4
Ivan’s heart was replaced by big bass drums and cymbals clashed in his ears, a headache like no other. Something that buzzed in his head, resembling a rattlesnake, told him that something was wrong. Something big was going to happen that day, and he just knew it. His mind whirled with thoughts of Latianna and confusion filled his brain of why she was so hostile towards him yesterday when he trekked the long, tedious and nerve-racking journey up the dirt road to her house. He risked the dirt road that had a seven-hundred-foot drop on one side and a rocky gorge on the other. It was no easy feat to drive safely on that thing. What did he do to her? He was very carefully aware of his manners. He did not say “like” or “I know, right?” too much, or perhaps at all. He couldn't remember exactly. She'd mesmerized him by telling him of all the adventures she’d experienced.
He approached his locker, barely taking notice of Chad who was walking up beside him and chatting away with his dream girl, Kelly. He was always trying to muster up the nerve to ask her to homecoming; always being the past three weeks, of course. Chad was certain Kelly already had a date, and yet there had been no talk in the guys’ locker room about it. Therefore, Chad’s hopes remained high that she might go with him.
Ivan jittered his locker up and down. Stuck. Great. Just great. His head hurt... he was confused... he had stayed up late the prior night working on an essay for Animal Farm by George Orwell that was due. He hoped that Miss Yancy – soon to be Mrs. White – would not notice that he ripped it off the first site that he came to. It was not that Ivan did not like writing book essays, he did. He loved English and had always been an avid reader. But, the books he had to read for school were not the type of books he liked to read. Why couldn't he write a book essay for the types of books Ivan devoured?
Ivan finally got his locker open and was confused when a small piece of paper dropped out. He looked down at the envelope that landed upon his feet. The envelope was addressed to him, Ivan Harvey, and underneath his name was his locker number.
He picked it up as he became unaware of his surroundings, the school's fire alarm could have gone off and Ivan Harvey would not have even budged. His eyes, fixated on the letter in his hands, gleamed down, and his headache waned. Something about this letter brightened his day. Perhaps, it was the excessive properness of the exquisite handwriting. Perhaps, it was that seeing his name finely printed in golden ink made him feel important. On the other hand, perhaps – and most likely – it was the fact that he had received a mysterious letter that could be a great start to a most excellent story...
5
Thelma, distraught about her son’s disappearance, sat in her living room, holding her husband’s hand, talking to the policemen about what Kurt was last seen wearing, where he had last been, and other such things that one tells the police when a child is missing. The police assured her that everything would be okay. They also told her that Kurt most likely ran away and would be back before the day was up. The police said they could not officially report him missing until forty-eight hours passed. They highly encouraged her to call his friends and look around town for him, perhaps at his favorite places to hang out with his friends.
Dorothy went down to the train tracks earlier that morning when her mother called her. Although she found nothing but old beer cans and footprints, she was sure that something had happened that night. The air smelled oddly rotten to her and an eeriness surrounded the atmosphere. She had no clue of what tragic event had taken place that night, but she was sure that something horrific had happened to her brother.
Later, when Thelma asked around town if anyone had seen Kurt, they all shook their heads and reassured her that it would be okay. All except for one person, a man named Calvin Redd, he went off on how the devil-family had moved to town. How the Dyebukos were responsible for this and how he would soon see to it that they paid. How they'd been to town before, when the founding families were here, making Riverwolf Pass a livable place.
“I bet Latianna is Satan's helper. She did something with your son. Oooh, how could she do such a thing? Corrupting your little boy like that! And now he's run away. Oh, he'll go to hell for sure for this. What ever shall you do?” Calvin had said to Mrs. Garder. That got her head spinning in a tither.
Along with her questioning of different people in the neighborhood, she discovered that a young girl named Alice had not returned home the night before either. She could not help but wonder if she was in cahoots with that Latianna she-devil.
6
Latianna finally found her way to sleep. Thoughts of Ivan Harvey danced inside her head, prancing about like children do in a field of flowers. These thoughts consisted of fear, concern and anxiety. She was nervous about the dinner party, what poise she had to keep up, how proper she would have to continue to act. All those thoughts worried her. She wished her father had not made her invite Ivan. She secretly hoped that he would not come.
She woke suddenly at four that afternoon. She'd slept all day, which was to be expected. She had stayed up all night long. She liked sleeping during the day, after watching the sunrise that is. She had the option to sleep all day without even worrying about school. She'd graduated early and had the brains to prove it. She was easily as smart as any college professor was, which is why she found no need to go to college.
Latianna went down the winding stairs to the kitchen and opened the fridge, she saw all the food there, waiting for the dinner party. She shuddered at the thought and wished that for just five minutes of her day she could forget about the stupid dinner party her parents insisted on hosting. Who had dinner parties anymore anyways? They were defunct. It was 2009 not 1875; dinner parties were most certainly not fun, even for Latianna who was incredibly old fashioned. Her looks even told you she didn't follow the modern fashion ways. With her golden curls eloquently placed atop her head and the fact that she always wore dresses, that was enough for just about anybody to assume that she was out of date.
