Maddie Ann s Playground

by Mackenzie Drew

  Tom had to do something. He took his gun out of the holster, aimed it directly at the glass, and fired. The bullet ricocheted and lodged in a tree. “Shit. What the hell is going on?”

  “See? See? Even shooting did nothing. I told you, they're going to kill us, mangle us, and then stuff our remains down in a hole somewhere.” Cindy jumped around, shrieking and doubling over.

  “Sit down and zip it, please,” Tom said, watching the gates for any movement. The silence overhead unnerved Tom. Right before any attack, everything gets quiet. Any time now, they could become Maddie Ann’s next victims.

  ***

  Cindy slumped down in the dirt and cowered by the passenger’s side door, crying softly. She leaned her head back against the tire. Her mouth watered and she tasted acid in the back of her throat. Terror began gnawing its way through her stomach, leaving a queasy feeling behind. A rolling growl echoed through the darkness. It bounced back like a boomerang, growing in intensity.

  “I’m afraid,” she said as Tom sank down beside her.

  “Shhh…don’t make a sound,” he ordered.

  The growl grew much louder, rustling through the dried leaves that hung off dead trees. Moaning, growling, screaming; it came closer. With no place to hide, they huddled there, praying.

  “I knew I shouldn’t have come back here. Why did I do that? I knew I’d somehow suffer for it,” Tom whispered.

  Appalled that this beefy macho cop sat there sniveling had Cindy worried sick. He knows more than he's telling, she realized. And if what he knows can terrify him, what does it mean for our survival? “Detective, with no disrespect, could you please keep it down before something nabs us?” Cindy whispered.

  “Sorry, I chatter when I’m nervous. I’ll be quiet. Don't worry, I'll protect you.”

  She about laughed out loud, and thanked him instead, then patted him on the hand and looked the other way. No wind dried their sweating faces, nor did crickets sing on a chilled night like this. The roar intensified and the ground began to vibrate. Instead of seeing the lights shine from town, the rolling darkness took over, blanketing everything in its path.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Cindy gazed around trying to see through the gloom, but it was so dark. Anything could happen, and before she could react, it’d have her. Suddenly, out of the howling around them, eagle-like claws reached down, driving straight through her shoulders. At a loud protest from the detective at her side, she ascended into the midnight sky, gripped in the talons of evil.

  As she flew through the air, a voice whispered, “If I can’t have Jennifer, then I’ll take you instead. But I’m sure it’ll bring her in when she knows I have her mommy.”

  Maddie Ann tossed Cindy to the hard ground. She strutted over next to her, as Cindy lay there frightened out of her wits from the deadly intentions of the girl.

  “You are such a bad person, Cindy Cravens. Little do you know, I have watched you struggle in pain over your sweet, innocent little girl. I must say though, she does have a way of getting what she wants. Not that it intimidates me, but I had to stop her at one point. So I figured if I were to take you, it would be like taking candy from a baby, luring Jennifer in right where I want her.”

  Struggling to free her mouth so she could speak, Cindy managed to move Maddie Ann’s hand. “You leave Jennifer alone. If you want something, you take it from me,” she demanded.

  “Oh, don’t you worry, because before it’s all over, I’ll have all the girls’ mothers, too.”

  Cindy sensed her doom. The evilness blanketed her. It gave her a chilling, eerie sensation along her spine as Maddie Ann gazed straight down into her eyes.

  “What more can I say, Cindy? This has been an easy job over the years, taking innocent souls and turning them into what I want them to be. So you see, no one will ever stand in my way,” she said, scoffing and stamping her little foot.

  “You wait a minute, you little bitch! I won’t let you destroy more lives. You got that?”

  Maddie Ann growled through her hideous teeth. She kicked Cindy’s left cheek hard with the tip of her pointy-toed boot. “No one talks to me like that ever. And I’m not a little bitch; I’m older than you’ll ever be. When push comes to shove, I manage to come out on top,” she said, circling Cindy’s wounded body warily.

  With a wicked laugh as she vanished, Maddie Ann left her stranded in the desolate wilderness in pure darkness. Cindy’s voice carried throughout the cemetery as she yelled for her to come back and face her.

  ***

  With Liz still missing, Claire sat up. She glanced beside her, and saw her mother lying next to her with her eyes closed. Nudging her awake, the other girls noticed Claire had come to and ran over to see about her.

  “We thought you were gone,” Jennifer said, relieved to see her awake.

  “I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” she told them placing her hand on Barbara’s shoulder. Nudging her mother harder this time, she opened her eyes. “How do you feel?” Claire asked brushing the hair away from her face.

  “Claire, it’s you,” she muttered taking her by the hand.

  Claire smiled, then reached her arms around her mother holding her close. “I’ll never let you go,” she said.

  Jennifer looked over at Barbara giving her a funny look. “Do you know where my mother is?” she asked frantically.

  Barb shook her head.

  As Jennifer moved closer to her, she lifted her head and looked her straight in the eyes questioning her. “Where’s my mother?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” Barb replied. “I don’t know. I was abducted on the trail. I hope she made it back to the car.”

