Lady In White By J.M. Strother
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Nick crouched with Randy beneath the study window. Nick had done repairs in this very room just last week and made sure to “adjust” the window alarm while he was at it. For purely selfish reasons he'd rather do this job alone, but he needed the big guy to help him get into the house. The base of the window was a good four feet off the ground.
“OK, give me a boost.”
Randy cupped his hands to form a stirrup. Nick stepped up. “Lift,” he ordered. Randy strained to raise Nick higher.
“Can't quite reach,” Nick said, climbing up onto Randy's shoulders. Randy groaned.
“Hurry up.”
“Quit bitching.” Nick slipped his jimmy in and sprang the latch. Once inside it took a few moments for his eyes to adjust. The dim glow of a nightlight came from down the hall. Nick told Randy to chill while he fetched a kitchen chair.
He paused at the staircase to shoot a quick beam of light up to the landing. He smiled. She still hung there – the Lady In White. His useless Art History major was about to pay off.
With aid of a chair, and Nick tugging, Randy made it through the window, dropping to the floor like a landed catfish. Once on his feet Nick lead Randy down the hall by the glow of the nightlight. Flashlight beams and nosy neighbors don't mix.
“Where's the silverware?” Randy asked.
“Forget silverware. There's something better.”
He led Randy to the staircase. Nick risked a quick beam of light.
“A painting?” Randy asked.
“The Lady In White,” Nick said. “She's worth a fortune. Ten grand, minimum.” A slow grin spread over Randy's face.
Soon as Nick set foot on the first step the nightlight winked out, the refrigerator motor went still. They were in total darkness.
“Wha?” Randy sounded spooked.
“Probably a fuse.” Now Nick had to use the flashlight.
About halfway up the steps a cold draft washed over them like a breath from the grave.
“I'm gone.” Randy half turned before Nick grabbed him by the shoulder.
“Ten grand, doofus. You go now, you get nothing.”
Randy fell back in line.
Nick tried to lift the painting from the wall – it did not budge. Unperturbed, he pulled out his pocket knife.
“What are you doing?” Randy asked.
“Have to cut her out,” Nick said.
“Won't that lower the price?” Randy's huge mitt moved Nick aside. “Here, let me.”
Randy grabbed the frame. The lady in white let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Randy jumped back. Stumbling on Nick's foot he took the two of them head over heels down the steps in a tangle of limbs. Dazed, Randy managed to scrabble to this feet. From the glow of the flashlight above he could see Nick laying at his feet, neck at a very odd angle. The woman in white screamed again and Randy bolted down the corridor, straight through the rear window, taking panes, frames, and draperies with him.
Murv Jenkins laughed out loud as he reset the equipment at home from his laptop in L. A. God how he loved his job as Special Effects Coordinator at NewRadian Studios. Too bad about the window though. Last he checked there was rain in the forecast. He best call his man, Harry Kirkshaw, back in Chicago to get it fixed.
~
© 2011 by J. M. Strother
Image is the Lady In White, by Thomas Dewing. The painting currently hangs, not in Mr. Jenkins' stairwell, but in the St. Louis Art Museum. This image is in the public domain as it is a faithful reproduction of the original on which the copyright expired in 2008 according to US Copyright law. Image is from WikiMedia.
[/caption]Nick crouched with Randy beneath the study window. Nick had done repairs in this very room just last week and made sure to “adjust” the window alarm while he was at it. For purely selfish reasons he'd rather do this job alone, but he needed the big guy to help him get into the house. The base of the window was a good four feet off the ground.
“OK, give me a boost.”
Randy cupped his hands to form a stirrup. Nick stepped up. “Lift,” he ordered. Randy strained to raise Nick higher.
“Can't quite reach,” Nick said, climbing up onto Randy's shoulders. Randy groaned.
“Hurry up.”
“Quit bitching.” Nick slipped his jimmy in and sprang the latch. Once inside it took a few moments for his eyes to adjust. The dim glow of a nightlight came from down the hall. Nick told Randy to chill while he fetched a kitchen chair.
He paused at the staircase to shoot a quick beam of light up to the landing. He smiled. She still hung there – the Lady In White. His useless Art History major was about to pay off.
With aid of a chair, and Nick tugging, Randy made it through the window, dropping to the floor like a landed catfish. Once on his feet Nick lead Randy down the hall by the glow of the nightlight. Flashlight beams and nosy neighbors don't mix.
“Where's the silverware?” Randy asked.
“Forget silverware. There's something better.”
He led Randy to the staircase. Nick risked a quick beam of light.
“A painting?” Randy asked.
“The Lady In White,” Nick said. “She's worth a fortune. Ten grand, minimum.” A slow grin spread over Randy's face.
Soon as Nick set foot on the first step the nightlight winked out, the refrigerator motor went still. They were in total darkness.
“Wha?” Randy sounded spooked.
“Probably a fuse.” Now Nick had to use the flashlight.
About halfway up the steps a cold draft washed over them like a breath from the grave.
“I'm gone.” Randy half turned before Nick grabbed him by the shoulder.
“Ten grand, doofus. You go now, you get nothing.”
Randy fell back in line.
Nick tried to lift the painting from the wall – it did not budge. Unperturbed, he pulled out his pocket knife.
“What are you doing?” Randy asked.
“Have to cut her out,” Nick said.
“Won't that lower the price?” Randy's huge mitt moved Nick aside. “Here, let me.”
Randy grabbed the frame. The lady in white let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Randy jumped back. Stumbling on Nick's foot he took the two of them head over heels down the steps in a tangle of limbs. Dazed, Randy managed to scrabble to this feet. From the glow of the flashlight above he could see Nick laying at his feet, neck at a very odd angle. The woman in white screamed again and Randy bolted down the corridor, straight through the rear window, taking panes, frames, and draperies with him.
~
Murv Jenkins laughed out loud as he reset the equipment at home from his laptop in L. A. God how he loved his job as Special Effects Coordinator at NewRadian Studios. Too bad about the window though. Last he checked there was rain in the forecast. He best call his man, Harry Kirkshaw, back in Chicago to get it fixed.
~
© 2011 by J. M. Strother
Image is the Lady In White, by Thomas Dewing. The painting currently hangs, not in Mr. Jenkins' stairwell, but in the St. Louis Art Museum. This image is in the public domain as it is a faithful reproduction of the original on which the copyright expired in 2008 according to US Copyright law. Image is from WikiMedia.
