Afterlife Home Agency

19) The Long Road Home

Although we had drove them in my small car it was very quiet especially from Kevin and his mom. I glanced in the mirror and could see she had been crying and had his head against her shoulder as if she were to let go he would float away. I wasn't certain what the hell had actually went down because I remained in the lobby waiting to find out if the two were ok but by the look of loss and sorrow on Jane's expressionless face I knew something was wrong. The twenty minute ride back was just too quiet so I decide to break the awkward tension, "So what the hell just happened? Why did you kill the bird, Kevin?" I ask curiously yet astounded. No one answers so I ask something else, "Are you alright, Melanie?" She nods ever so slightly, "I'm fine had to get seven stitches bit I'm alright. A little scared I'll admit but fine." Jane glances to me as if she was trying to tell me the story but I holding back. I pulled into the yard and park the car just outside the porch steps when we get out of the car the first thing Jane notices is the front door is slightly agape, "Did you forget to close the door, Mrs. Russel?" Jane asks and Melanie runs out of the car quickly going inside the door, I hurriedly follow behind her and push her outside gently, "I'll go inside first in case there's an intruder. I have a knife I'll go look around alright?" She nods rushing back to the car to Kevin who just looks weak and yet angry. "Don't go in there, Kit... Please... Don't go..." Jane yells as I walk inside slowly and glance around. In the living room nothing is moved, the stirs look alright and the house seems just as silent as the way back. I have my knife in hand and walk into the kitchen I can smell something; it smells sort of like smoke but it also smells like cooking... Like flesh. I glanced to the counter and don't see anything out of place until I catch the stove is on and it's turned on high, that's a bit odd why the hell would the stove be on? I ask myself afraid if I spoke though that someone or something would jump out and grab me. I walk slowly to the stove and and see that a skillet is on top of it and inside the skillet is the bird that was killed; cooking on the skillet. That freaked me out so bad I came running out of that kitchen so quickly and I'm basically shaking uncontrollably, "I told you something was wrong... She's angry... She's really pissed." Jane says I turn to look at her and pull her into my chest for a hug, "We need to figure this out, Janie. This is getting strange and even more weirder than I'm used to." I mumble she doesn't answer instead she pushes me aside and strolls inside the house that's when the door slams and locks. "Jane! Janie, Jane what's going on?! Jane! You can't do this alone!" I'm screaming to the locked door hoping she would just turn back around like I did but she never answers.
Inside the house it's thick and heavy it smells of flesh and possibly death... The smell of burning. I look around and have this sudden urge to go upstairs it was something I was being pulled to. Part of me started to walk upstairs slowly and pacing myself; an overwhelming anxiety and fear taking root in my stomach. "Please don't jump out at me, please dont jump out at me..." I mumble to myself as I make it to the top of the stairs and there I see the young girl, Lucy, "What are you trying to show me?" I ask her she acts as if she's walking up to me and takes my hand in her cold one, "Momma made me do it. I didn't want to hurt it, but she made me do it. She made me hurt him... I want to leave... Help me leave..." She whispers begging me which makes me want to cry with how desperate and sad she sounds. "I can let you go, I can free you from this house. You have to follow the light... Go to the light, Lucy." I say still holding her hand. Suddenly I feel a warmth and glow and it makes me feel so safe and comfortable, Lucy turns to glance at the bright light coming from behind her, "All you have to do is walk into it and you'll be free. You'll be free from her grasps..." Just as she walks toward the light and barely let's go of my hand a stern woman; her mother screams from Kevin's bedroom. "You aren't leaving me, goddamn it. You're never leaving me. I own you. Go to your room now." Lucy looks at me and then at the evil woman she calls her mom rushing toward me. "Lucy, go! Run to the light!" I yell trying to assure her but her mother is too forceful, too fearful and strong I then feel a hand to my neck; around my neck and I can feel the life being drained from me. She was gripping my neck so tight and I couldn't breath I was seeing bits of black in my peripheral vision minus the red eyes bat on top of my chest attempting to kill me. Just as I'm about to lose consciousness I feel someone shaking my shoulders furiously, "Jane?! Janie?! Please, Jane wake up!" It sounds familiar but I'm still scared to open my eyes, "Wh-- what-- what's going on?" I mumble trying to open my eyes, "You were being choked, we need to get you out of here. We need to leave. We need to get you out of here, now." Kit says picking me up knowing I was still half awake and aware. "She wanted to leave. She wanted so bad to leave but her mother... She tried to kill me. She wanted to harm us... I need to eat. I need coffee." I mumble he shrugs, "Alright, Janie let's go. I'll take you to the cafe in town." He says carrying me out the door.
