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  Josh slowed his late model Subaru, packed to the gills with their dorm belongings, as they eased into Yellow Sulfur. Their apartment was located over the garage of Mrs. Edna Rogers, a retired researcher from the local library. It was small, but clean and airy and a perfect size for the couple. Edna had grown up in Yellow Sulfur and welcomed the young pair with open arms. Since her husband, Peter, had passed away just the year before, Edna often found herself longing for company and renting out the space that sat over her double garage had helped fill this void. Her home sat on a short side street just off the main thoroughfare and was beautifully framed by towering maple and oak trees which made her place feel even more private then it was.

  Kylie loved its proximity to town, what little there was of it, while Josh was just thrilled to be somewhere much more rural in nature than what he might have faced by returning to the tract housing and planned communities and traffic and banality of northern Virginia. They unloaded the Outback and after a few trips up the narrow stairs that ran on the south side of the garage, they had successfully filled their summer place with all their stuff. Edna apologized for what they would surely see as a paucity of options in town for food and any other items they might need to fill out the apartment. Both Josh and Kylie waved off her apology and headed out to a small mall outlet they had passed on the way down for a major grocery run as well as some additional linens and cookware for the kitchen.

  They passed Edna as their landlord rocked contentedly on her wraparound front porch.

  “Any suggestions for a place to grab some lunch, Mrs. Rogers?” Josh asked.

  “Here in Yellow Sulfur that is easy…Yellow Sulfur Eatery…your one and only option, actually. And please call me Edna…”

  “The little café just around the corner?” Kylie asked.

  “The same. Ignore the outdated name…the food is great, it just has that off-putting moniker I am afraid. It has been a fixture here in town forever. I guess people here are not too crazy about change. It used to be a family-run joint, but when a new owner came in a few years back from outside the family, I guess she did not want to toss away any of the name recognition that had been built up over time. Even here in our little home, I guess that is important to some…”

  “Sounds wonderful, Edna,” Kylie replied. “Think we will stroll over and relax before heading out to stock the apartment.”

  “Just give me a shout if you need anything….”

  “One other thing, Edna…,” Josh said as they moved to the walk. “We will both be looking for some work for the summer. Any suggestions? Kylie was thinking of maybe checking over at the resort at Yellow Sulfur Springs…”

  “That is always an option here in the summer. It is about the only real draw in the area, and I am sure they will be looking for additional help for the next couple of months. But just poke around in town…you never know where or who might be interested…”

  Josh thanked her and headed off toward the café with Kylie. The day was warm, but both Josh and Kylie sensed that the real heat and humidity that this part of Virginia was famous for had not yet materialized. The streets were laid out in a simple arrangement and it was easy for them to get oriented within a few minutes. The dense tree cover from Edna’s house thinned out as they made the turn onto the main drag, but there was still a decent population that they were sure would be much appreciated as they got deeper into the summer. Just as Edna had described, they found the Yellow Sulfur Eatery easily and they took a small table that sat on a quiet patio just off the road. It was not fancy by any stretch of the imagination, but as advertised the food was good and it was nice to know there was an affordable place just around the corner from them if they did not want to cook one day.

  Kylie drained the last of her iced tea and sat back in her chair.

  “Want to take a look around town to scope out potential job options?”

  “Sounds good,” Josh replied as he stretched his arms high over his head, working the kinks out of his back after the drive down and the unloading of their stuff into the new apartment.

  They waved goodbye to Amanda, the new owner of the café, and headed down the same side of the street on which the café was located to explore. As they had remembered, Yellow Sulfur was sure no bustling enterprise. There were the few businesses that seemed to be common for most small towns, but as far as employment opportunities, there did not seem to be any real solid choices. Just as they were about to pack it in and re-think where else they might need to investigate, Josh spotted this old place just at the corner of Spruce and Larchmont, at the far end of town where the main thoroughfare seemed to really begin to peter out. He was not sure why the old wooden building had caught his eye but seeing as they had run out of other locations in which to inquire, he wandered over, pulling Kylie along by the hand.

  The closer they came to the structure, the more they could see it had seen better days. The wooden planks on the exterior were split and splintered, having taken a real beating from the weather apparently. The wood, in addition to being well-weathered, seemed to not have seen a decent coat of paint in quite a while either. But it was the large sign over the front door that intrigued Josh:

  He directed Kylie’s attention to the sign as he stared at a small, curling, yellowed piece of paper that was taped to the inner window that looked into the interior. Josh moved closer to look into the interior, but the room was dark and the window was too dirty and aged for him to get a clear view of anything.

  “Check out the note, Kylie…this might be something…”

  Kylie walked over to Josh to see what he was talking about:

  Paid Apprenticeship Available

  Call Larry at 703-493-9749 for details

  “You cannot be serious, Josh?”

  “Sure…why not?”

  “I mean…well…the place looks like it has not been operational in years. The building is so dilapidated and rundown. It’s not even open for business in the middle of the afternoon, either.”

  “Yeah, but maybe the guy does his selling in the morning and has other stuff to take care of now.”

  “What, like a seminar on the science of fileting a cow?”

