The Skylark Bell

In our last episode, Magpie heard the story of Meadow Lane straight from Farfalla herself, and learned of the devastation caused by the terrible winter of 1925, and how Marius’ disappearance lead to the silence that fell upon the farm.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 21 – Where Magpie learns only she can stop the silence from spreading to the entire town. 

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

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 21 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

 In our last episode, Magpie heard the story of Meadow Lane straight from Farfalla herself, and learned of the devastation caused by the terrible winter of 1925, and how Marius’ disappearance lead to the silence that fell upon the farm.

 In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 21 – Where Magpie learns only she can stop the silence from spreading to the entire town. 

 So get cozy… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started

Devasted at the tragic loss of her fiance, her home, and all the beautiful sights and sounds she had grown up with, Farfalla’s family moved out of town, hoping for a fresh start.  Farfalla remained, working as a gardener for various families and businesses. Eventually, the silence at Meadow Lane was discovered, and, out of fear, the residence of Pocket shunned Farfalla, shutting her out completely, hardly ever speaking to her. One day, she ran into James Carnifex, who was in town on business. He explained that he and his mother had moved to England several years prior, but that he never felt at home there, and always wanted to return to Pocket.  They agreed to meet the next day for tea.  Then again the day after that… After a brief courting period, he and Farfalla married; soon after which they had a child, Elisabeth.  Farfalla thought she had found happiness again in their small house around the corner from the bakery.  She sold blackberry jam at the market and knitted scarves, gloves and shawls to sell at the general store.  Farfalla fell into a humble life with a comfortable routine, an managed to put her tragic past behind her. But tragedy has a way of catching up. 

When Elisabeth was two years old, James and Farfalla got word that one of James’ relatives had passed away, leaving James his property on a remote Scottish island.  Farfalla brought Elisabeth to stay with her sister, Paloma, who would watch Elisabeth at her apartment in the city while she and James sailed to Scotland to settle their affairs. 

Elisabeth lived happily with Paloma, who was only too happy to pay the doting aunt.  One day, several weeks later, Paloma received an unexpected letter in the mail:

18th October, 1932

Dear Ms Shearwater,

My son James and I had not spoken for several years, and I was unaware of his marriage to your sister until recent tragic events. 

My family and I left Pocket years ago, and I made a promise to myself that I would keep James away from   the tragedy that hangs over the town. My persistance lead to our falling out, and he distanced himself       from me completely. And now, I see even an ocean cannot spare me from the tragedy that hangs over Pocket.

I regret to inform you that James and your sister are presumed to have passed away, their boat never having made the crossing to the remote Scottish island they were travelling to.  Though no bodies have been recovered, wreckage of the boat was found on the shore.  My heart is shattered, this is a great loss for all involved. All I ever wanted to do was protect him, and it drove him away, to the very place I was protecting him from.

I apologize for the delay in getting this information to you.  As I said, I was unaware of my son’s marriage, and took quite some time find your contact information.  

Please accept my most sincere condolences,

Charlotte Carnifex

James and Farfalla were gone, and had not left instructions or funds behind for their daughter’s care. Needing to find the means to provide for her young neice, Paloma moved to the city to find work, and proceeded to raise Elizabeth as her own.  

Elizabeth grew up and wed a kind man who owned a shoe repair shop in the city. They eventually welcomed a daughter, Lillian. Elizabeth lived a very happy life with her husband in the hustle and bustle of the big city, working in an upscale department store helping ladies choose the perfect new shade of lipstick, or gloves to match their outfits. The years flew by, a swirl of birthdays, celebrations, weddings, funerals… then came the day when Lilian left home to go to art school. Having lost her husband a few years prior, Elizabeth felt quite alone as she rattled around the large, echoing spaces of her apartment. 

Around that same time, Elizabeth received a strange letter in the mail from a woman claiming to be her mother.  Paloma, the woman who had raised her from early childhood, had passed away many years prior, but had mentioned to Elizabeth once that her parents, James and Farfalla, had perished while attempting to reach a remote Scottish island by boat. Though she knew the chances of this letter being true were very slim, Elizabeth, perhaps out of a sharp bout of loneliness, decided to write back.  This sparked a chain of correspondence that would last years, and lead to a beautiful long-distance friendship between Elizabeth and Farfalla. Though she cherished the newfound camaraderie with the author of these letters, Elizabeth never told her daughter about them. It didn’t matter to her whether or not the author of the letters truly was her mother, the letters came at a time in her life when she needed them most.  They were private, special moments that she kept entirely to herself. 

After several years, Elizabeth’s letters stopped coming, and Farfalla eventually learned that Elizabeth had passed away. 

After that, I just kept quietly to myself, going about my daily business here in Pocket.” Says Farfalla, a faraway look in her eye.

“My Grandmother’s name was Lilian, and my Great-Grandmother’s name was Elizabeth… and the people who built my house were Edward and Charlotte Carnifex, and their son’s name was James…” says Magpie, finally putting all the pieces together. “But wait, where were you all those years? What happened with the boat?! And how did you find Elizabeth again after all that time?” Asks Magpie, a multitude of questions swirling in her head.  

 “Those are things for a different time” says Farfalla quietly, leaning back in her seat.  Telling her story has surely taken a lot of effort, but Magpie can’t help but think that there’s something more… She sits for a moment, letting it all sink in.  Could it be true?  Could she really be a descendant of the last resident of Meadow Lane?

“You get the visions, I presume,” adds Farfalla, a sly smile teasing the corner of her mouth.

Magpie sits straight up, like a bolt of lightening has hit her.  After a brief moment of stunned silence she whispers, “I’ve seen Marius by the pond.”  She swallows the lump in her throat before adding, “I’ve never told anyone about the visions, how could you know?”

“We have far more in common than you think,” replies Farfalla, a mysterious twinkle in her eye.  “There will be plenty of time later to sort out these things, but right now we have important matters to attend to.  Something was sparked when you arrived in Pocket, the silence at Meadow Lane has started to spread.  I’m sure you have noticed some sounds disappear, the residents have noticed too, you can seen the fear in their eyes!  There is much more to this than just silence, and there is only one way to stop it.  You must go to Meadow Lane and find the Skylark Bell, then ring it, loud and clear, to break the silence before it reaches any further.  Then…” she pauses, taking a deep breath, “…then everything will find its way, in time.”

“But… but… none of this makes any sense!  How is it even possible?!  I can’t… I mean… I’m just me… I’m not special, I’m just… I’m just… scared,” admits Magpie, the weight of the responsibility she has just been given finally becoming clear.

Farfalla gently takes both of Magpie’s hands in hers, looks deeply into her eyes and in a firm voice reiterates, “You are the only one who can stop the silence from spreading. Everyone in Pocket is depending on you, and I know for a fact that you will succeed, now fly, sweet bird!”

With that, Farfalla folds her arms, gently closes her eyes, and falls back into silence.  The conversation is over.

Magpie sneaks out of the diner, unnoticed, and races toward Meadow Lane.