I take her to the cafe in town and realize that this case is way beyond me... It's beyond us. "I don't even know what to do about this, Jane. This whole thing... It's getting out of hand and I can't... I can't lose you, J. I can't lose my other half you know what that would do to me?" She shrugs taking a sip of her latte, "Nothing bad is going to happen again, Kit. You know me too well they mess with me because they know I see them, I can hear them. The same thing that happened in Louisiana isn't going to happen again, trust me." Sometimes I hated Jane's ability it always caught me off guard when she beats me to what I'm saying or thinking. "I know, Janie just I don't want you to get hurt... I can't risk losing you, if I lose you what do I do? How do I go on? You're the only family I have left, J..." I feel close to crying and breaking down because every last word was true. I don't know what to do with myself if she were to die or get hurt from a case part of me thinks I wouldn't be able to carry on. "I'll be fine, Kit. Now all we gotta do is get the history on that house. I have a feeling there's more than just two entities in that place... I can feel it.
After we finished our coffees and a long talk about what to do if either one goes before the other we split up. I go to the local library up the street and allow Jane to take my car to the National History Society of Louisville. I walk into the library partially uncertain what to even look for but I know the address that would be my best option right? "Excuse, ma'am?" I head to the desk where an older lady is sitting down reading a novel, "Yes, can I help you?" She smiles looking me up and down. I'm pretty sure I was getting checked out by a geriatric, "Actually yes I need some records on a house I just moved into." She looks dead at my eyes and tilts her head, "Well I'm not sure if we have any early records from the years of 1869-1872 but I believe I can help you. What is your address, sweetie?" I pull out my notebook and flip the pages, " 431 Park Circle." She goes still a minute and doesn't make a move which makes me wonder what's the problem, "Are you ok? Is something wrong?" I ask concerned she shakes her head getting out from behind her desk, "No, nothing is wrong. Just I didn't know more than that boy and his family lived there. Are you related to them by any chance?" She asks going around the large desk signaling for me to follow. "Um no actually I'm a paranormal investigator and I'm just curious about the history of the house is all." She nods handing me a portfolio folder and a couple books, "Well this is only 1920-45 and the books are records of recent owners in the last two years other than that we don't have much on the home itself. All I can tell you is that some very tragic things have happened in that house, a lot of secrets... If you need any help you come find me." She smiles sadly walking back to her desk. I'm left to my own devices from here. I don't know how much actual reading and research I did but I had found a few birth certificates from the 30s and just when I'm about to give up or possibly pass out due to mental exhaustion I come across an article in a newspaper, a rather really old newspaper. It was from the year 1929 in April it was about a small family by the name of the Carlson's; a wife by the name of Melinda, her husband, Torrence and her only daughter and child Lucia. As I read through it the story seemed to unfold a dark and sad tale. "Bingo." I mumbled to myself as I walked to the Xerox machine and paid my ten cents.
The historical society was a very tiny building and I doubted they would offer much help. I walk in through the door and a young man about my age walks up to me, "Hello, can I help you?" I couldn't help but notice he was actually kind of cute with his black rimmed glasses and small pink lips. "Actually yes I'm looking for some information on the house a mile away. I can't exactly remember the address..." He holds his hand up as if he knew what I was already looking for, "You're wanting some info on the Park Circle Manor aren't you? Well I'll admit I haven't lived here very long so I doubt I'll be much help on old records like that but I can tell you the story I have heard." I tilt my head curiously, "You wouldn't mind if I record you while you tell do you? I mean it's for a project I'm doing at Oklahoma State..." He blushed slightly and nods, "Sure I suppose but I'll only tell you what you want to know if you tell me what I want to know." I shrug, "Ok... What's that?" He smiles a toothy grin, "What's your name?" I glanced down and then back up was he flirting with me? Cause that would be the first time it actually worked, "I'm Jane, Jane Henstridge. And you are?" He leads me to a stray table I suppose it was used for research, "I'm Harold, alright well now that we know each other let me tell you a really harsh story about love, denial and betrayal." I take a seat and pull out my recorder, "Start whenever your ready." I say taking my notebook out. He takes a moment and a breath, "The story the locals tell is a rather sad one. Basically the house has been here since the 1900s the early days and a family of eight used to occupy the home, The Allan's. Anyway, they had six girls and two boys and over a period of three years five of the children died mysterious deaths, one was poisoned with mercury, two sons had a suicide pact and hung in the basement. Three had died of typhoid fever in the end the mother went mad and took her