Ugly Beautiful

by Sean-Paul Thomas

  'Haley?' Jason called again. This time his tone of voice was much more restrained as he heeded the warning in her burning eyes. Haley ignored him again and studied the whole entire surface of the large wooden oak door. The eerie feeling of familiarity washed over her in great waves. Jason shook his head in a quiet frustration. He bit his tongue while stepping up beside her. He watched her run her hand up and down the left-hand side of the doorframe.

  'What is it? You remember something?'

  'I think, I think I know this place Jason. It feels, It feels so familiar to me now.'

  Jason breathed a shallow sigh of relief that she was finally acknowledging him.

  'Maybe we should just knock and see who's in yeah?'

  Haley didn't say a word.

  'Do you want me to knock on the door Haley?'

  Still she never spoke. She looked slightly panicked all of a sudden like she were stuck in two minds.

  'I don't... I don't know.' Haley finally said. She started glancing all around the deserted area before turning her attention back to Jason. This time her gaze was lost, sad and hopeless, silently looking for help. Jason heeded her silent message and stepped up to the door knocking loud and hard. It only took the force of the third knock to open the door just a slight touch. It wasn't locked after all. Without moving an inch Jason glanced through the dark wide gap in the doorway, but because of the boarded up windows all around the ground floor, the entire house was in darkness.

  'I guess that'll be an open invitation to come in then. Still want to have a look?'

  Haley said nothing.

  'If we're going inside for a wander then I should at least me get my torch first, okay.'

  Again Haley said nothing. She remained rooted to the spot with her eyes firmly transfixed on the dark hallway inside. Jason walked back to the boot of his car and took out a large flashlight. He returned to the front door beside Haley. He nodded gently in her direction before entering the old farmhouse first. Once inside, he shone his torch around the entire front hallway which appeared to be empty and completely stripped of any furnishings. Even the wallpaper was peeling from the murky grim walls.

  'I don't think anybody's home to tell you the truth. And hasn't been for quite some time.'

  Haley followed Jason into the hallway.

  'Do you still recognise this place inside?' asked Jason shining his torch up the steep wooden staircase and up to the next dark floor above.

  'I don't know. I think so, maybe just a little. I don't know.'

  Haley stared curiously up at the staircase, then towards the doorway which led into a large living room. It was here where she focused all of her concentration. Jason saw her interest and quickly led the way into the murky old living room. At the far end Jason could just about make out an old couch, a dining room table and some old chairs in the corner. When he shone his torch upon each of the four walls he could also make out half a dozen or so paintings of various mountainous and forested landscapes. When Haley entered the room she was overcome with a great surge of panic and fear. Her entire body shook vigorously while her breathing became heavier and deeper with every passing second. Jason turned his attention away from the paintings and focused back upon the panicking Haley.

  'Haley? Are you all right?' said Jason freaking at the state she was getting herself into. Quickly he rushed over to comfort her.

  'I don't like this Jason.' said Haley rather nervously and leaning forward. Suddenly she winced in pain. 'I don't know what's happening… I can't explain it.' continued Haley, panicking now as she held her head in great discomfort.

  'My head, my head is pounding Jason. Pounding like crazy.'

  Jason glanced over at one of the old chairs in the far corner of the room.

  'Lets get you seated over here and I'll have a look around for the kitchen. See if I can get you some water.'

  Jason guided Haley through the dark living room with his torch. They reached the old chair and Jason helped to sit Haley down. She was beginning to shiver violently.

  'I'm feeling so hot Jason. Really hot.'

  Jason put his hand over her forehead. It was burning up like a coal fire. He didn't understand it. Everything seemed to be happening so fast.

  'I don't know what's going on with you Haley but you're burning up bad. Maybe we should just get you to a hospital now, yeah?'

  'NO!' Haley screeched. She took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself. 'No hospitals.'

  Jason glanced at the entrance to another room just opposite from where he'd seated her.

  'Okay, wait here one minute.'

  Jason hurried to the entrance of the next room. It was a dark and dusty old kitchen. Frantically he checked every single one of the grimy cupboards inside, most of which were falling apart at the hinges. He found a bunch of raggedy old tea towels. He took one. He tried the water tap on the dusty kitchen sink which surprisingly was working just fine. He held the tea towel underneath the cool running water, wetting it. He then rushed back into the living room where Haley was slouched over in her chair. She looked exhausted with her hands covering her temples. She started rocking back and forth which unnerved Jason a little.

  'My head hurts so much Jason.' Haley moaned, almost sobbing with the intensity of the pain. 'It hurts so, so bad.'

  Jason swiftly approached her and kneeled down right in front of her. He put the cool wet towel against her burning forehead.

  'Jesus Christ Haley! You're burning up something crazy. It's like you're about to go on fire at any fucking moment. We need to get you to a hospital right now. Come Haley, please.'

