Alarmed, Mary jumped up, grabbed her sister’s arms and wrestled them down by her side, “Shhh. It’s okay, Madeline. You’re safe. Ray can’t hurt you anymore.”
Her sister calmed. Mary held her close, stroking her back. Tears sprang to Mary’s eyes. Madeline hadn’t been responding well to the latest medication and Mary feared her sister was not long for this world. This latest bout of hysteria all but proved it. She was obviously reliving the lowest point in her life.
* * *
Maddy found Jane in the sewing room curled up in a high-backed chair, her head in a journal. Maddy braced herself against the wall by the open door and panted while she caught her breath.
Jane looked up, “You've got to read this!” Her excited face turned to distress. “What’s--," was all Jane got out before the door slammed between them.
Maddy heard Jane pounding on the door.
“Maddy, are you there?" came Jane's muffled cry.
The house seemed to answer for her. All at once doors and windows slammed shut, each one clicked a lock.
“Nooooo!” Maddy screamed the word as loud as she could.
The pipes started a deafening clanging, whispering voices sounded all around her. She covered her ears with her hands.
“What do you want!”
Instantly everything went quiet. In stunned disbelief, Maddy lowered her hands from her ears.
"I want you." A deep male voice commanded.
“Why me?” Maddy yelled at the ceiling since the voice seemed to come from everywhere all at once.
"You know why, Madeline."
“No!” Maddy fled down the stairs. A video monitor flew out of nowhere and come rushing toward her head. She jumped down a step, bent forward and covered herself with her arms. It smashed against the wall behind her, shards of glass rained down. Her hesitation lasted only a moment before she started down the stairs once more.
The phone came hurdling at her with lightening speed. She dodged it at the last second. It too struck the wall before tumbling down in front of her. She leapt and dodged her way down the rest of the stairs and made it to the bottom unscathed.
Just as she reached her hand out for the knob on the front door, she heard something screech across the hardwood floor. Maddy twisted around in time to see the couch before it smacked her in the stomach. Hard. An oomph escaped her lips as her body folded over the back and pinned her to the door.
* * *
Doug had just put away the last plate when he turned to Tim who was busy rinsing the sink. “I’m going to check on Maddy and see what she’s found out.”
“Okay, I’ll run next door and start wrapping up the
equipment.”
“We’ll meet you over there in a couple of minutes.”
Doug checked his downstairs office and found it empty. He went up to Maddy's room. He knocked on the closed door. When no one answered, he opened it a crack. “Maddy?” She wasn't there, the bathroom door stood open.
Instead of searching every room, he just yelled her name loud enough to be heard throughout the entire house. No use expending extra energy on a search. She didn't answer. She must have gone next door with Jane.
Tim was just nearing the driveway to the Heller house when Doug caught up to him. “Where’s Maddy?” he asked.
“She must be at the house already.”
They hiked the rest of the way together. Tim walked up the steps a little before Doug and twisted the doorknob. "It's locked." He gave Doug a quizzical look.
"What?" Doug moved in front of him and tried the door himself. The knob wouldn't turn in his hand. "That's weird, why on earth would they…shit." He jiggled the knob.
“What?” Tim asked.
They heard a loud thump, an oomph, then the door shuddered before them.
“Maddy? Shit, I think he’s got her.” Doug vaulted over the railing, ran into the middle of the driveway and searched the house for a way to get in. He heard a loud crash and swung his head right toward an upstairs window in time to see a black antique sewing machine hurdling toward the ground. Tim had just made it down the porch steps, it was heading right for him. “Move!”
Doug tackled Tim low. They flattened a dried-up bush on the side of the stairs. The machine crashed to the ground where Tim had stood not a second before.
"Help!" came Jane's voice from far away.
Doug was the first to recover. He jumped up and ran away from the house before he looked up. Jane leaned halfway out the window and flailed her arms about. "Over here!"
