Etched

Etched

Eliza Dean

Copyright © 2014 Eliza Dean

All rights reserved.

ISBN:  1496103386

ISBN-13: 978-1496103383

The unwavering blanket of night rolls in

To awaken his sleeping soul within

Alas! 
Salvation for the flightless bird?

Igniting a century of shadows now stirred

Chapter 1

Susanna Shaw sat at her desk and chewed her bottom lip while staring at the blinking cursor on the screen.  The wrap-up sentences were always the hardest.  She had struggled with this article for most of the day and she was hesitant to admit it, but it seemed to be a pattern lately.

“So make the most of the last few days of summer …” she
silently mouthed the words in an effort to complete the sentence. 

“Susanna?”

Susanna turned towards the door when she heard her boss calling her name.

Michelle
Brooks, the Editor for Coastal Magazine, took the chair across from Susanna with a single manila folder in her hands, “Tough day?” she asked, eyeing the full cup of coffee and the Diet Coke sitting half finished on Susanna’s desk.

“I’m almost done, I swear,” Susanna
promised with a smile.

“It’s not due for a week
. You always stress yourself out, but you’re the only one who ever turns in anything early.”

“It’s the wrap-up, it always gets me.”

“Shoot it to me.  Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes helps. I don’t mind taking a look at it,” Michelle offered an understanding smile.

“So, what’s up?”
Susanna turned in her chair to give Michelle her undivided attention.

“We’ve got a cool assignment, if you
’re interested.”

Susanna rubbed her hands together and leaned over her desk, “Oh yeah
? And you have me in mind for it?”

“If you
’re interested,” Michelle looked down at the folder in her lap.

Susanna was immediately suspicious, “Why?  Am I the only taker?”

“No … nothing like that.”

Susanna groaned and sat back in her chair, “Sure. 
Susanna’s got no social life, send her!”

“
You know better than that,” Michelle tapped her finger on the folder, “Besides, if I was younger and single I would do this in a heartbeat.”

“It’s November
. Please tell me you’re sending me somewhere tropical.”

“I did say ‘cool’ assignment, didn’t I?”  Michelle slid the folder across the desk towards Susanna. 

Reaching for it, Susanna flipped it open and immediately spotted a charming color photograph of a lighthouse, “A lighthouse story?”

“Um … you could say that.”

Susanna flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning the printed e-mails for clues.

“Keeper for a week?”

“It’s an adventure,” Michelle said, her voice raising an octave.

“Looks like it.”

Susanna continued to read until a single word caught her attention, “Maine!”

“It’s beautiful up there.”

“Yeah … in May!”

“It’s not barbaric, they have heat in the damn thing,” Michelle laughed, “And I’m
sure they have a coffee pot.”

“Maine … in November?”
Susanna was pleading to Michelle with her eyes. 

“It
’ll be a great story.  This place allows people to move in!  You stay there, you get to perform certain duties and you’ll have the place all to yourself.”

“Of course you do
. Nobody in their right mind would want to do it!” Susanna laughed before asking the more serious question, “How adamant are they about the story?”

“They
’re pushing for the spring issue.”

“And I’m it?”

Michelle smiled, “This has your name all over it. Besides, you said you wanted to travel more.”  Michelle stood and offered Susanna a wink, “I’ll book you first class.”

“Maine?  In November?”

Susanna nodded to her friend Katie as she sipped her
red wine, “Yep,” she answered drawing out the word.

“I don’t feel sorry for you.  You have a great job
. Every once in a while you should have to suffer,” Katie flipped open the menu and started perusing the appetizers.

“Why don’t you come with me?” Susanna
asked with a tinge of hope in her voice.

“Negative
,” Katie’s answer was quick and decisive, “It’s November. It’s a busy time at the store. There’s no way I could take that much time.”

Susanna
’s shoulders slouched in defeat.

“So, what’s the deal?  You go there and turn on the light or whatever
and make it go around?”

