"Ray?...Raayy?... Earth to Ray!" My Mother flashed her hand back and forth to grab my attention.
"Oh, Sorry Mom. What was it you were saying?" She frowned and put her hands back on the steering wheel. We, and a few hundred other people, were stuck on Route 78, widely known for its traffic jams. Bumper to bumper traffic always managed to make her jittery.
"I was trying to remind you that softball practice is canceled this Friday, but since I'm not worthy of your attention at the moment, go back to what you were doing." She gave me a fake pout, and returned to focusing on the road. I was surprised at how quickly she dropped the subject. It just wasn't like her. Maybe she sensed my need to think.
We hadn't discussed the concert issue yet, but I knew it would come up eventually, to my complete dismay. I never wanted to think about it again, let alone confer about it. Hopefully it would be avoidable for at least a week or so.
After we passed the traffic jam, the road went on smoothly for miles. Hard as I tried, Keith Partridge was all I could think about. Remembering his face and the way he'd said my name. I shivered. No, he must have been thinking of someone different. I didn't want to think past that possibility.
But…when our eyes met, it was almost as if they'd reunited somehow, in another place, another time. Somehow, my heart ached for him in some other life. It felt so wrong, but so real at the same time.
Although my mind was troubled, somehow, I managed to drift off.
The sound of squealing tires startled me, nailing my shoulder into a window, but I couldn't tell which one, for it was too dark. My mother frantically spun the wheel, trying to adjust our cars direction. It was no use, we were heading straight for a full on collision. I prayed that both of us would make it out safe, but it would take a miracle, and I didn't have time to pray for a miracle.
In a few short seconds, we'd spun into a death spiral. The night sky blurred around me, and I choked on my screams. My mind failed, and I closed my eyes, wanting to remember the world just as it was.
The image of Keith Partridge flickered through my mind one last time.
I took a deep breath.
Smiled.
And as if nothing mattered anymore, I shut my eyes and braced for the impact.
"One...Two...Three..."
An electric shock jolted through my body. Everything was black, but I could hear things.
"Again!'" Someone shouted.
I rubbed my forehead in discomfort, attempting to shake off the remains of a horrible night's sleep. My neck was cramped, and my head was sore. All the results of a nightmare I supposed,but try as I might, nothing remained of my dream, for I could not recall the rest of it. "What time is it?" I kept silent, for it was pitch black all around. I spread my arms out and felt around. My hands came in contact with a hard object, and I yelped, but no sound came from my throat. Maybe I was still dreaming?
"Stay with us sweetheart," Spoke the man, trying to ease me back into the present.
From somewhere near, I heard light footsteps scampering in haste, all coming to a stop a moment later. Suddenly, a light whispering was audible from within my confines. "Did you hear that?" A high-pitched child's voice, presumably a girl, spoke with a slight lisp. She sounded frightened.
"Give it up Tracy," Nagged a young man sounding hoarse, as if going through puberty." Mom already checked your closet yesterday for ghosts! Don't think I'm going to do it again today. Besides, what kind of a ghost would want to sleep in your closet?"
I was being pulled back and forth from what I knew was real, and something much more powerful. I heard him once again. "Common, you can do it. Breathe!"
I shifted positions again, trying to get closer to their voices, but as I moved, a large object came crashing to the ground, making a generous amount of clamor. "S-s-see, I told you there was someone in there!" Two sets of footsteps moved cautiously in my direction.
"On the count of three," Said the boy.
"One..."
"Don't give up now," he urged.
"Two..."
The darkness was fading. "We're losing her!"
"Three..."
A burst of shockingly brilliant light and fresh air swept across my face. I shielded my eyes, for they were not yet adjusted to it. The two children stared at me in awe. One clutched a baseball bat above his head, while the other hid behind him in fear.
"Tracy, you go get mom." The boy commanded harshly, as it was his job to order others around. Tracy ran from the room, while the young red-headed man raised his weapon. "Don't try any funny business;" He aimed the bat towards me, "I'm not afraid to use this. Keith taught me how to defend myself...well actually, Laurie taught me, but that another story!" By the time he'd finished his warning, a middle-aged woman darted into the room with Tracy in tow.
"Danny," she cried, "What is this all about? Tracy said something about a..." She glanced into the closet and caught eyes with me. "Oh dear, Tracy darling, go get your brother for me."
Once again, Tracy ran from the room, only to bump into a young woman, around my age, with auburn hair and high cheek bones that gave her a dignified look. "Laurie," The woman pleaded, "Would take Chris downstairs, and if you see Tracy on your way, bring her with you." Laurie nodded, taking Chris by the hand, she headed out the door.
The plump red-head, I think they called him Danny, spoke up in triumph. "See Mom, Tracy TOLD you there was someone in her closet, but you refused to listen. Sometimes it helps to listen to children such as myself, although; I'm a much more sophisticated sort of child."
"Now Danny, this young woman is frightened. I'm sure there's got to be an explanation for all of this." Mrs. Partridge smiled at me. The love for her children was present in the way she spoke to them. She seemed like a genuinely honest person, and I just wished I could give her an honest reason for my being here. Danny rolled his eyes.
I sat patiently as they spoke to one another, wondering how I'd managed to end up in someone's closet. No one looked particularly angry, only bewildered, mirroring my feelings, although Danny and his baseball bat couldn't help but make me want to laugh.
