WHISPERS OF THE PAST
by
SR Whittington and Free Spirit
Chapter 5
THE CHAPTERS
It was then that reality hit him. Instead of seeing the familiar walls of home, there were cold cement walls that was now his dungeon. It used to be that he would have to leave the door open when Iola would be over visiting. His mother and father always insisted on that rule. Frank and Joe didn’t mind the rule, but it was strange to be locked into a room with Iola… the door securely locked solid. Because the room was always locked, it had an unusual musty smell. The younger Hardy could swear that sometimes he could smell the dampness, especially when he would wake up in the middle of the night. Then there was the thought of outside of the walls. What was Frank doing now? Joe kept thinking that he would probably be studying at this very minute or on his computer. Perhaps, even on a date with Callie. He could not help but feel a missing void in his life.
Frank… I miss you so much. I never thought it would be this painful not being able to see you or talk to you. I would not mind it a bit to hear the words "baby brother". At least, you are hopefully getting on with your life. I hope you are not feeling the emptiness that I am feeling now, but somehow I think you are.
His eyes started to tear up as he looked over to where he had placed the pile of papers that Rawlins had given him on the floor. After reading the two articles and the first two e-mails, he could not read anymore. While he was so happy to have Iola back in his arms, he felt an immeasurable emptiness. The papers called him back. They were his only links to the outside world and his family. Trying to slowly move out from underneath a sleeping Iola, Joe started to walk over to the papers.
"What are you doing, Joe?" Iola asked sleepily, yawning and stretching at the same time.
"I’m sorry if I woke you," Joe answered in the dark. "I just needed to read some more."
"You miss them don’t you?" Iola inquired. He could hear her get up and search for the string to turn on the light bulb, the only light in the room. Iola always seemed to be able to read his mind, something no other person could do besides Frank.
"AH!" Joe called out when the bright light hit his eyes. He could hear Iola giggle. "I guess I was not expecting to be blinded by the light."
"If you plan on reading, I think you are going to need some light."
"How are you so sure that is what I was going to do?"
"Because I know that by reading things about home, I felt like I at least had them with me for at least for the moment," Iola answered shyly. Then she looked him in the eyes. "I know that they could be fake, but something told me that they were real. Sometimes the written word is your only link to the other side. I treasured my letters."
"Where are they?" Joe asked, as he picked up the pile of papers and walked over to the bed.
"They came and took them. I only have one left and it is almost in pieces from where I have read it so much," Iola said with a slight hint of sadness. Joe motioned for her to join him and she laid down across from him and placed her head against the pillow.
"Can I ask what was so special about that letter?" Joe asked her, before looking over the pile in between them.
Iola rolled over to face the ceiling. "It was an e-mail that you sent to my brother after the explosion. You he replied to it, so I not only had his writing, but your writing as well on it. I think sometimes you forget that I have an older brother too."
It was true. While Chet Morton was the brothers’ very best friend since grade school, they often thought of him as jolly Chet Morton, friend. Not too much thought is given to being the brother of Iola.
"Maybe it is because we are just such good friends. Or maybe because you two really don’t look anything alike," Joe commented. Iola had a slender build with long black hair that matched her pixie like complexion. She looked like Snow White, except a lot more beautiful and original. Joe often referred to her as his princess, Snow White. Chet was a jolly heavy set boy that was the same age as Frank. Since he has red hair, there were not too many similarities between the siblings. He was a loyal friend to the Hardys, but he often changed his hobbies like he changed his food cravings. However, after Iola’s death, Chet had begun losing a lot of weight. That was one of the first things that he told Iola. Chet was lifting weights and eating a better diet. Just recently after working for his father on the farm for a year after high school, Chet decided he wanted to be a physical education teacher. He was to start Bayport University the same time as Joe. It was definitely an exciting time in the Morton household. Iola was thrilled at the news that her freckle faced brother was going to make something of himself.
"You don’t exactly look like Frank’s twin either," Iola commented with annoyance. When Iola was annoyed, she would often roll her eyes ever so slightly, but still very politely.
