Promised Land Lane

by Brown, Marcus

  “Trust me, I’ll never go back there, but you should practice what you preach. I can see that you’re spellbound by David’s story, but can’t you just leave it alone?”

  “Do you know my friend, Hils?” Sandra laughed.

  “No, I don’t think so. Should I?” Stephen was confused by the question.

  “Well no, it’s just something she’d say. You’d get along like a house on fire.” Sandra stood up preparing to leave.

  “Are you going, already?”

  “Yes, I have important stuff to take care of” She handed him her card. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me this evening. You don’t know how much this meeting has helped me.”

  “I know that nothing I say will stop you from going back to that house, but please be careful.”

  Smiling down at the beautiful man she confirmed what he was thinking. “And you’d be right, but don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

  “I really hope so.” He smiled back at her, but couldn’t hide how worried he was.

  “Trust me. I’m a big girl now.”

  He stood up and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Even big girls get into trouble, Sandra.”

  She made her way towards the door and turned back. “Drinks next week if you’re free. I think you and my friend will get on very well.”

  “I’ll call you,” he said dazzling her once again with his smile.

  “Make sure you do.”

  She walked out of the coffee shop, her mind buzzing with excitement and despite alarm bells ringing, she knew she would return to the lane.

  Chapter 19

  Sandra parked her car at the top of the lane to minimize the risk of being seen.

  She had to get into the back garden, but knew it could be difficult as the property was monitored during the day.

  The sun was shining brightly. She looked at the five houses as she walked by and wondered who the other occupants were besides Patrick Breen, and why they would ever consider living here knowing the stories surrounding number six.

  Approaching the house, she felt nervous. What if the guard caught her? Would he call the police?

  She hid behind a giant oak tree in front of the property and watched as the elderly gentleman, passing as security, unlocked the front door and headed inside.

  “Great,” Sandra said to herself as she rushed through the gate and towards the side of the house.

  Trying to make as little noise as possible, she hid out of sight and waited for the guard to return to his port-a-cabin at the right hand side of the front garden.

  A few minutes later, he came out, locked the front door, and headed back to his post.

  Sandra crept past the front door and made her way towards the path at the side of the house.

  She was amazed how beautiful the back garden looked in the sunshine. A ray of light hit the water inside of the rusty old birdbath, creating a rainbow-like effect. There was a feeling of peace and tranquillity as Sandra carefully wandered about. The feeling of peace and tranquillity didn’t last long as a light breeze rustled the leaves of the trees, and she felt as though she was being watched. Looking around, she spotted several cats lying on the surrounding walls.

  “David, I know you’re there. Please don’t hide from me.”

  Sandra heard a faint sound coming from the bottom of the garden. She turned to see David staring at her from behind the bushes.

  Even from afar, she could see David wasn’t as happy to see her as she was to see him.

  “I should’ve known you wouldn’t listen to me. She knows you’re here and as soon as the sun sets, she’ll come for you. You have to leave, now.” There was a sense of urgency in his voice.

  “I have to speak to Maisie Whitmore.” Sandra surprised herself with the request.

  David stopped in his tracks and shook his head, sadness etched across his handsome face.

  “You’re foolish to think Maisie would ever acknowledge you in that way. I’ve watched over her for many years and all she knows is how to kill. People have come and gone, some like you were lucky enough to walk away unharmed, whilst others, she took to hell with her. She was a beautiful child, but all that’s left is monstrous. She will never listen to you and there’s nothing you can say that she will want to hear.”

  “But she listens to you, doesn’t she? She won’t harm you.”

  “As much as she wishes to, she can’t harm me, but even I can’t keep her at bay for long.”

  “But does she listen to you?”

  “You don’t understand. I know she hears what I say, but she doesn’t listen,” he said, “She’ll never allow me, or anybody else to command her.”

  “Why can’t she harm you, David?”

  “I was the only person that showed kindness to her whilst she was alive.”

  “But that doesn’t answer the question. Why are you so different and how are you still here?” Sandra asked bluntly. “The David Price I read about would be over a hundred, and forgive me, but if you’re that old, you must be using some amazing moisturizer.” Sandra felt frustrated. Why was it so hard to answer such a simple question?

  “I died what you’d consider my human death a long time ago, but it was my destiny to come back and protect those Maisie wishes to harm. I returned to stop her, but she is stronger than I ever could have imagined. The little girl I knew all those years ago is no longer there.”

  “What do you mean, you’ve come back? I don’t understand. I don’t believe in ghosts.”

  “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would see the things I’ve seen. I lived a quiet life here on the lane, shattered by the loss of my family. I was alone back then as I am now. Maisie was the only person I ever seemed to talk to. Nothing’s changed.”

  “I’m sorry, but I still don’t understand how you came back.”

  “I remember how I died. They didn’t believe me and threw me down the well.”

  “Who threw you down the well?”

