Cindy wiggled the rope until she managed to get loose. She jumped on the small of Maddie Ann’s back, and wrapped the rope around her throat. Pulling on both ends, Maddie Ann let go of Jennifer, and fell to her knees trying to catch her breath. Blood from Cindy’s wrists smeared all over Maddie Ann’s dress as she continued to strangle her from behind. With one hand, she ripped the necklace from her neck and pitched it to the blazing fire that surrounded them. “Is that what you want? There it is. Go and fetch it,” Cindy scowled. She shoved Maddie Ann toward the fire as well.
Cindy helped Jennifer to her feet and they watched as Maddie Ann got up, holding her throat. Screaming “NO!” at the top of her lungs and furious at Cindy for the loss of her talisman, Maddie Ann grabbed Jennifer’s wrist and flew with her up into the inky sky.
“Let me go,” Jen pleaded. “You don’t want to kill me. Somewhere in that cold black heart of yours, I know you’re good, Maddie Ann.”
“Not on your life, you little bitch. If I have to die, at least I’ll take you with me.”
With Claire nearby to hear Jennifer’s anguished cries, she rushed toward them, hoping to get to Jennifer before it was too late.
“No one’s going to save you now, Jenny. I should have done this a long time ago, but instead I gave you free will. But don’t fret; you’ll be alive in spirit.”
Maddie Ann released her powerful grip from Jennifer’s body and watched as she cartwheeled through empty space, down, down, toward the hard earth below. Falling to the earth at a hard rush, Jennifer closed her eyes and watched her life flash before her. The wind sailed across her face and there was no way to stop. Nearing the ground, Claire swooped up under her, breaking her fall. A big smile came across Jennifer’s face the moment she saw her best friend.
“I told you, you shouldn’t mess with Maddie Ann. She’s much too strong,” she said. An angelic grin spread across her face.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The girls headed back to where Cindy waited. When their feet touched the dirt path, the ground below their weight started to shake with great force. A thundering noise hammered away as the earth split apart in vast ranges. Racing along ahead of the roiling ground, Claire and Jennifer raised their heads. The brightest light they’d ever seen surfaced on the horizon, like a nuclear bomb in the sky.
“My god…Liz…,” Claire heaved with exhaustion.
“What was that?” Jennifer asked, her face turning white.
As the locket containing Maddie Ann’s evil spirit burned in the fire, it set off a cataclysmic cosmic event, sending her back where she belonged, imprisoned in Hell forever.
“Jennifer, I have to go save Liz! Right now! She’s out there somewhere and if I don’t save her soul, she isn’t going to make it out of here with us.”
Jennifer stepped back and took her mother by the hand. They watched the light swirl over them as it clutched Maddie Ann in its deathly grip; it descended slowly into the dark earth and sank from sight.
Laying her hand atop Claire’s shoulder, Jennifer replied, “Go and get Liz. She deserves better.”
Wrapping her arms around Jennifer’s neck, Claire whispered, “I love you, Jennifer, and I will be with you every day of your life.”
Claire said good-bye. She parted from them, leaping upward, immersing herself in darkness in search of Liz.
***
At Maddie Ann’s demise, free spirits flew overhead soaring into the firmament. All her prisoners were released to return to Heaven. Astonished, Tom took off his hat and held it against his chest as he watched the blips of light, like stardust, ascend into the sky. “Bless their souls,” he said. “It’s the lost angels going home.”
In that instant, Cindy and Jennifer walked out from the darkness of the cemetery. They’d made it through the front gates with nothing more than a few scratches on them.
Falling into her father’s arms, he embraced her while gazing into her eyes and said, “My girls, my beautiful girls! You made it.”
Relieved to see them both safe in his arms, Steve’s life finally had meaning again.
***
Kari and Claire made it back to the hidden rock. “How are you, Mom?” Claire asked, excited to see her mother again.
“I’m fine, Angel,” Barbara said as she kissed her.
Claire knew the hardship she faced. She had to say good-bye although she dreaded it, but realized this was her destiny.
“Mom, you have to go now,” she said. “It’s time and I want you out of here before the transformation.”
Barb hesitated at first, then she held her daughter close. She kissed Claire one last time, and said good-bye. “I’m proud of you Claire. It’s taken me a while, but I’ve accepted you will never return. I know your spirit will go on living in a peaceful place.”
Claire recorded the memory of her beautiful mother in her mind. She told her she could see her whenever she wanted, all she had to do was call. Making sure Barb found her way outside the cemetery all right, Claire prepared for Liz’s rescue. “Are you with me?” she asked the other girls.
The girls nodded.
“Don’t go anywhere until I have her, got it?”
The girls followed Claire outside the rocky sanctuary awaiting Liz’s arrival. “She’s coming. I can feel her,” Claire whispered. As she stepped away from the others, Liz sailed through the sky. Claire glanced back, then soared upward toward the heavens. “Liz, please hurry,” she whispered.
