The Garden of Death
By: ChristinaS

Chapter One
In the small surburban town of Raven's Wood, a young teenage girl dreams of moving to the boarding house that the new guy in town has established. She is a child of nature. Even her name entails her connection with nature: Rowin Rose Leeland. She has a drunken mother, a pesky little brother, and a father that deserted them after her baby brother was born.
Rowin's mother is usually too drunk to do much on her own. Rowin is put in charge of Tobey, her brother, grocery shopping, and keeping the house clean and in order. On the weekends, Rowin works at several odd jobs to help with the bills and to save enough money to pay for one year's rent at the boarding house.
Jasper Emerald Baryl is the first person to move to Raven's Wood in over a hundred years. His arrival has not been received warmly. In the three months he has been there, only one person even acknowledged his presence without contempt; a young girl with wavy red hair and dreamy green eyes. He wondered if what he felt when he saw her was love. He had never felt love before.
Rowin came through her living room, only to find her mother passed out on the couch. She knew her mother had not been to work that week and they didn't have enough money to buy groceries for that amount of time.
"Come on, Tobey. I need to go to the hardware store and see if anyone needs an extra pair of hands."
Taking Tobey's hand, Rowin started across town to the hardware store. Rowin hated taking Tobey with her everywhere she went, but her mother certainly couldn't take care of him in her condition.
"If only Dad hadn't left," Rowin thought,"maybe Moom wouldn't have taken up drinking and I wouldn't have to go around town looking for odd jobs."
Rowin had to tug Tobey to get him in the store. There, at the ocunter, stood Jasper Baryl, talking to the manager. She only heard the last bit of what he was saying.
"...and I might need help painting it. I've never had to before."
"Need help painting?" Rowin asked before she could stop herself.
Jasper could barely keep himself from gasping when he saw the red-headed beauty of his dreams standing in the doorway. For a moment, he couldn't get his voice to cooperate to answer her. He managed to answer in a calm voice, "If you wouldn't mind.
Rowin answered a little too quickly, "it's really no problem. When do I start?"
Both of their faces took on a slight red color. Jasper had to clear his throat several times.
"You can start now if your brother doesn't mind. You can help carry cans."
Rowin tugged Tobey into the store further and gave him one of the smaller paint cans to carry. She then got two large ones for herself and followed Jasper out. He didn't speak as he lead them to the boarding house. Rowin didn't either.
Halfway to the boarding house, Rowin tripped over the curb at a road crossing, just as a car was coming down the road. Jasper dropped his cans of paint and ran to help her. He grabbed her around the waist and jerked her out of the way, mere seconds before the car would have hit her.
Jasper helped her over to the other side of the street. Rowin leaned against him, trying to slow her breathing. They stood there for several minutes before either one of them realized Jasper still had his arm around her waist.
"I have to help Tobey across." Rowin stammered. Tobey was standing on the curb with his paint can in one hand and tears streaming down his face. For one split second, Rowin felt adoration for her little brother. She quickly crossed the street, took Tobey's free hand in hers, and crossed back to the blushing Jasper.
"You okay, Tobey?" Jasper asked him. "Still scared, little guy?" Tobey nodded and sniffed in reply. Rowin dropped down on her knees to give him a hug. He smiled at her as she dried his tears with the bottom of her shirt.
"Feel better now?" she asked. Tobey nodded, with a smile this time. Rowin felt like crying herself. She had never really taken the time to realize how much Tobey looked up to her. She hugged him again and stood up. Jasper was watching with a slightly strange expression on his face.
"We ready? He okay?" he asked, concern in his voice.
"Oh. Yeah. We can go now. Sorry 'bout that. I'm just such a clutz, you know? I'm running off at the mouth, aren't I? Sorry." Rowin couldn't seem to stop talking. She finally forced herself to keep her mouth shut.
"We're almost there. Why do you feel like you have to apologize for everything?"
"Sorry...I mean..." She, for once, couldn't think of anything to say.
"You're a very interesting person. I don't believe we have actually been introduced. I was so happy to find help I completely forgot my manners. My name is Jasper Emerald Baryl." He bowed slightly as he spoke his name.
'He's like an emperor or something', she thought. She introduced herself as properly as she knew how. "I'm Rowin Rose Leeland. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope it will turn into a friendship." She tried to curtsy, but to no avail.
Tobey spoke up for the first time. "I'm Tobey!" he said loudly.
Rowin and Jasper giggled a bit and continued on to the boarding house. Tobey skipped and hummed the rest of the way. Rowin had never seen him so happy. It made her wonder if her hugging him had made him that happy.
When they arrived at the boarding house, Jasper suggested that they start with the porch railings and work on the shutters after lunch. He gave Rowin a paintbrush, and opened a can of white paint for her. Tobey held his little can up to Jasper and stared at him with big blue eyes. Jasper laughed and opened the can for him. Then he found a small paintbrush, and showed Tobey how to paint the railings on the short front steps.
"I've never seen him smile like that. He never smiles at home. He is going to be a good worker when he gets older." She watched Tobey painting his assigned section.
"You seem happier here, too. I've seen you in town, and you never smile either. It's a nice change to see a smile on your pretty face." Jasper turned his head before Rowin could see that he was blushing again.
The trio silently worked on past noon; they stopped around one o'clock for lunch. Rowin and Jasper made tuna fish sandwiches and kool-aid. Jasper got some chips from a cabinet and carried the food into the back yard, where a picnic table had been set up by the previous owner. Tobey smiled brighter than ever when he noticed the kool-aid was grape flavored.
After lunch, the happy trio worked on late into the evening. They finished the entire porch and all of the shutters on the first floor. Rowin helped Jasper close all the paint cans and rinsed the brushes under an outside faucet.
Jasper cleared his throat before speaking. "Would you like to have an escort home?"
Rowin could only nod. They walked back towards town in silence. The setting sun cast an orange-red glow on the world around them. They reached Rowin's house in what seemed a short time. Rowin sent Tobey in before her, so she could say goodnight to Jasper.
"Will you come over tomorrow?" Jasper asked.
"Sure. I...I really enjoy your company. Goodnight, Jasper." she stood on tiptoe, and kissed him lightly on the cheek before running back into her house. Jasper just stood there a minute, bewildered. Then he turned and silently went home.

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Chapter 2