  “I was dragged from my home by my friends and neighbours. I’d known them all my life, but they’d already condemned me. I tried in vain to protest my innocence, but they wouldn’t listen to me and wanted revenge. Samantha had already been found and they wanted me to tell them where Maisie was. But I’d never harm a hair on her head and the more I denied what they were accusing me of, the angrier they became. They believed I had some sort of perversion and that I was obsessed with Maisie. Nothing I said would convince them and they dragged me up the lane. The village elder wasn’t going to allow me the dignity of a fair and proper trial and believed the Bible’s law was absolute.

  “What did they do to you?” Sandra asked.

  “They dragged me to the Whitmores’ front garden and began to beat me. The pain was excruciating. I remember one of the villagers striking the back of my head. I could feel the blood running down my neck and as I pressed down to try and stem the flow of the blood, my fingers sank into the wound. My stomach churned. I wasn’t a violent man and had no way of defending myself.”

  “My God.”

  “I did try to fight them off, but I didn’t have the strength. I think part of me had already given up. They lifted and carried me past the front door and I recall Mark Whitmore standing by and watching the events unfold. He had tears running down his face, but even then, I didn’t blame him for what was happening to me. I was bleeding heavily by this point and my hair was sticking to the side of my head.”

  “Didn’t anybody try and help you?”

  “No, they’d made their minds up already.”

  “Where did they take you?”

  “They carried me to the well and threw me down. That’s how I died. I remember falling then the bright light.”

  “What bright light?”

  “There was a bright light and I remember talking to somebody but couldn’t see his face. He told me if I returned, I would be bound to the lane until the end of time, but he promised when that day came, I would be reunited with my famil
y. I didn’t remember that part for a long time, and there are still things that come back to me now, even after all these years. I had the choice to move into the light, but believed I could return and take care of her.”

  “Are you seriously telling me you went to heaven and God sent you back?” Sandra didn’t know what to believe.

  “No, I’m not saying that. I don’t know who he was, but there are higher powers that protect me. The Maisie I know today is evil and has a tainted soul. She’s powerful and her strength increases as the years pass by. The more lives she takes, the stronger she becomes. I worry that one day she’ll break free from this place and rain down hell on this world.” David shook his head as though he didn’t like to admit what Maisie had become.

  Sandra walked closer towards him, unsure of what he would do. She waited for him to warn her away, but instead he stood staring at her.

  “I don’t understand any of this, David. You talk about the years that you’ve been here, but none of it makes sense. I don’t believe in heaven and hell.”

  “None of this is meant to make any sense. Do you think I would’ve believed this possible had I not lived through it? I too have looked into the eyes of that doll.” David pointed towards the doll house covered in the blue plastic sheeting.

  “Why haven’t you changed after all of this time? I was recently shown a picture, and you haven’t aged at all. Part of me thinks you’re mad and that all of this...” Sandra paused unsure of what to say. “…Madness has been created by you. How can you be safe from her when you’ve looked at that doll too?”

  “I wish it was just madness. I was given a choice when my life ended and made the decision to return and protect the innocent. I only remembered who she used to be and never imagined what she had become. That was my first mistake. I didn’t believe the person I knew had the capacity to harm anybody. Maisie was the sweetest, most beautiful child I’d ever met. Her evil mother turned her into what she is now.”

  “And what is she now?” Sandra pressed.

  “A monster. She sees through the eyes of that doll, and once they look upon you not even God can protect you. I’m the only one who can stand in her way.” A single tear ran down David’s cheek.

  “There must be a way to stop her.”

  “Maisie cannot be stopped. Do you not think I’ve tried?”

  “The doll.” A light switched on in Sandra’s head. “Why don’t you try and destroy the doll? Surely her soul is tied to that thing?”

  “The doll cannot be destroyed. Part of her is bound to it.”

  “Everything can be destroyed, David. The doll isn’t made of flesh and blood.”

  “No, Sandra. It’s just a doll, but like I said before, a part of Maisie is bound to it.”

  “Her eyes.” Sandra shivered.

  “Yes, her eyes. I know you don’t understand, but I wasn’t sent back to harm Maisie. I tried to protect her then and, in my own way, I’m still trying. She never asked to become what she did,” he said irritably.

  Sandra was surprised by the sudden anger in him.

  “Allow me to ask you a question.” His eyes narrowed. “Who do you think put her eyes inside that doll?”

  “I don’t know, but there must be something you can do to stop her once and for all.”

  “It’s never been my intention to harm Maisie or destroy her. If I did that I’d be no better than her mother. Surely you can understand that?”

  “But you still see the little girl from all of those years ago and she no longer exists.” Sandra hated herself for trying to convince David of what he already knew.

  “I wish you could have known Maisie like I did. She was the most beautiful, loving little girl.”

  “That may be true, but how long will you stand guard here? Forever is a long time.”

  “I don’t know how long, but I know that one day I’ll be with my family again. That’s what keeps me going.”

  “I hope that day comes for you, David. I honestly do. But unless Maisie is stopped, you can’t move on.”

