OLD MAN MALONE RETURNS

by Marianne Spitzer

  ########

  Drew asked, “Who wants to watch a movie? We have comedy, mystery, sci-fi, murder, black and white classics.” He could tell from their faces that they were not amused by the mystery or murder suggestions. “Okay, how about an old black and white comedy film? We can’t go wrong with that.”

  They all settled in and found themselves laughing and enjoying the movie when the lights flickered. “Let’s hope that’s as bad as it gets,” Kellie said as they flickered again and went out.

  The flames from the fireplace danced. Taylor huddled under her blanket. Austern brought in a hurricane lamp and several candles, but Kellie suggested they use a table lamp considering Taylor’s fear and her recent ordeal.

  “I’ll place the hurricane lamp in the bathroom. If I leave the door open, you’ll see it from here. It’ll light part of the hall.”

  “Good idea, Austern,” said Drew.

  Taylor peeked out from under the blanket as the table lamp was turned on. Drew picked it up and placed it on top of the small bookcase. It sat higher than on the table shedding more light and was closer to Taylor. Drew turned on his battery powered radio to an easy listening station and everyone settled in for what they assumed would be a long night. To their surprise the sun woke them almost as soon as they settled down.

  “It’s daytime, night’s over,” exclaimed Taylor as she rushed to the window. “Hey, it stopped snowing, too.”

  Hunter looked out and said, “We got a ton of snow. I can’t see where the yard ends and the street begins. The kids down the block are making snowmen. No one’s going to work today, why don’t we make a snowman worthy of living in front of the Malone mansion.”

  They ate cereal bars for breakfast deciding to leave the soup which was fairly hot for when they returned from the cold. They dressed and headed outside.

  Austern smiled as he watched the four playing in the snow and build a huge snowman. He laughed as they began a snowball fight. Leaning close to the window to get a better look, he heard a sound behind him. The house should be empty. He furrowed his brow and and turned to see the figure in black.

  He looked directly at the figure. “Don’t try anything with me, old man. I know your secret. It is all written down and with three separate attorneys. Anything odd happens to me and it all becomes public. All you have left is your name and your pride. If your secret gets out, people will be so disgusted; they’ll change the name of the town. People might forget this town was built on prostitution money, but the money you took for what happened at the mental asylum will sicken people. You should burn in hell for what you did to those poor souls. Now leave me alone.”

  He turned back to watch the fun in the front yard. The figure in black knew he was right. He couldn’t touch Austern no matter how much he hated him now. Anger consumed him, he spun, and disappeared.

  ########

  Four snow covered young people came in the back entrance dropping their outer clothes in the back hall. They put on dry clothes and enjoyed the very warm delicious soup. Around four in the afternoon they heard the snow plow come down the street. Drew and Hunter plowed the drive, and an entrance for their cars to get onto the street. Fortunately the mansion had a pickup in back with a small plow attached for winter.

  Drew said, “Can you imagine doing all of that with a snow blower?”

  “Or a shovel,” Hunter added.

  They enjoyed an odd dinner of crackers, peanut butter, jelly, potato chips, pepperoni sticks, and cookies. After the sun set, Taylor sat on the sofa as close to the light as possible. She would never tell Hunter how terrified she was after her ordeal. Taylor and Kellie were extremely close. Kellie would help her any way she could.

  Close to ten, they decided to settle down for the night, when the lights flickered on for a few seconds. “Oh please,” prayed Taylor. Her prayer was answered. About five minutes later they flickered again, and then came back on. Taylor cried with joy. Although the power was on, the house was cold. They spent another night in the parlor. The sun woke Taylor again and the house was warm. She was thrilled.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The cold never prevented Kyle from doing his chores around the farm. “I’m going to go out and start cleaning the barn. If we’re going to buy new animals, I want it to be free of any poison residue that could harm them. I don’t want to lose more animals.”

  “We can afford to hire a professional. I’m worried about you being exposed,” Becky said as she reached out to grab his hand.

  “The vet gave me a mask to wear. We’ve had the windows open. There’s fresh air moving through the barn. I’ll be okay. I’ll clean up in the sleeping quarter’s showers and change clothes before I come back in.”