  “Very funny. I have no idea. Maybe is out buying new stock or making deliveries or maybe he is just closed for the day for some other personal stuff.”

  “Or maybe buying some paint for the outside of the building?”

  “You are a regular comedian today, aren’t you…”

  Kylie just shrugged and laughed.

  “You really want to spend the summer learning the butchery business?”

  “I don’t know. It’s right here in town, and it would just be a summer gig anyway. Think of the great stories to take back to school in the fall…”

  “I suppose….”

  Josh jotted down Larry’s name and number so he could call him later. They made a U-turn and headed back the way they had come to the apartment so they could head over to the mall they had passed earlier to get the last few items they needed as well as groceries. With no other real promising options for Kylie for work, she figured she would check out the Yellow Sulfur Springs Resort. Certainly, she assumed, a resort would be in full swing in the summer months and was probably always on the lookout for waitresses or front desk personnel or some other opening. And if the butcher’s apprentice thing worked out for Josh, then she could use the car to get back and forth to a job at the resort.

  Everybody’s Working for the Weekend…Well, Almost Everyone

  Yellow Sulfur, Virginia

  May 15, 2005, 6 PM

  The stores at the mall were just a slight improvement from what was available in town, but Josh and Kylie were not high maintenance and picky and they found the last few bits and pieces that they would need to make it through the summer. Surprisingly, the grocery option was a vast step up from Yellow Sulfur’s very basic general store and they came home with a variety of options that they hoped would be budget friendly since neither of them had acquired a definite
offer of employment yet. As they drove, Kylie found that the resort had lots of openings for the summer season, but that all applications had to be done online. Fortunately, the process was pretty basic and she was able to make inquiries for several options using her cell phone.

  After running a couple loads of laundry for the new linens, etc. that they had purchased and put away all the perishable groceries and other staples, Josh borrowed Kylie’s phone to give Larry Evans a quick call to see if the apprenticeship at his shop was still available.

  “Virginia Meat Emporium…this is Larry…”

  “Hi, Mr. Evans…my name is Josh Jackson and I saw the sign on your shop window. I wanted to see if this was still available.”

  “Thanks for calling, Josh. Call me Larry…”

  “Sure, Larry…”

  “You ever done any butcher’s work before?”

  “No, but I am a student at Virginia Tech and this would really be a nice hands-on experience for my degree.”

  “Animal sciences?”

  “Yes.”

  “I see…just looking at something for just the summer then?”

  “That’s right. I have to be back on campus in the fall for my sophomore year. Were you looking for someone long term?”

  “Actually, no, Josh…I have other plans for the fall and winter, so that will be fine. You’re not squeamish over a little blood and gore, are you?”

  “Not at all, Larry…my Dad is a career army officer. We lived all over in both the US and Europe. I’ve been on lots of farms during all that, so I am used to the environment.”

  In fact, Josh had never been on a farm in his life, but he was really interested in the apprenticeship as a practical addendum to his degree. He was not at all bothered by the site of blood, and he figured a little white lie about farms could only make him a better candidate in Larry’s eyes.

  “Hard labor a problem?”

  “Not at all, Larry…”

  “OK, Josh…I like your style and enthusiasm. I think you will fit in just perfectly for my needs for the summer. Can you start tomorrow?”

  “Absolutely, Larry…”

  “Eight AM too early for you?”

  “Not at all…”

  “Good. Come on by the shop at eight tomorrow morning. I can give you the two-cent tour and get you oriented and then we can get your apprenticeship going. Sound good?”

  “Sounds great, Larry…see you then…”

  After Josh hung up, he was hoping he was not walking into something more than he had assumed the position might be. It was true that blood and gore did not faze him, nor was he averse to hard work. There was just something in Larry’s voice that seemed a bit off. Josh could not exactly put his finger on it, but perhaps he as just imagining it, as he just shook his head and ignored it, thrilled that he had secured a job for the summer.

  “Kylie! Great news!” Josh exclaimed as he came back to the main room of the apartment where she was still putting away a few last-minute purchases from the grocery store. “I got the apprenticeship!”

  “Wow! That was fast! Congratulations, Josh!”

  “Yeah…what a relief. Our meager savings was not going to last forever.”

  “Pay decent?”

  “More than I would have ever been offered at a fast food restaurant, and it will be a great practical addendum to my classwork…”

  “When do you start?”

  “First thing tomorrow.”

  “This is fantastic, Josh…it gives me a real incentive to hit the streets again. I think I will make the second round tomorrow downtown. Maybe we can both snag something right here without me having to commute back and forth to the resort. In the meantime, I think we should celebrate…can we afford a night out back at the café?”

  “With what I will be earning at the butcher shop, absolutely. Let’s walk down before it gets dark and we can take another look around to see if there might be something perfect for you here in town that we missed before.”

  He hugged Kylie tight and kissed her hard.

  “Sounds good, Josh…think we have time to christen our new linens before heading out?”

  “I am sure we can squeeze that in…”

  ………..

