Chapter Nineteen
As the end of the year approached, Casey spent less and less time with her family. She played even more with Missy and became withdrawn. She wasn’t’ talking much at dinner and not even wanting to explore the woods with Dad and Ryan anymore Ryan even after the episode with Mr. Toombs still went exploring and even taking his tablet along to take pictures and record things he saw and heard. Mr. Toombs still had not returned to work. This left Eric with a weird feeling but what could he do? Maybe after giving his warning he left town for safety. He could reason it was something like that. One day on a normal trip to the woods, he discovered on his way out he had forgotten his tablet. Going back inside he saw his sister leaving out the back door to the woods. He was bewildered because he had asked her numerous times to go with him but she always refused to the point that he just stopped asking. But now here she was going by herself into those very same woods. Where was she going? He did remember the warning that Mr. Toombs gave to watch out for his sister. How did he know this would happen? He really needed to talk to him again. Making up his mind, he decided to follow her from a distance. She was walking a narrow path and holding Missy tight. Overhead he could see crows flying back and forth. Casey was whispering but he couldn’t figure out what she was saying. Maybe she was talking to that stupid doll again he wondered. Finally she stopped at a circle of fallen trees and sat down still whispering. Eric ducked behind a big underbrush and peeked through watching intently as his sister continued to whisper. He didn’t see or hear anything else. What was she doing? Was this more of her pretend time? He did notice that as she whispered the crows would fly down and around her and then back up again. She didn’t seem to notice them or anything really. He was tempted to just walk out and ask her what she was doing but then he decided against it. She wasn’t doing anything wrong and besides what she was doing was considered normal by their parents. He decided to wait a while longer putting off exploring .But again she just sat there and whispered to Missy. He figured maybe she knew he was there and tried to sneak off for a bit and come back later. Twenty minutes later he went back to the spot where she was but now she was gone. He figured she had gone back home and he made his way back as well. When he got back home Casey was on the floor reading one her Pete the Cat books to Missy. He crouched down beside her and listened to her until she finished.
“Hey squirt been playing all day long in the house?”
She looked at him with an innocent expression. “Of course silly I do the same thing everyday you know that.”
“It was a good day to just go outside and relax and play especially in the woods if you wanted to.”
She looked at him this time with an are you kidding stare. “You know I hate the woods especially after that trip with Dad. Now I’m beginning to hate Dora because of that.”
Ryan laughed hard but he had to agree with her on that point. But he knew she wasn’t telling the truth so he played along anyway. She was hiding something but he had no idea what. She leaned over at him and looks him dead in the eyes and asked. “Do you keep secrets Ryan?”
“Of course silly everyone has some kind of secret. Why? Do you have any?”
She continued to look him in the eyes and answered slowly.
“Maybe.”
“What does that mean squirt? Either it’s a yes or no answer.”
But she didn’t answer and instead pulled out another Pete the Cat book and started reading to Missy again. Eric decided to pry a little more since she gave him an opening.
“Ok I’ll bite I’m thinking your secret is about the birds and being in the woods right? “
“Shh I’m reading to Missy you can’t talk to me now or she can’t hear what I’m saying.”
His sister was trying his patience and he wanted to just throw the book with the doll across the room but instead he calmed himself and just said, “ Later squirt” and got up to go to his room . On his way up the stairs he heard her voice slowly changing as she was reading one line from the book over and over.
“I love my white shoes “
“I Love My White Shoes…”
“I LOVE MY WHITE SHOES.”
From her soft kid voice to a more adult creepy voice and finally into a more older raspy deep voice with a cackle .and that’s when felt again the tingle on his neck that he had gotten so many times before …
Chapter Twenty
The crows see the girl walking toward the circle of fallen trees; they also see the brother watching his sister and so Big ma waits until the crows tell her he has left. She walks up to Casey with her twisted cane of oak in hand. The feeble old woman with long braying hair she is today. The one in the little girl’s dreams. As she walks closer, Casey asks,” Are you the woman in my dreams called Big Ma?”
With a smiling face Big Ma replied in a sweet grandmotherly voice, “Why yes I am child. I have come to be your friend like your dolly here.”
“Her name is Missy and you can hold her if you like just be careful.”
“She is a nice doll with a nice name.” holding the doll and cradling it. Big ma started singing a song that Casey had never heard before. It was a soft melodious tune that could have been a lullaby. The crows landed right next to her she felt like she could sleep for days.
Later Casey doesn’t remember the walk in the woods or the meeting with Big ma. She only remembers reading to Missy when her brother shows up asking questions about her walking in the woods and he knows she hates the woods and everything about them…
Chapter Twenty-One
After that day, Casey met Big Ma in the woods at the same circle of trees. Big ma talks to her and consoles her, listening to her problems about school and her parents. Even her brother was annoying to her. Big ma told her all parents are mean and even brothers too. That soon they would get tired of her and throw her away to the wolves or some other vile creatures. But if they ever did that Big ma would take care of her she didn’t have to worry about that.
