A solid punch to the midsection made it hard for Claire to catch her next breath. Bending forward, she gasped harder.
Another, huskier voice assaulted her ears. “What’s the matter, Claire, can’t catch your breath? Awww, what a shame.”
This time, she rose with much determination. She knew that raspy voice, the one that stuck with her even after she escaped the woods. It belonged to the one that bled to death in her lap in that cave; the one she'd bravely tried so hard to keep alive. “Liz...,” she breathed. Liz shoved her backward repeatedly until Claire begged her to stop. “Liz, please don’t do this. Don't you remember who took care of you? I was there with you until you died. I sang to you and held you! I cried for you.”
As they surrounded her, she hadn't a prayer of fighting them both. They were too strong, too determined, too much to handle by herself. Kari and Liz laughed and cursed her at the same time, spitting on her head and shoving her with great force. She fell to her knees pleading for them to leave her be, near panic. Tears fell as she gazed into their disgusting faces. Forcing her to the ground, Liz smeared her nose in the dirt and stomped her foot against the back of her neck.
“You think it’s going to be that easy? Do you, Claire? Well, we don’t think so. We’ll decide when you’ve had enough to satisfy our revenge. Meanwhile, you can try defending whiny little Jennifer,” Kari giggled.
Claire’s eyes widened. She struggled for composure, brushing the hair away from her face and sat up. Wobbling as she stood to her feet, her voice trembling, she asked, “What? Jennifer? That’s impossible. She’s at home. I know, because I saw her sitting on her porch. You're screwing with my mind again.”
The two ghouls disappeared into the cemetery, melting through the force field like a hot knife through butter. A moment later, Jennifer flew over the fence, landing beside her like a slab of useless meat. She let out a blood-curling scream as her leg twisted behind her. “My leg…I think it’s broken,” Jennifer shrieked.
Claire had nothing left to bargain with, and Kari and Liz were way past being sympathetic. Leaning over Jennifer in her agony, Claire said, “You dumb little twit. I told you what you’d go through messing with the black souls. You saw what Tina did to me, and yet you ignored the warning. You’re on your own, Jennifer, because there’s nothing I can do to stop this.”
Claire took a deep breath. She looked at Jennifer and imagined the pain she felt with her femur sticking through her jeans. Blood poured freely from the wound. Clenching her fists, she shook with anger. What in hell was Jennifer thinking?
Jennifer rolled on the ground groaning, “Please don’t be mad at me. I had to come or I'd die with a guilty conscience not knowing why I was the only survivor. I shouldn’t be alive. It’s not fair….”
Claire couldn’t make her understand what was about to happen. If only she could show her what she'd have to go through, maybe then she’d change her mind. Looking down at Jennifer’s bloody pant leg, she waved her hand, putting Jennifer in a trance. She ripped strips of cloth from her skirt, straightened out Jennifer's thighbone, bringing the two broken ends together, then tied a stout branch to her leg, fashioning a splint. “There, now your leg will feel better,” Claire, said, erasing the trance. She scooted in front of Jennifer and stroked her filthy hair. “Can you stand up now?” She offered her hand.
Unpleasant shrieking noises echoed in the distance, like souls taking a beating. Claire grabbed Jennifer by the hand, pulled her to her feet, and shoved her behind, keeping her safe as long as she could.
“Remember, they'll show no mercy. They won't care what happens to you.”
“I was so tired after Tina murdered you, Claire; I stumbled to my front porch. All I wanted to do was to crawl in my bed and sleep for a week. But some urge forced me back here. I had to come back. What is wrong with me, Claire?” Jennifer asked, crying softly.
“The evil beings are controlling your mind like a puppet on a string, calling you, making it easier for them to get to you. Their plans are to devour your soul, and that must be why the sudden compelling urge struck you to come back here.”
Claire had to do whatever it took to protect Jennifer from the evil that hunted her down. She realized at that moment that Maddie Ann called for her for the same reason. It's a mind control game they played to lure their toys.
