The Girl at the Window

 

by
Lauren Goboff

 

 

 

White. Outside my window everything was white. It seemed like the whole world was covered in a blanket of snow. Inside my cozy room I could admire the stunning beauty of this new, sparkling world. To me it seemed almost magical. While most boys I knew liked to play in the snow, I was content just to watch it from my window. Every winter I felt awed by this majestic sight. Millions of tiny snow crystals glided down from above like feathers from a giant’s pillow. In fact, the snow had piled up so high it was just a few feet down from my second story window. It was a true Buffalo winter.

The snow looked delicate and pretty, but I personally knew how powerful and dangerous it could be, and I was thankful for my warm room. Suddenly, I heard a quiet tapping sound coming from the window across the room (one of my favorite things about my room is that it has many windows). “What animal would be out in this weather?” I wondered. Curious, I got up to have a look, and what I saw shocked me. Staring back at me was a girl. Her lips were blue with cold and in her sleepy-looking brown eyes you could clearly read desperation. Her hair was dirty and she clutched the window frame so tightly her knuckles were white. I wondered if she was sinking into the snow. I could only see her upper body because the snow still hadn’t reached the window.

 

It took only a few seconds to take this in, and I realized she needed help right away. I quickly opened the window for her, but it seemed she was too weak to climb in herself.

 

“Please,” her feeble voice was so low that I could hardly hear what she was saying. “Help me.” With her message given, she crumpled to the ground. Oh, please let her be alive, please!

 

“Mom!” I bellowed. She would know what to do; she was a nurse after all. I clambered out of the window and lifted the girl up; she was light as a feather! “Come quick!” I shouted. I would need help getting us both back into my room. Apprehensively I put my ear to her chest. Thank goodness! Although the movement was minute, I could feel the rise and fall of her chest, and I could hear the uneven beating of her heart. As I looked down at her face I realized that she looked about fourteen, only two years younger than me. For some reason this chilled me to the bone.

 

Just then, my mother came scurrying in. “What is so important?” she panted. She looked around until she saw me outside. “What are you doing out there?” At that moment she saw the girl in my arms- and gasped.

 

“I need you to help me get us inside,” I explained. “Quickly, she’s half frozen!” Mom just stared. “Snap out of it! She needs help!” She blinked a few times and abruptly leaped into action. After hoisting the girl inside she took off down the hall. “Where are you going,” I shouted after her.

 

“She needs to get into dry clothing.” I could tell she was in professional mode. I paced outside my parent’s room while she changed the girl into warm clothing.

 

Afterward, the girl was rushed downstairs, flung on to the couch, and covered by heavy blankets. All I could see of her was a little, flushed face. Mom felt the girl’s forehead and her brow furrowed. “She’s burning up,” she mumbled. I couldn’t tell if she was talking to me or herself.

 

“Shouldn’t we be calling 911?” I asked.

 

“They wouldn’t be able to make it in this weather.” She was still intently doing nurse-like things. Checking the girl’s vital signs, looking at her eyes; you get the picture.

 

“What can we do?” I was just about ready to start pacing again.

 

“We wait.”

 

I didn’t like her answer. Being helpless was not my forte.

 

Eventually my dad came down to see what all the fuss was about with my little sister Emma in tow. He stopped dead when he saw the girl.

 

While Emma pestered me with pointless questions, I tried to concentrate on my parent’s conversation.

 

“She doesn’t look good,” my dad commented. My mom’s face was grave.

 

In a voice that was barely a whisper she stated her worries. “I don’t know if she’ll make it.”

 

Suddenly my throat felt tighter.

 

“She’s far too skinny and weak; I don’t know if she’ll be able to fight off this fever.”

Looking at her peaceful, sleeping face I hoped fervently that she would live.

 

...∞...

 

That night I insisted on sleeping next to the couch so I could watch the girl. I slept in the same place for the next two nights, too. Mom said she was doing better than before, but still she didn’t wake. Staring at her tiny face now, I wondered if she ever would.

 

Wait! I’m either imagining things or her eyes just flickered. Is it possible that she’s going to wake up?

“Come on, open your eyes,” I encouraged. Gently brushing her hair behind her ear I continued to talk to the girl.

 

“You’ve been asleep for long enough and now it’s time to wake up.”

 

There it was again. Just the slight movement of her eyelids made my heart flutter.

