The Haunted Chest
Page 7
CHAPTER 6
He tried to twist himself in attempt to get the demon off his stomach but just couldn’t. The demon kept its knees planted on Newton’s stomach, and its hands that had wrapped around Newton’s neck.
Newton got enormous pains as he struggled to get the demon of his stomach. His eyes had slowly begun to close, he bit on his teeth and hoped that a miracle happened to his safety. Unable to breath due to a sudden stuffy in the room, his body begun weigh down; his struggle slowly got minimal. And Newton had begun to give up, he dropped his hands on the floor. Unable to fight back and overcome the pains he felt--having to had lain on the floor in length; on his bandaged bullet wounds. He dropped both his arms on the floor. His eyes slowly begun to close and he stopped his struggle to inhale air. This is over. Newton’s thoughts snapped. The demon still had its knees planted on Newton’s stomach and continued to chock him real tight.
A sudden miracle and Newton swung his eyes back open.
A good thing that Jessica had arrived in time before Newton had died. She came with a stick from the kitchen, with a thought that there was a burglar. When entered the room, she hit the demon on its head until the demon (which was in flesh) dropped on the floor. Meters away from Newton; a hard blow and Jessica thought that it had died. She rushed towards Newton and lifted his head up from the floor, she begun to stroke his cheeks and made him regain his sight back to a wide glance which Newton had a while ago.
“Newton--” Jessica said, she placed Newton’s head on her laps and massaged his swollen neck.
“Jessie...” Newton’s voice muffled upon getting a glimpse of her.
“Don’t worry, Newt, I will find you treatment, you’re bleeding badly.” Jessica continued after seeing the now soaked bandages, “Who is that woman you were fighting with?”
“I have no idea...” Newton said in response. And paused when pains interfered in his speech.
After a second, Newton tilted to glance at the demon which had then laid on the floor. Shaggy hair had covered its face, its hands had rested flat on the floor. And dead in Newton and Jessica’s eyes. They both fastened their glances at the demon, until a sudden snap which made fear crawl deep in both their hearts--when the demon vanished suddenly, and then proved to Newton and Jessica that they were not easily going to get rid of the lady whom they thought to had been dead having to had hit its head with a stick. A harsh hit but then, the demon was no where to be seen.
“What was that?” Jessica asked. She shifted her glance to face the strewn surrounding, “it’s not human.”
Newton pushed himself up and lain properly his head on Jessica’s laps; he glanced up and could see in her eyes that she was terrified by what happened, more than he was. And Newton could feel Jessica’s shiver in her thighs which nearly shook the floor. Newton, slowly slid his hand to touch the beneath of his thigh before he cold voice out his emotions.
“Jessica, let us get out of here--” Newton said in a low faint tone.
Jessica rubbed her face with her hand, after being certain that it had become stained with sweat, knowing that she and Newton were doomed. She received Newton’s glance and agreed to how Newton had reasoned; although running wasn’t such a great idea. Running away from their house.
A house which had then been abducted by demons.
“Come on, Jessie, help me up.” Newton said.
Newton threw his arm around Jessica’s shoulder. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Took another as he tried to temper his heart which had raced rampantly to the view he got seconds ago, and to what he just experienced. He staggered slowly out of the room. Jessica held him tight and hoped that he doesn’t stumble to fall. Newton staggered, now heading towards the living room. He climbed down the stairs. Newton gnashed his teeth each minute he felt pains from his bandaged hip and thigh--not certain whether the bullet had been removed or only bandaged to stop the bleeding. He ducked his head as he got an irritating spin of his mind as thoughts whirled, his thoughts made to turn 360degrees, a continuous spin for a couple of minutes. And the felt as though he was about to pass out. His glance had begun fade. He opened his eyes each time he felt that his eyes were an inch to close. He lifted his glance up and glanced forward while had painful dropping of his feet on the stairs. He puffed out loud and glanced at Jessica who had until then held him with her hand which she pressed on his chest.
For a couple of minutes, both climbed down the stairs. Newton staggered even more when the wound, the one on his thigh and the other on his upper hip got the best of him. He gnashed his teeth and hoped that the treacherous torment ends. And in Newton’s mind only tried to answer himself the pending questions; the questions which he thought had no answers. Who was that woman? And how did she disappear? Was she human? It can’t be a ghost; ghosts can’t make physical contact with the living, but who? His thoughts surged each step he slid on the floor, staggering and then being directed by Jessica who had at the time walked him towards the door. Which was locked.
Newton kept his arm resting on Jessica’s shoulder, while the other he placed beneath his thigh, and helped him lift up his leg to move forward to the door; which they knew to had been their only hope of getting out of the house. The outside which had been lightened by lamp posts on the road sides. Newton and Jessica both knew that it was late although them seeing light shine through the curtains of their living room.
Both paused at the door, and Jessica stretched her hand to touch the door’s metal handle--she wrapped her hands on it and gently gripped to pull. The door was locked and her glance faded to the realization of that.
“Newton, the door is locked.” Jessica continued, “I don’t have keys with me.”
“Get the duplicate ones in my back pocket.” Newton said with a force of words through his throat. Which at the moment grieved with pain due to the strangle he got twice that day; first at the harbour of Transtevator and from an angry demon he battled with in the evening.
Jessica pulled from Newton’s back pocket, a set of keys. And then stretched her hand to hold the handle of the door as she inserted the keys into the padlock. She got a click, which assured them both that the door was open, she pulled the door, but that was futile, the demons were at work and the door wasn’t opening.
“It’s locked.” Jessica snapped.
“What do you mean, Jessie?” Newton asked.
“We have been locked, Newt--” Jessica continued in an impatient tone. “I have opened the door, but it can’t open--it’s like I didn’t even open it!”
“stay behind me.” Newton said.
