When Memories Fade (17 page)

Angel guzzled down the water from her bottle. It was very hot today, despite it being only May. She looked over at the couple she was filming today, who were clowning around. Angel still couldn't believe they had met on Facebook a year ago and were now getting married. They were the first couple Angel had worked with that had met online. John and Maria were like any other couple, in love and into each other. Angel still wondered how well you could really get to know someone via the computer.

John was tall, with blond hair and startling blue eyes, while Maria was a vibrant redhead with freckles. Most of her wedding video packages were ordered through Lenora, but this couple had contacted her directly through her Web site. Another first for her. It made her feel good to see her business grow by being online, but she wasn't feeling being out in nature, traipsing around in the woods with this couple.

She wasn't really gung ho about being outside, but Angel had put on her mosquito repellent and had dressed accordingly for the adventure.
Me, bugs, and nature don't mix. Not to mention snakes.
Angel had got some great B-roll of the couple but was constantly looking on the ground for any creepy crawlies. If she saw one, this video shoot was so over.

Her overactive imagination was in full force despite it being morning and despite the sun shining through the trees. Still, some areas were so shaded, it felt like they were in a different world. John and Maria were in a carefree mood, running and chasing each other through the trees as Angel let the camera roll. She prayed she didn't catch something on film that would scar her for life. She'd watched her share of “young people in the woods” slasher movies.

As Angel stopped and examined what she'd shot today, her mind was excited and weary. This was going to be a long week too. The Southern Soul Talent Show was on Friday night, just a few days away. Thankfully, she would have Daniel's assistance on Saturday morning with editing and uploading the contestant videos to VidTube. Last night, while they went over the details at Candace's house, Daniel had added a photo that Angel had taken of Southern Soul Café. The photo made a beautiful background for the talent show page. People would have the following week to vote for their favorite performer. Eddie was offering a pretty generous prize of two thousand dollars to the winner to pay for studio time to record a demo. Angel hoped someone's dreams would come true.

Right now she was ready to call it a day. She couldn't remember sweating this much on a video shoot. Her T-shirt was stuck to her back. Plus, she noticed her camera's battery was running low. She held her head up from the camera.
Wait a minute!
Angel had been so engrossed in the camera, John and Maria had disappeared around the trees ahead. Not sure how she'd ended up so far behind them, Angel sped up. She felt a twig snap under her feet.

A woman's scream from up ahead jolted Angel, causing her to stumble. She caught herself, stood still, and clutched her camera. Sweat poured down her brow, and an insect buzzed close to her ear, almost touching her skin. Her heart felt like it would jump out of her chest.

Angel yelled to the couple, “John. Maria. Is everything okay?”
Okay,
she thought,
the online psycho isn't supposed to come out until after the wedding. Certainly not with the videographer present.

Angel moved forward on her toes to catch up with the couple. When she peered around a tree, she saw John leaning down over Maria, who was sitting on the ground, grimacing. She appeared to be holding her leg.

Angel sprinted toward the couple and stopped in front of them. Maria's leg was bleeding. Angel asked, “Oh no, are you okay? What happened?”

John looked up at her. “We were playing around a bit too much. Maria stumbled over these rocks, I guess. They were covered up by leaves.” He reached for Maria's arm and said, “Babe, can you stand?”

Angel stepped back as John helped Maria stand to her feet. Maria gingerly stepped forward. She looked at John and then at Angel. “I think I can walk. It's probably just a scrape.”

“Are you sure?” Angel asked.

Maria nodded.

Angel said, “Okay, well, I guess you guys don't want any more footage today for the video.” She was sorry Maria had got hurt, but she was so ready to get out of these woods.

John grinned. “No, we're good. Thanks for doing this for us. I know this was a bit of a workout. Did you get her stumbling on video?”

“What! I hope you didn't!” Maria shrieked. “If you did, please don't include that in the video. I'm so embarrassed !”

Angel held up her hand. “I promise I didn't see a thing, and there is no history on my camera.” Through the trees the sun's rays were sharp, and they pierced her skin like laser beams. She was glad she'd had sense enough to put some sunscreen on too. Between the sunscreen and the mosquito repellent, Angel thought she would have a meltdown if she didn't get to a shower soon. She asked, “Can we head back to the cars?”