 

“Uggg,” she groaned. The sound made me want to jump for joy. She would live, she would wake up and everything would be fine. This realization lifted a huge weight from my shoulders.

 

Finally she woke up completely and looked around with those wide brown eyes of hers. I could tell she was dazed.

 

“Where am I?” she asked herself. She made a second examination of the room and, for the first time, noticed me. “You… you were the boy at the window,” she realized. As she stared at me her eyes widened to a seemingly impossible size. “You saved me! You saved my life! Th.. thank you.”

 

“You don’t have to thank me, anyone would have done the same,” I blushed self-consciously. “I would like to know your name, however.”

 

“Oh! I’m sorry, how rude of me!” she exclaimed. “I’m Delilah.”

 

“I’m Jonathan. How old are you Delilah?”

 

“Sixteen.”

 

I felt my jaw drop. She smiled sleepily and her eyelids started to droop. Soon she fell asleep again.

“Delilah,” I thought to myself, “I like it.”

 

...∞...

 

She slept a lot over the next few days. During the time she was awake, however, she was questioned mercilessly. In between her naps she told us… everything.

 

She had grown up on the streets with her mother. Once they lived in an apartment, but that was too long ago for her to remember. Her mother worked a multitude of jobs as well as teaching and caring for her little girl. Aside from some hard times, they usually had enough to survive. Last year they weren’t as fortunate. There wasn’t enough food for the both of them and, despite Delilah’s protests, her mother gave most of the food to her. As a result her mother got sicker and sicker- she didn’t survive the winter. After her mother’s death (that was a hard subject for her to talk about) Delilah wanted to get away. She lived in the forest behind our house. Since she couldn’t survive on nuts and berries she had to come out on occasion. She made money by singing on the street corner. She knew winter would be hard, but she thought she was prepared. When winter came, though, she ran out of food and since no one was outside she couldn’t buy more. We knew what happened next.

 

Once I asked her to sing. She sang a melody she had composed herself, but the tune was irrelevant. Her voice was like nothing I had ever heard before. It was beautiful, stunning even. I could imagine giving away all my money just to hear her sing. The only thing I could compare it to is a siren’s song; something men would jump overboard for. When she stopped I wanted to get down on my knees and beg for more. Thankfully I controlled myself. She laughed at my dumbfounded expression; I wondered if she knew how good she was.

 

Though she was still very weak, Delilah was improving rapidly. She was gaining some weight and could walk around the room on her own. We didn’t know where she would go when she recovered; I for one didn’t want her to leave. There was talk about her going to school with me when the snow melted; if she was well enough, that is. I would have to wait and see, but so far things were looking up.

 

...∞...

 

School was scheduled for tomorrow, and it was decided that Delilah would come with me. I knew everyone would be buzzing about the “new girl.” Delilah seemed uncomfortable.

 

“I don’t want to be a nuisance,” she admitted.

 

I smiled. “Don’t worry, it’s our pleasure.”

 

... ∞...

 

Since Delilah had never been in a real school before, it was amusing to watch her reactions. What was typical and boring to me was new and exciting to her. Considering she was taught by her mother her whole life, Delilah was surprisingly well informed; all the teachers loved her.

 

When the last bell rang she was the only one disappointed. As we walked out together she chatted avidly about her “adventures.” We had just gotten outside when we heard a moan. Someone shouted, “Stop it!” followed by another moan.

 

All my instincts told me to walk away but Delilah was already heading toward the chaos. Grudgingly, I followed her. There we found Bruno the bully. He had been terrorizing kids since the first grade. Today he was beating up on a small fifteen year old.

 

I could tell Delilah was appalled and had to restrain her from rushing in.

 

She glared at me. “We have to help.”

 

“Are you nuts?” I exploded. “Just a few weeks ago you could hardly walk without help! You can’t go against him! Bruno would crush you!’

 

“Can you stop him?” Now her eyes, as wide as saucers, were pleading. Somehow I couldn’t find it in me to say no.

 

I sighed. “Stay here,” I told her sternly. She only smiled. So, against my better judgment, I walked up to Bruno. As I approached he halted mid-punch.

 

“Go away,” he growled.

 

I stood my ground. “Stop this, you know it’s stupid.”

 

Bruno tossed the poor kid away and advanced on me menacingly. “Are you calling me stupid?” His voice was low and dangerous. Suddenly he lifted me up by my shirt. My stomach flip-flopped.