Newton staggered forward towards the door, he took a deep breath and gently begun to lift his head as well getting pains from his swollen neck. He lifted his glance and changed to as well stretch his back which he had curved due to stress. He stood and sent a clear glance through the padlock. He stretched his hands and held the door handle to pull but him too failed to open the door.
Newton tilted his neck with pain and glanced at Jessica. Before he could confirm on just how doomed both were--Newton swallowed through his throat.
“I have tried.” Newton said.
“Have we been locked in!?”
“Yes--”
And for seconds, Jessica kept her glance fastened at Newton as she saw just how tense Newton had become. And how he gently lifted his legs so that he could walk back at her.
Newton stood close to Jessica as he received her glance.
“What do you suppose we do?” Jessica asked.
Newton shrugged.
And suddenly, the lights went off. The house became in pitch black and made it difficult for both Newton and Jessica to penetrate their glances through the dark surrounding. Fear lifted up in Newton’s chest. His feet shook on the floor. Having to had been locked in the house in company with, only God knows what that thing was.
Noises started. People who screamed to ghostly laughs across the living room. And the sounds which Newton and Jessica’s ears. Newton stood upright and staggered a little--to wal
k close towards Jessica. He rested his hand on Jessica’s shoulder. And a tremble from Jessica, who was not sure whether it was Newton or something else that had touched her.
“It’s me, Jessie.” Newton whispered.
“Newt--” Jessica jumped into a hug with Newton. She wrapped her arms around him and cried as sounds rushed in her ears. A sound of three to six people laughing in the house, and then both realizing that they did not have to be scared of only a single demon they met in their bedroom but a lot more by the sound of the voices that sounded-- “I’m scared, Newt.”
Jessica rested her head on Newton’s shoulder. Newton placed his chin on her upper head and wrapped his arms around her.
“Take it easy, Jessie.” Newton continued, “we will get over this.”
“But--” pausing to a hiccup, and unable to get a good clear breath, Jessica paused.
“Let us just stick together.” Newton continued. “Let us do it for our unborn baby--let us be strong and make sure that we get over this tough episode.”
“What do we do, Newt?” Jessica asked.
Newton’s thoughts surged in his mind and hoped that he could come up with a better and tangeable thought. He swallowed through his throat and glanced around the dark surrounding. Ahead, he could see light penetrate through the tiniest hole on the door (the tiny padlock space)-- Light which jostled from the outside light by the neighborhood lamp posts into the living room.
“Let us hide behind the couch that is that side.” Newton whispered.
“Hide?”
“Yes, until we come up with a better idea to get out of the house. For now, we can’t let whatever is in the house get the best of us, they can’t see us standing and waiting for what? We better hide, no idea is better that this one.” Newton continued, “come on, let us get away from the door.”
“But--”
“Don’t ague, Jessie, do you have any bright ideas apart from hiding for safety?”
“No--but hiding isn’t a bright idea either.”
“It will buy us enough time. You have seen just how powerful that thing is, I really don’t know if it’s a demon or a ghost.” Newton continued in a silky tone, “but what I know is that it vanished right in front of our eyes. It could appear any moment now. Do you prefer we find a way out?”
“Yes--”
“We will after we figure something up.” Newton emphasized.
Jessica held Newton’s hand. “Newt, what if...”
“No, Jessie--” Newton continued. “Not until we find some bright thought, for now, we get away from the open. At least hiding will buy both you and I time to figure something up and a hope of survival could be analyzed from that.”
“OK.”
Newton held Jessica’s hand and begun to stagger away from the center of the living room to the end; right behind a couple of couches.
“Ah!” Newton screamed upon landed on the floor on his wounded hip. He closed his mouth quick, and hoped that his scream didn’t signal the demons in the house; the least that which both Newton and Jessica would want then.
Jessica landed smoothly and kept her hand wrapped on Newton’s hand. And waited patiently until Newton finished gnashing his teeth to the sound of pain.
Newton puffed out loud as he landed on his other hip. Which made it his thought to only land and sit on one hip. Newton opened his mouth, he breathed continuous, a sounding breath, and a certainty to Jessica that he was going through hell at the moment. Jessica begun to stroke Newton’s hand--gently and tried to cool him from the temper and tense which rose inside Newton-- She sat right in front of Newton who at the time sat on one hip and rested on the wall behind him. Jessica had a couch behind her. And surrounding darkness that made it difficult for both to clearly glances of each other. Only Newton’s sounding breath proved to Jessica how grieved her husband was. She stretched her other hand and held Newton by his chest, she slid it up to meet his face.
“Talk to me, Newt.” Jessica said.
Newton puffed out loud again and glanced at the partial figure of Jessica in front of him. Slowly he ducked his head to a sharp stab of pain from both his hip and thigh. And voiced out his agony. He sat on one buttock as he puffed yet again.
“Don’t tell me you were hurt on the thigh and hip by that demon.” Jessica continued, “you thought I wouldn’t notice the bandages, did you? Although enclosed in your trousers, I could feel them when I held you up in the bedroom. And when you had begun to bleed. What happened?”
“Lordwell--” Newton said in response. And paused to gnash yet again on his teeth.
“Great, so now we have to deal with your boss as well. How did that happen?”
“He knows that I’m the one who destroyed his fishing stick.” Newton continued in a silky tone “and this morning, he saw me throw the fishing stick into the sea.”
“And?”
“When I walked to the ship; I found him with two bodyguards whom he assigned to kill me.” Newton continued after a second break to take a deep breath, “I was shot twice before I could jump off the ship into the waters surrounding the ship. I was shot on my thigh and upper hip.”
Jessica stretched her hand to touch Newton.
“Where?” Jessica asked.
“Stop it, Jessie.” Newton puffed out between his teeth-- “it hurts.”
