Birthday Gift

Plastic stars and planets cast a faint yellow glow down at her from the ceiling. She had been thinking about this for several days and there was no way around it. This was the only way it would work, It had to. She didn’t want to bring her brother. What other choice did she have? At nearly thirteen she was in charge and this was important. She knew he would not only slow her down, he would complain and whine. The problem was that what if she left him and he woke up? He was only eight and letting him waking up to an empty house wasn’t an option.
Sighing, accepting there was no other way, she would wait until her mom went to work. Her mom got a part time job at night so she could be home for the both of them during the day. She had not known that her mom had made a deal with their neighbor. She would usually sneak in and check up on them several times a night, just in case. Deciding to Wait after she heard the front door click, she thought of what needed to be done.
Easing out of bed, she used the light from the hallway spilling through the crack from the door to change. Grabbing her Knapp sack and jar of change, she tiptoed into her brothers room.
“What do you want”? he didn’t sound too groggy. Obviously it would have been one of those nights when he would find every excuse to get up and fight sleep. Good maybe he wouldn’t tire as easily.
“I’ve been thinking,” sitting on his bed, she started to pull the covers down. “What if we went somewhere? Maybe an adventure like one of your books?” Rubbing his eyes, he sat up. There was a glint in his eyes.
“Really? We can go on an adventure? Right now? It’s dark.” She had always loved the dark. He on the other hand, was always seeing monsters and bad things just out of reach ready to grab.
“Well, yeah, but if we don’t go now, we’ll never get to. Haven’t you always said mom doesn’t let you stay up?” Stretching, he smiled and nodded. Rising anxious to be off. Rising out of bed, she tossed him some clothes.
“I figured out how to get her the perfect gift for mom.” as he was getting dressed she reminded him to go to the bathroom before heading to the kitchen.
While waiting for her brother, she filled a canteen and grabbed a few granola bars. She wanted to be prepared. Walking in, he was at least excited. “Do you know what we are going to get? How are we paying for it?”
“I have been saving money for awhile.” Showing him the small mason jar filled with change.
“wait a minute.” He ran into his room. On the shelf, she pulled an old lantern and some matches. Lighting the lantern, she put the matches in her pocket. Her brother ran with a handful of change. She looked at him, surprised he had saved any money at all
“Piggy bank” was all he said. It wasn’t a lot, but it would certainly help. throwing the money into the mason jar, she put everything else in her pack. He looked scared, but there was a small smile creeping onto his face. Closing the door behind them, they set off into the night.
Holding the lantern high, it lit the night around them. She had always thought that the cypress trees looked as if they were standing at attention, getting ready to march off somewhere. Perhaps some sort of tree army waiting for its orders. Showing her the ground ahead for a yard or two in a circular pattern, the light cast enough to see the outlaying trees off the path, enough to keep whatever animal there might be in sight if it happened to be curious.
Frogs sang their nocturnal tune. She always wondered what they were saying. Were they trying to find girl frogs? Were they chatting about other things like where the best bugs might be? What did they talk about all night ? Many types of bugs were drawn to the light from the lantern. Moths and other smaller flying insects  bombed and fluttered around her assaulting their arms and head. She already knew it would be a long walk, but with all of these bugs, it would be near unbearable. She thought of her mom and what they may be able to get for her, and she trudged on. Her brother had a tendency to slow down. Or stop. She had to keep him moving so she could be finished before her mom got home.
She had walked it seemed, for hours. Her legs were tired. Her brother had begun to complain. She knew he was about to get to the point where he would just sit and refuse to get up and go any further. She kept reassuring him that they were almost there. Stopping only a couple of times so he could get a drink and rest, but only for a bit. She told him that they were sneaking out and if they got caught they would be in a world of trouble. As they walked he munched on a granola bar. She tried to play word games with him. She talked about how they were walking way past their bedtime and on an adventure like the stories in his books. That perked him up. She still kept urging him foreword.
The path would meander around trees and places where the swamp was on the verge of submerging the small dirt path that ran into the darkness. A couple of times her imagination got the best of her and she would spot glowing red eyes staring back at her off from out beyond the darkness. She hoped it was merely her imagination. Grown ups always told her that the swamp had to be respected. That it took only those people who were strong enough to live there. Even the strongest had to show respect. Finally after what she thought had been hours, she spotted the licker of torches deep within the recesses of the swamp. They looked like fireflies, sentries guarding some cave to a treasure. Or to a dungeon. She had realized that if something bad did happen, no one would know where they were. That feeling of dread was so strong she had to take a deep breath. They couldn’t fail. This was only an old woman.
