She Watches

by David Duane Kummer

  “You should be afraid of me,” Daniel said to her, still keeping his eyes straight ahead. “There are worse things in this world than you.”

  “But nothing’s as close as me,” she hissed.

  Daniel dived after her, flying off the porch. His arms wrapped around her, but when he thudded against the ground there was nothing. No signs of her, and nothing different except for the bruises on his elbows and knees.

  “Are you even real?” he growled, clenching the grass in his hand and ripping it up. “Are you even real!?”

  Huffing, he climbed to his feet and trudged inside, trying not to think of what just happened. Maybe he was going crazy.

  Hours later, when the sun was rising, his alarm clock woke him and he got dressed quickly. Then he went to the couch.

  As he ate breakfast that next morning, he got a text from Steven saying something had come up and he wouldn’t make it that day, or the next few. So they set a new date for that weekend. Just a few days. Daniel thought not much could happen before then.

  Chapter 9

  Second

  Daniel sat at the kitchen table, swirling his cup of coffee with a spoon. His wife was beside him, spreading jelly on a bagel. Emma was in her high chair, eating a Mum-Mum bit by bit. Lucy was at the table with a bowl of cereal that sat in a puddle of milk.

  Turning to his wife, Daniel began, “Where’s-?”

  “Cassie’s upstairs in her room,” Mary interrupted. “I told her she doesn’t have to come down for breakfast, or go to the park with us. She’s gonna stay here all day.”

  He frowned, but instead of arguing he took another drink. “So we’re going to the park? I didn’t know that.”

  “Yeah, well, we are. Sorry.” Mary took a bite and chewed viciously.

  “Mommy, can we go on a walk at the park?” Lucy piped up.

  “Yeah, we can,” said Daniel, “as long as we is all of us together.”

  “Lucy, we can.” Mary shot her husband a warning glance. “Doesn’t matter what Daniel says.”

  “Is Daddy’s name Daniel?” Lucy asked, eating a mouthful of cereal.

  He stood up from the table and poured the rest of his coffee into the sink. Opening a cupboard above it, he grabbed a beer. Mary coughed loudly, and he took it outside. For the next half hour, he sat on their porch, waiting for her to bring the kids out. There was no need to help.

  Across the road, among the rows of houses, there was somebody standing. The figure was patient, and hid in a shadow where She couldn’t be seen. There was nobody around the neighborhood on the lookout, nobody cautious enough to see her.

  She smiled and turned away.

  <><><> <><> <>

  The park was about ten minutes away from the house, but the walk there seemed even longer. Daniel pushed the stroller, with Emma riding in it happily, turning her head this way and that to catch sight of all the birds. Lucy was holding her mother’s hand, a few paces ahead of them.

  Daniel and Mary didn’t look at each other the entire way there. He slunk behind her, stroller rolling along as he pushed it half-heartedly, doing his best not to think of anything. Leaving Cassie alone in the house wasn’t his idea of safe. He’d locked all the doors and windows, and he had the only house key, but still.

  Just a few more days, he told himself. Then Steven will be here. And then a few days after that we can leave.

  He knew it wasn’t true. He knew that since Tyler was gone, they would be stuck. Their time in Hardy and Marcy wasn’t over. Either they would all survive, or none of them would.

  “Are you listening to me?” Mary demanded, crossing her arms.

  Daniel blinked and stared at her.

  “I asked if you would go get Lucy some ice cream. The good place is a couple blocks away.”

  They were standing by the sign that said “Welcome to Marcy Park.” He shook his head, staring at her pleadingly.

  “It’s not safe for you. Please, don’t-”

  “Go get some ice cream!” she shouted. “And leave Emma here! I don’t care what the heck you think is going on. I’m so sick of it. Just go! And take your time!”

  Without another word, he turned around and left the park, heading back for the main road that had most of the shops and restaurants lined along it. Daniel stuffed his hands into his pockets, fuming, and tried to calm his heart.

