Daddy Won't Kill You (An Occult Horror)

by Gebbie, Caroline

  Steve ruffled Chase’s hair and pulled out a chair. “Need any help with breakfast mum?”

  “No, I’m fine. What do you want to do today?”

  “Can we play ball?” Chase asked.

  “Well, Mum can we?” Steve smiled at Lauren as he fiddled with his baby aspirin container. One a day, reduce your stress, quit work and your heart will be fine, the doctor had told him. Yet he kept getting these pains, maybe he should get a check up when they got back.

  She winked back at him. “Yes you lot go and have a lovely game. Pie for dinner anyone?”

  “Mummy’s pies are the best,” Lucy said, banging her cutlery on the table to emphasize the point.

  Lauren laughed and served cheesy scrambled eggs onto plates for breakfast. She handed everyone a portion and took hers outside.

  She stepped into a glorious morning of late autumn sunshine. The wind lifted her hair, and seemed to caress her neck. The sun was warm on her skin, but there was a chill behind it. She hoped the weather would hold for the trip, it would be nice to do some walking, maybe even go on the lake. She looked out from the cabin a view that filled her with joy. The trees were magnificent; they shadowed the lake, which glinted with reflected sunlight. To the right of the deck was a Rowan tree, resplendent with an abundance of red berries that seemed to weigh down its branches, as if they were too heavy for it to bear. In front of the tree, the rocking chair sat alone. It seemed to be silhouetted on the deck. As she approached, it rocked gently, by itself. It stopped to allow her to sit down and then gently rocked again.

  She stopped the chair and ate her eggs, marveling at the creamy, fluffy, cheesy delight. It had been so long since she had really spent time in the kitchen, maybe this holiday was a good idea after all? Lauren placed her plate on the floor and leaned back in the chair. She closed her eyes and started to rock, gently backwards and forwards. She could feel the cool breeze on her face and hear the trees whispering gently behind her. It was so idyllic, it was a new beginning.

  Inside the cabin, Steve tucked into his eggs with a smile on his face. He had seen Lauren relax already and sat here with the children he felt life was just great.

  Chase had his head in a book. He would stop every now and again and take a bite of egg, but his eyes never left the page for long. Lucy was bored. She had eaten most of her eggs but was pushing the crusts of the toast around her plate. Her feet dangled in mid air making her look tiny in the chair. She flicked a bit of toast with her knife and laughed as it landed on the other side of the plate.

  Chase put down his fork and looked up. “Dad, may I leave the table?”

  “Sure son.”

  Without taking his eyes from the page, Chase pushed back his chair and stood. He walked around the table still reading. Steve felt real pride for this serious boy. As he passed her, Lucy jumped from her chair and grabbed for his book. Her fingers slipped, and she stumbled pushing Chase backwards towards the counter. He bumped his elbow, dropping the precious book which slapped onto the floor and closed.

  “Ouch, damn it,” Chase said, rubbing the throbbing elbow.

  Lucy pushed him again, a gentle push meant to be fun. Chase reacted by pushing her back hard. She fell to the floor and sat stunned for a second before bursting into tears. Her face crumpled, and tears streamed from her eyes, partially hidden by her golden curls. Steve rushed to pick her up and pulled her against him, soothing her with cuddles.

  “Come here Pumpkin, its all okay.” He rocked her gently against him feeling the sobs fizzle out as the shock was smoothed away.

  From over Lucy’s shoulder Steve watched Chase pick up his book and try to walk out. “Wait,” Steve shouted.

  He put Lucy down, checked her over and wiped tears from her chin. She was smiling again, the incident already forgotten. “Off you go play,” Steve said and watched as she skipped outside, her curls bounced as she ran past her brother.

  Steve stood and faced Chase, the boy stared him down across the kitchen, where did my little boy go?

  “What was that?” Steve asked.

  Chase lowered his gaze for a moment and then lifted his eyes back to his dad’s. “She pushed me, hurt my elbow.”

  “And.”

  Chase looked a little confused. “Dad, she deserved it.”