Susanna laughed, “I’m pretty sure all
of that is automated these days.  I read through the papers and it says it’s a ‘soft’ adventure.”

Katie arched
a perfectly manicured brow at the term, “Soft adventure huh?  So you don’t have to work?”

“Oh yeah, there
’s work. But it’s light duties, like sweeping, pulling weeds, some painting, stuff like that.”

“And you
’re there completely alone?”

“Ye
p, and it’s on an island, so absolutely alone.  You have to take a boat over from the main land to even get there.  Apparently in the summer there are some visitors but this time of year it’s almost desolate.”

“Is it safe?”
Katie asked with concern.

“I’m sure the magazine wouldn’t send me if it wasn’t.”

“They don’t care, as long as you get the story,” Katie folded the menu and placed it on the table, her eyes sparkling with mirth, “Too bad you don’t have a hunk-of-a-man to take with you. It would be the ideal romantic weekend, minus all the work of course.”

“The work is a minor obstacle considering there hasn’t been a man in my life for more than a year now,” Susanna
sulked into her wine glass.

“We should work on that when you get back.”

“Sure we should.  You going to send out an e-vite?” Susanna answered sarcastically.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“Don’t you dare,” she eyed Katie over the table, “No more blind dates.”

“What about the speed dating thing?”

“No!” Susanna laughed, “Just … no.”

“Whatever.  Maybe Jordan has some friends from work.
”

Jordan, Katie’s newly acquired boyfriend was a lawyer at a big firm in downtown Atlanta.  He was a perfect fit for the preppy and posh Katie
, but Susanna doubted there was anyone at the firm that was her type, whatever type that was.  It had been a year since her last serious relationship had ended in little fanfare.  There was a phone call, maybe a text and that was it.  She had enjoyed the time she had spent with Rob, but she had always known that he was not “the one”.  They had met in the lobby of the apartment building which they had shared at the time. Both of them had just finished a morning run.  There was a short introduction followed by a brief discussion on the route each took and a mutual comment of,
we should run together some time
.  The rest was history.

“Stop it, don’t do that,” Katie
pointed her finger, knowing that Susanna was reliving the relationship.

“He was a nice guy.”

Katie rolled her eyes, “Yes, he was a very nice guy.  Such a nice guy that you never wanted to spend any time with him.  There’s a reason you two broke up, even if you forget all that now that you’re lonely.”

“I’m not lonely,” Susanna
vehemently shook her head, “By the way, will you watch all my cats for me while I’m out of town?  I’ve only got a hundred or so.”

Katie
smirked, “You think you’re funny but you will become that woman if we don’t get you out on a date soon.”

“When I get back, maybe, just mayb
e you can set me up with one of Jordan’s friends.”

Katie smiled, “I’ll start collecting background checks while you’re gone.”

Susanna opened the door to her apartment and placed her purse and keys on the table.  She thought back to her cat joke earlier and
silently wished she did have a pet to come home to at night. She had made the decision years ago that her life was not suitable for a pet.  She was gone a lot and worked strange hours, and that was no life for an animal.  She heard her phone buzzing from inside her purse and immediately went to retrieve it.  It was a text from Michelle
.  Booked on the 8:30 a.m. flight to Portland next Monday.  Overnight at Bed and Breakfast before transfer to Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse the following day.  I’ll give you details tmrw. 

“She is efficient,” Susanna
smiled at the text.  After quickly changing into her comfy yoga pants, she sat down in front of her laptop and typed into the search bar,
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
.  Photos of the picturesque little town began popping up on her screen with a good deal of them being shots of the Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse.  She clicked on one to get a better view.  Wow, it really was on an island.  The picture showed the waves crashing against the jagged rock formation that surrounded the grassy green fields of the small island.  The lighthouse itself was solid white with a small building attached with a bright red roof.  Another quick search revealed the structure itself dated back to 1813 with many restorations in between.  She silently prayed that part of that restoration process included a 21
st
century bathroom with hot water.  She thought back to Katie’s comment about the town being safe and quickly searched the crime statistics for the area. 