  He was terrified and anxious, hurt and angry. Above all, he wanted to go home, but as long as She followed there was no home. Daniel kicked a stone, which flew ahead of him across the road. When traffic cleared, he hunched his way across the road and was soon on the sidewalk, heading away from the park and towards the ice cream shop.

  The wind picked up and tugged at his shirt, pulling it in the direction of the park. He could still see the trees to his left, just beyond the houses. At least they hadn’t rented one of those homes. Right by the woods, sleeping by a dark cluster of trees every night would drive him mad.

  Daniel turned his vision away and focused on the sidewalk beneath his feet, taking step after step until he was inside a colorful, chilly building. There was a counter with two young ladies behind it, and a collection of ice-cream-making machines in the space behind them.

  “Hi,” Daniel said, stepping up to the open register.

  “What can I get for you?” one girl asked him lazily. Her eyes were half-closed, her skin pale, and she seemed to have no interest in her appearance. An abnormal sight when you’re dealing with teenagers.

  “My kid wants some ice cream. She’s over at the park with my wife. So, I don’t know, whatever a 6-year-old wants.”

  “Hot fudge sundae,” she said, turning her back on him. She grabbed the largest disposable bowl and walked over to the soft-serve machine.

  Daniel stood awkwardly against the counter, reminiscing about when the place used to be a book shop. There had been many in Marcy, but now the only one he’d seen was the place with Alexander.

  “Sir?”

  Daniel glanced up from the counter. It was the other young lady, shorter than the first but prettier too. She wore her hair in braids, and her dark skin was flawless. He thought he saw a little of Cassie in her eyes.

  “Yes?” he said.

  “Did you say your wife was at the park with your kids?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Oh, don’t start this!” piped up the first girl from where she was preparing the sundae. “Nobody cares about your-”

  “No, go on,” Daniel said, focusing on the darker girl. “What is it?”

  “Well, I live over by that park, just beside it. And all the neighbors say they’ve been seeing people walking around there, in the middle of the night. One, maybe two. And it happens every night. They all say they’ve been seeing people for a while, even before that boy went missing. So, I’m just thinking that maybe… maybe you shouldn’t leave your wife out there alone.”

  “Do you think the person or people your neighbors see are dangerous?” Daniel asked.

  “I don’t know…” The girl with braids stepped closer to him, lowering her voice to a whisper. “But there was one old man, who lived right next to me, and he said that he got a good look at her. Once. She turned around in the night, and he saw her face in the moonlight. That next evening, he was found dead in his house. They called it a heart attack. But I don’t think so.”

  Daniel took off from the shop, sprinting up the sidewalk before the door had even closed behind him. He dodged around young couples pushing strollers and middle-aged runners, crossing the road in a flash, barely missing a car. He entered the park.

  “Mary!” he shouted, running along the path into the park. “Mary, where are you?”

  There was no answer. His head swiveled around, his vision darting through the trees. A twig cracked to his right, and he whipped in that direction. There was a dark figure in the trees, wearing a hood.

  Daniel leapt off the path and into the forest, smashing through tree branches and stumbling over thorn bushes. The figure turned and ran, jump
ing and ducking under trees. Daniel let out a roar and burrowed through a dense brush, swinging his arms wildly.

  “I see you!” he called, as the figure stumbled.

  He dug his heels into the ground and ran harder, until his head was pounding and she was only a few feet away. They were near the edge of the forest now. He took off into a dive, catching her heel, but felt himself fly out of the trees and sprawl onto the ground.

  She was nowhere to be seen, gone. Around him, Mary was covering her mouth, one hand on the stroller, and Lucy was running over to him.

  “Daddy! Daddy! Are you okay?” she shouted.

  Mary pulled the stroller with her over to Daniel. “What happened?” she asked nervously, bending down and extending a hand.

  “I saw… Mary, we need to go back and get Cassie. Please. I’ll tell you everything then, but just trust me this once. I’m begging you.” Daniel got to his knees and then his feet, wrapping his arms around her.

  “Okay, honey, okay,” she said, patting his back. “It’s okay. We’ll go back to the house. Are you gonna be okay?” She looked pitifully at him.

