Melody Gardens Read online

  Melody Gardens

  Melody Gardens

  Spring Day

  Janeta Munro

  © 2019 Janeta Munro

  Melody Gardens

  Spring Day

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Elm Hill, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. Elm Hill and Thomas Nelson are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

  Elm Hill titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2019909406

  ISBN 978-1-400327690 (Paperback)

  ISBN 978-1-400327706 (Hardbound)

  ISBN 978-1-400327713 (eBook)

  Information about External Hyperlinks in this ebook

  Please note that footnotes in this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites as part of bibliographic citations. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 1

  The moment she opened her eyes, Tilly burst out with the words she’d been holding in all year. “It’s Spring Day!”

  Finally it was here, her most favourite day of the whole year.

  Throwing back her covers, Tilly leapt out of bed and bounded over to her window. She yanked aside the curtains, pushed up her window, then leaned out as far as she dared. Taking in a deep breath of cool morning air, she looked out across the street at Jackston’s favourite park called Melody Gardens.

  To her left, right up at the top end of the park, the early morning sun peeped around an imposing mansion and bathed the entire landscape in a pale yellow wash. The gnarly old trees across the street cast long shadows over the bare ground and barren garden beds. Nothing stirred nor gave any hint at life and looking at it right now, you would never think that this large, rectangular park in the centre of town could ever be beautiful. Every tree looked sick or half dead with not a leaf or bud to be seen. But Tilly’s excitement wasn’t dampened by the apparent deadness of the park because she knew that something magical was about to happen to it.

  You see, each year on Spring Day, every plant in the park took its turn to ‘spring out.’ Using the sun’s energy that was soaked up and stored in the ground during winter, each plant put on a spectacular display as it transformed from barren to beautiful.

  Within a single day, Melody Gardens would change from this lifeless wasteland that lay before Tilly now to a lush garden full of vibrant colour. She bounced on her tippy-toes and clapped her hands. She could hardly wait!

  After one last look at the barren park, she reached up to close her window. At that very same moment, something fluttered in and landed on her arm. Letting out a terrified shriek, Tilly dropped the window and it crashed down with a loud bang. She shook her arm furiously as she spun in a circle, swatting at the fluttery thing. When it fell off her arm to the floor, she dashed over and scrambled onto her bed.

  Heart pounding, eyes bugged wide, she searched the rug for the culprit of her worst nightmares. When she finally spotted it, though, she had to laugh.

  “Oh, you scared me!” she told a lolly wrapper as she jumped off the bed and bent down to pick it up. “I thought you were a grasshopper.”

  Memories came flooding back as she stared at the wrapper in her hands. She shivered all over as she recalled the time a few years back when a large swarm of grasshoppers had descended on Melody Gardens. Within a matter of days they had devoured half the park and had left the other half chewed and badly damaged.

  Tilly had cried as she’d watched the destruction from her bedroom window. It had been devastating and worse, she’d been helpless to do anything about it.

  However ... it was what happened next that affected her even more than the devastation of Melody Gardens and left a scar that had never healed.

  One disastrous evening, a number of grasshoppers had found their way into Tilly’s room while she slept. They’d crawled around her room, searching for something to eat. The faint scent of salad greens had attracted them to her wide-open mouth. She’d startled awake to a scratchy sensation on her cheek and neck and something feeling around the inside of her mouth.

  Well! Not being able to see in the dark and feeling something clinging onto her face and mouth had been a bit too much for Tilly. She’d totally freaked out! In fact, she’d made so much noise as she’d crashed around her room, screaming at the top of her lungs, that her dad had raced in to find out what on earth was going on!

  “What’s wrong?” he’d asked as he’d grabbed her wrists to stop her from slapping at her face.

  “Aliens!” she’d sobbed, “Trying to climb into my mouth!”

  Dad had made a thorough search of the room, finding the little ‘aliens’ behind the curtains and under her bed. He’d shown them to Tilly and assured her they were just harmless grasshoppers and not something to be afraid of. The problem was, no matter how much both Dad and Mum had tried to console her, the damage had been done. She’d been terrified of grasshoppers ever since.

  Tilly shuddered at the memory and rubbed her arms as though she had a sudden chill, but as she went to stand in front of her closet, she determined to shove the memory aside.

  “It’s too early for grasshoppers,” she reassured herself. “It’s got to be at least four weeks before they’re due.” She screwed up the lolly wrapper and threw it in the bin. “Besides, today is my favourite day of the whole year and I’m not going to let anything spoil it!”

  “Roger! Come and get this grasshopper!”

  Roger, who lived a few doors down the street from Tilly, heard his mum stomping up the stairs and quickly pulled his bedcovers over his head. He was a big kid for his ten years with thick brown hair that stuck out at every angle, small brown eyes, and a downturned mouth. He was in fact a miniature version of the plump woman who appeared in his doorway and propped her hands on her hips.