 

“Let him go,” said Delilah in a voice more intimidating than I thought she could manage. She was next to me in a flash. Bruno just laughed. “Did I say something funny- jerk?” Her voice was like ice.

 

“You better step back little lady or you might end up getting hurt,” his tone matched hers.

 

All I could do was hang there, hoping Delilah would have the sense to back-down.

 

“Do you enjoy hurting people? Is it entertaining? What does it do for you?”

 

Bruno was enraged.

 

He violently shoved her out of the way and raised his fist to punch me. I closed my eyes.

 

“Stop,” her voice seemed to have a physical weight. Amazingly, Bruno listened to her. I chanced a peek at Delilah. Her hand was stretched out toward Bruno and her eyes seemed to be… glowing.

 

“You will put Jonathan down.” She talked in the same intense voice; it was almost emotionless, alien. Even more astonishing was the fact that Bruno did put me down.

 

“You will stop this behavior and see the wrongdoing of your actions.” Now, not only were her eyes glowing, but her whole body was enveloped in a faint golden light.

 

“Never again will you hurt another person. Do you understand?”

 

Bruno nodded slightly.

 

“Go,” she commanded. Bruno blinked a few times and then, as if coming out of a trance, stumbled away.

I turned my gaze back to Delilah who was also blinking and shaking her head. When the golden glow disappeared she looked up at me with wide, frightened eyes.

 

“Not again.”

 

I helped her up, confused by what she said.

 

“What do you mean, again?”

 

She didn’t answer my question, but instead said in a quiet yet commanding tone, “Let’s go home.”

 

...∞...

 

What neither Delilah nor Jonathan noticed was a man in the shadows. The man was whispering into a silver phone. “That’s the girl. Follow her.”

 

...∞...

 

Delilah was in a daze. I tried to comfort her at first, but it was obvious that she wasn’t listening, so we walked home in silence.

 

I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. I knew I was probably just a little freaked out by what happened, but still I felt apprehensive.

 

When we reached the house it was empty. This was startling considering Emma and her babysitter should have been home by now. Delilah came out of her trance and we warily searched the house.

 

Behind us we heard a clicking sound. When we turned around we were face to face with two tall men in black. One of which had a gun.

 

The man with the gun turned toward me. “Just hand over the girl and no one gets hurt,” he growled. Beside me Delilah started to shake. I squeezed her hand and hoped she understood that I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

 

“Why?” I squeaked. My voice was three octaves too high; so much for seeming brave.

 

The man made a sound that I think was supposed to be a laugh. “None of your business,” the amusement in his voice was apparent.

 

“No.” I stuck out my chin defiantly.

 

“All right then,” he said in his deep voice, and cocked the gun toward Delilah. Before I could think I jumped in front of the gun. There was a blinding flash of light and it was over.

 

“What did you do to him?” Delilah was checking me over in a matter of seconds.

 

The man laughed again; it seemed he was enjoying himself immensely.

 

“I’m fine,” I assured her. Shockingly fine in fact; what did that gun do? Suddenly a feeling of exhaustion washed over me and I staggered. Delilah caught me just in time and I could tell she was about to have a nervous break-down.

 

“I’m just tired; don’t worry. I just have to sit down.”

 

She helped me to the floor. Somehow she seemed to know I was more weary than I was pretending to be.

 

She turned to stare sharply at the two men. “What did you do to him?” Her voice was low and dangerous. When the air around her started glowing I knew there was going to be trouble. Unfortunately, so did the men. The gun was pointed at her faster than I could say, “stop,” and, in a voice that sent a shiver down my spine, he told Delilah that she’d better not move.

 

Without warning the man was lifted up into the air as if by a giant, invisible hand.

 

“What did you do to him?” With every word the man was shaken up and down; he looked sick.

 

There was another flash of light and I saw Delilah go pale. She turned whiter and whiter before collapsing to the ground. Both of us had forgotten the other man and his gun. There was one last flash of light, and then my world went dark.

 

...∞...

 

When I woke up I was bewildered. Where was I, and why was I tied to a chair?

 

The events of the past few hours-is that how long it had been; it seemed longer- came flooding back to me. “Delilah!” I looked around frantically. I was in a small, empty room. That is empty besides for- “Delilah.” As I looked her over more carefully, however, my overwhelming relief disintegrated.