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week for our 6th installment of Fantome Friday where we will tell the story of The House on Edgar Street

Then, the following week, we will pursue our adventure and read Chapter 22 of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell – This is how Ghosts must feel. will Magpie succeed in ringing the Skylark Bell and ending the silence at Meadow Lane once and for all?

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.

In today's episode, Magpie finally learns more about the history of Meadow Lane, Farfalla, Marius, and the terrible winter of 1925 - straight from Farfalla herself!

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

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Episode 20 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In our last episode, Magpie had a very unsettling encounter with Lucas’ Grandmother, and realized the silence appears to be spreading from Meadow Lane.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 20 – Where Magpie finally learns the truth about what sparked the silence at Meadow Lane.

So get cozy… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started!

Farfalla sits silently in the same booth she sits in every morning, but it’s now well past lunchtime.  Her usual order of blackberry waffles and sweet orange tea lays before her, but today something is different.  She sits, looking out the window, her untouched food cooling on the table.  No one has bothered to come around and take the plate away. 

Around her there is a tremendous amount of activity; the people of Pocket have convened at the diner.  Mr. Bunting is talking loudly and pacing across the dirty restaurant floor while Mr. Tuffetto and his wife sit silently looking out the window.  The rude waitress is leaning in the kitchen doorway looking pale, and the cook is sitting on one of the red counter stools, fidgeting with a pen.  The librarian, the postmaster, even people from the surrounding farms, fill every chair and booth in the restaurant.

Magpie enters the diner, wondering what all the commotion is about.  She can hear bits of hushed conversation “The silence… all of us… started when she got here…” and notices several of the peole in the diner glaring at her.  She glances toward the back of the room, and her gaze lands on Farfalla.  Farfalla gestures for Magpie to come sit in her booth.  Magpie looks around, but no one else seems to have noticed the old woman.  She does her best to ignore the chill at the back of her neck and slowly makes her way to the back of the diner. 

Magpie slips into booth across from Farfalla, who stares silently at Magpie for what feels like an interminable amount of time before, to Magpie’s tremendous surprise, she opens her mouth to speak.  

“I am happy you have returned to Pocket,” she says calmly.  Her voice doesn’t sound anything like Magpie would have imagined; not at all old and shaky, as one would expect from a woman who hasn’t spoken in decades, but rather soft, whispery and almost childlike.  Magpie looks self-consciously around the restaurant to see if anyone else has heard or noticed that Farfalla is speaking, but no one seems to even see them there.  

Magpie clears her throat nervously.  “I’m sorry, you must be mistaking me for someone else, I’m new here,” she replies. 

“Ah, so you are… this time” Farfalla says, pressing her lips together, “There is much I need to tell you.”  She takes a deep breath before launching into the incredible story of what happened to the town and its people nearly a century ago.  

Farfalla’s grandparents settled near Pocket before the town even existed.  With a small orchard, winding creek and rolling fields all around, Meadow Lane was the nicest parcel of land in the area.  Farfalla’s family built a small but comfortable house at the top of the long, sloping hill.  It was warm and inviting, and with windows on each side it let in the bright orange, yellow, pink and purple light of each sunrise and sunset.  For years her family enjoyed the sights and sounds of birds, wildlife, sunshine, stars, wind, children, music... 

As a child, Farfalla spent all her time outdoors, learning the language of the skylarks and singing to them in the forest.  It was said that Farfalla had the most beautiful voice anyone had ever heard, and that she could even hypnotize animals with it. The Skylarks would reply and together they would share their most closely held secrets.  She ran like the wind through the tall grass, her lungs filling with the fragrant scent of wild roses and apple blossoms.  Most days, Farfalla would stop at Mirror Pond to take in the reflection of the sky, the clouds, the birds overhead, the wind in her wild red hair and her bright blue eyes.  When that first drop of rain would hit the pond those images would all swirl together, making her feel like she was intricately woven into the fabric of nature around her. 

The summer Farfalla turned 18 was the summer she met Marius Corbeau.  The stories said that Marius had come from Europe a few years prior and had simply appeard in Pocket one day on the back of his striking horse. Farfalla first laid eyes on him while perched on a tree branch in the blossoming orchard.  The sound of hooves on the dirt path made her look down from the tree and there she saw him:  Dark, wavy hair, cool gray eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief but somehow still soft enough to put her at ease, sitting tall in the saddle on a large, black horse with a white mane and tail. She’d never seen anything like either of them before.  She climbed down from the tree as he hopped to the ground.  Their eyes met and a cluster of butterflies took flight in her stomach.  They made brief introductions and walked through the orchard, talking and laughing like old friends within minutes.  Marius came to visit her every day.  They would sit together on Cormorant’s back and gallop through the vast fields and forests, her fiery red hair flowing in the wind. They would picnic by the river, pick apples from the orchard, and watch the sunset from the bridge, their love blossoming as the weeks went by.

That autumn, Farfalla’s family hosted a celebration at the farm with nearly every resident of Pocket in attendance.  The people sang, danced, ate and celebrated well into the night. At the peak of the party, Marius asked Farfalla to come outside with him for a breath of fresh air.  Once there, he handed her a lantern and lead her to the apple orchard behind the house. It was there, by the light of the moon, in the place where they first laid eyes on one another, that he asked her to be his wife.  Farfalla was only too eager to accept, she thought her heart was going to burst with joy.  Because Marius hadn’t yet asked Mr. Shearwater for Farfalla’s hand in marriage, they kept their engagement a secret and agreed to wed the following spring.  Life on Meadow Lane could not have been more perfect… until winter came.

When Christmas came, Marius gifted Farfalla a bell. He explained that the bell had come from Scotland and that it was very old, and said to harbour some mystical powers. The bell was etched with Scottish Gaelic words, which neither of them could read, and flying birds spiraling around.  Marius had spent weeks working on the beautifully carved wooden skylark that the bell was attached to.  Farfalla cherished that bell more than anything.  It hung in her window where the breeze would make it chime as she and the skylarks sang along.

It was a long, harsh winter.  The wind was relentless and the cold only seemed to get deeper and deeper as the weeks went by.  There was a tragic fire at the farm by the creek which took a life, sending the entire population of Pocket reeling.  People were starting to panic, they were running out of food, running out of firewood, and there were reports of some families nearly freezing to death. The residents of Pocket held an emergency town hall meeting. They were getting desperate, everyone was running out of wood to heat their homes and the farm on Meadow Lane was the only one in the area with any mature trees left.  The villagers decided the orchard needed to be cut down for firewood or none of them would survive the winter. This broke Farfalla’s heart.  She had such fond memories of dancing among the apple blossoms every spring, and picking crisp, sweet apples every fall, and of course it was among those very trees that she had first laid eyes on Marius…

One stormy night, as the snow was acumulating higher than anyone had ever seen, Farfalla heard a loud knock at the door. So as not to let in the cold, Mr. Shearwater spoke with the person outside for a brief moment through a crack in the door.  Glancing back at Farfalla, he grabbed his coat and boots before letting himself out and closing the door behind him. Farfalla waited for what felt like an eternity before her father came in, stomping the snow off his boots. He slowly took off his coat and took a seat at the dining room table where she was nervously waiting.  It was there, in a soft, quiet voice, that he delivered the devastating news:  Marius had gone missing. 

