The Haunting of Shadow Hill House

by Caroline Clark

  "I want you as my family. I want you as my mother, Abby as my sister, and the child as my brother. I want this for all time and what I want I always get. Come with me now and I will let Daddy leave."

  "We are here as your family," Jenny said. "Only there are three of us. Mason is part of our family and you can be too but not like this."

  "He has to go," Victoria said and she clenched her fists and turned towards him.

  Jenny wondered if maybe she was afraid of Mason, if perhaps he was a threat to her. If that was the case then she needed to keep him here, needed to give him time to recover and to do whatever Victoria was afraid of. Her own fear was like a beast inside of her. The fear for Abby, who was crying in the corner. The fear for Mason, the fear of what Victoria would do to him, and the fear of this evil creature in front of her. Fear that she might not be able to get rid of her. Yet, she remembered her talk with Gail and she knew that fear would feed the spirit. So she took a deep breath and swallowed down her fear. Closing her eyes for just a second she centered herself and when she opened them she was strong as she looked back at Victoria.

  Did she see the spirit shimmer?

  Slowly, she was walking around trying to get in front of Mason, to try and see if she could help him and all the time she was talking slowly and quietly to Victoria.

  "What is it you want from a family? Is it talking, company, someone to teach you lessons? If you let me know what you want then we can help you." Gradually, as she talked, she worked her way around towards Mason.

  "I want you and Abby and I want him gone." As Victoria said the words she circled her hands and the room seemed to fill with the wind.

  Jenny could feel it building, could feel the pressure, she knew something was about to happen. What should she do? There seemed no answer, seemed no way to help. It was down to Abby, Abby had to tell her to leave and yet she was too afraid. It was too much to ask such a little girl.

  Jenny was moving away from Mason now to try and get to Abby. It was a hard decision but it was the only one she could make.

  The temperature in the room dropped and she watched her breath mist before her and somehow she knew that something was going to happen and it would be soon.

  Victoria pulled her arms back and then swept them forward, as she did the trays, plates, and cutlery from the floor were sent like weapons towards Mason. He was picked up by the wind and slammed into the wall and all of the objects hit him one by one. At first a plate, and then a tray. Jenny was screaming as she watched the assault rain down on him. The cutlery smashed against him but one steak knife turned. Jenny let out a scream as she watched it puncture his chest. Blood streamed from the wound and he was slammed back once more and then the wind was gone and he dropped to the floor.

  "No, Mason. No," Jenny screamed as she saw him lying face down just inside the door. A pool of blood was spreading out from beneath him and he was deadly still.

  Chapter 21

  Victoria let out a shrill and yet delighted laugh and seemed to float towards them.

  Jenny wanted to run to Mason, wanted to check on him, to call an ambulance and to get them out of there and yet all she could do was stand in front of Abby. She tried to whisper to Abby to tell her to send Victoria away, to tell her to leave, but she couldn't. Even if she did, Victoria would never hear it over the child’s own tears.

  As she watched, the spirit drifted closer and the air seemed to be sucked out of the room and replaced with ice. Jenny felt each breath was painful. Like splinters in her lungs and she wanted to hug Abby but she would not go behind her. She would face this and stop this, she just didn't know how.

  "Now we can be together," Victoria said as she floated even closer.

  "Not like this," Jenny managed, she knew she had to stay calm to stay rational to try and fight this creature any way she could. She looked up and could see something in Victoria's hand.

  It was a noose.

  Bit by bit Victoria got closer and bit by bit they backed away. Abby was hanging onto her waist and was staying with her. It was all she could do for her at the moment.

  The spirit was herding them back towards Mason, towards the door. Jenny didn't really know why but she knew it had something to do with the stains, the balcony. That was the place where she had seen Victoria the most. Was that where they were going?

  "You just have to use this," Victoria said shaking the noose before them. "Then we can all be together."

  "Not like this," Jenny shouted. "You will never get us like this."