To her dismay, John and Maria walked a lot slower than before. Maria appeared to be limping. Angel thought Maria probably didn't feel anything now, but those types of injuries could hurt a lot later. The couple's wedding ceremony was two weeks away, so hopefully, Maria would have her injuries behind her before she walked down the aisle.

Angel looked through the woods and saw a cabin. It didn't look as well kept as the other cabins she'd seen this morning. They hadn't traveled far outside of the city limits, but it felt like they were in another world.

She asked John, “Hey, what is the reason this place is so special to you?”

John said, “My family owned a cabin up here. I loved to come up here during the summers. Maria and I talked about renting a cabin for the honeymoon. It's not far, and it's a great getaway, being near Lake Wylie.”

Angel pointed to the cabin. “So do many people stay up here at this one?”

John answered, “No, this place actually isn't open as much. I guess they have a few people who still own cabins, but the guy who owned all this property disappeared a few years ago. It's rumored he was killed because he owed a lot of money to some interesting people.”

She wasn't sure if it was the uncomfortable state of her skin, but Angel felt like something had just crawled up her back. “Are you for real?” Angel asked as she pulled her T-shirt away from her back.

“Yes. I remember that my dad used to talk to the owner all the time. Really nice guy. His family wasn't really into keeping this place up. I don't really know who owns it now. Anyhow, it's not the way it was when I was a kid.”

They had finally reached the parking lot. Angel was grateful that civilization was about twenty minutes away.

Maria said, “We really appreciate your willingness to come up here.”

“Not a problem. It's really beautiful up here. I guess I always thought being out in the woods meant camping, but the inside of the one cabin we went into was really nice.”

“Oh yeah,” John replied. “Most of these cabins these days have saunas, Jacuzzis, Wi-Fi, and flat-screen televisions.” He laughed. “Believe me, it's like going away for a while, but you have all the amenities that you need.”

“Cool,” Angel responded. “Well, it was great hanging out with you two today. I will see you in about two weeks. I know the ceremony will be beautiful.” Thankfully, the couple was having an indoor wedding. When they'd e-mailed their original request, they were thinking about an outdoor wedding. Maybe if it was on a beach, Angel would love to film an outdoor wedding, but after today she had no intentions of heading back to the woods.

She packed up her gear and loaded it into the car. John and Maria had walked to the other side of the parking space, to John's SUV. Despite her body's stickiness, Angel kind of liked the peacefulness of the surroundings. It was just so hot. The sun was really burning now. They had arrived around nine o'clock this morning to get started, but all that crazy hiking up the trail with her camera seemed to take forever. All she wanted was a shower and lunch. She closed the trunk of her car and waved to the couple as they drove by her.

As she opened the car door, Angel noted the map on her passenger seat. She scolded herself because she would have to figure out the way back. Angel always forgot to get the reverse directions when she printed out the maps. She had tried her phone earlier and knew the 3G wasn't working out in the woods.

A bird burst from the left side of her vision, startling her. She looked at the bird, but then another movement caught her eye. Angel stared into the trees. She had this creepy feeling that she wasn't alone. There was no one else out here that she could see. For some reason, Melanie Stowe's face came to mind. Angel stared for a second longer into the trees and then jumped into her car, slamming the door shut and locking it.
Okay, you are freaking yourself out, girl.
Then she laughed. There was probably some animal looking back at her, wondering what she was doing out there.

If she hadn't been moving so slowly, she could have followed John and Maria out. Angel turned the key in the ignition, observing the trees again. Something still felt off. Maybe she had watched too many horror movies when she was younger. All of them had some “crazy in the woods” scene, which might explain why she really didn't like being in the woods. Still, in her case it was broad daylight, and she had no reason to let her imagination run wild.

Angel placed the car in reverse and backed up. It took her a few minutes to find her way back to I-85, but soon she was on her way home. Her weird “cabin in the woods” moment was behind her.

About thirty minutes later, Angel pulled into the driveway. Inside she found Grams at the window in her wheelchair. The nurse, Ella Mae, was sitting on the couch.

“Hey. How's it going?” Angel placed her camera bag on the floor and walked over to Grams. She leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

Grams said, “I'm good.”

Her grandmother still slurred her words a bit, but Angel could understand her better now. “Well, you look good. I need to take a shower. I've been out in the woods today. Can you believe that?”

Ella Mae stood and walked over to pat and adjust Grams's pillow. She asked, “What were you doing, sugar?”

