Gail Wagner

Curiosity Killed the Crow

Chapter 1

My hand cramped as it slid across the logbook for what felt like the hundredth time.  I finished my entry and flexed my fingers, trying to ease the pain.  The other students around me gathered their belongings and headed for the door.  Lilli-Mae, my best friend since fourth grade despite the fact we lived halfway across the US from each other, flirted silently with a boy across the room.

 

I rolled my eyes as she flipped her highly bleached, highly teased hair over one shoulder and giggled.  It still amazed me sometimes that we managed to be friends at all, let alone best friends.  I picked up another artifact and jotted down a description: item is cylindrical, approximately seven inches in height and is covered in black and white geometric designs.

 

“Hey Ava, you planning on eating today?” Lilli-Mae asked, her bag already slung across her shoulder.  The boy she’d been making eyes at waited in the doorway, a somewhat soppy grin on his face. 

 

“Yeah, but I’d like to finish this page first.  I’ll meet you there.”  I turned my attention back to logbook in front of me.  One blank line stared up at me.  I hated leaving anything unfinished.  Lilli-Mae shrugged and bounced out of the room, her arm threaded through the boy’s.

 

The table I sat at was now empty.  The artifacts had all been logged and put away.  The blank line mocked me.  I glanced at the nearby tables.  Several pieces still sat there.  The other groups had practically stampeded out of the room when our professor had announced dinner, most not even bothering to put their work away.  More logbooks splayed open at odd angles intermingled with pottery and beads.

 

I reached toward the table next to me with the intent of just grabbing the nearest piece and entering it.  Just to be done with it.  My stomach growled, seconding the idea.  As I stretched across the empty space, my eyes caught on a single piece.  It sat alone on a desk across the room.  Black and white patterns swirled together, so intricate they almost appeared to move.  Completely transfixed, I wanted nothing more than to hold it and stare at it.

 

I took a step towards it before it dawned on me that it wasn’t part of what we were cataloging.  I pursed my lips and turned away.  A whisper of sound encircled me.  I spun in an effort to find the source but no one had entered the room.  Again the jar filled my view.  I couldn’t see anything else around me.

 

What’s the big deal?  It’s not like we’re not supposed to touch the artifacts in here.  I strode forward, intent on getting the strange urge to touch it out of my mind.  As I neared it my footsteps slowed.  Maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all.  I mean it is on the professor’s desk…

 

I was an arm length away when I paused.  The undefined whispering crept through the room again and I blamed the air conditioning.  I stared at the jar, unable to take my eyes off it.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw a hand reach for it.  It took a moment to realize it was mine.  Then another to realize I hadn’t told it to. 

 

As my foot slid closer my toes caught on the edge of the rug.  I felt myself falling forward, the desk top coming closer.  There was nothing to catch myself on besides the desk…where the jar sat too close to the edge.

 

Time slowed to a crawl as my outstretched hands scrabbled for the desk and my full weight hit it.  For one hopeful second I thought that would be it; that nothing would happen.  The jar shivered from the impact and horror rocked my body as it picked up momentum and plunged toward the floor.

 

I lunged, unthinking, for it.  My hands stretched out to catch it.  It hit my palms and rolled off as my fingers clawed at the empty air, milliseconds too late.  As it hit the rug under the table, it rolled, bouncing to a stop against one of the table legs.  A sharp crack echoed through the quiet room and I flinched.

 

Unable to breath, I glanced around, making sure I was still alone, and then bent down to examine the piece.  A hairline fracture wound its way from bottom to top and ended in a jagged chip on the lip.  I had no way of knowing if the damage was from the fall or pre-existing.  That was until I saw the shard of pottery next to it.  My heart stopped then picked up again.  I had just broken a centuries old antique.

 

Visions of me behind bars sent my heart into a full sprint.  Unable to make myself breathe, I carefully picked it up to check it for further damage. My fingers wrapped around the pottery which was surprisingly warm in the overly air-conditioned building.  My heart raced with adrenaline, causing my pulse to thud too loudly in my ears.  I could feel it racing through my veins, so hard that, for a moment, it felt as though the pot had its own pulse.  I had to remind myself it simply was the pulse in my own hands.  A wave of dizziness washed over me and I swayed from lack of oxygen. 

 

The strange whisper sounds grew louder then disappeared as my hair swirled in a sudden rush of air.  Chills ran down my spine.  I forced myself to take a deep breath and tried to convince myself it was nothing but the air-conditioner kicking on again.  I shook off the eerie feeling and gently set the piece back where it belonged. 

I crouched, fingering the shard of pottery that had broken off.  Unlike the jar, it was cool to the touch.  It was mostly black with just a touch of white on one edge.  I straightened, slipping it into my pocket.

 

Just in time too.  The door swung open and I jumped guiltily.

 

“Excuse me, what are you doing in here?”  Lilli-Mae asked, scaring me to death.  My pent up breath whooshed out.

 

“That isn’t funny Lilli,” I said, my heart still racing.

 

“So you say,” Lilli-Mae drawled.

 

I straightened the jar, making sure it was back exactly where it had been before I dropped it.  Lilli-Mae leaned in to get a better look.

 

“Interesting little thing, isn’t it?”

 

I nodded, a little worried she might realize what had happened.  What if she tells Professor DeMille that I broke something? I might as well kiss my college career goodbye.

