Chapter100 "Remains" to be Seen

"Where's Tommy; Mary?" Mary precociously smirks while replying, "We're not going to start this again; are we, Cindy? I mean really, it's becoming a bit redundant now. Hey, here's one for you; where's Chelsea? Wasn't she supposed to be here today? It doesn't look like she's here yet, Cindy. Oh well, no big loss." Mary's attention is drawn to the two metal trunks lying in the center of the room. "What's in the trunks, Cindy?" Cindy runs her finger tips across the trunk tops; slowly circling them as she asks, "So; you want to know what's in them, Mary?" Mary sinisterly smiles. "Yes, Cindy." "No." Cindy smiles back, "I mean; do you really want to know?" "Yes, Cindy; I really want to know." "Are you sure?" Mary's impatient with Cindy's stalling. "Just open the fucking trunks!" Cindy watches Mary while unlatching the clasps, and, when both trunks are unlocked; opens them simultaneously. Suddenly, a putrid stench permeates the air; and everyone gazes upon the ghastly sight. There, in those trunks, lie the decomposed remains of Mary Howell and Tommy Steinman. Sheriff Faulkner exclaims, "Holy armadillo shit! Slap my fanny, put me in a dress, and call me Susan; are those what I think they are?" "Yeah." Cindy curiously watches an unresponsive Mary. "You know what, Lloyd;" Deputy Hopkins stares at the remains, "I think for this, you could set me up for a dress, too. Where the hell did you find them?" Corporal Nyce answers, "They were buried behind the barn; just like your niece told us." "I thought they were buried under the barn, Kiddo? What happened…how did you know they were behind it?" Cindy's fixated on Mary. Her uncle tries again. "Hey, Kiddo! You okay?" Cindy responds this time. "What? Oh…sorry. I'm fine, Uncle Mike." "Well?" "Well, what?" "I asked you how'd you figure out their remains were behind the barn; when they were suppose to be under it?" "They were buried under the barn, Uncle Mike." "Now, just one darn cotton-picking minute there; Ms. Cindy." The sheriff removes his Stetson and runs his hand through his hair, as he forcefully exhales. "You lost me there. I thought they were found behind the barn; not under it." "Yeah." "Then, how in the tar nations could they've been buried under the barn; if Bill dug them up from behind it?" The deputy notices his niece zoning-out while staring at Mary again. "What happened, Kiddo?" "Huh?" "The remains, Kiddo; how did they get behind the barn, if they were buried under it? How did you know they were back there?" "I realized it last night when talking with the Professor." "Realized what, Ms. Lidestrom?" "The barn, Professor; there was something different about it after it was back up again. I couldn't put my finger on it until you went by that tree." "The tree, Ms. Lidestrom?" "It use to be further away." "Further away, Kiddo?" "From the barn, Uncle Mike; the tree was closer to the barn. Obviously the tree didn't move. I'm guessing their bodies were buried near the back wall of the barn. She must have known we would find out that her and Tommy's remains were out there…and, that we'd try to dig them up. So; when Mary put the barn back up, she moved it. Not too much mind you; that would be too conspicuous. No; just enough to have the bodies located on the outside. Then, she dug a hole in the center of the barn to make us believe that the bodies were moved…but, they weren't…the barn was…about ten feet or so forward I'd say." Cindy looks at Mary, who's mockingly applauding her again; wearing that trademark precocious little smile of hers. "Boy, I'll tell you what, Ms. Cindy; there ain't much happening that you can't figure out now, is there?" The sheriff compliments her. "Well, I'll tell you what, Sheriff; honestly, I have to admit I'm kind of stumped on why the sight of their remains isn't upsetting her…or, causing the reaction I thought it would." A bewildered Cindy stares at Mary. Mary smirks while walking over to the trunk containing her remains; then, looks over to Cindy…facetiously placing her hands on her cheeks…and says, "Oh my; look at me! I haven't aged well; have I, Cindy?" She laughs. Cindy calls out, "Where's Tommy; Mary?" Her laughter comes to a sudden halt; and, Mary sounds disgusted while snapping, "Enough with Tommy already! Give it a fucking rest!" Beth angrily speaks out, "God damn it, Mary; Chelsea's looking for her brother! Where's Tommy at; you, little bitch?!" "Fuck you, bitch! You better watch your mouth with me; or, the next time I take your precious little darling Anna, you won't get her back alive!" Cindy calmly interjects, "Easy everyone. Mary, look; Chelsea just wants to see her brother. She hasn't seen him for a long time; and, she misses him." Mary condescendingly replies, slowly going into a "baby talk" mode of speech, "Oohh…she misses him…boo-hoo, wa-wa." She returns to speaking normally, "Please, give me a break; I haven't seen Davey for a long time either, but, you don't see me going around asking everyone ‘Where's Davey?'." Cindy takes a moment to think before replying, "No, you don't; do you?" She crosses her arms across her chest and starts pacing back and forth in front of Mary, glancing up and down at her; then, slowly shakes her head and starts to laugh. "Oh my God! You're Mary; aren't you?" Mary sarcastically replies, "Am I, Cindy? Are you sure? Duh…you just realized that now? I've been telling you that I'm Mary all along; Sherlock!" Cindy shakes her head and laughs again. "No; you're really Mary…you're Mary Howell." Beth walks up behind Cindy and stares at Mary. Mary scowls. "What are you looking at, bitch!" Beth leans in and whispers, "What's going on, Cindy; I thought you said we're only dealing with Tommy…that, he split his personality between the two of them…and, when he saw their remains; he'd snap back into being just Tommy. What's happening?" "My God; he didn't split his personality…he split his soul! He split his soul; and, combined it with Mary's someway. But; how?" "Don't you mean …Howell?" Mary condescendingly laughs at a perplexed Cindy.