He moved in front of his mother, as to protect her, but to get a better look at me. "Well person," Danny tried to keep his voice cool, "Do you have a name?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but no sound came out. I took a deep breath and tried again, but still no words were spoken. My eyebrows furrowed together in disbelief. This must still be a dream, no, a nightmare.
Sighing in surrender, I pointed to my throat, trying to explain my lack of language. Mrs. Partridge understood at once. "I see," She moved closer towards me, her face softening a bit.
Danny didn't buy it. "So there's a mute living in Tracy's closet. No wonder we haven't heard her before." He lowered the baseball bat and placed it back under his bed.
"Danny, why don't you go and see if Mr. Kincaid's here yet, he's running late." Before he could argue, he stopped, realizing his Mother was not to be bargained with. He exited the room with an Oscar winning performance, arms flailing about, feet stomping. You had to hand it to him. That kid had soul.
Mrs. Partridge smiled again. "You can come out now. Don't worry; the only one who bites is Danny, and most of the time he doesn't even mean it."
I pushed myself up off the wooden floor, carefully trying to step around whatever I'd broken. It felt good to finally stretch my legs. What had seemed like a nightmare in the beginning was turning out to be reality. Mrs. Partridge gaped at my appearance, and it occurred to me that I wasn't dressed for the particular time-period.
I wore my favorite pair jeans and a ragged Green Day t-shirt. It was odd to think that the band members probably weren't even born yet. I would have laughed if I could, to stay sane, but my voice refused to acknowledge itself.
Before Mrs. Partridge had the chance to speak again, a man fumbled into the bedroom clothed in an overcoat and matching tie. "Shirley," The man stumbled on his words, "Danny mentioned something about a murderer?"
She sighed, "You were misinformed Rueben. I have the situation under control. We just need to get in contact with this young lady's parents."
I was getting annoyed by the reference of 'girl', so I took matters into my own hands. In the corner of the bedroom was a chalk board, which I decided to use to my advantage. Not wanting to alarm anyone, I moved gradually over towards it, picked up a piece of chalk, and neatly spelled out my name.
"Well," Danny spoke up, popping his grimy little head into the room again, "At least now we know she can write her own name." He smirked at me. I'd always hated sarcastic tones, and that boy sure knew how to use them. I shot him a look of deep loathing, cursing him off in my head, which was the best I could do under the circumstances.
"Reuben, would you call the sheriff's department and find out where our guest lives. I think we'll be needing to have a little talk with her parents." Mrs. Partridge took my hand, and led me out of the room.
"No parents, no living relatives, no nothing? It's not like she just vanished out of thin air." Rueben's voice was louder than the rest. I moved my ear closer to the doorway. They'd left me unattended in the living room for a family meeting in the kitchen. "It's just not possible."
"Keep your voice down, she'll here you!" Laurie Partridge attempted to calm everyone down, with no avail.
"I say we keep her," Danny's voice startled me, "Who knows, adopting another child may be a good publicity stunt and besides, she not that bad looking. Maybe would could give her a job as a back-up dancer." I covered my mouth, trying to hold back the laughter the bubbled up in my throat.
"That's crazy talk," Mrs. Partridge intervened, "I have enough mouths to feed already, and adding another one would take a lot of extra work. Reuben, now would be a great time for one of your infamous plans."
There was a long pause and quite a bit of feet shuffling about.
"To tell you the truth," Rueben's voice was low and unsteady, "I don't know what to do with the kid." A long chorus of sighs followed by bickering erupted in their tiny kitchen, until finally, Shirley Partridge had had enough.
"Well," She quieted her children down, "For the moment, it looks like we'll be welcoming a guest into our family." That being said, she began walking in my direction.
I quickly jumped back on the sofa and pretended like I'd heard nothing. The whole family filed out of the kitchen in single file, each displaying a different emotion. I felt out of place.
"Ray," Mrs. Partridge sat down beside me and put an arm around my shoulder, "Are you sure you can't remember anything about your family?" I thought harder about my decision to not tell them about my mother. She'd be a budding teenager right about now, growing up in Philadelphia, not a care in the world. Well, at least not yet, and it wasn't possible at the moment due to my muteness.
I nodded, and Mrs. Partridge accepted my fib as the truth. "For the time being, we'd like to invite you to stay with us, if you'd like. Just until we find your parents, of course."
Her offer was too kind to refuse, but I wanted to go home. I wanted to be back with my care-free mother. What was going on? The last memory I could recall was the drive home from a Keith Par… Keith. Where was Keith?
The Partridge's waited patiently for my answer. I gave up, seeing as there was no way I'd be going home tonight, I agreed. Shirley Partridge smiled, while the rest of her offspring displayed mixed reactions. Mr. Kincaid looked baffled, as usual, and Danny grinned widely. Laurie smiled faintly, and the two youngsters, Chris and Tracy, didn't seem to know what'd just happened.
At that moment, the living room door opened and a voice was audible from behind where I sat, still and motionless. It gave me chills. My heartbeat quickened. Everything slowed.
"What's going on?" An adolescent Keith Partridge came into my view, watching his family intently, and it took only a split second for his eyes to find mine.
Realization dawned on me…
*** Yes, I felt the need to re-write this chapter as well. It felt sort of off. Hopefully you'll enjoy it. The next chapter is fast approaching so be ready (;
Love, Carolyn.