"What did the letter say? I don’t really remember writing Chet on the computer," Joe asked again, wanting to change the subject. This was how they always started fighting. It always started with something stupid and ended up bigger than life. He didn’t want to waste any precious time arguing over something that really not anything more than a difference in views.
"You wrote to Chet to apologize. You wanted to tell Chet that you were sorry. I have it right here," she said as she reached into her gray sweatshirt and pulled out a worn piece of paper from her bra.
"You keep that there all the time?" Joe asked in astonishment. They were both dressed in plain gray sweat pants. It was the only thing that they were given to wear. Their captors had always given them clean clothes each morning after they showered with pure cold water and a bar of soap. Rawlins said he did not want the stench to over run his cabin. While they were plain and starting to wear a little, they were at least clean.
"I wanted to keep it close to my heart and I was afraid of losing it," she said as she carefully unfolded the two papers and started to read it aloud.
Chet,
I have wanted to talk to you about this countless times, but the words never can make it out of my mouth. I can not even tell you how sorry I am about everything. I never knew that the car was going to explode. I didn’t even think that Iola would go to the car like that. I don’t blame her for being mad at me. It seemed like I was always looking at other girls, but there was only one girl for me. Iola was beautiful, my Snow White. A lot of my most cherished high school memories included her. I will never forget that last Homecoming dance before she died. She came down the stairs in that red sequin dress… she just radiated beauty. I miss holding her. I miss her laughter and her sense of humor. I miss hearing her passionate speeches on her various causes. Most of all, I miss just being with her. I was honored to be her boyfriend and share those years with her.
I can not imagine though, how it feels for you. I don’t know what I would do if something ever happened to Frank. The closest I ever came to losing Frank was on that one case when I saw him being shot on a pier. I really thought he was dead and I felt like my heart was ripped right out of my chest. Don’t ever tell Frank, but I secretly wanted to die with him. I was never so happy when I saw him underneath all of that computer stuff.
So please, accept my apology. I know that we have been cool ever since, but I feel like I needed to tell you this. If I could have switched places with her, I would have. I would have never have let her near that car if I knew what was going to happen.
Your Friend,
Joe
Reply-
Dear Joe,
My family or I have never blamed you for anything. It was an accident. While I do miss her terribly, I know that she would want me to go on living for her. That is what I plan to do.
Most of all, I know how much you loved her. Iola loved you very much. I almost feel as if you were my brother-in-law, and that is how I will always feel about you.
You made my sister happy and at the same time, you made me happy too. You gave her many great memories and experiences. I am just glad that she had that before she died.
No matter what happens Joe Hardy, you will always be like my "brother".
Chet
Joe just looked over at Iola as she folded the paper up gingerly and placed it back in its safe place. He had forgotten about that letter as well as the events that led up to the explosion.
"Iola, I honestly am sorry for..." Joe started to say, but Iola reached over and placed her finger on his lips.
"It is all water under the bridge Joe," Iola said softly with confidence. She was over that part of her life.
"No, I need to say this. I am sorry for being such a jerk for hurting you by flirting with other girls in front of you. You know that it never meant anything, but I should not have disrespected you like that," Joe said strongly, sitting down on the bed next to her. Iola could see the tension in his blue eyes.
"Joe, you are just a social person. I have always known and accepted that. Sometimes it would bother me, but I would always remember that you loved me," Iola said with a slight laugh. "Besides I enjoyed the making up too much to miss out on it."
Joe had to smile at that. While it seemed that Frank and Callie never fought, Joe and Iola were known for having small arguments and then making up just as fast. Joe didn’t mind the makeup routine at all, but he just hated having any disagreements with anyone.
"I can’t wait to do that again, but not here," Joe said with a sly voice. Iola playfully hit him as he grabbed her and just held her in a bear hug. "But lets skip the fight part."
Then both teenagers started to look through the rest of the papers, their only link to the world on the other side of the wall.
"If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do. Is to save every day until eternity passes away and I would spend them with you."
Jim Croce- Time in a Bottle
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The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boys Fan Fiction authors of the Hardy Detective Agency have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.