“Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to help?” said Gabe, holding out an extra shovel.
Hadley had gone inside the house to find her mother was busy dusting, cleaning, and disinfecting as though her very life depended on it. She’d made Hadley a peanut butter sandwich for a snack, cutting it into perfect triangles, and asked her to eat it outside so she wouldn’t make any mess. Hadley had taken it into the backyard, where she sat on the rock enjoying the breeze.
“Can I finish my sandwich first?” she huffed. “It’s attracting flies.”
“Is there any meat in it?” Gabe asked, tossing the shovel near her feet.
“It’s peanut butter.”
Gabe shook his head. “I told you before—these are flesh flies. Blowflies. They’re attracted to rotting flesh. That, and dung.”
“Stop talking about dung while I’m eating,” said Hadley, shoving the rest of her sandwich into her mouth. She couldn’t help but think of Isaac and his peanut allergy. She missed Isaac—his annoying questions, his allergies … and his freckles.
Hadley kicked off her sneakers and dangled her feet over the rock. Her one leg still felt odd. She really should see a doctor.
She swallowed her last bite and jumped into the long grass. It was cool and damp against the soles of her feet. Dirt squished between her toes. It was icky and nice at the same time.
“What are we doing again?” she asked, stepping into her sneakers and picking up the shovel.
“We’re building a berm.”
“Right. And what exactly is a berm?”
“The earth is eroding. Right here.” Gabe pointed to the edge of the yard. “Fast-flowing rainwater’s carved away the soil. A hundred years ago, your yard was a lot longer. It stretched out over where we’re standing. A good chunk of it has dropped off into the ravine.”
“Really?” said Hadley, peering down.
“That’s nothing. In a thousand years, your whole yard will be gone. Your house will drop off into the ravine, too. Unless…”
Hadley sighed. “We build a berm.”
Gabe nodded. “First, we start at the base with a retaining wall. We’ll build the berm later, to redirect the flow of water from the top of your yard.”
Together they scoured the ravine, digging up as many rocks as they could find and dragging them back to the slope. Hadley kept an eye out for thistles and poison ivy, not to mention snakes and giant centipedes.
They worked side by side, placing the rocks on the slope, building up a small wall. They also dug up soil and moved it to the side of the ravine. They pulled up chunks of wild grass by the roots and relocated it to the slope as well. Gabe said the roots of certain plants would help bind the soil so it wouldn’t erode.
Hadley didn’t bother telling Gabe about her father. He didn’t remember Ed or Isaac so she figured there was no use. She did tell him about the original owners of the house and their daughter who died.
“Wow,” he said. “If I believed in ghosts, I’d say your house was haunted.” He yanked out a clump of weeds and tucked it into some soil between the rocks. “But I don’t believe in ghosts.”
They worked for a long time, but the wall of rock was still small. Hadley wiped the sweat from her forehead. The berm was going to take forever.
She swatted at a fly buzzing near her ear just as she jabbed her shovel into the hard soil. It struck a hard patch of clay and stuck. She grabbed the handle and pulled, but the shovel wouldn’t budge. She pulled harder, her hands slippery from sandwich and sweat, and lost her grip. She flew backward into Gabe. They toppled to the ground.
“Hey!” he said, shoving her aside. “Watch what you’re doing.”
Hadley got to her feet. She was covered in dirt. She tried smacking it off her T-shirt and shorts, but that only made it worse.
Gabe stood and walked toward the shovel. He pulled it free and began examining the earth where it had gotten stuck.
“I gotta go,” said Hadley. It was getting late. It was almost dinnertime. She didn’t want to meet her real father for the first time looking like something the cat dragged in. She’d best head inside, get cleaned up, and change.
“But,” said Gabe, “what about the berm?”
“I’ll help you tomorrow,” she called over her shoulder. She scaled the embankment and headed for the side door.
Hadley kicked off her shoes in the front foyer after having trekked through the hall, leaving a trail of muddy prints.
Before she reached the stairs, her mother stepped out from the living room. She looked at the floor; panic flashed in her eyes.
Realizing what she’d done, Hadley was about to tell her not to worry, that she’d clean the dirt right away. But before she could manage a word, another figure appeared behind her mother. He wore a crisp black suit. He had perfect hair and a perfect face.