Echoes

The old floorboards creaked as Odis ran up the stairs, slipped into Theo’s bedroom, and hid behind the door. Heart thumping in his ears, he tried to quiet his breath. He screamed when Theo jumped out from behind a wall.

“How are ya so good at this?” Odis whined.

Theo shrugged. “I have lots’a practice. That’s all me and my brother and sister do all day.”

“Well, what do you want to do now?”

A mischievous smile spread across his face. “Ma?!” he yelled, “Where are ya?!”

“The living room!” A voice yelled back from down the stairs.

The sound of the creaky floorboards filled the house once again as they scuttled down the stairs. They entered the living room to find Theo’s mother sitting in her brown leather chair, sewing a hole in Theo’s pants. “What’re you boys up to?” She looked up with a sweet, tired smile.

“Playing hide n’ seek, ma’am,” replied Odis.

“We was wondering if we could get some candy at Harold’s. I hear they’re givin’ it out free today for the last day of the summer,” asked Theo.

“Boy, you know the rules. No sweets until your room gets cleaned,” she replied plainly, ignoring the boys’ whines of disappointment. She stood up and wiped her hands on her white apron clinging to her dress. “Besides, it’s getting dark. You bes’ get home Odis.”

Theo looked out the window and put his hand up to block the golden sunlight from his eyes. “She’s right. Ya don’t want to be walking home after dark.”

“Okay…” Odis’s voice was filled with disappointment.

“Don’t be like that,” Theo’s mom said with a smile, her teeth as yellow as her dress. “You can come back and play tomorrow.”

After a smile and a nod, Odis showed himself out the door. He ran up the grassy hill as fast as he could, making a game out of jumping over all the sticks, until he arrived home just as the sun had sunk below the skyline.

*   *   *

“It’s just down this hill?” Odis’s mother asked.

“Yessum. I think you’ll like Theo and his mom. They’re real nice.”

“I’m sure I will.”

The sun was just above the trees, pouring light over the old house. Odis knocked on the front door but was met with heavy silence.

“Maybe they’re out?” suggested Odis’s mother.

Odis placed his hand on the brass doorknob and turned. His mother opened her mouth to protest but quickly closed it, confused by what she saw. Cockroaches scurried once the door opened. Everything was covered in a layer of dust. The splintered wooden floors were tinted green. The couch was splotchy with patches of mold and had holes that were homes to tiny bugs.

“Odis, I don’t think this is the right house. Looks abandoned.”

“No, this is it! Hm, maybe theys already went to Harold’s.”

Odis and his mother walked into town just a little bit aways. Theo had said Harold’s was right next to the Post Office, but all that was there was Haddi’s General Store and a stop sign.

“It should be right here.” Odis scratched his head.

His mother turned her attention to a man sitting on a bench outside the post office twirling his big white mustache in between his fingers. “Excuse me, sir? Do ya know where Harold’s Candy Store is?”

The man furrowed his bushy white eyebrows, barely making a crease on top of his deep wrinkles. “Wow, Harold’s. I hadn’t heard ‘bout that place since I was yer boy’s age. Sure do miss it.”