“Maddie Ann erased my memory, Claire. I had to get stupid old Molly to help me remember. And when I did remember, I knew I had to rescue my friends. This is my fault, Claire.” Jennifer cried bitter tears. “Please forgive me.”
“It's not your fault, sweetie—it's mine. I brought you into the cemetery. It must be her plan for one person to remain alive, but lose all conscious memory of the event. That way, she can torture you for the rest of your life.” With alarming insight, Claire suddenly realized that Jennifer's memory of Maddie Ann might help them. Without thinking of Jennifer's pain, she grabbed her by the arms and shook her madly. “Jennifer, if you can remember anything, you must tell me what happened to you. It's important.”
Wincing, Jennifer sat there for a moment, thinking. “I remember every single second, Claire. It’s as if I never left. I recall where I was and who I was with when Maddie Ann snatched me up and took me out of the cemetery.” She told Claire the entire story of their headlong flight through the cracked-earth plains.
Shaking her head, Claire frowned. Something about what Jennifer said disturbed her. “You shouldn’t have brought in an outsider, Jennifer. Molly is in so much danger right now, and she doesn't even realize it. My grandfather made it clear about Maddie Ann's rules. You’re not supposed to break them, and you’ve broken every one.”
Claire was furious about their predicament, but at the same time, scared for her best friend’s life.
“I had no choice, Claire. I couldn't get into your room myself. Your mother hates me; she thinks I killed you. Hell, the whole town thinks I murdered all of you. I had to find out what happened. As soon as Molly read me your 'note to self' about our plans that night, I remembered everything. I had to come back and see if I could save you and our friends.”
“Oh, Jennifer, why did you do this? You were free. You were home where you belonged, and now it’s too late. Now they have their poison in you.” Claire burst into tears and hugged her friend tightly.
“I was trying to do right by my friends. We were together in the beginning and we should be together in the end no matter what I have to endure to get there. No more guilt is going to eat at me for facing them now. It's time I did something that means a lot to me.”
Jennifer hung her head and her chestnut curtain of hair obscured her face.
“I have to go in there alone, Jennifer. I have to make this right.”
“I’m ready, Claire. Please take me with you. I can’t stay here alone with this broken leg. They'll get me.”
Claire knew Kari and Liz lurked somewhere in the darkness waiting for the right moment to get their hands on them. She had to think fast if she wanted to save Jennifer's life.
“Listen to me, Jennifer, you need to get out of here—do you understand? Any minute, they are coming for you, and you have to be clear of this place. Let me take you to safety.”
Shaking her head, Jennifer refused to budge. “No. I'm not going anywhere unless you stay with me.”
“I’m not going to let you die tonight. No way are you going down with the rest of us. Please do this one favor for me, I'm begging you.” Claire’s heart thumped with fear for Jennifer's life.
Jennifer stood firm. “I'm not ready to say good-bye to my best friend. With everything we have been through, I'm not about to turn my back now and run like a coward. No, I’m staying. I can handle this,” Jennifer said.
***
Jennifer closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. With superhuman strength, she forced herself to hobble a few steps on her injured leg. The stab of pain was unbearable, but it didn’t stop her. She faced the gates of hell, Claire right beside her.
A familiar gravelly v
oice called out. “Where were you, Jennifer? I waited and waited for you, but you disappeared before I awoke. Is that what you do, abandon your good friends out in the middle of nowhere? They got me, Jennifer, and they hurt me.”
Lisa! The minute Jennifer heard her voice, she remembered how she had killed Lisa, thinking it was Maddie Ann. Jennifer shook and her knees knocked together. She faced the ghost with dignity, thrusting her chin out. “I didn’t leave you alone on purpose. Maddie Ann took me away and threw me out of her world. I lost my memory, and I’m suffering for it.”
Hovering over her prey, Lisa sneered. “You may have gotten away with it for a while, but now…now you'll remember the ripping pain I felt.”