  A scream rent the air, and Jennifer recognized the voice. It was Cindy, out there somewhere, lost and in Maddie Ann’s grip. “It’s her, she’s here,” Jennifer cried, jolting from the ground.

  “Calm down Jennifer. I’ll do whatever it takes to find her,” Claire told her.

  “What if it’s too late? What if she has my mother now? I’ve got to get out of here and try to save her,” she said pacing back and forth.

  “Stop it, what do you think you can do, Jennifer? Maddie Ann is too much for your living body and you know it. If we are going to do anything, we have to think of a way to get her.”

  Remembering what they endured, she knew her mother wasn’t safe anywhere in the cemetery. As she turned to look at Claire, Jennifer nodded and knew what had to she had to do. “I’ll see you again, but I have to do this. My mother needs me.” After hugging everyone, she closed her eyes, and vanished.

  My dearest friend, I will never be far from you, Claire vowed silently.

  ***

  Jennifer climbed back in her chilled body and opened her eyes. She was in her parents’ bed, not her own. The room appeared darker than she remembered with a small lamp burning from across the room. Taking a deep breath, warm, damp air filtered her lungs. She sprang up and started screaming out for her mother. Hearing her come to life, Steve rushed to her bedside.

  “Jennifer, you came back, you finally came back,” he yelled.

  The sight of her father’s kind face made her forget her troubles momentarily. But as reality hit, she looked around the room in despair for her mother. When she didn’t see her, she realized it was for real. She was somewhere in the middle of the cemetery. “Mommy where are you?” she cried out.

  Steve wiped away the tears and held her in his arms. “I don’t know where she is, Sweetheart. She’s been gone since early this morning.”

  Fear surged through her. The thought of Maddie Ann torturing her mother made her ill. “I know where to find her, but there is no way for you to get her. Only I can go, because I’m who she wants, not you,” she sniveled.

  Confused, he questioned her. “Who wants who, Jennifer? And where is she?”

  His gaze reached deep inside her soul. It begged for answers that she wasn’t prepared to give. And even if she explained it clear enough for him to understand, how could she cope with his em
otions? She was a wreck herself, but he had to know the truth. “Mommy is in the cemetery waiting for me,” she said as if she was under a spell.

  Steve’s spirited mood faded. His pink-cheeked face, so excited at seeing his daughter awaken, turned a pasty white. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped. “What are you talking about?”

  Getting off the bed, she snatched her clothes off the back of the bathroom door and struggled to get dressed.

  “I asked you a question, young lady. Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, trying to stop her.

  “Mom needs me and I’ve got to save her, even if it means I don’t come back.”

  “Jennifer, I want you to talk to me now,” he said sternly.

  She grabbed her dirty clothes and placed them in the basket. Then she went on as if he never said a word.

  Before she whizzed past him to leave, he grabbed her arm and sat her down beside him. “I demand you tell me what’s happening with your mother,” he said.

  Once again, the fear in his eyes bore right through her. Jennifer jerked away from his grip. Her voice rose. “Daddy, you don’t get it. Maddie Ann has Mom and she isn’t going to let her go until she has me. Why can’t you understand?” she cried. “It has to end, and it’s never going to unless she has what she wants.”

  She threw herself into the pillow, and sulked as her father stood over her. “Jennifer, Honey, please don’t cry. I’m scared to take you out there. Maybe you’re wrong. Maybe your mother really is shopping, like she told me,” he said. His voice lulled her.

  The hatred she held for Maddie Ann made her quiver. While she lay there sobbing, she tried to think of a way to send Maddie Ann back to Hell for good. “Daddy, you’re in denial. I swear she’s there; I know I heard her.”

  Steve ran his hands over his face and sighed. “Fine, I’ll take you. But you have to promise to stay with me at all times,” he said pulling her up off the mattress. “I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.”

  Jennifer wrapped her arms around her dad and held him tight. She knew this might be the last time she hugged him. “Don’t worry, nothing will happen. Let’s just hurry.”

  Grabbing her purse on the way out the door, she heard whispers calling out to her. “Don’t worry my dear friend, you’ll be safe.” It was Claire letting her know she’d protect her on the other side.

  ***

  Jennifer’s stomach gurgled as she gave her dad the directions to the front gates of the cemetery.

  “Honey, are you, all right? You look pale,” Steve, asked rubbing the back of her head.

  “I’m fine daddy, just a little hungry. Please hurry,” she replied gripping the handle on the car door. “Mom is in serious trouble.”

  Making their way out to the dirt road, they drove up to see a car sitting on the side in a patch of grass. There sat detective Brown hunched down by the car. Steve shined his headlights on him. All at once, he stood up to see who it was.

  With no time to waste, Jennifer jumped out of the car, and ran toward the cemetery. With her father screaming out for her to stop, she ran on, ignoring him.

  “Where are you Maddie Ann?” she yelled, “I know you want me, so here I am.” Closing her eyes, she felt her body lift from the ground floating like a feather in the wind. Over the tall wrought iron gate she went, vanishing into the darkness. After flying through the air for several minutes, she felt her feet land. As she opened her eyes expecting to see the evil Maddie Ann, it was Claire and Kari who had brought her inside.

