The Haunted House, Part 8

 The Haunted House, Part 8, by Kathryn

"Oh no, you don't!" exclaimed Carrie. "I agreed to go up to the porch. I agreed to go in the house. I even agreed to go up in the creepy attic. But you are positively not getting me to agree to go tramping around in a graveyard!" Jean shook her head in disgust.
"Well, I guess you can stay here then," she replied, walking away. But she laughed to herself as she heard Carrie reluctantly follow her towards the graveyard.
They stopped to look at the old oak, where Carrie had spotted the arrow. Large letters were carved under the arrow.
"Look," Jean pointed. "ESP!"
"Esp? That doesn't make sense!" Carried said.
"Hey, there are little decimal points between the letters. E. S. P.!" Jean looked at Carrie with wide eyes.
"Elijah Stan Parkinson!" she whispered. The wind rustled the treetops as the old house groaned.
"This must be Parkinson Tree!"
"Yes, the one that Elijah planted, and Madison used to sit under," Carrie smiled. The girls looked once again towards the graveyard.
"Now why would this arrow be pointing towards the graveyard? What is it supposed to mean?" Jean asked.
"It's showing the way to somewhere," Carrie laughed, leaning up against the old oak. Jean whirled around.
"Carrie!" she yelled. "Show the way! Grandfather Parkinson will show the way! Don't you see, Carrie? Elijah planted the tree, and put his initials on it! When Madison hid the treasure, she must have carved that arrow." Suddenly a light bulb went on. Grandfather Parkinson will show the way. It's in a place I don't like. The words of the diary came rushing back into their heads and pounded in their ears. They were so close to the box!
As the breeze blew their hair, they slowly walked to the grave site. It was a small family plot, with only a dozen or more headstones.
The iron gate creaked in the wind. The bushes rattled. The sky was grey, and looked like at any moment would spill over with a tremendous rain. The frightened yet determined girls walked up and down the rows, until they saw a certain moss covered headstone. They knelt down and gasped.


Elijah Stan Parkinson 
            R.I.P

"You know, I don't see Madison or Ava's tombstones," Jean said, looking around. "Just Elizabeth Julia Parkinson and Emerson David Parkinson." Carrie shot her a glance. The parents!
"Hey, remember what Madison said about it being hidden in her mother's shawl?" Carrie asked.
"Yes. Maybe she buried it between her parents," Jean suggested.
"You can do whatever you want, but I refuse to dig near graves," Carrie suddenly exclaimed, shaking her head.
"I just wonder what ever happened to Madison and Ava," Jean sighed. "Let's try and find the box, and then maybe we can do some research and find out why they disappeared!" Jean sent Carrie to go find two small garden shovels. The sun began to sink, and soon it grew dark.


To be Continued!