We kids were as usual up on Aunt Effie's farm for the summer and Nana was in charge.
One night, after supper when all the dishes were washed and put in their place by us children, Nana sat down at the long farm table.
We children brothers, sisters and various cousins all scrambled to be the one who sat the nearest.
Outside a steady rain fell making it a perfect time for story telling. Thunder roared over head as we flinched. Massive bolts of lighting struck. We counted silently to see how close the thunder heads were.
Nana slowly got up and poured herself a cup of black coffee. Once more seated before our eager faces. "Well" she said "I'd say it's about time for a story". Oh, yes yes please we all shouted.
Nana took a long sip of her coffee and said "Now, lets see what shall it be"? "Well since it's a rather stormy night so maybe I'd best tell you about the time Papa and I were traveling with the Circus on just such a night as this".
"It was getting late and the rain was something awful". "We had to put up in the small town of Walton". "We got the only room left that night. The housekeeper said we could have it for half off cause no one wanted to sleep there". "If it hadn't been so late I would have fought your Papa about staying. Hum, I didn't like the looks of her one bit". "All Papa could see were dollar signs when she said half off". Boom sounded the mighty Catskill mountain thunder above as we all drew closer still and listened intently.
"Well", Nana said to our childish glee. " It came about that Papa left me alone in the room while he went to tend to the animals". "I was left to unpack with nothing but the light of a small candle. As I lifted the candle high enough to see some of the room, I almost dropped it". With another flash of lighting and roar of thunder, we all jumped as one. Nana laughed. "Ah, she said maybe this story is too scary for you all"? No, no we pleaded for her to continue. "Well, what I saw on those bedroom walls darn near scared me to death. Now, deep shadows were every where but lighting lit the room for a brief moment". "That's when I was chilled to the bone". "The heavily papered walls were stained with long splatters of something dark and evil".
"Mind you right about now I was wishing Papa was back when the door creaked open and in he walked".
"Papa was soaked to the skin. I turned down the bed covers told him to strip and get himself in". "I too put my nightie on and climbed in under the covers. With my thumb, a lick of spit and fore finger I reached over an put out the candle".
Except for the wind and the rain all was quiet in the kitchen. No one had moved an inch.
Nana took up her story once more. "Remembering what I had seen on the bedroom walls, it was mighty tough to get to sleep. Papa was soon snoring away as usual. Nothing kept that man awake". Just then, a tremendous bolt of lighting hit Aunt Effie's weather vane on the old barn. Screaming we all huddled together.
Nana laughed and laughed." Might be best we all went up to bed now". No Nana no, you must tell us what happened to you and Papa!
Rising yet once again for coffee she agreed with our pleas to finish the tale. "All right all right but I'll have no cries in the might once you are all tucked in". As one we agreed. My sister,cousins and I the baby.
"Like I said Papa was snoring away louder then the thunder". "Yes the little people were really bowling that night but that's another story for another evening".
"I just couldn't fall asleep. Thinking all the time of what those stains could be".
Nana slowly looked around the table at each and every one of us before she continued.
She began to whisper. At first it was hard to hear her but then we understood. "Softly" she whispered. "Softly at first, I began to hear a faint buzzing noise". "Darn mosquito's I thought". "Then the sound grew louder till it filled the old bedroom. What could it be? Papa woke with a start and with shaking hands he lit the candle".
Don't stop now Nana we clamored . What did you and Papa see?
With one sharp glance she took us all in.
"Your Papa and I found out why the room had remained empty and half price at that".
"When we held the candle high we saw something that I will never forget till my dying day. Thousands of bees coating the screens as if made of honey. No no they were thickly covered in blood as were the walls.Dripping dark red blood". "Out out yelled a half dressed Papa as we grabbed our things dropped the candle and ran down the dark hallway. Hum, me in my nightie and all, I never". "The housekeeper just smiled as we ran out into the storm to spent the rest of the night with the animals".
What happened then Nana I asked? She look at me hard and said. "Oh, so it's you that wants to know. It seem my baby is the bravest of all".
"Come here and sit in Nana's lap then".I crawled up into her warm safe arms.
"Never again as we traveled in and around Oneonta, did we ever pass a night in the town of Walton. Mind you from then on we heard many a tale of the hunted room with dripping red blood on it's walls".
All was quiet as Nana stood gave me a kiss and went to rinsed out her cup leaving it to dry. With a sly smile she said "Now that should make you all sleep well this night". "Off with you and mind you brush your teeth. I'll be up soon for prayers, a kiss and a hug my dears".
The old women looked around the kitchen one more time and turn off the lights. As she slowly climbed the stairs she wondered just who and how many would be sleeping in her bed tonight.
By Melanie Bishop-bd
EveryWomansVoice.com