'Til Death Do Us Part - Part 44

Sarah jumped to her feet, the springs in the recliner helping to propel her upward. She noted that her fingers had acquired the hilt of the knife during her leap upward. The harrowing shriek still echoed through her head as she searched for the source of the cry. In her confused state she, wondered if the scream had been some horrific nightmare, but she saw Roger and Buck startled awake looking just as confused as she felt.

“Shirley Sue?!” Buck questioned as he raced to his feet.

His query was answered by the sound of footsteps thundering from above. The trio scrambled to the stairway and looked up in time to see a figure clinging to the railing stumble down the last couple of steps. Through the darkness Sarah could make out Shirley Sue's face, twisted into an expression of horror. The sound of her panting sobs chilled Sarah to the bone. Sarah felt herself let out a gasp as a figure wrapped in darkness appeared at the top of the stairs and began pursuing Shirley Sue down the stairs.

Sarah grabbed Shirley Sue's arm and helped guide her down the remaining stairs. When she reached the bottom, Shirley Sue began to nurse her shoulder. Her voice was frantic and her words were hard to make out. However, Sarah's blood ran cold at the mention of one word in particular, 'Aura.'

The second figure paused in the middle of the stairway. Sarah looked up at the figure cloaked in shadows. She saw two familiar yellow orbs hanging in the darkness.

“Graaa!” Aura shouted as she leapt toward the four friends.

Sarah shielded herself, placing her arms in front of her as she saw Aura’s silhouette flying toward her. She fell backward and hit the floor with a thud. She gasped for breath as her diaphragm ached from the force of the impact. Aura wore a cruel smile as she looked into Sarah's eyes, as though she was enjoying watching Sarah struggle to breathe. Then the smile melted away into confusion. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words ever came and the yellow flame in her her eyes faded to black.

'Til Death Do Us Part - Part 43

Shirley Sue pushed open the door and walked into the room. She looked down at the sleeping figure in the cot.

“Rachel?”

Shirley Sue stood, waiting for Rachel to reply. The child turned on to her side, but provided no answer. Shirley Sue took a step toward the cot.

“You better not be playing a prank on me,” She said under her breath.

She began to lean forward to examine the child more closely when she felt the cold grip of a hand cover her mouth.

Shirley Sue's screams were stifled by the hand smothering her face. She tried to wriggle her head free from the ice cold palm wrapped around her lips. However, the harder she struggled against her assailant's clasp, the deeper the long, slender fingernails gripping at her dug into her face. She flailed her arms backward. Her elbow connected with her captor's stomach. She struck at her foe once more. She felt the grip of a second icy had grab hold of her wrist. A muffled cry of pain escaped her mouth. She thrashed, frantically trying to free her arm, but her assailant quickly overpowered her and twisted her arm behind her back.

“Shhh,” Aura whispered. “Don't make this harder than it has to be.”

Shirley Sue tried once more to pull away from Aura. She felt the burn of pain burst through her shoulder as Aura applied pressure to her arm.

“You see... My dear, you and your friends have put me in to quite the bind,” Aura whispered. The words tingled against Shirley Sue's ear. “It didn't have to be this way. If only you had just left well enough alone.”

Shirley Sue froze as a sharp sensation prickled at her neck. Aura's hot breath following close behind the needle-like sensation. Shirley Sue struggled despite the pain rushing through her arm. Her muffled cries grew more frantic as the Aura's teeth searched for their target. Tears of anger, pain, and frustration welled into Shirley Sue's eyes as she struggled against Aura. She felt a tear run down her cheek as she involuntary squinted from the burning sensation that seared through her neck.

The room flashed full of light, as though a bolt of lightning had struck Shirley Sue’s neck. The necklace which had adorned her neck clattered to the ground, still faintly glowing from the broken links of the chain. Aura shrieked and relinquished the grip on her prey.

'Til Death Do Us Part - Part 42

Shirley Sue lifted her head from Buck's side, freeing herself from the arm which was draped over her shoulder. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and glanced around the room. Her ears perked up at the sound of a floorboard groaning. The smell of rain filtered in through the nearby window and the pitter-patter of the droplets intermingled with the faint hum of the 1000 hertz signal playing through the speakers of the television.

