Anna's Visions

by Joy Redmond

  As Tori slowly lumbered up the stairs, she prayed that little Wes would come soon.

  Anna’s Note

  February 12, 1979

  I just received the best phone call of my life, except the one I received when Jill called to let me know she and Tori were coming home. My heart has been heavy many years with worry about Tori. But she has given me much more pleasure than heartache. I’ve truly been blessed with a wonderful husband, darling daughter, precious granddaughter, and Jill. A body couldn’t ask for a better life than I’ve lived. Thank you God for all Your blessings.

  Anna West-Morgan

  Chapter Nineteen

  Tori sank down onto her bed, and she had to lie on her left side so the pain would ease somewhat. She wondered how much longer she could hang on. She closed her eyes, took deep breaths, and tried to remind herself that it would all be over soon.

  A few minutes later, Wes stuck his head through the door. “Are you asleep?”

  Tori smiled, happy that she had such a considerate husband, and then patted the bed and said, “No, I’m awake. Come on in, sweetheart.”

  Wes dropped his coat and gloves on the floor, sat beside Tori, and held her hand. “I know you’re miserable, and it makes me miserable to see you that way. Is there anything I can do?”

  “I know you feel for me, honey,” Tori said, squeezing his hand. “But there isn’t much you can do now. Once this is over, I’ll be so happy that I’ll forget the pain – at least that’s what everybody’s been telling me.”

  Momma called up from the bottom of the stairs, “Tori, Daddy needs help at the store. He’s having some sort of trouble with the bookwork, so if it’s okay with you, I’m going to go help him.”

  “I’m fine, Momma,” Tori replied. “Go ahead and help Daddy.”

  As Tori heard the side door slam, she looked up at Wes. “I hope the roads aren’t too slick. Momma has some trouble driving at night.”

  Wes smiled and patted her hand. “She’s a big girl and has been driving in snow all her life. She’ll be fine.”

  Wes snuggled beside Tori on top of the covers and she felt better being wrapped in his loving arms. She didn’t know how long they’d been lying there, but just as she was about to ask Wes if he’d get her a glass of water, the phone rang.

  “I’ll get it,” Wes said, easing off the bed. A few minutes later Wes returned. “That was Dad on the phone. He said Mom’s angina is acting up. He put a nitroglycerin tablet under her tongue, but he’s a nervous wreck–”

  Tori sat up as quickly as she could and waved her arm at him. “Get over there! They may need your help.” Wes hesitated, so she repeated herself, this time more firmly. “Go! I’ll be fine. I don’t need someone by my side every second. I’m pregnant – not on my deathbed. Now go!”

  “Okay,” said Wes. “But I won’t be gone long. If you need me–”

  “I know how to dial a phone, Wes Asner. Get moving!”

  “The front door is locked and I’ll lock the backdoor on my way out,” Wes said as he slipped his arms through his coat and slipped on his gloves.

  “Good idea,” Tori said in mock sarcasm. “Lock everything up. Somebody might want to steal me.”

  Wes laughed. “If somebody did steal you, they’d be back in an hour, begging to pay me to take you back!” He kissed Tori’s forehead and headed downstairs.

  Tori lay back down and closed her eyes. It seemed to ease the pain to think about when she and Jill were small girls running through a field of purple clover on the Morgan farm. They’d run in circles, giggling and basking in the simple joy of being together.

  Suddenly, Tori felt her body jerk. She opened her eyes and looked around. She must have dozed off for a few minutes. She struggled out of bed and walked to the window, and then looked out at the snow-covered ground and the maple tree where she and Jill had played so often. It was the same tree that she and Wes had sat beneath as they planned their future during their high school days.

  It was all so lovely, but she was also worried about Wes’ mother. How long had she been asleep? Why hadn’t someone called to update her on Mom Asner’s condition? Why hadn’t Wes returned yet?

  She gazed out the window and thought how beautiful the full moon lit up the yard. Then she thought she saw something move by the maple tree. She stepped closer to the window and she was sure she saw movement down below. It was a figure dressed in black, apparently hiding behind the tree.

