Chapter57 Anna's Vanishing

Anna's on the porch steps brushing Jean-Louise Wadell's hair; occasionally talking with her. Beth and Cindy watch as Anna communicates with her doll. Beth whispers, "Cindy; do you think that Chelsea could be…" Cindy whispers back, "Maybe." "So, what do we do now?" "I'm not sure. What do you think we should do?" "Why are you asking me; aren't you the expert on the paranormal here?" "Actually, Professor Rhyies is the paranormal expert; I'm just his contact person. I'm kind of winging this as we go along." Cindy folds her arms and stares down at the porch, as a slight frown emerges on her face. Beth places her hand on top of Cindy's arms and assures her, "Well, so far you've done a great job at winging it, Cindy; I don't think we've gotten this far without your help. Thank you." Cindy looks up and smiles at Beth. Beth tells her… "Now come on and let's get this winging thing going. What do you think we should do now?" Cindy watches Anna brush her doll's hair…then, looks over towards the barn…then, back at Anna. She thinks a moment. "Beth; have you or Martin ever been in the barn?" "I know I haven't. I don't believe Martin's been in there either." Cindy walks to the end of the porch, leans against the corner while crossing her arms in front of her chest, and stares at the barn. Beth gets up and walks over to her. "What's the matter, Cindy?" "So far, Anna's the only one who's actually been inside the barn; right?" "Yeah…I think so. Why?" "Care to try something?" Beth smiles. "We'll be winging this; I suppose?" Cindy smiles back. "Flap away." "Sure; why not." "Follow me." As they walk down the porch steps, Cindy has Anna join them; and, they head out to the barn. Once there, Cindy tries to open the doors. As usual, she can't. "Beth; care to give it a shot?" "Okay." Beth grasps the handles and pulls with all her might; but, she can't open them either. "Alright, Anna; your turn." Cindy watches to see if her theory is correct; which is that the doors will open up for Anna…but, they don't. Cindy's momentarily stumped; until it dawns on her. "Hmmm? I wonder. Anna, Honey; do you think you could put Jean-Louise Wadell back on the porch for a few minutes?" "Okay." Anna goes to put her doll on the porch. Beth's curious. "What's that about?" Cindy watches Anna put Jean-Louise Wadell on the porch and explains, "If we're right about Chelsea's spirit being in Anna's doll, Mary won't let Anna in; at least, not with Chelsea." When Anna returns, Cindy has her try to open the barn doors again. This time they open. Cindy tries to enter the barn; but, the doors slam shut. She asks Anna to open the door again; this time, instructing her to hold it open. Anna opens the door and takes her place in front of it. Cindy turns to Beth and says, "Alright, this is it; here I go. Wish me luck." "Wait a minute; aren't Anna and I coming in there with you?" "No; I have to do this one alone, Beth." "Then, why'd you ask us to come with you?" "To see if I was right about Anna being the only one able to open the barn. Beth; something in there doesn't want us in there. If you try to go in there; there's no telling what it would do to you." "And, what about you? Couldn't it try to do something to you too?" "I'm sure it could; but, that's a risk I'll have to take. I have to go in the barn, Beth; I need to feel what's going on in there…feel what happened. I know you may want to go in there, too; but, you don't have to…I do. There's no need for you to take the risk. Don't worry…" Cindy pauses as she looks into the barn, "I'm sure I'll be alright." "Okay…just be careful." Cindy stops, looks down shaking her head, and lets out a short laugh. "Oh God." Beth asks, "What's wrong?" "Oh…nothing. It's just that the last time someone told me to be careful; I wound up being strangled." She smiles at Beth. Beth nervously smiles back. "Sorry." Cindy stops in front of Anna before entering. "Do me a favor, Anna; keep holding the door open for me, please." She gives Anna a little smile. Anna smiles back. "Okay, Cindy; I will." "Thanks." Cindy walks into the barn. As she approaches the center of the barn, it suddenly becomes extremely dark. Cindy turns around and sees that Anna's gone; and, the doors are shut. Cindy panics and rushes the doors; flinging them open. Once outside, Cindy observes it's now night time; and, comes to the conclusion that this is another image she's supposed to see. She closes the doors and waits inside. Cindy's standing in the center of the darkened barn, when she feels a small hand tugging on the bottom of her blouse from behind. She jumps and spins around, gasping as she brings both her hands over her mouth. Looking down, she can barely make out the small, shadowy figure standing in front of her. Cindy takes in a breath. "Tommy?" A flashlight turns on; illuminating the wavy blonde, brown-eyed, cherub-faced four-year-old. Cindy whispers again, "Tommy?" First the boy smiles; then, raises his