“Sorry--”
For minutes, both sat silent upon noticing that the sounding laughs had stopped, laughs from the demons that came from rooms up-stairs. And now silence being all that occupied the entire rooms of the house. Only noisy sounding breaths which came from Newton who had at the time received irritating pains from the bullet wounds.
Jessica stretched her hand in the surrounding darkness until he met Newton who sat on one buttock with his head ducked down to the pain which until then had conflicted on him. Newton’s mouth stood open, and only closed when he heard Jessica speak.
“So will Lordwell come and finish what he started? And kill me too?” Jessica continued in a faint tone “I have heard of him and how he deals with enemies. I’m pretty sure he will be back for you.”
“No he won’t...” Newton spoke with difficulty.
“What do you mean?” Jessica continued, “are you telling me he will just let you go? That’s not the Lordwell I have heard of.”
“Yes--that’s not how Lordwell deals with his enemies.” Newton added to Lordwell King’s description. “I have worked with him for years. I know him.”
“We should be afraid of Lordwell King too?”
“He believes I’m dead.” Newton snapped.
“And what if...” Jessica begun to speak, but was eventually cut off by Newton.
“We better bury that subject, Jessie, Lordwell King knows that I’m dead. His men confirmed that to him. I’m right now injured, but this doesn’t bother me much, and there is really no need reporting him to the authorities when I know that he will bribe himself out of prison, and come back to hunt me down.” Newton continued, “it’s better we forget about that now. We have a lot to worry about--like the things happening right now. Now that we don’t even know if we could still survive the torment or...”
“We will--” Jessica snapped.
The house was still dark, but Jessica and Newton had managed to convey. Upon realizing again that they had no way out of the house, Newton and Jessica sat silent and concentrated on the silence in the house. A scary quietness which at times made Jessica shiver with to a cold creepy sensation. And got more tensed when touched herself. And to avoid anymore scary sensations, she pushed herself closer towards Newton and wrapped her arms around him and just hoped that the torment was soon to be over.
Newton’s mouth was clamped tight, and he could only bite on his teeth, and puff out loud every time he felt a remnant thump of his heart. He rested both his hands on Jessica’s back while she slept on his chest and wrapped her arms around him.
Jessica lifted her head and a glance she swung in the darkness as she waited to rest her glance upon Newton
. Again.
“I think I have an idea--” Jessica said in a low tone after controlling the tense in her.
“What could that be?” Newton asked.
“Let us break the door open.” Jessica continued, “we can spend our night in Mr and Mrs Boxer’s house. They are the only neighbors we seem to talk to...I’m sure they won’t refuse us.”
“I don’t have trouble with spending a night at Mrs Boxer’s, but breaking the door?” Newton lifted his eyebrows in mute supplication.
“Do you have any bright ideas?”
“No--”
“Then we are left with no other option than to break the door open. It being the only option we have to get out of the house. The door is locked, and we can’t stay in here all night. And waiting for what? Let us try the one thought I have...it may not be bright, but it will definitely guarantee both you and I freedom away from the house.” Jessica continued, “what do you say?”
Newton sat silent as he sorted through his thoughts--considering that he had to break a door which opens from inside. That was just against some ‘law of physics.’ And forcing it to break open from the outside? How will I do that? Newton’s eyes had become wide as thoughts scampered in his mind until he had made up him decision to the liking of Jessica.
“Come, Jessie, help me up.” Newton said in a breathless tone as he tried to control the pains he felt on his thigh and upper hip. He wrapped his arm around Jessica’s shoulder and begun to stagger again in order to move towards the direction where both knew they were to find the door.
For seconds, Newton slid his feet on the floor, and kept his head ducked down--his mouth clamped tight as a rising warming of the heart begun to hit up his temper once more. Newton had his arm on top of Jessica’s shoulder. And was sure now that he wasn’t going to fall. Jessica had held him and staggered like he did. And then only up to Newton whether he could overcome the pains he felt. Sharp stabs of pain on his thigh and upper hip. The bandages were had gotten wet as the wounds ripped open again. Newton felt that his leg was wet--he paused and placed his hand beneath his thigh, and his hand too became wet to the warm blood he had touched. Only then did Newton realize that he wasn’t in a state to run. But I have to do this for Jessica, I can’t let her perish because of my foolishness. It’s better if she doesn’t notice me bleeding--I don’t want to worry her. Newton thought.
“Why did you stop?” Jessica asked.
“It’s nothing.”
And he begun to walk, and staggered forward until met the huge entrance door. He touched it and begun to figure a way he was to break the door. I can’t. Newton thought, but at least let me try. He knew that was Jessica’s only hope of redemption out of the house, and that he wasn’t just going to conclude failure before showing some strive and efforts to open the door. He lifted his hand from Jessica’s shoulder. And swallowed through his thought and pushed Jessica back with his hand.
“Stand back--” He snapped.
Newton gently begun to walk back and made sure that he had inhaled enough air. He jumped on the door--and hit it with his shoulder. But pounced back on his feet and again awakened his wounds. He took a deep steady breath and released it slowly before he could throw himself again at the door. The door was still locked, not shaken by any of the hitting, and there was simply no way both were getting the door open.
“Let me try.” Jessica said.
She threw herself too at the door and found that her idea wasn’t bright at all. She walked back and asked Newton who at the moment kept gnashing on his teeth to the pain to had awakened his wounds. Until--
Newton and Jessica were both staring at the huge door the time the lights went back on to the liking of both, not until they turned around to face their behind.