“Maine is the safest of all the States,” she murmured
as she read the screen and made a mental note to mention it to Katie the next time they spoke.  Glancing at the clock, she closed her laptop and yawned as she tossed her glasses on the nightstand, “It’s an adventure Susanna,” she whispered into the darkness, “well, a ‘soft’ adventure,” she chuckled before burying herself deep in her comforter.

Chapter 2

Susanna threw her Lands End canvas bag over her shoulder as she
dodged the small crowd in the Portland airport headed towards the exit.  Miraculously she had managed to fit all of belongings for the next week into one bag.  It was a feat she had never accomplished before and she reasoned that the only explanation was she was not going to have any human contact for the entire trip.  Therefore, there was no reason she couldn’t survive with only three pairs of jeans and a few sweaters.  She had worn her heavy coat and boots on the plane and had carried her laptop with her in a separate bag.  When the front sliding doors automatically opened, the rush of frigid air hit her like an icy brick wall.  She reached into her pocket for her hair tie and pulled her long blonde tresses into a pony tail.  Blinking against the cold wind, she searched for a cab and was thankful when she spotted one coming towards her.  She raised her arm to signal the driver and he pulled to a stop in front of her. 

Sliding into the back seat
, she looked at the driver and smiled, “I’m glad you were there, I’m not sure how long I would have made it out there in that cold.”

The
driver laughed, “Georgia?”

“Atlanta
,” Susanna grinned, “The accent give me away?”

“You don’t hear much of that up here,” he pressed the meter, “Where are we off to?”

“Moose Port Bed and Breakfast,” she answered, burying her hands deep into her coat in an effort to stay warm.

Susanna stared out the window at the little shops and
cafés as the driver meandered through the streets of the small town.  There were no giant skyscrapers or honking cars and no people rushing down the streets oblivious to everything around them except the cell phone firmly clutched in their hands.  It was almost as if this place was a decade or two behind the rest of world.  She took a deep, calming breath and closed her eyes. 
You should enjoy the peace and quiet this week
, she said to herself, determined to soak up the calming spirit of the small town. 

As Susanna approached the bright red front door of the Moose Port Bed and Breakfast, the bitter wind whipped her pony tail around her bare neck.  The bell hanging from the door chimed upon her entry and almost immediately a voice called out from another room, “Hello there?”

“Hello,” Susanna called in return.

A smiling face appeared around the corner, “You must be Susanna Shaw, from the magazine?”

“Yes Ma’am, Coastal Magazine,” Susanna dropped her bag on the
shiny wood floor and reached out to take the woman’s hand.

“Welcome
. I’m Emma Bailey, my husband Bill and I run the Inn.  Bill is also the head of the Cape Historic Society and is head keeper at the lighthouse.”

“You guys must stay
pretty busy.”

“We do, but it’s what we’ve always dreamed of, so it’s a fun way to enjoy our retirement,” Emma turned to lead Susanna towards a small table draped with a white crocheted table cloth that
instantly made Susanna recall her childhood at her grandmother’s house. 

“You
’re the only one here so you have the entire place to yourself.  There are four rooms upstairs, you’re welcome to pick any one you like,” Emma leaned towards her, “I would suggest the Orchid Room, it faces the water with a pretty good view of the lighthouse.”

“
Then the Orchid Room it is,” Susanna answered, following Emma up the stairs.

“Bi
ll is there now making sure everything is just right for you,” Emma opened the door to the Orchid Room, “I’ll let you get settled.  Is there anything special you would like for dinner tonight?”

“Oh, you don’t have to go to all that trou
ble.”

“This is our slow season, Ms. Shaw
. I miss cooking for guests, it would be my pleasure.  I was thinking some nice lobster bisque and some roasted chicken. Does that sound good to you?”