One of the demon's scaly hands reached out, slipping around Jennifer's neck as the other hand with razor sharp nails raked her skin.
“Lisa, you leave her alone,” Claire intervened, grabbing hold of the back of Jennifer's head.
Using all the strength in her arms, she jerked Jennifer’s hair, pulling her out of the demon's grasp. Lisa raised her arms, calling a blast of harsh wind to beat down on them, like a tornado sprung from Hell.
Shielding her eyes to block out the flying dirt and leaves, Jennifer looked around trying to find a place for them to hide. A copse of tall, leafless trees stood behind the girls. Could they make it if they ran? How could she, with a broken leg? Out of despair, Jennifer tried reasoning with Lisa to let them go. She had to yell above the roaring wind. “Don’t do this. You have to see this is not justifying anything but destroying more lives. Your misplaced anger isn’t with me—it’s with what this place has done to you. Don’t you see what you have become?”
Jennifer rolled her vengeful eyes. She knew Lisa cared for nothing, only for the satisfaction, she thirsted for—and Jennifer was the one she wanted. Neglecting her safety, Jennifer’s urgency to face Lisa forced her into telling the truth. She stepped in front of Claire with her hands steadily clenching and unclenching at her side.
Calmly she said, “I am the one who killed you. I thought I was killing Maddie Ann, but she twisted my mind and I slaughtered you instead. I'm so sorry, Lisa. It damned near killed me when I realized what I'd done.”
Guilty words flowed from Jennifer’s lips. Fiery glints flared from Lisa’s wicked eyes. Lisa darted toward her with evil intent, as her disembodied scream echoed across the hills. Before she grabbed them, Claire snatched Jennifer and flew for their lives, heading toward the trees. They hunkered down behind a stout oak tree and didn't dare breathe with relief to have escaped Lisa's clutches, even temporarily.
As Jennifer counted each horrifying minute rolling by, Lisa did not reappear. Jennifer prayed for daybreak to come. Exhaustion weighed her down. She looked, but there was no place to rest besides the wet mushy ground under their feet. Claire found a downed log, and they huddled together for warmth behind it.
An hour later, forcing her heavy, burning eyes to stay open, Jennifer heard someone calling her name. She clutched Claire’s arm for protection. A loud roar came barreling down from the pitch-black sky.
Jennifer leaned her head against Claire's shoulder and whispered, “Don’t let them get me, Claire.”
Before the demon was able to grab them, the girls laid flat against the earth. The wind whirled suddenly. Kari stood before them with depraved eyes and fangs protruding from between her lips. Claire swung a blow but missed. Kari ducked, hissing like a snake, and before blinking an eye, Jennifer soared through the sky gripped in Kari's talons.
Jennifer's loud screams lingered in the night air as Kari flung her to and fro by her hair. Jennifer struggled to loosen herself from the black soul's iron grip. She bashed her fists at Kari’s face. Kari grabbed one flailing fist and squeezed. Nauseating pain rushed through Jennifer's body, exploding with exquisite fireworks in her brain. Without warning, Kari's sharp nails cut Jennifer’s face, sending trickles of blood to the ground. “You think you’re tough? Show me Jennifer…show me what you’ve got,” Kari snarled.
She squeezed Jennifer’s face and jerked her head forward. “Your soul is pure and innocent, but not for long,” she roared. As I say now before you, Jennifer Leanne Cravens, your soul is mine forever. I will torment and desecrate you until you beg for death.”
Kari raised a dagger to eviscerate her, but Claire sailed between them without a care for her own safety, knocking Jennifer from her grasp. Jennifer sailed through the open sky, cartwheeling toward the ground, blood from her many wounds flying in every direction. Enraged, Kari flew after her.
Jennifer closed her eyes as she plummeted to her death. Suddenly, a tender gust of wind lifted her with gentle hands and placed her feet on the ground. Taking a deep breath and patting herself down, she thanked God he spared her life. Claire stood silently in the shadows, looking disoriented. Jennifer came toward her, confused by Claire's behavior.