Slowly, both turned around and glanced their behind which was bare. Newton puffed between his teeth thinking that the torment had ended. But Jessica whose heart had begun to race to a view of five demons floating in thin air, she pulled Newton by his hand and pointed up to show him that the demons weren’t yet done. Tense shot again in Newton’s chest as he got a glimpse of the five angry demons above. A quick snap in his mind, he turned around and begun to hit the huge door again. His mouth wide, his teeth clearly seen as he continuously hit the door and hoped that it could swing or break open; which was never going to happen. And then felt a sudden change of gravity. As he kicked back and forth, Newton begun to ascend by the demons’ tricky tormenting acts. Jessica stood helpless as Newton was two feet above her head. Newton’s kicking begun to stop the moment he realized that it wasn’t helping-- He glanced forward as he was taken by the demons that drew Newton closer towards them while Jessica stood down on the floor and only stared up at what was to happen to Newton.
“Newt!” Jessica screamed to a glimpse of Newton now being lifted even closer towards the demons that floated in thin air, and two feet close to a chandelier that stood above their heads.
After seconds of lifting Newton stood in between the five demons, all who had fastened their glances at Newton-- Angry glances, but Newton focused more on the lady demon which had strangled him a while ago. He gnashed his teeth as bewilderment thoughts flooded his mind, he tilted his neck and glanced at the demons that stood around him. He took a deep breath and puffed gently as his heart raced to the view he had got. All the demons opened their mouths and produced a harsh loud sound that forced Newton to lift his hands and cup them around his ears. He screamed as fear tored through him. A loud scream that forced him to close shut his eyes, and when he opened them again; all the five demons had vanished, leaving him still floating in thin air--right beneath a huge chandelier of the living room.
“Newton, get down!” Jessica shouted.
“I can’t!” Newton shot back as he again kicked back and forth. And realized that it was futile, he floated and ducked his head to a view of Jessica down on the floor. Tears had begun to stream down his cheeks, tears that dropped on the floor as all hopes faded.
Suddenly whatever was holding him did let go. And in a second, Newton was down on the floor and had landed on his buttocks which by the way had a flesh ripped open wound of a bullet shot right on his upper hip. He screamed hard as pain surged in his heart. His head was on the floor, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Jessica shouting out to him.
“Newton! Get up from there! Get up!” Jessica shouted and pointed up at the chandelier which had been shaking and right above; ready to drop on Newton.
Newton got on his feet, and begun to stride away from the center. He ran towards Jessica with a hand placed beneath his equally bullet wounded thigh.
And the chandelier was down to pieces, smashing to the now darkness of the living room. Newton reached Jessica--he wrapped his arms around her; weeping dearly while placed his chin on Jessica’s shoulder. His heart bet rampant to reality. He pinned Jessica into a tight hug.
“Newton, I’m scared.” Jessica said in a low tone as tears equally streamed down her cheeks.
Newton unwrapped his arms and held Jessica by her hand. And begun to pull her away from the open--and walked back to the couch where they had found a perfect hiding spot a while ago. Newton staggered away and tried as hard as he possibly could to just overcome the pains. He bit on his teeth and lifted his head, and stretched his glance through the darkness. He swung it around the room and noticed that the lights were back in the house. And only darkness in the living room because they had lost a chandelier. Afar, at the rooms above the stairs, both got a glimpse of shiny light coming from there. But they did not want to risk a life by going up-stairs instead. Newton staggered until he had met the couch where both again found refuge. They walked behind and gently ducked down until meeting the floor with their buttocks. Newton clenched hard on the pain his hip made him endure. Please, can’t this day get any better? I now get it, the fortune teller was right. But this is just too much for me and Jessica to bear. Is there any room for second chances? Newton’s thoughts whirled in his mind as he held Jessica’s hand. His eyes had b
ecome wet; a residue to the weeping he had done minutes ago.
After minutes of silence, Newton sent his glance in thin air to glance around, and afar he could see light touch half the stairs that led to the rooms up. Bright light. Golden light which sure was good to stay in, but Newton thought otherwise considering of the fact that the demons were still rooming around. And the house, it being abducted by five demons. Newton was still recovering from both the view he had of the angry demons and as well recovering from the pain he had to endure when he had fallen dozen feet above the floor, until meeting the floor where he had landed on his injured hip. Until then he gnashed his teeth, he placed his hand beneath his thigh and sat on one buttock. His lips parted, he bit on his teeth as he tried to get over the pains. And at least for seconds ignored the flush-backs of just how ugly the demons are. He took a steady breath and tried to cool his then racing heart.
Jessica was equally tensed-up with all the drama that which happened that night. She sat behind the couch and rested her back on it and as she wrapped her arms around her knees. Tears slid down her cheeks as she rested her chin on her knees and cried softly as she recalled what had happened a while ago.
“Newton--” Jessica’s voice sounding with ripples. And faint.
Newton by then had managed to calm himself and was then looking forward to find a way out of the house, and he heard Jessica call out to him. He gently tilted to look at her.
“Yes.”
“I’m scared, Newton, I don’t want to die.”
“Don’t worry, Jessie, we will find a plan in no time and we will be out of the house.” Newton continued, “this I promise you...”
“Are we going to run away from the house?” Jessica asked in a low tone.
“We have to--your life and the baby’s is far more important than this.”
“But--”
“I know.” Newton stretched his hand and gently swung it in the darkness to touch Jessica’s face. And continued to speak when he touched her, he gently stroked her cheeks... “this is our house. I know that, but you can see that the demons are cunning as to not leave the house. Our house has been abducted by demons, Jessie, and there is nothing both of us can do. We are left with no other option than to run for freedom. From the demons. Or we both will be possessed by the demons or worse. Those creature out there could hurt our baby. And you know I wouldn’t want any of that to happen. Nor will I bear the feeling to have lost my life nor yours. This is just a house. I know that I love money and all...but I love my family more than anything in the world. We will both survive with the little we have saved in bank.” “Please, Jessie, try to reason with my way of thinking. I know that I’m not literate and all, but even dummies at times talk sense.”
Jessica chuckled a little.
“That’s what I want, Jessie, to see you happy and at least ignore all that has happened today. I know it’s scary, but I need your courage and focus.”
