Down and Down

Part 2

When she woke in the morning she found a spider crawling across her hand. She quickly sat up and shook the spider off. She rubbed her hand where the spider had been and shuddered. Ew. She looked at her surrounding and remembered the previous night. The whispers had ceased they’re chant. All was quite.

Morning light filtered into the hole and looking up she could see trees and blue sky. Then in front of her she saw a table. It stood on the opposite side of the hole. It was small, round and ornate. It was all metal with a glass top. Then upon the glass she saw a key. It looked large and old, like the ones her house used.

She walked over to it, bewildered, and picked it up. Why was this down here? What was all this? She felt the keys uneven surface and was reminded of her mother scolding her for stealing them and keeping them in her room. She wondered with a pang of sadness if her mother was worried about her.

If she hadn’t got lost the night before she would be in her kitchen, eating pancakes and telling dad good bye before he went to work. She would hang onto his neck as usual, telling him that he should stay home. And as usual he would say that he had to go, but if he had a choice he would stay home with her all day. Then she would watch T.V. with her older sister until it was time for school.

Would her classmates realize she was gone? Surely Sully, Hannah and Jaymie would! Whispers came from nowhere.

“The key”

“Found the key”

“Now use the key”

She whipped around. She thought the voices had come from the door. She walked towards it but didn’t hear anything more. She looked hesitantly down at the key and jammed it into the keyhole. She waited a moment before turning it. When she did it clicked merrily and the door popped open an inch.

“Used the key”

She ignored the faint voice and peeked through the crack and sprang back suddenly when she saw a bright blue eye peering back at her. The owner of the eye pushed the door open and Alison saw her mother.

But was it her mother? Her mind told her yes, but this women didn’t look it. For one, she looked significantly younger than the mother she had grown up with. Her hair was a darker red than her usual dull hair, her eyes weren’t a boring hazel anymore, and she was definitely skinnier and taller.

The doorway was much smaller then her and she stooped as she entered the hole. Alison saw behind the women her house’s kitchen. But it looked slightly different. Instead of dull green countertops they were replaced with what looked like the counters Hannah had in her house and the cabinets, instead of being dark brown, were white.

“Welcome home, Anastasia!” she exclaimed, holding out her arms toward her, obviously wanting a hug.

“Anastasia?” replied Alison, confused, “But you won’t call me that.” Alison had heard the name somewhere and had been insisting for months that her mother call her that, though her mother had profusely refused, saying that Alison was her given name, and she would only call her that, Ali, or Honey.

“Of course I call you that, Honey! If you want me to do something, I’ll always do it for you, that‘s what good mommies do.” The smile she gave was sickeningly sweet. Alison frowned, a bit frightened by how happy her “mommy” looked.

“I don’t think you’re my mom” she said, sounding less brave out loud than she did in her head. “Why are you down here?” She gave her an accusing look, folding her hands across her chest. (More out of chill than bravery.)

“I’m your mother, don’t you know?” she laughed, a disturbing sound like two pieces of sand paper being rubbed together exited her mouth. It didn’t even seem as though the unnatural sound had come from her, but it ended right when she started to talk again. “Or do you not recognize me? Do you like that other mother more? Am I not better than her?” She looked genuinely concerned.

“I don’t know who you are.” Alison told her.

“I’m you’re mother.”

“Really?” She asked, slowly letting her guard down.

“Of course!” She again smiled the sickened smile. Her arms had not moved from their wide open position. Alison slowly walked into the mothers arms. Her arms came around Alison. She was surprisingly warm, but oddly stiff.

Alison pulled back after a moment and looked at the mother, wondering what to do now. She thought she would be stuck in this hole forever. Was this even really happening? The mother took her had in her own and led her though the door, stooping low once more to get in the house.

“Would you like a snack, Anastasia?” The mother asked her, dropping Alison’s hand and walking further into the room. She saw out the French doors to the yard that it was sunset, her favorite time of day. She smiled, comforted a bit.

She glanced behind her, the wooden door was still there. Of course it is you dope, why wouldn’t it be there? She scolded herself. Then again why was it down in the hole at all? Why was her house down here? The problem was, it wasn’t her house. It looked different. It looked perfect.

“I asked if you wanted a snack.” Said the mother, now behind the counter, looking at her expectantly.

Everything looked so much better down here, she wondered…

“Can I have marshmallows? I know you never let me eat them, but since-”

The mother stopped her mid-sentence, “Of course! I just bought some yesterday for you! I know they are your favorite!” she exclaimed, even jumping a little eagerly. She turned to the cabinet behind her and took out a bag of mini marshmallows. “I got you the little ones!” She threw the bag at Alison, who caught it with two hands.

“Aren’t you going to measure the serving size?” She asked of the mother. Her own mother always did that, she never let her run a muck with the package.

“But you can each however much you want here,” she told Alison, smiling that smile again.

Alison smiled, delighted with this new place. She went to their living room, it had one of those squishy micro fiber couches her mom had always insisted were to expensive to ever have. She plopped herself down and ripped open the bag, stuffing four in her mouth at once.

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That's part two! Please give me some feedback! :}