Night after night she sat by the door, waiting for Marius to come to her, hoping she would at least get word from one of the townspeople that he had been found and brought home safely, but no one ever came.

Tree by tree the orchard behind the house vanished, the wood from its trees burned in the fireplaces of the surrounding homes. Soon thereafter, the animals moved away, and the birds were silenced.  Eventually, the wind disappeared, the crops died and the house started falling apart; and then the people left too.  Farfalla was devastated.  By the time her family left Meadow Lane they weren’t even speaking to one another, and all sound was gone from the land.  She hid the skylark bell in the house and shut the door behind her, never to return…

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week as we pursue our adventure and read Chapter 21 of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, where Magpie will learn what must be done to save the town of Pocket and its residents.

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.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 19 – A Starling in the Flowerbed - Where Lucas finds himself in a vulnerable position and asks Magpie for help, and Magpie comes to a chilling realization about the silence at Meadow Lane.

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

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Episode 19 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In our last episode, Magpie discovered a sketch in her notebook that she did not recall drawing. The sketch protrayed Faralla by the side of the road with Lucas after his parents’ accident.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 19 – A Starling in the Flowerbed - Where Lucas finds himself in a vulnerable position and asks Magpie for help.

So get cozy… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started!

Magpie wakes up to the smell of her mom cooking breakfast. “Good morning, sunshine!” says her mom, cheerfully setting the table, “I’ve got all your favourites today!”

“Wow, what inspired all this?!” asks Magpie, surprised.  

“The Gallery in Europe, the one where I sent that canvas a few weeks ago, they just got back to me and are thrilled to feature the entire collection!”  Magpie’s mom rushes on, telling her about the details of the upcoming art exhibit.

“Mom, that’s great news!” Magpie says excitedly, digging into her breakfast.

“I thought we could have a celebratory dinner tonight, maybe invite Lucas and his Grandmother?  He seems like a very nice young man” says her mother, a twinkle in her eye 

“I would love that!” says Magpie, blushing lightly.  “Hey mom, I’m sorry to skip out on you so fast, especially after this amazing breakfast and your exciting news, but I have to head into town this morning.  Do you need me to buy anything for tonight’s dinner while I’m there?” she asks, heading to the front closet to grab a jacket.

“No need, I’ve got everything planned out,” answers Mrs. Phaeton.  “See you later!”

Outside, the cool breeze scatters a few leaves at Magpie’s feet.  She breathes in the crisp air as she walks toward Lucas’ driveway. In the distance, she sees him leaning against a fencepost near the dirt road.

“Hi Lucas!” she calls, waving at her friend.

“Hey” he answers softly, kicking at the dirt with his sneaker.

Magpie immediately senses that something is wrong.  “What’s going on?” she asks, concerned.

“It’s my grandma.”  He pauses for a moment, staring hard at Magpie like he is trying to decide whether or not to continue.  His lips tighten and he takes a deep breath.  “She does strange things sometimes… Sometimes she... She goes outside, in the middle of the night…”  Magpie can tell what he is about to confess is difficult for him.  He stops to clear his throat before pressing on, “She goes out in the middle of the night to pick flowers out of peoples gardens.  When I catch her and ask her what she’s doing, she says that she’s getting ready for the wedding. Then when I ask her what wedding, she just laughs and tells me to stop being so silly…” Magpie can hear the exasperation in Lucas’ voice.  He pauses a moment to see how Magpie will react, and she stays perfectly still, meeting his gaze. “My Grandmother’s not crazy, Magpie, really!  It’s just that… She just… I don’t know.  These last few months she just hasn’t been herself…” his voice trails off.

So this is why Lucas gets so uncomfortable when Magpie asks about his grandmother; he’s protecting her, and himself.  If she’s deemed unfit to care for him, who knows what would happen!  Where would Lucas go? Who would take care of him?  Magpie puts a comforting hand on Lucas’ shoulder.  “Lucas, where is she now?” she asks, with all the calm she can muster.

“Well, she went out again last night, but this time she didn’t come home.  She’s never been gone this long and I’m really worried about her!  I don’t want to leave the house in case she comes back…”  he says softly.

Magpie forces herself to appear confident, though Lucas is visibly shaken.  “I was just heading into town, I’ll look around for your grandma while you stay here in case she comes back, ok?  Tell me what she looks like.”

“Thanks, Magpie, you’re a good friend,” he says, forcing a smile before launching into a brief description.

Magpie gives him a hug before turning and walking toward Pocket. 

As she nears Main Street, Magpie senses something in the air, a nervous energy, like there is something very, very wrong.  Perplexed, she looks around and realises there are no people in the street.  Where is everyone?  She walks by the park and sees the swings blowing in the breeze – suddenly it hits her, they aren’t making any sound!  Magpie thinks back to her walk into town and realises she hadn’t heard a bird chirping or leaves rustling.  She hastens her step and is about a block away from the diner when she sees a woman sitting in the flowerbed of a nearby house, her head bowed down toward the ground.  Magpie immediately recognizes the description Lucas gave of his grandmother and takes a few tentative steps toward her.

“Hello, ma’am?  Excuse me?” says Magpie, a little unnerved.  The woman remains immobile and, for a moment, Magpie wonders if she is sleeping.

Suddenly, the woman whips her head up, her face twisted with rage. “It’s coming!  The silence!  It has been growing since the day you arrived and it will silence all of us.  It’s all YOUR FAULT!  YOU brought this upon us!” she shouts, pointing a pale, withered, shaky finger at Magpie.  Magpie, terrified, takes a step backward and trips on a tree root that sends her crashing to the ground.

The woman stares back down at the ground for a moment.  When she looks up again her face has changed completely. In a soft, sweet voice she says, “Hello, dear!  Are you looking to buy some flowers today?  I have daisies, pansies, brown eyed susans… I’m afraid I can’t share these though, I need them for the wedding. At long last, the wedding…”

Magpie, completely overwhelmed, is unsure what to do.  But, recalling the worried look in Lucas’ eyes, her heart softens.  They’ve grown very close over the summer, and his trust compels her to try and help his grandmother.

“I… umm… I am a friend of Lucas, and he’s very worried about you.  He’d like for you to come home right away,” she manages to spit out as she scrambles to her feet.

“Oh Marius, always looking out for his grandmother,” says the woman, smiling.  She pulls herself out of the flower bed, bits of grass and dirt falling from the skirt of her dress, and starts walking down the road, mumbling about lilies and frangipani.

Marius??  Clearly the woman isn’t in her right mind, but why would she confuse Lucas and Marius?!  Magpie follows the old woman from a distance, tracing back the steps she took to get here and walking back toward home.  At last she sees Lucas, who walks to his grandmother, and takes her by the hand as they make their way back up the long tree-lined driveway to their house.  Once they are out of sight, Magpie thinks back and realises the old woman’s footsteps didn’t make any noise as she shuffled down the gravel road…

Perplexed, and more than a little concerned, Magpie squares her shoulders and turns on her heel, heading right back into town with determination.  It is time to get some answers.