“Newton, now that we know that we can’t get out of the house, why don’t we call for help. Anyone. So that they can free us from the house.” Jessica suggested.
“Who would?”
“Norah--” Jessica snapped.
“We will be putting her life in danger too. I wouldn’t want my sister perish because of me. The demons will hurt her.”
“What of Mama Lina?”
“Don’t even bother, please!”
“Why not, Newt? Why not bother, huh? Tell me.” Jessica said upon holding Newton’s hand and shifting her glance through the dark surrounding until she had been sure that it had rested at a position Newton was.
“Don’t forget that I acted harsh on her the other day...what makes you so sure she would come to help us, much less help me.”
“For some reason I think you acted that way because of her colour. I never knew you are a racist, Newt.”
“I’m not, and I wish not to be such.” Newton continued, “we can’t seek help from the fortune teller ’cause the last time we visited her--things turned up as not expected. I said a number of harsh words...and I do regret ever saying those things to her. We can’t call her just because we are facing difficulty. I’m sure she despises me by now. Why bother if she won’t come. And if she agrees, how long will it take her this time of the night to reach Transtevator? We are on our own, Jessie.”
“But we have no other way out of the house--” Jessica said, but was eventually cut off by Newton.
“Wait a second, Jessie, I think I heard something.” Newton whispered.
“I hear nothing.”
“Hush, keep it down.”
Both could hear sounds of someone’s feet outside the house. Could it be part of the demons’ tricks? But who could it be at this time of the night. No--I’m sure that it’s a demon wishing to pull a plunk on us. Hell no am I getting up from here. He sorted out through his thoughts and sat silent, he placed his fingers on Jessica’s lips, and hoped that she doesn’t make a sound.
A hit at the entrance door which both Newton and Jessica heard. The door which both did fail to open. Another, which made them both shiver and wrap their arms around each other as fear tored through them. Newton swallowed hard through his throat when he felt it had become dry once more. He wrapped his arms around Jessica’s waist. His mouth had clamped tight. He slowly begun to remove himself from the hug him and Jessica had formed, he swung his glance through the dark surrounding.
The last hit and the door swung open.
Newton slowly lifted his head above the couch and tried to see if he could catch a clear glimpse of who had just opened the door. Or is it a trick from the demons? Newton thought.
He still had his head lifted up, slightly above the couch, with his glance fastened afar as he tried to get a clear glimpse as to who had come and walked into the house. He could only see a shadow which stretched to the middle of the living room. And afar, the person who was in his or Jessica’s faded glance, having the outside light hit the behind of the person. And outside being not that dark. And immediately that the door was opened, light from outside; that produced from the bright moon and the shinning lamp posts on the neighboring road. The light which touched half of the living room. And stretching more the stranger’s shadow.
Jessica was silent, only an irritating shake which Newton wasn’t able to control, she had her head ducked down; her hands again wrapped around her knees, and her chin placed above when she heard again the door clench. Having to had sat on the floor--Jessica kept moving back and forth with fear which crawled in her chest as to an already conclusion of death which brushed her heart.
For seconds, the strange person; in Newton’s glance stood silent with both hands dropped down, one which had gripped on to a satchel, wrapped with a long leather strap. Newton until then had his glance stretched forward and hoped that he could know who it was that stood in front of his glance. He had a lot to worry about, already, he and Jessica had been hiding away from demons. Among them, Newton had a strong testimony to how dangerous and wicked the demons could get; him, having to had been strangled as welcome to torment, and lifted up by the five demons until let down from above to hit the stiff floor. And again had Lordwell King as his enemy--Newton was concluded dead by Lordwell King, but Jessica wasn’t. And a strange person walking in the house? It could be anyone, one of the two, or a simple burglar.
“Jessica!” The stranger called out. And kept still aloof.
Jessica wanted to stand up from the floor upon getting her name and concluding already that the strange person who had come meant no harm. But Newton; he held her back on the floor and pressed his hand on Jessica’s mouth to shut it and not want Jessica to speak a word. Newton sat silent, and again, he slowly lifted his head to check if the stranger had left or still at the door side.
“Jessica, I know you’re in there,” the strange person continued “I have come to help. At least show yourselves. I can sense Newton too being with you. I’m your only way out of this mess. I know how I can help you guys.”
After se
conds of listening to the lady, Jessica lifted her hand and removed Newton’s hand which had cupped her mouth “darling, there is nothing to be scared of.”
“Wait a second, Jessie, let me try to talk to her--” Newton insisted.
“What is there to talk about?” Jessica continued in a faint low tone “we were trying to find someone willing to get us out of the house, right? And help is right in front of us--why question it--let’s get out of the house--better that way.”
Newton lifted his head again and glanced afar, but still couldn’t get a clear view of who was at the far end close to the open door and stood between the light which touched the floor.”
“Who are you?” Newton asked.
“Mama Lina,” she responded broadly.
“How do we know that you are telling the truth?”
“Come out and take a look.” Mama Lina continued. “Why do you think I came all the way here in the first place? I sensed a bad omen, that’s the reason I came, will you let me in or are you preferring I leave the house?”
Newton and Jessica stood up from their hiding spot. Newton threw his hand on top of Jessica’s shoulder. And begun to stagger forward towards the spot where Mama Lina had stood. Newton had his head ducked down at numerous times due to sever pains he felt on both his thigh and upper hip, his upper hip especially; and his thigh where at the moment he had his other hand placed beneath it. He staggered, gently he slid his feet--and a few feet away, he lifted his head and glanced forward. He puffed between his teeth, and slowly dropped his glance to face the floor. And for seconds he had his mouth shut. His eyes darkening to the sharp stab of pains he had felt.