  He nodded, swallowing hard. “I… let’s just go back.”

  They made their way out of the park, Mary pushing the stroller and Daniel carrying Lucy on his hip. It’d been years since he held her, and now he clutched her like a life raft.

  “I love you, Daddy,” she whispered lazily, her chin and cheek on his shoulder.

  “I love you too, Lucy.”

  His phone dinged in his pocket, alerting him of a text. He ignored it, but a few seconds later it did again. And then a third and a fourth time.

  “Might be Cassie,” he explained as he pulled it out from his pocket. As soon as he turned it on, he set Lucy on the ground and stood shaking with the phone in his hand.

  “What now?” Mary asked, the irritation back in her voice.

  “Cassie.”

  “What happened?” Mary ran up beside him, all attitude gone. “Daniel, what happened to our daughter?”

  “She has her.” Daniel turned to face his wife, grim-faced and holding up the phone.

  On it was a picture of Cassie, shoved into the trunk of a car and with her hands wrapped. There was duct tape over her mouth, ropes entangling her body, and a large gash on her forehead. The picture was taken with her own phone, but the car was one Daniel hadn’t seen before.

  “She has her, Mary. She has our daughter.”

  Chapter 10

  Paranoia

  The next day, with police reports filled out and a sweltering heat over the city, they never left the house. After 3 days, they still had only gone out once, and that was to get groceries. Enough to keep them inside for weeks.

  “Did you lock the door?” Daniel whispered fiercely.

  Mary dumped the bags of groceries onto the floor, with enough supplies for a nuclear bomb shelter. Lucy was on the couch, crying, because Daniel had just yelled at her.

  “No, I didn’t,” Mary mumbled. “I have to go get Emma.”

  “You left her out there by herself!” Daniel shouted.

  Mary stomped towards the door, and returned a few minutes later carrying Emma in her carseat. Setting her down by the door, Mary took her out and carried her to the kitchen. Daniel ignored her and flicked the channels on the television; Emma sniffled beside him.

  “Did you lock the door?” Daniel repeated when Mary sat down beside him on the couch.

  The entire family could be contained on a single, three-cushion couch now. There was an eery silence, as the news channel was playing but muted. The only sound was the occasional whimpering of Lucy.

  “Did you?” Daniel asked forcefully.

  Mary shook her head, closing her eyes.

  Daniel jumped up and smashed his shoulder against the front door, then locked it normally and with the deadbolt. He took menacing steps over to stand in front of Mary’s chair.

  “We. Always. Lock. The. Door.”

  She nodded frantically, a tear leaking out.

  “Mary. We. Always-”

  “I know!” she screamed. “I know, but it’s so hard to remember all your-”

  “Choose your words carefully,” he warned.

  “Your rules, Daniel. Locking the door, locking the windows, closing the blinds, keeping a gun under your pillow, putting knives in the drawers, having the kids sleep in our room… It’s insane! You’re paranoid! How do you expect me to live like this?”

  “You wanted to come here,” Daniel muttered. “I told you I wanted to leave.”

  “We can’t leave now!” She put the baby down on the floor, then glanced at Lucy on the couch. “Go up to your bed, Lucy. I need to talk to Daddy.”

  “I don’t have a bed,” Lucy cried. “I sleep on the floor like a dog!”

  “Lucy, go to bed,” Daniel growled.

  She let out a scream, and then ran for the stairs, scrambling up them and bursting with audible anger.

  “You’re tearing our family apart, Daniel,” Mary sobbed. “We don’t have one anymore!”

  “She’s tearing us apart,” Daniel said. “Not me.”

  “Daniel, I do not care if she is real. You’re supposed to support me, and support us! I don’t… I don’t know what’s happening. We’re in Hell right now, and I don’t know if we’ll ever get out. But you’re taking what she didn’t. Our hope. Our future. You’re taking that.”

  “Whatever.” Daniel marched over to the door and ripped the blinds closed.

  “I’m going to bed.” Mary headed towards the stairs. Daniel didn’t try to stop her.

