Chapter15 Collapsing of the Barn

A little after three in the morning; Beth's sitting on the back porch, taking advantage of the serenity at this time. It's not long before the peace is disturbed. "Tommy! Tommy! Answer me! Where are you, Tommy?!" Beth hears Chelsea calling from the woods, and closes her eyes; hoping she won't come her way. As Chelsea nears, Beth squeezes her eyes shut tighter. Then she feels it. Beth senses the delicate touch of a small hand resting on her left shoulder; immediately followed by hearing the quiet giggling of a toddler. Although she hasn't opened her eyes; Beth has a feeling whose hand it is. Tears run out the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks as she swallows to fight the lump forming in her throat. She whispers… "Tommy?" As the hand leaves her shoulder, Beth hears small footsteps walk around her; then, feels a child sit beside her. Beth wipes the tears away upon opening her eyes, and slowly turns her head; then, quickly draws her hand over her mouth and gasps, as her eyes begin to welt again. Sitting beside her is a small boy with wavy blonde hair and big, round, soft brown eyes; wearing an old-fashioned, navy blue child's sailor suit. "Tommy, where are you?!" Chelsea continues calling for her brother. Tommy signals Beth to keep quiet by placing his finger over his puckered lips; then, lowers his finger and smiles at her. Beth attempts to smile back; but, has a difficult time doing it. Tommy gets up and runs off. Beth stands and watches him enter the barn. Chelsea appears from the woods. "Tommy! Tommy!" Beth calls out, "Chelsea!" Chelsea continues wandering around calling for Tommy; unaware Beth's calling her. "Chelsea!" Again, no response; so, Beth tries, "Chelsea Delores Steinman!" Chelsea stops, turns, and stares at Beth. Then, Chelsea starts screaming high-pitched, blood-curdling, cries of pain and torment; that pierce Beth's ear drums, and vibrate through her entire body…feeling as if an electrical current was coursing through it. Beth clamps her ears shut with her hands, yelling, "Stop it! Chelsea, stop it! Stop it now!" Chelsea continues. Beth tries again. "Chelsea Delores Steinman; you stop that screaming now, young lady!" Chelsea stops and stares at Beth with a perplexed expression on her face, standing motionless; not uttering a sound. Beth's looking back at Chelsea…who's still as horrific looking as the first time she saw her; and, carrying that same stomach-turning odor. Beth attempts to talk with her. "Chelsea, Honey; what happened?" Chelsea looks around without saying anything. "Chelsea, what happened?" Chelsea continues looking around. "I can't find Tommy; have you seen him? I have to find Tommy." Not knowing what's happening between the siblings, Beth lies, "No, I haven't seen Tommy. Where was he last? What happened?" Chelsea looks at Beth bewildered. "I don't know. I can't remember; it's been so long. I've been looking for him for so long." "Take your time." Beth tries helping Chelsea to remember. "Think Chelsea; where were the two of you last? What were you doing?" Chelsea stares down at the ground; looking as if she's trying hard to concentrate. She looks back to Beth. "I think we were in a cabin." "A cabin? Good; where was it at, Chelsea?" She thinks for a moment before answering, "The woods." Beth starts becoming frustrated. "Of course it was in the woods; but, where? Where in the woods? Around here?" Now agitated, Chelsea angrily hollers, "In the woods! I don't know where! Just in the woods!" Realizing she's not helping by getting angry with Chelsea, Beth composes herself and calms her tone. "I'm sorry Chelsea, Honey; I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just trying to help you figure out where the two of you were last; so, you can find Tommy." With a look of deep concentration etched on her ghostly, pale face, Chelsea looks to the ground while taking in a breath. After a moment of reflection, she looks back to Beth. "We were in a cabin playing, I think; then, I was at the lake. Do you think maybe he's still at the cabin?" Still unsure if she should tell Chelsea about seeing Tommy, "I don't know, Honey; maybe. Have you been back to the cabin to look for him?" "No." "Well; maybe you should go back to the cabin and see if he's there." Chelsea becomes silent, and looks back to the ground. Then, she snaps her head back up at Beth and yells, "No!" Taken aback by Chelsea's outburst, a momentary silence passes before Beth asks, "What's wrong?" Chelsea looks to the ground; then, back to Beth. "I don't want to go back there." "Why?" "Because." "Because why, Chelsea?" "Just because." She walks off into the woods. "Tommy! Tommy! Where are you, Tommy?" Beth listens as Chelsea's calls become fainter. And, when she no longer hears them, she runs to the barn; and, quietly calls into there… "Tommy? Are you in there, Tommy? She's gone now, come on out. Tommy?" Nothing. "Tommy?" "Tommy's gone," Mary answers from in the barn. Beth steps back from the doors…which are slightly open…and peers into the barn, trying to catch a glimpse of Mary; but, only sees darkness. She calls into the barn… "Mary?" "Yes, Beth?" "Where's Tommy?" "Gone." "Where did he go?" "I don't know…away from her." "Why is he avoiding her?" "She killed him, Beth; why would he want to be around someone that murdered him?" "How did she kill him?" Mary doesn't answer; so, she asks again, "How did she kill him, Mary?" Mary changes the subject. "Did you ask the Sheriff to look for Delilah's body at the old Johnston Farm?" Beth doesn't answer. "Beth?" Beth crosses her arms while glancing up into the night sky…biting down on her lip in a similar fashion to the way her daughter does…then, looks back into the barn and yells, "She's not dead, Mary!" After a brief pause, Mary responds, "What do you mean she's not dead? Yes she is." "No; she isn't." "Beth; Delilah's dead. They killed her." "No, she's alive; I saw her! Why did you lie to me, Mary?" Mary angrily lashes out, "I didn't lie! Delilah's dead! I saw them bury her body!" Asking with total disbelief in her voice, "What do you mean you saw them bury her? Who buried her, Mary?" "Some of the townspeople; a few nights ago." "Mary; I spoke with Delilah the other morning….she's alive. Why are you lying?" Mary bursts out with a loud, booming echoing-holler that sounds as if she were yelling into a microphone in an empty amphitheater. "I AM NOT LYING!!!" The barn doors violently fly open as a powerful wind gust…similar to that of a hurricane…forces its way out from the barn; knocking Beth down. After the wind subsides, all the doors keep flying open and slamming shut. Beth, still on the ground, scurries back using her palms and heels to propel herself to what she feels would be a safe distance. She stops…and, so do the doors. For a moment it's quiet… Then…the barn collapses.