Hidden

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"Amelia, wake up. I have to get down to work but we need to have a talk before I go," Allie urged her sister the next morning.

Amelia groaned as she stirred beneath the blankets, "Can we have this talk later, sis? I was having a really nice dream."

"No, we cannot talk later." Allie pulled the covers off of her. "I know you've been in the attic."

Amelia sat up quickly and her brown eyes were wide, "How did you find out?"

Allie clicked her tongue, "You should know by now that you can't keep secrets from me." Amelia winced guiltily. "And I found the doll, asked you about it while you were sleeping and you told me that the man in the attic gave it to you."

"I did?" Amelia groaned and then leapt to her feet. "Allie, you have to keep that a secret! I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. I promised him I wouldn't."

Allie didn't like this idea that the man in the attic, who apparently had no name and had been a prisoner there forever, had been having chats with her sister and telling her to keep secrets.

"Amelia, we don't keep secrets from one another," Allie scolded. "And I don't want you going back up there. I met that man and I'm not so sure he's not dangerous..."

"Dangerous?" Amelia shook her head roughly, "He is not dangerous."

"You don't know that for sure," Allie replied patiently.

"Yes I do!" Amelia insisted. "He might have a frightening appearance but he's perfectly harmless."

"Frightening? What do you mean?"

Amelia shook her head, "I promised him I wouldn't speak about him to you," she replied. "I will only say that he is not dangerous. He is lonely and sweet and he was very nice to me."

Allie sighed. She wanted to believe that the man in the attic was simply a nice and lonely man but then why would he be locked up away from everyone else? And could Mrs. Treadwell truly be that cruel to lock a perfectly nice man who just happened to look a little different in her attic and abuse him? Surely there was no one that purely evil.

"Amelia..."

"No, Allie! I know we're not supposed to be up there but I promise I won't get caught! He needs a friend and so do I. You're always too busy to spend any time with me and there isn't a single other person in this entire house worth talking to!"

With that outburst, Amelia went running from their bedroom. Allie let her go, knowing that nothing would be solved by chasing after her just now. Allie sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around herself. Amelia's words hurt but Allie tried not to let them get to her. Amelia was young and while she was very mature for a child her age the fact remained that she was still only eight years old and didn't understand everything about being an adult.

Allie had to work. She had to have this job. She knew that Amelia was having a hard time adjusting to all the time alone but she would simply have to find something with which to occupy her time that didn't involve that attic. It was what was best. The attic, and Mrs. Treadwell's feelings about that room, were both dangerous things.

Allie stood and walked to the gilded mirror. She studied her reflection a moment as she pulled all her hair back on her head. She was far too thin and she looked old. Her skin was pale and washed out, her tired brown eyes were surrounded by dark circles. Stress, secrets, lies, guilt, hunger and non stop work had taken their toll on Allie. She looked so much older than her nineteen years of age.

Allie finished gathering up her hair and securing it place, smoothed out the tan skirt and white blouse over her skinny frame and headed out of the bedroom to get started on her work day.

As she passed the attic stairs, Allie couldn't help but wonder about the man and she felt a moment of guilt. She should do something to help him. But in doing so she could end up homeless on the street with her sister once again.

Allie shook her head. The man in the attic was not her problem. She had quite enough on her plate as it was without adding him to her list.

***

Amelia was bored. She had been in the library for nearly an hour waiting on Allie. Her older sister had promised that they'd spend time together reading today but it would seem that after sending Amelia here to wait, Allie had forgotten.

Amelia did not want to be immature and selfish, she knew that Allie was working hard to provide her with a roof over her head and food in her stomach but Amelia would much rather have less and see her sister more.

Her mind went back to the conversation she'd had with Allie that morning and the man in the attic. Allie seemed to think he was dangerous but Amelia knew he wasn't. He had shown her his toys and played with her. She had even shared with him her frustrations about her new life here and he had listened and offered her sympathy.

She didn't care what Allie said, she wouldn't leave that poor man up there all alone with no one to talk to. He didn't deserve it. Rising from the chair, Amelia slipped down the hall, up the stairs and to the attic door without being seen by anyone. It was a pretty day outside and so Peter and Jacob were out helping with the horses. Amelia had wanted to help but she'd been laughed at. It simply wasn't a girl's place is what she had been told.

Sliding her pins from her pocket, Amelia picked the attic lock and stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind her. She stood still on the dusty planks of the attic floor for several long moments, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dim light afforded by the one dirty window on the far wall.

Despite knowing that the man was nothing to fear, Amelia still felt that prickling of unease. She sensed it came from knowing she was doing something against her sister's will. All her life Amelia had tried to obey her sister in everything but surely Allie knew that leaving this man up here lonely was wrong. The least Amelia could do was offer him company and he could do the same for her.

"Hello? Where are you?" Amelia called out into the silence. "Are you hiding from me?"

She heard a shuffling of movement toward the back of the attic where his bed and toys were kept. Amelia smiled and let her feet carry her to the sound, "Why are you hiding?"

"You s..should n..n..not be here."

Amelia stopped suddenly, the toes of her food barely touching the ground, "Why?"

"Your s..sister would b..be upset."

Amelia smiled and simply shook her head, "Don't worry about Allie. She won't know I'm here," she promised. "I was hoping we could play like we did yesterday. I have no one else to spend time with. Jacob and Peter won't let me go out to the barns. They say it's not a girl's place."

Amelia felt her smile broaden when his cloaked form stepped from behind a crate and into view, "You can take the cloak off. I've already seen you, remember?"

"A..and you a..are n..not afraid?" he whispered, seeming surprised.

"Of course not," Amelia waved her hand. "Now take the cloak off and we can play hide and seek."

With only a few moments of hesitation the man slid from his cloak and Amelia was once again shocked at first by his appearance. She saw his uneasiness and so she quickly ran forward and took his swollen, misshapen hand in hers, "Come along then and play with me."

The two of them were so caught up in their games and conversations over the next half hour that neither heard the attic door being unlocked. Neither heard the footsteps walking toward them as they crouched over the worn wooden dice they'd been taking turns rolling.

It wasn't until Amelia noticed the man stiffen that she knew something was wrong. She looked at his face and saw his blue eyes fill with fear as he looked at something over her head. Then Amelia heard the gasp come from behind her.

She turned her head slowly and Allie was standing there staring at the man with fear and shock. Allie's hand went to her chest and she took a small step back, "Oh my Lord......"