"Yes. I remember," I said, laughing, "that was practically the first thing you told me that first day we walked home from school together—you bragged about tree climbing."
"I'd climb the highest mountain, the tallest tree to get to you, Lillian," he swore. We kissed and then he crawled out. He hesitated by my window for a moment and disappeared in the darkness. I listened to him scurry over the roof.
"Good night," I whispered.
"Good night," I heard him whisper back and then I closed the window.
Charles Slope was the first to find him the next morning, crumpled beside the house, his neck broken from the fall.
10
ALL MY LUCK IS BAD
I awoke to the sound of screams. I recognized Tottie's voice and then I heard Charles Slope shouting orders to some of the other help. I slipped into my robe quickly and stepped into my slippers. The commotion continued outside, so I defied Papa's order and left my room. I hurried down the hallway to the top of the stairway. Like frightened chickens, everyone was running every which way. I saw Vera charge through the foyer carrying a blanket. I shouted for her, but she didn't hear me, so I started down the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Emily screamed from behind me. She had just stepped out of her room.
"Something terrible has happened. I've got to see what it is," I explained.
"Papa said you can't leave your room. Get back!" she ordered, her long arm and bony forefinger jabbing toward my door. I ignored her and continued down the stairs. "Papa forbade you to leave your room. Get back!" she screamed, but I was already crossing the foyer to the front door.
I wish I had gone back. I wish I had never left that room, never gone out of this house, never met a living soul. A small, empty feeling had started at the bottom of my stomach even before I reached the front door. It felt as if I had swallowed a chicken feather and it floated within me, occasionally tickling my insides. Somehow I managed to continue, to walk out of the house, down the porch steps and around to the side where I saw Charles, Vera, Tottie and two of the laborers gazing down at the body now beneath the blanket. When I saw and recognized the shoes poking out, I felt my legs soften and turn into rubber. I looked up and saw the broken gutter pipe dangling and I screamed and fell to the lawn.
Vera was the first to reach me. She embraced me and I rocked in her arms.
"What happened?" I cried.
"Charles says that gutter pipe gave way and he fell. He must've landed on his head is all we can figure."
"Is he all right?" I cried. "He must be all right."
"No, honey, he ain't. It's the Thompson boy, ain't it? Was he in your room last night?" she asked. I nodded.
"But he left early and he's a good climber," I said. "He can climb the toughest tree."
"It wasn't him; it was the gutter pipe," Vera repeated. "His folks must be out of their minds wondering what happened to him. Charles sent Clark Jones over to the Thompsons'."
"I want to see him," I said. Vera helped me stand and guided me over to Niles. Charles looked up from the body and shook his head.
"That piece of pipe was rusted in the joints and just couldn't hold his weight. He shouldn't have depended on it," Charles said.
"Is he going to be all right? Is he?" I asked desperately.
Charles looked at Vera and then at me.
"He ain't with us no more, Miss Lillian. The fall . . . killed him. Snapped his neck, I reckon."
"Oh, please, no. Please, God, no," I moaned, and went to my knees beside Niles's body. Slowly, I pulled the blanket back and looked at him. His eyes were already sewn tight by Death, Death who had visited this house before and gleefully stolen away Eugenia. I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn't be Niles. The face was too pale, the lips too blue and too thick. None of the facial features were Niles's. Niles was a handsome boy with dark, sensitive eyes and a soft smile in his lips. No, I told myself, it wasn't Niles. I smiled at the stupidity of my mistake.
"It's not Niles," I said, and breathed relief. "I don't know who it is, but it's not Niles. Niles is far more handsome." I looked at Vera who stared at me with pity. "It's not Vera. It's someone else. Maybe it's a prowler. Maybe . . ."
"Come on inside, honey," she said, lifting me and embracing me. "It's a horrible sight."
"But it's not Niles. Niles is home, safe. You'll see when they send Clark Jones back," I said, but my body was still trembling. My teeth were even chattering.
"Okay, honey, okay."
"But Niles did climb up to see me last night because I wasn't permitted to go to the party. We spent a little time together and then he climbed out of my window and down. He ran off in the darkness and rejoined his family at the party. Now he's home in bed or maybe he's just getting up for breakfast," I explained as we walked back toward the front of the house.