The Carvings

The Answeres

       We were at Dan's practice, sitting on the bleachers, watching him talk to the coach.

"So, we had the same dream last night. Weird." Joan said. The images of my dream flashed in my head. First, possessed Dan, then, the girl screaming, and finally, the crazy man.

"Yeah but I mean, did the scary man grab you or me by the ankles?" I asked.

"Well me of course." She answered.

"Then we didn't have the same dream. Because, in mine he grabbed me by the ankles." I said knowing that didn't change anything.

"Of course he did. It was your dream. He wasn't going to take me instead of you in your own dream." Joan said.

I only nodded. "True, okay so what did it mean? Was it the stories that gave us nightmares or was it a supernatural thing?" I asked.

"It could've been the stories." Joan suggested.

"Yeah, but what about the symbol?" I asked biting my nail.

"That wasn't much of a symbol. It was Martha's initial." Joan said.

"It looked like a symbol to me. Who signs their initials then circle's them?" I asked then added, "It gave me chills just looking at it."

"There's probably someone out there who does that. There's lots of different styles." Joan said. "Besides, how are we even going to figure this out with about four different but really similar stories? We can't, and how are we going to figure any of this out when we don't even know her? We cant, so it's time we ask people."

Joan had a point. But I didn't like the weird people of this town. Just then someone kicked me hard in the shin. "Ouch! Hey watch where you're going!" I yelled and looked up to see Thomas.

"Oh wow, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to. The bleachers are so close together, I was just trying to get through. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry." He said. I looked over at Joan who was smiling at him.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it." I said moving my legs so he could get through. He smiled and shuffled passed me.

"He's even cuter up close." Joan said nudging me in the arm. I rolled my eyes.

After Dan's practice, he rode home and Joan and I rode into town to find out more about Martha. We went back to the game store where the woman with the cheating ex husband  talked to me and Dan. She wasn't there, we didn't expect her to be, so we asked the man at the register if he knew Scott. He laughed in my face then said, "Of course I do. This town is very small. I know everyone."

I didn't like this man very much. "Okay. Can you tell us where he lives?" I asked. He laughed in my face again.

"Oh I would ever do that. You two are children without adults around. Poor Scott doesn't need you two egging his house. That would upset his wife."

"Okay, can I get a phone number or an email address?" I asked clenching my teeth. The man grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down the number.

"Probably a fake." Joan muttered. The man at the register held it out to her and she quickly snatched it up and shoved it in her pocket.

We were walking out of the store. "That was a rude way to treat one's customers." Joan said.

"He must've known we weren't going to buy anything." I said quickly. Just then someone opened the door for us. As I was about to say 'thank you' I looked up and saw that it was Thomas.

"Hey." He said smiling.

"Hi." I said blushing. We walked passed him and hoped on our bikes. Joan sent mom a quick text informing her that we'd be home shortly then we rode off.

    At home, Joan was sitting on my bed and Dan on the black chair by my desk. I walked back in the room from making a phone call.

"So what'd she say?" Joan asked as soon as I walked in.

"She didn't answer." I said sighing.

"So what'd you do?" Joan asked clutching my pillow.

"I left a voice message. I told her about last night and if I could ask her a few questions about Martha." I said sitting on my blue chair by my closet.

"So wait, you guys had the same demonic dream last night, and you think this old lady can help you with it?" Dan asked.

"No. We just want to know more about Martha to see if the dream will make any sense." I said quickly.

"Yeah, and she had the longest story of them all which doesn't really mean anything, it just made sense to ask one person and she happened to be the one." Joan said.

"The one? You guys make it sound so formal." Dan said shaking his head and smiling.

"Dude. This is serious." Joan said.

"I bet it is." Dan said. His tone of voice was irritating Joan. I quickly grabbed Dan by his shirt collar and pulled him to the door.

"Let's go." I said.

"No wait, I'll take this seriously." He said laughing.

"No you wont." I said and pushed him out my door and shut it quickly. I turned around and looked at Joan.

"Well, now we just have to wait for the old woman to call us back." She said sighing. I nodded.

"Kids! Your father and I are going out! We'll be home a little late tonight. Be good!" Then we heard the front door open and slam shut, then some footsteps running up the stairs. Finally Dan opened the door.

"Guys, last time when we came home and they weren't here, we saw the thing with the chairs. Now, their going to be gone for god who knows how long and we're stuck here alone. What's going to happen to us?" Dan asked, then as if he had summoned it, all the doors slammed shut and some heavy foot steps came slowly up the stairs.