Voices

by Phyllis P. Colucci

  …Through Michael’s eyes, this shadow of a woman resembled a wicked, evil witch skillfully casting a vicious spell upon the innocent. He couldn’t take another minute of this. He had seen enough. He moved his eyes over the entire layout of the cellar. He wanted to be sure that when he approached this animal of a person, that he’d be standing in a position where she had no means of escape. So Michael decided to quickly make his way in her direction toward the back of the cellar, near the bottom of the staircase leading up to the outside of the house. She would have to go through Michael to make it up those stairs. If she tried to escape using the staircase leading up to the hallway level, where Michael had just come from, he knew he could outrun her. She wouldn’t have a chance.

  As Michael flew across the darkened cellar like a bat in the night, toward the back staircase with stick in hand, he took her by surprise. She jumped to her feet and frightfully yelled out into the darkness, “Who’s there? Who are you?” Michael gave no verbal response other than to take the stick and smash it against the cellar floor like a madman…Once! Twice! Three times! The woman dropped what she was doing and made a mad dash for the back staircase. Unfortunately for her, unable to see clearly through the darkness, she ran straight into Michael’s waiting arms. “Who are you?” she screamed. She looked into Michael’s eyes, then scratched his face with her long fingernails. She drew blood. She was moving about in his arms uncontrollably, like she was possessed. She then reached for Michael’s hair, pulling it as hard as she could. Michael dropped the stick from his hands, restrained both her arms, placed her in a bear hug and held her as tightly as possible. She tried desperately to break free of his powerful grip, but she couldn’t. Michael was too strong for her. She couldn’t breathe. She was gasping for air. She felt trapped, yet continued to fight him. The more she squirmed in his arms, the tighter he held her.

  As the seconds turned to minutes, a familiar voice from the front staircase leading down from the first-floor hallway level, yelled out, “Maria! Maria! What are you doing?” It was Rosalie. She immediately recognized this figure of a woman wiggling in Michael’s arms to be Maria. When she heard all the commotion coming up through the air shaft in her kitchen, Rosalie knew that Michael had confronted someone down the cellar; so she ran to him as quickly as she could. Maria was stunned to see Rosalie standing at the front staircase. Rosalie walked over to Maria who was still struggling to free herself from Michael’s grip and asked, “What are you doing down here in my cellar, Maria?” Maria fumbled a response as she tried to explain her way out of this one. She tried to play the innocent friend by saying that she thought she had seen a man enter the cellar from the side of the house as she was making her way over to visit Rosalie. Maria claimed that she was down the cellar to protect Rosalie. She added that after their phone conversation earlier today, she sensed that Rosalie needed company to help get her through the night; and, obviously, she could see that Rosalie also needed protection tonight more than company. “Thank God I was here for you Rosalie,” Maria said. Rosalie just shook her head in disbelief. She screamed out, “Maria! Do you think I’m that stupid? Do I look like a fool to you? Don’t waste your words with your lies! I don’t believe you! It’s over Maria!”

  Maria, the perfect drama queen, looked directly at Michael and, hoping to convince Rosalie that she was only trying to help her, breathlessly added that she followed “this man” into the cellar, stating that she had seen him tampering with the outside lock on the side of the house so he could get the cellar door open. Thinking that Rosalie was buying into her story, Maria continued to fabricate the scenario with ease. Maria, still staring into Michael’s eyes, yelled over to Rosalie that this “crazy man” threatened to kill her with that wooden stick lying across the concrete floor. “He threatened to bash my head in Rosalie because I blew his cover! I caught him red-handed,” Maria exclaimed. She continued to ramble on that, “He is the one that has been tormenting you Rosalie! He is behind the voices in your head! It wasn’t me! It wasn’t Franco. It was this monster all along. He used that tape recorder over there to create those awful voices you were hearing. Thank God I thought to come by tonight Rosalie! I am so glad I found this piece of garbage down your cellar. Now we know you’re not crazy Rosalie! Now we know the truth. Please! Call the police Rosalie! He’s holding me too tight! He’s hurting me! I can’t breathe Rosalie! Hurry, please! - Who is this ‘big monster’ Rosalie? Do you recognize him? Why would he do this to you?”