  When he cautiously poked his head out from under the covers, she pinned him with a beady stare and waggled a plump finger at him.

  “Roger! I am sick and tired of finding grasshoppers all over this house,” she complained. “There was one in the cereal box this morning and yesterday, there was one in my underwear drawer! If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times ... keep them in your tank. But do you? Do you? No! Well, I’ve had enough!” She crossed her arms over her ample bosom and scowled. “It’s the first day of spring and time to let them go.”

  Roger chewed on his bottom lip as his eyes skittered across the room to his collection of grasshoppers. Six huge, creepy-looking critters stared back at him from a glass tank on a shelf. He’d
named each one of them but Gus, the biggest and toughest of them all, was his favourite. Mean and nasty-looking, he’d been the cause of many a scream from his sister and mum. As Roger watched him crawl around the tank, he thought about the last time he’d put him down his sister’s back and smirked.

  “Roger!” His mother stomped her foot. “Are you listening to me?”

  That snapped his attention back. “Yes, Mum.”

  “I am done with your stupid bugs!” she grumbled.

  How many times had he heard that statement before?

  “I’m serious, Roger,” she said as she stabbed her chunky finger at him, “If you don’t get rid of them, I will!”

  She glared at him to make sure the message sunk in then turned on her heel and bustled out of his room. The whole wall rattled when she slammed the door behind her.

  Roger sighed as he listened to her stomp back down the stairs. She’d threatened to get rid of his grasshoppers a few times before today but this time was different somehow—worryingly so.

  No sooner had he clambered out of bed than the door burst open and she was back again.

  “If you don’t let those things go right this minute,” she said as she held up a can of bug spray, “I’ll spray the lot!”

  Oh-ohh! “No! Mum, no!” Roger sprang into action. He charged over and stood in front of his grasshoppers and spread his arms out as a barricade.

  His mum shook the can of spray then took the lid off.

  “OK! OK!” he cried, “I’ll let them go!”

  Chapter 2

  Tilly stood in front of her open closet trying to decide what to wear. Spring Day called for something bright and cheery, so she picked out her favourite soft green dress covered in tiny red and pink flowers. It had a white collar and matching white belt that tied in a bow at the back. Teamed with white socks and her red slip-on shoes, it suited the occasion perfectly. She dressed as quickly as she could then brushed her long, strawberry-blonde hair. Once she’d pinned it back at the sides, she studied herself in the mirror.

  She frowned at the smattering of freckles across her cheeks and upturned nose. Was that a new freckle on the side of her nose? She rubbed at it. Yes, it was—oh well.

  Even though she didn’t particularly like her freckles, they did nothing to detract from the prettiness of her face. She had big, beautiful green eyes and a cheeky smile that lit up her whole face.

  She smiled at herself now and decided she would do. She skipped out of her room and down the stairs.

  “Happy Spring Day, Mum,” Tilly said as she entered the kitchen.

  “Happy Spring Day, darling,” Mum replied. She was busy making what looked like one of Tilly’s favourite breakfasts.

  “Are you all right?” she asked as she looked up from her task. “I heard you cry out.”

  “Oh ... yeah,” Tilly said with an embarrassed giggle. “I thought a grasshopper had landed on me but it was just a lolly wrapper.”

  “Oh, dear!” Mum gave Tilly a sympathetic smile. “There won’t be any grasshoppers around at this time of the year, sweetheart, so don’t worry.”

  “I know, and I won’t!” Tilly said. “I’ve waited all year for this day and I’m not going to let anything spoil it.” She raised her chin a little and smiled at Mum.

  “There’s my brave girl!” Mum winked at her as she fetched a plate of buttery toast smothered in Mai Tuft jelly and set it on the bench in front of her.

  “Ooh, yum!” Tilly’s mouth began to water as the enticing smell wafted up from her plate. She tucked into the sticky treat.

  “Mum?” she asked around a mouthful of food. “Is it all right if I go and see Old Mai?”

  She was hoping for a visit before the excitement began and needed to get going if she was to have enough time.

  “I don’t see why not.” Mum handed Tilly a napkin to wipe her face and hands. “Make sure to say hi from me, OK?”

  Tilly grinned and nodded then walked with Mum to the front door. As Mum opened it, Tilly reached up and planted a quick kiss on her cheek. “Thanks, Mum.”

  She skipped out the door and down the front steps.

  Already people were gathering in the park and on the street. She waved to those she passed and wished them a happy spring day. The atmosphere was one of excited anticipation and as she began to skip down the sidewalk to the end of the park, happiness coursed through her whole body. She just loved spring day.

  Roger watched his mum move closer to the tank and felt a stab of panic. “I’m letting them go, Mum. You don’t have to spray them!”