  “I’m worried. Maybe we should burn it down.” She kept drying the already dry counter with a towel, not looking at Kyle. She turned her face away from him to hide her tears.

  “It’s a new barn. Cleaning it will be easy and to ease your mind, I’ll have the professionals give it a once over to check for anything out of the ordinary before we use it.”

  She nodded as Kyle headed to the barn.

  ########

  Kyle had to rid the barn of all traces of poison and decided to start with the hay. After filling large hazardous waste bags with the hay, he would deliver it to the waste facility. Then he planned on washing every surface with a solution he purchased from the cleaning company.

  He had filled the fourth bag when he heard a quiet chuckle behind him.

  He pushed the pitchfork into a pile of hay and said, “Becky, you shouldn’t be out here. Go back to the house.”

  “Do I look like Becky?” the dark, gravelly voice answered.

  Kyle spun and came face to face with the figure in black. He resembled pictures of his grandfather. This face was gray and the eyes dark as pitch. The hood covered most of his head, but Kyle could see the evil grin on the face clearly. The skin around his smirk was peeling and a few strips of loose skin hung down to his chin.

  “Who…who are you?”

  Kyle’s eyes stared straight at the figure. He pulled them away long enough to scan the barn for a weapon. Grabbing the pitchfork that was leaning next to him as he backed into the wall, Kyle took a defensive stance.

  The figure in black laughed at him. “You can’t kill a dead man, kid. Kellie is the oldest. Her demise will wait until the end. I guess it’s your turn now. ”

  Kyle lifted the pitchfork and took a step toward the figure. The laughter emitted from the figure made Kyle’s skin crawl. The figure pointed at the bags of hay. They burst into flame. The flames quickly spread to the rest of the hay to be bagged.

  Kyle couldn’t see any way out except a window. The figure in black stood between him and the window. Kyle moved toward it.

  The figure in black laughed louder. Its maniacal tone reverberated through the barn. “This is going to be fun, kid. You, me and the flames.” He spun his hand and the flames leaped higher.

  Finishing her work in the kitchen, a sudden shudder hit Becky. She glanced out the kitchen window toward the barn. When she saw the flames she let out a small scream. She grabbed the cordless phone, dialed 911, and gave their address as she ran to the barn. Becky dropped the phone and grabbed the hose. She had to struggle with the valve to get it open. It gurgled and spat air which seemed to take forever. Becky prayed for help as she waited for the water. She could see the flames grow higher. The water finally began to flow. Turning it on full force, she did her best to pour water on the flames. Kyle’s screams for help escaped through the barn doors..

  “I’m here, baby. The fire department’s on the way. I’m trying to hose down the flames. Hang on, I love you, Kyle,” Becky screams.

  The figure in black screeched as the power of Becky’s love slammed into him, “Damn, love.” He spun and disappeared leaving nothing but black soot behind.

  Kyle was free of the figure in black. The flames grew closer. He jumped through the window as the flames over took the barn.

&n
bsp; He was lying on the ground a safe distance from the barn gasping for air when the volunteer fire department and county rescue squad arrived. Oxygen was administered immediately, and he began to breathe more normally.

  “We’re going to take him to the hospital to be sure he’s okay,” a paramedic told Becky.

  As they lifted Kyle’s stretcher to place it in the vehicle, he reached out and grabbed Becky’s arm. His grip left ash on her sweater sleeve.

  “Be careful. Call Kellie. Warn her, too. It was Grandfather Malone that started the fire.”

  Becky shuddered again. How could that be? She stayed long enough to tell the police she had no idea what happened. When the police left, Becky ran to pick up the phone she had dropped in the yard. She grabbed her coat and purse as she dialed Kellie’s number.

  “We had a fire in the barn. Kyle’s been taken to the E.R. He said to call and tell you your grandfather was here, and started the fire, but he’s dead. Isn’t he? Oh my, I have to get to the hospital,” Becky’s breathless voice was barely audible.

  “I’ll meet you there,” Kellie assured her.

  Kellie turned and told Drew, “The old man tried to kill Kyle. He set fire to their barn. Kyle’s on his way to the E.R. I’m going to meet Becky.”