own life six months later; a rifle to the mouth. The father was so overcome with grief that the oldest daughter, Melinda Carlson Bonham had inherited the house. She had lived with her younger sister, Amelia in the home for two years before Amelia drowned in the pond behind the home. After Melinda had lost most of her family she hot married at the age of 23 and a year later gave birth to her first and only child, Lucia though everyone called her Lucy. Well the family lived peacefully for almost 5 years when Lucy began to act strange, she saw things, she heard things and over time her father had assumed she was mentally ill after they caught her killing their cat in her room." I couldn't breath I couldn't even think because what I was being told made so much sense, it all pieced the puzzle together. "By the time she was 14 her mother had homeschooled her due to the embarrassment of having a mentally unstable child, the rumor was she kept her locked in the attic when company came over so she wouldn't hurt anyone or herself. Eventually Lucy was never heard or ever seen again, some believe that she died in that attic of her own madness but some believe; very firmly that her own mother had murdered her daughter with arsenic and hid her body in the attic... Never intending poor little Lucy to ever leave that room." I find a few tears dropping onto my hand at the thought of her own mother taking her young daughter's life. "Well I think that's all the information I need if you have newspaper clippings or deeds that would also be helpful." He nods, "If you'll wait right there I'll go get you the only deeds I have. I believe it's from Melinda herself and her husband." I nod just walking around gazing at the shelves behind me full of paperwork. As I'm looking around I come across a large book with the address of their home, before I knew it I had swiped the boom off the shelf and stuffed it in my bag, Harry comes back, "Here you go." I smile, "How much do I owe you?" He shakes his head when I pull out some money, "Not necessary, keep your money. But I will take dinner with you if you want to? How about Friday night at 8?" I shrug thinking silently to myself did that really just happen, "Well actually I'll only be in town till Friday afternoon then I have to go back to Oklahoma. But I will take your number; perhaps a raincheck?" He chuckles tearing a piece of paper out of his notebook and scribbling his number, "Sure, maybe I'll pay you a visit this summer?" I giggle trying to play it off, "Maybe." I add walking out the door. I was unsure of what to say or do next so I had to leave no way would I let a local keep me in this nowhere, but it was comforting to know that I was still attractive.
I was laying in bed once we got home and my mom had decided to take off to pick up Dumb and dumber. I wasn't sure what to do with myself anymore I mean cancer? That wasn't just life changing it was life altering, it was actually beginning to freak me out. How could I have been fine all these years and then have cancer all of a sudden? That's when the upset and anger began to settle in I get up out of bed and find the picture of me and my brother and throw it across the room, "Stupid fucking family..." I mumble. I pick up my computer and throw it at the wall, "Fucking let down computer..." I then see the box, the small wooden box I found in the attic, "This is your fault. This is all your fucking fault you little cursed piece of shit... I'm fucking done with these games!" I yell taking the box and a steel baseball bat beside my closet; I smash it. I keep hitting it and hitting it until it's nothing but small shards of wood, "This is all your fucking fault! This is all your fault you bitter old bitch! Why?! Why did you do this to me?!" I take the bat to my wall next and just start beating into it with what energy I do have left. "Why?! Why?! Why?!" I finally run out of anger and things to say and drop to the ground, I curl in on myself and start to bawl. It wasn't fair; my life wasn't even beginning and it would be over before I knew it. Cancer? How? Why? All of a sudden I feel the air leave around me replaced by intense fear and lack of emotion, I felt I wasn't alone as if someone was watching my mental breakdown. I wipe my tears away from my eyes and I'm met face to face with the older woman in black, shes standing right in front of me next thing I know she has her hands wrapped around my neck and I can't breath, I cant move I can only be pushed down into the floor feeling intense pressure around my neck. "S-stop... S-s- stop..." I'm whispering but she simply laughs at my face as I feel my ears pop and I'm about to pass out just when I believe I'm about to die right here all by myself the feeling is replaced by confusion and pain in my head, eyes and stomach I don't remember anything afterwards except violently convulsing and chocking on what felt like my tongue. "Oh my God, Kevin! Kevin! Kevin, can you hear me?!" I hear someone a woman panicking and holding my head but I can't answer, "Kevin, baby!? Kevin?!" She's freaking out worse than I am, "Someone call 911!" Once I hear that my eyes fly open and what I said I don't remember nor did I feel right but the look on my mom's face was of fear and hurt it was a face I would never forget, "You scandalous whore. How dare you try to take my house over! How dare you try to control my puppet... He is mine now!" Suddenly I feel like throwing up after saying whatever happened and I puked all over the hardwood.