  Tori smiled. “Oh, Mr. Dickerson is out on the plains again. He’s probably running from the Indians before they can put an arrow in him.” The entire neighborhood had been laughing at Mr. Dickerson’s antics for years, but Tori had never seen him out on such a cold night.

  Tori was relieved to see car lights pulling into the Moss’ driveway. It was the red Pinto. Tori was glad to see that Jill was home. If there was ever a time when she could use the assurance of her best friend, it was at that moment.

  Tori watched as Jill got out of the old car and took a few steps toward the Hicks house. Then Tori gasped as she saw the dark figure leap from behind the tree and race toward her. It wasn’t like Mr. Dickerson to jump out and scare someone that way.

  Tori’s amusement turned to horror as she saw a flash and heard a loud pop from down below, and then Jill’s body slumped to the ground!

  “No! God No!” Tori shrieked.

  Her mind couldn’t register what had just happened. Her first instinct was to race to Jill’s aid, but the man had a gun! As she stood frozen with fear and indecision, she saw the shadowy figure slowly turn toward her window – and in the brilliant moonlight, she saw his face.

  “Cody Baxter,” Tori managed to whisper, holding her throat, her voice fading. She clinched her fist, thinking she was still dreaming, willing herself to wake up, until she suddenly realized she was digging her nails into her palms, that she was light-headed from holding her breath, and a metallic taste of fear was gagging her.

  Tori backed away from the window, barely able to breathe, and only stopped herself from fainting by steadied herself against the bedpost. My God, Cody Baxter was outside, and he’d just killed her best friend. There was no doubt in her mind who would be next.

  Tori’s head was spinning. She was all alone and there was nowhere to run – even if she could run, which was impossible in her pregnant condition. What was she going to do? Just as she started down the hall to call the police, she heard the sound of glass shattering from the kitchen. Cody had smashed the glass in the window of the back door!

  She had to get to the phone. She moved as quickly as she could toward her parents’ bedroom, and just as she reached their door, she heard the second step crack like thunder.

  Cody was coming up the stairs!

  Tori waddled faster and reached for the phone on her parents’ nightstand – but when she held it up to her ear, there was no dial tone. Cody must have cut the wires.

  From the stairway, she heard an ominous voice call out, “Oh, Tori. Come out, come out wherever you are. It’s time we had a little talk!”

  Then Tori saw the hallway light come on.

  He was at the top of the stairs!

  “Where are you, little darlin’? You might as well show yourself. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

  Tori dropped the phone and backed across the floor until she found herself in the closet. Her heart pounded as she waited for Cody to find her. It was only a matter of time.

  Then she felt something cold against her bare foot. She reached down and touched metal. What was it – one of her dad’s golf clubs? She felt on down a little and her fingers touched wood – a wooden butt of a gun. Shotgun? Rifle? Was it loaded?

  Tori picked it up, stepped silently from the closet. She tiptoed across the floor and hid behind the door. As she trembled in the semi-darkness, waiting for a showdown, she heard the scream of a siren. Help was on the way – but would they get there in time?

  A moment later, she heard Cody walking slowly down the hallway. “Come on out, To
ri There’s no way you can avoid this. Why not get it over with now?”

  Taking a deep breath, she pressed the butt of the shotgun firmly against her shoulder and stepped out into the hallway.

  Cody stood a few steps in front of the grandfather clock. She heard him laugh as he pointed his pistol her way. She pulled the trigger.

  A heartbeat later, she felt her left shoulder jerk back violently, followed by a stream of hot blood flowing down her arm. She had been hit – but where was Cody?

  Tori looked down the hallway and saw him lying on his back. The gun had been thrown from his hand. He made no move to retrieve it as he lay motionless amid a growing pool of blood.

  She dropped the shotgun and put her left hand over the wound in her arm. Then she shouldered against the wall, slowly making her way to the stairs, never taking her eyes off him.

  Just as she was about to step past him, she saw his bloody hand reach for the gun a short distance away. Instinctively she kicked the gun from his fingers, sending it sliding down the hallway.