“Are you all right?” he yelled up at her.
“I’m trapped. The door is locked and I think Maddy’s been hurt.” Jane yelled.
“We’re trying to get in, but the front door seems to be locked as well,” Tim, now standing next to Doug, yelled up to her. “Sit tight. We’ll get you out of there as soon as we can.”
* * *
Slumped over the back of the couch, Maddy finally got control of her breathing and shoved the couch as hard as she could. It sailed across the hardwood floor until it ran into the dining room table and came to a halt. At a much slower pace, she headed toward the back door to try her luck there.
The house came alive once again. Furniture slid out of nowhere to block her path. Anything not nailed down flew through the air toward her. Cautiously, she dunked and zigzagged her way through the house. When she finally reached the back door, the knob was stuck as well. "Dammit!" She slammed her open hand on the wood.
Maddy turned, but before she could take a step, a meat cleaver nearly shaved off the tip of her nose. It struck the door with such velocity it sank into the wood as smooth as butter, stopped only by the handle. Maddy jumped back, a scream caught in her throat. She hazard a glance toward the kitchen and what she saw made her plaster herself against the door. The scream escaped as she closed her eyes to wait the inevitable.
* * *
The men had just climbed up the back steps when they heard a loud thunk. They stopped dead in their tracks. A nasty looking meat cleaver had just appeared through the door in front of them.
Doug reached for the door knob, but before his hand touched it, a bloodcurdling scream reached his ears. Then the same thunk sounded twelve times over in quick succession.
Then nothing more.
Tim gasped. Doug fell to his knees, his eyes glued to the door through which stood the blades of several knives, all shapes and sizes buried to the hilt.
Blood dripped from the blades.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Maddy’s eyes fluttered open, she must have passed out. She couldn't move her arms or legs. She glanced down and gasped. She was suspended three feet above the ground. Her body was pinned to the door, much like that of a butterfly displayed under glass.
The knives had pierced her clothing so close that in some places they shaved her skin, in fact they may have shaved a little more. Pain radiated through her body. She stared down at her bloodstained clothes.
She couldn't believe she was still alive.
A thundering crash sounded to her right and glass exploded all over the kitchen floor. Instinctively, she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she spotted the end of the picnic bench receding. Then Doug’s head popped through the opening.
“Thank God you’re alive,” he said almost reverently.
“Get me out of here!” Maddy's voice shook.
“I’m on it.” Covering his hand with his shirtsleeve, Doug brushed the remaining shards of glass away from the pane and stepped through, followed by Tim.
His eyes quickly took inventory. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, just get me down. Fast!” Her eyes darted around the room.
Doug set about getting her free, starting with her right arm. Once Tim cleared the window, he ran over to her left and tried prying the knives from the door. Both men struggled with the task.
Doug finally conceded, “This isn’t working. I’ll run out to the shed and see if I can find a rubber mallet or something. We rea
lly should be trying to tackle this job from the other side.”
“No, you stay here with Maddy. I’ll go.” Tim disappeared through the broken window.
Once they were alone, Doug placed his hands on either side of her face and gently kissed her on the lips. “Dammit, Maddy, I can’t take much more of this shit.” He held her face and she watched his eyes turn misty.
While gazing at him, she noticed the lines, the creases that had set in his face since the day they'd met. The poor man looked stressed, exhausted. She knew she was the cause.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked.
“No,” she said quietly this time.
“Yeah, I guess not.” He gave a nervous chuckle and stepped back. “The blood?” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat.
“The knives shaved some skin, but I think I’m all right.”
Doug gave her a skeptical look.
“Look, we can’t wait for Tim. Another attack could start at any moment. Unbutton my shirt,” Maddy said.
“What?” His brows raised.
“Just do it.” Maddy urged.
And Doug did. As she shimmied out of her shirt, he helped. Once free, she braced herself on his shoulders as he undid her pants.
“This is going to be a little trickier,” Doug warned.