  He lifted the tank off the shelf then shot over to the open window. As he set it down on the ledge, he pleaded under his breath, “Please, please, please leave the room.”

  A quick glance over his shoulder revealed no such luck. She just stood there, holding up the bug spray.

  “Don’t you trust me to let them go, Mum?”

  She awarded him with a look that could have withered a dead tree. “I’m not leaving until I see every last one of them fly away.”

  “Aw, Mum! Don’t you know how long it’s taken me to grow them this big?”

  His mum’s face scrunched up in an angry scowl and she took a menacing step closer. “Out, now!” she said between gritted teeth.

  “But Mum, I’ve been breeding them since last spring. They’re like family to me.”

  “Roger...!” His mum’s face turned beet-red and her eyes came dangerously close to popping out of her head. The hand holding the can started to shake and he could tell she was losing it. Mum-ma Vesuvius was about to blow!

  He knew better than to let that happen so, with an angry jerk, he yanked the lid off the tank and tipped it up. Six ugly grasshoppers poured out into the open air. His heart sank as he watched them fly off in every direction.

  “Well, that’s the last we’ll be seeing of them!” his mum said with satisfaction as she came and stood behind him. “Oh, and by the way, Roger….”

  He turned warily and watched as she banged the can of bug spray down on his empty shelf. She looked meaningfully at it before turning to glare at him. “Don’t even think about trying to sneak any one of them back into this house!”

  “No, Mum, I won’t…,” he said as she walked out of the room. He listened to her clunk down the stairs then uncrossed his fingers, “but I’m not making any promises.”

  Down below, Tilly skipped along the footpath.

  All of a sudden she got a prickly feeling, like something bad was about to happen, and stopped skipping. She turned to look behind her, expecting something or someone to come running up to her, but there was no one there. When she turned around, a flicker of motion caught her eye. Something was coming towards her but it wasn’t running—it was flying!

  Before she could turn and run or put up her hands to defend herself or even scream ... splat! Right in the centre of her chest landed the biggest, ugliest grasshopper she had ever seen.

  “Eeeek!” she screeched and sucked in a big breath. She looked down at the grasshopper on her chest and couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

  “You’re not real! You’re not real!” she said as she squeezed her eyes shut. When she cracked one eye open and looked again, she let out another scream.

  “Eee-argh! You are real! You are real!”

  She staggered backwards a couple of steps then raised her hands and started flapping at the hideous thing but it wouldn’t budge. It just sat there looking at her like she was its next meal.

  When it started walking up her chest towards her face, she let out a cry like that of a strangled cat. Her heart pounded, her knees went weak, and she thought ... I’m going to die! She leaned back, squeezed her eyes shut, and wailed at the top of her lungs! “Get it off me! Get it off me!”

  Just when she thought she was going to faint, she heard running feet, then ... whack! Someone knocked the grasshopper off her chest.

  “You’re all right,” a familiar voice said.

  When Tilly opened her eyes and saw her m
um, she immediately burst into tears. She tried to talk but nothing would come out.

  “I know, I know,” Mum said as she enfolded her in a tight hug, “It’s gone now, you’re OK.”

  Mum continued to hold her and let her cry for a few minutes more then gently pulled back so she could wipe the tears from Tilly’s cheeks.

  Tilly hiccupped then took a deep breath. “I hate those things!” She shuddered. “It just came out of nowhere! Did you see it land on me?”

  “No, sweetheart. I just heard your screams and came running.” Mum gave her a sympathetic smile. “Are you going to be OK?”

  Tilly nodded but looked around nervously. “How on earth is that disgusting thing even here? It’s too early for grasshoppers!” A horrible thought crossed her mind. “There aren’t any more, are there?”

  Mum shook her head.

  “I sure hope there aren’t.” Tilly was on the verge of crying again.

  “It’s all right, sweetheart,” Mum said as she ran soothing hands down Tilly’s arms. “There aren’t any more grasshoppers around right now, OK?”

  Tilly gulped back the threatening tears and put on a brave face. But a nagging thought kept pushing to the forefront of her mind as she glanced around. “What if it’s not the only one, Mum? What if a swarm of them comes again this year?”

  “Well...” Mum paused, “we’re not going to worry about that now.” She gave Tilly a bright smile and gently turned her in the direction she’d been going. “You are going to go and enjoy your chat with Old Mai and when you get back, we will talk about it then, OK?”

  “OK, Mum.” Tilly let out a long, shaky breath. “Thank you for getting that awful thing off me. You saved me from dying of fright!”

  Mum hid a smile as she straightened Tilly’s collar but grew serious as she gently cupped Tilly’s chin. “You know ...” she said, looking her in the eye, “one of these days you’re going to have to face this fear of yours.”

  “I know,” Tilly’s eyes slid from her mother’s to the dead grasshopper on the footpath. She shuddered just looking at it. “One day I will ... maybe ... but not today.”