Chapter Nineteen: Wandering Man:

Last year, there was a man who came by the house. I remembered that night. This will sound cliched, but it was storming that night. It was to be one of those all-night rains. I couldn’t sleep that night. (Yes, I am scared of thunderstorms.) Miranda couldn’t sleep through anything. Meanwhile, I was lying awake in my bed. My whole body trembled.

“Miranda,” I whispered. “Miranda. Miranda.” She didn’t even stir. Lucky her. Another lighting flash lit up the curtains. I jumped out of bed and ran across the hall. I had to get down to Grandma’s room. Another lighting flash made me run faster.

“Grandma! Grandma!” I shouted as I pounded on her door. “Grandma, I’m scared! Grandma! Grandma!” I backed up when the door opened. My grandma stepped out into the doorway with a tired look in her eyes.

“What is it?” she asked half-asleep. I looked down at my feet.

“I’m too scared to sleep,” I said in a low voice. Grandma patted me on the head.

“It’s okay, come into my room,” she whispered. I was about to walk into her room when we heard footsteps racing up behind us.

“Ms. Moss!” we heard Doris yelling. “Come quick. There’s a man standing outside in the rain!” We looked up to see her running towards us down the hall. I turned my heard when I heard another door open.

“Stop yelling!” Mama complained as she walked into the hall. “I’m trying to sleep!” She had on her beauty mask and her hair in curlers. Another crash of lighting made me jump behind Grandma. Then, the lights went out.

“Oh snap,” Mama said as she looked at the little lights in the hall.

“What were you trying to say?” Grandma asked Doris.

“I had just finished reading in the library and was about to go to bed,” Doris explained. “I happened to look out the window when I saw a man standing outside looking in.

“What was he doing?” Grandma asked.

“Nothing, he was just standing there,” the help said.

“Are you sure you weren’t seeing things?” Mama asked. Another flash of lighting made me wince. Grandma patted me on the head.

“I know what I saw!” Doris said.

“Take us to him,” Grandma said. I heard feet shuffling at first before I got a response.

“Okay,” Doris said in a low voice. We managed to follow behind in the dark. The flashes of lighting gave us some light despite my fears. I held onto Grandma’s legs as we walked down the hall. My face was buried in her back as I kept my eyes closed.

“Oh, suck it up, Kinsey!” Mama shouted when she heard me whimpering. “You are too old to be acting like this!”

“It’s a phobia,” Grandma said. “She can’t help it.”

“Just like she can’t help talking to Miranda?” Mama asked.

“Don’t start!”

“Mom, it’s just embarrassing! Walking around town, talking to herself.”

“She’s not talking to herself. She’s talking to her friend,” Doris cut in.

“I wish she wouldn’t,” Mama said.

“Enough already,” Grandma said. I just kept my eyes shut as I listened. Mama just didn’t understand anything about Miranda. I tried to explain my friend to Mama. She just stuck up her nose.

“That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard,” she said. I practically broke down crying when she said that. Grandma scolded her for that. That conversation pretty much went like it always did. Mama complained about how embarrassing it was for me talking to Miranda in public. Grandma said to let me be. In the end, it didn’t go anywhere. Mama didn’t care much for Addie, but she was happy to see me talking to a person she could see with her own eyes.

We made it down to the living room. I didn’t open my eyes as I heard the door unlock.

“Oh,” I heard Doris said. I opened my right eye for a peek. A man in soaking wet clothes stood on the porch. His hat covered most of his face. The only time I could really see him was through the lighting flashes. Even then, I wouldn’t look up.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Grandma asked. The thunder and lighting outside wouldn’t let me hear him speak. I kept my eyes shut as tight as I could. There was some back and forth I didn’t quite catch.

“Are you sure this is a good idea Ms. Moss?” Doris asked. There was more chatter before I heard Grandma say, “Okay, you can come in.” I opened my eyes in time to see the man walking into the house. Doris closed the door behind him.