Blue Stone

I must have fallen asleep in mid thought because the next thing I knew the sun was peeping through a dark bank of clouds that had settled over the house.

I need a change of scenery. The library and courthouse can help me find the answers. It feels like the mission of a lifetime.

Driving down the mountain is always an experience. You never know what you will see. Sometimes you just see deer crossing, but if you’re lucky you get to see the weather change right before your eyes. You can start out at the top of the mountain with snow, go down about half way and have rain, by the time you get to the valley it can be sunny and warm. The most enchanting thing is the sun sets. Gold and amber hues shimmering off the river and making the mountains seem to glow.

Coming to town is like stepping back in time. In its heyday Hinton was a booming train town. You can still see traces of the amount of money and people that moved through here. At Christmas you can take a tour of the old churches, foreman’s’ homes, and businesses. The general store is still standing it’s an antique store now. My favorite is the drug store. It still has the old soda fountains. My grandma would bring me down here for a “real” soda, but only after we went to K’s for a hot dog. They have the best food and the restaurant overlooks the river. It’s so cool you can see the two rivers combining and the fish come right to the surface. They must feed the fish because they are huge.

The town has mainly two venues for tourists, the history and outdoor recreation. This place is the outdoor enthusiasts dream. With the river for fishing and various forms of boating, and the beautiful park for camping and picnicking, there’s no shortage of nature.

The dam has a story all of its own. I don’t know the whole story just that someone thought it would be a good idea to control the river and stop some of the flooding. However, there were hundreds of homes and farms lost when they backed up the river behind the dam. It’s kind of sad really.

No surprise the Library is in one of the old Victorians. I hope the inside is more up to date than the outside. Walking in the front door it is obvious this place was a grand lady in its time. The entrance opened to a grand double staircase one of those that divided at the top. The chandelier is flat gorgeous. It made me think of trees after an ice storm, with the ice shimmering and hanging off the branches like diamonds. Each room of the house looked as it should except the walls are lined with books. It still feels like a home. The heavy wooden doors creaked as they closed behind me. The front desk is just off the entrance in what would’ve been a parlor. The main hallway is tiled with marble and the moldings are so thick they look like icing on a wedding cake. It is beautiful. The only thing that made it better is the blue lights I see flickering from the computers in one of the back rooms.

“Hello, can I get a library card?”.

“Fill this out and let me see your driver’s license.” She said handing me a form.

It only took a couple of minutes and I was unleashed on the historical section. I was about to give up when an article on Sean and in the same paper a couple of years later an article on Myrna and Doyle Gannon popped up.

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Nov 7, 1917

Sean Gannon was found dead at his home. It was reported that he had fallen from the second story balcony. There will be graveside services November 10, 1917 at 1:00 PM.

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January 10, 1921

TRAGIC ACCIDENT KILLS HUSBAND AND WIFE

It is with great sorrow that we report Doyle and Myrna Gannon were lost in a barn fire last night. Apparently a lantern fell and they tried to put it out only to be consumed with it.

TRAGEDY HAS CONSUMED THIS FAMILY. JUST FOUR YEARS AGO THEIR SON KAYNE AND DOYLE’S BROTHER SEAN PAST AWAY. GOD REST THEIR SOULS.

There will be a ceremony in the family cemetery. The service will be held January 13, 1921 at noon. Since they lack family, Ceana Jüng Adkins will receive their friends in their home after the service.

Well that confirms that, I have a million questions for Kayne now. It’s just frustrating how I can find information on everyone but my family.

“Victory” I shouted and then blushed as the librarian stared at me, an article about Ceana Jüng. This should be interesting. I’ve heard plenty of stories about how colorful she was. Crap it’s just about her being pregnant with my grandma, nothing new here. The courthouse was a dead end on her too.

Maybe I can find the graveyard from the picture. The courthouse should have the Gannon place on file somewhere. Let’s see, E, F, there G. Sure enough here’s the surveyor’s map. Now, this I was not expecting. The property is behind the hemlocks always off limits. Hmm. Why is that place so hidden? Maybe just memories someone wants forgotten. I’m going to find the grave yard. It might hold some answers for me.

When I got home the guys were finishing the roof and Jim had finished the wiring. He had brought a bunch of party lights for the barn and was hanging them, Billy was helping. They both looked up when I pulled in and started my way.

