Five heads tilted to the right. They stood there in various states of question eyeing the grand old Victorian house at the edge of the West End. Lirssa?s lips puckered in deep thought. Michael and Peter exchanged posturing glances. Missy was twisting the hem of her top so hard that the frail cotton was starting to show signs of rending. Old Marshall Turner, a grizzled man who looked like he was made out of rawhide, clapped his lips together and gave a ?Harumph.?
Lirssa did not like the sound of that. ?Now listen here, Mister Marshall Turner, you said you could fix anything.?
Clearing his throat, the phlegm collected and spat out in a gob of tobacco stained yellow smearing an upturned pavestone. ?This needs a miracle, young?un.?
?Won?t that be nice to be able to say that when you?re done.? Hands out as if she were reading from a poster, ?Old Marshall Turner, miracle fixer upper.?
Jaundice yellow eyes made his dark irises like coals. ?Harumph.? He spat again.
?No more spitting. We just have to clean it up,? Lirssa scolded and found herself sounding very much like her mother. ?Now, let?s have a look over, you tell me what needs bein? done, and I?ll getcha the help you need. I already have painters and such, but I suspect there?s some other work needin? doin? first. Not the plumbing though. Got that in writing it?s sound.?
Straggling out behind her like ants, they wall walked to the house as Lirssa chattered on with great enthusiasm for the monstrous project. ?Mister Johnny said he could do some metal work, and I suspect I?ll be looking at gratings and maybe some nice light fixtures. Mister Dark said he?s handy and could do some work. Miss Sheffield and my mom can help with the gardening, and my dad can do some of the work, too. He made my tree house afterall.?
The porch creaked and sighed like an old lady who has her corset on too tight. Not a board gave way though as they opened up the door and went inside with a flurry of sneezing out of Missy who was sensitive to the musty smell. Tired paper on the walls, squares of lighter color where long past frames hung. Touches of excitement danced along her arms and back like little sprites tiptoeing across her flesh and raising goose pimples. Mister Alain had been good to his word, and she was going to be good to hers.
When they all were inside, Lirssa turned to the other children with a wolfish grin. ?Let?s check it out!? And they were off in all directions as struck billiard balls, except Old Marshall Turner who set down his tool box and began his work.
Lirssa did not like the sound of that. ?Now listen here, Mister Marshall Turner, you said you could fix anything.?
Clearing his throat, the phlegm collected and spat out in a gob of tobacco stained yellow smearing an upturned pavestone. ?This needs a miracle, young?un.?
?Won?t that be nice to be able to say that when you?re done.? Hands out as if she were reading from a poster, ?Old Marshall Turner, miracle fixer upper.?
Jaundice yellow eyes made his dark irises like coals. ?Harumph.? He spat again.
?No more spitting. We just have to clean it up,? Lirssa scolded and found herself sounding very much like her mother. ?Now, let?s have a look over, you tell me what needs bein? done, and I?ll getcha the help you need. I already have painters and such, but I suspect there?s some other work needin? doin? first. Not the plumbing though. Got that in writing it?s sound.?
Straggling out behind her like ants, they wall walked to the house as Lirssa chattered on with great enthusiasm for the monstrous project. ?Mister Johnny said he could do some metal work, and I suspect I?ll be looking at gratings and maybe some nice light fixtures. Mister Dark said he?s handy and could do some work. Miss Sheffield and my mom can help with the gardening, and my dad can do some of the work, too. He made my tree house afterall.?
The porch creaked and sighed like an old lady who has her corset on too tight. Not a board gave way though as they opened up the door and went inside with a flurry of sneezing out of Missy who was sensitive to the musty smell. Tired paper on the walls, squares of lighter color where long past frames hung. Touches of excitement danced along her arms and back like little sprites tiptoeing across her flesh and raising goose pimples. Mister Alain had been good to his word, and she was going to be good to hers.
When they all were inside, Lirssa turned to the other children with a wolfish grin. ?Let?s check it out!? And they were off in all directions as struck billiard balls, except Old Marshall Turner who set down his tool box and began his work.