Maniacs

by Lee Wise

  “I heard Dylan crying.” Allison added.

  Angela, who had stayed behind to stop us all from running looked at us confused. “I didn’t hear anything at all.”

  “I didn’t either.” Anne agreed.

  “That’s strange.” Liz said still drying her hair. “So, only the parents heard their kids. I didn’t hear anything either.”

  “Well, maybe…” Angela began.

  “Wait! I just heard Christian!” Liz said and began to go to the back of the house.

  “Liz! Stop!” Angela chased her.

  Liz started to turn the corner when Christian came around it. Something about him was off though. Robert saw it too. “Angela! Get Liz away from him!” Robert demanded. Angela didn’t think twice about it. She grabbed Liz and pulled her away.

  Christian had a big smile on his face. He laughed and wagged his finger at Angela. “Silly girl. You think you can keep me away from my sister?”

  Liz looked up. “Christian?”

  “Hiya sis!”

  “No! That’s not you. You don’t sound like that.” Liz replied.

  “You don’t recognize your own brother? Your own flesh and blood?” Christian sneered. He was holding a knife above his head threatening to stab her.

  Robert shot Christian in the hand as our group was returning. Christian dropped the knife and then shook his head. He looked confused.

  “What…what happened?” He looked at his hand. “I’ve been shot! Oh, I feel faint!” He looked at his hand. “I think I’m going to throw up!” He cried.

  “That’s my brother.” Liz said.

  “Of course I’m your brother Lizzie. What are you talking about?”

  “You were getting ready to stab me.” Liz replied.

  “What? No, no I would never hurt you. I… I was upstairs. I came downstairs to make some juice for the kids and the next thing I know, I’m now bleeding!” Christian whined.

  “Where are the kids?” Steve demanded.

  “They’re not upstairs?” Christian asked.

  “Would I ask you that if they were?” Steve growled.

  “I…I’m sorry. I don’t know.” Christian sighed.

  “Where did you come from?” I asked looking at the side of the house.

  “Good idea.” Ben agreed. “Let’s follow the tracks. Meanwhile…”

  “Where are the groupie and leader?” Alex said running over to us.

  “What?” Luis asked.

  “They’re not in their cells!” Alex said. Everyone groaned.

  “I…” Luis began but didn’t know what else to say.

  “One problem at a time.” Ben said. “Let’s follow the tracks.”

  “What happened over there?” Cathy said pointing in the direction we had heard the kids.

  “It was nothing.” John said.

  “Well…” Maya began.

  John shook his head. “One thing at a time.”

  Maya nodded her head. “True.” Maya began. “Let’s go see where these tracks lead.”

  “I really need to patch you up.” Jeremy said to Christian.

  “I have never been shot before.” Christian mumbled.

  “Well, a lot of us haven’t.” Cathy said. Christian nodded.

  We followed the trail of footsteps and it led us to a little shed. “This belongs…belonged to the neighbors.” Angela told us. We could hear voices inside.

  “Stay back!” Ben whispered to some of us as he and Luis opened the door quickly. I heard screams. Then Luis sighed. I peeked around the corner.

  “Mama!” Sarah and Megan came to hug me.

  “Thank God!” Mrs. Ford exclaimed.

  “What happened?” Steve asked hugging Brianna.

  “Grandma changed!” Brianna cried.

  “What?” Steve gasped.

  “She started saying weird things and all of a sudden started attacking Naomi and Dylan!” Mary explained to us.

  “My baby?” Allison shrieked.

  “He’s okay.” Mrs. Ford said. “Naomi has some injuries, but she’s okay.”

  “Why are you in here?” I asked.

  “We had the kids run downstairs, but when we got there, there was someone pinning down Christian at the front door.” Mrs. Ford began.

  “Who was pinning him down?” Steve asked.

  “Someone we have never seen before. Caleb pushed the guy off of Christian and Christian just stood there. Piper ran to the back door and we all followed her. We just ran right out of there.” Nate announced.

  “The back door is boarded up I thought.” I said.

  “It wasn’t though.” Sarah replied.

