“What’s the matter Jennifer, you lost your protection? Ah, too bad, I’ll have to fix it for you.”
Terrified, Jennifer wept for her and Kari. She sensed this might be her last moment alive.
Kari stood, leaving Jennifer huddled on a protected branch below her. “This is between you and me, not her. We will finish this, but no one else, do you hear me?” she said.
Jennifer saw an opportunity to sneak away. Before she could move, Liz saw her trying to escape out of the corner of her eye. She knocked Kari to the side, grabbing Jennifer up and dangling her in midair. “Going somewhere?” she asked in a raspy voice.
Tears rushed from her frightened eyes. Jennifer lost the breath in her lungs. Her body quivered as Liz’s voice became much louder.
“I don’t think you are. This will be the last time you look at anything. Look Jennifer, look long and hard.”
Too scared to speak, her body stiffened while she hung in midair. Horrible thoughts ran through her mind. She was aware Liz knew she was not dead, and soon she would take her life. She alone could not defeat Liz. Jennifer didn’t hold enough strength to overpower her.
Leaning down to look into her face, Liz whispered into her ear, “If I let go, do you think you can fly?”
Jennifer knew her minute of death was near. She closed her wet eyes. “Please, make it quick,” she cried, “I don’t want to suffer long.”
She braced herself for pain and death. As Liz let her go to plummet to her death, Kari reached for her, snatching hold of her wrist. “I’ve got you! Hold on while I pull you up,” she told her.
Kari yanked her toward the safety of the tree, but a fiery wind blew around her, causing her hand to slip, sending Jennifer downward once again. She closed her eyes and reached for anything to grab. With luck, a sturdy branch broke her fall. Jennifer hugged it as the fear took her breath. She didn’t move.
“Where are you?” Kari shouted.
“I’m down here…,” she answered right as Liz took her from behind.
Jennifer had no place to run, and neither of her friends’ could help. Liz’s nails drove through her back. She hung as if on a hook. Dangling her in midair from the tip of her fingernail, Liz turned her around and whispered, “I was wrong about you, you can’t fly at all. But don’t worry; I’ll fix you to where you can.”
She released her fingernail away from Jennifer’s flesh. A sudden rush of adrenaline flowed through Jen, but her eyes never shifted from Liz’s devilish face, staring straight into her immaculate, corrupt soul. Sweat dripped from her body, as fear shook her spirit. Jennifer’s mouth gaped open, the tears she cried trickling onto her tongue. She didn’t make a sound. She waited for the moment her life would end. Liz teased her, as she pretended to let go, then grabbed at her wrist, pulling her back up.
Begging Liz to let her go, the demon replied, “Are you sure you’ve had enough? I thought you were much stronger than this, Jennifer. Let me play a little while longer, and then I’ll grant you your wish.”
Jennifer held on for dear life. While she had a little time to think, she figured it out. She had entered the cemetery by fate. Maddie Ann strived until she got her way and Jennifer knew this. She spared her life, not because she thought of her as a special person, but because she needed something from her. Jennifer’s friends became the black souls to lure her in the cemetery and that’s all. Maddie Ann didn’t care about them; she only cared to have her hands wrapped around Jennifer. It was an act. If she didn’t want Jennifer to find out the truth, would she have allowed her to find someone to deliver the information she forbade her to learn? Of course not, and though she came to her in her dreams and threatened her, that’s all it was, just to scare her and nothing else.
Maddie Ann had to keep Jennifer close for her own nefarious purposes. She knew what she had to do to outsmart her. Now that Jennifer had a little knowledge, her anger began to simmer. If this proved true, she had nothing to worry about. But if she had it all wrong, Maddie Ann’s playground would officially become her new home.
The muscles in her arms began to weaken. The whites in her eyes turned red. Jennifer started to lose the strength she held. Letting go as she promised, Liz hovered above her, watching her sail backward through the air. Jennifer flailed her arms and legs about, and before she hit, she felt a strong wind, swoop her up, and ascend into the sky. She looked up at the face that held her. Kari had arrived to take her to safety.
Tears streamed down her face and she whimpered, “She wanted to kill me, Kari! She tried to kill me.”
Luckily, for Jennifer, Kari was quick enough to save her. “Shhhh, don’t cry, you’re safe now,” she said, consoling her.
***
Steve called the cell phone in a desperate attempt to find Cindy. He had no idea where she went, and even if he did, he couldn’t leave Jennifer alone. Exhausted and ready to fall over, he ran a washcloth under cool water to place on Jennifer’s head before lying down. He tucked the covers underneath the mattress, and kissed her cheek. Steve then turned in for the night, getting some long overdue sleep. Leaving a dim light shining through the room, he removed his shoes and snuggled under the blanket.
The minute Steve closed his eyes, he fell into a deep slumber. Opening his eyes in his dream, he saw the infamous bare, forked trees sticking up all over the place, with cracked earth covering the ground and no grass to soothe his feet. He gazed into the weird and desolate world he created in his mind, and a whimpering cry forced him to walk along the path. Stopping to listen, he heard another, louder cry that rocked him.
“Jennifer honey, is that you?” he yelled.