“My parents would never do that “
“You will see child. Haven’t you noticed your parents changing already? How they barely notice you. That’s just the start and soon it will get worse.”
Casey stares at Big ma taking in every word and absorbing every drop of information that she tells her.
“Do not worry my crows and I will keep an eye on you and so that you should have no fears. Whenever you are ready you can come live with me as long as like and not have a concern in the world.”
Missy whispers to Casey, “She tells you the truth best friend, we can go live with her and not worry about school, our parents or even your stupid brother.”
Big ma’s words she was reluctant to believe but her best friend Missy always spoke to her the truth and gave her good advice.
“I’m scared about all this Big Ma.”
“No worry no hurry takes your time and no need to be afraid.”
“I will teach you things that will make you strong. So strong that everyone will be afraid of you, even your big brother.”
Casey nods her head with a smile on her face. Big Ma cuddles both her and Missy singing her lullaby song again.
Soon the child will be ready but not today of course. Today was the first step and then tomorrow. She had time Big ma did. Time was on her side for now. The crows messaged her that the brother was coming their way.
Hugging Casey once last time she said in one her many softer voices that she had to go but they would see each
other soon ….
Chapter Twenty-Two
Walking up to his sister, Ryan pretended this was the first time he had noticed her ever being there in the woods.
“Wassup squirt what are you doing here? Thought you hated these woods really bad?”
“I’m must have wandered off while pretending and gotten lost or something.” was what Missy told her to her say. She always knew what to say and how to say it.
Ryan of course not believing the story decided again to go along with it until
he could figure out what was going on. Again the tingling sensation on his neck like someone was watching but he couldn’t see anything just the two them.
“Ok squirt good thing I was exploring around here today you have to be careful from now on. Let’s go back and get ready for dinner.”
2
The following day Ryan was going out like usual to the woods but instead of going straight he went to the side the barn and waited. It was cold outside and standing still wasn’t helping. He should have grabbed some of his dad’s hand warming packets that he kept in his survival kit. He was waiting. Waiting for his sister to come out like she had been doing since the first day he saw her leave. He was right, about twenty minutes later Casey went out the back door and disappeared into the woods. Eric already knew where she was going so there was no need to hurry. He was in a hurry to get some warmth in his body though at least. This time he added a binoculars app to his tablet so he could stay further back and zoom in to watch and record her every move. So far she was whispering to Missy and she was putting the doll’s mouth to her ear like it was whispering back. The usual stuff she does he thought. Nothing out of the ordinary yet. The wind was blowing a slight breeze. There were not many leaves left on the trees but per usual there were as many crows. It actually seemed there even more than usual. They were not cawing just sitting on the bare trees watching Casey and it seemed him too. With a sharp surprise the tingling in his neck showed up again and a strange fog was appearing out of nowhere. He watched his sister still talking and whispering as a shadow’s outline could be seen in the dense fog. He couldn’t see if it was male or female, he just knew there was something in the fog. But there was another shape too he could tell that much. It seemed much bigger than the other. The fog was covering Casey as if it was cradling her to pick up to take her away. That was enough for Ryan to see.
“Casey!” he yelled at the top his lungs. “Get up and run it’s not safe!” Coming out her daze Casey turned to see her brother as she was disappearing into the fog.
“Ryan what are you doing here?”
Running up to her he tried to grab her but the fog wasn’t just a mist it had a substance to and moved like a gust of wind brushing him away. Ryan tried again to reach his sister and the same thing happened. The third time the fog started to wrap around Ryan wrapping around his neck choking him. He was losing consciousness because his vision was dimming.
“Let him go! “ Casey screamed running to her brother to help him. As she approached the fog dispersed and retreated back just as quickly as it had appeared from the shade. Catching his breath Ryan wasting no time grabbed his sister and started running back to the house.
“Missy! Missy”, she cried,” I have to get her she fell!”
“We will come back for her squirt! We need to go now!”
She struggled to get free from her brother’s grip but he had a fear of death grip and wasn’t letting go. He now somewhat understood what Mr. Toombs was talking about. Someone or something was trying to take his sister away from them.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Casey kicked and screamed all the way home and Ryan still didn’t let go.
Hearing Casey’s screaming and crying Mom and Dad came out running.
“Hey guys what’s happening here?” he shouted.
“Everything ok?” Finally letting her go Casey ran to Mom and told her version of what happened. Missy had told her this might happen and had a story ready. “I was just playing in the woods with Missy.” she said, “Ryan just came out of nowhere grabbing me and dragging me home. He was saying I wasn’t supposed to go the woods by myself and he made me leave Missy!”
His parents looked at them and then at each other. Dad motioned Ryan to follow him and Mom went to take Casey inside.