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week as we pursue our adventure and read Chapter 20 of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, where the residents of Pocket are in a panic as the silence starts spreading from Meadow Lane, and Magpie learns something that will alter everything she knows about Pocket, Meadow Lane, and herself!

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.

This bonus chapter was written and added to the first book after books 2 and 3 were completed. It introduces some new characters which will tie in to the story as we work through the next 2 books.

In this bonus chapter Magpie and Lucas gather around the fire with the Bunting brothers and Sydney Finch to tell unsettling stories. 

Make yourself a s'more, join us by the crackling fire, and enjoy!

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

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: A bonus episode of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In today’s episode we read a bonus Chapter called Disappearances - where Magpie, Lucas, the Bunting brothers, and Sydney Finch sit by the fire and tell tales of the house at Meadow Lane.

So get settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.

“I could’ve sworn it was right here!” says Lucas, his finger flipping through the books on the bookshelf. He and Magpie have returned to the library to look for the mysterious book about The Skye Lark Belle. 

“I’ll go ask the librarian, maybe she can help,” says Magpie, walking over to the front desk. She returns a few minutes later, a look of confusion on her face.

“What did she say?” asks Lucas.

“She said she’s never heard of it, but she checked the system and the card files just in case, but there is no book with that title, or any variation of that title, in this library,” replies Magpie.

“But, we both saw it, right here on the shelf!” says Lucas.

“That wasn’t the first time I saw it, either…” says Magpie, surprising herself at the confession.

“What do you mean?” asks Lucas, turning toward her, surprised.

“I saw it in a dream, a few weeks ago,” says Magpie, staring at the ground, afraid of Lucas’ reaction,.

“That’s amazing! What was the dream about?” asks Lucas, genuinely interested, and not a hint of disbelief in his voice. Magpie proceeds to tell him about the terrifying dream, leaving nothing out. They sit in silence for a while once she is finished.

“Hey! I thought I saw you two walking in here!” booms a voice nearby, making both Lucas and Magpie jump. Bo Bunting saunters over, completely oblivious to the stern look from the librarian his loud call has earned him.

“Bo!” whispers Lucas, hoping to lead by example, “Magpie and I were just doing a bit of research for…”

“…for my mom, she’s doing a series of paintings based on Pocket and we thought we’d look into some of its history,” Magpie cuts in. Lucas gives her a wink, and she feels a warmth wash through her.

“Billy and Sydney Finch are at Mirror Pond, they’re playing some kind of nerdy nature bingo game or something, I was just about to go join them, would you like to come?” asks Bo.

Magpie and Lucas look at each other, there’s nothing left for them here in the library, they might as well get out and have some fun. The trio exit the library and walk down the gravel road toward Mirror Pond. As they pass by Meadow Lane, Bo, who has been chatting the entire time, becomes unusually quiet.

“I wonder how old that tree is,” says Magpie tentatively, nodding toward the huge oak tree in the front field of Meadow Lane.

“My guess is its probably as old as my family’s store!” says Bo, though he doesn’t actually turn to look toward the tree. He opens his mouth as if he’s going to say somehting more, hesitates for a moment, then closes it again.

“Over here!” comes a voice a little further ahead. Magpie looks toward the pond and sees Sydney Finch waving her arm at her, the row of colourful bracelets still on her arm. Magpie looks down at her wrist, the turquoise bracelet Sydney gave her still wrapped around it.

The sun is just starting to set in the sky as they take a seat on an old log near the pond. 

“We brought everything we need to make some s’mores!” says Billy, holding up a bag of marshmallows and a pack of graham crackers. He and Bo get to work starting a campfire while Lucas and Sydney unpack the ingredients. Magpie wanders toward some nearby bushes to find sticks for them to roast the marshmallows on. In the distance she can see Meadow Lane. She stops to stare at the house for a moment. Perhaps it’s just a trick of the light with the setting sun, but she could’ve sworn she saw a woman in the upstairs window staring out at her. Magpie shudders and hurries up to finish her task before returning to the circle. By now the campfire is crackling, spreading its warm orange glow around. Magpie hands out the sticks while Lucas circles around with the bag of marshmallows.

“Okay,” says Billy, “now it’s time for spooky stories! Who’s going to go first?” he asks, looking around the circle.

“I have one, it was told to me by my Tota,” says Sydney, and she proceeds to tell the story about a shape-shifting deer woman who lives deep in the forest who lures unsuspecting people into her enchanted realm and they are never seen or heard from again. Magpie feels a chill go down her spine, for some reason the story has affected her far more than it should, she feels a strange sense of foreboding. 

“Speaking of people never being seen or heard from again, what do you guys know about Marius Corbeau?” asks Lucas.  Magpie is surprised, Lucas has always seemed so reluctant to discuss Meadow Lane or anything related to it with anyone besides Magpie.

Bo bites his lip. “My Grandpa used to tell us stories, but he was pretty old and probably pretty confused, because they didn’t make a lot of sense. What I do know is that the story about Marius disappearing is true, and that his horse really was found. In fact, Cormorant lived out the rest of his days on your family farm, Lucas.” 

At this Lucas’ eyes grow wide. “I never knew!” he says.

Billy pipes up, “Some say Marius never really existed at all, that he was a ghost the whole time! He just appeared one day the disappeared just a suddenly. Whatever the case, they say Farfalla was devastated. They say she cursed the house and that’s why the silence…” Billy catches himself talking about the one thing Magpie has learned no one in town ever talks about. The silence at Meadow Lane.

“I think it’s unfair to blame Farfalla, no one knows what really happened,” says Sydney in her calm, comforting tone. “I would love to know more about the Skylark Bell though, some say it was a gift to Farfalla, and that it was very old. They say it had the most beautiful, perfect sound. But it disappeared when her family left Meadow Lane, and no one knows what happened to it. Some say it’s a mystical object that would end the silence,” says Sydney.

Magpie can feel the familiar tingle at the back of her neck that tells her she needs to be paying attention. The mystical Skylark Bell that rings to break the silence, and the book titled The Skye Lark Belle – Skye with an E, Belle with an E, surely there is some connection to the two, after all, they were both in her dream. Magpie is so lost in her thoughts she doesn’t realize everyone has gotten up and started packing. 

“Magpie you ready to go?” she hears Bo’s voice cut through her thoughts and looks up. She sees Lucas standing close to Sydney and feels the same tightness in her stomach she felt the first time she saw them together.

“Oh, yes,” she answers, hoping Bo didn’t notice the look on her face a moment ago. 

 “I’ll help you up,” says Lucas, quickly walking over. He holds his hands out and lifts Magpie to her feet. They stand and stare at one another for a moment and Magpie feels the tightness ease up. 

“Sydney, I can drive you home,” says Billy, “Bo, do you want to ride with us?” Bo nods and the group makes their way back to the road. Billy, Bo and Sydney hop in Billy’s pickup truck, he revs the engine and loud rock music bursts out the windows. Magpie and Lucas laugh as the truck roars down the road leaving a trail of gravel dust behind it.

