The Haunted Homestead

Chapter 16 Does It Get Better?

The next day Raymond woke up to a severe thunderstorm. A clap of thunder that could have the potential to wake the dead. He swung his aged hairy legs over the beside, and gave a brief yawn, shivering from the chilly morning.
"This house is never warm now is it..." thought Raymond.
He looked over at his deteriorating wife. Cancer was slowly killing her softly. Her face got more boney as time ticked on, and jeans were no longer her friend, as they became bigger around the waist. Sharon's once vibrant wavy hair, dulled out and fell out in patches as she combed out her locks. Sharon lay on the bed snuggled to her precious Jewel. Who was currently drooling over her mom's pillow.
As Raymond stared at his family sleeping away, tears filled his eyes. Heartache filled his soul, for he knew that time was ticking for his wife. And the paranormal phenomina ceased to stop. Jewel was contantly taunted by these spirits, but it was a matter of time before it got too far. Raymonf slowly raised his hand to the bruise on his head. Wincing from the soft touch.
Raymond got dressed and treaded downstairs to make himself a pot of coffee. For thay was the only thing that made him feel like a human. Donna and Gerald walked in the kitchen and grabbed a clean mug from the cupboard for their own coffee.
"I just cant believe this shit"  stuttered Gerald with disbelief.
Raymond placed his hand on his father in law's shoulder and squeezed firmly with reassurance.
A few hours later the family managed to go onward with their day, trying to live a normal life. Sharon and Jewel were having a picnic in their livingroom with cookies and milk. Jewel had four chocolate chip cookies, while Sharon could barely eat one.
Jewel knew her mommy wasn't well, and noticed her mother's dying features. Such as her spirit.
That night the entire family sat up playing a family oriented board games, and baby Nicholas was running through the house with only a nappy on.
"Oh Nick, you little streak you" giggled his Gramma Donna.
Nicholas crawled to the entryway to the kitchen and quickly sat up, to look in the kitchen. His innocent mind saw the demonic dark figure, that tormented the family, and began to cry out in fear. Raymond looked over to find his son staring into the empty kitchen, screaming hysterically.
"What's wrong my boy?" Asked Raymond, scooping up his terrified son with a tear stained face.
Suddenly Raymond could hear a faint growling noise, stemming from the empty kitchen. Hair prickled on the back of his neck, sweat beading on his forehead. Donna could feel the growing tension, she noticed her son in law's face so rigid and white.
"Ray, what's wrong honey?" Asked Donna with great concern.
"It's b..back." stuttered Raymond. He could feel his heart beating loud and hard in his chest cavity.
"Somebody please call Angelica! Now!" Commanded Raymond.
An hour later the family heard a knock on the door, and Gerald rushed the door with one stride from the loveseat. He opened the door to find Herb at the door instead of Angelica.
"Oh...come in Herb." Waved Gerald.
"Hey everybody, I know you are expecting company in a while, but I wanted to know if anyone was hurt." Said Herb, with a quiver in his old voice.
"How did you know?" Asked Sharon, her voice so tired and faint.
"I always know when my neighbours need a hand. And Mrs. Marone, if you want to get away from all this, I can help you guys." Offered Herb.
Another knock rattled the door, and Angelica bustled in with a sense of command. She quickly took off her dress coat, and tossed it on the empty loveseat.
"Mr and Mrs Marone, what shook you to the core? Asked Angelica with great concern to her beautiful angelic voice.
"Our son Nicholas was startled by this entity, and then this thing proceeded to go after our daughter." Said Raymond with an anxious tone.
Angelica nodded and walked over to Raymond, and leaned in to look into his tired and desperate eyes.
"How is Sharon through all this?" Whispered Angelica.
Raymond drew a long breath and began to explain Sharon's health to Angelica, she noticed his adams apple bobbing everytime he spoke.
"Oh my god. Cancer?" Gasped Angelica with a hushed voice.
Raymond nodded once more and then looked over to his dying wife, who lay on the couch with her mother. She noticed her fading features and structure. Angelica knew that time was running out.
Suddenly Jewel came downstairs that night in her nightgown, holding her teddybear. She walked up to Angelica and explained that the evil man had returned to her room.