  Steve put a hand to his head and rubbed it through his thick black hair. He needed a moment to decide how to handle this and for a second he felt old. “You never use force against your sister, or another lady, ever, are we clear?”

  Chase blushed for a second and dropped his eyes. “But why dad, the way mum treats you? Maybe...”

  “Your mum saved this family when I couldn’t... She has worked so hard, and she is worried. You and I will respect that, and see that she gets cut a little slack if she’s feeling down.”

  Chase blushed even more and looked down at his shoes, shoes his mum had bought for £150. “But she’s so grumpy,” he said.

  Steve moved across and pulled his son to him, rubbing a hand through his unruly brown curls. Chase resisted at first but then clung to his dad as if he never wanted to let go.

  “She’s worried about the future, about your future. She just wants you to have the best... Just give her some love and some time agreed?

  “Agreed,” Chase said hugging his dad close.

  “And Chase, never hurt a woman. You may be stronger but the greater strength is temperance.”

  “Yes dad.”

  Chapter Eight

  Lauren rocked in the chair serene and happy. She closed her eyes and breathed in the blissful peace. There was no noise from traffic, no sirens and no phoned demanding attention. It was almost heaven. Lucy sat on the deck near her, an old worn bunny in her hands. She held the bunny upright not noticing how faded and threadbare his blue fur was. She stood the bunny up and walked him across the deck.

  “Look mummy Bunkie’s coming to sit in your new chair.” Unable to say bunny when she was little, Lucy had called the toy Bunkie and the name had stuck. It had become a constant companion, it had become her security, but gradually she forgot the toy as she found other things to play with.

  Lauren rocked backwards and forwards, she seemed to be almost bathed in sunshine.

  “Look mummy, look at Bunkie,” Lucy repeated, she reached up and shook her mum’s arm. “Oh, you’re so cold.” She pulled her hand away quickly and rubbed her fingers as if they were burnt.

  Steve and Chase walked out of the cabin. They both wore blue jeans and red trapper shirts, they looked so alike. Steve loved the way Chase would try and be like him, unlike Lucy. Who sat on the deck wearing a cerise pink fleece top and brown and pink spotted leggings, she was so cute it stabbed his heart in an entirely different way to earlier. He picked her up and spun her around placing her gently on the deck as she clung onto the rabbit.

  “We’ll be down by the lake, sweetie.” Steve bent over Lauren to kiss her cheek. Her eyes opened and her expression stopped him dead as she gave him a look of pure spite.

  “I have to stay here, while you enjoy yourself?” she said.

  Steve pulled back. “What?”

  Lauren’s face cleared and she smiled. “Okay Honey, see you all later.” She closed her eyes again and started to rock.

  Steve stood wondering, something was off, and even her hair seemed straighter? He picked up a ball and watched as Lauren rocked in the chair, so serene, so peaceful. He put a hand around each of the kids and walked across the grass to the lake.

  Lauren heard the footsteps as they left the deck. She smiled a wicked smile and kept rocking. The motion was addictive, almost as good as chocolate. It made her feel good, heady and even a little scared, which was ridiculous.

  She opened her eyes and picked up her recipe book, thumbing through the pages as she rocked. A gentle breeze lifted her hair from her face and as it settled the curls eased out, the strands were still curly but less so.

  “Yes,” she said as she found the recipe she wanted. She got up from the chair a little reluctantl
y and headed for the kitchen.

  Chapter Nine

  Lucy pulled her hand from Steve’s as they walked away from the cabin. She skipped ahead, throwing the faded Bunkie into the air and catching him, most of the time as she ran ahead. Up he went, spinning in the sunlight, she reached out clumsily but he sailed just beyond her reach. She laughed as he fell to the floor and ran up to rescue him.

  Steve looked on with a smile on his face, but his brow was still furrowed.

  “Can we go on the lake tomorrow?” Chase asked.

  Lucy turned around and ran back, scrambling to keep hold of the fluffy bunny. “Yes Daddy, we could go fishing,” she said looking up expectantly.

  He bent down and scooped her onto his shoulders. She’s getting too heavy for this, spinning her round as he did so. “You don’t like fishing,” he said.