  As her heel returned to the floor, Cody struggled onto his stomach and grabbed her ankle. She lost her balance and fell against the grandfather clock – the same grandfather clock she’d cussed a thousand times before – but this time it kept her from falling all the way to the floor.

  Using the clock for leverage, she jerked her foot away, her eyes never leaving him. He reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulled out a knife, and slashed out viciously, slicing her ankle as she struggled to get past him.

  Tori screamed in pain, but kept moving as she saw Cody begin to crawl toward her, leaving a trail of blood on the carpet. She made it to the staircase and clutched the railing as she started down the stairs.

  She heard him groan as he struggled to get to his feet.

  Her ankle barely supporting her weight, she walked her way down the steps, but she was only halfway down when she heard Cody scream from the top of the stairs, “Okay Tori. This is where we settle the score.”

  She looked over her shoulder and saw him foaming at the mouth as if he were a rabid dog. Just like in my dream!

  He rushed down the stairs, knife raised, ready to plunge it into her back. Just like in my dream!

  She continued as quickly as she could move, but he was gaining on her.

  She was almost to the bottom step, but she knew there was no way she was going to make it. He was going to win after all.

  Suddenly, she heard a loud crack. At first she thought it was the second step – until she watched in surprise as Cody’s body tumbled ahead of her, landing face down on the floor with a hard thud.

  She was disoriented by fear, but as Cody’s body hit the floor, she managed to focus and saw another figure move from the side of the railing to stand at the bottom of the staircase.

  Tommy Hill? He stood with the lead tip cane raised in the air, poised to whack Cody’s head again if he moved.

  Tori stared at Tommy wordlessly. He lowered the cane and started up the stairs – just as Tori lost consciousness and fell forward into his arms.

  * * * *

  When Tori woke up, she found herself lying on the living room couch with Tommy standing over her.

  “Jill!” Tori said frantically, trying to get up. “He shot Jill!”

  “Shh! Don’t move,” Tommy said, gently restraining her. “I found Jill and took her to my house. I told my mom to call the ambulance and the police, and then I ran over here to see if I could help you.”

  “But how did you find Jill so quickly?”

  “Well, while I was out on my daily walk this afternoon and circling the block I noticed a stranger pacing up and down the sidewalk in front of your house. He acted as if he were stalking you. So, after I got back around to my house I sneaked across your backyard and hid behind the bushes on the far side of your carport so I could keep an eye on him. You might say I was stalking the stalker. I heard the shot and saw Jill go down–”

  “Oh, Tommy, I saw her go down, too. I wanted to go to her–”

  Tommy patted Tori’s hand. “Don’t get upset. You couldn’t have helped her.” He swallowed hard, and then continued. “I ran back in time to see him smash the window on your back door and head inside. So while he was concentrating on you, I grabbed the cane – well, you know the rest.”

  Just as Tommy finished his explanation, two police officers rushed into the living room, their guns drawn.

  “Put your hands up and step away from the girl, son,” one of the officers said, his gun trained on Tommy.

  “But, officer, he–” Before Tori could tell the officer that Tommy had come to her rescue, she heard a familiar voice, crying, “Tori!” as Wes raced into the living room and toward the couch, followed by her parents.

  At that moment Tori’s mind no longer seemed to function clearly. She could hear Tommy talking to the police officers, but it sounded as if they were in an echo chamber. Her vision blurred and although she was vaguely aware that Wes’ arms were around her, she felt as if she were floating outside her body.

  A moment later, Tori realized that Momma was wiping her wounds with a cotton ball soaked with iodine, but she felt no pain. Through the din and haze, she thought she heard someone say, “There’s a bullet graze on her shoulder and a pretty deep slice on her ankle. We need to get her to the hospital!”

  Tori felt a pair of strong arms gently lifting her head up, and she saw Wes’ tear-filled eyes. “Here, Tori, drink some of this. He held a glass of water to her lips and she quickly drank it, her mouth as dry as cotton balls. He laid her back down. “Thank God you’re okay.”

  Then Tori saw Tommy kneeling on the floor beside her. She threw her arms around him and sobbed. “Tommy, thank you. You saved my life!”