Angelica, Raymond and a very feeble Sharon came to Jewel's room. The putrid smell of rotting flesh filled the small room, knocking everyone's senses into overdrive.
Sharon gagged, and pinched her nose.
"What in the hell is that god awful smell?" Gagged Raymond, trying to hold himself together.
"That my friends, would be the demon. Or Mr Cunningham if that's what you want to say. And he's standing right in the closet there." Said Angelica as her index finger pointed in the direction of the creature.
"Leave my family alone you hear!" Shouted Sharon, as she tightly gripped her husband's bulky arm, with her boney hands.
A sudden an angry voice boomed and shook the entire foundation of the property.
"Shut up you cow!" Retorted the entity.
Angelica quickly pulled out her sage and lighter, and lit the sage. She quickly put on her brave face.
"Mister Cunningham, you no longer live here! You are no longer welcome here! This house and land belongs to the Marone family now! You need to LEAVE!" Commanded Angelica as she whisked the sage smoke towards the demon. The sound of ancient native drums filled the room, and before everyone's eyes, the native man appeared before them. Confronting the demon. The two energies collided with great might but the native man lost the spiritual battle and disappeared. The room grew dark once more.
"Sharon, I need you to go downstairs. Right now." Commanded Raymond.
"Raymond I am not leaving you up here!" Snapped Sharon.
Suddenly the tip of the sage clump caught fire and burned Angelica's hand. She dropped to the floor wincing in pain. She looked at her very blistered hand, and cursed loudly. The trio heard a manly cackle surrounding the room, followed with the heavy footseps of a man wearing work boots.
"Holy hell guys, things are getting hairy. The odour of rotting meat is now slowly filling the downstairs." Said Herb, as he took his cap off and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
"Our children... are they alright?" Asked Sharon full of panic.
"Yes Darlin. Your parents took off with Nicholas, but Jewel insisted on staying. I tried to get her to go." Said Herb with slight frustration.
"Jesus christ" whizpered Sharon with her eyes full of tears.
The demon appeared in the fullest, meanest form the family had ever saw. It's manly face was full of hatred and anger.
"You're daughter is mine Marone!" Grimmaced the entity.
"Not a chance you sick bastard! Go back to hell!" Shouted Herb.
Suddenly Herb's voice no longer sounded old, it sounded more fierce and fiery. A holiest light flashed throughout the room and surrounded Herb. Sharon and the gang were temporarily blinded from such a light. Sharon looked up from her husband's shoulder to find Herb delevoped wings. The most beautiful, delicate but yet strong feathery wings she had ever seen.
"Ray.. look." Sharon pointed towards Herb.
Herb had the demon by the throat, held high in the air, but the demon began to gather more strength to fight Herb back.
"Jewel, I need you to do, what you were born to do honey!" Called Herb while trying to hold his ground.
"Herb what do we do?" Asked Raymond with awe.
"You need to pray. For myself and your daughter. You see she has my gift as well. Except she is much stronger." Said Herb.
"You can't stop me you angelic joke." Lauhed the demon with a growl like voice.
"You cannot use our daughter Herb." Sobbed Raymond holding onto his hysterical wife.
"Don't worry mommy and daddy. I can do this." Chimed in nine year old Jewel, as she placed her small hand into her father's.
"Baby girl I can't let you go." Cried Sharon, with tears streaming down her now rosy cheeks.
"Mommy it won't be goodbye. Think of it as see ya later alligator." Smiled Jewel.
Sharon and Raymond hugged their daughter tightly and sobbed their hearts out. Angelica quickly whipped out her phone and began to record.
"See ya later Alligator." Whispered Raymond as his daughter turned towards Herb.
Jewel suddenly glowed in a beautiful golden aura and grew the biggest, whitest angel wings. Wings that could outshine god himself. Jewel grabbed a hold of the entity and performed a healing choke hold, and began to recite the lord's prayer along with Herb. She shone all her might and she took down the entity. Herb disappeared without a trace, but however, Jewel was left behind. Her body lay on the bedroom floor motionless. The Marone family lost their only daughter that night, as the rain continued to hit the tin roof like it had all day long.