The Remedy
Chapter 1
Joss felt a sharp prick on the back of her calf. “Ow!” She spun around and caught her little sister, Bibi, trying to hide a thorn covered twig behind her back. “What are you doing?” Joss snapped.
Bibi puckered her rosy lips. “What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Joss rubbed the back of her leg. Bibi was all innocent cherub cheeks and golden curls on the outside, but bubbling demon on the inside.
Their older sister, Adele, yelled from the far side of the blueberry patch, “Quit fooling around, Joss. We’ve got to finish picking these berries.” Adele was the image of her mother – elegant and refined, but she delighted in pointing out your mistakes, especially if your name was Joss.
Bibi giggled and sprinted away through the spiky grass. “Quit fooling around, Joss,” Joss mimicked her annoying sister in the snootiest voice she could make. She watched Bibi as she hopped from stone to stone, chasing bright orange monarchs and purple swallowtails, and sneaking blueberries from Adele’s basket.
Joss frowned and wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Stop eating all the berries, Bibi.” She gathered her mass of shiny, dark hair into a ponytail, and tied it with an elastic band that she wore around her wrist like a bracelet. A welcome breeze danced across her neck, cooling her temper a bit, but not enough.
Bibi cocked her head in that charming way she did when she was pretending to listen to you when she really wasn’t. “All right. I’ll stop,” she said in her sweetest voice as she batted her eyelashes. Then she cupped another handful of blueberries into her chubby fist and sucked them into her mouth, staring challenging at Joss all the while.
Joss’s fury boiled up from her toes, and her face turned a splendid shade of crimson. “That does it!” She flung her basket to the ground, spilling the berries she had worked so hard to collect, which infuriated her even more. She darted toward Bibi, who began to weave around the bountiful bushes, screeching with fright and delight from her blue-stained lips.
“Jocelyn Hall!” Adele scolded, with her fine nose held high in the air. “Stop chasing her. You’re only making matters worse.” Joss hated it when Adele called her by her full name and Adele knew it. But Joss didn’t have time to argue with her right now. She was set on tearing her little sister to pieces.
Joss seized Bibi’s narrow shoulders, fighting the urge to crush them in her hands, while Bibi gazed up at her sister’s outraged face, just daring her to take action. “Joss, leave her be. It’s only a few berries anyway.” The words flowed from Adele’s perfect lips that always sang the praises of her baby sister.
Bibi wiggled out of Joss’s grasp and scurried out of reach. Her mischievous little fingers snatched several berries from a nearby bush and held them out toward her sister. Then, quick as a wink, she brought them teasingly toward her mouth. Joss turned away, refusing to be taunted by the imp. “Fine. Eat the berries. Eat all of them you want. I hope you get a stomach ache and Mom makes you take some of that black medicine that smells and tastes like tar.”
But suddenly, Joss realized that the fruit clasped in her sister’s tiny palm was an unusual golden color, like the October sunrise over Burkett Mountain. “Wait!” she screamed. Her chest tightened as if she were being squeezed by giant hands. But Bibi flashed an innocent smile and popped the berries into her mouth. Joss sprinted toward her, but it was too late. Bibi’s small body crumpled to the ground. “Bibi!” Joss cradled her face, but there was no response. She scooped the tiny girl into her arms and bounded down the slope with Adele close behind.
In the back bedroom, tucked behind the warmth of the kitchen, the Hall family stood beside the small bed. Bibi lay motionless, her skin a frightening shade of elephant grey. Dr. Hasbro, his trousers belted embarrassingly high above his plentiful waistline, motioned for silence. He placed his stethoscope on Bibi’s chest and listened. “Tsk, tsk.” He shook his bald head. “How unfortunate. I thought boskberries had been eradicated from Piper Hollow, but obviously I was mistaken.” He packed his stethoscope deep inside his medical bag and closed it with a sharp click.
Ms. Hall dabbed her red rimmed eyes with a delicate lace hankie that she had discovered in the pocket of her apron and brushed the soft curls from her baby’s cheek. Mr. Hall slipped an arm around his wife’s waist in an attempt to provide some comfort to the poor woman, while fighting to contain his own anguish. Everyone knew the sad truth. There was no antidote for the cruel poison of the boskberry.