“Hey!” They said in unison.

“Hey, the place is looking good, huh?” By their expressions, something is up.

“You need to come see what we found in the barn.” Jim said looking like a kid at Christmas.

So, we walked down to the barn as I walked up the ramp Jim and Billy were laughing behind me. Then, I saw it. It is a wedding dress, a Victorian one. It was hanging over one of the old feeding troughs. “Where did you find this?”

“We found an old cellar under the barn. I don’t know how I never knew it was there.” Jim said scratching his head. He took me outside and pointed to the steps. It had been hidden well. The opening was under a feed bin that had completely rotted through. Going down the steps I got the strangest feeling. It felt like being surrounded by ghosts. Jim had set up some lights down here so I could see quite well.

There was a trunk opened in the corner, it held shoes and a veil that matched the dress up stairs. There were old medicine bottles everywhere and dried herbs hanging from the floor boards. In the far corner was a large picture labeled Doyle and Myrna Gannon. It was a wedding photo, but that’s not the dress in the barn.

Then, I realized the dress had been Ceana Jüng’s, she never got the chance to wear it. I bet if I find the Gannon cemetery I’ll find her grave. No one knows where she was buried. My grandma said it was almost as if she just disappeared instead of her dying.

Below the picture was something that caused me to catch my breath, a crib. It was blue with a KG carved into the headboard. I picked up the pillow and a brittle, yellowed note fell out.

To my son Kayne,

With more love than can be measured.

Love Dad

I didn’t realize I was crying until a tear dripped onto the paper. It brought my own pain to the surface. It had been only a few months ago that I had lost my mother.

Turning to walk out I saw an intricately carved box setting on the back shelf. It had a funny lock on it, but it looked familiar at the same time. Well, no time for that now I have to get to work.

Billy, Jim, and I worked cleaning up the barn. We cleaned out the stalls to be sure there were no snakes, but we decided the spiders and webs were cool since it is Halloween. We hung the antique farm equipment on the walls and some from the rafters. It made the barn quite eerie. Billy said he would bring some folding tables and chairs. Jim has a huge grill he is bringing. I am to provide food. The section with the stalls will be set up as a haunted trail. The main section of the barn would be a good place for dancing. Micah is bringing a fog machine and the music. It’s really cool how everyone is pitching in. We decided it would be an all-day event. There would be baseball during the day and that evening a costume party.

Everyone left by dark. Completely exhausted I went back under the barn to get the box and started back toward the house. That’s when Kayne appeared on the back porch. “He is alive! I’d begun to wonder if I’d see you again.”

“Sorry, there has been a lot going on. Anyway, I brought you some meat, thought it could be my contribution to the party.” Ducking his head apologetically.

“So, you are coming. I thought it would be cool to dress up as my great-grandma.” Pausing to look at his reaction, was a mistake. He looked horrified. “It would be funny, because everyone thinks I look so much like her. Their reactions would be hilarious to see.” Just as, the last word came out of my mouth he bolted again.

I went on in the house with my box, and looked at it for a while trying to figure out how to unlock it. It looks familiar but I can’t place it. I went through the house locking up and turning lights off. Then, I decided to take a hot shower, working had made me rather nasty. Walking into my room to get my pajamas I saw it, the necklace my grandma had given me on my thirteenth birthday. She said it would unlock my destiny. I thought she was senile. It is the same shape, but for now the shower is calling.

Fully dressed and attention back on the box, I started to try it, but decided to go to a part of the house where no one could spy on me. The bedroom would be secluded enough. The heart and dagger pendant fit in the lock and it opened. Taking a deep breath not knowing what to expect, I opened the box. I sat and just stared for a long time half afraid to touch it. It has five precious stones, but in the center is the largest diamond I’d seen. It is the size of a golf ball and shaped like a teardrop. The most amazing thing was what happens when I touch it. It looks like it is liquid inside. I felt a surge through my body so strong that I dropped the stone back into the box. The other stones were about the size of a fifty cent piece and were various colors. They each had a liquid center with the touch of my hand, and I felt a different sensation with each, but none like the big one. Just like everything else it left me with more questions. I need to go through the old books. One of them might explain these stones. I decided to hide them. There is a loose floorboard and the box will fit perfectly.

Feeling oddly calm I went to bed. This was the first night without dreams.