  “Not without me,” he said. They hurried to Kellie’s SUV to drive to the E.R.

  ########

  They found a nearly hysterical Becky pacing around the room in a circle. She clutched her purse to her chest, her hands visibly shaking. “I’m so glad you’re here. They won’t tell me anything except Kyle is responding to treatment, but I don’t know what type of treatment. I’m so scared,” her voice cracked as tears filled her eyes.

  “I hate to do this,” Kellie said, “but when all else fails the Malone name carries weight.”

  Kellie strode up to the front desk, “Excuse me, my name is Kellie Malone, and you’re treating my cousin Kyle Malone right now. No one will give his wife any information on his condition. My attorney sits on the hospital board. Do I need to call him to find out Kyle’s condition?”

  The nurse sucked in her breath and stuttered. “No, Miss Malone. One moment, I’ll find his doctor and nurse.” Her head bobbed up and down as she rushed down the hall.

  Kellie turned toward Becky, twisted her lips, and shrugged. “Sometimes the name helps.”

  Drew sat in the corner hiding his glee over Kellie’s act although he was quite concerned about Kyle. His wife could be a whirlwind when it came to family. Kyle and Becky became a big part of Kellie’s life after they found out they were cousins. As an only child, Kellie was thrilled to have found new family members. It was the best thing that came from her being the biological granddaughter of Old Man Malone.

  A few minutes later a young doctor appeared from the closed doors leading to the exam rooms and asked for Becky.

  “I apologize for the wait. It has been a hectic afternoon. Your husband is going to be fine. We’re giving him some breathing treatments to clear his lungs of any smoke. We drew blood for tests to be sure none of the chemicals he was cleaning are in his system.”

  “Thank you, doctor. May I see him?”

  “Yes, but only two at a time. I would like him to relax while he’s receiving his breathing treatments. Try to keep him from talking.”

  “Okay, thank you.” Becky looked at Kellie. “Please come with me, you have to hear what Kyle told me before they brought him here.”

  Kellie followed Becky into Kyle’s room. Becky burst into tears when she saw him in the hospital bed using an inhaler. Kellie tried to calm her by explaining he was breathing in the medication that would help clear his lungs.

  He took a deep breath of the medication. As he exhaled he tried to speak. “Don’t cry, Bec, I’ll be fine.”

  He drew in another breath of medication and exhaled. “Grandfather Malone started the fire,” He needed to inhale again before he could speak.

  “Don’t try to talk, baby,” Becky said as she laid her head on his shoulder.

  Kellie walked to the other side of the room and sat in a chair. She rocked back and forth as she watched Kyle. She bit her lip and nodded to herself. She had to know. “Kyle, did he appear as a figure in black with gray skin and black eyes?”

  Kyle nodded. Becky’s tears ran down her cheeks.

  “He started the fire. He said I had to die before you,” he said quickly. Drawing another breath he added, “A wave of his hand increased the flames.”

  A nurse hurried into the room. “Mr. Malone, we asked you to try and remain calm. Your heart rate keeps increasing. Are you feeling well?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. I got a bit excited.”

  “Okay, but remain calm or your visitors will have to leave.”

  He nodded.

  “Don’t speak, Kyle, remain calm. We have seen him before. I’m not sure why, but he seems to want me dead. I thought it was only me, but it must be all his descendants.”

  “Is Becky safe?” He grabbed his wife’s hand as he clutched at his chest.

  “I’m not sure. He’s also after Drew. I’m supposed to suffer the loss of my loved ones before I die. We’re working on it, and we’ll beat him at his own game. He seems to want to be the only Malone. He also wants the house to himself. I’ll have the house torn down, if this goes on.”

  “Keep me informed. What can we do?”

  “I will, I promise. Stay together at all times. Love seems to stop his evil,” Kellie said.

  “The fire was growing. I heard Becky yell she was getting water and that she loved me. He screamed and disappeared.”

  Kellie leaned over to hug him, and asked Becky to let her know when they’d be home. She’d visit. “Stay close to each other.” They promised.