“Did I tell you what I do? I'm a videographer. I make videos for a living. Today I shot some footage that will be included in the wedding video package a couple purchased. Most of my business this time of the year comes from weddings.”

“Oh, well, that must be fun. I love weddings.” Ella Mae clasped her hands together. “Never had one of my own weddings.”

“No?” Angel inquired.

“Child, the man I hooked up with was not the marrying kind. You would've thought by the time I got to child number three, I would have realized that. I can be slow. You make sure you find the marrying kind of man, you hear?”

Angel laughed and headed down the hallway to peel off her clothes and take a shower. About a half hour later, feeling fresh and clean, she came back into the living room with her laptop under her arm.

“Thanks for your help today. I know you didn't have to stay longer,” she told Ella Mae.

“Not a problem.” Ella Mae reached for her big purse and swung it on her shoulder. “Well, you two have a good rest of the afternoon, and I will see you both tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Ella Mae. We appreciate all that you do.” Angel closed the door behind her. “Grams, you want to sit here for a while longer?” she asked.

Her grandmother nodded and looked back out the window.

Angel started to grab her laptop but then thought she was being rude by not spending time with Grams. She could ingest the video she took later. There was plenty of time to edit. Angel asked, “Hey, Grams, you want your hair brushed? Candace did a great job with your hair. Maybe we can get her to come back.”

Her grandmother smiled. Angel went to get Grams's brush from her bedroom. When she was younger, Grams would gently brush her hair and then let Angel do the same. Angel had always enjoyed that time. Angel pulled a chair from the dining room into the living room and set it down beside Grams's wheelchair. She sat down and glided the brush gently through her grandmother's silver hair.

Her grandmother began humming. Angel smiled. She always knew Grams was happy or working her way toward finding a peaceful spot when she hummed. She listened. Angel knew the hymn Grams was humming. Soon she was humming with her.
Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry.

Angel surprised herself and opened her mouth to sing, “While on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.” She hadn't sung out loud for her grandmother since she was a little girl. Angel wasn't sure why.

Grams smiled at her and said, “My Angel, my sweet Angel.”

Angel reached down and wrapped her arms around her grandmother, feeling the boniness of her age and enjoying the warmth of her spirit. This was peace.

Melanie banged as hard as she could again and again on the thick glass window. She knew someone was out there or had been out there. There was a scream. She had fallen into another fitful sleep. Her body was feeling the pain of hunger. Her eyes had shot open to a woman's scream.

She'd run to the bathroom window and held her ear against the glass. If only she had something she could use to break the stupid glass. She had checked all corners of the room for anything sharp. Melanie had even tried digging around the seal with her fingernails to loosen the window frame, which was pretty useless. One day as she was digging, Mister—that was what she called him—had come in the room. She had stood still for a split second, had flushed the toilet, and then had ventured out into the bedroom.

Their eyes had connected. For the first time, she'd seen his face. He was an older man, and she felt like she'd seen him before. Not saying one word, he'd pulled out the usual food items from a bag.

“How long are you going to keep me here? What are you planning to do?” she had asked.

“That's up to your father,” he had answered and then had left.

Her father.
This was all about her father. The man didn't care anything about her. She didn't even know where he was, only that he'd shown up at the
American Voices
show. At least someone had told her he was there. He must have thought he could get something from her being on the show. She had refused to acknowledge his presence.

What had he done to get her in this mess?

Her dad was fun when she was a little girl. Later he always smelled like alcohol and could never keep a job. Mom had grown sick of him, and then, finally, she was really sick. Even as her mother was in and out of the hospital, Melanie couldn't depend on her father to be there for her.

She still couldn't figure out why Gladys had married her dad, but she was grateful that Gladys had tried to look after her when her dad went to prison. There was no one else. Her father's family was certainly not going to help. One of them had been killed when she was in high school, and the other was in prison. Both grandparents were gone. Her mother's sister had offered to help, but she wanted Melanie to move to Oklahoma. There was no way Melanie was going to leave her friends.

Melanie waited at the window a while longer. She knew what she'd heard. Someone was out there. She listened and heard another noise. It came from inside this place. He was back! She walked out into the bedroom and sat on the bed.

Maybe he did something to the woman, and that was why she screamed.

Melanie waited for the door to open. What was he going to do to her?