  Jason stood up and tugged furiously at Haley to get her up onto her feet too, but she had become a dead weight underneath his firm grip. She would not budge an inch.

  'Haley.' Jason pleaded, fearing her life was at stake. 'Come on baby. We have to get you out of here. We need to get you to a hospital now, PLEASE!'

  'NO!' cried Haley. She was in terrible pain. 'I can't. I can't even move Jason. I can't move.'

  'Then I'll bloody well carry you myself.' Jason pushed his arms underneath and around Haley's lower back to support her, but then Haley leaned back in her chair again, seemingly pain free in that moment.

  'Please.' said an exhausted Haley. 'I'm just, I just feel so tired. Something's happening to me. I can't stop it, I just can't.'

  'I know something's happening Haley. That's why we need to get you to a hospital right fucking now.'

  'No Jason.' replied Haley more calm and composed. 'You don't understand. You can't help me. A hospital can't help me. No one can help me… I can't fight this anymore.' Haley's tone of voice turned into a ghostly whisper. 'I don't even know what I'm fighting anymore.'

  Jason crouched down, back onto his knees.

  'Haley?' said Jason, his tone desperately seeking some answers. 'What are you talking about? You're becoming almost delusional. Tell me what's wrong? Tell me what I can do to help you? What do you want me to do? Because all I can think about is getting you to a hospital. Even if it means dragging you there kicking and screaming.'

  Haley turned to Jason who was still on his knees. She gazed warmly into his eyes with great love and affection, just like she'd done the evening before on their final night at the cottage together when Jason had finally opened up both his heart and soul to her. Confiding to her all of his pent up emotional pain, sufferings and anguish. They had danced too. Danced so slowly and intimately in front of the car headlights together. And last but not least their soft lips had met for that first breathtaking, spine tingling kiss. That first perfect kiss which seemed like a lifetime ago. Haley gazed at him with those same fiery eyes. That same look of soul and hopefulness.

  'I am so, so sorry Jason.'

  Jason smiled half-heartedly stroking Haley's face and her soft black hair.

  'What are you apologising for? You don't have anything to be sorry about baby.'

  Haley gently stroked the sides of Jason's cheeks. She caressed him all over his face, running her finger tips a
ll the way through his hair. Tears formed in her eyes. It was only a matter of seconds before those tears streamed downwards.

  'I didn't mean to bring you here. If I only knew back then when I first met you what I know now...'

  'What do you mean? What do you know now? What are you talking about?' asked Jason so confused.

  I would've just...' continued Haley, tears flooding her cheeks.

  'Haley?' Jason tried to force her to finish that last sentence.

  '...killed myself.' whispered Haley. 'I would have just killed myself.'

  Jason edged closer towards her. His face full of distraught and a bewildered desperation at hearing such horrid words from her.

  'What are you talking about Haley? Is this something to do with your past? What is it? Tell me? Please. You can trust me now, please?'

  'I truly am so sorry Jason.'

  'You keep saying sorry Haley. Why? My mind's in fucking twists and turns here.' blurted Jason as he let a desperate snap of anger take over his emotions.

  'I've been so happy these past few days with you. I think I was even beginning to fall... to fall...'

  Haley screeched in an awful pain. She clutched her hands desperately against the sides of her head, wincing more horrendously than ever before. Uncontrollably she slid herself down, out of the old chair, down and onto her knees on the living room floor. Jason tried his best to comfort her, holding her as best he could as she slid.

  'HALEY?'

  Haley screeched again in agony.

  'Oh my God! OH MY GOD! It hurts. It hurts so much. Oh my God! OH MY GOD JASON!'

  Deep inside Haley's mind, her thoughts, memories and entire past were all coming flooding back to haunt her. Flooding back with a stunning vengeance.

  'I can see them. Oh my God… I can see them Jason.' Haley sobbed uncontrollably.

  'See who Haley?' said Jason anxiously, but she continued to ignore him.

  'I remember...' she whispered almost to herself. 'I remember what she did. Oh my God… What has she done? …What have we done?' Haley faced Jason with a grim, chilling silence. Tears still flooding down her face.

  'Jason, please… You must go. You have to leave..' There was a hint of fear and desperation in her voice now. 'You have to leave this place at once. Please Jason. You have to get out of here before it's too late. PLEASE!'

  Jason looked completely dumbfounded by Haley's ramblings. He remained absolutely speechless and rooted to the spot as he tried to make some sense of her madness. Then she screeched again in great pain. This time she fell uncontrollably from her knees and flat out onto the floor, face down. Jason leaned desperately over her, trying his best to comfort her in anyway possible. But he had no clue how to deal with this situation in the slightest. How could he? Instead he stroked Haley's hair and upper back, too afraid to even attempt to pull her up again.

  'Haley, please. I need to get you out of here baby. Right now. RIGHT FUCKING NOW.'

  Haley's eyes, which were facing away from Jason, suddenly opened wide. The chilling expression plastered all over her face lacked entirely of any real emotion.

