fiction: The Valley's Secret

HumanePain · 05-01-2008, 06:33 PM

Chapter 1

The auction house was full of wealthy speculators, many cultured, some ruthless, some well mannered, but they were all thieves to Mr. Clifford. To be in this place and watch Tesoro Manor be auctioned, the estate with which he was charged for 37 years to run and care for, sold off like cattle or cotton was depressing. His normally serene but tan and wrinkled face frowned slightly at the thought, and he ran a nervous hand through his black hair; it faded to white on his sideburns, the black hair matching his somber three piece butler's suit.

But he had to attend, to see who would become the new owner, to inspect and judge them as worthy or not. It mattered not that it would be the new owner's choice to continue his employment or fire him, he would make his own decision. He was Tesoro Manor, no one else knew its seasons, its needs, its history and its...secrets.

The gavel pounded loudly and the auctioneer announced the bidding would begin. From the rear of the room Mr. Clifford scanned those in the front rows and watched carefully for someone sitting on the edge of their seat, a giveaway of interest, a potential bidder. He didn't like the look of any of them...

HumanePain · 05-01-2008, 07:53 PM

Chapter 2

Lisa loved the smell of sage, pine, canyon oak and deer brush that filled The Valley, especially this time of year when the late summer warmed the foliage oils and animal spoors. It relaxed her, and called up memories of hiking with friends.

Her friends were gone now, moved when their parents died and left the old Tesoro Manor empty. Although there was no longer anyone to greet her she still hiked to the mansion despite the bittersweet emotions it brought; now it seemed she had it all to herself but she also missed her best friend Kelsey.

The best friends had been salt and pepper: Lisa a strong and big boned brunette with large brown eyes, and Kelsey: blonde with pale blue eyes, almost silver, and thin. But their common love of the California countryside made it easy for them to spend hours, and even days together when Lisa would sleep over at the mansion.

"You watch for poison oak now you hear?" Mr. Clifford would shout as they dashed away from the rear porch to the woods beyond, bottled water gripped tightly and sloshing and glinting in the sunlight as they ran.

Lisa now smiled at the memory, and looked up as she reached the clearing: she had reached the old place.

The For Sale sign was still there, and the curtains drawn, the three story house was closed and showed no signs of life. But wait! A squirrel flicked a bushy tail as it stood up on rear legs, and then dashed off the porch into the woods.

Now the sight saddened her as there was no one to share the experience. She wished there was some way Kelsey would come back. A twelve year old with so much to tell and share and laugh and cry was pent up waiting to explode at the first opportunity.

She sat on the porch steps and traced the grooves eaten into the porch railing by termites. Even the house was slowly disappearing. She sighed and stared into the woods with her chin resting on her left fist, right hand holding the rail. Her eyes began to water...and she sniffed back a sob.

HumanePain · 05-01-2008, 08:07 PM

Chapter 3

Randal unlocked his upstairs apartment door and ignored the papers, soda caps and other trash as the door slid over the refuse that covered the floor of his one bedroom place. Closing the door, his public face that normally looked as ordinary as possible was now free to smile, his eyes glazing in fond memory of the fire, leaping almost a hundred feet in the air! He went straight to the remote and turned on the news; he loved the helicopter cameras when they zoomed in on the brialliant, hot, powerful flames as they consumed the trees and homes.

As he found a channel covering his latest fire he threw the remote on the coffee table, it skidded across a map and fell on the floor, unoticed.

The map showed Tesoro Valley, in the map green representing forest.

He had circled it with a red pen the night before.

HumanePain · 05-03-2008, 09:05 PM

Chapter 4

Kelsey Gray plotted and planned to escape. It was in her blood. Her mom and dad had always provided sneaky surprise birthdays for her, and now that she was finally going to turn thirteen she would do her best to see that she somehow got to go back to her real home and see her best friend Lisa Alijo, but would make it look like it was Uncle Paul's idea. Paul and Kay were loving uncle and aunt, but Pennsylvania winters bored her to death, and although the countryside was beautiful and fun to hike in, her lonely walks only made her miss Lisa even more for lack of someone with which to share them.

She heard the footsteps coming up the stairs. She took her place by the window, and placed her fair and delicate chin on the palms of her hands, staring out the window, and put on her most depressed face, petite pink lips in a pout.

"Kelsey?" Kay walked into the upstairs bedroom. "Whatever are you doing inside on a day like this? Come on now, I'll make you a sack lunch you can take on a hike or something." Kay put a pudgy hand on Kelsey's shoulder. "I'll even put in a snickerdoodle! OK? Kelsey?"

A sigh was the only answer she heard. Her niece kept staring out the window into the distance and at last, whispered softly:

"This will be the worst birthday ever..."

"Oh honey, why?"

"Because I won't have any friends here and my only friend is a gazillion miles away." She slumped her shoulders forward.

More footsteps up the stairs. Tall and lean compared to his wife Kay, Paul stepped into the bedroom. "I just heard back from the auction house. It's official except for our signatures. Three point two million!"

Kay whirled around "Oh Paul! Finally! I am so glad we let them sell it for us."
She turned back around to Kelsey who had now found it easier to act depressed since overhearing her uncle. But her aunt knew how to cheer her up.

"Kelsey dear, we weren't going to say anything because we were afraid it might not sell until after your birthday, but now...well..." Kay looked at Paul and he nodded affirmative, "Now we can tell you. We are going back to The Valley to sign some papers, and you are coming with us! You can see Lisa!"

Kelsey was instantly transformed from an aged, depressed loner back to a twelve year old, full of hope and energy.

"Really! Oh my gaw I can't wait!" She jumped up like a rocket and hugged her aunt, although her arms could not quite reach all the way around her, and then hugged her uncle, who she could reach around with no trouble at all.

"Oh my gaw I hafta call Lisa!" She ran down the stairs to get the wireless phone so she could tell the good news in private to Lisa out in the backyard.

Paul and Kay smiled at each other and followed the blonde dynamo down the stairs.

HumanePain · 05-03-2008, 09:19 PM

Chapter 5

Although the amount of legal paperwork was intimidating, the auction sale transaction had only involved the butler briefly as a formality, and his employment would continue. In fact, his experience and knowledge in servitude to the idle rich would be most welcome.

Driving back to The Valley, Mr. Clifford was relieved: the buyer, A Mrs. Beatrice Luna, was intent on using the mansion as a bed and breakfast, with a Spanish influence. Only minor landscaping would be done, with a swimming pool added close to the rear porch. After meeting Mr. Clifford she had chattered on more about the interior decorating than the landscaping outside. He confirmed just to be sure: the pool would be close to the porch, no more than 100 feet distant from the house. He had smiled and complemented her on her plans.

The buried would remain safe.