Bibi puckered her rosy lips. “What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Joss rubbed the back of her leg. Bibi was all innocent cherub cheeks and golden curls on the outside, but bubbling demon on the inside.
Their older sister, Adele, yelled from the far side of the blueberry patch, “Quit fooling around, Joss. We’ve got to finish picking these berries.” Adele was the image of her mother – elegant and refined, but she delighted in pointing out your mistakes, especially if your name was Joss.
Bibi giggled and sprinted away through the spiky grass. “Quit fooling around, Joss,” Joss mimicked her annoying sister in the snootiest voice she could make. She watched Bibi as she hopped from stone to stone, chasing bright orange monarchs and purple swallowtails, and sneaking blueberries from Adele’s basket.
Joss frowned and wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Stop eating all the berries, Bibi.” She gathered her mass of shiny, dark hair into a ponytail, and tied it with an elastic band that she wore around her wrist like a bracelet. A welcome breeze danced across her neck, cooling her temper a bit, but not enough.
Bibi cocked her head in that charming way she did when she was pretending to listen to you when she really wasn’t. “All right. I’ll stop,” she said in her sweetest voice as she batted her eyelashes. Then she cupped another handful of blueberries into her chubby fist and sucked them into her mouth, staring challenging at Joss all the while.
Joss’s fury boiled up from her toes, and her face turned a splendid shade of crimson. “That does it!” She flung her basket to the ground, spilling the berries she had worked so hard to collect, which infuriated her even more. She darted toward Bibi, who began to weave around the bountiful bushes, screeching with fright and delight from her blue-stained lips.
“Jocelyn Hall!” Adele scolded, with her fine nose held high in the air. “Stop chasing her. You’re only making matters worse.” Joss hated it when Adele called her by her full name and Adele knew it. But Joss didn’t have time to argue with her right now. She was set on tearing her little sister to pieces.
Joss seized Bibi’s narrow shoulders, fighting the urge to crush them in her hands, while Bibi gazed up at her sister’s outraged face, just daring her to take action. “Joss, leave her be. It’s only a few berries anyway.” The words flowed from Adele’s perfect lips that always sang the praises of her baby sister.
Bibi wiggled out of Joss’s grasp and scurried out of reach. Her mischievous little fingers snatched several berries from a nearby bush and held them out toward her sister. Then, quick as a wink, she brought them teasingly toward her mouth. Joss turned away, refusing to be taunted by the imp. “Fine. Eat the berries. Eat all of them you want. I hope you get a stomach ache and Mom makes you take some of that black medicine that smells and tastes like tar.”
But suddenly, Joss realized that the fruit clasped in her sister’s tiny palm was an unusual golden color, like the October sunrise over Burkett Mountain. “Wait!” she screamed. Her chest tightened as if she were being squeezed by giant hands. But Bibi flashed an innocent smile and popped the berries into her mouth. Joss sprinted toward her, but it was too late. Bibi’s small body crumpled to the ground. “Bibi!” Joss cradled her face, but there was no response. She scooped the tiny girl into her arms and bounded down the slope with Adele close behind.
In the back bedroom, tucked behind the warmth of the kitchen, the Hall family stood beside the small bed. Bibi lay motionless, her skin a frightening shade of elephant grey. Dr. Hasbro, his trousers belted embarrassingly high above his plentiful waistline, motioned for silence. He placed his stethoscope on Bibi’s chest and listened. “Tsk, tsk.” He shook his bald head. “How unfortunate. I thought boskberries had been eradicated from Piper Hollow, but obviously I was mistaken.” He packed his stethoscope deep inside his medical bag and closed it with a sharp click.
Ms. Hall dabbed her red rimmed eyes with a delicate lace hankie that she had discovered in the pocket of her apron and brushed the soft curls from her baby’s cheek. Mr. Hall slipped an arm around his wife’s waist in an attempt to provide some comfort to the poor woman, while fighting to contain his own anguish. Everyone knew the sad truth. There was no antidote for the cruel poison of the boskberry.
