The Haunted Homestead

Chapter Seven, The Dreams

A couple months galloped away like a herd of wild stallions, and it was now the hot month of August. Sharon was now thirty nine weeks pregnant with a big swollen belly. Sharon lie in bed on a late Sunday morning with her husband gently caressing her belly.
"I can't believe we are having a boy!" Whispered Raymond to the unborn baby.
"I just can't believe I'm no longer Puking my guts out." Laughed Sharon. Sharon no longer had to hug the porcelain throne everymorning but now pees on it instead
Sharon sat there feeling uneasy about last night's nightmare.
"Sharon? Are you okay honey?" Asked Raymond, one with concern.
"I'm fine it's jus.....just I had the worst nightmare last night." Stuttered Sharon.
Sharon explained to her husband about the reoccurring dreams that have been bothering her. A male entity who dressed in a sharp eighteen hundreds suit and top hat. The face was almost skeletal, and his mean sunken in blue eyes burned into Sharon's mind. The entity "resides" in their new found attic space.
That early afternoon, Raymond walked the horses to their pasture and began mucking their stalls. He was in the midst of filling a wheelbarrow of manure, until he heard the sound of thundering hooves and frightening snorts from the horses. Raymond walked out of the barn holding a crowbar firmly in his hand, but saw nothing.
"No idea what that was but whatever." Thought Raymond to himself.
Raymond pushed the wheelbarrow to the enormous manure pile near the compost box,  and dumped the putrid load. He was on his way back to the barn until he saw Sharon waddling out of the front door, pale and in pain.
"Honey are you alright?" Asked Raymond.
" I don't know. I'm in pain and I feel funny, so I called the midwife. She will be here in ten minutes." Groaned Sharon.
"Kay babe." Replied Raymond.
Sharon and Raymond were in the barn hanging up horse brushes and other tools, laughing and carrying on and continued discussing the recent events in their lives. Suddenly a sharp pain sends Sharon buckling to the dirty barn floor. Raymond helped her up but noticed clear fluid trickling down Sharon's thighs. She moved her hand to the wet spots on her pants and began groaning from discomfort.
"Ray, our little boy is coming today!" Moaned Sharon.
Raymond helped his labouring wife back to the house and walked her to the living room couch. Raymond barreled upstairs to grab a few blankets for Sharon and the baby. Sharon's loud grunts and groans spun Raymond's thoughts around.
"Here babe, lay on these." Insisted Raymond laying down the blankets for her.
Jewel walked out from the kitchen and stared at her mother labouring on the living room floor.
"Mommy what's Wrong? " panicked Jewel.
"She will be okay Jewel, your brother will be here soon. Grab a snack, and go upstairs to play." Ushered Raymond.
"Okay." Sniffled Jewel walking back upstairs.
Raymond her the sound of car door slamming shut and footsteps trailing to the front door. The midwife knocked once and entered with a few bags of tools and sanitation kits.
"I'm sorry I was a few minutes behind Raymond, some dote was staggering along the road and collapsed." Bustled the midwife.
The midwife heard Sharon's loud screams and groans from pain. She quickly hurried to Sharon's side. She slapped the gloves on, and reached through Sharon's vagina to check how dilated her cervix was.
"You are at a full nine centimeters!" Said the midwife.
Raymond dropped to Sharon's side, and rubbed her back and belly to soothe the pain. Suddenly Sharon felt a familiar painful, popping sound coming from her groin.
"Oh my God ray, the baby is crowning!" Shouted Sharon in pain.
Sweat pouring, and she's placed herself in the birthing position, she began to push.
"I see his head Sweetheart." Wimpered Ray, he was feeling emotional about his first little boy being born.
Sharon pushed one more time, and a healthy baby boy was born weighing seven pounds, ten ounces.
"Congratulations Mrs.Marone." congratulated the mid wife.
Sharon sauntered upstairs to turn on the shower to the hottest water temperature,  so she could clean herself up. Raymond and Jewel sat on the living room couch holding their new family member.
"Isn't he just a handsome boy?" Cooed Raymond.
Jewel smiled and nodded her head in agreement,  she felt a sense of maternal love for this new baby.
"Can I hold him?" Asked Jewel with a big smile.
"You sure can sweetie." Said Raymond placing the new baby in Jewel's arms.
Raymond quickly cleaned the dirty blankets up and tossed them in the fire pit. Sharon slowly walked downstairs to find her eight year old daughter holding her newborn son. Sharon stood still and quietly observed her children bonding. A sudden sense of worry fell over Sharon, for she wondered if the spirits would harm her family. She heard Herbert's voice coming to the front door.
"Good afternoon Herb." Greeted Raymond from the kitchen.
"Well where's the little fellow?" Asked Herbert holding a little gift bag.
"He's in with Jewel." Yawned Sharon pointing in the direction of the living room.
"HI Herb!" Squealed Jewel.
"Hi sweetie." Greeted the old man with a big smile.
Herb lifted the bag onto the couch, and had the Marone's open it up. Raymond pulled out a weird charm that was blue and circular, with a strange design on the top.
"What is it?" Asked Raymond confused.
"It's called an evil eye charm. Supposedly it protects the property from an evil spirits. I figured it was an old house and property, it wouldn't hurt." Said Raymond.
That night the family was nestled into their beds, but Sharon lied awake in her queen sized bed. Even though she was worried about what may happen at night, her heavy eyes slowly shut , and she was back in dreamland. Her dreams were about the homestead adventures, until a familiar terrifying figure appeared in her dreams. He was hovering over Jewel's body, skeletal hand was caressing her cheek. He then linked her neck with a long thin tongue like a snake.
"Get away from my daughter!" Shouted Sharon at the entity.
But the figure whipped his head in Sharon's direction and maliciously grinned at Sharon,  sending chills and fear down her spine.
Sharon woke up sweaty with tears pooling her eyes. Herb may be a kind old soul, but he has no clue that things will get a lot worse.