 

“I was just finishing up.  I’m sorry,” I said in a rush, grabbing her hand.  I held my breath as Lilli-Mae stroked the jar with one finger.  I froze, waiting for something to happen, another rush of wind or more strange noises.  Nothing.

Even more convinced that it had simply been my imagination, I grabbed my bag and dragged her out of the back room. 

 

“But Ava darlin’ you didn’t finish your logbook,” Lilli-Mae said as we burst through the door.  I ignored her.

As we exited through the lobby of the museum, I tried to ignore the creepy taxidermy that littered the room.  I was weirded out enough without a bunch of dead animals staring me down.

 

Pushing through the front doors, the hot summer air slapped me in the face.  I squinted against the light until I could pull out my sunglasses from my backpack.  That was one of the first things I learned when I’d gotten to New Mexico: always wear your sunglasses…and sunscreen.  Oh and chapstick.

 

I couldn’t believe how bright it got here.  Lilli-Mae flipped her own pair down from the top of her head.  We made our way to the cafeteria and hopped in line.  She waggled her fingers at a different boy further up the line.  He winked a dark eye at her and she giggled.

 

“Gee whiz Lilli, can’t you at least pick one guy for the day?  I can’t keep up,” I said.  She scowled at me and I knew it was for dropping the Mae off her name rather than my actual comment.  I was the only one who could get away with it.  Everyone else got a thorough tongue lashing as she called it.

 

“What’s the point of being on a college campus full of hot guys if I don’t, darlin’?”

 

“I don’t know…maybe actually learning something?  That is what we’re here for you know.”

 

“You stress too much sweetie.  You need to relax, find yourself a boy toy or something,” Lilli-Mae said, grabbing a salad from the line of food.  I followed behind, refusing to grace her suggestion with any kind of answer.  She knew how I felt about that kind of stuff.  Boys were so not worth the effort.

 

I’d learned that the hard way at age ten when out of nowhere my dad packed a suitcase and walked out.  He didn’t even bother to look back as he loaded it into his car and drove off.  I hadn’t seen him since.

 

I’d finally moved far enough down the line to find something somewhat edible.  I scooped up a plate with fries and a burger.  Lilli-Mae glanced at it, a longing in her eyes but her salad remained alone on her tray.  When we hit the dessert area I grabbed a banana.  Lilli-Mae on the other hand snatched the biggest piece of chocolate cake she could find. 

 

I wound my way through the tables, looking for an empty, out-of-the-way one.  Spotting one in a corner I made a bee-line for it.  I settled into my seat, satisfied I would be able to eat in peace.  I took a big bite of my burger.

 

“Yoo hoo!  Ethan, over here!”  Lilli-Mae stood and waved at a tall blonde boy across the room.  I scowled at her.  She ignored me as Ethan sauntered our way.  His tray was loaded with enough food for two or three people.  He sat down next to Lilli-Mae and scooted his chair closer.  Ugh…

 

“Ethan’s from San Francisco.  Isn’t that fascinating?”  Lilli-Mae drawled, her eyes glued to the boy next to her.  He smirked.  I held back my impulse to gag.  Lilli-Mae always turned into a giggling puddle of make-up and hair spray with boys around.  Well, boys she considered cute at least. 

 

She had graduated with a 4.2 back home in Georgia.  Her dad was all for his girl becoming the next Marie Curie or Jane Goodall.  Her mama, however, wanted nothing more than her baby to marry well and she felt over education would ruin her chances.  So her mama thought she was attending cotillions over the summers.  She was very careful not to let on just how smart she was and had gotten quite good at it.  So good that most of the other students had no idea how she had even gotten into the various programs.

 

As long as she looked the part, her mama didn’t really ask any questions.  Hence the paradox that was Lilli-Mae: ultra-coifed southern girl on the outside, the makings of an astrophysicist on the inside.  That was why I loved her.

Lilli-Mae didn’t walk back to the dorm with me after dinner.  She ran off with Ethan on what she called a walk.  I didn’t really think there would be a whole lot of walking going on. 

 

As I got undressed something sharp poked me in the thigh.  I slipped my hand into the pocket and pulled out the shard.  Renewed guilt swept through me again.  I yanked open a drawer and shoved the piece as far back as I could go, burying it under all my t-shirts.  I finished getting ready for bed and crawled under the covers.  Lilli-Mae still wasn’t back by the time I flipped off the lights.

XXXXX

 

I stretched, the shreds of my final dream dispersing, and opened my eyes.  Lilli-Mae’s bed was empty.  I bolted upright, worried she never made it back before realizing her clothes from the day before were scattered across the floor.  She must be in the shower.

 

I glanced at my clock to see how much time I had before we needed to be at the bus.  As part of our summer program we would be going on multiple digs in the area.  The clock flashed 7: 45 in huge, red, accusing numbers.

Crap!  The bus left at 7:00.  Why hadn’t Lilli-Mae woke me up?  I’m gonna kill her!  The digs were a huge chunk of our grade for the summer and missing one of them was bound to make a huge dent in my score. 

 

Luckily my mom had driven out with me and flew back home to Maine, leaving me with a car.  I threw my auburn hair into a ponytail without even looking.  I already knew my somewhat curly hair would be a mess.  No reason to make myself feel worse.  It hadn’t looked right since I got to this dry state anyway.  Not that I really cared.

I pulled on whatever clothes my hands touched first and bolted down the stairs and to my car.  I just hope I make better time than the bus!

 

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