You have to help him, George. We’re running out of time!
George woke up early the next morning with two things on his mind. One, he was starving because he had missed dinner. Two, he knew the guys would be sleeping in and he would be able to get to the boathouse before them and have plenty of time to himself. He knew he’d dreamt of the little girl again, but the details were fuzzy. He remembered something about running out of time. Out of time for what? George wondered why he had such weird dreams these days. He attempted to forget about the dreams. He couldn’t stop and think about that right now.
He didn’t want to waste time before getting to the boathouse. He grabbed his bag and tossed in a few food items from the pantry he could eat on the way, starting with a granola bar, which he quickly inhaled. As he went out the backdoor, George could see his bicycle still leaning against the side of the shed, with its two flat tires. It didn’t bother him anymore. He wouldn’t worry about it. It was easy enough to fix.
He jogged all the way to the Miller house, not bothering to look over his shoulder. He knew Eddie and his friends wouldn’t be up this early in the morning. His hands were shaking as he reached for the door to the boathouse, from the adrenaline of the situation and the fear of the guys coming back.
His cheeks grew hot with anger when he noticed a few crushed beer cans on the shelf. He couldn’t believe they were turning his boathouse into a drinking hang out. He turned to go out the door and thought it would be better to go out the side door. It would give him fifteen more minutes before the goons woke up. He slipped through the side door and ran toward the house.
George froze in his tracks. Worse than his fear of running into Eddie and his friends, he stood face to face with a man he recognized only from pictures. “Mr. Miller?”
Mr. Miller stood at the back door of the old house. George guessed that he was once a very respectable man, but he appeared to have not aged well. His clothes looked worn and crumpled as if he had not changed in several days. His facial hair was also unkempt. His tired-looking eyes were blood shot and he had the appearance of someone who hadn’t slept for a week. He simply stared at George for a long time, as if taking inventory of him. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know anyone still lived here.” George wasn’t sure what to say. He just knew he needed to get out of this situation. He turned to leave, but Mr. Miller started talking again.
“The boathouse. You’ve been in it. Haven’t you?” He didn’t sound angry to George, just concerned.
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry I trespassed. I should leave.”
“Did you see her?” Mr. Miller’s eyes filled with tears, making his eyes sparkle in the morning sun. His face lit up with hope.
George was confused. He wasn’t sure who Mr. Miller was talking about, but he guessed it was his daughter. “No, sir. I didn’t see her. But something is strange with the boathouse. I think it makes you, umm, never mind.”
George realized he was about to tell a total stranger something that would make him sound crazy. He wasn’t about to tell this man who’d lost his child that the boathouse in his backyard made people teleport back in time.
“Let me guess. You went through it and came out fifteen minutes earlier? Is that what you were going to say?” Mr. Miller asked, finishing his unspoken thought.
“You know about it?”
“Of course I know about it. I’ve known about it all my life. My father and grandfather told me about it when I was little. Then as a father, I planned on sharing it with Emily when she was old enough. Oh, sweet Emily, if only I’d told her, maybe she would still be here. She would be safe at home.” Mr. Miller drifted in thought for a second. “But there are rules. You can’t just go into the boathouse without knowing the rules. It can be very dangerous. My uncle is the only one I’ve ever known to go into the boathouse and return. Once my grandfather knew what could happen, the boathouse was off limits and was closed with chains so no one could ever get lost in it again. Uncle Bart never told anyone what he saw. Oh God, she wasn’t supposed to be outside that day. One more day to go, that’s all we had. But she promised to stay on the swing. If only I had kept her inside. I just don’t know what happened.”
“Mr. Miller, how does the boathouse work exactly?” George knew he was pushing his limits, but he was really curious for answers.
“I’m not quite sure. Uncle Bart did a lot of research after he returned, but he kept it all to himself. He told everyone it was better if they didn’t know. He was so different and disconnected after that, no one could talk to him. Look, you seem like a nice kid, but please just stay away from the boathouse, okay?” Mr. Miller seemed to regret talking about it.
“I’m sorry Mr. Miller. I apologize.” George started to walk away but realized he had nowhere to go. “Mr. Miller? What was Emily like?”
The stern look on his face seemed to melt. Although hesitant, Frank Miller seemed somewhat relieved to finally be able to talk to someone after all these years—someone who would listen, even if it was just a thirteen-year-old kid. If George had not been in the boathouse himself, he too would have found this man crazy, just like the rumors said he was. Instead, he listened, because he knew with all his heart and soul that Mr. Miller told the truth.