“Not only do the Bunting brothers know how to make an entrance, they also know how to make an exit!” laughs Lucas, making Magpie giggle. Lucas walks Magpie across the road to the bottom of her driveway. “I hope those spooky stories around the campfire don’t give you nightmares,” he says as they are about to part ways. Magpie gets the impression Lucas isn’t quite ready to go home yet, but she isn’t sure.

“I think I’ll be fine, I’ll probably just dream of marshmallows and chocolate,” she says, winking at him. Lucas smiles, and lingers for amoment before finally wishing her goodnight and heading home.

Thank you so much for listening.

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. 

If you are enjoying this story, please consider leaving a rating or a review. Either one, or both, are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

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.

In today’s episode we will recount a series of strange events, or glitches, that came to us from Amy, host of our partner podcasts, Collected Sounds and Volsteadland.

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

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

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

On the last Friday of each month, we pause our reading of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, and instead cover a real-life supernatural, or at the very least, unusual, and unexplained, experience.

Before we dive into today’s episode, I want to tell you about the real-life person behind the mysterious presence I encountered in our last Fantome Friday episode, The Bootleggers. He was known as Kid Cann, among many other names, and was quite influential here in Minneapolis in his heyday. My friend Amy over at Collected Sounds is putting together a podcast called Volsteadland which will take a deeper dive into this character. Be sure to check it out!

In today’s episode we will recount a series of strange events, or glitches, that came to us from Amy, host of our partner podcasts, Collected Sounds and Volsteadland.

I’d also like to let you know that I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Ken Volante for his podcast Something Rather Than Nothing. My interview is Episode 94 and is titled Melissa Oliveri. Something Rather Than Nothing is available on all major podcast platforms, I’d be honoured if you gave it a listen.

Now, it’s time to get settled in. Grab a blanket, a warm drink, and let’s get started…

It was September 13th, 2020 when I decided I should start keeping track of these things. I didn't really think I needed to, I didn’t really see a pattern, until the scissors.

As I’m writing this, I realize that all these things all happened in September. Different years, but always September. Strange…

The first incident happened about 3 years ago, shortly after we moved into our new house. I was looking for my pill box. I knew I had recently gotten a new prescription and filled up two little pillboxes, I just couldn't find one of them. I distinctly remembered putting it on a shelf in the hall closet on the main floor, but it wasn't there. I searched the entire house, my purses, drawers, medicine cabinets, everywhere! The box was nowhere to be found. Eventually, I ended up having to fill a new prescription. A few days later I came home with the new prescription and went to put it away in the hall closet and, sitting there right in front of me, was the lost pill box, exactly where I remembered putting it. Exactly where I had looked for it several times.

The next glitch occurred last fall. I was downstairs and glanced at our Echo Show, noting that the time said 2:58pm. I went outside and did some planting of vegetables and repotted some plants. I felt like I was out there for at least 20 minutes. When I came back in, I looked at the same clock on the Echo, and the time read 3:00pm. I was shocked. I know for a fact I was out there more than 2 minutes since I was listening to music on the outdoor speakers and heard at least 3 songs. This is a whole new level of losing track of time!

A few days after the time incident I was washing dishes and putting things away. I cleaned both pairs of scissors and put one away in the butcher block and left the other to dry in the rack before putting it away in the drawer. I started wiping down the counter as my husband came in to help me with dinner. He was arranging things on the stove and handed me something to wash. I took it from him then looked down at my hand in shock – he had handed me the scissors that I had just washed and put away, only they were dirty. There is no way he could have gotten the scissors from where I had left them without me noticing because I was standing next to the butcher block and the drying rack the whole time! I was too stunned to even figure out which of the two pairs of scissors he had handed me, I just did my best to shake off the troubling sense of déjà vu as I washed them… again.

A few weeks after the scissor incident, I got a notice on my phone that I had an email from my friend Melissa. I didn't read it right away as we were eating dinner. A few moments later I got a text from Melissa saying "I just sent you an email and I forgot to say..." – the timestamp on the text was 5:49pm. Just over an hour later, at 7:08pm, I got another message from her saying, "I just got home and when I looked at my computer, I realized my email hadn't been sent! Sending it now." But when I checked my email account the message was there and time stamped 5:43pm, just moments before Melissa’s original text telling me she sent it. How did I get the email at 5:43pm when she didn't actually send it until 7:08pm?

The next evening my husband and I were shutting down the basement before going up to bed. I made a point to close the curtains for privacy, knowing that I would be taking a shower the next morning. There is a small bell attached to the door leading outside for the dogs to ring when they want to go out. The window is quite wide, I have to walk several paces to get from one side to the other. I pulled the left side closed first. Just as I finished pulling the right side closed, I heard the dog bell ring. I was standing at least 15 feet away from the door. It was notable because I’d never heard the bell ring before as I was closing the curtains, and I happened after I had already started to walk away from the window, but I didn’t turn back to look. When I went downstairs the next morning the curtain was pulled back open. I asked my husband if he had been downstairs overnight, and he told me he had not. 

About one week after the curtain incident, I was working in the basement office downstairs. I stepped away for a moment to take a break upstairs. As I was walking back to my office, I noticed that my large, bright orange water cup was on the bar in the main area of the basement. It dawned on me that I should have grabbed it and brought it into the office with me, but I was walking quickly and had already past it. I told myself I would grab it next time I stepped out for a break. I walked back into my office and froze in shock - the large, bright orange cup, the same one I had just walked past in a different room one moment ago, was sitting on my desk.

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week as we resume our adventures in Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell.  In last week’s episode, Magpie and Lucas spent some time in the archives at the library and learned more about the terrible winter of 1925 when the Carnifex family left the town of Pocket.

 Next week we read Chapter 18 – The Sketch, 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.

Don’t forget to subscribe, you don’t want miss a thing! And now, an original song by Cannelle inspired by today’s story – here is “Glitch”

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 17 – Hidden in the Archives, Where Magpie and Lucas dig through the archives at the local library in an attempt to find out what happened to the Carnifex family.

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

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Episode 17 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.   

In our last episode, a mysterious feather shaped key appeared in the picnic basket where Magpie had placed a blackberry which, earlier that day, had been dropped in her lap by a bird. And Scarlet seemed to have a hand in causing Magpie to add to her sketchbook, while still completely asleep! 

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 17 – Hidden in the Archives, Where Magpie and Lucas dig through the archives at the local library in an attempt to find out what happened to the Carnifex family.

It’s that wonderful time… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started!

“Sorry if I was short on the phone last night,” says Lucas as they make their way toward town.

“Don’t worry about it, I understand,” says Magpie nonchalantly.  Lucas looks like he is about to say something more, but his lips press together, and he keeps walking in silence.  “I hope we can find out more information about Charlotte Carnifex and the terrible winter she mentioned in her letter,” says Magpie, breaking the silence.

“Me too!  I wonder what happened to her and her family, where they ended up,” says Lucas, his tone far more relaxed.

They stride up the long, tree-lined path to the library doors, the lawn where they had a picnic the previous day stretching to their left.  Lucas and Magpie enter through the ornate double doors, the stained-glass windows above reflect a multitude of colours on the entryway tile as they make their way to the librarian’s desk.

“Excuse me, where can we find newspaper archives from about 100 years ago?” Lucas asks the librarian in a hushed voice.

