The Ghosts of Aquinnah by Flanders Julie

Author:Flanders, Julie [Flanders, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Ink Smith Publishing
Published: 2013-12-03T16:00:00+00:00

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Stella stumbled and tripped over a tree root as she tried to navigate her way in the darkness of the island night. Tiny pebbles tore through her thin dress and scraped her knee. She felt warm trickles of blood as she put her hand to her knee. Compared to the pain she felt on her face, abdomen, and leg, the knee was minor and nothing but a nuisance at this point.

She had to ignore all of it and focus on her goal, which was to find Christopher at Menemsha. He’d help her; she had no doubt of that. If she let her brain process what had happened back at home she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep going. She had to block out not only the physical but also the emotional anguish Josiah’s cruelty had caused her.

Stella was grateful for the stars and the clear full moon that gave her some light in the midnight sky. She followed the stars towards the sea and eventually came to Memensha Creek. While she couldn’t see the village well enough to make out the buildings, she knew exactly where Mr. Lambert’s shop was. She could find her way there using the light of the stars and the sounds of the buoys in the harbor as her guides.

Feeling overwhelmed with relief when she finally came to Mr. Lambert’s shop, Stella tripped up the wooden stairs and fell once again, this time landing on the Lambert porch. Trembling, she picked herself up and slipped inside the shop, praying she wouldn’t wake the fisherman from his sleep. She was relieved to hear snoring coming from the room at the back of the shop, and felt safe that Mr. Lambert was indeed sleeping soundly.

Stella knew that Christopher was staying above the shop, and her eyes scanned the room for a ladder or a staircase. She was once again grateful for the stars and the full moon, as their light shone through the window and illuminated a ladder that extended up to a loft above the store.

Moving as quietly as her feet would allow, Stella climbed up the ladder and peered into the darkness of the loft.

“Christopher?” she whispered.

There was no response. Stella pulled herself into the loft and sat down on the floor. She didn’t want to risk knocking into any furniture or supplies and making enough noise to wake up Mr. Lambert.

“Christopher?”

Stella could hear the heavy breathing of deep sleep and she was sure she heard Christopher. She inched forward on her hands and knees towards the breathing sounds.

She stopped when she came to Christopher’s bed, which was nothing but a mattress on the floor of the loft. She wanted to touch him but didn’t want to frighten him and cause him to yell out.

“Christopher,” she said again. “Christopher, please wake up.”

Christopher stirred on the bed, and Stella longed to be able to see him. But the loft was pitch black.

She gently reached out and touched what she thought would be Christopher’s shoulder. “Christopher, it’s Stella.

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