There was a knock on the door and Latianna questioned answering it. Nevertheless, when the knock came the second time, she reluctantly walked to the front door and pried it open, stepping out onto the porch.
Ivan stood there, his eyes cast upon her in sheer admiration. Latianna picked up easily on his emotions of love for her already. She could tell that he felt that way due to the way she dressed and her quaint personality. Little did she know the sweet aura around her imbued his heart with an everlasting happiness. He smiled at her which made her heart take flight as she returned his smile with a dainty smile of her own.
“I do so hope we can talk today,” Ivan said, peering into Latianna’s eyes and perhaps trying to sneak a peek at her wise, old, wonderful soul. The way Ivan was looking at her made her knees go weak, and she sat down in an old wicker chair that was close by. It was a loveseat, just big enough for two. Latianna, taking notice of this, patted what was left of the seat beside her and Ivan quickly complied. When he sat down next to her, the skin on their legs brushed together and sent a warming feeling throughout Latianna. She was compelled to hold his hand, but did not exactly know why she didn’t just reach over and grab it.
“I got the invitation to the dinner party,” Ivan said, looking around at the vast yard before them. The weeping willow trees swayed in the wind, bending so far over that Ivan stated that he thought they might snap in two. The wind swirled around them, picking up the fallen leaves and tossing them into a circling sphere.
Latianna thought the leaves were dancing, and began to wonder what it would be like to dance with Ivan Harvey, if they would get a chance to dance at the dinner party. She remembered that at some of the dinner parties that her parents hosted when she was younger there was dancing involved. By order of her parents, she did not attend these parties. Her parents forced her to stay quiet, up in her room. But, she spied through the crack in her door, watching the people dancing, eating, and in conversation. In addition, she watched as one by one of them retired for the evening.
/> “Oh, and do you think you’ll be able to attend?” she asked, wishing he would say yes so she could see him again, but knowing that it would be better if he said no.
“Oh yes, of course,” Ivan replied sweetly, looking into Latianna’s eyes. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It’s the only exciting thing that has ever happened in Riverwolf Pass.” Latianna frowned, wondering if exciting was the right word.
“I look forward to seeing you again,” Latianna said, looking into his eyes. She always longed for someone to look at her with the admiration that Ivan then held in his eyes. She knew that she had to get to know him, and knowing that this may be her only chance, she stood up abruptly.
“You can’t leave, Latianna,” Ivan protested, frowning and looking down at his feet with disappointment.
“I mustn’t stay here. I must go somewhere. You must follow me,” Latianna said, reaching down and grabbing Ivan’s hand. The moment their hands touched, Ivan looked up with an expression of sheer joy on his face.
“You mean, go somewhere together? Like a date? Oh, never mind I said that… uhh… Well, where would you like to go?” he asked, suddenly feeling on the spot to do something. He felt his cheeks go red hot.
“Don't worry so much,” Latianna’s face broke out into a smile. She gripped Ivan’s hand tighter and playfully pulled him along down the winding dirt road. Her white frilly dress flapped in the wind. Her petticoat kept her legs warm in the fall breeze that cut its way through the air like a sharp piercing knife.
“Where are we going?” Ivan asked through the laughter.
“Just follow me,” Latianna said, smiling and running fast. She had not felt that happy in God knew how long.
“But-” Ivan started but then gave up, he could tell that she was a strong spirited girl and was going to do this her way. Not to mention, Ivan was having a bit of fun and enjoying Latianna’s different and mysterious ways.
Latianna led Ivan into a giant field that Ivan never knew existed. It was aways away from the manor, about a ten minute run. Latianna led him down the little dirt road, through the woods, and around a small pond where the little green frogs croaked loudly. Just as soon as the pond was out of sight, Latianna collapsed onto the ground, pulling Ivan down with her. Both of them were laughing uncontrollably.
“This it?” Ivan asked, propping himself up on his elbow, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand as he looked down at Latianna. Seeing him look down at her, Latianna’s cheeks became hot as she began to blush. She struggled to remember a feeling she had once experienced that came close to matching this one, but she could not remember one. This was one of pure joy and happiness, one of ineffable comfort along with an odd awareness of her true self.
“Yes, this is where I come when I want to spend some time alone and away from the uncanny world that I am forced to live in every day.”
“You too? I mean, you really feel like that?” Ivan asked and was relieved when Latianna nodded.
“Sometimes,” Latianna started, looking up at Ivan’s slender face and deep, entrancing eyes. “It feels like I’m one of a kind, no one understands me, no one listens to me, no one likes my way. It feels like I’m trapped in a world of unnatural surroundings, a world where nothing can be explained and where every day horror is greater than those one reads of in horror novels.”
Ivan looked down at the miraculous girl that lay beside him, and he knew there was only one thing to do... only one right response for what she had just told him... for the comfort and acceptance she had just imparted upon him. He looked down at her luscious naturally cherry-red lips, and kissed them...