“Oh dear, I’m afraid most of those were lost when the old library burned down!  You’re welcome to take a look at what’s left, and we do carry a few books about the history of Pocket if you would like to look at those,” she says.

Lucas and Magpie exchange a brief look of frustration before nodding at her.  She guides them to a small, narrow shelf at the back of the library. There, they find about a dozen books relating to Pocket, most of them about some of its more notable inhabitants, like the Original members of the Bunting Family who opened the general store, and the Swift Family, who originally founded the school. 

“I had no idea Mr. Swift was related to the people who opened the school!” says Lucas, surprised.

“Well, you said yourself the families have been here for generations!” she says, playfully.  “I’m going to take a look at what’s left of the archives,” she adds, walking to a small nook in the corner of the library.

They spend hours scanning through books and old newspapers.  There are very few newspapers from before the fire, and the only thing of interest Magpie finds is a short article about the disappearance of Marius Corbeau, but it doesn’t mention anything she doesn’t already know; that his horse, Cormorant, was found wandering near the road but that Marius himself was nowhere to be found and hadn’t been seen or heard from since.

Magpie is about to give up on their research when Lucas finally waves at her to come look over his shoulder.  “I found something!” he whispers excitedly as she gets closer.  He points to a badly yellowing page in a small, crinkled book that had been tucked in the back corner of the shelf.  Magpie silently reads through the first few paragraphs. 

“Wow, this says the winter of 1925 was the worst on record, and that several people died from the cold!  That’s the same year Charlotte Carnifex wrote her letter!” she says, looking up from the page.

“And look here, it mentions that old house near the barn,” says Lucas, pointing, “the family was trying to keep warm with candles and their house caught fire.  It says the father initially made it out but ran back inside to try and save the family dog and never returned.”

 “How horrific!” she exclaims.

“Did you read the part about how several families left the area?  It also says several homes were broken into by people passing through town, they must have known they’d never get caught,” he says with disgust.  “Edward Carnifex was right, good thing he sealed up the door to the attic,” he adds.

“No wonder the people of Pocket are so weary of strangers,” says Magpie.  “Does it say anything about the Carnifex family specifically?”

Lucas reads on for a few more pages then looks up at her, shaking his head.  “No, it does mention them briefly as the original owners of the farmhouse where you now live, and it lists them with the people who left town that winter, but then it’s like they fell off the face of the earth.”  Lucas flips through the pages with his thumb and stops a few chapters further “Here’s a list of homeowners throughout the years for most of the surrounding farms.  It looks like almost all of them have been in the same family for generations, but yours, for some reason…” his brow furrows and he leans closer to the book, squinting, “…it isn’t listed.  Isn’t that strange?” he says, looking up at her.

Magpie shrugs, “Maybe because it’s on the outskirts of town, no one has ever paid much attention to it. It’s like it doesn’t belong…” she says, looking down at her feet.

“Is that how you feel?” he asks, looking at her intently.

“It’s how I would feel if I didn’t have you,” she answers, looking up to meet his gaze.  

“Well, I’m glad you’re here,” he says, smiling at her warmly. 

“The library will be closing in five minutes,” warns the librarian, the sound of her voice making them jump.  They have been so engrossed in their research neither one of them has noticed the darkening sky through the stained glass of the library windows.  

They quickly gather their things and head out.  As they walk down the main street Magpie feels like something is off, but she can’t quite put her finger on it.  The wind whips up and swirls a few leaves around their feet; summer is definitely coming to an end.  It is now completely dark outside, and the streetlights are flickering.  As they walk by the park, Magpie hears the swings squeaking loudly back and forth, blown by the breeze. “They should really fix those, they’re so loud,” says Lucas, as if reading her mind.  Magpie looks up at him, grateful they have been able to spend so much time together this summer.  Once they reach Lucas’ driveway, they wish one another goodnight and part ways.  Magpie walks the rest of the way home, smiling. 

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week for the 5th installment of Fantòme Friday, where we will tell a story from the host of our sister podcast Collected Sounds, Amy, who has been experiencing inexplicable events that she has dubbed “glitches”    . Then, the following week, we will continue our adventure and read Chapter 18 of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, where we finally learn what it was Magpie drew in her sketchbook while she was sleepwalking!

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.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 16 – The Feather Key, where the mystery deepens when a curious object inexplicably shows up, and Scarlet exhibits more strange behaviour.

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

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Episode 16 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In our last episode, we learned about how Lucas lost his parents at a very young age, and that there may have been a mysterious good Samaritan with him at the time of the accident. Magpie also had another distant but uncanny encounter with Farfalla. 

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 16 – The Feather Key, where the mystery deepens when a curious object inexplicably shows up, and Scarlet exhibits more strange behaviour.

It’s that wonderful time… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started

Magpie kicks off her rainboots in the entryway, letting the heavy front door of her house close behind her. She puts down the picnic basket to take off her cardigan and hangs it on the coat rack next to the hall closet. She still has a warm feeling inside knowing Lucas trusts her enough to tell her about his past.  Picking up the picnic basket she makes her way to the kitchen where her mom is putting some dishes away.

“Phew, the creek was rushing pretty fast today after all the rain we had last week!” says Magpie, her cheeks flushed from being outside all day.

“I don’t know how comfortable I am with you playing near rushing water,” says her mom in a very serious voice, putting down a stack of plates.

Magpie saunters over and puts her arm around her mother’s shoulders, “Oh mom, don’t be such a worry wart!  I’m not ‘playing’, I’m exploring!  And Lucas is with me, he knows the land around here like the back of his hand!”  

Magpie’s mother takes her daughter in her arms and places a gentle kiss on her forehead, “Just promise me you’re being careful, ok?” she says, grabbing the empty picnic basket.  “How was the picnic I packed for you guys?” she inquires, quickly changing the subject.  

“It was great!  That bumbleberry pie was especially amazing, thank you so much!” answers Magpie, genuinely grateful.

“It looks like you left something in here,” says her mom, reaching into the bottom of the basket, “did you find this at the creek?”

Magpie looks puzzled for a moment, then remembers the blackberry that landed on her lap at the library.  “Oh! You mean the blackberry?” she says.

Now it’s her mother’s turn to look confused.  “Blackberry?  No, I mean this key!” she says, holding up a small, shiny, antique silver key shaped like a feather.

“I…uh…” stammers Magpie, confused, “I guess… maybe Lucas found it at the… creek.”  She grabs the key and tucks it into her pocket, doing her best to smile at her mom before rushing up the stairs. She knows very well Lucas didn’t find it at the creek because she was carrying the picnic basket while they were walking, and it was sitting right next to her the entire time they were in the barn.

She shuts her bedroom door carefully and lays on her bed before taking the tiny, mysterious key out of her pocket.  Turning it over in her hand, she notes there is no writing on it, and nothing to indicate what it might open.  Where had it come from?  And what happened to the blackberry she had tucked in the picnic basket?  Afraid of losing the small trinket, she loops it onto the silver chain her mother gave her for her birthday, and slips it back over her head, tucking the key under her shirt.  