  “I’ll be up in a little bit,” he called out.

  “Cool.”

  She disappeared up the stairs. Daniel collapsed onto the couch and sobbed.

  Thirty minutes later, he lumbered up the steps, zombie-walked into the bedroom they all shared now, and sat down in a chair in the corner. It was situated by the window, facing the wall so that he could see the street outside and the room inside at the same time. From the corners of his eyes, he was watching every inch of the home.

  “I’m ready for you,” he whispered. And then he sat there the rest of the night, watching and listening and waiting.

  <><><> <><> <>

  Mary woke up the next morning to see Daniel already out of bed and gone. Lucy was gone, too, but Emma was sleeping peacefully in her crib.

  “I swear, Daniel…” she growled, sitting up in the bed.

  As she was about to throw the covers off, the bedroom door opened and light spilled in. Daniel stepped inside carrying a tray. She saw a plate full of breakfast, silverware, and a mug of coffee.

  “I… um, I was really sorry for how I acted. Am really sorry. So, I, um made you this.”

  “Breakfast in bed?” Mary grinned, feeling tears well up in her eyes. “How long’s it been since you did that?”

  “Too long, honey. I’m really sorry.” Daniel approached the bed and laid the tray down on her lap. “I’ve got Lucy downstairs, and she’s playing a board game. When Emma wakes up, holler for me and I’ll come get her, okay?”

  “Daniel, you don’t have to-”

  “Yes, Mary, I do.” He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. “You said it, and you were right. We still have a future, and hope. So… so I wanna make the most of it. Leave the investigating to the police, and hold our family together first and foremost. Maybe… maybe if we leave her alone, She’ll do the same to us.”

  “You really believe that?” she asked him skeptically.

  “Not really. But I believe in us.”

  The rest of that day passed quietly and joyfully. They all stayed in the house, and even Emma didn’t cry almost the entire day. It was one of the best they’d had in a long time. Life carried on for the most part, and Daniel found that for a few hours he forgot about everything.

  But in the end, night fell. As Mary was putting the kids to bed upstairs, the phone rang in the kitchen.

  “This is Daniel. Who am I speaking to?”

  “I�
�m about to leave Indianapolis by bus, and I’ll be in Hardy tonight. You wanna meet?”

  Daniel sighed. “Hi, Steven.”

  “Answer my question. I’m about to go.”

  “I’ll meet you tomorrow morning in the diner. You remember, the old one in Hardy.”

  Steven cleared his throat. “If it’s still there, Daniel.”

  “It’s there, don’t worry. I’m certain.”

  “Okay, okay,” Steven said. He hacked violently for a minute. “Stupid cold.”

  “You got a cold in California?”

  “I got a cold as soon I set foot in Indiana,” Steven growled. “I’ll meet you tomorrow at 9 or 10.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll be there late.” Daniel hung up the phone.

  He grabbed a can of beer from the cabinet, put it back, and went into the kitchen with a bottle of wine and two glasses instead.

  “I’m going to see Steven tomorrow,” he said, seeing Mary on the couch, wrapped in her blanket.

  “Alright. How early?”

  Daniel plopped on the couch beside her with a grin. “Not too early. I can stay up a while.”

  Mary leaned over and kissed him on the lips. “A while?”

  “A long, long time. Just for you.”

  <><><> <><> <>

  In the bedroom, away from them, was Lucy. She lay on her bed, the room completely dark around her, and the sky outside was pitch black. There was nothing to be seen in the room, except for the little girl, with her blankets pulled over her head and a flashlight in her hand.

  On the bed, lying silently, was a notebook opened towards the middle. With a pen in hand, Lucy scribbled away, drawing shapes and signs nobody could understand and nobody would ever see.

  “Sweet dreams, everybody,” she whispered.

  There were no sounds in the house around her. All was peaceful. All was nice and peaceful.

  Her hand flew across the paper, scribbling and scratching. The pen was furiously shaking as it dotted and scraped and drew. There were many things on the pages, terrible things. She continued to write until the effort exhausted her and she grew too tired.