Jennifer walked behind him. She reached out and placed her hand on his back. “Daddy, you shouldn’t be here,” she whispered. “The black souls are hungry for new blood. Go home.”
As he turned to see his sweet angel’s face, he felt his soul fall back into his body.
Steve woke up. The hairs on the back of his neck rose at the thought that the world he faced in his dreams really existed. Patting his body to make sure he still lived, he ran to the bathroom. Turning on the light, he stood in front of a mirror. The image staring back at him was all too real. You can run, but you can’t hide, he said aloud. He stood in silence for only a moment. Just tell Cindy who you really are, Steve, he told himself. You’re Channing Wellington. You’re related to Maddie Ann. The same blood that runs through her veins runs through yours.
His body trembled as those frightening words grated through his mind. Tears flooded his eyes. Did a demon live within him? It scared him to think that, but if they existed in the Watsons and Wellingtons, how could he be any different? He had to face it. He was marked. Hell awaited him after he passed on from this life, like it or not. Why not live to the fullest and enjoy his family? Did he have to tell them the truth?
Steve shook his head. He walked back in the room looking at his daughter lying on the bed. Would she have been in this shape had he been born someone else? How could he think this way? Although he’d been adopted by the Cravens, it hadn’t erased his background. He sat on the edge of the mattress caressing her face.
“Jennifer, sweetheart, if you can hear me, come back to us please,” he begged.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Irritated, Tom pulled up to his apartment complex after the worst day of his life. He wanted a warm bed and sleep. He walked in, kicking off his shoes, then put on a pot of decaffeinated coffee. Walking into his room to change his clothes, his closet appeared rather odd. The door stood halfway open, with the light on. It looked like someone had rummaged through his belongings. Crap, now what? The last thing he needed was a burglar. Old Creek Cemetery was bad enough to deal with and his bones already ached from all the running. Instincts took over. Whipping his .38 out, he pointed it toward the gaping closet door.
He eased closer, noticing sooty little handprints along the marshmallow white woodwork. Dismayed at the mess, he spotted a note written in childish letters lying on the floor. You notty boy, Tom Brown. You
shouldn’t take things that don’t belong to you. The next time, I will get you! His unsteady hands crumpled it. He placed the note in his pocket and bent to grab a washcloth from the clothes basket to wipe away the filth. Deep in his heart, Tom knew if he went back to the cemetery, they would come after him for sure. He needed time to think, so he sat down at the kitchen table sipping on some hot coffee. Tom looked a mess. His face was haggard and he needed a haircut. He'd spent most of his life fighting crime. But what did he get from it? Tom had nothing but a hard road ahead.
Why should he risk his life to investigate the murders? Because he’d taken an oath with this job, and had made himself into a damn good cop. Digging the tips of his fingers into his forehead, disgust settled in his tired mind. He couldn’t think. Knowing he’d have to go back to Old Creek Cemetery drove him insane with worry. He couldn’t bring himself to do it. The thought of his near-death experience out there the night before last put him on edge. I’ll outsmart those idiots, he mumbled. He grabbed his jacket and hat, although he trembled from fatigue, and headed for the door. He wished this appointment already sat in the rearview mirror, but instead of mulling over it, he faced the situation like a man, and went to his car.
On the drive to the cemetery, he pondered the idea of retiring and moving to Florida to relax in the sun. It sounded good to step out of the whole mess and let Jake have the headache, but he couldn’t bear leaving all this mess hanging over his head. So the next best thing was to get the case over with. Hanging a right off the main road, he started up the dirt road, when he sighted headlights off to his left and turned up the perimeter road to check it out. He made his way down the dusty dirt road with his high beams blaring. Approaching the scene, he saw a car parked over on the shoulder in the grassy area behind some bushes. Shining his flashlight to see inside, a woman rose from the seat.
“Are you, all right in there?” he asked.
“Who are you?” Cindy asked nervously.
“Detective Tom Brown, OCPD.”
Excited to hear his voice, Cindy jumped out. “Sorry, but I’m stranded out here. I’ve lost the keys. By the way, I’m Cindy Cravens,” she said, sticking out her hand. “Can you give me a ride back to town?”
Instantly, her name registered. “Oh, yes, I know who you are. You’re Jennifer’s mother, right?” He opened the passenger side door of his car and she got in. He then turned the car around in a field and headed back toward the main road to the cemetery. “What in the world brought you all the way out here?” he asked.
“Detective Brown, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you the truth. It’s a long story and I don’t think I have enough time,” Cindy said and leaned back in the seat.
“I have all the time in the world, and whatever you have to say, I’m sure it isn’t as crazy as what I’ve been through today. So yes, you can tell me anything and I’d believe you at this point,” he replied.
Cindy told him while she and Barbara Barton searched for their daughters and Barb disappeared with the keys. Frightened out of her wits, she huddled in the car waiting for Barb to return.
Tom turned onto the desolate dirt road leading to the cemetery. A heavy somber wind embraced them and the moon turned orange. The sulfuric air seeped through the air vents into the car. Fine misty acid rain covered the windshield. Cindy watched the trees swaying in the night breeze. Dried, twisted, brittle branches reached for the car. Cindy shuddered and held on to the door handle. “This was a mistake coming here,” she said. “Detective Brown, why are we going this way?” Her face creased with fear.
