8. Ladder

3.8 – Ladder

Teaser:

Fi: When you think of a heirloom, you usually think of an ugly, yet important thing, in your family. It might be a clock, book...

<Jack's Mustang>

or even a car. But what if it isn't something that's an object?

And what if, when you get it...

…you weren't supposed to?

"So why are we going here before D.C.?" Irene asks Molly, as they travel down an empty road in Iowa. "I told you, we're visiting my friend from high school, Adrienne," Molly says. "Adrienne, the one we saw in the yearbooks?" Fi asks. Molly laughs, "Yeah, thats her. She helped me get into music...her and my parents...both in weird ways." "How?" Jack asks. "By her, I...we...geez, I don't even remember. Anyway, we're going just to visit and see if she can help me with my new song," Molly says. "Oh, 'Hidden Messages'?" Carey asks. "Yeah," Molly says, "I haven't seen her since our 10-year reunion. She always writes me, but I've only written to her a few times...I guess I kinda owe it to her." "Where is it?" Ned asks. "You'll see it, don't worry! It's a big shadow on the horizon!" Molly says. Ned shakes his head, and keeps looking. "So this is going to be a big gig, in Washington?" Jack asks. "Yeah, honey, it's your mom's concert, and your mom's concert only," Irene says. "Wow...this is gonna be big," Fi says. "Yeah...that why I want this new song to be perfect," Molly says, "And plus, Ted Danson is going to be there!" Then Molly and Irene squeal like excited teenage girls, and then become calm again. "What?" Molly asks, as everyone just looks at them.

"Hey, there it is!" Ned yells, as he pulls into a driveway. Everyone looks out the window to see a big shadow of a house on the horizon. As Ned drives down the long driveway, everyone looks out the windows some more, to see nothing but huge fields and some grazing animals. "Cows?" Fi asks. "Yeah. Did I forget to mention Adrienne lives on a farm?" Molly asks. "Um, yeah," Irene says. They finally reach the house, and Ned parks in front of a barn. A lady, about Molly's age, walks out of the house, and Molly runs off the bus. "Molly!" the lady says. "Hey!" Molly says, hugging her, "It's so good to see you!" "I know...it's been forever!" the lady says. "Oh, everyone, this is Adrienne," Molly says, and everyone says 'Hi' as they shake hands. "And that's my children, Jack and Fi, and our friends Ned and Irene Bell, and their son Carey," Molly says. "Very nice to meet all of you," Adrienne says, "Well, come on in! Take a load off your feet!" And they all walk in with their bags.

"This is really good," Irene says that night at dinner. "Fresh off the farm!" Adrienne says, and they all laugh. "So are all of you guys ready?" Adrienne asks when they are done. "For what?" Fi asks. Molly puts her head down. "Moll, you didn't tell them?" Adrienne asks. "Um, I was going to," Molly mumbles, smiling nervously. "What are you talking about?" Irene asks. "Oh...I asked Molly if...you all could help me for the few days you're here," Adrienne says. "Doing what?" Carey asks. "Paint that barn...all the paint's faded or peeling," Adrienne says. Jack opens his mouth, but Molly cuts in, "Um, sure, they'll all be helping as much as possible." "Thanks," and she smiles. Everyone else glares at Molly.

"I don't...believe...that you convinced us to do this!" Irene says. "Come on, Irene! It's only for a couple of days...besides...I think...I kinda owe it to Adrienne," Molly says, as they both walk towards the barn with paint cans and brushes. "What for? Because you never write her?" Fi asks, carrying a smaller can and brush. "Fi! No..." Molly begins. The boys were already working on the first side. "Thanks for getting us ladders," Molly says. "No prob," Ned says. "This will be the quickest side, since the doors take up alot of space, and we don't have to do them," Molly says, as they climb up the ladders and start painting. "So what's the story Moll?" Irene asks. "What story?" Jack asks. "You mom said that...she kinda owes Adrienne this," Irene says. <THIS SCENE IN INTERTWINED WITH FOOTAGE OF WHATEVER MOLLY IS SAYING>"Well," Molly begins, as they continue to work, "In high school, I didn't have many friends. Adrienne was one...I started in music...with my parents. You guys know that...my father would always play the piano and I'd dance...that sparked my interest in music. I got a guitar from a garage sale..." "Do you still have it?" Fi asks. Molly bites her lip, "No...it was destoryed when I got in a fight with Rick...anyways, I practiced and practiced...and when I got to high school, I saw a girl, all alone, sitting on the steps...playing a guitar. I went over, met, and she became one of my best friends." "Adrienne?" Jack asks. "Yeah...one of the few that stayed..." Molly mumbles. "What'd you say?" Ned asks. "What? Oh, never mind. And we went through high school together...a little wild at times, but we survived...with music. We always played together...like little duels, she'd playing something, and I'd play something back...back and forth, back and forth. Then we graduated...and went our separate ways. A few months later, I met Rick...on stage at Dodger Stadium concert...Adrienne came to visit and took me...she thought that the concert might help me get recognized. About a year later, Rick and I were married. We visited Adrienne once...before we had Jack, and painted this very same barn for her. She did all of that...and all I do is paint a barn twice," Molly says. "And become rich and famous," Irene smiles. "Not quite," Molly laughs. "So you think that Adrienne might be...jealous?" Fi asks. "Not so much that...just...yeah, maybe thats it," Molly smiles at Fi, and Fi smiles back.