Once he had her pants open, he grabbed her waist and started to lift.
“Ow ow ow. Stop!” Maddy squeezed Doug's shoulders to fight off the pain.
Immediately he relieved the pressure.
“God, honey. Are you all right?”
“It’s my right leg,” she said. “One of the knives is imbedded a little deeper than I thought.” She tried to smile to ease his mind, but by the grimace on his face, she failed miserably.
Fresh blood soaked the leg of her pants. Doug held her up while they waited for Tim. Tears dripped from her eyes onto his shirt. She was trying hard to be a trooper for Doug’s sake, but she couldn’t help it. The pain stemming from her leg was massive and her nerves were frayed. Any minute now, things could start again and she was a sitting duck.
“You’re going to be okay, honey.” Then Doug looked back at the broken window. “What the hell is taking him so long?”
“I’m sure that--”
“I’m back!” Tim’s head appeared through the window.
“And not a minute too soon. Sorry, but you’re on your own here. I have to hold Maddy up,” Doug told him.
“I can see that. I’ll start with the rubber mallet and see if that doesn’t do the trick,” Tim said.
“You’re going to have to be careful. One of the knives is pinching Maddy’s right thigh. Start with that one,” Doug said.
“Which one is it?”
Doug looked down and counted. “Third one down.”
“Okay, will do.” Tim pulled back through the window.
The door rattled.
“Ahh!” Maddy wailed and let loose the tears again.
“Sorry! Guess I should go a little easier,” Tim yelled.
“No, it’s all right. I just wasn’t ready. Go ahead. Hit it as hard as you can and get me out of here before he comes back!" Maddy said.
“Are you sure?” Tim asked.
“Yes!"
“Okay, here goes!”
Maddy repositioned her hands on Doug’s shoulders and held tight, jaw clenched. With each blow a tiny whimper escaped, but she did not scream again. The tears flowed like a river, but she refused to call out.
On the fourth blow, “Okay, that should do it,” Tim called out.
Doug reached for the knife while she steadied herself. As he wiggled it free, she tightened her grip. Finally the knife came free, Doug tossed it behind him. Maddy was drenched in sweat. By Doug’s worried expression, she must look like death warmed over.
“Babe, I’m so sorry.” Doug brushed the sweat that was dripping into her eyes. “Are you ready to try again?”
She nodded. Doug placed his hands around her waist and again began to lift, slowly this time. He watched her expectantly. She scrunched her eyes closed and waited for the worst.
“Do you want me to stop?”
“No. I’m okay. Just do it.” Maddy answered.
Doug’s mouth formed a grim line as he carefully inched her up past the knives. Once her thighs were clear, the task eased. Soon he was holding her in his arms. He held her close and kissed the top of her head.
“You are a big pain in the butt, you know that?” The smile he delivered didn’t quite meet his eyes.
“I know,” she said.
“An adorable pain, but a pain just the same.” Doug kissed her lips gently.
Tim stepped through the window, “I think I’ll go check on Jane,” he said before he disappeared down the hall.
Doug set Maddy down on her feet, then left her standing there while he searched for a dishtowel. He returned, got down on his knees and wrapped her thigh tightly to stanch the bleeding. Then he took off his tee-shirt and slipped it over her head; it reached down almost to her knees, covering everything that was essential.
* * *
Doug carried Maddy in his arms through the foyer and met up with Tim and Jane as they opened the front door. The other couple made it out safely, but just as Doug approached the threshold, the door slammed in his face, the lock clicked loudly.
Then a thundering “No!” resounded throughout the house.
Flames flashed out of the fireplace. Hurricane-like winds began picking items off the floor spinning them around like a tornado. The drapes caught fire. Doug held Maddy clutched in his arms facing the room.
His mind calculated the hazards they would face if he were to dash for the kitchen’s broken window. Suddenly a man of great stature appeared before them, his black hair flying with the wind.