  “We saw some maniacs watching the house near the garden, so we ran for the woods. Brianna and Caleb remembered the shed and we figured that you could find us by our footprints.” Mrs. Ford explained. “We screamed but you guys didn’t come for us.”

  “How come we didn’t hear any of this?” I wondered.

  “I’m not sure.” Ben said. “Let’s hurry and get back to the house.”

  We came out of the woods and the shed was on fire. Jeremy, Christian, Liz and Alex were throwing water on it. We all joined in. The fire was put out, the shed was lost.

  “Well, so much for a lab to study them.” Gary said.

  “The good thing is that everyone is all right.” Cathy said.

  “Alright?” My mother is a maniac!” Mason shouted. We all sighed.

  “What a night!” Anne moaned. “Wait, does that mean there are now others changing again?”

  “Oh great.” Gary said.

  “Let’s gather everyone around, adults and kids.” Ben said.

  We all got into a group. “Now what?” Jill asked. Nobody knew.

  “Well, you’re the scientist…” Mason said to Liz.

  “I am. That’s true. I’m observing everyone, but… I don’t see everyone.” She said.

  We looked around. It was true. A few people were missing. “Where are Miles and Ethan?” I said.

  “Here!” Miles came over carrying his dog. He was crying. “She… She…”

  “Oh no!” Allison said. “I’m so sorry Miles.”

  It was clear that the dog was dead. “I think the kids are fine, do you agree Liz?” Ben asked. A few of us had turned our kids away from the sight. They had seen a lot of death, but we tried to spare them from a few of these things.

  “Definitely!” Liz sighed with tears in her eyes.

  “Christian, how are you feeling?” Ben asked.

  “I’m fine.” Christian said.

  “Good. Why don’t you, Naomi and Mrs. Ford take the kids upstairs now.” Ben said.

  “Ah. Why don’t I send a couple people up to make sure everything is okay first.” Luis said. We all agreed. Maya, Angela and John went to check the inside and it was fine so most of the kids, Naomi and Christian all went inside. Piper stayed behind so Mrs. Ford stood with her.

  Soon after, Ethan walked over. “I couldn’t catch the guy. He was trying to bite the dog when we got there. Miles tried to stop him, so the guy… well you can see.” The dog’s neck had been snapped.

  “She was protecting me.” Miles said.

  “Was the guy in a white shirt that said ‘Live and die?’ on it, with black sneakers that had orange flames on them?” Piper asked.

  “Yes.” Ethan said.

  “That was the guy attacking Christian.” Piper said. Mrs. Ford agreed.

  “Wait, I remember that guy. He was in the pit with the two that we had in the shed. They must’ve come to rescue them.” Jacob said.

  “I told you we should have killed those people in that pit.” Mike grumbled.

  “I can hear Jenny!” Cathy announced. We all sighed, but then I heard her to and we all did in our minds. She was asking for help.

  “She’s asking for help!” Allison gasped.

  “You can hear her?” Cathy asked surprised.

  “We all can.” Anne explained.

  “Maybe it’s a trick.” Mason said.

 
“I don’t think so.” Steve said shaking his head. We were all surprised, because usually he would have been the one to agree. He looked at us. “They are probably getting their revenge for locking up their leader.”

  “So, what do we do now?” Chase asked.

  “And there’s my cue. Come on Piper, there’s really nothing more we can do out here!” Mrs. Ford and

  Piper went inside.

  After they were gone, our conversation continued. “There is only one thing we can do.” Liz announced. “Rescue her. She’s the one I need to study.” Cathy had tears in her eyes.

  To my surprise once again, Steve nodded his head. Mason looked at him surprised. “You agree with this?”

  “We need to get mom back. We need to help Liz figure this out so we can get her back.” Steve sighed.

  Luis nodded his head. “I agree. Now we need to know where she is. Cathy? Is it possible to speak to her through your mind?”

  “I’ll try.” Cathy said.

  “I remember something.” Christian and Caleb had come back outside. Christian approached us. “I remember something from when the guy first touched me. I saw him with his friends at a river…” Christian began.

  “With picnic tables. I saw the same thing when the groupie touched me.” Alex agreed.