"What is going on?!" she wonders out loud, grabbing the phone to call Lucas.  He answers on the sixth ring, just as Magpie is about to hang up.  “Lucas, do you have a second?” she asks.

“I’m just… ugh… it’s not a great time.  Can I call you back?” he asks.  

Magpie can’t tell if he sounds distracted or annoyed, and her heart sinks a little.  After their conversation earlier that day she thought she could tell him anything, but right now she’s not so sure.  “Don’t worry about it, I’ll figured it out,” she mumbles, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice.

“I’m sorry Magpie.  It’s just that, my Grandma… it’s complicated,” he says, his tone much softer than before.  

Magpie suddenly feels silly and childish.  “No worries, I was just wondering if you wanted to head to the library with me tomorrow, to take a look at the archives,” she says, putting the story of the feather key aside for the moment.  They agree to meet by the main road in the morning and Magpie hangs up the phone.

Magpie changes into her pyjamas and lays on her bed, running her finger along the chain on which she’s looped the feather key.  A soft jingle outside her bedroom door makes her sit up. She hears a little scratch and the door cracks open just wide enough to let Scarlet in. “Hello there!” she says happily, patting the bed for the cat to come up.  “I’m so glad you came back, I’ve missed having you around,” she says, running her hand through the cat’s soft coat.  Scarlet circles around before curling up on Magpie’s pillow. Magpie turns out the light and lays back down, her head next to the cat’s warm body. The loud purring in Magpie’s ear lulls her to sleep in a matter of minutes and she lets herself slip into deep, peaceful rest.

Halfway through the night, Scarlet lifts her head up to look at Magpie, who is sound asleep.  Scarlet stands up, stretches, and jumps down before making her way silently across the floor to the other side of the bed.  She stands on her hind legs to reach up and nudge Magpie’s hand with her nose.  Still completely asleep, Magpie sits up, her legs dangling off the side of the bed.  She stands and turns to crouch down and pull her notebook from under the mattress.  Scarlet sits on the floor in front of her, her unwavering gaze fixed directly on Magpie, who sits back on the side of the bed, her unseeing eyes staring straight ahead, and starts feverishly sketching without looking down at the open notebook on her lap.  A few minutes later, Magpie closes the book, slips it back in its hiding place, and lays back in her bed as if nothing happened.  Having seemingly completed her task, Scarlet quietly exits through the partially opened bedroom door, and disappears down the dark stairway to the main floor…

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week as we pursue our adventure and read Chapter 17 of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, where Magpie and Lucas head to the local library archives to learn more about the history or Pocket and, more specifically, Magpie’s house and the Carnifex family.

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.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 15 – Blackbirds and Blackberries - Where Magpie learns more about Lucas’ past, and notes that birds seem to be part of the mysteries happening in and around Pocket.

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

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 15 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In our last episode, we got a peak into Magpie’s secret notebook where she records and sketches details about her unexplained visions. 

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 15 – Blackbirds and Blackberries - Where Magpie learns more about Lucas’ past, and notes that birds seem to be part of the mysteries happening in and around Pocket.

It’s time to settle in… grab a blanket and a warm drink… let’s get started!

A warm breeze is blowing the leaves in the trees overhead, their soft movement making a sound like gentle ocean waves. Magpie and Lucas are sitting on the vast front lawn of the library, enjoying a picnic before heading out to explore an old abandoned barn by the creek

“I wonder what her story is?” Magpie whispers, watching Farfalla shuffle down the main street. It’s been a few days since Magpie’s run-in with Farfalla at the diner, and she had finally managed to get the old woman out of her mind, but everything comes rushing back the moment she sees Farfalla across the street.

“Who?  Farfalla?!  Bah, she’s just a harmless old lady.  Doesn’t talk, doesn’t hear, just keeps to herself in that little house with all the birdhouses on the porch,” he answers, dismissively.

“She must be so lonely!” sighs Magpie, experiencing a sudden pang of empathy.  She scrounges around the picnic basket for a napkin to wipe the bumbleberry pie off her fingers. “Do you think she has any family?” she asks.

“I doubt it.  From what the folks in town say she’s just been on her own forever, but she’s older than everyone so I guess nobody really knows,” he replies, appearing completely unconcerned as he helps himself to another slice of pie.

Magpie is about to ask Lucas how old he thinks Farfalla might be when the old woman stops in her tracks and slowly turns to look straight at them. Magpie feels a chill as she meets Farfalla’s icy blue eyes.  Out of nowhere, a flock of blackbirds swoops overhead, one of them dropping a large, perfectly ripe blackberry into Magpie’s lap. Magpie looks down, surprised.  Her eyes quickly shift back up to Farfalla but the old woman is already rounding the corner of the street, heading home.

“What was that all about?!” says Lucas, wide-eyed.

“I don’t know,” replies Magpie, quietly holding the blackberry in her palm.  She gently puts it in the bottom of the empty picnic basket, and they walk to the creek in silence.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

“This way,” says Lucas as they step into a field of tall grass off the side of the road. The grass is almost taller than they are, but eventually gives way to a small clearing that is cut in half by the winding creek. Near the creek sits an old barn, still standing proudly, it’s wood siding and roof having survived years of sun, rain, snow and cold.

“Are you sure it’s abandoned?” asks Magpie, not wanting to anger one of the local farmers by trespassing.

“Definitely.  There used to be a house nearby, but it burned down almost a hundred years ago, and the family never returned… I think the father died in the fire and they were too devastated to start over, so they just moved away,” he says quietly.

They are now standing in front of the massive barn doors.  The sound of the rushing creek to the right is surprisingly loud, **CREEK** the recent rain having pushed the water level up the banks on either side.  To the left, Magpie can see remnants of the foundation belonging to the old house.  Her heart fills with sadness, what a tragic story.  “That poor family, it must be devastating to lose a parent,” she says, glancing at Lucas who is staring at the ground, silent.  

“Lucas, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but…”

 “You’re wondering what happened to my parents,” he says, turning to look at her.  Magpie nods quietly, her face filled with tenderness.  Lucas motions for her to follow him as he pushes open the barn doors. Inside, light filters through the spaces between the siding, shining on the dust particles in the air and making them sparkle like tiny stars.  The barn is empty save for some dried-out bales of hay and stacks of old apple barrels. 

Magpie puts down the picnic basket and they sit in the loose hay in the middle of the floor.  

Lucas heaves a small sigh before speaking “When I was little, we were driving home from my aunt’s wedding.  It was a cool fall night and it was getting late.  I was tired and cranky and whining about wanting to get home, so my dad was driving a little fast.  He didn’t realize it had gotten so cold, and that the rain on the road had frozen. Our car hit a patch of ice, spun out, then rolled over into the ditch…” he pauses, staring into the distance like he is no longer in the barn but back by the side of the road that night.