Kneeling down to talk to her brother trying to keep him from being frightened, she looking into his eyes as she barely spoke in a whisper.
“Mom said she was bad,” pointing in the direction of the witch lady”s house. She said to never talk to the old lady of the swamp. Mom said if we saw her we should run. I think she’s just a lonely old woman who people are afraid of because they don’t try to understand her.” He Still looked frightened, but at least it gave him some comfort. She had to be strong for the both of them. She tried to smile at him, but she may have missed the mark. She held his hands and looked at him.
“Have I ever lied to you? I think she’s just an old lady who has lived a long time by herself in the swamp. The stories I hear is that she knows a lot about plants and how to heal people. I have never heard of anyone getting hurt. Momma loves us. That is why we are going to ask. She may say no, but at least we tried. Besides, I think it’s going to be a long time before momma lets us stay up late or do anything fun. We just have to be careful is all. I’ll watch her, and if I think it isn’t safe we’ll run, okay?” He looked dubious, but nodded wiping the back of his sleeve to wipe his eyes and nose. They started walking again. Where there had been insects and toads before, there was absolute silence. The swamp suddenly ceased. This was much more scary than the noises. At least before you could hear where everything was. Most things anyway.
Stepping into the tree line of the shack, she realized there were no longer any insects. Nor anything else in the swamp for that matter. It was as if someone had hit a switch and turned everything off at once. Looking back She had almost expected the swamp to be gone. Expecting they had traveled far off somewhere magical. Perhaps to a different land, or another time. The swamp still sat behind her Still and dark. She held his hand as they slowly walked up to the door. Trying not scream or do anything other than be brave for her brother, she stood in front of the door and reached out to knock. As she did, the door opened a crack.
“What do you want, child?” She gripped her brother’s hand so hard that she heard him whimper. Even with the lantern, she couldn’t see who the voice belonged to.
“Hello, ma’am. Sorry to bother you, but I was hoping to could speak with you.” She herself wanted to run away, to scream running into the darkness.  she instead stood wishing to get this over with as soon as possible.
“It’s late. Speak up, what do you need?”  Her voice seem to soften. Her brother was still whimpering. Letting up on her brothers hand, the elderly woman opened the door, and stepped aside.
“Yes ma’am. We were wondering…” the raspy voice cut her off.
“Please, come in so we may speak near the fire. My old bones don’t like the night.”
As if by slow motion they  entered the small dimly lit cottage. The heat inside the shack was sweltering.  Hanging from the walls and ceiling were bones. Jars of all sizes were all filled with objects in different colored liquids. She couldn’t think of what the old lady could be saving. The far wall was lined with bookshelves. Stuffed animals that she had never seen before were in menacing poses everywhere. In corners, on the table.
“Thank you ma’am, I was wondering if you might be able to help me.”
“Is that so?” the old lady closed the door with an ominous click. The little girl put out the lantern to save oil.
“We were hoping you could help us. It’s our mom’s birthday, and we don’t know what to get her.” The acrid smoke from the fireplace didn’t seem to be drawing very well. She felt the tears well up but tried not to start crying. If she did, then she doubted she would be able to stop. “We don’t have enough money for anything at the store…” she trailed off, not wanting to explain why they were poor. It really wasn’t her business anyway.
“Now, now child, It’s quite all right. I understand. A small gift that means everything for your mother, but any payments may be an issue?” she turned around  and limped over to an old chest. It looked like one in her brothers stories about pirates. She suddenly thought of gold and bejeweled treasures stolen from kings. Bending and murmuring to herself she finally got the lid up.  her back was to the children so they didn’t know what was going on.
“Ma’am, I, I mean we have been saving money. And I offer it all to you for anything you may have that i could buy for our mom.” the little girl took off her pack, and opened it. She withdrew a mason jar full of change.
The old lady seemed to be talking to herself. “No, no, that won’t do. Can’t part with this. not yet anyway.” she kept pulling things out then setting them back down again. She next went to a cupboard that didn’t have a door but an old curtain hid the contents from the room. she pulled open the curtain and stepped inside.
The little boy looked at her sister as if to say, “come on, now is our chance. we need to go.” He did this by looking wide eyed and nodding to the front door and shaking his head. the girl shook her head and grimaced at her brother. She smiled and mouthed “almost done”
The old lady returned with a small wooden box. It was a dark color aged from dust and time. It had a couple of stains near the bottom. She wasn’t sure, but they almost looked like dried blood.