  Rosalie just stared at Maria in disgust. Maria looked so pathetic, twisting and turning, trying to break away from Michael’s grip while also trying to worm her way out of this situation with her lies. Rosalie walked over to Maria, getting as close to her as possible, then slapped her across the face with all her might, using the palm of one hand, leaving a red welt on Maria’s cheek. Maria jerked from the impact of the slap, while still confined within Michael’s grip. As Maria tried desperately to explain the situation again, putting her ridiculous spin on things, Rosalie calmly said, “Meet my friend Michael, Maria. We were having coffee together upstairs when the voices came up through the air shaft. Michael came down here to check things out for me. So shut your mouth Maria before you further incriminate yourself.” Rosalie gently wiped the blood from Michael’s face with a clean tissue she unraveled from her pocket as Maria looked on in horror.

  Maria had the most frightening look of shock on her face. She yelled, “You’re lying Rosalie! You never told me about a friend Michael! This man is a monster, not your friend Rosalie! I’m your friend! I tried to save you from this man tonight! You were sharing coffee together upstairs in your apartment with this monster Rosalie? You better start choosing your friends more wisely dear Rosalie! I found him lurking around your cellar!” Rosalie yelled, “Shutup Maria before I hit you with that wooden stick myself! It will be self-defense. Remember, you’re in my cellar dear friend.”

  The cellar suddenly got quiet for a moment. Maria stopped moving in Michael’s arms and fell to the floor. Michael dropped down as well, still trying to hold on to her. However, once down on the floor, she was able to wiggle her way out of Michael’s grip. She ran towards the wooden stick and picked it up with both hands. Maria forcefully swung the stick in the wind screaming like a caged and wild-eyed animal fighting to survive. She swung that stick back and forth and up and down with such power that the sound of those swift movements filled the air causing Rosalie and Michael to duck and run for cover as she approached them like a killing machine. There was no controlling her at this moment. She lost all sense of reality. She lost all sense of sanity. Rosalie was taken aback by the sight of Maria in such an unbalanced, frantic and dangerous state of mind. This chilled Rosalie to the bone. Rosalie and Michael both found safe places to hide from Maria for now; however, they were not with each other. Rosalie was behind a large stack of storage boxes but was unable to see where Michael was. This frightened Rosalie. She feared for their lives. Maria was still swinging that stick, and she was out for blood. She was screaming their names at the top of her lungs. Her voice echoed throughout the cellar. She was unstoppable.

  …Through the chaos, Rosalie removed her cell phone from her back pocket and nervously proceeded to call Franco to tell him she found Maria down the cellar and that he needs to get to the house immediately. However, she lost the signal down the cellar. Rosalie was unable to make that phone call, so she quickly texted Franco instead. Her fingers were shaking as she hit each letter. She fought hard to get that text message out to him…Rosalie advised Franco to use the side entrance to the cellar since it was open and she warned him to be very careful of Maria, stressing that Maria was armed with a heavy wooden stick and swinging it wildly. Franco soon texted back that he was on his way.

  Rosalie felt awful now that she had accused Franco of possibly being the one who was tormenting her from the cellar. She now learned Maria was working alone. Michael was right. Franco was innocent in all of this and Michael was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Fran
co was just another victim in Maria’s game. Maria wanted Franco and she went through great lengths to try to get him. Rosalie was sick to her stomach over this. She couldn’t figure out if Maria was just desperate for love, delusional or psychotic. Whatever she was, the game is over now and the truth has set Rosalie free. However, the main concern at this moment is for both Rosalie and Michael to make it out of the cellar alive. “Where is Michael?” Rosalie cried to herself. She looked around through the darkness, but was unable to see him. All she saw was the shadow of Maria, a dangerous predator who was relentlessly searching for both Rosalie and Michael - her prey.

  …Left with only her thoughts while trying to survive, Rosalie became deeply upset with herself for not being able to see Maria for who she really was or for who she turned out to be. Rosalie was just too close to Maria to see this. She couldn’t grasp the fact that they were friends for so many years and something, somehow, went terribly wrong in that relationship. This was eating at her. What went wrong? Why? What happened to Maria along the way? Maybe Rosalie will never get those answers, but she will get her life back today with the help of God; and, unfortunately, with no thanks to Franco. He just didn’t trust Rosalie enough to believe in her and to work with her to figure this out. This brought tears to Rosalie’s eyes and severe pain in her heart. It was Michael who came to her rescue. It was Michael who believed in Rosalie. He trusted her just on her word. What would she have done without him?

