Without a Single Word

To read the previous Twirl, go here.

For my new Invisible Friends, Twirl is the story of a fiesty, sassy ballerina named Vivi and her handsome cowboy named Wade. After falling in love swaying on the dance floor to the sound of a fiddle and steel guitar, the couple have stumbled onto a old Texas legend that might possibly lead to riches! On top of everything, Vivi is fighting her controlling father and over involved dance teacher, who are trying to trap her into a life she may not want. Add in a mysterious secret with her mother, a scheming evil boy in her dance class and regular teen angst and you've got DRAMA!

To catch up in the archives, go here and here. Or e-mail me and I'll send you the word document of what I've posted.

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"Yup, there's only one thing we can do now," the sheriff sighed. He rubbed his forehead and planted his cowboy hat over the greasy strands that covered his budding bald spot. "We'll have to turn it over to the historical society."

"The historical society?" Margaret squawked. "It'll take them ages to find out anything! By the time they vote on where to start, how to start, when to start and what to look for, we'll all be dead! It could take 100 years!"

"I know," the sheriff replied, his voice bitter. "And I'd sure love to keep looking. But as a member of the Texas law force," he boasted, snorting proudly and pulling his pants over his bulging belly, "I'm afraid I can't waste my time chasing legends."

"But"-- Vivi started to protest, but Wade's hand squeezed hers. Hard. She narrowed her eyes and glared at him, a sharp retort on her lips. His blue eyes were twinkling as he gave her a small wink.

"I know, Vivi," the sheriff said, not noticing the exchange. "It is a bummer. But as Miss Margaret here can tell you, it could be a wild goose chase that lasted years."

Margaret hissed through her rotten teeth. "How can you do this to me?" she snarled. "You pull me away from a Ancient Texts Convention to translate this old letter, then you don't even bother to let me in on the puzzle! I am offended, sir."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the sheriff said, honestly bewildered. "We'll be getting out of your way then." Tipping his hat, he shuffled out the front door. "Come on Wade, Vivi," he called over his shoulder.

Wade also tipped his hat, his eyes glittering with excitement as he walked out the door. Margaret handed Vivi the letter. Vivi gently touched the delicate yellowed paper between her fingers. Margaret's rough, gnarled hands clamped on. Her black eyes bore into Vivi's.

"I'm available," she whispered through her rotten black teeth, the words whistling through the air. "Day or night. Just call." She slipped a card from her black sleeve and slid it under Vivi's thumb. Releasing her grip on the letter, she abruptly turned and shuffled away. For a moment, Vivi stood in the strange living room holding the letter in a daze. It all felt so strange, so unreal. A tribal mask stared down at her, unblinking in agreement. Jumping at Wade's voice calling her name, she hurried out the screen door without looking back.

She waited until after he had helped her in the truck and climbed in on the other side before speaking.

"What's your idea?" she blurted out.

Wade didn't even bother pretending. With a wide grin, he fired up the engine. "I say we find what Bullet Bill hid," he exclaimed. "We can go to every dance hall in town and follow the clues. I know we can do it!"

"How do we know all the letters are in dance halls?" Vivi asked. "The first letter was in their house."

"They've got to be in dance halls," Wade replied. "Where else could a unmarried young woman go alone in those days at night?"

"Good point," Vivi admitted, running her finger along the edge of the letter. "Why didn't you tell the sheriff?"

"The sheriff wants the treasure for money," Wade replied bluntly. "I don't care if it's money or a bag of old socks. I just want to find it." His blue eyes locked onto hers. "What do you think?"

Vivi felt her cheeks turn pink. Every time he gave her that look, she felt like she was swirling on the dance hall. "I think it'll be a lot of fun," she said honestly.

"Great!" Wade crowed. "We can hit a dance hall a weekend and spend all week breaking down the clues."

"Every weekend?" Vivi gulped. The performance she'd been training all year for was just a few months away. Every single weekend had been scheduled with hours of practice, not counting the classes and dance team practices she had during the week.

"Is that not going to work?" Wade asked.

Vivi looked at his wounded face and felt her heart twist. "No, it's fine," she lied. Her stomach tightened in knots and she bit onto her tongue, digging her tooth into the soft flesh.

"I can't wait to find out what the first clue means!" Wade cried, slapping the steering wheel in excitement. "But first, we've got to get to dinner!"

"Dinner?" Vivi looked at the clock. It was barely three. "What do you mean dinner?"

"At my grandfather's," Wade said, giving her an odd look. "I have to help him barbecue and get set up. It takes awhile."

Vivi felt a quiver snake down her spine. "Barbecue? How many people are coming?"

Wade looked straight at the road. "Just a few," he murmured. A smile danced at the edge of his lips.

Vivi gulped and stroked the letter with her thumb, running it back and forth down the brittle paper. Wade laughed and put one hand on her knee.

"Vivi, I was just kidding," he reassured her. "It's just the three of us. I don't have enough family I like to introduce you to, anyways." He flipped on the radio. "I'm actually hoping my grandfather knows about the legend, or at least has some books on it. He's a huge history nut. He knows everything about this area."

Vivi let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the seat. "I'm looking forward to meeting him," she assured Wade. Letting the hills roll past them out the window, Vivi let her thoughts drift away as the truck flew down the road. They turned onto a old ranch road that trickled into a gravel path. The truck bounced and jarred as Wade yelled over the noise.

"See, this is where we keep the cows in the summer--and that's where the old barn used to be," he shouted, pointing to different land marks. "Over there is the tank--you'd call it a pond--it's usually stocked with catfish."

Vivi peered through the windshield. Her eyes widened. "What's all that about? Who are all those people?"

Wade leaned forward and his jaw tightened. "I don't know. But if it's what I think it might be, then it ain't good."

Pulling up to a large metal building surrounded by a sea of cars, Vivi felt her body go numb. It couldn't be him. Not here, not now. Her fingers clamped the letter to her chest, damp with sweat.


"Vivi?" Wade asked. "What's wrong?"

Vivi couldn't answer. She could only stare at his sneering face.

Damien, the nemesis from her dance class, was smiling right at her.

To be continued....

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have a tasty family recipe and the new chapter of the Rubber Duck searching for his Fuzzy Love on Friday! Plus, we've got a weekend full of whimsical fun! Stay tuned!