Evie hurries off next door
throws the folded note in the mailbox
scoops up pebbles
arranges them inside
skips home
“I made sure it’s in the back
of the box so it won’t get
blown away since the door doesn’t close.
Want to color?”
no
but
she did risk her life:
“Okay.”
get my Diamondbacks
baseball cap
we spread out on the quilt
a pile of gel pens between us
raise my head every few minutes
to stare at the mailbox
my left foot vibrates
waiting is not for the impatient:
“We should’ve given him
something to write with.
How many ghosts carry a pen?”
“You’re not going to give him one of mine,”
Evie scoops the gel pens under her arm
like a hen with her chicks
“I’ll get something else.”
hurry into the house
bring out a stubby pencil
she groans
rushes to stick the pencil in the mailbox:
“The letter’s gone.”
she plops back on the quilt
shiver:
“What?”
Evie throws her head back and laughs:
“Got you.”
“Very funny.”
I pick a cobra picture
closest thing to a diamondback
add more black
to the cobra’s hood
a spot drops on my page:
“Look at this.”
swing the book around to show Evie
specks splatter my page
the sky darkens
raindrops plunk down
Evie screams
rushes into the house
I pull up the corners of the quilt
into a bundle
run after her
throw it in the kitchen
“Thanks for saving my book and pens.”
Evie kneels on the floor
scoops them into a bucket
“Sure.”
I wonder how someone who dives backwards
off the high dive could be afraid of a little rain
she never was before coming to Lake Lucy
at least I’m afraid of something sensible
like ghosts and nightmares.