  …While those thoughts continued to play out in her mind, Rosalie never once took her eyes off Maria who was still swinging that stick like a mad woman…Suddenly, out of nowhere, Michael made his way over to Rosalie. Rosalie was beside herself with joy. She and Michael were together again. United, they will survive…Michael told Rosalie to stay quiet and stay put. He warned her that Maria is out of her mind. Rosalie then whispered to Michael that she just texted Franco and that he is on his way to help. Michael whispered back that they sure can use another set of hands to subdue Maria. Another set of male hands, because Maria is uncontrollable in her present state of mind. Her rage is making her stronger and more aggressive by the minute. As Maria continued to exist in her own little world swinging the stick aimlessly, almost oblivious to her surroundings, she yelled out for Rosalie to come out of hiding. She screamed out that she and Rosalie had more to discuss. Rosalie shook with fright from the sound of Maria’s tone. Michael held her tightly. Rosalie felt her insides drop, including her bladder. She was so scared that she barely held her urine in. Rosalie didn’t respond to Maria for fear of revealing to her through her own voice, the exact location where she and Michael were hiding. Rosalie watched in fear as Michael made his way towards Maria from behind. He tried to reach for Maria’s legs in order to throw her off balance so he could wrestle her to the ground and remove the stick from her hand without catching a hard blow to his head. To Rosalie’s amazement, he almost succeeded. However, Maria was distracted by the sound of the cellar door as Franco came through the side entrance.

  Franco stopped dead in his tracks at the top of the staircase, dumbfounded by the scene in the cellar. As Franco slowly approached the next step down, Maria laughed like a lunatic, inviting him to join her at the bottom of the staircase. She thanked Franco for coming and told him that she knew he would come to her rescue. She revealed that she was trying to reach him telepathically and, obviously, her connection to him made that happen. She admitted that she loved Franco and that Rosalie wasn’t woman enough to keep Franco happy. She continued that Rosalie is not a whole person anymore, that she is sick in the head and, with Maria’s help, Franco will be free of her as soon as today. Maria promised Franco that she had things under control now. She stated that she has Rosalie exactly where she wants her; afraid and confined to this cellar where Rosalie can no longer disrupt Franco’s life anymore. Maria told Franco that together they can have Rosalie committed to a mental institution and move on with their lives. “Do you hear that Rosalie?” Maria screamed. “Franco will be free of you and I will be there for him while you rot away in the crazy house you shameful girl!” she yelled. Rosalie realized how disconnected Maria had become. She was out of touch with her own reality. Maria had rationalized the irrational which had now become her world.

  …As Maria continued to rant and rave senselessly, Rosalie ran from behind the boxes straight to Michael. She had to be with him, even if it meant confronting the dangerous Maria. Rosalie soon felt Michael’s protective arms around her shoulders and knew she would be safe from Maria. Maria was no longer concerned with them. She was fixated on Franco. Rosalie and Michael then looked over in Franco’s direction, hoping any reaction from him would not further agitate Maria. Thankfully, Franco played along by assuring Maria that he was there for her and that Rosalie didn’t matter anymore. He promised Maria that if she dropped the stick he would take her out of there and together they would go back to Maria’s apartment, make a life for themselves, and live happily ever after. Maria’s crazed look slowly disappeared when she heard Franco’s words. A sick smile came over her face. She looked up at Franco and said, “Please take me out of here. Rosalie is crazy. She was trying to keep us apart my love.”

  Franco continued down the staircase very cautiously through the darkness, not knowing what to expect from Maria. Michael pulled back a bit with Rosalie in his arms, moving away from Maria since she seemed somewhat calmer at the sight of Franco. However, with the stick still in her hand, Maria turned to look back at Michael as rage took over her body once again; and she began swinging the stick furiously, aiming for Michael’s head. Michael pushed Rosalie out of the way as he ducked and rolled himself across the concrete floor several times until he was safely out of Maria’s reach. Rosalie ran to Michael to be sure he was okay and to also escape Maria before she swung the stick at her head.