  As Josh and Kylie lay in bed together, she was reveling in the atmosphere. Josh was her first real serious boyfriend and she had never felt happier. She had dated a few boys in high school, but they had been short-lived and the feeling she had now with Josh was like nothing she had ever experienced. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his steady and regular heartbeat as her head rose and fell with each of his breaths. She realized they were still very young and that this summer was just a first for them both, but deep in her heart, she was feeling that Josh was the one she had been waiting for all her life. A soft breeze rustled the leaves of the high branches of the trees just outside the bedroom window as the sun began to make its descent to the west. The rays were filtering in through the foliage and dancing off the far wall, as a mild curtain of dust motes floated and swam along in their path.

  Josh ran his fingertips along the length of Kylie’s back and his touch made her shiver with delight. She automatically snuggled in closer to his frame and kissed him on the chest and neck.

  “Can I ask you something, Kylie?”

  “Sure…” she whispered back.

  “Did you ever get a weird vibe from just the sound of someone’s voice? You know…someone you had not met yet?”

  “Not really…what are you talking about?”

  “Larry Evans…”

  “The butcher?”

  “Yeah…I am not even sure how to put it into words without it sounding odd, but there was something that just felt a tad off about his voice on the phone when I talked to him earlier. He was nice enough, it was just odd.”

  “Off? How so?”

  “Like I said…it is hard to describe. It was like it was it was too ‘echo-y’ or distorted or something.”

  “Maybe his phone is just not that great.”

  “Yeah, I guess that could be it, but it was not like it was a phone issue. How do I put this…besides the static on the line, which granted could have been his phone, it was like he was far away or in a tunnel of some sort.”

  “Sounds like crappy phone connection to me…”

  “Maybe, maybe…but it was also just an eerie and kind of spooky quality in his manner.”

  “Like how?

  “Um…not exactly like an altered voice, like you see in the movies when a kidnapper calls in with a ransom demand, you know, but sort of not quite right. I know this is not making sense.”

  “Yeah…not really. Look, Josh, he’s a loner butcher in southwest rural Virginia. The shop looks like it is just barely hanging on from all appearances. Not to be nasty, and I am thankful he is offering you a job, but you’re lucky the guy can put ten words together at all.”

  Josh laughed.

  “You’re right. I am probably making something out of nothing. Let’s go out.”

  “In just a minute…I’m not quite done with you yet. Josh lay back as Kylie eased on top of him and he never gave his odd impression of Larry Evans another thought that night.

  Josh’s First Day…

  Yellow Sulfur, Virginia

  May 16, 2005, 7 AM

  The next morning, Kylie waved to Josh as he set off for his apprenticeship at the butcher shop. Their night out had been quiet, but enjoyable and they had made it an early one since Josh had to be up and at work early. The café, they discovered, was most likely adequate for breakfast and lunch, but dinner was definitely not their forte. To Kylie, this was just as well as it would not be a temptation to forgo fixing dinner at home for a meal out in town. She was glad Josh had found something, but she was still feeling a bit uneasy at her unemployment status. They could probably easily get by on what Josh was to be making, but every little bit would help, and she wanted to do her share. After he had left, Kylie checked her phone messages and email, but so far nothing had
come back from all the applications she had put in at the Yellow Sulfur Resort.

  She supposed a big place like that might take some time to respond, versus the smaller mom-and-pop businesses elsewhere in the area. Still, it was disappointing. She poured the last of the coffee from the pot into her mug and went downstairs to enjoy the morning and give some more thought to any other options that might be available to her for a job. Edna had taken off for a few days…something about seeing her sister up in Lexington, so she had the huge wrap around porch at the main house to herself. Edna had told them to feel free to make themselves at home while she was gone. The sun was already blazing away, and Kylie was grateful for the dense tree cover as she sat on the porch swing and sipped at the coffee.

  Even with the shade of the tall trees, the heat of the day was still a bit oppressive. Even having grown up in this area, Kylie was still not quite used to the summers and she was really wondering what the depth of the summer might bring. In her mind, she thought back over all the places they had gone by the day before, searching her brain for some options she must not have considered previously. Nothing was coming to her immediately, so Kylie decided the only way to really exhaust them all was to get up and hit the streets again. She jogged back up to the apartment and threw a couple copies of her resume into a folder for her trip into town Just as she had recalled from the previous day, there were not a ton of opportunities to be had in town for work. But nevertheless, Kylie dropped in on a few that she thought were the most promising just to keep her face recognizable and to drop off a resume or two.

  Just for kicks, she even walked way down the road to take another look at The Virginia Meat Emporium to see if Josh was at work. Oddly enough, though, the place still looked as dark and shuttered and unoccupied in the morning as it had yesterday afternoon. Even the note advertising the apprenticeship that had caught Josh’s eye was still posted exactly where it had been. Kylie thought all of this together was a bit weird. So much for their theory of the place doing the bulk of its retail business in the mornings. She was sure that if you had taken on a new apprentice, that surely you would be showing him the ropes at the shop. Curious…but then again, maybe Evans was showing him the inner workings of the business first at whatever location he had for his animals, etc. In any case, there was no sign of life at the shop and it looked as dingy and deserted as ever.