“The best daughter anyone could ever ask for . . .” George finally saw Mr. Miller’s face offer a small smile. “You asked how the boathouse works.”
George simply nodded, afraid Mr. Miller would quit talking again.
“I don’t know much, but here’s what I do know. Every ten years, in July, the Earth lines up just right so that the rings of Saturn align with the magnetic pull underneath the boathouse. It begins on July 1st. At first, the effects are mild, but they are there. You can go through the boathouse and it allows you to go back in time fifteen minutes like you have already discovered. As it gets closer to the 30th, the pull gets stronger. My father told me once he saw a paddle swirling around over his head when he walked in. That was on the 25th. Emily was the only one who has ever been close to the boathouse on the 30th, other than Uncle Bart, but he never did tell anyone what he saw. I have no idea how or why it actually does what it does. We only stayed in this house to keep others from going in the boathouse. Now, I wish more than anything that I could have protected Emily.”
Mr. Miller paused for a moment, as if the memory of his daughter was very difficult to speak of. George waited but did not speak. “My father and grandfather studied the boathouse and its connection to the planet Saturn. For decades now, we believe it has lost a ring every July. We suspect that’s why scientists have had such a hard time agreeing on how many rings Saturn has. The only time you can truly see all of the rings is during this event. My guess is that the boathouse needs those rings to stay alive. It feeds off of them. I just hope I can get Emily out before the rings are gone. Who knows what will happen to the boathouse after that.”
“Mr. Miller, what happens on the 30th?” George was scared of the answer.
“That’s what I’m going to find out. I tried to go to the police with this over the years. No one believed me. They think I’m crazy. They wouldn’t even come out here and look. I even found other mysterious disappearances through online research that involved boathouses like this one. They refused to even look at what I’d found. Emily’s case has been closed for three years. They just gave up on her. Everyone did. Even her own mother.”
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Miller.” George meant it. “What can I do?”
“Stay out of the boathouse. It’s not safe anymore. I’m going to try to go in after Emily and bring her home.” Mr. Miller turned and started to go through the back door of his home.
“Mr. Miller, one more thing.” George hesitated, but he knew he had to tell him. “My brother and his friends also know about the boathouse. I don’t know if I can keep them out of it.”
“You have to. You don’t have a choice in this, son.” The word ‘son’ echoed in his head as Mr. Miller disappeared into the house. He glanced down and saw the doll on the ground by the back door. He wondered for a moment if it was Mr. Miller moving it around this whole time, but his gut told him that it was Emily.
She’s out there, Mr. Miller. I’m going to help you find her. George was deep in thought as he walked back toward his house. For the longest time, he wondered if the little girl from his dream was dead. George knew in his heart that she was out there somewhere. He could feel her. Something on a stronger level was pulling them together. The boathouse had connected them somehow.
As George walked home, he thought about little Emily. He wondered if she was still five-years-old or if she was fifteen. Is she aging wherever she is? Oh, no! Walking toward him were Eddie, Jake, Tim, and Brian.
“What are you doing out here, punk?” Jake started in.
Everything in George wanted to make him keep walking. He remembered what Mr. Miller said. In order for Mr. Miller to get his daughter back, he had to keep the guys away from the boathouse. “Eddie, the boathouse is dangerous. I can’t let you guys go back there.”
“You can’t let us?” Jake emphasized the word, telling George he didn’t like being told what to do. George tried to look past Jake to his brother.
“Eddie, please? For me,” George pleaded with his older brother. Eddie wouldn’t make eye contact with him, which was never good. “It’s important!”
“Come on, guys. Just ignore him.” George knew that was Eddie’s way of helping him out. If he said that, then the guys would think it was funny to ignore him. Apparently, the guys agreed and they started walking past George as if he didn’t exist. Then they would laugh and say, “Did you hear something?” every time George attempted to speak. Any other day, he would have appreciated the help. But today, he didn’t want to be ignored. He decided the best plan of action would be to discreetly follow them and intervene if necessary.
George hoped that Mr. Miller would be outside. But he was nowhere in sight when the boys made it to the backyard. Brian jogged up to the back door and tested the lock again. He quickly joined the others at the front of the boathouse when he realized it was still locked. From a safe distance, George could see the doll was now missing from the back door of the house.
George crept closer to the boys. He hid behind some trees as they talked. “So what’s up with you and Sarah?” Tim asked.