hand, while extending his index finger out, and places it over his puckered lips as he lets out a soft "Shh". Then, he takes Cindy's hand and walks her over to an empty stall; closing the gate behind them. Tommy grabs Cindy's blouse by the sides and starts to crouch down; pulling her down with him. Again; he puts his finger over his mouth and indicates to Cindy to be quiet. Within a minute or two, Cindy hears the barn door open and close abruptly. She raises her head up to peek over the top of the stall's gate. It's Mary. Cindy watches Mary race up the ladder to hide in the loft; just as she described it to Beth and the professor. Cindy's pulled back down by Tommy. Shortly after that, Tommy start to lift each finger individually in order; as if he were counting on his hands. By the count of eight; Tommy opens his hands and places them over his ears. Suddenly, there's a thunderous crash echoing throughout the barn as the killer kicks in the barn doors; and, Cindy listens as he violently throws things about. Her heart starts pounding when she hears the killer start kicking in the stall gates. Realizing he'll be at theirs any second, she and Tommy cower in the back corner of the stall holding on to each other. The gate flies open and the killer looks in; but, apparently doesn't see them. Cindy relaxes as she realizes this is going to be a residual episode…where the image will just be played out like a movie….and not one where interaction will be taking place. Cindy's also comes to the conclusion that since he's been interacting with her; Tommy's the one showing her this. But why? Cindy leaves the stall to get a better overall view of what's happening. Tommy follows her out; clinging onto her leg as any frightened child would do. Cindy watches the killer begin climb the ladder rungs. She smiles when she sees that bale of hay come flying down and knock the killer off the ladder; sending him crashing down to the ground. Cindy watches in amazement as Mary makes her extraordinary leap from the loft onto the sprawled out killer's back; partaking in a moment of guilty pleasure and enjoyment as she hears his spine crack. Then the finale. Cindy watches Mary pick up the nearby shovel, taking it in her petite hands, and start pummeling the killer in the head with it. She feels Tommy squeeze her leg tighter and tighter, burrowing his head into her outer thigh to cover his eyes; as he lets out a whimper with each thud of the shovel against the killer's cranium. When she stops, out of sheer exhaustion; Mary drops the shovel and runs out of the barn. Cindy and Tommy are left standing in there with the bloodied, lifeless body of the Woodland Falls' serial killer. Cindy wants to move in closer, but, Tommy won't let her; fighting to pull her back. During their scuffle, the then Deputy Roy Jameson enters the barn, pointing his flashlight on the body. Cindy and Tommy stop wrestling, freezing where they are; and, watch as the deputy walks over to the body. Deputy Jameson bends over the recently deceased killer and reaches out to remove the ski mask. Tommy starts screaming at an eardrum-piercing decibel level. Cindy slaps her hands over her ears and drops to her knees from the sudden, intensely sharp pain. Then, as quickly as Cindy was taken back to that night, she looks up and notices she's returned to the present. The barn's lit up from the sun shining through the cracks between the planks; and, Anna's still holding the door open for her. Cindy gives her a smile; and, Anna smiles back. Then it happens. The barn door slams shut; pushing Anna inside with Cindy. A frantic Beth rushes over and tries to open the barn doors. She's pulling so forcibly, that she cuts the inside of her fingers just before the handles break off the doors. Beth stumbles backwards a few yards; falling to the ground, flat on her back. As she jumps to her feet, Beth watches in horror as the barn collapses…with her daughter and Cindy still inside. Beth screams as she runs to the fallen structure. "Anna! Anna! No! Anna! Cindy!" Beth's struggling to move debris out of her way, desperately searching for the two; when Sheriff Faulkner pulls up in the driveway. He hears Beth wildly screaming out Anna and Cindy's names, and rushes around back. "Beth, what happened?" "Lloyd, help! Anna! Cindy! Oh God; they're in there, Lloyd! Help me, please!" The two vehemently search through the wreckage, calling out for Anna and Cindy. Then, they hear Cindy cry out to them; and, Sheriff Faulkner maneuvers through the debris towards the area where he heard Cindy's muffled call. When he reaches her, he carefully helps her out from under a section of cross beams that were pinning her down. Cindy's cut and bruised, but nothing too serious; mostly, she's just shaken up. When she composes herself, she joins Beth and the sheriff in searching for Anna. Two hours pass, and they've meticulously gone through every inch of the collapsed structure. Anna's no where to be found.