Liz tilted her head back. A loud growling sound emerged from her mouth. “Looking for me, Claire? You can’t take me from Maddie Ann. I dare you to try.”
Liz held ample amounts of evil in her soul. Claire wondered why she couldn’t restrain it. The others seemed much easier to handle. As the girls watched from above, the land heaved, swallowing the dead trees in its path.
“Liz…you’ve got to listen to me. If you don’t come with me, you’ll stay in Hell forever, suffering and living under a ruler who will tell you what to do for the rest of eternity,” Claire begged.
“Maddie Ann promised to take care of me, not you. Leave Claire, before I destroy you,” Liz shouted. She refused to listen to Claire.
“Please Liz, trust me, you’ll see after the nightmare is over how much better you’ll feel. Come; take my hand before it’s too late.” Claire watched her surroundings, frightened. If she didn’t hurry, her soul would join Liz’s spirit. Doomed forever.
“Claire there isn’t much time. You’ve got to get this over with,” Kari shouted.
A large wave of sand came over the horizon and threatened to swamp Kari and Lisa. Claire wanted them out of the cemetery, now, but they refused to go without her.
“We’re not leaving you, Claire. Come on. Liz isn’t worth it,” Lisa cried as the earth began to split open further.
“Dear God, you two need to flee,” Claire wailed over the thundering roar that came upon them. The forceful winds bashed down over the land and blew them into a maelstrom from which they barely escaped.
Liz hovered over Claire, gazing down at her, laughing. Her hatred for her showed. Begging the others to escape, they finally agreed. Claire watched Lisa and Kari fly over the tall trees, and out away from the cemetery. Claire covered her eyes, as she felt disaster about to strike.
Suddenly, a warm gentle hand reached out, soothing her from her troubles. She turned to see her grandfather levitating behind her. “My dear Claire, I know you can save her, but you must hurry,” he said. His voice sounded pleasant and promising.
The trees crumbled. The moon over the wicked land turned to black. Pitchy darkness obscured her vision. She squinted through it, searching for a sign of Liz. Heading back in the opposite direction, Claire heard a noise, and raced toward it. High in the tree where Kari once fought her, Liz sat on a branch, looking down at the destruction of her world.
“I see you have come for me. Why don’t you leave me be and save your pathetic self? Why am I the important one?” Liz asked with tears emerging from her bestial eyes.
<
br /> “I can’t let you stay here Liz. You have to resist the evil Maddie Ann injected you with, and come with me to the other side where you can live eternity in peace,” Claire said.
Liz moved closer, eyeing her. She grabbed hold of Claire’s wrist, slinging her around in midair. She jarred her backward, and took full force of her soul. Digging her nails deep into her flesh, Claire let out a scream when it reached into her bone. “You’re mine Claire, now and forever. You can stay with me and join my forces,” she hissed rising higher over the land.
Something shoved her from behind, tampering with the grip she had on Claire’s arm.
“I won’t let you take her to the dark side. She’s coming with me,” a voice said, its owner hidden in the heavy darkness.
“Who’s there?” Liz shrieked. Her anger heightened now that she didn’t have the control over Claire.
“It’s Tina, and I’ve come for her. If you want to live under a dark ruler for eternity, fine, but you’ll not have Claire,” she shouted and took hold of Claire’s weary spirit.
“Wait, Tina, I have to save her soul! She doesn’t know what she’s doing. Please, try to understand.” Claire squirmed out of Tina’s grip and tried once more to free Liz.
Claire hovered in one spot waiting for Liz to take the bait. “If you want to destroy me Liz, now’s your chance.”
Her voice carried out over the illness of the land. Everything became tranquillized. From out of nowhere, heavy winds blew against her. She closed her eyes as Liz stormed straight through her soul. A weird sensation struck Claire’s body she hadn’t felt before. It was true; Liz made her feel a lot different from the others. Maybe her soul held a worse demon than the rest of her friends.
Relief surged through Claire at the explosion of light in her soul, cleansing Liz of evil. Liz’s spirit no longer held impurities. She craned her neck around to see if she was all right as a warm hand touched her arm. She jerked back around and her grandparents both gave her a big smile.
“My sweet Claire, I knew you could do it,” he said taking her grandmother by the hand. A radiant light shot across the horizon, as they went off together into the open sky.
Claire’s stomach fluttered. She knew the time had come for her and her friends to leave the wicked domain. The excitement rushed through her. She could already see the golden streets of Heaven. Wasting no more time, she hurried to the gates to see if she had enough time for escape. Drawing near the graveyard’s entrance with Liz and Tina in tow, she gazed down and caught a glimpse of Kari and Lisa.
“You made it,” Kari cried out. “Now we can finally go home.”
A big smile came to Claire’s face. She took a deep breath to calm her anxious spirit and joined the other four girls. Hand in hand, they walked toward the entrance where Jennifer stood waiting for their departure. Together the five of them chimed, “We love you. Never forget us.”
