Stadler House: Book One: Chapter Two

Stadler House: Book One: Chapter Two

By: Roger Alderman

Dr. Stadler enters the spacious old-world style kitchen of the group home and pauses at the massive central island counter space. He reaches to the hanging overhead pan rack and retrieves a saucepan. He places the saucepan on a heated electric stove burner. The pan quickly rises to temperature after a momentary hiss.

Dr. Stadler gathers two cans of thick pasta sauce from the wooden cabinet to the left of the large kitchen sink directly behind the central island containing the heated stove top. He opens both bottles and adds them to the empty saucepan. He closes his eye as the heady aroma of the many tomatoes and peppers that make up the majority of the sauce fill his nostrils. He smiles and slowly opens his eyes.

Dr. Stadler pulls a bulbous white onion from a fresh vegetable rack and places it on the wooden chopping block.  He carefully selects the large serrated knife from the knife block. The knife easily makes its way through the onion again and again.

Dr. Stadler scoops up the onion slices and sprinkles them into the saucepan. He notices the sauce comes to a slow boil. Thinking quickly, he grabs a wooden cooking spoon to stir the sauce before it has a chance to be ruined by the building heat.

Dr. Stadler gets startled, as his wife Maggie in her worn jeans and green polo shirt enters the kitchen. Maggie stops and examines her husband, “Did someone have a rough day?” Dr. Stadler returns to stirring the sauce, “No just trying to calm down.”

Maggie sits on a dark wood stool at the far end of the island counter space and smirks, “You always cook when your upset.” He glares at her after her comment, “Am I really that obvious.” She nods at his observation, “yes, but I wish you would really take the time to learn to cook.” He pauses and furrows his brow.

Dr. Stadler puts the spoon down on the wooden chopping block, “Funny, but my mom showed me how to cook.” Maggie walks to Dr. Stadler and places her arms around his neck and stares into his eyes. She steals a quick kiss, “Your mom may have tried to teach you to cook, but honey you failed that lesson.”

Maggie kisses Dr. Stadler again and points at the boiling sauce, “it’s dead.” He sighs in failure. Maggie grabs the pan turns to the sink and runs water into the pan. Maggie and Dr. Stadler examine the burnt spaghetti sauce. He shakes his head.

Dr. Stadler exhales, “Fine, you save dinner and I’ll save the kids.”  Maggie leans into Dr. Stadler, “That’s how we work best.” Dr. Stadler pulls his head away from her. Maggie touches noses with Dr. Stadler, “Doctor and assistant.” She kisses his neck and pushes him away, “forever.”

Maggie smiles devilishly, as she dumps the burnt sauce into the trash, “You can clean the pot.” Maggie hands Dr. Stadler the trash bag, “and you can take out the trash.” Dr. Stadler finds himself holding two full garbage bags.

Dr. Stadler pauses at the back door, “What will you be doing?” Maggie scrapes the burnt vegetables into the empty garbage can and places the cutting board next to the sink, “I'm going to save everyone from…” Dr. Stadler interrupts, “Another one of my meals.” Maggie smiles playfully and adds, “Even prisoners get better meals.” He shakes his head and leaves through the back door.

Maggie jumps in shock, as she turns to face the sink only to find Anna standing a silent vigil of their conversation from the kitchen entrance. Maggie is shaken by the unnoticed arrival, “Who?” Anna smiles and holds an expression of contempt, “Did we frighten you?”

Maggie shakes her head no and cautiously places her hand on Anna's shoulder. She exhales loudly and shakes her head, “No, Dear, you just caught me off guard.” The back door opens and Dr. Stadler returns from taking out the trash.
Dr. Stadler notices Anna, “Ah, Great, You two have met.” Anne slips past Maggie's touch and into the kitchen, “Is it true? Are we prisoners here?” Maggie looks at her hands, wiggles her fingers, and rubs her hands together to warm them up. “This is, Anna, our newest addition to the Stadler Group Home,” Dr. Stadler offers, as he walks over to Anna.

Doctor Stadler places his hand on Anna's shoulder and quickly pulls his hand away quickly and examines it, “cold?” Anna stares at Maggie with a look of contempt, “We are just here to help.” Maggie stares at Anna for a long moment then turns to Dr. Stadler, “Really?” He shrugs, “She just wants to help,” Anna walks to Maggie’s side, as to her Anna’s eyes are black soulless voids. Maggie blinks and Anna’s eyes have returned to normal.

