Page 35 of Secrets That Bind Us
“Hello. Are you cold?”
She shook her head slowly, side to side and when she put her hands on the fence and her fingers slipped through the metal holes, gripping them, he noticed her fingertips were blue.
“Are you hungry?”
Again, she shook her head. Her little dress didn’t sway in the breeze, and even though Noah felt his belly swoop and somersault, he still wanted a friend.
“Noah! What are you doing out there, honey? Come back inside, it’s gonna rain soon.”
Noah turned to look at his Mommy and tell her about his new friend, but when he turned back and pointed to her, she was gone. Probably hiding in the fields. And now he wanted to hide and play in the fields, too. He wondered if his new friend knew there were snakes and mice in the field? Mommy had told him it was dangerous being out there alone, and that’s why there was a fence.
While heading back in hesitantly, Noah tried to peek between the chain links to see if he could spot his new friend. When he couldn’t, and heard the thunder rolling in, Noah simply shrugged and asked his mom if they could watch The Lion King again.
Every day since they moved in, he’d notice the girl getting a little closer and closer to the house, until one day, he woke up, and she was swinging on his swing set! Again, Noah used his powers of ingenious slinkiness and snuck downstairs, past his mother who was making breakfast, slid the doors to the porch open, and walked down to his swing set.
"Hello." He greeted. "I'm Noah Huntington. Who are you?" Noah had a second last name, but he didn’t like using it.
“I’m Sarah.” The girl answered softly.
"That's my great-grandma's name." He replied, taking a seat in the swing next to hers, and began to move his legs backwards and forwards, swinging only enough so she could still hear him. He then went off and told her the story of the photo albums in the attic and how his Mommy told him all about Grandmama Marie Huntington, and Mommy's grandma, Sarah Silva. There was a light breeze, and again, nothing on his new friend moved, as if the breeze hadn't touched her.
“Is it?” she asked.
Noah nodded, his toes tapping against the ground. “Mmhmm. Mommy showed me the photo album from the attic. My mom was in it. Her mom was in it. Her mom, too.”
Sarah hummed softly, shimmering in the breeze. “Maybe I am your grandma. Because that was my house. But it was different then.”
Puzzled, Noah stopped swinging, tipping his toes deeper into the ground so he could fully stop. Blinking, and a little afraid of what his new friend said, Noah leaned closer to inspect her and simply stated, “But you look my age.”
Hair dripping onto her greyed nightgown, Sarah nodded- and then…flickered. Her face and body changed from a child, to a teen, to a grown woman, and finally, to a grandmother, only to flicker back to the seven year-old-girl Noah decided was herbestself. Sarah looked down at her hands. “I think you see me how you need to see me.” she replied, ashened eyes seemingly looking through him.
Noah tilted his head, in awe of Sarah’s flicker trick. "Why are you wet?"
She blinked, eyes unfocused, as if trying very, very hard to remember. "I was very sick… and I took a bath.”
Noah frowned. "Do you feel better now?”
"Sometimes.” Sarah nodded, looking back at the house when the porch door opened. "I think so."
"Noah! Breakfast is ready!"
“Your mommy is very pretty,” she smiled, and Noah did, too.
"I know. Will you come to play with me later?" He asked as he jumped off the swing and hoped Sarah thought his light-up shoes were very cool.
Sarah looked at Noah pensively, and a smile broke out on her little gray face. "Okay."
Noah also smiled widely, showcasing his missing front teeth just as his mommy called his name again. "Okay!" He huffed, and when he turned to face the house, he was surprised to see her up in the window of his room peering down at him. It gave him an eerie feeling. Like maybe sheshouldn’tbe inside the house. But as his mommy called him one more time, he shrugged. Then waved up at Sarah. And she waved back.
“Who are you waving at, honey?” Verity asked, running her fingers through his curls.
“Hmm? Oh, Savvy.” He lied. “Are there bananas?”
“Of course. Only the best for you.”
Heading through the threshold of the house where his new friend awaited him, he couldn’t wait to be done with breakfast so he could go play. He wanted to show Sarahallof his cars. Noah Huntington had a funny feeling he shouldn't tell his mommy about Sarah. Not right now. Besides, he liked that he had a secret. A big one, and it was all his. It made him feel... special.
Like Savannah and Mommy.