 

At first glance Delilah appeared to be floating. It was then that I realized she was chained to the wall. She hung there, limply, like a puppet with her strings cut. Was she asleep or… “Delilah?” This time my call was tentative.

 

“Aha, I thought I heard you.” It was the talkative man in black. All the fury rose up inside of me and I exploded.

 

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO US? WHERE ARE WE? WHO ARE YOU? WHAT’S THE POINT OF THIS? WHY ISN’T DELILAH AWAKE YET? LET US GO!” Panting heavily, I quieted down and glared at our kidnapper.

 

Then, the man started to laugh. He actually had the nerve to laugh at me. Anger renewed, I struggled to get out of my bindings.

 

Finally, the man got himself under control. “Feisty little fellow,” he chuckled. “I’m Gus. Your friend- Delilah did you call her- is just momentarily knocked out. She’ll come around soon. We shot you with a temporary magic deactivator, and without their magic, sorcerers are weak.”

 

I opened my mouth to deny this-I had no magic, and yet I was knocked out too- but was cut off.

 

“I’m not done boy!” he roared. I made a silent note of Gus’ insane mood swings. “The stun gun does more than just deactivate magic. It’s also part tranquilizer. Most sorcerers don’t have as much magic as your Delilah, and need a little extra to put them to sleep. Unfortunately, that’s all the information I can give out right now. You’ll learn more when your friend wakes up.”

 

Although I knew we were still in deep trouble, in my mind I let out a sigh of relief; Delilah would be alright.

 

After a few more minutes of glowering at Gus, Delilah started to stir. She took one look at her surroundings, saw our abductor and let out the most blood-curdling scream I had ever heard. After that she started shaking violently, letting out occasional whimpers. Though I tried to console her, my words fell on deaf ears.

 

“There now, sweetheart,” said Gus in a far from comforting tone. “Your boyfriend will be just fine- if you cooperate that is.”

 

She looked at me with wild eyes and started to glow. Of course! She can just blast out of her chains and escape!

 

Suddenly Delilah yelped in pain.

 

“Don’t you think we’d be prepared for your magic? That is the reason you’re here.”

 

With one more desperate look around Delilah sighed in defeat. Slowly her shaking subsided and she stared Gus head on.

 

“What do you need me to do?” Her hopeless voice was steady and strong.

 

“No!” I cried, but no one paid me any mind.

 

Gus clapped his hands gleefully and giggled like a school girl. “I knew I was right to bring the boy!” He looked like he was about to break out dancing. “You don’t have to do anything, girl. Just don’t struggle and we’ll have your magic drained in a jiffy!”

 

Hope dawned anew in Delilah’s eyes. “Then will you let me go?”

 

Gus laughed maliciously. “Magic makes up who you are; without it you’ll be nothing but an empty shell.”

 

“No!” I struggled more furiously than ever. Delilah just hung her head. “Delilah don’t give up!” I shouted. She wouldn’t even meet my eyes.

 

“I’ll get to work tomorrow,” declared Gus with a triumphant smile. “Nighty-night kids.” On his way out he turned off the light.

 

“Delilah, we’ll find a way out; we have all night to come up with a plan! Just keep hoping and-“

 

“And what?” Even in the darkness I feel her eyes boring into me. “We escape and they come after us again! Or perhaps we make it three feet out the door and then they really do kill you this time! It won’t take long to catch up to me; they’re much faster. If I don’t fight there’s at least a chance that you’ll make it out alive.” I could hear her muffled sobs. “This is all my fault!”

 

In vain I tried to make her feel better. “You didn’t know this would happen; you didn’t even know you had magic.”

“You don’t understand.” she whispered. “I didn’t tell you the whole story. When I was a little girl, when we still lived in an apartment and life was good, my father was still around. With two working people we could pay the bills and life would have stayed comfortable. My mother would still be alive if it weren’t for me.

 

“You see, at an early age I started doing strange things. For example, nearby objects would start floating, or the lids on the jars would open, or the book I was asking mom to read me would fly off the shelf and I would glow. My father was afraid. He said I was dangerous and that I should be put up for adoption or left on a street corner. Anything that would get rid of me was suggested. But my mother said no. She said things would be fine and that I would learn to control myself. He didn’t believe her. One day, when I was about five, he didn’t come home. Mom saw it coming and wasn’t surprised. I was. ‘Where is daddy?’ I asked. She said he was going on a long trip, and in my childish mind I thought that made sense. But even my mom couldn’t guess he’d do something to harm me.

