Chapter45 Confrontation at the Barn

Sheriff Faulkner pulls up at the Lazinski place; lights flashing and sirens blaring, after hearing the radio call for an ambulance. After being told by Cindy where her uncle was, the sheriff went around the house to assist the deputy. Within minutes the ambulance arrives; and, while the EMTs tend to Anna, Cindy goes around back, heading for the barn. Her uncle sees her, and goes to stop her. "Hold on there, Kiddo; just where do you think you're going?" "I'm going to the barn, Uncle Mike." "The hell you are…we haven't finished searching the area yet. Get back out front with everyone until we're sure the area's secured." Cindy laughs as she puts her hand on her uncle's shoulder, "Uncle Mike; first of all, if Anna saw this bad man…which could be Charles…then, you're dealing with a spirit. So, there's no way you two would be able to secure the area…unless you have one of those Ghost Buster proton packs in your car?" The deputy shakes his head and smiles. "Now, where did you get that sarcastic mouth of yours?" Cindy smiles back at her uncle. "Gee, I wonder where I could have picked it up from. Let me think about it for a minute, and I'll get back to you on that; okay?" "Alright, Kiddo, you win; go ahead." He steps back and points to her as he's turning around. "But, you be careful!" Cindy gives him a quick, sloppy salute. "Yes sir!" The deputy heads off into the woods with the sheriff; and, she continues on her way to the barn. When she reaches it, Cindy finds herself once again being kept from entering. She bangs on the door and yells… "Mary, open the door! Mary!" She waits a moment, then tries calling, "Tommy; are you in there? Open the door please! Tommy!" The right-side door slowly opens an inch or two. Cindy whispers, "Tommy?" The door opens a little more. "Tommy's not here now, Cindy." Mary steps out; closing the door behind her by leaning against it. "Mary; what happened?" Mary's silent at first; then asks, "What do you mean what happened?" "Something…or someone…frightened Anna." "Really? What; did Chelsea show her ugly mug again?" "Actually," Cindy walks over and leans back against the barn door next to Mary, "Anna claims that she saw the bad man. The bad man…that wouldn't happen to be Charles; would it?" "Yes, Cindy; it is. You're very good at what you do. Much better than that Madame Chybovsky. I'm impressed." "Thank you, Mary. But, I suppose you're not impressed enough to let me in the barn yet?" "No." "Tommy taking another nap, Mary?" "No." "So; why can't I go in the barn, Mary? Before, you said I could go in later; after Tommy's nap." "I changed my mind?" "Why?" "Because I can." "Okay." Cindy looks up, crossing her arms in front of her chest, and exhales; then, looks back down at Mary. "I have to admit it, too…Mary…you're also very good at what you do." "Thank you, Cindy. So; you're also impressed?" "No; not really. Should I be?" Mary looks at Cindy with a stern, scolding expression etched on her face. Cindy smiles; then teases, "You better watch it, Mary; keep making faces like that and you'll be sure to get frown lines." Mary gets a sinister, little smirk on her face as she warns Cindy, "You better watch it bitch; or you may be the next one in shock after seeing Charles." "You know what…I know you don't like being called this…but, you really are a little liar; aren't you, Mary?" Mary becomes irate. "I'm not a liar! Why are you calling me a liar?" "Because when I asked you what happened before with Anna, you said you didn't know anything about it." "I didn't, Cindy." "Then, how'd you know she went into shock, Mary?" Mary's face turns beet red. Enraged, she jumps on top of Cindy, wrapping her hands around her neck. Cindy struggles to escape; but, Mary's grip is too tight. Unable to cry for help, Cindy gasps for air as Mary's small…but, extremely powerful…hands tighten around her neck; as if she were trying to crush her throat. Her body has gone totally limp; and, Cindy falls to the ground, with Mary keeping hold of her neck. She remains at the mercy of a crazed Mary; and, Cindy's convinced it's the end, as she starts to fade into unconsciousness from Mary's attempt to strangle her to death. Cindy's almost completely passed out, when she feels the pressure around her neck suddenly stop; and, air begins rushing through her once constricted airway. She gasps; taking in large breaths of air to replenish her deprived lungs. Cindy's becoming more aware of her surroundings as she slowly sits up. When she returns to a sitting position, she sees Mary pressed into the side of the barn; like someone's pinning her to it. Mary's holding her own neck with her hands…sort of like she's strangling herself…but, not. It kind of looks as if she's struggling to pull choking hands from her own neck. Mary's gagging, as her eyes bulge and tears pour out from them. Cindy can see the veins in Mary's head throbbing. Mary takes one hand from her neck, and uses it to feel her way back the door. She opens the door…falling back into the barn…then, kicks it shut. Cindy rushes to the door to open it; but, can't. Cindy begins rubbing her neck; which is now black and blue. As she turns around, she sees the decomposing, morbidly disfigured, Chelsea with both her arms outstretched in front of her…trembling as she tightly clenches her hands in a ‘C' shape…looking as if she were choking someone. Then her arms stop trembling, and she lowers them down to her sides. She stares at Cindy with those cold, black dead eyes…not saying a word… then, turns around and walks back into the woods. Cindy can hear Mary coughing and gasping for air in the barn. When that stops, she hears Mary yell… "Chelsea, you bitch!"