  As Maria turned towards Franco who had made it down the staircase safely, she dropped the stick and ran into his arms. That sick smile adorned her face once again, frightening the heck out of Franco. Franco knew he had to play along, however, in order to keep Maria calm. Michael then ran for the stick and held it tightly, just in case there was a need to use it. He remained vigilant. Maria was unpredictable and he couldn’t take any chances with her. Franco grew more puzzled wondering who the hell Michael was, but didn’t dare ask. Not now anyway. Too much was happening.

  Suddenly, out of the blue and in a less manic state, Maria suggested that since Franco is here now and they both would be returning to her apartment tonight, it might be a good idea for everyone, including Michael, to go upstairs and talk things out. She said that she truly loved Rosalie and didn’t want any hard feelings between them. Maria almost seemed like herself again; however, Rosalie was convinced that she had to be schizophrenic. The change in her personality was nothing short of miraculous, yet she was still so out of touch with reality. This disturbed Rosalie immensely, but this was also something that was out of Rosalie’s control and she knew she had to go with the flow in order to avoid further threats from Maria. It has now become a matter of survival – for her, for Michael and for Franco.

  Maria then turned to Michael and told him that she forgave him for his behavior toward her this evening and was thrilled to have him come along upstairs to join in the conversation since he seemed to be a part of Rosalie’s life now. She added that there was so much to talk about and so much to work through. Rosalie, at that moment, noticed Franco’s confusion as he looked over at Michael, not knowing who he was or why he was there. She certainly agreed with Maria on one thing, that there was definitely so much to talk about and so much to work through.

  …Michael nodded at Maria as Maria fixed her eyes upon Rosalie. Maria reassured Rosalie that she wanted to continue to be friends despite the fact that Franco had now chosen Maria over her. Franco put his arms around Maria and held her tightly, keeping her close to his side while eyeing Rosalie. Rosalie knew Franco was trying to protect her from Maria by holding Maria close to him. She silently appreciated that. As Rosalie moved close
r to Maria, with Michael by her side, she told Maria that she was happy to know that they would remain friends. Michael, meanwhile, put his arms around Rosalie in a very shielding manner in order to protect her from Maria as well. However, Maria seemed strangely calm and strangely apologetic. She turned to Rosalie and said, “I’m so sorry things worked out the way they did between you and Franco, but please know that I still love you like a sister and I still want you in my life.” Rosalie responded to Maria by saying that she is truly okay with the way things worked out and that she is very happy for Maria and Franco and wished them the best. Rosalie promised that she and Maria would still remain as close as sisters. - …“Yeah, right,” Rosalie muttered to herself… Maria then blew a kiss towards Rosalie and said, “Would someone please put a light on down here. We’re all talking to shadows of ourselves. What’s wrong with you people? We can barely see each other because it’s so dim down here.”

  So sickened by all of this, Rosalie directed everyone up the stairs to the apartment for coffee and conversation, trying desperately to keep Maria on an even keel until they could figure out what to do about her. Rosalie looked towards Franco, signaling him to go upstairs first, along with Maria, while she and Michael followed behind ensuring Maria was never out of their sight. What happens next is anyone’s guess.

  CHAPTER TEN – THE TRUTH BE TOLD

  …As everyone settled in, taking their seats on the living room sofa as if nothing horrible just occurred down in the cellar, Rosalie went into the kitchen to put up a pot of coffee as promised. Maria pleasantly asked if she could help Rosalie in the kitchen. Rosalie, still on edge because of Maria’s erratic behavior and mood swings, cordially responded with a simple “No, thank you”, then suggested that Maria just sit back and relax. Without argument, Maria happily sat back on the sofa inching herself closer to Franco. Franco looked terribly uncomfortable as Maria ogled him with lovesick eyes. She then blurted out, “Look how nice this is. We’re both so happy Rosalie. I’m with Franco now and you’re with whatever his name is.” Rosalie replied, “Yes, Maria. You’re with Franco now and I’m with my friend Michael.” Franco looked sadly confused. He didn’t know what to make of things. He didn’t know what to say or what to think, but he went along for the ride to keep Maria calm. Michael, being the gentleman that he is, leaned over and shook Franco’s hand, introducing himself as Rosalie’s old friend from college. Franco responded in kind with a friendly handshake, without uttering a word, still looking quite confused.