 

“A few days later men broke down the door. They told my mom to give me to them. They said that a reliable source told them about me, and according to the stories they knew what was best for me.

 

“My mom wouldn’t let them have me. She scooped me up and we ran. We knew they would try to track me down, so we stayed on the road, always traveling.

 

“I knew I shouldn’t have stayed with you. I should have left. But I was safe and warm. You were so kind. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to start my long, lonely travels.

 

I still don’t know exactly how to use my magic, and I try to avoid using it when I can. It doesn’t work like that though. I can’t just stop using it. It seems to know what I need and that’s when it happens, whether I want it to or not. I led them right to us.

 

“It’s all my fault.”

 

For a while the only sound was Delilah’s crying. I remained silent; I couldn’t think of anything to say.

 

Finally, when I couldn’t stand to hear that broken-hearted sound anymore, I pleaded. “Don’t cry Delilah, please don’t cry. It’s not your fault; there was nothing you could do.”

Still the tears didn’t stop.

 

“We’ll find a way out of this,” I assured her. “Isn’t there any way you can get out of your chains?”

 

Her voice thick with tears, Delilah replied. “There is one way. You know how the shackles are attached to the wall? Well, they don’t make a complete circle.”

 

“So?”

 

“The wall isn’t magic proof, only the chains. If I cut through the wall with my magic the chains will fall off; they are only one sided. But these men, they won’t give up. They are insane and dangerous. I may be able to get out of the chains, but I can’t escape this.”

 

“Don’t worry, I have a plan.” Gus was in for a shock.

 

...∞...

 

Due to a night of plotting and Delilah’s silent magic, when Gus walked in we were both out of our chains. Before he could say a word, Delilah had him under her hypnotic control.

 

“Get your accomplice,” Delilah ordered. “Remember to act natural.”

 

Within seconds she had both of our kidnappers spellbound. “You will let us go and never hunt another wizard again. You will also drive us home; I believe you know where it is?” The men nodded. Delilah turned to me. “Want to have some fun?” she asked. I grinned. “You must find work at a gas station. Ask them for a job cleaning toilets.” I barley withheld a giggle. “Whenever you hear a toilet flush, you will howl like a dog. When you hear the telephone ring, cluck like a chicken. Get to work.” The men snapped out of their trance.

 

“Follow me,” said Gus.

 

...∞...

 

Home at last! I never thought I’d be so happy to see it. It was only when I reached the front door that I realized Delilah wasn’t behind me. I looked just in time to see her walking toward the forest. “Delilah! Where are you going?” I ran after her when she didn’t stop and spun her around. There were tears in her eyes but her face was resolved.

 

“I can’t stay. I’m too dangerous. There may be more people who want me, and they might not be as easy to trick. I told you last night that I should have gone. I’m doing what I have to do.”

 

“Delilah, you don’t have to do this. My family can handle any threat. If we stay together we’ll be fine. Besides, you’ll learn how to use your powers and then we’ll be invincible.”

 

“That’d be nice to believe, but if I haven’t learned after sixteen years, what makes you think I ever will?”

I thought about that.

 

“You never tried to learn before,” I responded. “Come inside, we’ll figure something out.

 

“You can have a home.” I made my voice soft and persuading. “A family. No more roaming.”

 

A look of uncertainty flashed across her face and she looked down at her feet.

 

“We can tell my family-”

 

She took a quick step back and, staring at me like a deer in the headlights, shaking her head wildly. It was then that I realized my mistake.

 

“Delilah, my parents will understand. They wouldn’t kick you out,” (at this she flinched visibly), “Wouldn’t you like an honest relationship? A family? Delilah, I promise, they’ll understand.”

 

She looked down again, but not before I saw a tear roll down her cheek.

 

Cautiously I cupped her chin in both hands and made her look at me.

 

“I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you Delilah.”

 

I saw that my words hit home and, just as carefully as before, pulled her into a hug. After a few minutes she returned the hug and cried into my shoulder.

 

It was a while before she released me, and finally she said, “Alright.”

 

And I knew everything would be alright. I guess you could say this marked the end of a lot of things; the end to her wanderings, the end to her loneliness, and hopefully an end to her guilt. But she also gained a new life, a new family, and a new understanding of her powers. Really, this is only the beginning.