Stunned, Doug took a step back and his body hit the door. They were trapped.
“I told you, Madeline, that if you ever left me I would hunt you down and kill you. I will tear your lover limb from limb and make you watch. You will pay dearly for breaking our wedding vows.” The voice bellowed above the roar of wind and fire.
Doug set Maddy down and pushed her behind him. He noticed the fire spreading to the furniture. Smoke filled the room. The thing in front of him had not made a move. He reached behind himself searching for the door knob. He felt Maddy guide his hand. He twisted, but his hand simply slid over the surface. He didn’t think it would work, but he had to try. He couldn’t see any other way out, they were trapped. The fire was spreading quickly.
Out of nowhere, a candle holder slammed into Doug’s temple almost knocking him down, but he held fast. He turned around so his body completely covered Maddy’s against the door. He grabbed her waist and pulled her down with him into a squatting position, hoping to avoid the smoke that now overtook the house. He scanned right, then left seeking a means of escape.
Suddenly a woman’s voice echoed throughout the house.
“Leave them alone, Raymond!”
Their bodies twisted around and faced the ghostly presence head on. Behind it stood a woman. Her demeanor was strong, her skirt fluttered back by the powerful gusts. All at once the wind stopped, as well as the deafening noise it brought with it. The flying debris crashed to the floor. Only the sound of crackling fire remained, quickly it moved closer to claim them.
The man they now knew was Raymond Heller swung his head around and looked at the woman, then back at Maddy. A look of confusion crossed his face.
“But…” Ray said.
Shocked, Doug too did a double take. There stood a woman who could have easily been Maddy’s twin.
“Madeline?” Ray said.
“Yes, Ray. Now you must come with me,” Madeline said with conviction as she waited with open arms. Ray stepped into her embrace and they vanished.
Suddenly the room filled with the spirits of young women. There must have been twenty in all. The girl from Maddy's dreams stood front and center. A bright light filled the room.
�
�Thank you,” the girl said, before her spirit floated up toward the light and disappeared. One by one the other girls said thank you and followed. Maddy watched until the last girl had vanished. Tears fell from her eyes for the poor trapped souls who were now free.
The door popped open. At the sound, Doug grabbed Maddy’s hand and raced from the house for the last time.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
The group sat around Doug's table while Jane read the last entry in Madeline Heller’s journal.
October 4, l971
That’s it, it’s done. My years in Hell are over. I’m going home. In case I’m never heard from again, I must bear witness and get this down on paper.
Two days ago, Lacy Shaw, my lovely neighbor, came by to bring me a bag of apples from her family’s tree. This is something she does every year, and as a thank you, I bake them a pie. Such a sweet girl, she’s the only person who dares to visit anymore. I so cherish our time together. She came in for tea and stayed almost two hours.
After we bid our farewells, I set about cleaning up. As I stood at the sink washing out our cups, I heard a cry for help. I shut off the water and opened the back door. It was Lacy’s voice. In a blind panic, I rushed out of the house and listened for the direction of her cries. The woods.
I ran until I came upon Ray and Lacy. In a drunken stupor, he groped poor Lacy in an attempt to get a kiss. I lost all sense in my fury and dashed to the girl’s rescue. I yelled as loud as I could for Ray to leave her alone and pounded my fists upon his back. When he spun around, Lacy took off. Ray then unleashed his anger on me.
When I awoke, it was dark. I was alone in the woods. I managed to make my way back to the house. Relieved to find it stood empty. I climbed each step in agony. My broken body ached everywhere all at once. I made it to the bathroom and prepared a hot bath with Epson salts.
As I removed my clothes, I looked in the mirror and gasped. My face was swollen and blood dripped from a gash in my forehead. I must have hit a rock when I fell to the ground. Bruises covered my naked flesh. My only consolation was the fact that I saved Lacy from the monster I married.
Spirits In the Trees Page 23