"...So scared. Water used to fight, it's like you need sight..." Molly and Adrienne practice in the living room that night, as Fi walks in. "Oh, hey baby," Molly says. "Hey mom," Fi says. "Sore?" Adrienne asks. "Just a little," Fi says, plopping down into a seat. "I'll go get you some tea," Adrienne says, and walks into the kitchen. "So, how do you like it?" Molly asks. Fi just looks at her. Molly smiles, "I know, I know. Not the most fun you've had in your life...but please...will you do it for me?" Fi smiles too, "Sure, mom. Two more days you said?" "Get outta here!" Molly laughs, as Fi runs out. Adrienne walks out with a cup, "Where'd she go?" "I guess...she was just content already," Molly says. Adrienne smiles at her, and they go back to practicing.

"Day two," Irene limps out to the barn. "Come on, we can do two sides today!" Molly says. Everyone grunts. Later that day, everyone is working on the 3rd side. "Wow, we finished that in a hurry!" Carey says. "Yeah, I don't know what happened. It went to fast!" Molly says. "You know what they say, Time flies when you're having fun!" Fi says. "Fun, Fi?" Jack asks. "Well, it kinda is...in a...weird, warped...sort of way," Fi says. Jack laughs, "Whatever." "OK, we're done!" Irene yells, as the covers the last spot, and everyone cheers. "Let's go take a deserved rest!" Molly says. "And dinner!" Ned says. They all climb down and head for the house. Fi hears something fall, and turns around to see paint falling off in chunks off the 4th wall. She shrugs, and remembers that it's only one more day and one more wall.

"Last day!" Irene says, happily. "You all seem more awake today!" Molly smiles. Everyone smiles back. They reach the 4th wall, put up their ladders, and climb. Fi goes up to a big spot of dry paint, peeling and cracking. She looks at it again...and thinks she sees a letter "B" in dark charcoal or something. She reaches over and tears off some more of the paint. "Hey, Fi! Stop it!" Molly yells from below, covered in paint chips. "Oh, sorry!" Fi says, and is more careful when she takes the paint off. She cracks a couple of more feet off, and climbs down. "Hey, where you going?" Jack asks. "Come look at this!" Fi says, and Jack shrugs and follows. Fi walks back a little and stares in awe at what she sees. "What?" Jack asks, and also becomes speechless when he sees. Everyone else comes down, asking what's wrong, and the same happens. They all see on the side of the wall a dark "B", a patch of bright red paint, as if put on yesterday, and the letters "DY." Everyone looks at it, gazing, wondering what it is. "B, die?" Carey says. "What is it?" Irene asks. "I don't know," Fi says, studying it. Molly looks down. "You alright mom?" Jack asks, noticing Molly. "Nothing, baby," Molly asks. "No, what is it?" Jack asks, and Fi walks over. Molly takes a deep breath, and starts talking, "When Rick and I...painted this barn, we got to this side, just like we did. I went inside...<INTERTWINED FOOTAGE AGAIN>Rick kept working. I came back out, and Rick had hurridly covered painted over something. He wouldn't tell me what it was, all he did was say 'Hurry, finish up.' We did, maybe too quickly, and left not too soon after that. Yet another thing I feel guilty for...not doing the job right and hardly saying goodbye. I just never felt right. Later, Rick told me what is was...and there...now we all see it." A moment of silence passes, when Fi asks, "Does Adrienne know?" "No...and you dad said she mustn't...I don't know why, but...let's respect him, OK?" Molly smiles, hugging Fi and Jack. "OK," Jack says. "Now let's get back to work!" Ned laughs, and everyone else chuckles too.

That last night, the last they would spend there, Molly walks into Fi's room, and Fi closes her laptop lid quickly. "Hey baby," Molly says. "Hey," Fi says. "I just wanted to say...thank you," Molly smiles. "For what?" Fi asks. "Oh, just doing all the work...without complaining that much," Molly laughs. Fi laughs back, "Yeah, no problem." "OK, lights out soon...I'll be back to tell you when, OK?" Molly asks. "Sure," Fi says, and Molly walks out. Fi opens up her lid again, to a page titled "Alien Markings," and on that page, are pictures of markings very similar to what they saw on the side of the barn.

The next morning, before they leave, Molly and Adrienne play her song for everyone.

Boxed in like in a bind

So fine

Fire raging everywhere

So scared

Water used to fight

It's like you need sight

And I just want it to take me away

What does it mean

Tell me please

What does it mean

Tell me please

Hiding all around me

Trying to fry me

Hiding all around me

Just to tell me

What they are

<{whispered}Hidden messages>

Around and 'round we go

But slow

Heading right to the top

No stop

Sticking to me like

You rode o'er my bike

And I just want to hear it say

What does it mean

Tell me please

What does it mean

Tell me please

Hiding all around me

Trying to fry me

Hiding all around me

Just to tell me

What they are

<{whispered}Hidden messages>

Accelerated little push

Yeah, shoosh

Think I finally can open

No lendin'

Utilizing all my life

Making it seem like a strive

And I just want to see it pay

What does it mean

Tell me please

What does it mean

Tell me please

Hiding all around me

Trying to fry me

Hiding all around me

Just to tell me

What they are

<{whispered}Hidden messages>

What does it mean

Tell me please

Hidden messages

So I see

Hiding all around me

Trying to fry me

Hidden messages

Dying to tell me

What they are

To me

Everyone claps and cheers, as footage of the bus driving down the dirt driveway and Adrienne waving goodbye is shown, and lastly, a still picture of the 4th side of the barn, with its freshly applied coat of red paint. Through it, though, the markings can still be seen, through an indentation that just appears.

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