throat, pounding and making it hard to breathe.
"I have been thinking of it often." He conceded when she did not speak. "My young daughter will be wed and leave our home. Kitty has already and now Ivy will as well." He sighed. "It is natural to feel sorrow for your child leaving you. Tabitha feels it deeply."
The mention of his wife brought his attention sharply to where his hand rest. He pulled away from Alice and took a couple steps back with an awkward smile gracing his face. The tension was strung in the air and the both of them held their breath as time stretched on.
Both stood stock still, as if they had committed a crime. A sin.
Edward was about to turn and just leave when a loud knock came from the front door. Alice took the distraction as means of escape from the uncomfortable situation.
She went quickly to the door and pulled it open, ready to welcome whomever it was.
"Oh, Kitty," Alice greeted her in surprise, opening the door for her.
"Is my father here?" She asked with an excited edge to her voice as she peered into the room.
"Yes, he is." Alice smiled and stood by as Kitty jumped up the steps and nearly ran across the room, jumping into her father's arms.
He grunted in surprise and then laughed quietly as he set her down. "My, Kitty, whatever is it?" He asked with amusement.
"Papa," She started with a deep breath. "I am with child!" She then blurted out in unconstrained enthusiasm before anything else could be said.
Mr. Walker had a look of complete shock upon his face that was almost comical. Kitty smiled proudly and rocked on her feet as she impatiently awaited her father's reaction.
It took a moment for it to sink in before his face split into a beam. "Kitty, you are going to have a child?" His voice was constricted with joyous surprise.
She nodded vigorously and Edward shook his head happily before sweeping Kitty back into an embrace. "Oh, Sweetheart, I am so happy for you."
Alice looked on with a wide smile, feeling the slightest bit out of place, but sincerely happy for Kitty. She remembered feeling the happiness of finding out you were to have a child.
Edward put his hands on Kitty's shoulders and held her at arm's length as if to see all that she had changed since he had seen her just yesterday evening.
"Where is your husband? He should be standing beside you now." He ribbed his daughter with good-nature at her disregard for the proper etiquette in situations such as this.
"He is still at work and I simply could not wait any longer to tell you, Papa." She sighed happily. "I have just come from telling mother, Ivy, and Lucius. They were the only ones there when I went home, but mother informed me that you were here." With that she turned to look at Alice.
Mrs. Hunt's smile widened as she took in the feeling that surrounded Kitty and then moved closer to hug her in congratulations. "I am so happy for you and Christop, Kitty." She whispered to her.
"Thank you, Mrs. Hunt" She gushed and then, with little patience, took her father's arm and lead him to the front door. "Come, Papa, I told mother I would bring you home so we could celebrate together."
He followed her to the door, but stopped in the frame of it as Kitty went ahead, and turned back to Alice.
"Thank you for dropping by." She smiled tightly before he could say anything.
"My pleasure," he inclined his head politely. "Thank you for having me."
"Congratulations, you are going to be a grandfather soon." Alice's smile became more comfortable as she teased him ever so slightly.
"I am, aren't I?" He smiled back. "I feel as old as ever."
Alice laughed quietly in response. "Soon we will both be the grandparents of Lucius and Ivy's children."
Edward smiled. "Someday," he agreed and then, before closing the door, he bid Alice goodbye and left her alone, standing in the middle of the large front room.
The thought of new children in the village caused Alice's heart to swell. It was always a joyous occasion when someone in the village was with child. The celebration of new life. A new promise to the future of the village. It was what motivated the very idea that the village existed for. It was the reason for the lie that they lived. To protect the new lives of those whom they cared for. To shelter them from the sorrow that lurked just outside the enclosure's walls. The new children were what kept the village what it was and gave it the faith it took everyone to uphold. They were simply more innocent minds to deceive.
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TBC
Until next time…