“Nothing much these days. I think we’re breaking up.” Eddie glanced around but didn’t seem to notice George hiding behind the trees.
“Why? She’s hot,” Jake joked.
“I don’t know. She’s been acting weird lately. I gave up trying to figure her out. You guys wait here. I’m going in.” George watched Eddie step into the boathouse.
The others were still gossiping about their theories on why Eddie and Sarah were really breaking up. Tim and Brian both thought maybe there was another guy. Jake thought Sarah was pregnant. The boys greeted each new theory with a round of “Oh yeahs” and laughter.
While the guys were busy discussing Eddie and Sarah, George took the opportunity to slip by them to the side door. He didn’t want Eddie to go through, so if he could somehow block the door from the outside, then Eddie would just go back out the front door and wouldn’t get hurt.
George found some rope and started to tie the door closed. He had never paid attention to the amazing details of the metal bolt on the side door before. It was incredible. The metal piece featured two planets with rings around them, and all around the planets were small cut-out stars that appeared to be a constellation. It seemed out of place for the boathouse and he wondered how he hadn’t noticed it in all the times he had inspected it previously. A chill ran through him as he wondered if it had anything to do with what Mr. Miller had told him. He tried to ignore the new find for now, as he hurried to tie a knot through the latch.
He was almost finished when Jake’s voice caught him by surprise. “What are you doing here, kid?”
“The boathouse is dangerous. You don’t know what it can do. I’m trying to help you guys,” George said with a bit of shakiness in his voice.
“We don’t need your help, kid. I think it’s time you went home already.” George watched in shock as Jake kicked at the metal bolt and rope.
“Stop! What are you doing!?”
“I’m letting my friend out of there.”
“He needs to go back out the front of the boathouse! Stop kicking it. You don’t know what you’re doing!” George tried to pull him away, but Jake was much stronger. With two quick kicks, the metal bolt fell and the old rotted wood splintered and cracked.
“Eddie!” they both yelled simultaneously, George out of panic and fear, and Jake out of annoyance. Jake jerked open the side door to the boathouse with one hand, but Eddie was nowhere to be seen.
George ran back to the front of the boathouse and opened the front door. The boathouse was completely empty.
“Eddie!” George screamed.
Brian and Tim just stared with their mouths open. They must have heard George and Jake arguing, but they didn’t seem to have anything to contribute.
“This is a joke, right?” Jake suddenly looked concerned.
George didn’t bother to answer him. He ran to the back door of the Miller house and knocked as hard as he could. “Mr. Miller! Mr. Miller, please answer if you’re in there!”
“George, no one’s lived there for like ten years.” It was the first time Jake had ever called him by his real name. Now George knew everyone was worried.
“No, I talked to him earlier today. That’s how I knew the boathouse was dangerous. I tried to warn you, but no one would listen to me. He’s here.” George banged on the door again. “Mr. Miller!”
“We all need to just calm down and take a look around. I’m sure Eddie is just playing a joke on us.” Jake seemed to calm everyone down for the moment.
The boys spread out and searched the yard, none of them wanting to look inside the boathouse. Finally, George went in to get a good look inside. He couldn’t go home and face his parents unless he knew he’d looked everywhere.
“Eddie? Are you in here?” he whispered. By now George had been in the boathouse countless times, but this time felt different. It felt cold and distant. Something told him that with the doorframe broken, the boathouse no longer worked.
“Find anything?” Even as upset as he was, George couldn’t believe how polite Jake was being to him.
“No. Nothing. Did anyone look in the woods?”
“Yeah, Brian and Tim looked around out there. Nothing.” Jake seemed to be thinking. “Maybe he went home. He’s probably messing with us, ’cause we were drilling him about Sarah.”
“I don’t think so, Jake. Something is wrong.”
“Look. I’m going home. Chances are he’s at home laughing at all of us right now. Besides, you’re the one who tied the rope on the stupid door!” Jake walked over to the other two boys and said something to them. The three of them approached George as they headed toward the path home.
“Let us know if he’s at the house, okay?” Brian said doubtful. Tim attempted a smile, but it came out as a straight line across his face that quickly turned back into a concerned frown. The three boys walked slowly away, each turning to glance back occasionally before hitting the main road.
George stood alone in the middle of the Miller’s backyard. It was well after lunch time, but George had no appetite. The hot July sun bore down on him and he felt lightheaded and dizzy. He went to the swing set and sat on an old, rusted swing. George placed his head in his hands and cried.