the picture

The picture hanging on the far wall of the shop was covered in grime and seemed to have been there forever. Joanie had seen it each time she visited this little antique store with her parents and she had been strangely drawn to it . Losing her parents in an unexplained airplane crash six months earlier had been distressing enough but finding that she was now the owner of this particular picture was incredible. There was nothing special about the picture , it showed a woodland scene , with soaring pines, a wood cabin, a stream and a bear cub splashing in the stream. The box the lawyer had given her last week had held only a few items, a ball of twine, a hand drawn map and a letter with instructions.

"Dear Joanie,
If you have received this letter than both your mom and I are gone. Go to Art's Antique's in Barryton, I am sure you will remember visiting there with us many times over the years. Tell them your name and repeat the rhyme we taught you when you were little and they will have something for you. Go alone. Follow the map, once you to get to where it leads you , you will understand.We love you and believe in you.
Love Dad and Mom.

Now a week later she stood in the shop and looked at the picture again and wondered what in the world was going on. The shop owner, Art Weber, was staring at her like she had two heads and seemed in a big hurry to get her and her picture out of his shop. It had been weird enough walking in and explaining herself, as soon as she had told him her name, he walked over, flipped the closed sign, locked the door and waited. They looked at each other silently for a few minutes until he cleared his throat and arched his eyebrows expectantly . She suddenly remembered that she was suppose to quote a nursery rhyme to him. Feeling foolish, she said.......

" Once there was a little girl
Fair of face and yellow hair
Alone she stood in the woods
Looking for the ones she lost

Twirled around three times three
On the step one two three
Face the sun when it goes down
Close your eyes and wish for them

Say aloud these words of magic
Open your heart and mind to all
What you seek is here to be found
Simply say the words you have learned

Bring them all back to me
Lost are they but not gone from me
With love and hope I ask to see
Those I lost long ago"

Her parents used the nursery rhyme whenever Joanie had misplaced something as a child. Making a game out of her habit of losing her things, they had told her a story of fairies taking her things and that she had to ask for them back.She had forgotten the game and now she was curious , since she clearly remembered that every time she recited the rhyme, the lost item was found soon after.

Marshall nodded and walked to the back of the store and cautiously removed the picture from the wall. Without another word , he wrapped it carefully and handed it to her and unlocked the door and held it open for her.

Joanie started to ask him a question but he simply shook his head and waved her out of the store. Once she was outside, he locked the door again and walked into the back. Standing on the quiet street, holding a picture that she didn't understand and a letter that made even less sense, Joanie had no idea what to do next.


Sitting in her car, with the picture safely stored in the trunk, Joanie took out the letter to read it again. Then she looked at the map and saw that starting point was right where she was sitting. That was strange, she could have sworn it had begun at her parents old house. According to the map, she needed to drive north on the main road leading out of town until she saw what looked like a big house the number 28 was written next to the picture of the building. Guessing that it meant 28 miles she started the car and pulled away.

As she neared the 28 mile point, Joanie strained to see anything. The trees along the road were blocking her view, so she slowed down and hoped no one drove up behind her. Suddenly, on her right was a road and a clear view of a house that looked exactly like the one on her map.

Looking at the map again, she saw that there was a stick figure and a ball that looked like it was moving. Remembering the ball of twine in the box, she reached across the seat and grabbed it. Holding it in her hands, she didn't notice anything strange about it, until it started turning in her hand. She dropped the ball and jumped out of the car. Cautiously, she looked in the car and saw the ball just sitting there, not moving.

So she grabbed it and dropped it on the road.

It just lay there.

Minutes went by .

Finally, she reached down and picked it up. Checking the map again, she noticed that the stick figure was holding the end of the twine. Trying again, she dropped it but held on to the end. Slowly, it began to roll away from the road. She rushed to grab her keys and jacket from the car and stuffed her wallet and phone in her pocket and took off after her ball of twine.


To Be Continued after Contest day