A foot closer towards Mama Lina, Newton removed his arm from Jessica’s shoulder and then both got a clear glance that it sure was Mama Lina. Jessica jumped to her, she wrapped her arms around Mama Lina and exclaimed to Mama Lina’s sudden arrival.
How did she...all the way from New York City, to come and protect me? Jessica? But how did she come to know of our crisis, I didn’t phone, and Jessica confirmed not calling her too. Newton stood quiet, he fastened his glance at Mama Lina as bewilderment thoughts whirled in his mind. He stood slightly upright--his hand still held on to the beneath of his thigh, but couldn’t get off Mama Lina in his sight.
“Welcome--” Jessica said.
Mama Lina had her glance fastened too at Newton “why, Newton, why didn’t you take my advise serious? I’m certain that all I said that day was clear enough even to be heard by you. It didn’t even take a single day, and you went out to look for trouble.” Mama Lina continued, “didn’t I make myself clear?”
“You did--” Newton confirmed.
“But why did you choose to go against the prophecy?”
“I never believed that demons were real, until today.” Newton continued “so does it mean because I went to work, demons have abducted my house?”
“Each had a product, Newton, you went to work, and what did you get in return for your love for money?” Mama Lina continued, “two bullet wounds, one on your thigh and the other on your hip. Because of what?”
“But, Mama Lina, does that have to do with what is happening here? What explains the demons abducting my house?”
“You should know.” Mama Lina said in response.
“But I do not know.”
“Did you throw away the chest you had found in the sea?”
“No--”
“Good.” Mama Lina snapped. “Let us go to your bedroom.”
“You haven’t answered my question.” Newton continued “I have asked you something. How did the demons find their way into my house?”
“You brought them here yourself.” Mama Lina continued “from the sea, and from that chest I asked you about earlier. Did you notice anything strange upon opening it?”
“Yes, the living room was all gusty for a couple of long seconds.” Jessica said.
“Did you by any chance get to see any demon minutes after you had opened the chest?” Mama Lina asked.
“Not until today.” Newton confirmed.
“Good--” Mama Lina continued “let us go up stairs, to your bedroom and begin the ritual.”
After watching Mama Lina walk a foot towards them and wished to walk away from the light she had standing on-- and wanting to walk into darkness which at the time freaked Jessica and Newton more; Newton paused and glanced at Mama Lina, he sent a glance of disapproval to walk away from the living room. Much less then that him and Jessica could both penetrate their glances through the now open door-- A glance which Newton sent out of the living room and made it stop right at the empty liberated environment.
“But are we supposed to get out of the house?” Jessica continued, “isn’t that the main purpose of you coming here? Helping us escape.”
“No--” Mama Lina responded and walked further into the darkness. Her satchel hanging at the mid joint of her arm,and hit her waist as she walked away.
Newton shot a warning glance at Jessica, his mouth had clamped tight. His eyes had become wide as he tried hard to get all that had happened; why the fortune teller decided to walk into the house and not away? His warning glance receiving that of Jessica. And Jessica too who did not understand any of the fortune teller’s ways, she shrugged and glanced into the darkness were Mama Lina had vanished into, and headed forth for the stairs that stood afar, and not in their glances. Jessica parted her mouth to speak, but sudden sounds begun again; sounds that produced by the demons. And made both Jessica and Newton shiver to the harsh sounds. Newton’s glance shifted to face the outside and all he could see was nothing but bare environment, with lamp posts brightening the neighborhood. No torment of any kind outside. Why keep staying in the house if what both felt was their hearts jumping to every harsh sounds the demons made? Newton had his glance fastened at the outside. A concluding thought which came in his mind as he stood motionless. Freedom. He swallowed through his throat and swung back his glance to face Jessica who at the time had her glance penetrating into the darkness. And afar, right on the stairs, both Jessica and Newton got a shout from Mama Lina who called out to them.
“Are you coming or what!?” Mama Lina exclaimed. Her voice climbed down the stairs and reached by Jessica. And newton who bobbed in his throat the second or two.
Jessica walked towards Newton and held his hand and whispered in his ear silently “let us go.”
Newton’s glance had faded to a thought of death which had already reached in his mind, considering the fact that he better than anyone knew of the wrath of the demons.
Newton lifted his head and glanced at Jessica who stood upright and had a broad smile and hoped that Newton too agreed to what Mama Lina had planned for the safety of both them and her.
“But--” Newton opened his mouth to give a sharp response but stopped after a quick thought considering that the fortune teller had warned them of the dangers he and Jessica were to soon face, but he had decided to ignore that on account that the fortune teller only needed a couple of bucks which Newton did not even pay after the prophecy which he at that moment found to had been false--at least not about their past and a new born baby Mama Lina had told him and Jessica.
Refusing now will just speak to Jessica that I’m nothing less that a hypocrite. Newton stood for seconds as he sorted through his thoughts. “You’re right, Jessie, we need to be with her right away.”
And gently, Newton begun to stagger away from the light which had come through the open entrance door. He placed his hand beneath his thigh and walked slowly; sliding his feet while again stressing Jessica when he landed his arm on top of her shoulder. Close to the stairs, Newton paused for seconds. And took deep breaths that were to guarantee him a normal heart beat. He puffed between his teeth and glanced through the darkness. Not really being able to see Jessica but all the same, being sure and certain that she was close to him--and carrying his arm, he lifted it from Jessica’s shoulder and begun to walk up the stairs after a confirmation that he was fine and could hold himself
up the stairs. His eyes were wide and did not wish to find any of the five demons along the way up. He paused to check if he could hear any sounds that which could channel his ears to know if the demons were heading down stairs again, and Newton stood scared to be tormented again by the demons.
“Wait for me, Newt,” Jessica said.
She lifted her legs and met a stair at a time so that she could meet Newton who was a couple or more stairs above her. She walked up and held him by his hand.