“It sounds wonderful, thank you,” Susanna smiled
at the warm hospitality of the woman.

“We’ll be r
eady at six or so.  Feel free to look around. There’s some great books in the library on the history of the Cape if you’re interested.”

Susanna took some time to sift through her bag until she found the liner for her coat.  She hadn’t zipped it in for the flight out of Atlanta but she would certainly need it now.  She was already dreading the boat ride over to the island, knowing the cold would be much worse out on the water.  She lifted her eyes to look out the window at the lighthouse in the distance.  Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she approached the window and pulled back the lace curtains.  Immediately a chill ran over her, sending the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.  She shivered.  It was beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful.  She had seen lighthouses before, many of them in fact, but this one … it looked like something from a painting.  She could see the waves crashing against the rocky shore of the island, the white spray shooting up into the sky.  She grabbed her phone from her back pocket and took a quick photo to send to Michelle with a quick text.
I’m here.  All is well.  Will head over to the lighthouse first thing in the morning. 
Michelle almost immediately pinged her back,
Looks beautiful!  Enjoy yourself!

Susanna shed her coat and ran a brush through her hair before applying some lip gloss for her chapped lips.  Her hands were equally as dry due to the weather so she dug through her bag for her hand cream.  She looked at the clock.  It was ten after five. 

“Guess I’ll explore a little,” she whispered before checking her appearance in the mirror and noticing her
bright green eyes surrounded by red.  She was tired. After all, she had been traveling for most of the day.  She used a few drops of Visine hoping it would help her appearance before heading downstairs.  After a few minutes peeking into the other bedrooms she was glad Emma had suggested the Orchid Room.  It certainly did have the best view, though all the rooms were equally as lovely.  Venturing downstairs she wandered into a quaint little study that doubled as a library.  There were about three rows of books on the shelves and various miniatures of ships and other nautical themed trinkets scattered around.  Two sturdy leather chairs faced the brick fireplace and a desk sat in the corner.  There was a chair behind the desk and a small stack of oversized cards in the middle of the otherwise vacant space. 

Susanna
perused the books and found everything from Maine cook books to shipwrecks of the northeast.  There were several books on the Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse that caught her attention and she pulled a few of them from their dusty spots. 

“Feel free to take any of those you
like with you to the island,” Emma said, startling Susanna as she flipped through the book, “There will be plenty of time for reading, that’s for sure.”

Susanna smiled, “I appreciate it.  I’ll of course be working on the story for the magazine, but I
’ll probably have some additional downtime.”

Emma patted one of
the big leather chairs, “Sit.  The chicken is baking so we have a little while to chat.”

Susanna followed the old woman’s command and took a seat across from her, “I’m afraid I’m going to get lonely out there.  How many people sign up for this program?”

Emma tapped her fingers on the brown chair, “I would say … maybe 20 or so a year. Some couples, some single folks such as yourself, mostly men.”

“Should I be worried?” Susanna laughed nervously, “It said soft adventure
. Am I in for more than I bargained for?”

“No,”
Emma scoffed, “Bill wouldn’t assign you any duties that you couldn’t carry out.  This is meant to be a fun adventure, not backbreaking work.  There’ll be plenty of time for you to read or rest or just walk around and enjoy the island.”

“Are the facilities …” Susanna trailed off, not knowing exactly how to ask the question without sounding like a complete city girl.

Emma smiled, “There’s running water, a toilet that flushes and a nice comfortable bed.  There’s also a kitchen with a small two burner stove and a refrigerator.  Bill took the liberty of stocking it for you with some water and juices and some other things.”

“That sounds way better
than I envisioned,” Susanna sighed in relief.

“Well,
there’s a flushing toilet and water but no shower.  There’s an old clawfoot tub that you can carry heated pitchers of water to in order to make yourself a bath.  It will take a few trips but it’s manageable.”

