Curse of Crossing Chapter 1

Curse of Crossing

Chapter 1

Ben

When I arrive in town I expect to see my parents at the local diner having coffee or at the grocery store buying groceries. I find neither. A year ago my parents went missing with out a trace. I was seventeen living my summer life like any other teenager. Woke up early to go to work at my dad’s hardware store, hung out with friends, and dated a couple of girls. It was a great normal summer before my last year of high school. My senior year was supposed to be the best year! Then, the day before I started school was the day my parents were to return home from their vacation in New York. They never returned. I filed a missing persons report and waited day after day for news. No news came. I hired a private investigator, but he found very little after they checked out of their hotel in New York. My days were filled with school where I walked around in a stupor and my evenings became filled with phone calls to everyone from our home in Ohio all the way up to New York. I called everyone in my mom’s address book, but no one had heard from them.

I’ve celebrated my eighteenth birthday and yesterday I graduated all with out the two most important people in my life. While at my graduation party yesterday I received a call on my cell phone. It was a realtor from a small town in Massachusetts telling me she found my parent’s car at the house she is trying to sell. This realtor just received the contract on the house from a bank that repossessed it. She asked why my parent’s car would be there, but I have no answers for her, just as she had no answers for me like where are my parents. Now I find myself in this tiny town just outside of Medford, MA where my mom went to college. Why would they come here? As I drive through town there are some old houses, a diner, one grocery store, and a very small school. This had to be a town they were driving through to go see some of mom’s college friends that still live in Medford. So how did their car end up here?

 I pull up in front of the realtor’s office on Main St. It’s just a row of old brick buildings that look like they were once town homes. There are steps leading up to each door and there are thankfully numbers on each door. They all look the same with red brick and white six panel doors. The realtor has her name on a small plaque to the right side of the door, Rose Walker Realty. She introduced herself as Mrs. Walker on the phone so I’m guessing she is the only one working here and from the looks of it, the only realtor needed. There doesn’t look to be too many houses to sell. I try to open the door, but it’s locked. I notice a doorbell to the right just under the plaque so I give it a ring. I wait for a couple of minutes, but no one answers. Our appointment is for three p.m. and I’m a few minutes early so I sit on the front stoop to wait.

While checking my messages on my cell I hear the clacking of shoes. I look up to see a young girl running toward me.

“I’m so sorry! I’m running late!” She is out of breath when she reaches me.

I stand to greet her. “It’s alright I was here a bit early. Are you Mrs. Walker?”

She smiles and extends her hand, “No I’m her daughter. She is in a meeting so she asked me to come and talk with you.” We shake hands and there is a little spark.

Her smile is beautiful along with her long dark brown hair and very curvy body. There’s something about her. It’s like we have met before. She is looking at me confused and I realize I am still holding her hand and haven’t spoken in a few seconds.

“I’m sorry. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Ben. Have we met somewhere before?”

She laughs, “I was just about to ask you the same thing. I don’t think we have though.” She releases her hand from mine.

“Do you have a name or would you like me to call you Ms. Walker?”

“Oh! No, my mom is remarried. I’m Elizabeth Wright.” She blushes a little and seems nervous now. “Um, are you hungry? The diner is actually really good. We can talk over a burger?”

“I could go for a burger.” She starts walking and I follow.

We have a very short walk to the diner. When we walk in it’s like a time warp back to the fifties. All of the seats are red vinyl with silver trim like the old diners or the ones you see in older movies. There’s even a jukebox at the end of the long front counter. The stools at the counter look like originals. This place was made to look retro or it’s been kept in immaculate condition.

I feel a nudge on my arm. “It’s like being taken back in time isn’t it?”

I nod yes as she leads us to the right, to a front booth by a large window. There’s not much to see, but it’s a nice old town. I oddly feel at home here.

After we sit and the waitress comes over to give us our menu I start peppering Elizabeth with questions. “Where are we? Where is my parent’s car? Has anyone located my parents?” She puts her hand on my hand that is resting on top of the table. I take a deep breath and calm.

She pulls her hand back, “Your parent’s car is at the impound lot being searched for clues as to what happened to them. They have not been located. I wish I had more information for you as far as your parents. The only thing I can tell you is, my mom thinks that house where your parent’s car was found belongs to your father.”

I laugh, “That’s not possible. I have never been to this town before and we didn’t have family here. He’s never even lived here. My mom went to college in Medford and she met my dad while in New York. Your mom must have him confused with some one else.” I lean back in my booth seat and cross my arms over my chest.

This is crazy!

Elizabeth leans back and folds her hands in her lap. “That may be Ben, but do you even know where you are?”

I look at her with furrowed brows in confusion. “Your mom’s business address is Medford, but no I have no idea what this little town is.”

“Yes, some of this town was taken over by Medford, but not this part. This part and where the house sits are in the town of Crossing. This town was formed in the mid 1800’s by Benjamin Eugene Crossing”

I sit up straight and uncross my arms. “That can’t be! I’m Benjamin Eugene Crossing the fourth!”