She stretched her neck, attempting to work out the the crick which had developed from laying against Buck. In the corner of her eye, she saw Roger sprawled out along the couch, his arms crossed over his chest like he had been placed in a casket. To her other side, she saw Sarah stretched out in the recliner. She saw the glint of something metallic; the hilt of the Aura's knife peeked up from between the cushion and the arm where it was wedged.

The images of Sarah and Roger escaping from Aura danced through Shirley Sue's head as she absently gazed toward the dagger. Shirley Sue could still remember the duo's frantic tones as they described their escape. SHe had never seen Sarah that shook up over something except maybe that night in the woods. The sound of the floor creaking once more drew her out of her trance. She shook her head, as though she was clearing the image from an etch-a-sketch, and returned her attention to the television.

She gazed into the screen of the television and watched the eye searing, multi-colored test pattern. She reached for the smooth black remote that lay upon the coffee table before her. The surface of the remote was covered with a mind boggling quantity of buttons. She aimed the remote at the television and pressed the power button. After a few moments, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She rose to her feet and looked around the room. Her eyes made contact with the glinting blade once more.

Shirley Sue jumped at the sound of the creaking from above once more. She glided toward the stairs and whispered up the stairs, “Rachel?” After a moment of silence, she crept up the stairs. Every other step groaned with protest as she made her way to the top. After cresting the last step, she was met with a long thin triangle of pink light emanating from Rachel's room.

The pink light disappeared momentarily as a shadow passed between the door and the night-light.

“Rachel?”

'Til Death Do Us Part - Part 41

Rachel's eyes fluttered open, her dreams shattered by the sound of wood squeaking against wood. The night light in the corner cast a soft pink glow around the room. Rachel squeezed a tattered teddy bear. “Did you hear that Mr. Snuggles?” she said. Before Mr. Snuggles could answer, the noise returned.

The springs on the tiny cot squeaked as Rachel sat up. She looked over toward her bed, which Aunt Shirley Sue had been borrowing. “Aunt Turley Tue?” Rachel's tiny voice said, barley above a whisper.

Rachel climbed off the cot and hurried over to her bed. She placed her diminutive fingers on a pink comforter with images of kittens, owls, and bunnies that was draped across the bed. The sheets and comforter were still pulled taut across the surface of the mattress and the pillow remained unoccupied.

“Rachel...” The voice sent a chill racing down Rachel's spine. The voice felt close, as though someone had spoke directly into her ear. She whirled around and faced the window. The soft pink curtains drifted outward, buffeted by the cool night breeze coming through the open window. On the edge of the window sat a beautiful woman. Her pale skin and short black hair stood in stark contrast to each other in the soft pink glow of the night light.

“How did you know my name?”

“Your name? I'm afraid I don't know your name.” The woman sighed and a small crystalline tear traveled down the side of her cheek. “I was looking for my doll and her name is Rachel.” The woman burst into tears.

“Don't be sad!” Rachel said as she crept over to the figure sitting on the shadowy windowsill.

“But I've lost her and I don't know where to find her.”

“What does she look like?”

“Oh, she is the most beautiful doll with long black hair, porcelain skin, and a lovely red bow in her hair. I'm afraid she has wandered off on me and I'll never find her again.”

"Where did you see her last?"

“The last time I saw her, she was dancing on this windowsill before she ran away.”

Rachel's eyes grew wide with amazement, “She dances?”

“But of course! May I come in and look for her?”

Rachel nodded and extended her hand toward the woman. The pair first looked under the bed and then the searched the dresser drawer. The woman let out a sigh. "We'll never find her."

Just then the duo heard what sounded like a mouse sneezing. They made a beeline over to a shelf lined with Rachel's stuffed animals. There in the middle of the shelf sat a doll just like the one the woman had described.

"She is so lovely!" Rachel exclaimed.

“Thank you so much for your help!” The woman pressed the doll up against her chest and hugged it. "What's that you say little Rachel?" She drew the doll up to her ear and listened.

"Little Rachel tells me that she wants to spend the night here with you," the woman said getting down onto her knees. "Is that alright with you?"

Rachel beamed as she nodded. The woman passed the doll to Rachel and the little girl clung tightly to the miniature. Just then Rachel let out a deep yawn and her eyes felt especially heavy. The woman led the her over to the cot and tucked her in.

Rachel's vision grew bleary as she smiled and clung tightly to her new friend. Soon she was dancing and drinking tea with her little Rachel in a deep, sweet dream.