“This is the full rustic experience, isn’t it?” Susanna asked.

“I think you’ll do well.  I can’t wait to see our little town in your fancy magazine,” Emma smiled, “So, tell me about yourself.”

Susanna shrugged, “I’ve
worked for Coastal for around three years now.  I went to school at Florida State and moved to Atlanta shortly after.  My parents still live in Florida. I don’t see them near enough and they constantly remind me of that,” she paused to smile as she thought about her parents.

“Are you married
?  Do you have children?” Emma pressed.

“Neither,” Susanna
replied, “My answer is I stay too busy, my mother thinks I’m too picky.”

“Well, there can’t be a shortage of men in Atlanta, so maybe your mother is on to something.  But, there is nothing wrong with being picky.  Speaking of, where are your parents from … in Florida?”

“They live in West Palm Beach.”

“Ah
.  I’ve never been. I find myself missing Florida from time to time, even though Bill and I are very happy up here.”

Susanna
’s interest was roused, “Are you from Florida?” she asked, not detecting an accent.

“I lived there for a while before Bill and I married
. It’s where we met actually.”

“Really?
  And where did you live?”

“Oh, it’s a really small spot, dear
. I doubt you’ve ever heard of it.”

“Try me.”

“I lived and worked in Cassadaga,” Emma replied, her gray eyes lighting up at the word.

“
Cassadaga?  The spiritualist town?” Susanna asked in disbelief.

“
The very one,” Emma answered proudly.

“Did you …” Susanna trailed off but Emma knew the question that was on the tip of her tongue and answered Susanna
right away.

“I
’m a medium.”

Susanna
smiled, “How exciting.”

“It was.  I’ve never
shied away from my gift.  Over the years I’ve learned to adapt and put it to good use,” Emma toyed with her long fingers that rested in her lap.

“And what gift do you have?” Susanna was intrigued.

“I can see things. Things that most people can’t see.  I can get a feel for certain past and future events.  I can sense certain things, I suppose, where others can’t.  I also do tarot card readings, even though I depend on my own spirituality more so than the cards.”

“Is that what’s on your desk?” Susanna asked, pointing behind her.

“It is.  I always keep a set close by even though Bill says it scares the guests.”

“And you met him there, while you worked at
Cassadaga?” Susanna urged the woman to continue.

“Yes, he was a drifter, doing some odd jobs here and there to make some money
. He was out trying to ‘find himself’ as he put it.  He found me instead,” she added with a smile. “He wanted a good foundation for our family and he absolutely hated the Florida weather so he talked me into moving North.  He didn’t tell me he planned to practically move me to Canada,” Emma laughed.

“And do you still practice your … craft?”

“Oh, you can’t help but practice it. When you have the gift that I have, you can’t help but shake someone’s hand and immediately get a clearer view of everything around them.”

“Could you do a reading for me?” Susanna asked
with excitement.

“Emma, you
’re scaring the poor girl away on her first day here!” a voice called out from the hallway.

Susanna looked up to see a burly man in the hallway outside the study with his hands on his hips and a fisherman’s cap
sitting lopsided on his head.  Wispy strands of his white hair were visible under the cap and his neck was wrapped in a warm red scarf.

“I’m certainly not scaring her off,” Emma rose from her chair and Susanna followed her lead, “Susanna Shaw, this is my husband, Bill Bailey.”

Bill reached out to take her hand, “Glad you’re here.  I’ve been out making sure everything is in order for you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bailey,” Susanna shook his hand
firmly, “I appreciate the opportunity to be part of this experience.”

“I’ve been filling her in on her stay,” Emma said, but we can talk more about it over dinner.  Come to the table, I’ll get everything ready.”

The three of them gathered around the wood table that held a single burning candle in the center.  Susanna couldn’t recall the last time she had such a delicious home cooked meal and it made her miss her parents.  Her nights usually consisted of fast food runs or take-out so the chicken and lobster bisque was a rare treat.