  “We will be together, forever.” Victoria advanced, the noose held out before her like some form of a gift. Maybe that was what she thought it was!

  The pressure in the room grew even stronger. Jenny could feel her chest being crushed. Tears came to her eyes as she bit down to try and control the pain. Was this happening to Abby? How she hoped it wasn't. How she hoped the spirit could hone her power and hurt just one of them.

  Little by little they backed through the darkness until they were level with Mason. As she slid her foot back the floor was slick and she let out a gasp as they walked through his blood.

  "Oh no, oh no, Mason." Jenny wanted to drop to the floor, to see how he was and yet she couldn't. For if she did then it would expose Abby. So, she slid her feet backward through the blood straining her eyes for any sign that Mason was still alive.

  Victoria was coming closer and each time she did the pressure increased so Jenny had no choice but to back away. Abby was shaking and weeping silently now as she clutched to her waist.

  Once in the hallway Jenny could see the keys in the front door. It was the key to the house and the key to the car. Would she be fast enough? Could she get out of here and get Abby away? If she did would Victoria follow them or would she kill Mason? The problem was, Jenny thought he was already dead and that if they didn't at least try, that they would be dead soon too.

  Turning, she scooped Abby into her arms and ran for the door. She pushed so hard it felt as if she was falling forward and with each step the pressure eased. Breathing became easier and she adjusted Abby in her arms to free up her right hand. It was so close, she reached out to grab for the key. Could almost feel it in her fingers and relief flooded through her, they had made it. Only her hand missed and she felt her feet leave the floor. She was spun around so quickly that she felt sick and then slammed into the wall next to the kitchen door. The wind was knocked from her and her head felt as if it had been crushed. Somewhere along the line she had dropped Abby. Panic rose inside her as she scoured the darkness, desperate to see her child.

  Though it was still very dark her eyes were adjusting to the gloom. Shapes were coming into focus and there was movement before her. Try as she might Jenny could not move. The more she strained the more her lungs ached and the stronger the pressure grew. Only she had to move, she had to find Abby. Then she saw her. It was the scene that she had seen many times. Abby was walking across the magnificent hallway her right arm held out as if she was holding a hand. Only this time she was. Victoria stood beside her holding that confounded bear. The blood stain was clearly visible in the dark. It glistened as if catching all the light.

  Taking Abby by the hand, Victoria walked past Jenny and on towards the kitchen door.

  "Abby, don't go with her, baby. Tell her to get out of here." The pressure inside Jenny's lungs grew until she was gasping for breath.

  They walked on by, Abby gave her a glance and a weak smile but she did not stop.

  Jenny knew that things were coming to a head. That if she did not act soon that it would be too late and yet, what could she do?

  Victoria had taken Abby to the stain on the carpet. The stain that was back and that somehow represented her death. Hung above it was the noose and suddenly Jenny understood. Using every ounce of strength she had she fought against the force holding her. The spirit was going to kill her child and if she did not get free it would happen right here and now before her very eyes.

  "Tell her to go, Abby. You have t
o tell it to go." The effort to speak was like drowning. Each word took her precious breath and filled her lungs with pressure and yet she would not stop.

  "I don't want to do this," Abby said, her voice so faint it was hardly audible in the big hall.

  "You must." Victoria shoved the noose towards her. "I am so lonely and you are my friend. This means we can be together, forever."

  "What about my mummy?"

  As Jenny watched, she saw the spirit lean down and whisper something in Abby’s ear and the noose was gone.

  Jenny let out a breath, had it worked, was it over? Then she saw Victoria pointing upward and they looked up. On the balcony was a man and Victoria. She was dressed in a white nightdress that was covered in blood and she was crying and so very young. The man took a noose and put it around her neck and then he lifted her onto the balcony. Jenny did not want to watch, did not want Abby to watch.

  “Close your eyes, baby,” she called just as the man pushed Victoria from the balcony.

