Tiny Eyes

Tiny Eyes

Tessa loved her bike. She loved the shiny red color of it. The brightly colored tassels on each covered handle grip. The creamy colored basket trimmed with bright ribbons that were the same color as the tassels. Yellows, blues, and purples all intertwined together giving the basket a fancy look.
She liked how she felt riding it. The wind whipping in her face and making her cheeks the color of bright cherries. Her blonde curls looked like spun gold as they danced in the light of day as she peddled along.
Each day her wonderful bike took her on a new adventure. She would pretend that her bike was a beautiful white steed that she rode gracefully into the forest to pick wildflowers. Another time a motor scooter, that would buzz through the busy streets of a far away land.
On hot sunny days, Tessa would jump on her beautiful bike and ride away to her magical lands.
Today was a happy day for Tess. She didn’t have any extra chores to do and she had made some yummy peanut butter and jam sandwiches to take with her on her adventure. She filled her blue covered water container to the top. She tucked in an old towel, just in case she stopped at the creek where she just couldn’t resist jumping in.
She yelled, “Bye Mom, I’ll be back before dark,” as she skipped down the back steps and grabbed her bike.
“Be careful and don’t talk to strangers, stay away from………” her mother’s voice grew faint as Tess peddled away from the house and off down the road as fast as she could go.
Each time she left their little white cottage with the green shutters her mom stood at the door and hollered the same thing. Tess knew her mom would wait there until she was out of sight. She would wipe her hands on her yellow apron, brush back the brown curl off her forehead and sigh. Once she saw the back of Tessa’s bouncing curls she would turn back to the kitchen and finish her baking.
Everyday in Tess’s house seemed to be the same.
“Boring, boring, boring,” she said aloud to the wind.
To Tess everything but her bike and her adventures were boring.
There was one place Tess loved more than any other, that was the old castle. Well that is what she called it.
At one time, it was an old home where very rich people lived. There were many stories about the old place. One old myth was about a murder at the old castle. People said the ghost still roamed the property. Of course, this was just a fable but most of the people who lived in Tessa’s village believe it.

The last words that she knew her mother said although she didn’t hear them was to stay away from the old castle. How could she expect Tess to stay away from there? To Tessa it was a magical place. After all Tessa’s mom played there too when she was little. Tessa felt it was her mom’s way of telling her to have fun but be careful.
The old carriage house was still partly in tack and the stately chimney was solid as ever. Well almost. Some of the orange hued bricks had come away but for the best part, it was standing tall and sturdy. There were steps to climb up and old stone walls to walk along.
One could spend the best part of the day there and never get bored. You could sit on a grassy knoll right in the middle of what was once the parlour.
To Tess the grassy knoll was a beautiful shaded green Persian rug and the grey, red, and yellow rocks strewn about became costly satin and silk pillows. This was her very own palace, her special place to play and dream.
She began to pedal even faster down the long narrow road and around the sharp corners. Up over the one-way wooden bridge and past the white fenced pasture with the thoroughbred horses. They looked up and whinnied as she hurried along. Tess waved at them and considered stopping to visit but thought better of it.
“Why stop and pet those soft noses now, I can do that on the way home,” she said allowed, then in the same breath she yelled at them, “I’ll be back later.”
One small hill and she would turn onto the mossy path that led to the old castle. Something seemed to be urging her to get there as fast as she could today. She had no idea what it was but thought maybe she would be the first to see the ghost or hear it rustling leaves or walking on the creaking boards. She pushed on.
Finally, she was there. She jumped off her bike, propped it against the dense crimson bushes, and clambered through the overgrown shrubs.
Tessa knew every part of this old castle and loved each nook and cranny. Each brick and broken board and walkway was completely etched in her mind. She dreamily strolled through the remains of the castle.
She stopped suddenly and perked her ear to a soft crackling noise. Tessa listened even more intently as she began to tremble.
She of course believed in the ghost. Believing was one thing, seeing was very different and she had no desire to see a ghost now or ever!
Some leaves rustled and a board creaked. Tess’s knees began to shake but she was too curious to run so she crouched on her hands and knees and crept toward the noise.
She felt a sting on her skin and looked down to see that she had ripped a big hole in her blue denim overalls. She had scratched her knee on a broken board. Some blood oozed from the cut and seeped onto her pant leg. Tessa ignored the cut and kept inching toward the noise.
She moved a few bricks out of her way and then lifted a board. Suddenly she jumped back. To her surprise two tiny eyes where peering at her from between the dark boards.
She crouched back onto her legs and heels and swallowed the hard lump in her throat. Oh dear she thought, this ghost is real!
Not to be bullied by any old ghost Tess took a deep breath, wiped her sweaty palms on her yellow t-shirt and began to move the rest of the bricks and boards cautiously at first.
“I’m not scared of any old stupid ghost,” she stated very bravely. “You hear me you nasty old castle ghost?” “You move on over cause I’m gonna’ rip every brick and board out of the way till I come face to face with you.”
Soon Tessa was ripping all the debris out of the way as fast as she could. Sweat dripped off her brow and her hands trembled but she wasn’t going to give up. She tugged at the last board and toppled over backwards.
All of a sudden, she was afraid to move. Something had jumped up on her chest. Tess squeezed her eyes shut.
“Okay, okay,” she stuttered. “I give up, I’m all yours to do with what you want, I’ll never come to this old castle again, I’ll stay away from your home just don’t hurt me!”
Thunk, there was a slight thump on her chest again and she cautiously opened one eye and then the other as she stretched her chin to her chest.
Instead of eyeing a fearful ghost, Tessa saw the tiniest ball of fur she thought ever existed.
Carefully she put her hands to her chest and caught hold of the ball of fur that had taken up residence there. Tessa didn’t know if it was a rat or maybe ghosts did come in small furry balls with tiny eyes!
“Meow, meow,” the furry creature said.
Abruptly Tessa sat up and to her surprise, it wasn’t a ghost at all but the tiniest grey and white kitten she had ever seen.
“Oh my,” Tessa said as she stroked the little kitten, “you aren’t a ghost at all!”
Tessa sat holding the kitten and stroking its soft fur. The sun peeked graciously through the trees and the rays danced off the kitten’s fur as the tips sparkled.
Tessa was glad that she brought the old towel with her and she made a nice soft bed in the basket of her bike and placed the little kitten in it.
Tessa road slowly and quietly up the old dusty road toward home. She knew she would be scolded in a loving way for being at the castle but she hoped and prayed she would be able to keep the little kitten.