“I have something I need to do.” He pulled a flashlight from under his seat. “I promise to hurry.”
Cindy slid down in the seat and covered her eyes.
Tom pulled to the side of the gravel road and rolled the window down midway. He gazed at the crest of the hill leading to the gates and saw nothing but dense fog hovering above the ground.
“You sit tight. I’ll be right back,” Tom whispered.
“Please don’t leave me.” Cindy grabbed his arm and tugged him toward her. “I’m begging you to forget about this and take me home.”
“I can’t do that, Mrs. Cravens. Maddie Ann is after me, and unless I confront her, she’s going to torture me forever,” he said. Tom looked like he wanted to cry.
“She’s going to kill us anyway,” Cindy sniveled. “I can feel it.”
The car door creaked as Tom opened it to step out into the misty darkness. The blood in his face drained and his unsteady hands rattled the glass in the door as he tried to shut it.
“Are you sure you want to do this? Think about it, Detective. Maddie Ann’s agenda is not worth your life,” Cindy said. She sat on her knees, gripped the glass in the door, and began to pray silently.
“Here’s what I want you to do. In case I don’t make it back in a half hour, I want you to get the hell out of here. Got me?” he asked. You could see the fear in his face, through his onyx shaded eyes. “Lock the doors.”
Cindy nodded and slid into the driver's seat for a quick getaway.
He took a deep breath, and faced the darkness. Before he headed toward doom, he turned around and gazed into Cindy’s hopeless eyes. With no other choice but to face the creature of the damned, he darted up the hill to the graveyard’s entrance.
The night was darker than he imagined it would be. Luckily, he had his black steel Maglight attached to his belt loop. Tom grabbed it off his hip, turned it on, and shined it into the wide-open maw of the grim cemetery. Tiptoeing near the gates, he lost his nerve and whirled back to his car. Before he took two steps, he heard someone cry out for help. Feeling icy cold hands pressed against his back, he knew he’d been caught. With all he’d been through, he grew tired of fighting it. He turned around, and saw a woman standing inside the gates.
“Help me, please. My name is Barbara Barton, and something bad is holding me captive in here,” she pleaded with tears streaming down her face.
Immediately, he recognized her, but something deep inside told Tom this wasn't Barbara Barton. He looked into her eyes, but something was wrong. Outlined in blood surrounded with black circles, he’d never seen eyes this bright color of blue before.
“You’re not Barbara Barton,” he shouted, backing away.
She cried and begged, insistent she was whom she said she was. Trying to prove otherwise, he asked what her daughter’s name was. “It’s Claire, now can you help me?” she pleaded.
Could this be Barb? Against his better judgment, he crept up to the open gate, closed his eyes, and started in after her. Before he stepped over the threshold, a loud cry startled him from behind.
“Tom…NO, don’t go in.”
Turning to see Cindy standing there, the woman claiming to be Barbara tried pulling him in by clutching his shirtsleeve. She transformed back into what she was. He whirled to see Maddie Ann standing there with a wicked grin and red glowing eyes yanking on his sleeve. “Leave me alone,” he yelled.
A crucifix necklace matching Jennifer’s hung around Cindy’s neck. She pulled it off and held it up to Maddie Ann’s face. “Let go of him or…”
“Or you’ll do what? Cindy, you wish too much. You’re wasting your time. I control Jennifer, and I can do the same with you,” she said, hissing at the cross.
Cindy held the necklace in front of the beast, squinted, and replied, “Maddie Ann, you’ve made my daughter suffer more than enough, and now its payback time. I'll send you back to Hell where you belong, and you’ll not touch one hair on my head because you won't get the chance.”
Maddie Ann released Tom’s shirt as if Cindy’s actions threatened her. Instead of fighting back, she vanished into the rolling darkness, leaving nothing but mist behind.
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Tom shouted, taking hold of Cindy's wrist.
She and Tom darted down the hill throwing glances over their shoulders. Piercing screams punctuated the air from every direction. Tom felt his legs getting heavy as they tried to make it to t
he car.
“We’re going to die! I just know it,” Cindy cried.
Tom wiped the cold sweat from his brow as he reached for the door handle. Locked. He looked in to see the keys dangling from the ignition. He tried the three remaining doors—all locked. “Um, Cindy, it appears we're locked out and somebody left the keys inside.” He glared at her.
“Hey, it wasn't my fault. It's not my damned car.” She frowned, her mouth upside down. “What are we going to do now?”
Brown shrugged which caused Cindy to panic.
She searched the ground for a large enough rock to bust the window and found one in the road next to the car and tossed it hard. Not only did it not shatter the glass, it bounced back, smacking her in the forehead. “OW! What the hell? Did you see that? It wouldn’t break,” she screamed, stomping her foot. Her hand went to her head where bright blood trickled. “We’re not going to make it are we?” Cindy looked panic-stricken, rubbing her hands together.
Maddie Ann s Playground Page 46