  There was the sound of her falling, it was like a huge set of wings that whooshed through the air. For a moment, she thought of angels. Only this was no miracle, the man was a vulture and it was the wings of death she could hear. Then the rope snapped her body to a halt and the sound of her neck breaking was like a gunshot in the dark airless house. Victoria was left dangling there, her eyes closed, her head down and her tongue hanging loose. Her bladder and bowels opened and pooled onto the carpet.

  Jenny felt a rush of sorrow for the child. She had not deserved this and she vowed to help her if they got out of here but that was their first priority.

  The vision was gone and Victoria was shaking Abby and pushing the rope towards her. As she watched, Abby’s eyes opened wide and she shrank back shaking her head.

  “Tell her to leave,” Jenny shouted and Abby looked towards her.

  "Tell it to leave, baby, tell it to go for your daddy and for me, please, just tell it to go." Jenny wanted to say more but the effort was too much. There was nothing left in her lungs except pain. The urge to breathe was automatic and her body gasped and choked trying to suck in air.

  "Just put your head in here and you will soon be free," Victoria said as she pulled the noose lower and held it in front of Abby's neck.

  "What about Mummy and Daddy?" Abby was crying, big brown eyes peered through long black hair the color of raven's wings. Silent tears ran down her face as she pleaded for help.

  Would it ever come?

  First, she looked at Jenny and then towards the doorway where her father lay motionless.

  "If we all do this then we can all be together soon." Victoria moved the noose closer.

  "Even Daddy?"

  Victoria didn’t answer but the room cooled once more and Jenny could sense her anger.

  A scraping sound from the entrance to the ballroom pulled all eyes towards it.

  Jenny could not believe it, as she saw Mason's arm reach out. There was something in it but she could not quite make it out. His fingers moved and picked up the object.

  "Mason!" Jenny managed but it left her gasping for breath.

  Then the object dropped from his hand and clattered across the floor and he was motionless once more.

  Despite the fact that she was held against the wall Jenny felt her knees collapse. Mason was dead, she was sure of it, and soon Abby and she would follow. In a last desperate bid, she sucked in as much air as she could, ready to talk to Abby one more time.

  The noose was now around Abby's neck and as Jenny watched it was drawn tight. Then from behind her she heard the priest's voice. Spinning around, she expected to see Luke stood in the doorway but he was not there. However, the slight glow from the mobile screen told her what Mason had done. She remembered back to finding his mobile phone in her pocket after the first exorcism. Mason had slipped it there before they went back into the house. Jenny never asked him why or what he was doing but now she understood. Mason had recorded the exorcism, he would save them.

  "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come," Luke’s voice was clear over the phone even if a little tinny.

  Victoria shrieked in anger and the phone was sent spinning across the floor. Jenny prayed that it would not be harmed. It hit the skirting board and bounced back but the exorcism kept playing. Mason was so still that she had to bite back a scream of anguish. Was he dead?

  "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

  “Abby, tell her to leave,” Jenny shouted.

  “I don’t want to do this,” Abby said, her voice shallow and weak.

  "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."

  For a moment the noose tightened and Abby was lifted from her feet. The sound of her struggling for breath tore at Jenny's heart and she struggled even harder.

  "Tell it to leave, baby, just tell it to leave."

  "Visit this place, O Lord, we pray, and drive far from it the snares of the enemy," the exorcism continued on the phone.

  "Get away from her," Jenny screamed and suddenly she was free and racing across the hallway.

  "May your holy angels dwell with us and guard us in peace."

  She grabbed hold of Abby's ankles and lifted her up. Instantly, the child could breathe more easily and she could see that Victoria was no longer so sure.

  "Tell her to leave, Abby," Jenny shouted as she reached up and freed the nose from her neck.

  "I don't want to play anymore," Abby said as Jenny hugged her close. She was eye to eye with Victoria and could see the anger in the spirit but she could also see through her. Victoria was no longer solid but was translucent and fading.

  "Get out of here, you are not welcome," she shouted and the spirit faded even more. The air was easing and the temperature was rising.