Chapter 2
Lumous Lake was the perfect spot to take your troubles. Its sour-green waters lapped at the shore, creating a soothing melody. Joss dangled her bare feet from the end of the dock and stared into the water, hoping to find an answer. It was her fault that Bibi had eaten those berries. If she hadn’t scolded her, this never would have happened. She lay back on the dock and forced herself to peer directly into the blinding sunlight as punishment.
A spiky-haired shadow leaned across her. “Hey, Joss.” A boy, whose dark eyes were a bit too far apart, stood above her, inadvertently protecting her from the sun’s rays. His face had a charming roundness to it that made him appear younger than his fourteen years, and his easy going manner and sarcastic sense of humor had saved Joss from the consequences of her quick temper on more than one occasion.
“Domino, how did you know I was here?” She traced his shadowy outline on the dock with her finger.
“Where else would you be?” Domino and Joss had been friends since kindergarten when they had discovered a mutual appreciation for jelly sandwiches. He bent down and picked up a pill bug with his pudgy fingers, it curled itself into a tight ball in the palm of his hand. He sat down beside Joss and rolled the bug-ball around with his finger. “How is Bibi today?”
“Just the same.” Joss sighed and wiggled her toes, sending a ripple through the water. She watched it travel toward the middle of the lake and disappear. “I’ve got to do something to help her, Domino.”
“But Dr. Hasbro said that nothing can be done.”
“He’s wrong!” She pounded her fist on the dock, startling Domino and causing him to drop the pill bug into the water with a tiny plop. Alarmed by her own outburst, she softened her voice. “He must be wrong.” The clouds hovered breathlessly above the water. “I’m going to see Miss Gizelle.”
Domino gasped. “Miss Gizelle?” He could barely force the words from his lips. “Are you crazy? Your parents will never let you go.”
She leaned toward his round face and narrowed her eyes. “No one is going to tell them.”
Miss Gizelle lived in the woods just outside of Piper Hollow at the base of Burkett Mountain in a cottage on the verge of collapse. She had once been a very important person in the village, and rightly so. She supplied remedies for ailments of all kinds: box pox, snapping beetle bites, the Siberian sniffles. The trouble began when Dr. Hasbro strolled into Piper Hollow one fine day, displaying his well-typed certificate from the University of Medicine. “Oooo,” said the townspeople as they watched him stack roll after roll of sterile bandages on the shelves of his office. “Ahhhh,” they cooed, as he adjusted his pristine stethoscope around his layered neck. They were so enamored of his “doctorliness”, that they began to consult him, instead of Miss Gizelle, when they needed medical advice.
Well, Miss Gizelle went into a tizzy. “Dr. Hasbro knows nothing about our ways. How could you be so foolish as to rely on his unproven methods?” But the people ignored the old woman. Miss Gizelle was called upon less and less. And then the stories began, stories of strange sounds and chanting from Miss Gizelle’s cottage. Mr. Wooliver claimed that he had seen Miss Gizelle toss handfuls of mysterious, colored powders onto a burning pile, causing puffs of silver smoke to rise into the air and form menacing, twisted figures that took on lives of their own. Was she involved in black magic? The people grew afraid. Parents warned their children to stay away from the cottage.
Joss had been warned too, but she was desperate. She had to help Bibi. “I’m going tonight.” She picked at a stubborn splinter in her thumb.
“Tonight? You mean when it’s dark?” Domino stared at her in disbelief. He, too, had heard the stories. No one ever dared to enter the forest after nightfall. Miss Gizelle had incredible powers that she could use against whomever she pleased. And everyone knew that evil creatures--some with tentacle arms, some with seven eyes--roamed the woods at night, looking for victims.
“Yes, tonight. I don’t want anyone to see me near Miss Gizelle’s and tell my parents.” She stared out across the glistening lake. “I’ve got it all worked out. I’m going to say we’re camping out in Crawford’s Cave and--.”
“We’re camping out?” He raised his eyebrows high on his forehead.
“Yes Domino. I always camp out with you in Crawford Cave. If I didn’t say you were coming, Mom and Dad would be suspicious.” She turned away from him and kicked at the water. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, you know.”
Domino ran his hands through his mud colored hair, making it stand up like toothbrush bristles. Joss was always including him in one of her schemes. He never knew whether to be upset or thankful. He sighed. “Of course I want to come. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“I knew I could count on you.” She gave his chubby cheek a squeeze. “I’ll stop by and pick you up after supper.”