After many shared hugs, tears fell from Jennifer’s eyes as the girls’ souls faded into the thick darkness.
***
Jennifer buried her face into her mother’s chest. “They’ve gone to Heaven without me,” she whispered. “I’ll never see them again.”
Detective Brown stroked Jennifer’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Jennifer, for your loss,” he said then turned toward the crest of the hill. As he headed for his car, he bumped into Jake walking up the dirt road toward the cemetery.
“I tried to get here earlier, but we had a break-in at Bailey’s pawnshop on 5th and Sector,” he said short winded. “What’d I miss?”
Brown shook his head. “It’s over. The girls ascended. You wouldn’t believe how beautiful it was.”
Jake glanced at Jennifer. She gripped the gates, looking in. “I’m sorry.” He stood there for a minute, not knowing what to say, then followed Tom to their vehicles.
Before getting into his car, Brown leaned on the door. “We didn’t solve this case,” he said. “How do we explain this to the Captain?”
Jake rubbed his forehead in deep thought. “You don’t. The investigation will remain open, unless you’d like to prove otherwise,” he said.
Brown tapped the door glass with his knuckle and grinned. “No thanks. I’ll take my chances,” he said and got in behind the wheel. “We already have to explain Baker’s mess. And I don’t know what the hell to say.”
Jake chuckled, waved, and walked off getting into his truck.
***
Jennifer blinked and wiped her tears. She gave the cemetery one last look before she turned away. She knew Donovan and the Watsons waited for their next victims to appear, and it angered her. She wanted the slayers to suffer for what they did to her friends. Instead of letting it rest, her desire to destroy Old Creek Cemetery drove her mad. “You bastards,” she squawked, shaking a fist.
Her hostility heightened. She smashed her face against the cold iron bars, rattling the gate until it drew the other realm’s attention. Fierce red eyes radiated from the gloom, and an immoral entity lunged toward her. Jennifer recoiled. Apparently, not all the evil entities contained in this foul place had been released. Her heart slammed against her rib cage. She backed against a tree, watching, waiting for the black souls who remained trapped inside.
It whispered, “Watch your back, Jenny.”
Jennifer stared up at the night sky wishing she could have gone with her best friends Claire, Kari, Lisa, Tina and Liz. She watched with longing as their sparking souls soared through the open sky, vanishing into the clouds. Finally, they had peace and could rest. Their poor restless souls had fought to the end, but her mother sent Maddie Ann back to hell where she belonged. Turning once more to peer inside the gloomy cemetery, Jennifer wrapped her hands tightly around the wrought iron gates and shook them back and forth. Her temper flared, as did her voice, screaming loud enough to startle her mother.
“What the hell are you screaming for? Come on, Jennifer, I want to go home,” she said yanking her by the arm.
“No, I can't go right now. I know this isn’t over, Mom. The nightmare is still alive, and if I don’t do something to stop it, it’ll continue to destroy many more lives,” she replied sobbing.
“Listen to yourself for a moment. Do you hear what you’re saying? It’s over Jenny…I saw Maddie Ann fall into the pit of flames. What more do you need to convince yourself she’s gone for good?”
Cindy didn’t know this place as well as Jennifer did. Jennifer knew the wickedness the Watsons’ possessed and how they didn’t just disappear forever. She also heard them calling to her after the gates shut and the souls Maddie Ann had collected descended into the sky. Maddie Ann had promised Jennifer a life of desperation. She couldn’t do anything about it, but accept her doom. She eyed the empty graves one last time, blew a kiss in the wind, and walked down the dirt road to Tom's police car that would take them home.
Chapter Forty
The moment Jennifer stepped foot in her house, she dashed up the steps heading for her room. Locking the bedroom door behind her, she went to her bathroom to wash off her dirt-crusted body. She took a washcloth out of the cabinet, wet it, and started scrubbing her face. You’re such a loser. When will you ever get anything right, she thought, watching the warm tears rain down her face. Why didn’t you die with your friends like you should have?
The more she stared into the mirror, the more she thought badly of herself. Again, her temper flared. Eyeing the marble soap dish resting on the back of the sink, she picked it up and pitched it at the mirror. Slivers of glass flew everywhere, landing inside the bathtub, around the bottom of the toilet, and all over the tiled floor. Now I can’t see the ugliness when I walk by. Standing back to survey the mess she created, a stab of guilt prompted Jennifer to her knees and she started picking up the mess.
“Jennifer…,” her mom yelled.
“Just a minute,” she called back. Jennifer crawled around on her knees in the bathroom. As she rose from the floor, she noticed a shadow on the wall behind her. Looking back, she startled as Cindy stood watch
ing her.
“What did you do this time?” she asked, her face contorted.
“I had a slight accident, but I’m cleaning it up.”
Her mother crossed her arms and stormed toward her. “How did this happen? And don’t you lie to me, young lady,” she said, shaking her head when she laid eyes on the shattered mirror.
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