The Weepings of the Moss: The House on Pine Island (Chapter 1, Part 2)
“Everything okay, sir?” Mark asked, giving him a worried look.
“Fine, yeah, sorry, I just…” Gabriel turned around again, looking down the road beneath the forest canopy. “I thought maybe I could see the house from here.”
“You’re from Georgia ain’t ya’? I think you’d know better than to think we could see much through these woods. Could be someone right on the other side of a thicket and you’d never know.” Gabriel looked back over at Mark who only shrugged his sloping shoulders, the shadows of the trees dancing from the sudden strong wind danced across his business casual attire. There was a sudden grinding of rocks and brush behind them, where they saw an old gold colored SUV pulling up behind them. “As I live and breath, speak of the devil!” Mark said with a slap to the top of his Prius and then began walking over to the SUV which came to a stop behind them. A middle aged, balding man in a polo was driving, a small woman with sunglasses and a Georgia Tech golfing hat and bright red curly hair was on the passenger side.
“Well hey there stranger!” The driver said enthusiastically with a broad grin, reaching his hand out for a handshake to Mark. Mark met his hand.
“Dave Walker, what are you doin’ out here? You really let this guy out the house?” Mark said to who was apparently Mrs. Walker in the passenger seat.
“Only for short walks like you should with any dog!” She said with a teasing smile. Dave Walker gave a laugh and rolled his eyes.
“I’m tellin’ ya’ Mark she wants me to keep my youthful physique. It’s the only exercise I get other than yelling at the TV when Tech loses a game.” Mr. Walker said with a wink.
“Or lifting those beer cans, I tell ya’ what it really works those biceps.” Mark made them laugh as he squeezed his bicep then motioned as if he were lifting dumbbells.
“But wait who’s this handsome young devil over here?” Mr. Walker leaned more out his window and gestured towards Gabriel. Awkwardly Gabriel stepped over to be engaged in the conversation.
“Hi there, name’s Gabriel, sir. Nice to meet you.” Gabriel said, shaking Mr. Walker’s soft hand in a firm grip, Mr. Walker’s Rolex watch shaking a bit as they did so.
“Oh none of that sir stuff with me son, I work for a living ya’ know.” Gabriel politely laughed with them at the joke.
“It’s quite nice of you to come out and give me the grand tour.” Gabriel began, doing his best to be social and cordial. “I was very excited when Mark here showed me the listing, its been tough finding exactly what I’m looking for out here.”
“Of course, no problem. I’ll tell you what,” Mr. Walker began. “I know the saying goes calling something a diamond in the rough, but this property is a just a little rough in the diamond, if that makes sense. We had Mark here represent us selling a number of our other properties in the state but we kept this island because I tell you what, there is just nothing else like it.”
“He’s exactly right honey,” Mrs. Walker said in a sing song like tone from the passenger seat. “we lived a bit of everywhere with Dave’s work but we always came back here. Raised our four kids in it and saw them all off to Georgia Tech in Atlanta from here.”
“Say, that’s right. Didn’t you just come from Atlanta? Great city am I right?” Mark said, patting Gabriel’s shoulder. The knife. The blood. Her laughter. Gabriel paused for a moment, and all stared at him expectantly.
“Oh, yeah, great town. Great restaurants, I-I think that’s what I’ll miss most. Won’t miss the traffic though!” The others laughed with him.
“Ain’t that the honest truth.” Mr. Walker said with a chuckle. “But yeah, otherwise phenomenal city. Our kids are long since graduated from college though Mark and scattered to the wind so I doubt they were in Atlanta at the same time.”
“That’s true, man they grow up fast don’t they?” Mark said, leaning against their SUV.
“Well I know Mark here don’t want to admit it but clearly he did not hear my directions.” Mr. Walker shot Mark a sly smile. Mark embarrassedly rolled his eyes.
“I was just appreciating this beautiful South Carolina air, you know?” Mark said, all of them chuckling.
“Your ears are burning over there Mark!” Mrs. Walker said with a giggle.
“Well don’t let me bore you here Mr. Gabriel how about I bore you where at least you can see the property with your own eyes?” Mr. Walker stated in a joking tone.
“Sounds good, sir.” Gabriel said, starting to walk back to the car.
“Hey, what’d I say about calling me sir now?” He pointed his finger in faux scolding manner.
“Sounds good, Dave.” Gabriel corrected himself with a smile as he walked backwards towards the Prius.
“There we go! Just follow us, Mark.” Mr. and Mrs. Walker rolled their windows up and turned right at the fork. Gabriel and Mark got back in their car and followed them down the road for a few more minutes. Leaning his head back against the seat rest, he closed his eyes for a moment. The whole ordeal talking with them was exhausting. They seem like good people. I wish I was one of them. He thought to himself tiredly, for a moment imagining what it would be like to be them. To feel safe in a warm home, looking forward to the next day because each day was filled with opportunity. He wondered how it would feel to kiss his son goodbye for school. The boy had felt so small in his arms. So small, swaddled so tightly, his skin so soft. Gabriel used to love smelling his hair. The car began slowing, and eventually came to a halt. Gabriel opened his eyes.
There stood before him a tall, two floor Georgian style home. Chimneys sat on either side of the home but they were not fully exterior, they being slightly enclosed by the roof. Each floor had four windows. There was a porch and balcony centered on the front, wood pillars supporting the roof for each. The porch and balcony both only went as far left and right as the center two windows on each floor respectively, between the windows both were punctuated by doors, one allowing access to the porch, another to the balcony. A small semi circled window to the attic could be seen on the face of the wall of the top truss that shaped the very top of the house. Each window had colonial style shutters, to include a colonial style double brick stair case with iron railings that led to the front door. A widow’s walk was situated on the roof with what once would have been a white railing, but was now peeling and covered in mold. In fact, the whole house was the same way. What once would have been a beautiful white Georgian colonial style home was wilting, it’s paint nearly gone, the glass in nearly every window shattered, the doors hanging by their hinges, Spanish moss hanging from nearly every ledge, the list could go on. There was even a well to the right that was completely overgrown with weeds, thorn bushes growing from inside of it, a small wood roof that once hung over it long since collapsed.
The house has been revealed. Next Thursday, Gabriel learns more about its past and makes a decision that will seal his fate on the island. Follow the blog to find out what secrets the wilting magnolia holds.
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