  "And may your blessing be always upon us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen," the phone played on.

  Victoria faded away to nothing.

  Tears were streaming down Jenny's face as she hugged Abby to her. Then she ran to the phone and called for an ambulance.

  Chapter 22

  Long black hair looked stark against the bleached white of the pillow. Abby's eyes were closed and her face relaxed. It was a sight that filled Jenny with hope and joy. Despite what she had been through, Abby was sleeping peacefully. The only injuries the hospital could find were a rope burn around her neck and a few cuts and bruises. All in all, she had gotten off very lightly.

  While they tended to her daughter, Jenny had refused treatment for herself. There was a scrape on her head, cuts and bruises on her arms and back but nothing that she couldn't cope with. She let her eyes drift around the gray walls to the blue curtain surrounding the bed. It was late now, past midnight, and it all seemed so peaceful and yet Jenny couldn't relax. Mason was out of surgery but she didn't know how bad his injury was. Her hands twisted in her lap as she tried to sit still but it was impossible. Taking a last long look at Abby she got up and slipped out from behind the curtain. There were five other beds in the room and each of the occupants was sleeping. Being careful to make as little noise as possible Jenny crept from the ward.

  The corridors were all empty. Painted a stark grey with black and red lines traced along the floor. Jenny knew to follow the red line down to the intensive care unit where she could check once more on Mason.

  As she pushed through the doors the nurse looked up, a weary smile crossed her face and she nodded at Jenny to come over.

  "Is there any news?" Jenny asked.

  "It's good news. He's out of surgery, the injury was not as bad as we first thought. The main problem was blood loss and a blow to the head. We think the reason he was unconscious was the blow had caused a concussion. The knife wound itself missed all of the major organs and will heal without any lasting effects. The head wound will heal also but he needs to be observed for the next 48 hours. The main thing he will need is p
lenty of fluids and rest. They will be keeping him on a drip to keep him hydrated and to make sure that his brain does not swell. Once he has come around the doctor doesn't want him to be left alone for the next 10 hours. So, they will be keeping him here under observation for just a couple of days."

  Jenny felt a rush of relief so strong that it almost dropped her to her knees.

  "Thank you, thank you so much. Can I see him?"

  "He's just coming out of recovery now and I can show you through in a moment or two. It will be another half an hour or so before he wakes but there is no problem with you sitting with him. How is your daughter?"

  Jenny couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face.

  "She's doing fine, thank you. In fact, she's fast asleep and doesn't remember a thing." As soon as she had said it Jenny wished she hadn't. So far, she hadn't given the hospital any explanation of what had happened and she knew that conversation was coming. Luckily, the nurse just smiled and then showed her through to Mason’s bedside.

  He was sleeping peacefully and, despite a large bruise and gash on his head, he looked as good as new. Jenny pulled up a chair next to him and took his hand in hers. Gently, she lay her head on his hand and tried to get some sleep. Only her mind wouldn't stop working. Was this over? Was it safe to go back to the house, would it ever be safe?

  Though she tried to rest, it was impossible and she found herself looking down at her clothes. They were dirty and torn and suddenly, she wanted to shower and change. Maybe she should go home... home, was it their home yet? Maybe she should go back to the house and pick up a change of clothing for all of them. Surely, it was safe? Abby had told Victoria to leave and the spirit had gone. That had to mean it was over.

  Jenny tried to rest for another 15 minutes but she just couldn't sit still. In the end, she left a message with the nurse and drove back to the house.

  She pulled the car up into the driveway and noticed the door was open and the lights were on. She couldn't remember whether they had left the door open when the ambulance came. Maybe she had. At the time, she certainly had other things on her mind. One thing she did know was the lights hadn't been on for the power was still out when they left. It must be a good sign that there was power now! Perhaps it confirmed that the spirit had finally gone. Jenny was too tired to think about it too much and so she shook her head and pushed the thought away.