“Now, don’t go opening this! I know your mother. She has always been sweet to me. I think that this gift would be perfect for her.” The old lady smiled and clapped her hands. The girl hesitantly took the box as if afraid it would break. Or worse, poison or sting her just by touching it. Wrapping the box in a scarf she placed it within the pack.
“Thank you ma’am. I hope this is enough. Whatever the balance is I’ll work it off. I promise. Here is everything we have.” She began to hand the old lady the jar of change. Instead the old woman shooed her away.
“Okay, bargain struck. Now let me help you with your way home. I don’t want anything happening to you between here and there! People may think I had something to do with that. We can’t have that now, can we?” Cackling until she began to cough. Resting a bit until the coughs subsided, she waved her hand over the lantern. Speaking in hushed tones in words the girl couldn’t understand. Suddenly, the lantern lit up as if on fire. Except there was no fire!
Eyes wide, she slipped on the pack  she held the lantern in one hand taking her brother’s hand with the other. She curtsied because she couldn’t think of anything else to do.
“My my! What manners you have! Thank you dear child for thinking of me. Maybe one of these days you can come by for tea and cookies. Now However, it is very late for children to be out. Be safe now dear ones.” slowly yet firmly the old lady ushered them out of the shack. Light from the lantern seemed to grow several times brighter out in the night air. She had to hold it out and up, otherwise she would have a hard time seeing the path home.
“Thank you again!” the girl said as she heard the door close. She had turned to wave goodbye, except the door was already shut. not only that, the two torches that had been on earlier were out. They hadn’t been off as she passed them. Wondering if it were magic or the fact she hadn’t noticed with thoughts of heading home. Soon this would all be over.
The walk home was uneventful. They both wondered what kind of treasures the little box held. Maybe a piece of gold or jewelry? Maybe something magical? It was nice to imagine even if the guesses got wilder as they kept walking. Before she knew it they could see the faint glow of the houses through the cypress trees. The walk home didn’t seem to feel as long as it should have. Maybe the old lady must have helped. She wasn’t complaining, it was nice just to get home.
They walked around the houses skirting around the lights and back porches. It would have been no good to get caught just as they were sneaking back in. Quietly they made their way to the front door. About to head around to the back porch, she knew the first sight of the house that there was a problem. A huge problem. Lights were on. Her brother started to say something, but she hushed him.
“It looks like momma got home early. Now if you don’t say anything, you won’t be in trouble.” He had a look of stark terror in his eyes. She understood because she had been thinking the same thing. How much trouble they would be in? Forgetting all pretenses to be silent, She pushed open the door and went to find their mother.
They had not gotten past the door to the kitchen when they heard their mom’s voice.
“So, the two of you decided to run errands at this time of night? Yes, I found out not long after you left. Our neighbor let me know.” She could tell her mom was angry and trying to keep things in check except her voice was shakey as she spoke.
“I am so sorry mom. I promise that has never happened and it will never happen again. We love you so much, but I wanted…”
“Quiet. I am more disappointed in you than anything else. That you went behind my back and disobeyed me. Do you realize you could have been lost? Or hurt? Or worse? And you brought your brother. I would have never found out if something had happened. I would have been lost… ” She had begun choking on the last few words. Her head down, still standing in front of the sink, shaking with silent tears. It was a few minutes before their mom gained her composure.
“Momma, I am so sorry. Just punish me. It was my idea, and I forced him to come along. I didn’t want him to be alone.”
Tears poured down her cheeks. Her brother was standing there looking at his shoes with tears streaming down his face. Slipping off her pack she found her fingers weren’t working properly. fumbling to undo the straps. She was having a hard seeing with tears clouding her vision and her fingers shaking. Finally unclasping the pack, she pulled out the wrapped package and placed it on the table. Head hung low, she walked back next to her brother grasping his hand. “We got you a birthday present. We love you so much. We picked this out just for you. We didn’t have enough, but i promised that I would work off the rest of the money with the old lady. No matter what the cost.” Wiping the tears from her eyes, she took a deep breath. She hoped that this would at least show some sense of responsibility.
“Yes baby, I do understand. That was a really nice gesture, and very grown up, but you won’t have to worry about the balance. I took care of that for you.”
As the girl was going to ask how, Her mother turned around. Expecting that this would be when she would receive her punishment, she steeled herself and would accept whatever punishment her mother was planning to give her. Preparing to hear the worst, all thoughts fell away as the scream froze inside her. There was her mom, wiping her hands with a dish rag. Although she smiled, it was nothing to the fact that where her eyes had been, sat two empty sockets.