A spiky-haired shadow leaned across her. “Hey, Joss.” A boy, whose dark eyes were a bit too far apart, stood above her, inadvertently protecting her from the sun’s rays. His face had a charming roundness to it that made him appear younger than his fourteen years, and his easy going manner and sarcastic sense of humor had saved Joss from the consequences of her quick temper on more than one occasion.
“Domino, how did you know I was here?” She traced his shadowy outline on the dock with her finger.
“Where else would you be?” Domino and Joss had been friends since kindergarten when they had discovered a mutual appreciation for jelly sandwiches. He bent down and picked up a pill bug with his pudgy fingers, it curled itself into a tight ball in the palm of his hand. He sat down beside Joss and rolled the bug-ball around with his finger. “How is Bibi today?”
“Just the same.” Joss sighed and wiggled her toes, sending a ripple through the water. She watched it travel toward the middle of the lake and disappear. “I’ve got to do something to help her, Domino.”
“But Dr. Hasbro said that nothing can be done.”
“He’s wrong!” She pounded her fist on the dock, startling Domino and causing him to drop the pill bug into the water with a tiny plop. Alarmed by her own outburst, she softened her voice. “He must be wrong.” The clouds hovered breathlessly above the water. “I’m going to see Miss Gizelle.”
Domino gasped. “Miss Gizelle?” He could barely force the words from his lips. “Are you crazy? Your parents will never let you go.”
She leaned toward his round face and narrowed her eyes. “No one is going to tell them.”
Miss Gizelle lived in the woods just outside of Piper Hollow at the base of Burkett Mountain in a cottage on the verge of collapse. She had once been a very important person in the village, and rightly so. She supplied remedies for ailments of all kinds: box pox, snapping beetle bites, the Siberian sniffles. The trouble began when Dr. Hasbro strolled into Piper Hollow one fine day, displaying his well-typed certificate from the University of Medicine. “Oooo,” said the townspeople as they watched him stack roll after roll of sterile bandages on the shelves of his office. “Ahhhh,” they cooed, as he adjusted his pristine stethoscope around his layered neck. They were so enamored of his “doctorliness”, that they began to consult him, instead of Miss Gizelle, when they needed medical advice.
Well, Miss Gizelle went into a tizzy. “Dr. Hasbro knows nothing about our ways. How could you be so foolish as to rely on his unproven methods?” But the people ignored the old woman. Miss Gizelle was called upon less and less. And then the stories began, stories of strange sounds and chanting from Miss Gizelle’s cottage. Mr. Wooliver claimed that he had seen Miss Gizelle toss handfuls of mysterious, colored powders onto a burning pile, causing puffs of silver smoke to rise into the air and form menacing, twisted figures that took on lives of their own. Was she involved in black magic? The people grew afraid. Parents warned their children to stay away from the cottage.
Joss had been warned too, but she was desperate. She had to help Bibi. “I’m going tonight.” She picked at a stubborn splinter in her thumb.
“Tonight? You mean when it’s dark?” Domino stared at her in disbelief. He, too, had heard the stories. No one ever dared to enter the forest after nightfall. Miss Gizelle had incredible powers that she could use against whomever she pleased. And everyone knew that evil creatures--some with tentacle arms, some with seven eyes--roamed the woods at night, looking for victims.
“Yes, tonight. I don’t want anyone to see me near Miss Gizelle’s and tell my parents.” She stared out across the glistening lake. “I’ve got it all worked out. I’m going to say we’re camping out in Crawford’s Cave and--.”
“We’re camping out?” He raised his eyebrows high on his forehead.
“Yes Domino. I always camp out with you in Crawford Cave. If I didn’t say you were coming, Mom and Dad would be suspicious.” She turned away from him and kicked at the water. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, you know.”
Domino ran his hands through his mud colored hair, making it stand up like toothbrush bristles. Joss was always including him in one of her schemes. He never knew whether to be upset or thankful. He sighed. “Of course I want to come. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“I knew I could count on you.” She gave his chubby cheek a squeeze. “I’ll stop by and pick you up after supper.”