“Jessie--” Newton’s voice tattered upon getting her touch.
“Come on! I’m waiting...Newton...Jessica. Come in the bedroom, I have found a perfect spot to perform the ritual.”
Newton and Jessica slowly walked up the stairs. Newton’s glance then clear upon meeting the floor that had bright golden light touching it. He paused and glanced at the bedroom door which was closed. Newton shifted his glance around the corridor, and afar, he met in his glance the bedroom door again, which was closed.
After a second of walking away from the last stair. Jessica begun to shiver until then, she gripped on Newton’s shirt. Newton who stretched his arm, and with his hand met the door handle; and slowly he pushed to the silent opening of the bedroom door. What is that? What is all this? He glanced around the room and met Mama Lina right in front of his glance; with a table in the middle. And the satchel she had a while ago. After walking in, a couple of feet away from the door, Newton could see the satchel on the floor, right next to the table. And all that was in the satchel-- Emptied and all that the satchel had placed on top of the table. And the ball which both had seen on their visit at Mama Lina’s house stood between the table.
Newton Walked much closer, he swung his glance around the room and could see on the floor, piles of clothes that had been strewn by the demons before he came home. A flush back of what had happened in the room; Newton trembled to a clear visual thought, a 3-D thought which reminded him how wicked the demons mocked him, and Newton nearly ding to the hard pinning of the demon’s hands which it did wrap around his neck. Newton swallowed through his throat and managed to calm his thoughts. He shifted his glance and met Jessica’s--he held her hand and asked her to follow forward towards Mama Lina who at that time kept her focus on the unlit ball which sat on the table. Mama Lina closed her eyes and after seconds opened them--and the very first thing that came in her mind--the first two words. And Mama Lina opened her mouth to a smooth beating of her lips.
“Newton. Jessica.” Mama Lina beckoned at both, and slowly she begun to circle the table. Upon stopping, she glanced back at Newton and Jessica who stood afar with bewilderment thoughts that flooded their minds “switch off the light and close the door behind you before approaching the table.”
Mama Lina’s words were clear, but Newton having to had felt the original presence of the demons stood silent as thoughts surged in his mind.
Switch off the lights? Close the door? Not willing to do any of that, Newton’s eyebrows lifted as thoughts continued to scamper in his mind. But before he could show to both Jessica and Mama Lina, any of those signs of disapproval, Jessica walked back at the door and closed it. And seconds later, the light bulb was off to the pitch darkness of the room. And Newton felt a touch of Jessica again. And her voice which softened in his ears as she asked him to walk closer towards Mama Lina and break every aloof between them. At least not the table in between.
Newton and Jessica quietly slid their feet and met the table which stood on the middle of the room. The ball on the table begun to glow on a touch of Mama Lina...it glowed to a way Newton and Jessica expected it to, having once seen it glow back in New York City. In Mama Lina’s scary house. Quite a memorable and shaking experience. The bright light reflected in Newton’s eyes after he had fastened his glance at the ball. Newton had his mouth clamped tight and hoped for whatever the fortune teller wanted, to complete the ritual once and for all. And at least guarantee him, Jessica and their unborn baby peace and a certainty of never to be haunted by demons ever again.
“I need you both to pay attention to what I’m about to tell you. Pay attention.” Mama Lina continued after she had fastened again her glance at Newton and Jessica-- She laid her hands on the table and her back which she had slightly curved. “Before we begin with this ritual, I wish to inform you that the practice I’m about to do is going to be dangerous--it is a life risking practice. One amongst us may be lost. Today. The demons only become less powerful when they walk out of a body the possess. When the demons possess any of us we will be forced to kill that person, until then, the demons will remain powerful. But when they become weak, all the demons will sink into this ball glowing in front of you and I. This ball will later be placed into the chest the demons were first found, and it will be thrown back into the sea where you had found it. And this chain in my hand will be circling around the glowing ball throughout the ritual--until we are certain that the demons sink into the ball.”
Jessica held Newton by his hand. As she shook when she heard the sound of “demon possessing” and not knowing who was going to be possessed by the demons.
“But--we don’t have to loose a life.” Newton continued, “we are willing to leave the house for the demons.”
Mama Lina lifted her glance and fastened it again at Newton “the five demons you have let loose from the chest will gain enormous power that of all man living on earth. Combined. On the 14th of July next year. With such powers, they will, for sure they will...many lives will be lost, lots of demons will be set free, and a lot will be discovered...those from Africa, India, India, India and India...what you see here is just a surface of what demons are capable of. On that day. The world wouldn’t be safe to live in...it shall be worse than the first world war’s debris. And you will be found and killed then. Me too. Why loose many if we could just sacrifice a single one of us today?”
Newton tilted his neck and glanced at Jessica, he placed his hands on her cheek and slowly slid them to meet her ears--he pulled her head closer and kissed her. Anything could happen today, Jessica, I need you to be strong. He sighed and gently tilted back to face Mama Lina who had her hand lifted up to a preparation for the ritual.
“We can go ahead with the ritual--”
And Mama Lina lifted up her head--her hands stretched above the glowing ball and said languid words that sounded strange in both Newton’s and Jessica’s ears. “Eeeh vunami neomatich piohhh...”
“Voodoo?” Newton inquired.
A quick halt, and Mama Lina nodded silently in response and proceeded with the ritual. Her eyes were closed and her hands too, one which gripped on a golden chain continuously circled around the glowing ball. Her voice which tattered. Newton was sure by the sound of Mama Lina’s voice that her too was freaked out by all that was happening. Jessica stood silent and griped tight on Newton’s trousers when she noticed the five demons drop from the roof. The table shook to their landing, Jessica first had a glimpse of them-- She wrapped her arms around Newton as fear crawled to a glimpse at something horrible, horrifying. Newton glared at the five demons and urged Jessica to keep calm and not show any least signs that she was scared by any of their tormenting acts. The demons slid their feet on the floor and moved even closer towards the table with their heads ducked down but horrifying sounds of heavy breaths that sure scared both Mama Lina and Jessica more. But Mama Lina still had her eyes closed when she heard the thunderous noise of the demons’ land, her being sure that all the demons had landed; only being certain of their arrival when she heard Jessica sound a gentle scream which was stopped eventually by Newton. And the demons’ sliding feet sounds and their heavy breaths that proved to Mama Lina just how close the demons had got towards the table.