  A thought ran through her mind that struck her a bit ironic. She had hung the lead tip cane on the banister for a decoration because she couldn’t stand the sight of Grammy using such an ugly thing…and it had become the weapon that saved her life. When it made contact with the back of Cody’s head, his skull cracked louder than the second step.

  As those thoughts raced through her mind, she realized that Tommy was still talking to her. “It’s okay,” Tommy said softly. “It’s all over. Everything’s going to be fine now.”

  The first police officer leaned over the couch. “What happened here? Do you know the man on the floor?”

  Tori looked up and replied, her voice seeming to come from somewhere far away. “He shot me – and I shot him. I guess he was a little off target and got me in the shoulder. I had a shotgun and it wasn’t hard for me to hit him. When I tried to get past him in the hallway, he cut me with a knife. His name is Cody Baxter. He’s the jerk I got mixed up with in Florida – the guy I thought I had – I thought I would never see again.”

  The officer asked, “Where did you get the shotgun?”

  “In Momma and Daddy’s closet. I bumped into it while I was trying to hide.”

  Momma sobbed. “That’s why we never wanted you to go into our bedroom. We were afraid you’d find the loaded gun.”

  “Well, thank goodness you found it this time,” her daddy added.

  A moment later, a man who looked like an old-time detective dressed in a trench coat and carrying a large flashbulb camera hurried into the house. All he needed was a cigar stub sticking out of his mouth and he would have been a dead-ringer for Colombo.

  Two paramedics followed Colombo into the living room.

  “What happened here?” Colombo looked around the room, his eyes searching all their faces.

  The officer who had asked Tori the questions explained the situation.

  “Please, sir,” Tommy said, “Tori needs to get to the hospital.”

  “Another ambulance is on the way to get her, son, but I’ve got to do my job.”

  Tommy continued, “But I’m the one who killed the guy. Tori shot him, but he was still alive and was about to stab her again when I whacked him one – and I tried to knock his brains out! Tori was just trying to sa
ve her life – and her baby’s life.”

  Colombo rubbed his eyebrow. “Hold on, boy, I’ll get to you in a minute.” He turned to the officers. “Did you two get this boy’s statement?”

  Both officers nodded, yes.

  The paramedics hurried toward Cody’s body.

  “Don’t touch him yet,” Colombo ordered, snapping several pictures of the scene. Then he began walking upstairs still flashing.

  After Colombo had taken pictures of Cody, the paramedics loaded Cody’s body onto a stretcher, covered it from head to toe with a blue blanket, and started to wheel it out the door.

  Tori struggled to sit up, asking one paramedic, “Is he really dead?”

  “A doctor will have to officially pronounce him dead – but there was no heartbeat and no respiration,” he replied matter-of-factly.

  Tori winced. There was no heartbeat or respiration the last time, either.

  Tears streamed down Tori’s face as she looked at one officer. “Jill–”

  “I know,” he interrupted, “She’s been taken–”

  Momma shrieked, “He shot Jill, too? Oh, God no!”

  Tori’s feverish mind finished the officer’s sentence. She’s been taken to the morgue. More tears streamed down her cheeks and Tori seemed to hear someone whisper, “Till death do us part,” as her body shook with sobs.

  Anna’s Note

  February 12, 1979

  Tonight is one of the most beautiful nights I can ever remember seeing. The moon is full and so bright. I feel no pain in my arthritic limbs either. I even feel young again, young enough to dance! A full moon has a way of controlling everything and everybody. One of God’s wonders.

  Tom is lighting the logs in the beautiful fireplace. I love him more tonight than I did the day I married him. And I didn’t think that was possible. I think I’ll sit on the sofa and snuggle beside him.

  Anna West-Morgan

  Chapter Twenty

  It was hard for Tori to know what was real and what was a figment of her tortured mind. At one point, she looked groggily up and saw the concern on Tommy’s face. He had never stopped being her friend, in spite of all she had put him through over the years. She was filled with remorse, knowing that even after all that, he had still risked his own life to save her – and her baby.