  “Do, do, do do. Like the little fishies too,” she sang giggling about on his shoulders.

  Steve lowered her to the floor. “You’ll have to touch woooormies.” Steve laughed as he said it.

  Lucy squealed with delight.

  “I can handle the bait dad. Just like you taught me.” Chase’s expression was deadly serious.

  Steve smiled with pride. They stopped on the short grass just before the smooth waters of the lake and formed a rough triangle. Steve tossed the ball gently to Lucy. She lunged forwards and just caught it laughing with delight. Jumping up and down she threw it towards Steve. He had to run, but he stretched and caught it, spinning round he threw it a little harder at Chase.

  The boy fumbled the catch and the ball landed near his feet. With a pained expression, he reached down and picked up the ball. He looked as if he would lob it into the lake but instead he walked over to his dad.

  “Are you okay?” he asked his eyes liquid with concern.

  “Of course I am,” Steve said.

  Lucy had come over too and she shared a look with her brother. “The fights, will you die?” she asked.

  Steve felt a hand squeeze his heart at the pain he had caused these wonderful children. “No,” he said. “I promise I’m better now.” He sat down and pulled the kids to him.

  Lucy sat on his lap and cuddled him close, her hug comforted him as he watched Chase kneel down on the grass, his expression neutral as he tried to hide his emotions.

  “We heard you had to be careful, are you sure?” Chase asked.

  Steve wanted to pull the boy to him, but Chase was trying so hard to be grown-up. “I have to be careful about adrenaline, but don’t worry I’m fine. Okay?”

  Lucy leaned back “What does adralyn mean daddy?”

  Steve pulled her close. “It means no danger or frights.” He made monster faces and tickled her to emphasize the fact. Lucy giggled with delight and pulled her own scary face.

  “Are you and mum getting a divorce?” Chase asked.

  “No, god no. What made you think that?”

  Lucy stopped her giggles and stood up. She fiddled with Bunkie and looked at Chase. “Mum’s never home and you’re both kinda hissy,” she said.

  “Hissy?” Steve asked.

  Lucy smiled and said, “You know hiss, hiss at each other.”

  Chase shrugged at his dad to agree.

  Steve stood up and picked Lucy up. He winked at his son and spun her round to delighted laughter. “Hissy, huh. I’ll show you hissy.”

  He put her down, and put a smile on his face to hide how much it hurt that the fighting was bothering them so much. “Mum and I are fine. Now last one to that tree gets called grumpy.”

  “That’s poetitic, poettc. That sounded rhymmee,” Lucy said.

  “Yes it did.” Steve’s smile was genuine now. “Don’t you worry about me and Mum, things will be better now. Right I’m starting in three...”

  Lucy squealed in delight and headed off for the tree. Her knees rose so high that she covered very little ground, but she put in her full effort. Her arms pumped furiously in time with her legs and her giggles floated back to him. Chase followed allowing Lucy a slight lead, but he was determined to beat his dad.

  “Two... One.” Steve raced after them laughing.

  Chapter Ten

  Lauren walked out of the cabin and into the sunshine. She walked past the chair but turned back to look at it. It felt almost as if it called to her. She shook her head and stepped off the deck.

  She could see Steve sat with the children their backs against the gnarled old trunk of a huge oak tree. He waved at her and for some reason she was annoyed, she saw him get up but turned her back and walked away.

  Steve watched his wife’s back, stung by the snub he almost sat back down, but he had to talk to her, had to let her know how the children felt. He steeled himself, squared his shoulders and set off across the grass.

  Lauren was skirting around to the back of the cabin where the grass sloped down to woodland. Steve increased his pace and caught up with her. He matched her steps and asked, “Are you okay?”

  She half smiled but kept walking. “Yes. Sorry. I can’t think what to put in tonight’s pie.” Her eyes searched the area as if looking for the perfect ingredient.

  Steve reached out and touched her arm. “The kids are worried about us.”

  “What?” She continued on towards the woods, scanning the area before them.

  “I want them to know we are okay. We are okay, aren’t we?” Steve asked.