Mama Lina; it being her fourth time performing the ritual, and knowing just how dangerous the act was--she stopped praying loud and then begun to sound an inward prayer in her heart. She shivered even more when the demons walked closer…she puffed between her teeth and begun again to pray aloud. Loud words that tattered no m
ore. But the fear which kept crawling inside her chest was eventually spotted by the demons. Mama Lina continuously circled the golden chain around the glowing ball but the chain accidentally dropped to her shivering, she dropped it on the table right next to the glowing ball, and that potted by the demons...to the lifting of the demons’ heads. And the demons vanished.
Newton’s eyes widened, he stared at the room’s corners until his glance rested at Mama Lina who for seconds stood silent and breathless. Mama Lina opened her eyes and blood begun to stream out of her now green pale eyes. And when she opened her mouth--both Newton and Jessica could conclude that the fortune teller had been possessed by demons. Harsh squeal sounds came out of Mama Lina’s mouth. Sounds same to that of the demons.
“Newton!” Jessica screamed to the view of Mama Lina’s now ugly face.
“Take it easy, Jessie,, stay calm.” Newton emphasized.
Jessica and Newton held each other’s hands and begun to slid their feet back as Mama Lina walked towards them with her mouth wide open, equally streamed blood at the corners of her lips. Her arms which had stretched forward, her hands looking forward to grip on Jessica who continuously gave a sounding scream.
“Newton, do something!” Jessica screamed the minute she met the wall behind her. Newton had to let go of Jessica and ran towards the closet. His eyes grew wide as he desperately searched for something. Until he met a gun at the far end of the closet’s upper shelf. He turned around saw Mama Lina four feet close to meet Jessica. He aimed for Mama Lina’s head. And placed a finger right at the surface of the trigger. His mouth clamped tight as bewilderment thoughts scampered in his mind. Jessica leaned behind and left her hands as a set of ghost feelings raised inside her. She pressed her hands tightly on her ears as she screamed as fear tored through her, she glanced at Mama Lina who had been possessed by the five demons. Jessica’s eyes were wet, her hopes had begun to fade until she heard a loud ‘pop,’ sound in her ears to the dropping of Mama Lina on the floor. Jessica slid her hand and touched her nose being certain that it had been stained with blood. And afar she saw Newton hold on to a gun and shaken too to had killed the fortune teller.
EPILOGUE
Jessica dropped her hands upon realizing that Mama Lina had died, she strode towards Newton and jumped into a tight hug as she felt an evil sensation brush her heart.
“Newton, am scared.” Jessica said in a low tone.
“Come on, let us complete the ritual...” Newton said and pulled Jessica by her arm back towards the table. He lifted the golden chain from the table and begun to imitate and spoke the phrases he had heard Mama Lina speak a while ago, he circled the chain around the glowing ball until he and Jessica saw green thick air lift up from Mama Lina’s mouth, which slowly rose and begun to sink into the glowing ball on the table. And the ball slowly darkened into a dark green colour. We did it! Newton’s thoughts snapped the minute again he glanced at Jessica who had her mouth twisting into a tiny smile.
--------------------------------------------------
The following day; Newton and Jessica walked out of the house, and carried with them, The haunted chest. On the other side of the harbour of Transtevator. The far ends of the harbour where Newton was certain to not be spotted by Lordwell King-- He dropped the chest back into the sea and walked back at Jessica the moment he heard Jessica’s voice waft.
“What now?” Jessica asked.
“We head back home.” Newton continued, “What else?”
“What of we say goodbye to Transtevator, and travel elsewhere where we will start a perfect reputation, not the one I carry. I mean a descent life, innocent life, and live our life free and not run always from Lordwell King.”
Newton held Jessica’s hands cupped in his. He stared into Jessica’s blue wide beautiful eyes. “That sounds like a great idea, but I know you are only doing all that amuse me, and about what I said to you days ago--please don’t get any of what I had said serious. I will be fine staying in Transtevator, just as so long it makes you happy, Jessie.”
“I’m not doing this for you...it’s for our child am doing it for, Newton.” Jessica continued, “against Lordwell.”
“What do you suppose we do?”
“We travel elsewhere, away from Transtevator...”
“To where?”
“You choose.” Jessica snapped after parting her mouth into a broad smile.
Newton turned around, he slid his feet slowly to four feet away from where he and Jessica had stood. He lifted his hand and begun to stroke his chin as he searched through his thoughts. He turned around upon decided with his face fixed with a broad smile too.
“Las Vegas?” Newton injected a smile in his voice.
“Then Las Vegas it is.” Jessica said in response.
Newton turned around again and lifted both his feet from the ground, ignoring the pains on both his thigh and upper hip. He jumped and shouted to a sound of excitement “Las Vegas!” “Here I come!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Henry Prince Chilonga has lived most of his life in Zambia, deep in the heart of Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka. His earliest passions were art--especially landscape drawings--and writing. He rather neglected his art dream after a vast love for writing. When he was thirteen, he wrote a romance intertwine paranoid story about an Indian couple whose fight to overcome a plague in their life brought to Mumbai’s grief for a complete year, “Year Of Destruction” waking demons, revenants...the story was almost four hundred pages long. Today, he lives with his parents and five siblings in Makeni, Lusaka, at quiet still areas.