The Dark Place (#FrightFest2016 Gold Winner)

Epilogue

Two years had passed since that nightmare time in Eastlake and being at home in Canada had been the best feeling in the world.

"When are they going to get here daddy?" she called out, running over to the living room window.

"Any time now sweetheart," replied her father from his study across the hall.

She looked out over the green fields at the road that tapered off towards the distant hills. It was hard believe that the divorce had finally gone through and that Penny's mother was now free to marry her father. At last penny would really be her sister.

A few minutes later the car came into view and she felt a shock of butterflies thrill through her tummy.

"Daddy, I can see them," she shrilled, keeping her eyes on the silver Toyota as it came closer. "They're coming... they're coming!"

"Really?"

Within seconds she felt the warm closeness of her father as he looked out over her head.

"Come on daddy... come on!" she screamed as she dodged around him and ran out to the the hallway. "Come on slow-poke," she called out over her shoulder. They're here."

She threw open the front door just as the car pulled up outside.

"Penny... Penny... you're here at last." She crashed into Penny the second she climbed out of the car, not even giving her the chance to close the door behind her, and squeezed her tight. The other girl returned the hug.

"It's great to see you again Tam but I can't breathe," laughed Penny

"Oh my, I didn't hurt you did I?" she asked, loosening her grip and pulling back a little.

"Of course not silly," Penny smiled. "Look, I think my mum and your dad are going to get all kissy kissy with each other now," she added, tilting her head in their direction.

"Yuck, let's leave them to it. I'll show you where your room is," she giggled as she grabbed Penny's hand and dragged back towards the house.

It was really nice catching up with everything that had been going on since she had left Eastlake. It was strange but there was a tiny bit of her that was homesick for the old place. She had no idea why.

Later, Penny told her that Mrs. Hughes had taken Cass under her wing. Her husband had not approved at all. In fact he had given her an ultimatum. She would have to choose between him and Cass. Apparently it had taken all of three seconds for her to tell him to pack his things and leave.

Good old Cass, I'm so glad that she's alright, she thought.

Penny father had been sent to psychiatric hospital indefinitely for what the newspapers had called his 'murder rampage' because all of the killings had been linked to the same weapon. All of the fingerprints on the handle of the knife he had used had been smudged apart from two right by the hilt of the blade. They had been a perfect match. Case closed. The sleepy town of Eastlake was front page news for months on the back of that story before things finally died down and it stepped back into obscurity once more.

Of course Penny need not have told her about poor Wendy Jones' suicide. She had known about it the very second the girl had stepped out in front of that bus. Yes, it had been very unfortunate for Wendy, but one person's misfortune is another person's blessing as they say. She was not quite sure who they were, or even if that really was a saying, but there was a certain ring of truth to it in this case.

Anyway, there was no time to dwell on that now. It was late, she'd had an exciting day and there was another to look forward to tomorrow. Annie laid her head on the soft pillow and closed her eyes.

Somewhere deep inside the dark place Tamicka screamed.

THE END

Author's Note

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