  “Yes. I’m just upset about.” Lauren waved her hands to indicate the cabin and shrugged.”

  Steve wished there was a way to keep the cabin, but knew they had to let it go. “We should try to keep it down, around them.”

  “Yes, I know. No.” Lauren stepped back quickly, a look of disgust on her face. She had stepped into the writhing mess of a dead raven. The birds ink black feathers were covered in blood and seemed to crawl as a thousand maggots feasted on its flesh. Its night black beak lay open in a silent scream and the smell of decay wafted up to meet them.

  Steve pulled his wife back. “You go back to the house. I’ll get rid of this.”

  She spun away from him, her stare blank and spat at him, “Don’t force me to stay in the house.”

  “What?”

  Laurens face relaxed, she patted his arm. “I can do it. Go the Pumpkins might come.”

  “Sweetie let me.”

  Lauren almost shouted, “Steve just go.”

  He turned and walked away, feeling useless he took one last look at the writhing bird and then with his head down and shoulders slumped he walked back to the children.

  As he left Lauren looked down at the maggot covered mess with a look of pure disgust, her gaze moved to Steve’s back, her expression remained the same.

  ***

  Lucy and Chase were playing down by the shore of the lake. A beach of stone pebbles sloped gently down to the still grey waters. As Chase threw a pebble across the waters Steve and Lauren walked down to the lake holding hands.

  Lucy jumped up and down, her curls bobbed as she did. “Chase makes the stones float.”

  “Skim,” Chase said, sending another stone to bounce five times across the lakes dark surface.

  Steve watched the stone. Clouds were forming out over the lake, dark and angry they threatened a storm was coming. He could almost feel the pressure dark and depressing, maybe that was why they were so antsy. He let go of Lauren’s hand, picked up a stone and knelt down at Lucy’s side. “Here let me show you.”

  He smoothed the flat grey stone in his fingers and then getting low he sent it across the pond. Lucy squealed with delight each time it bounced.

  “Me, me, my turn,” she said picking up a round stone.

  Steve laughed at her excitement. “Okay, like I showed you, throw it low and flat.”

  Lucy nodded, and then tossed the pebble high into the air. It plopped into the lake and sank. She squealed happily anyway.

  Lauren giggled at her daughter's efforts. “That was great honey.”

  Chase had another flat stone, as he waited his turn. “
My turn dad.” Chase concentrated hard. He bent low and let the pebble fly. It bounced five times, raising a white flare of water each time before it disappeared beneath the murky depths of the lake.

  As the kids took it in turns, Steve ran from one to the other, he picked up stones and delighted in their success while Lauren watched from the shoreline. She was enjoying their fun, a carefree smile on her face.

  On the deck behind them, the chair started to rock. Lauren felt herself pulled to look round. It rocked slowly back and forward, she felt a pull, a wish to go to it.

  “Mummy watch,” Lucy shouted.

  “I’m watching, Pumpkin,” Lauren said.

  Lucy threw the stone high up into the air. It splashed down into the water sinking not far from the shore. Lucy squealed with delight.

  Lauren looked longingly at the rocking chair, she so wanted to go sit down, maybe she was just tired.

  She turned back to the shore and saw Steve bend with his daughter. He put her hand onto the right level so that the trajectory was right for her throw. She let go of the stone and it skimmed bouncing three times across the water.

  Lucy jumped up and down. “Mummy three, did you see?”

  “Lauren pulled her eyes from the chair. “That was excellent.”

  In the background, the chair continued to rock. Lauren felt loss, the pain of withdrawal. She must go to the chair. She shook her head and watched the children. Chase sent another stone skimming far out into the lake and then it was Lucy’s turn again.

  “Mummy see.”

  Lauren turned away from the lake as if she had been called. The rocking chair rocked back and forth. Lauren started to walk back to the cabin ignoring Lucy jumping with excitement on the lake shore.

  She reached the chair, it stopped again as she turned to sit down. A sliver of fear ran through her as she took the seat. She sat down, her hair appeared to straighten slightly and her expression went blank.