The Doll in the Garden

Chapter 7

A Midnight Adventure

WHEN I GOT into bed, Oscar was curled up on my pillow waiting for me. He purred happily while I petted him, and when he'd had enough affection, he settled down on the windowsill to watch the night.

Was he waiting for Snowball? Crawling to the foot of my bed, I peered down at the yard. Mom was still typing, and an oblong of light from Miss Cooper's kitchen window slanted across the grass. Fireflies winked and blinked in the shadows, but the garden was nearly invisible in the darkness.

I waited till my eyelids got so heavy I could barely see, but there was no sign of Snowball. Just the crickets chirping, the leaves rustling, and now and then a passing car. Once the kitchen door opened and Max bounded out. I watched him run around the backyard, his dog tags jingling, but he didn't go into the garden and he didn't bark. He just did his business and went back inside.

After the door shut behind Max, the kitchen light went out, and the backyard surrendered itself to the moon. Its full face peered down from high in the sky, brightening the water in Miss Cooper's birdbath, illuminating the clusters of Queen Anne's lace in the garden, casting black shadows everywhere else.

A little later, Mom's typewriter stopped clicking. I listened to her moving around, getting ready for bed.

When everything was still, I looked at my clock radio, glowing green on top of the bureau. It was after twelve. Taking my flashlight, I crept out of my room, shutting Oscar inside to keep him from following me.

I eased the back door open and tiptoed down the steps. They were already cool and damp with dew, and I shivered as a little breeze puffed my nightgown away from my legs. All around me, the night lived its secret life. As I ran across the grass toward the garden, I felt as if a host of creatures watched me from the inky black shadows.

I paused at the end of the lawn and looked back at the house. All the windows were dark, but the moonlight shone full on the white clapboard and sent an intricate shadow from the stairs slanting across the wall. I was sure Oscar was still at his post, and I hoped he was the only one to see me slowly push aside the bushes and creep into the garden.

Brambles snatched at my hair and my nightgown as I made my way slowly toward the goldfish pond. A spider's web brushed my face, frightening me with its clammy touch, but I told myself I wasn't a baby like Kristi. There was nothing in the garden to hurt me. Nothing to scare me.

When I was sure I was invisible from the house, I sent the beam of my flashlight darting through the underbrush, seeking Anna Maria's box. Shadows danced around me and another gust of wind flipped the leaves silver side up. Where had Kristi hidden the doll?

Hearing a faint meow, I turned the flashlight in the sound's direction and saw Snowball crouched beside the box. His eyes reflected the beam of light, and his fur glimmered.

"You found her for me, didn't you?" I whispered as he rubbed against me.

Snowball purred louder when I shone the light into the open box. In its beam, Anna Maria looked pale and worn with age; her face seemed as sad as Mom's.

"You'll be safe now," I told her. "I'll take good care of you and love you and never let you go, Anna Maria."

As I whispered to the doll, Snowball tried to wedge himself between her and me. Putting his paws on the doll's body, he kneaded her with his claws and meowed like a baby kitten.

"No, Snowball." I pushed him away. "You'll tear her clothes."

Still meowing, the cat backed into the shrubbery, and when I reached for him, sorry I'd hurt his feelings, he edged farther away. I crawled toward him, but he turned and ran out of the garden. Holding Anna Maria tightly, I stumbled after him.

"Snowball," I whispered, keeping a fearful eve on Miss Cooper's windows. "Kitty, kitty, kitty."

Slowly he walked across the grass, watching me over his shoulder as if he were asking me to come with him. When he reached the hedge separating Miss Cooper's yard from the field next door, I stopped.

"Come here, Snowball," I said softly, but he stayed where he was and meowed plaintively.

"I'm not going through that hedge," I told him, "so you'd better come here."

I guess I spoke too loudly because Max started barking from somewhere in the house. Afraid of being caught by Miss Cooper, I turned and ran for the stairs. Up I went as quickly and as quietly as possible. Just as I reached the porch, I saw a light flash out of the open kitchen door below me.

"Who's there?" Miss Cooper yelled. Max bounded outside barking and ran toward the hedge, and I slipped into our kitchen, still clutching Anna Maria.

Hoping the commotion wouldn't wake Mom, I tiptoed into my room and peeked out the window. Max was circling the yard, sniffing and barking, but I was sure Snowball had his own secret places where Max would never find him.

In a few minutes. Miss Cooper called Max back into the house, and all was quiet again.

I got into bed and Oscar crept to my side. "This is Anna Maria," I told him, holding the doll upright in front of him.

To my surprise, Oscar's back arched and his fur rose. He made a strange growling sound and retreated to the foot of the bed. Hesitating for a moment, he stared at Anna Maria. Then he leaped to the windowsill and refused to come near me or the doll.

"Don't let him hurt your feelings," I whispered to Anna Maria. "He's probably jealous of you."

Anna Maria gazed placidly at me^ her mouth slightly open, her tiny teeth showing. She looked as if she were about to take a deep breath and tell me all her secrets.

I smoothed her hair and laid her down beside me. "Who is Carrie?" I whispered. "And why did she bury you?"

But Anna Maria closed her eyes and said nothing.

I closed my eyes, too, happy to have Anna Maria beside me. But just as I was about to fall asleep, I heard it again. Outside in the night, a child was crying.

Frightened, I sat up and looked out the window. Down on the lawn, in hill view, I saw Snowball. He was looking up at me, and for the first time I noticed he cast no shadow on the moonlit grass.