  Kellie’s tears began to fall as soon as she left Kyle’s room. Responsibility for what happened to Kyle pulled at her heart. She believed she had put him in danger when she shared the inheritance her grandfather left her.

  Drew saw her and jumped up, “Is Kyle okay? What’s wrong?”

  “He’ll be fine. The old man tried to kill him. Please sit down.”

  Shocked by Kyle’s encounter with the old man and his near death experience, Drew stood and paced around the waiting room. Kellie and his friends would need his help. Ready to stand at their side, he drove Kellie home prepared to face whatever danger lay in their path.

  Chapter Twenty

  Two days later the streets were clear of snow, and the town was returning to normal. Monday had everyone, except Kellie, returning to work. She hung around the house reading ahead for her spring classes. Cole called in the afternoon to ask if he and Andrea could stop by that evening. Kellie insisted they come for dinner. Hearing Cole and Andrea were coming to dinner, made the group happy. They missed them not being there every day.

  A little after six, the front doorbell chimed. Austern answered and took Andrea and Cole’s coats. He informed them the rest of the household was in the dining room. They joined the other four for a wonderful dinner. Good food and pleasant conversation were enjoyed by everyone.

  After dinner, they retired to the parlor. Andrea finally said, “We actually have a reason for coming over. The medium said we should stay together and be as close as possible. Cole and I thought about that, and we felt the need to be closer. We eloped today.”

  “What!” Kellie and Taylor said at the same time smiles broadening and happy tears forming in the corners of their eyes.

  Everyone was hugging Andrea and the guys were patting Cole on the back. They were happy for Cole and Andrea. Laughter filled the parlor. Kellie took a deep breath and sighed in relief. As a married couple they would be closer and safer.

  The figure in black groaned. None of his plans were working. Austern’s threat angered him. He needed to consume someone’s spirit soon, or he would lose all his power. It would be more difficult the closer they became. He needed to separate them, catch at least one on their own. It must be done soon.

  Taylor told Cole and Andrea about
her encounter with the man in black. Hearing the terror in her voice brought back feelings of the horror Cole felt when he found Andrea in the tub. Feeling more anger than he thought possible, he needed to work off his anger.

  Cole paced back and forth between the library and the music room. His anger at the old man was growing. He had nearly killed Andrea and attacked Taylor. How much more did the old man expect them to sit back and take? The others were in the parlor letting Cole blow off some steam. All heads jerked up at the sound of Cole’s voice thundering through the house.

  “You are a coward, old man. You pick on helpless women. Do you have the guts to fight a real man or will you stay cowering in whatever places you find safe?”

  Everyone ran to find Cole, knowing that calling out the old man was not the best thing to do. They all stopped in their tracks when they saw Cole standing in the library facing the figure in black. Cole’s hands were balled into tight fists as his fore arms shook. The old man mimicked him and laughed. When he shook his fists at Cole the walls in the entire mansion quaked. The floors under their feet shook. Cole lifted his arms and shook his fists back. A howl began in the library and traveled through every inch of the mansion. It grew louder and more menacing. The vibrating caused a lamp to crash to the floor and Taylor’s scream added to the commotion. They watched the old man purse his lips and blow toward them. Immediately, the air filled with the rotting smell of decomposition. Andrea gagged. Cole laughed and stared at the old man.

  “How dare you insult me,” a growling disembodied voice surrounded them.

  “It’s not an insult. It’s the truth. You’re a coward. A weakling. A nobody. You shame the name Malone,” Cole’s steady voice and solid stance angered the old man.

  A loud scratch emitted from the figure in black. He spun spraying the room with soot. As he spun close to the wall, he grabbed the sword hanging on display. Lifting the sword, he laughed again. He spun the rest of the way around slicing into Cole’s right arm. Blood ran down his arm. Andrea screamed as Cole collapsed to the floor. The figure in black raised the sword to strike again. He paused. The air filled the room with a soft fragrance of flowers. Between the figure in black and Cole’s prone body, a misty figure appeared. She looked exactly like Kellie, and wore the same gown her mother wore in the portrait that hung in the parlor. The figure in black squinted, tightened his jaw, dropped the sword, and disappeared.