In our last episode, Magpie and Lucas learned more about the terrible winter of 1925 when the Carnifex family left the town of Pocket.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 18, where Magpie finds a frightening piece of evidence hidden in a secret compartment in her fireplace, then discovers an addition to her sketchbook that she doesn’t remember making, causing her to feel afraid and overwhelmed.

Music: Nightbridge by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

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Twitter: @melissaoliveri

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TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Chapter   18 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In our last episode, Magpie and Lucas learned more about the terrible winter of 1925 when the Carnifex family left the town of Pocket.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 18 – Magpie finds a frightening piece of evidence hidden in a secret compartment in her fireplace, then discovers an addition to her sketchbook that she doesn’t remember making, causing her to feel afraid and overwhelmed.

Now settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… as we get started!

“Wow, it’s starting to feel like fall out there!” Magpie says to her mother, walking into the warm, cozy kitchen of the old farmhouse.

“It is a little chilly tonight, that wind is pretty strong,” says Mrs. Phaeton, putting down the fork in her hand.  “So, what incredible adventure were you up to today?” she asks, smiling.

“We went to the library,” Magpie answers, completely serious. 

They stare at one another for a moment, then simultaneously start laughing.

“Wow!” says her mother between giggles, “That must have been the most exciting outing of the entire summer!”  Magpie bursts into loud laughter, it feels good to be so lighthearted.  

“I love you, Mom,” she says, her voice full of appreciation.

“I love you too, honey,” says her mom, kissing her forehead tenderly.  “I almost forgot, I made us some baked potatoes for dinner.  I thought it might be nice comfort food on a cool, windy night.  What do you think?”

“I think that sounds great,” answers Magpie, grabbing utensils from the drawer. She walks to the counter and pulls out a couple of stools. “Why don’t I grab some candles, we’ll make a date of it!” she adds, walking toward the living room.  She is about to grab the candles from the bookcase when she remembers the brick by the fireplace with Charlotte Carnifex’s initials carved into it. 

Magpie walks over to the fireplace, crouching down to look closely at the brick and running her finger over the letters. Something about the brick makes it stand out from the others.  She’s never noticed before, but it seems to be smaller than the others, and a slightly different colour.  Magpie grips the brick with her fingertips and wiggles it gently from side to side.  At first it doesn’t budge, but after a few more tries she feels it shift slightly.  Tugging a little harder, Magpie manages to pull the brick out altogether and, sure enough, there is an empty space behind the it.  She reaches in and feels around gingerly, unsure of what she might find.  Her fingers rub up against a piece of paper.  She pulls it out and reaches in again, this time a little further.  She can feel something round, like a small ball or marble?  Perhaps Charlotte hid some of James’ favourite toys in here.  Magpie closes her hand around the object and pulls it out. She can tell there is something attached to the ball, like a rope or string.  She opens up her fist, excited to find out what has been tucked in the secret hiding place all these years.  Looking down, her smile fades and the colour quickly drains from her face.  Laying in her outstretched hand are the remnants of a dusty, worn collar, a small round bell attached to it.  She hears a soft noise above her head and looks up to see Scarlet sitting on the mantle, the exact same collar around her neck.  

Feeling slightly dizzy, Magpie shoves the collar back into hole and puts the brick back in its place.  She takes a few steps back and lets herself fall into the couch before unfolding the piece of paper in her trembling hand. She instantly recognizes Charlotte’s handwriting:

8th July, 1926

I am heartbroken. I have come to this house, which was once filled with joy, only to find complete and utter devastation.  My husband was unable to find work after we left so we moved from town to town; after several months he fell ill, and I now find myself a widow.  I returned to Pocket hoping to find solace, and perhaps even help, but have found the town to be just as devastated as I am.

 To add to the grief; upon my arrival today, I found Cerise’s collar in the rose bush by the shed.  I can only imagine that she is gone forever.  This was her home, her collar belongs here.  I cry at the thought that I will never again hear the sound of this bell.

 I will close the door behind me today and never return.  I refuse to look back.  I have decided to return to England, to live with my sister and her family.  For the sake of my son, James, I must show strength and resilience.

Farewell,

Charlotte Carnifex

“Magpie, I’ve been calling for you, dinner’s getting cold!” says Mrs. Phaeton from the doorway, “Did you find the candles?”

“I’m sorry mom, I got a little distracted,” she says, swallowing the lump in her throat, “here, I’ve got them.”  She glances back up at the mantle, but Scarlet has once again disappeared.  Magpie grabs the candles and walks back to the kitchen for dinner, but even the warm food can’t erase the chill she is feeling.  She helps her mother tidy up before excusing herself and heading up to her room.

Magpie pulls Charlotte’s letter out of her pocket and reaches for her notebook under the mattress.  She sits on her bed, about to tuck the letter at the back of the book, when she notices one of the page corners is folded.  She flips through the pages and lands on the drawing of Lucas by the car.  Her heart skips a beat as she stares at the page in disbelief.  There, behind the little boy, with a hand on each shoulder, is a woman with long hair spiraling down to her waist.  She is staring straight ahead, like she is looking out of the notebook and making eye contact with Magpie.  “I didn’t draw this!” she says out loud, slamming the notebook shut and throwing it across the room. Scarlet appears out of nowhere and walks over to the book.  She turns to face Magpie, her gaze unwavering, and sits down next to the book.  “I don’t understand what’s happening!  I feel like I’m going crazy!  The things that are happening aren’t possible.  You aren’t possible!” she shouts, directing all her fear and panic at the cat.  Scarlet stays next to the notebook, completely immobile, never breaking her eye contact with Magpie.

Magpie takes a few deep breaths and walks back toward the cat.  She sits on the floor and Scarlet immediately curls up in her lap. Magpie lets the sound of Scarlet’s purring calm her down before picking up the notebook and opening it to the sketch of the boy with the car.  She stares at the mysterious woman.  “Who are you?” she whispers.  The pencil outline of the woman’s mouth doesn’t move, but Magpie hears a voice whisper in her ear; “You know who I am, look more closely.”  For some reason, Magpie feels completely calm, and bends to look more closely at the sketch.  The woman’s hair flying around her face suddenly triggers a memory.  The day she and her mother were walking into the diner, in the doorway, the old woman with snow-white hair blowing in the breeze… The woman in her sketch is Farfalla!  Granted, the woman in the sketch looks much younger, but now Magpie recognizes some of her features.  She puts the notebook aside and picks scarlet up from her lap.  Holding the cat at arm’s length, she looks into its bright blue eyes and says, “I need to go to Farfalla, don’t I?”  The cat blinks and lets out a soft meow. Magpie gives her a soft kiss on top of the head, and holds her close to her chest for a moment, feeling the warmth emanating from her body. 

“Thank you, Scarlet.  You can go now...” she says before giving the cat one more hug and placing her gently on the floor.

The cat looks at her one last time, then turns and walks out the door.  Magpie’s heart sinks, she’s certain she’ll never see Scarlet again.  She turns out the lights and goes to bed, now knowing what she needs to do.

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week as we pursue our adventure and read Chapter 19 of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, where things in the town of Pocket start to unravel and the threat of the silence at Meadow Lane becomes very real.

Before I go, I’d like to thank Phaeton Starling Publishing for this fantastically eerie story, and Cannelle Elanion for composing equally fantastic and eerie music for this podcast.

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