Anna hugs Maggie and grins ghoulishly at Dr. Stadler, “We will be glad to help her.” Maggie’s breath shows as she speaks, “It's okay, we just want to help you get better.”
Anna walks towards the exit, but pauses facing into the hallway, “We’re going to read now.” Maggie looks confused by Anna’s remark, “Dinner will be in about an hour or so.” Maggie turns and shrugs at Dr. Stadler, What happened to her?”

Dr. Stadler and Maggie share a look of concern and do not notice the shadows envelope, Anna, as she enters the hallway. “She’s has been through a lot.” Dr. Stadler adds seeming a little condescending.  Maggie shakes her head, “You sure the others will be okay with her?” “In time,” he nods and shrugs, “I know they will all come to like each other.” Maggie offers a crooked smile, “All things are possible through therapy.”

Anna slowly opens her bedroom door to see her new roommate, Emily, stretched out across her bed in a colorful romper reading a book about birds. The pungent smell of a floral perfume causes Anna to wrinkle her nose.  Anna stares at Emily for a long moment, as she finds herself at the center of an unseen whirlwind of unintelligible chatter that only she can hear.

Emily looks up at the doorway having finally noticed Anna. Emily shrugs, “Sorry, I thought you were John. He’s being a real jerk today.” Emily jumps to her feet and tosses her book onto her bed, “Hi, I’m…” Anna cuts her off, as she pushes past her, “Emily. Twelve years old. No previous N.D.A.” Emily gets a curious look on her face, “N.D…” Anna interrupts again, “Near Death Experience.”

Emily walks towards Anna extending her open hand, “You are?” “You may call us Anna. We will be sharing this area with you,” Anna says while opening her suitcase. “We?” Emily puzzles aloud. “Sorry, I meant You and Anna,” Anna states never breaking her focus on putting her clothes away.

Anna finishes placing her sock and underwear into the dresses. She sits down at the foot of her bed and motions for Emily to join her. “So, that’s my side of the room…,” Emily sits at the foot of the bed next to Anna. She gestures to her bed. Anna smirks and interrupts yet again in a very condescending voice, “And this side is ours.”

Emily frowns at Anna’s tone and demeanor. Emily glares at Anna and crosses her arms over her chest. Anna leans in offering a smile, “Sorry, just getting used to a new place, No Offence intended.” Emily shakes her head and shrugs, “I get it. It's your First day at the Stadler Nut House.”

Anna gestures at the old peeling wallpaper and whispers, “This place looks always look like this?” Emily seems happy to gossip with her new roommate. She leans in close to Anna, “the closet smells like mold.” Anna gestures to the closet. “Be my guest I put my stuff in the other dresser,” Emily cringes at the thought of the closet.

“So, how many kids are here? The Doctor Stadler said six,” Anna asks, as she unzips her hanging clothes bag. Emily crosses her legs and spins to face Anna in front of the closet, “Yeah, Six, including you.” Anna hangs three dresses up in the closet, “what do you know about the others?” Emily smirks, “Everything I know is from the group therapy sessions.”

“Like,” Anna lifts four blouse tops and turns back to the closet. “Let’s see first there’s Rodney, he’s the oldest boy here,” Emily slinks in close to Anna and whispers, “he almost died falling into a frozen lake.” “So, his parents sent him here?” Anna seems puzzled at the logic.

Emily shrugs with an expression of uncertainty, “His file said that his parents could not deal with him after the accident. They said he changed. Just not for the better.” Anna smiles and leans into the closet and hangs the shirts up. Emily settles back down and puzzles for the next name, “Then there is Tyler got sent here after they found him overdosed, again.”

Emily cautiously slips next to the bedroom door and looks into the hallway. Anna watches Emily’s with curiosity. Emily looks up and down the hallway once more. She closes the door and whispers, “You lose privileges if they catch you, Gossiping. They say it hurts the therapy.”

Emily sits on the floor and gestures for Anna to join her on the throw rug in the center of the room. Anna reluctantly joins her on the floor. “Then there is Julie. Her file says she’s a cutter. Whatever that means,” Emily shrugs.

The girls are startled by the room’s intercom crackles and comes to life with Dr. Stadler’s voice, “Alright Everyone, Dinner Time. Come and meet our new house member.” Both girls realize this conversation can wait to avoid losing and privileges. Emily hops up, shrugs, and exits the room.

Anna studies Emily’s every movement, as she leaves.  She stands slowly pulling wrinkles out of her dress. Two tall dog shaped shadows fade into existence behind her and utter a low long growl. Black pools fill Anna’s eyes, as she lowers her head holding a ghoulish smile.