  Caleb was nodding his head “I want you guys to know that I know that spot.” Caleb announced.

  “I think we all do.” Ryan said.

  “All right. Let’s go. Make sure no one gets touched by them.” Luis said.

  “I don’t know if this is a good idea.” Robert declared. We all looked at him. He was about to say more, but glanced at Caleb.

  “We can go back upstairs, but we were talking and we need protection!” Christian said.

  “I completely agree that you do.” Luis said. “I’ll take Gary, Jacob, Angela, Ethan, Maya and Mason.”

  “Me?” Mason asked.

  “I’m taking those without kids so you won’t hear voices. The rest will stay here and remember that the kids are upstairs. Christian, why don’t you take Caleb upstairs. Aleisha, Liz and Allison will be right there.” They went inside. “Okay, now Robert, what are your concerns?”

  “I think it’s too dangerous.” Robert began. “I think…” He had his mouth wide open and was looking at the driveway. Brandon stood in the driveway alone. A few people touched their guns.

  “Hold on…” Luis said. He put his hands out showing Brandon he wasn’t armed. Brandon walked over.

  “We need help.” We all heard Brandon say in our minds.

  “We know.” Ben said. “We are working on a plan to get Jenny rescued.”

  “No, your plan won’t work. They’re too strong. You’ll just get killed.” Brandon thought to us. Robert nodded.

  “Then what do we do?” Luis asked.

  “You need to talk to your mother.” Cathy said. She gasped and covered her mouth. “I didn’t say that.” She said. She had spoken to Mason and Steve.

  “How can we talk to her?” Steve asked.

  “She is in a new group. It’s a group like ours. She’s a leader.” Brandon thought.

  “My mom’s a leader not a groupie? Why would she work with us, she attacked someone.” Mason said.

  “Everyone does at first, and then the anger is out, unless you choose to keep it or lead that way. The others follow as suit.” Brandon thought.

  “Where is my mom?” Mason asked.

  “Follow me.” Brandon thought. Mason and Steve started to follow.

  “No.” Brandon turned around. “No one with kids. It’s a weakness they use it against you. Steve, stay here with your daughter.” We were all shocked.

  “This is crazy!” Anne gasped. “Are you actually going to follow him? Mason!” But Mason and the group Luis chose began to follow.

  “Be careful.” Liz warned.

  “We will. Stay safe all of you.” Luis demanded and they followed Brandon down the driveway.

  “What just happened!” Allison exclaimed.

  “Hopefully not a mistake.” Mike sighed.

  “Chase, Alex, John, Ryan, Robert and I will take the first watch from outside.” Ben said. “Luke, can you and Steve board the back door back up again?” They agreed. “Mike and Cathy, can you guard the stairway?” They agreed. “And Aleisha, Jill and Allison, can you make sure the room is safe?” We agreed. “Anne, what would you like to do?”

  “I would like to protect my niece.” Anne announced.

  “Good, can you go in the room also?” She agreed. “Miles?”

  “I’ll go outside with you and keep an eye on my animals.” Miles said. Ben nodded.

  “That leaves Jeremy and Rose.” Ben said.

  “I am starving!” Rose exclaimed.

  Jeremy smiled. “Well, since we are not assigned anything, would you like to help me make supper?” They looked at Ben.

  “Go for it.” We all went to our assigned spots.

  I entered the bedroom. Sarah and Megan were so excited. They came running over to hug me. “Mama!”

  “Hi my babies!” I smiled.

  “We are playing ‘Simon says’.” Sarah said.

  “No, it’s called ‘Piper says’!” Megan disagreed.

  “Awesome!” I said. They both went back to their spots.

  I noticed Mrs. Ford in a corner with Naomi. Allison and I walked over. “How are you feeling mom?” Allison asked.

  “I’m fine. Helen and I were just talking about what happened to Leah.” Naomi replied.

  “I hate that she attacked you.” Allison cried.

  Liz entered the room and came over to us. “Sorry it took me a while. I was comforting Miles. That dog was his best friend. I lost my dog when this happened and… well anyways, the guys are helping him bury Sugar.”