  “See, I told you I wouldn’t let you do this alone,” Claire said smiling sweetly.

  The girls tiptoed through the grounds taking Jennifer to a hiding spot. Slipping between huge rocks as if in a tunnel, they sat there watching for any movement.

  Claire whispered into Jennifer’s ear, “Your mother has the locket around her neck that belonged to Maddie Ann. That’s what they want and to stop anyone who tries to break the curse. We need to find your mom and get the chain.”

  Claire hunkered down beside the rock wall. Eyeing Jennifer, while she sat on the opposite side of the tunnel, Kari turned toward her pointing her finger in her face and spoke such hatred. “If you want your mother found, then you go look for her. You’re going to fix this yourself, Cravens.”

  “Hey, why are you talking so mean? Jennifer did nothing wrong to you,” Claire said tapping Jennifer’s hand. “It was my fault we entered the cemetery.”

  Kari crossed her arms and turned away from them. “I realize after this is all over with, I’ll never lay eyes on my parents again. But we wouldn’t be in this mess if you guys didn’t suggest we come inside the cemetery.”

  Jennifer did the unspeakable. She got up and started to leave. Claire grabbed her arm before she slid through the tunnel of boulders. “Kari’s right, I can’t depend on anyone to do this for me. I’ve already caused enough trouble,” she whimpered.

  Claire’s temper flared. “Where do you think you’re going? Because I know you’re not going out there alone looking for your mother. I will not allow it this time,” she said.

  “No one’s volunteering, so I’m going after her and warning the others. As long as my mother is on the other side, I don’t care,” she said jerking away from Claire.

  Watching Jennifer disappear through the tunnel, the girls directed their attentions to each other. Now that Jennifer exposed herself to the unknown, Claire’s face revealed her worry.

  She tapped Kari on the back. “You’re so cold and insensitive, you know that? How can you sit there like it doesn’t bother you, when you know Jennifer’s out there by herself? Excuse me; I’ve got to go find her. You’re on your own.” Claire rose in a huff and headed out.

  ***

  At midnight, the sky turned hazy with a touch of mist soaking through her shirt. Jennifer prowled around in the dark. Her stomach clenched with every breath she took. Her heart raced and the palm of her hands dripped with sweat. Fear coursed through her body, like a ravaging virus. She heard the unholy laughter of children drawing near as she kept on looking for her mother. The crackling of sticks and dead leaves startled her while she crept along in the gloom.

  Jennifer kicked the leaves and sticks out of her way, accidentally flinging the dirt upward into the corner of her eye. It burned and she blinked trying to resolve the annoying irritation. Although her eyesight wasn’t the best, she was determined to find her mother. She ignored the gritty feeling under her eyelid and kept walking down the path. Ahead in the distance, a dim light shined above the ground. Heading towards it, a loud cry for help rang in her ears. It was her mother. She’d know that voice anywhere.

  Jennifer hurried, not wasting any time. Her brows creased with worry as a revolting thought crossed her mind. Maddie Ann intended to kill her mother. As she moved closer toward the light, she ducked behind a tree and peered out to see if anyone stirred about. Sliding her feet forward in the dark, she lost her balance and fell over into a spiny bush. The needlelike stems jammed into her arms with agonizing pain. She reached for something to help her up, and when her eyes shifted forward, Maddie Ann towered over her.

  “Hello, Jenny, so glad you could join us. Isn’t it wonderful, just the three of us to discuss your bad behavior? At least I spared you the embarrassment around your friends.”

  Jennifer scrambled to her feet. She spotted her mother sitting in the middle of a circle of flaming rocks with her hands tied behind her back. Running toward her, she huddled by her Mom’s side. Maddie Ann appeared in front of them, giving a chilling grin.

  “This is outstanding. Now I can have you both,” she giggled. “Now give me my necklace,” she screamed.

  Jennifer got some backbone and spoke in their defense. “Maddie Ann, I am not afraid of you. You can have me, but my mother goes. She has nothing to do with any of this and you know it. I am the one you want, not her. Now let her go,” she demanded.

  In a shrill voice, she came at Jennifer shoving her backward. “No one yells at me, ever. You’re
right Jennifer, you are mine, but I’ve decided to keep your mother as well. I gave you fair warning about your mouth, but you couldn’t keep it closed. And you snooped around until you were able to get your memory back, so now I’m taking you back. You are rightfully mine.”

  Jennifer grew tired of her threats, knocking her backward toward the ground. Losing wind from the sudden thump, she rocked on her back, eyeing the sky. “I said to stop,” she warned her, “The next time, you’ll know I hit you.”

  Maddie Ann stood up on her little feet. She recovered from the blow, lunged at Jennifer, grabbed her throat, and cut off her air. Cindy screamed for her daughter’s life, and tried to pry the rope loose which cut into her wrists. Maddie Ann then pressed her long sharp nails into Jennifer’s esophagus. She looked deep into her eyes as she struggled to breathe. “Unless I get my locket back, I’m going to kill you now, Jennifer. You thought otherwise I’m sure, but I can’t resist. After death takes place, there will be no pain for you, just a free soul for me to keep, with the other souls I’ve collected.”