“Claire, talk to me. What happened?” she asked. She placed a hand on Claire's shoulder. “How did you do that? You saved my life. My leg—my hand. Look, they're fine.”
“Shush, don’t talk, Jennifer. Kari and Lisa are out there.”
Jennifer watched as a bright light descended from the ominous sky, coming toward them like a ball of fire. Claire jumped behind a tree, yanking Jennifer with her. The fireball exploded inches from where they'd stood.
“What do you think you're doing, Claire? Trying to be a hero again?” Kari tilted her head back, laughing from the throat. It sounded like the roar of a lion.
Claire bit at her bottom lip, squinting in anger, and shouted, “You can do what you want with me, but you can’t have Jennifer. If you want me bad enough, you’re going to have to fight me. You can't hurt somebody who is already dead.”
Kari, engulfed with fury at losing her prey, grabbed Claire around the waist and leaped into the night sky. She hummed a devilish tune in her ear and replied, “Is that so, Claire…I can do anything I want with you? This is going to be fun watching you suffer.”
Kari and Claire zoomed high above the ground. Claire hung in Kari’s arms, awaiting her sentence. What was she thinking? She knew what Kari planned, yet, she gave herself to it. Shaking off her drowsiness, Claire thought of Jennifer left alone on the ground. She had to fight, not only for her own everlasting soul, but also for Jennifer's living one. The rotted flesh on Kari’s hand pointed toward Claire’s chest. It intended to devour the goodness in her heart and replace it with vileness. Claire grabbed her arm and struggled to keep her hand away. Their eyes locked, assessing each other's strength and intents.
“It will all be over real soon; just let it happen. I promise you it will hurt beyond belief,” Kari said smirking as she tried to slide her filthy hand inside Claire’s soul.
Claire shook her head. Rage coursed through her veins. She jerked backwards, elbowed the beast in the face, and managed to break free of the deadly grip that penned her body against Kari’s rotted corpse.
A thick blanket of darkness bled over the land. Claire squinted to see, but it was no use. She sailed through the cool air in a desperate try to rescue Jennifer. “Please God, let me find my friend,” she prayed. Her warm breath trickled like a fine mist in front of her eyes.
A cold hand yanked against her throat, forcing her backward into her assailant. Strong arms squeezed around her waist, and putrid air blew in her ear. Claire knew it was Kari by the foul smell lingering from her evil soul. She had her head pinned against her chest.
“Don’t try to fight it, Claire. Close your eyes and relax,” Kari breathed in her ear. “Think of the power you’ll have.”
Power? The evil power that Maddie Ann poisoned them with? Using all her strength, Claire lunged forward. Her legs and arms flailed about. This wasn’t the picture she saw in her mind. Claire thought herself to be the strong one of the bunch, the one who would save her friends from the evil tyrant. She had no intent of living in the cemetery. How could this be her destiny, the future where her spirit would remain forever, deceiving others to take their souls to torture and man
ipulate?
Pleasure was not in this game, and you only had one chance to make it right or lose everything. Kari wasn’t going to cede no matter how much Claire begged her to stop. The whole point of this was clear. Kari wanted her to suffer, live in hell, as they all did.
Claire knew how bad Kari wanted to take her innocence away. She wanted to watch the evil poison her soul to satisfy her burning urge. Then of course, there was Jennifer, the next on the list, to strip her of her life and turn her into a hideous creature. No time to rehash what to do next; Claire had to act now and efficiently to save herself and her best friend. She gave it her best shot whether she’d win or lose.
Claire bashed her heel into Kari’s shin, busting the bone in half, then whirled out of the death-grip on her throat, and delivered an uppercut to the monster's jaw, shattering the creature's face into pieces. The sudden impact sent Kari flying wildly through the night air, spinning over and over into the void. Now, racing toward the ground in search of Jennifer, Claire dismissed thoughts about Kari returning. She didn’t care anymore about her own safety; she cared about finding Jennifer.
Maddie Ann s Playground Page 18
