Chapter102 The Two Tommys

The smell of the rotting remains start to get to Deputy Hopkins, and, being how they haven't helped the situation any; he closes the trunks. Martin comments, "Thank you, Deputy; that smell was awful." "Martin." Beth nudges him in the ribs with her elbow. "Ow!" As he rubs his side, he looks over and sees Beth giving him a disapproving look. "Well; it was." "Just be quiet, Martin; will you." "Sorry; I was just saying. It's not like her plan worked anyway. That was one ship that never left port." Cindy spins around and looks at Martin. "What did you say, Martin?" Martin's flustered; worried that he just said another stupid thing to make Cindy mad at him. "I'm sorry, Cindy; I didn't mean it like…" "No." Cindy cuts Martin off as she runs up to him and squeezes his cheeks in her palms, "That's it…that's the answer! Martin, you're a genius!" Martin's not sure what he just said; but, he feels some sense of vindication after feeling as if he was the ‘town fool' through all this. "What was it Martin said, Ms. Lidestrom?" "What keeps a ship in place at port; or, anywhere else, for that matter?" Everyone exchanges glances back and forth, not sure what the relevance of Cindy's riddle is; before one of the state troopers calls out, "An anchor?" Cindy claps her hands together once, and points to the trooper. "Ding-ding-ding-ding!! An anchor…correct! Give that man a cigar! That's why they're making Tommy believe he's still alive, Professor…he's their anchor." "Do you care to elaborate, Ms. Lidestrom?" Mary gets sassy, "Oh yes; please do…Ms. Lidestrom…elaborate for us." "Sure, Mary;" Cindy retaliates with a condescending tone of her own, "but, stop me if I go too fast for you…okay?" Mary's child side comes through, as she sticks out her tongue at Cindy; who reciprocates with a tongue of her own. The professor intervenes. "Ms. Lidestrom; we're waiting." "Sorry, Professor. Anyway; what's usually the case in most hauntings?" "I'm afraid I'll need for you to explain this one out to me, Ms. Lidestrom." "Of course, Professor; sorry. In most cases, hauntings are usually the result of spirits who linger around; either because they refuse to cross over until they resolve an issue they may have had…this being the case with Chelsea…or, they just don't realize that they've died; and, remain aimlessly walking around in a false state of being…which is what's happening with Tommy. The night little miss congeniality over there got the upper hand and killed him; Tommy jumped in her body and latched on in attempt to stay around and continue his business. Little did he know dear old dad would have her killed later that night. Sensing how Mary was the little evil bitch that she was…and, he being no Boy Scout himself… Tommy realized both their souls would be condemned to Hell if he didn't act fast and come up with a way to hang on here." Professor Rhyies interjects, "And, this is where four-year-old Tommy comes into play, I assume; as their ‘anchor', Ms. Lidestrom?" "Exactly." Cindy goes on to explain, "Tommy extracted the four-year-old Tommy persona from within him…cleansing away the evil that was in him at that time in the process…and, left him to be bound in a limbo state in our world. Since the four-year-old, in essence, is a part of him; he can also remain in this state of limbo. And, on top of that, since he's also combined his soul with Mary's; she's still gracing us with her presence as well. As long as four-year-old Tommy's made to believe he's still alive, there's no way he can cross over. So; while he's kept here…essentially as a prisoner confined under false pretenses by his adult self and Mary…those two can remain here as long as they want." "Hold on there, Ms. Cindy." Sheriff Faulkner asks, "It's been about eighty some odd years since he was four; so, why doesn't he find it odd that he's not getting older?" "Come on, Sheriff, to the best of your knowledge, when you were that young; did you really ever think about growing older? He's being kept in a controlled scenario, created by adult Tommy and Mary; unaware of any concept of reality as we know it. Mary's always six-years-old in her appearance…she's not getting older in his eyes…so, why should he? And, God only knows how Tommy presents himself to little Tommy; if he does at all." "So, Kiddo; what happens if Tommy realizes he's dead?" The deputy wonders. Cindy smiles at Mary. "Then; they'd have no choice but to move on." Mary places her hands behind the small of her back, and sashays over towards Cindy; stopping a couple of feet in front of her. "Okay, smarty pants; and, just how do you think you're going to convince him he's dead…especially since we won't let you near him again. Game over, bitch!" Cindy steps in closer to Mary, leaning in within inches of her scowling face, and smiles; while speaking in a calm, soft manner. "Guess again…bitch. You see, whether you realize it, or not…I know that as long as you're here; so, is Tommy…both of them. It's just a matter of getting him to reveal himself to us." Mary converts her scowl to her sinister little smirk and asks, in a low voice, "And; just how are you going to do that, Cindy?" Cindy leans in until the bridge of her nose barely touches Mary's forehead, and whispers, "I'm not…Chelsea is." She walks away from Mary. Mary starts laughing, calling out to Cindy; who's at the other side of the cabin now, "Chelsea? Please! Chelsea's gone, Cindy! She's gone; and, she's not coming back… ever!" Mary turns around and watches Anna rock back and forth in the rocking chair; holding on tightly to Jean-Louise Wadell. She smiles, and walks over towards Anna. Beth attempts to stop Mary by grabbing onto to her shirt collar. Mary grabs Beth's wrists and squeezes them so hard, that she has no choice but to release her grip. Mary pushes Beth aside to the floor, and continues to approach Anna. A couple of the troopers draw their guns and start firing on Mary; only to discover that their bullets are having no affect on the amused spirit. Mary looks at the stunned officers, who are now reholstering their weapons, and laughs. "I can't believe they're actually shooting at me. Tell me something, Cindy; are all the living that dense … or, is it just the police?" Mary throws her arm out to the side; causing the troopers to be telepathically thrust up about four feet into the air, and slammed against the wall. She moves in towards Anna. Mary stops a couple of feet in front of Anna and looks down at her doll; then, laughs as she turns to look back at Cindy. "Don't tell me you still think Chelsea's here in that rag doll of hers! Are you serious? Cindy, I told you that was me talking to Anna; not Chelsea. Chelsea's long gone!" Mary grabs the doll and tries to take it away from Anna. Anna…still in a seemingly catatonic state…wrenches down, and holds onto the doll. Mary pulls the top portion, while Anna continues her hold on the bottom. Eventually the doll rips in half from the force; and, the bloodstained hammer that Anna dug up from behind the cabin falls to the floor. Both Mary and Anna, who's suddenly awoken from her comatose-like condition, jump to the floor to get the hammer. After a brief struggle, Anna's kicked away by Mary; and, slides across the floor into a wall. Mary gets up holding the bloodstained hammer in her hand; poised high above her head like a proud athlete showing off their trophy. She turns to Cindy. "Like I said before…game over, bitch!"