  “That’s good. I feel bad that I didn’t go talk to him. I’m surprised the kids didn’t really react.” I said. “They really love animals.”

  “It’s sad. They’re used to death now.” Allison lamented.

  Mrs. Ford and Naomi were looking at each other. It was obvious that they weren’t telling us something. “Spill it mom.” Allison demanded.

  Naomi glanced over at the kids. She didn’t want them to hear. We could hear Christian going on about how he was the best at ‘Simon says’ (and getting corrected that it was ‘Piper says’) and messing up on what Piper told him to do.

  “Don’t worry.” Allison said. “Christian’s entertaining them.”

  Naomi sighed, “Maybe it’s nothing, but Leah said something earlier.”

  Anne walked over. “I heard Leah’s name.”

  “Sorry, I’ll talk quieter so the kids don’t hear.” Naomi lowered her voiced. “Anyways, so… earlier today Helen was reading a cute little book to the kids about caterpillars changing into butterflies. Brianna showed her grandmother a picture of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly and Leah said, ‘That’s right some people change, but in the end they are what their heart has always made them be.’ She said, ‘who they truly are never changes.”

  “We thought that she was just talking about growing older.” Mrs. Ford explained.

  “That really doesn’t sound like something Leah would say at all!” Anne said. “Maybe she knew she was about to change.”

  “That’s what we were thinking.” Naomi agreed.

  “Interesting!” Liz exclaimed. “I hope they can bring her back.”

  “Wait! Bring her back? I thought they were going to bring back Jenny.” I said.

  “Maybe they will bring them both back.” Liz shrugged.

  “I think they are trying to get Leah’s group to help save Jenny’s group.” Anne said.

  “Wait? Leah has a group?” Naomi asked. We told them what had just happened outside. Their mouths hung open.

  “Exactly.” Allison laughed. Half an hour passed by, then Rose came into the room.

  “So, you kids are going to have a picnic up here!” She announced. She started laying blankets on the area where the kids
had been playing ‘Piper says’. We went over to help. “Aleisha, can you help Jeremy and I bring the food up?”

  I agreed. I went downstairs and I could smell fried chicken. “Oh Yum!” I drooled. Rose nodded. We brought the chicken and fries up to the kids and joined them eating. Jeremy had brought food out to the guys and then he came into the room to eat with us.

  “Do you have any aspirin?” Naomi asked Jeremy. “I have a headache.”

  “Of course.” Jeremy said. He went to get some and gave it to her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I am. Just a little headache.” Naomi said. “Leah didn’t even bump my head. She mostly hurt my hand! I just have a headache from being around the screaming. I’m not used to all this rambunctiousness! I’m getting old! Bill was the one who would never stop with the kids.” She sighed.

  “That’s true!” Allison agreed. “Not the getting old part but the rowdy part!”

  “Anyways, enough of that. Did you ever think of being a chef?” Naomi joked.

  “Nah, it’s just a hobby of mine. I don’t think it would be as fun if I did it all the time. Anyways, I think a doctor is needed more around here!” Jeremy stated. We laughed.

  “That’s true!” Mrs. Ford agreed.

  We ate with the kids and it was uneventful for an hour. I enjoyed spending time with my girls, but my mind was on the others, hoping that they were okay and would be back soon.

  CHAPTER 20

  After, we heard a commotion downstairs. Allison, Jill, Anne and I walked out of the room. “Mom, I’ll be right here!” Allison said to Naomi.

  We stood outside the doorway guarding the room, unsure of what was going on downstairs. We could hear heated conversation and the sound of someone possibly wounded.

  “I’m going to see what’s going on.” Anne announced. Before any of us could respond, she ran downstairs.

  John came upstairs right after. “You guys can come down.” We hurried downstairs after him.

  “I sent her in to help rescue the other group.” Mason shouted as we walked into the living room.” “Her death is on me!”

  “Okay, can someone please tell us exactly what happened?” Ben asked.

  Luis sighed. “Mason talked to his mom by thinking to her. He told her that we were headed to the water to help the other group out and we could use her group.”

  “I should have let her have a few days to get used to being a leader!” Mason cried.