“No Mom.” she began crying even more. “I have to get Missy she’s in the dark woods all by herself!”
“The sun’s setting and it’s getting colder Casey,” Dad replied. “I will personally go help you look for her tomorrow.”
Dad with amazing speed and strength grabbed her before she could bolt back into the woods. He picked her up and carried her in starting another screaming and kicking tirade.
Mom turned to Ryan with that look that could scare the dead. “Now what is this all about? Spit it out and the truth!”
He couldn’t tell her actually what had happened. He would have to play with his words a little.
“There was something in the woods, something big and scary like a bear maybe. I wasn’t sure but when I saw move toward Casey I reacted like anybody would have.” It was about as close the truth as he could get without sounding crazy to his Mom. “I had to get her away from whatever it was and I just grabbed her and ran without looking back. It wasn’t my intention to leave Missy. I’ll go with Dad tomorrow and get her back.”
Mom put her arms around Eric and squeezed him hard. “That was a brave thing you did for your sister. You were right to act on impulse. I’ll talk to your sister and explain things to calm her down so she won’t be mad at you.”
Ryan would have taken a deep breath but his Mom was still holding him tight. At least he wasn’t going to get scolded or grounded. But no matter what was happening now, what happened earlier he would never forget. He had seen something well two some things and they had been there trying to take Casey.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Once inside the house and Casey had cried herself to sleep, Ryan convinced his parents to let him go with a lantern and get the doll back before she woke up in the morning. They reluctantly agreed with his Dad grabbing one as well. Secretly he didn’t want to do this but he knew how much the doll meant to his sister and not to mention how much less stress on everybody else if she got it back. Ryan opened the door and a blistering cold wind came in sending them both back to get bigger jackets. Once sufficiently bundled up they went outside with lanterns turned on .Luckily there was tingling sensation for Ryan as they made there way through the darkness of trees and bushes. After about twenty minutes of walking his Dad stopped.
“I thought you knew where the doll was Ryan?” he asked.
“I do but that was in the daytime and everything looks the same here at night.” he admitted.
After another ten minutes of wandering his Dad stopped again and turned the lanterns light directly on to Ryan which momentarily blinded him.
“You aren’t pulling a joke like that episode on the You tube channel are you? Or instead of Swiper no swipey you are brother the bully?”
“No Dad,” Eric said. “I wasn’t thinking about any TV shows at the time. I really saw something that I thought was going to hurt Casey.”
Leaning against a tree his Dad shook his head. “I get it you saw something but I tell you son I’ve been all over these woods more than you and I haven’t even seen a bear or a wolf. Just crows and crows.” “I’m calling game over,” Dad said raising his free hand in the air. Now we will have to deal your sister being hysterical in the morning. That means no school and one of us staying home with her probably your mom. Which as you know
won’t sit well with her because none of this is sitting well with
Me.”
This was a new one for Ryan. His Dad had never reacted this way to him. It was as if he was actually getting mad and he never actually ever got mad. Maybe he was losing it. Maybe his parents would send him to a shrink because he was seeing things. Was he really losing his mind? Did Mr. Toombs ever really tell him all the history of this place? He was the only one that could vouch for what he saw. Right now he was feeling alone. Very alone.
Chapter Twenty-Five
That morning was the most awkward morning of Ryan’s life. No one talked to him. His mother made breakfast but every dish and pan made a noise even the cracking of eggs and the making of toast somehow she made disturbance with them. As dad had told him last night, Casey was in no shape to go to school and Mom was staying home with her. He was told to go to school and when he got back to go out and look for
the doll again by himself this time. Tears steadily falling down her cheeks , Mom tried to console her as best she could while giving Ryan the death stare again .Dad had already grabbed some and toast and left kissing Casey and Mom on the forehead before pulling fast out of the driveway.
2
Getting on the bus to school, Old timer asked where Casey was. I just explained that she wasn’t feeling well and my Mom decided to stay home with her. The school day went by slow even the usual harassment and boring classes didn’t seem to have an effect on him. He was frustrated and beyond his depth but there was no one to talk to about it. He just knew as soon as he got home he had to find Casey’s doll by any means.
3
As soon as the bus dropped him off, Ryan wasted no time and drops his bag and ran into the woods. In the daytime everything was remembered to the detail and also the fact he was less scared with light all around. In the less time than he thought possible he arrives where it all happened yesterday, the fallen trees and the crows up on top of them cawing. It was strange how his Dad and he had missed this last night. He blamed on the cold weather and their stress levels Ryan looked everywhere in the piles of fallen leaves, under bushes and logs. He even went out of the area where it all happened just in case the wind had blown it away. The doll wasn’t here. It was really gone. He didn’t understand it unless it was taken as a kind of hostage to lure his sister. It was obvious to anyone how much she loved that doll
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