  “I know that, and I’m tired of being here, but I made a promise.” There was a tremor in David’s voice. “Not a day goes by when I don’t think of my family and what I gave up by agreeing to return here.”

  “I’m not trying to hurt you, David. Trust me. I want you to be happy.” Sandra smiled at him. “I don’t know why, but for a reason I can’t explain, I feel close to you.”

  “I think about my family every day, but knowing I will be reunited with them one day keeps me going. It’s all I have.”

  She could see what being reunited with his family meant to him as she would give anything to have Sarah back.

  Sandra reached out for David’s hand and held it tenderly. She didn’t understand why she cared for this man when she didn’t know anything about him. She knew in her heart he was a good man.

  Their eyes met.

  “So, tell me, who put her eyes inside the doll and why?”

  “I don’t know for certain, but a part of me thinks it was Mark Whitmore.”

  “Her own father did that?” Sandra was shocked that any father would defile his daughter’s body in that way.

  “Yes, the more I think about it, the more I’m certain he was responsible for placing his daughter’s eyes inside of the doll. There isn’t anybody else that would have done it.”

  “Why?” Sandra tried to imagine her own father removing her eyes, but could think of no reason why anybody would do that.

  “They were all mad. Whatever horrors went on in that house re-animated Maisie into what she is now. She wasn’t allowed to move on as her soul had been tainted, forcing her to remain here.”

  Chapter 20

  Sandra was struggling to digest what David had told her. “This is madness,” she replied. “Do you actually believe what you’re saying?”

  “Of course I believe it, Sandra. I’ve lived with this madness, as you call it, for over a hundred years and have watched a once innocent child kill and disfigure people and feel no remorse for doing so. I didn’t believe she had any memories of her life before she died, but now I think there are parts she does remember.”

  “What makes you think she remembers anything? Have you tried talking to her?”

  “She doesn’t speak to me, and I gave up trying to talk to her a long time ago. But when Maisie rests during daylight, she mutters the same words over and over again.”

  “What does she say?”

  “She begs her mother not to hurt her.” David choked. “Every time I hear Maisie cry out, the guilt eats away at me.”

  “You’re not responsible for anything Samantha did to her daughter.”

  “I should have done more to protect her.”

  “What did her mother do to her?” Sandra asked outright.

  “I don’t know, but Samantha was cruel to her daughter. There were many times I watched her drag Maisie into the house by her hair. I don’t even know how she died, but I’m certain it was at the hands of her mother.”

  “There must be a way to find out what happened the night Maisie died. Maybe then we will find a way to stop her?”

  “Sandra, listen to me please. There’s no way to stop, Maisie. I think before she died, Samantha bound something dark to her daughter’s soul. What crawled out of that well was no longer human.”

  “What happened to her father?”

  “I think the death of his daughter drove him mad. What part he played in it, I don’t know. He placed his daughter’s eyes inside that doll and sat in the garden holding it, staring into Maisie’s eyes. I watched as she crawled out of the well and dragged her father back down there with her. It was like he knew she was going to come back.”

  “Why would she harm her own father?” Sandra was shocked Maisie had murdered her own father.

  “I don’t believe Maisie knew who he was, but if she did, there was no humanity left for her to care.”

  “Why didn’t you try and stop her hurting him?”

  “You forget
that she no longer has a soul and any human feelings vanished when she died. She is evil. A monster with no conscience. Mark Whitmore looked into his daughter’s eyes and she claimed him, as she has tried to do to every person who has looked into the eyes of that thing ever since. He sat in the garden after hearing her cries and watched and waited as his beloved daughter crawled out of the place where he had laid her to rest. The joy spread across his face as she walked towards him and he held out his arms to greet her as the tears ran down his face. He was happy, but his joy turned into a nightmare as he folded his arms around Maisie and she ripped his throat out with her teeth. He deserved everything she did to him.”

  “You don’t mean that?” Sandra was puzzled by David’s opinion and didn’t like how cold and unfeeling he was when talking about death.

  “I don’t know what went on inside that house, but Mark must have known what was happening, even if he took no part in it. Revenge was Maisie’s right.”

  Sandra hated herself for agreeing with David.

  “What did she do with his body after she took him down the well? The records I managed to locate say he vanished and was never seen again.”

  “What do you think she did with his body?”

  “I don’t know? Is he still alive somewhere, just like her?”

  David shook his head, his lips set in a tight line, clearly not wanting to divulge too much.

  “Does she have my sister hidden somewhere? Please, I have to know.” Sandra looked straight into his eyes.

  “Maisie doesn’t hide them anywhere, Sandra. She eats the parts she wants and the rats take care of the rest.” David was matter of fact in his response and she knew he was trying to scare her into leaving the place for good. “Don’t you see, you’re risking your life by continuing this pointless search?”

  Sandra stood open mouthed, unable to take in what David had told her. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor, tears streaming down her face. She vomited on the grass and wailed as the years of anguish spilled out of her.

  David knelt down on the ground and pulled Sandra towards him, holding her head against his chest. She sobbed like a child and clung to his clothes.