Blinking, he turns back to Magpie.  “I don’t remember much after that; I must have blacked out or something. The next thing I remember is sitting by the side of the road next to the car.  I have no idea how I got out, or why I didn’t get hurt, not a scratch! How is that possible when my mom and dad didn’t… They were so badly injured… The doctors couldn’t… They both…” he stops, unable to say the word.  Even all these years later Magpie can clearly see the pain on his face.  Taking a deep breath, he adds, “If only I hadn’t been so whiny, my dad wouldn’t have been going so fast and… maybe…”

Magpie puts her hand on Lucas’ shoulder.  “I’m sorry, Lucas.  It must have been horrible for you, but it wasn’t your fault,” she says softly.  “Thank you for trusting me with your story,” she adds, knowing it has been difficult for him to tell.

He stares at her for a long moment, like he is deciding whether to continue.  “Magpie, there’s… there’s one other thing. Something I’ve never told anyone before,” he says quietly, “that night, when I woke up in the ditch, I think someone was there with me.”

“You mean like a police officer, or an ambulance driver?” she asks, confused.

Lucas shakes his head slowly.  “No, before they showed up, but the crazy thing is… I’m not sure that person was even real!  They completely disappeared as soon as the emergency crews showed up.  I know I was young, and a lot of it is very fuzzy, but I distinctly remember someone being there with me in the ditch, comforting me!” he says, looking at Magpie like he’s hoping she can provide answers.

“Well, there are definitely strange things going on around here,” she says, “But… I wouldn’t be surprised if a stranger found you and, once you were safe, decided to leave without taking credit.  Do you remember what they looked like?” she asks.  

Lucas shakes his head again, “I just remember they were standing behind me, their hands on my shoulders, and that I felt warm and safe, but I never saw their face.”

Magpie and Lucas remain silent for a few minutes as Magpie drums up the courage to tell him about her visions, relieved to finally have found someone who might understand, but before she can utter a word, a loud flapping noise from above their heads makes them both jump. Magpie looks up and sees a crow flying near the rafters above. It swoops down and lands in front of them on the barn floor.  It stands for a moment, its head turned to one side, staring at them through its round, shiny eye, then lets out a loud, accusatory “Caw!” in their direction before flying out the double-hinged doors and into the sky.

“I guess he thinks this barn belongs to him!” kids Lucas, thankful for the distraction and an opportunity to change the subject.  Standing up, he reaches his hands toward Magpie to help her to her feet.  They stand face to face for a moment. Something about Lucas’ features… his hair… starts to trigger a memory.  “Do I have something on my face?” he asks, reaching his hand up to his cheek.  

Magpie realizes she’s staring and blushes slightly.  “No!  Uh.. Just, a little something in your hair,” she says, reaching up to tug a piece of hay out from between his dark curls and holding it up.  They stand very close for a moment, and Magpie feels butterflies in her stomach.  Clearing her throat, she says, “We should probably get going, it’ll be dark soon.” She grabs the picnic basket and they walk out the massive barn doors.  Lucas swings the doors shut and they follow the curving creek back to the main road.  The walk home is silent, but not uncomfortably so.  Magpie feels like her friendship with Lucas has reached a new level, and she decides to tell him her secret before the summer is through.

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week as we pursue our adventure and read Chapter 16 of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, where the mystery deepens when a strange object shows up, and Scarlet exhibits some strange behaviour.

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.

This Fantôme Friday episode tells the mysterious story of The Bootleggers, in which our narrator encounters the presence of a famous Minneapolis bad boy while hosting an open house.

Music: Nightbridge and The Velvets by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Twitter: @melissaoliveri

Patreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

TRANSCRIPT:

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

On the last Friday of each month, we will pause our reading of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, and instead cover a real-life supernatural, or at the very least, unusal and unexplained, experience.

In today’s episode we will recount the story of The Bootleggers. Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the episode for an original song by Cannelle inspired by this story.

So get settled in, grab a blanket, a warm drink, and let’s get started…

There’s something about a huge victorian house with original wallpaper and ornate woodwork that creates a feeling of connection to a time gone by.

My husband and I were hosting at open house at one of his listings. An amazing 3+ story Victorian in the heart of Uptown Minneapolis. The home had once been a boarding house and still held onto many of its original details like stained glass, large stairways with gorgeous wood details, printed wallpaper with delicate floral patters, and a second stairway at the back of the house that lead to what must have been maid’s quarters. In the back was a large garage with a loft above that had once been a carriage house.

We had dressed up for the occasion, my husband wearing a suit and I wearing bright red pants and a cute pair of heels. We stationed ourselves at one end of the large living room, beautiful sun filtering into the room through multiple windows. Across the nearly 20 foot long room was a beautiful fireplace, to the left of it a wide opening into the dining room which featured wooden wall panelling and a built-in buffet. To our left was an opening into a small sitting room which also lead into the dining room.

We greeted multiple visitors, then had a little down time during which we quietly sat on the red velvet chairs. I was quietly savouring the moment when I began to sense, or visualize, a man standing in the doorway to the dining room staring at the fireplace. He was wearing a 3 piece suit, a hat, and held some kind of cane in his hand. I got the feeling he was from the 1920s or so. I could hear music from a player piano, the tinkling of drinkware, conversation, and loud women’s laughter. 

I didn’t get the sense that this was a party, but more that it was a business of some sort. I started thinking about the man and wondering “what’s your name…?”. Suddenly, in my mind came the name Jim Cam. And I went “Jim Cam?” and heard back “CAM! CAM!” in a tone that relayed that I wasn’t understanding. I thought about it for a moment, then laughed at myself saying I was making things up, thinking of James Cameron the film maker or something. At about that time another group of people arrived to look at the house, a welcome distraction from the strange experience that had just occurred.

After the last group had come by, we started making our way around the house to turn off the lights. My husband went up to the 2nd and 3rd floors while I took care of the main floor.  As I entered the dining room, I got a sudden urge to bend down and inspect the wood paneling on the bottom half of the walls, pressing on different parts of it as if I expected to find a hidden compartment. From behind my right shoulder I felt the man softly whisper “We’re bootleggers…” with a hint of pride and mischief in his voice, as if he were saying “you’ll never find it, we’re good at what we do” and smiling at how naïve I was.

As we were driving home I hopped on my phone and did an online search for Minneapolis Bootleggers. After some digging I found something that stopped me in my tracks. 7 little letters that spelled out the name Kid Cann. Cann with 2 N’s – which when written out can look very much like Cam. One of the most reknown mobsters in town who operated in this area of the city in the 1920s and 1930s. He did his business with the likes of Al Capone and lived to a relatively old age considering his livelihood, and his funeral was held at the Jewish Temple just half a block from the house where I envisioned him.

Could the house have been a sort of speakeasy during prohibition? If so, judging by its location, and his notoriety, Kid Cann would likely have had a part in it. How fascinating to have experienced that brief moment back in time, even if it was just through a vague, echoing vision. 

I wonder if the people in the room that night ever spoke of the ghost girl in the bright red pants and heels who vanished suddenly after Kid Cann whispered in her ear…

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week as we resume our adventures in Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell.  In last week’s episode, we got an exclusive look into Magpie’s secret notebook where she records and sketches details about her unexplained visions. Next week we read chapter 15 – blackbirds and blackberries – where Magpie learns about the tragic event in Lucas’ past that shaped the course of his life. Don’t forget to subscribe, you don’t want miss a thing! And now, an original song by Cannelle inspired by today’s story – here is “The Velvets”