  'She's here.' Haley whispered, but too softly for Jason's ears to pick up. She closed her eyes tightly shut as if for the very last time, before lying in a complete motionless silence.

  'Haley? HALEY? Fuck this. I'm getting you out of here right now.'

  Jason got off his knees and with a great, newfound strength, he pulled Haley up as much as he could manage. Once more she felt like a led weight beneath him. Haley reopened her eyes which were almost normal again. She let out a long shallow release of breath that sounded more like a hissing gas leak. Suddenly Jason found it easier to lift her back up onto her knees. He put his arms firmly around her waist and helped her back up onto her feet again. Haley's eyes were half closed. She seemed to be in some kind of groggy daze as if waking up from a long and deep sleep.

  'Haley? Haley? Are you okay? Are you still with me?'

  Haley puked out a mouthful of blood. The majority of which caught Jason off guard and landed upon his shirt and trouser's.

  'Jesus Christ.' said Jason disgusted, yet trying his best to remain calm. He managed to seat Haley back down upon the old chair again, crouching down so that he was still eye level with her. He placed his hands firmly upon her lap.

  'Haley. Speak to me. Can you speak? I need to know that you're doing okay in there?'

  Haley coughed, spluttering a little more blood.

  'What happened... to me?' said Haley sounding both drowsy and distant.

  'I don't know have a fucking clue what happened to you.' continued Jason, his voice filled with great concern.

  'I think you might've had some kind of stroke or seizure, I'm not sure. I'm so scared and confused right now. But I'm taking you away from here, right this second, okay.'

  Haley coughed. A trickle of blood escaped from the side her mouth. It slithered down her chin. Jason wiped the blood away with his finger.

  'Could you... Could you get me some water please?' Haley asked weakly.

  'I need to get you to the car.' Jason said impatiently.

  'Please?' Insisted Haley. 'Just some water. My mouth is so dry. Then we can go, I promise.'

  'All right.' Jason sighed. 'But I'll need to find something to put it in first.'

  Jason headed reluctantly back into the kitchen. Haley watched him leave but with a strange, distant look. Inside the kitchen Jason quickly raided through every single one of the kitchen cupboards and draws until he found a stash of old dusty cups. He filled one up with water from the cold tap, then hurried back into the living room.

  He froze.

  Haley was gone. She had disappeared from the living room entirely. The old chair where he had left her sat empty. A very confused Jason glanced dartingly all around the dark, eerie living room. There was no sign of Haley's presence.

  'What the fuck?' said Jason. Frantically he called Haley's name again and again. He Placed the cup of water down upon the old chair and quickly made his way into the hallway. He continued to call Haley's name. Still there was no reply. Jason opened the half closed front door and stepped into the daylight. He peered all around the outside of the farmhouse. From left to right all he could see were deserted fields, a lonely front parking area and his empty car. There was no sign of Haley out there or anyone for that matter. Jason turned back inside the farmhouse. He stood completely still in the hallway and remained there in utter silence for quite some time. Carefully he listened for any sign of the vanished Haley, but there was nothing to hear. Not even a creak nor a squeak. Only the sound of his own erratic thumping heartbeat filled his ears.

  Then suddenly there it was… a noise. It was like the slightest of creaks, followed by another on the next floor up, directly above him, then it stopped. Jason called Haley's name and waited. When there was no reply he turned to the old wooden staircase and glanced nervously up at the steep steps leading up there. Upstairs appeared to be in less darkness than downstairs due to some of the un-boarded windows around the second floor of the house, freely letting in much more light. So there was just enough to see all the way up to the top of the creepy staircase.

  Jason mounted the steps very, very cautiously. He yelled Haley's name once again… there was no reply. Jason continued to mount the stairs, one by one, until finally he reached the last few steps. His eyes gradually adjusted to the dim light on the first floor landing.

  'What the fuck is going on here?' said Jason, his heart beating wildly and anxiously inside his chest. He reached the second last step at the very top of the staircase. There he stood, frozen still, for a long, agonising few moments. Waiting, just waiting for another noise, another creak… anything.

  All around him an air of murky silence engulfed his ear drums. He was about to call Haley's name again... when...

  SMACK!

  Jason felt a violent, ferocious crack in the face, from a large rusty metal spade. It smacked him right across his jaw and sent him flying backwards, tumbling down the ste
ep sloping staircase behind him and back towards the ground floor. When he landed hard at the very bottom of the staircase, he fell flat out into an unconscious, crumpled heap, right beside the open front door.

  CHAPTER eleven

  A chilling silence filled the air. The unconscious seated figure of Jason was surrounded by darkness, all except for a small naked ceiling light dangling menacingly over his head without its protective shade. The dark room Jason found himself inside seemed to resemble a large, stone walled, underground cellar, but the light above him was so disorientating that it was hard to make anything out too clearly, without the light blinding his vision.