The Shaded

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

"What have you been up to?" she said.

I was still trying to cope with the fact that I just murdered a possessed doll. I couldn't breathe. I shook my head out of bewilderment.

"Timothy...what were you doing while I was away?"

"Uh, just hung around and, played with some toys."

I felt a sense of unease cringe upon my spine. I had never lied to her before. I had never dared to.

"Oh, well you look so pale. Are you ill?" she asked.

I shook my head as I caught my eyes on the severed remains of the doll-head, still sitting inside the plugged blender. I had forgotten the head. My mother's smile worn away. Her eyes peered out the window and then directly at me.

"A woman came here today, didn't she?"

"What? N-no one came," I lied.

She peaked back at the windowsill and gave an odd face, an almost "fearful" expression.

"W-well, let me know if you see anyone later. I'll be in my study. I bought you some snacks just in case you get hungry. The drill is as usual. In bed by ten and no phone. Good night," she said as she ambled up the stairs.

There were countless thoughts soaring through my mind on the things I had just witnessed. I quietly disposed of the stuffing in the blender and from the couch.

I couldn't just throw it out. She would know. I had to get it out of the house. I took it outside and dug into the ground with my bare fingers. I threw the collection of stuffing into the ten-inch hole and began to toss dirt on it. I noticed the cats checking me out over near the woods. Surprising, I thought. They were further away than usual.

It was now gone, and I went inside to go wash the earth off my hands.

As the water ran through my fingers, I thought about it. This was different now. I was actually scared. Not infused with an oddity or baffled by perplexity. I had never believed in the paranormal too much in my childhood, maybe enough to sleep with the closet door shut, but this was something new. Even I knew, as the age of twelve, that I had a big of a lopsided perspective of logic and reason. Why me? This felt like a nightmare. I had no one but myself to protect me. My own mother...what was she? I stopped denying the fact that I might be in some sort of danger or at risk of...something...

But what was I to do? Run off with a stranger? Well, it was either run off with one or live with one.

I had never really connected with my parents. I have few memories of my father and almost none of my mother. These past few days have forced me to reflect on what was real. Did I ever know them at all? All of these years, how could I have been so oblivious to this? In fact, what was I oblivious to?

I needed to talk to her. It was obligatory. I needed to speak with Elaine again. I didn't have her number, therefore it was a waiting game until midnight. I needed some sort of explanation for all of this. And I needed to be safe...even if it meant doing what she asked...

I counted the countless minutes and waited for half an eternity in my room. It was now nearing midnight, and my mother was out of sight, probably in her "study".

It was 11:59, and I was gawking mindlessly at the telephone, waiting for the ring that happened to catch me off guard just then. I jumped for it and picked it up hastily. I could not let her hear that deafening tone from upstairs.

"H-h-hello?" I muttered.

"Enjoying your stay?" she sarcastically spoke.

"I, uh, I need to talk to you."

"My fair apologies for leaving so soon. I couldn't, couldn't..."

She paused to unleash a violent cough, and I wasn't sure, but I could hear her swigging at a drink over the phone, perhaps alcohol. After all, her voice did seem a bit phlegmatic.

"I've seen some things. After you left, I, uh, was attacked by this..."

"Was it the crows? Or how about the dolls? And have you seen any white figures in your yard lately?"

"This doll of hers just attacked me. It, I'm crazy..." I admitted.

"This doll was alive, and it attacked you. Is that what you're telling me?"

Nope.

"Yes."

There was a lingering pause that remained for about ten seconds.

"I wasn't aware she'd gotten that far..." Elaine admitted her thought.

"What?"

"You can no longer stay at this house. We need to take you away. I meant to before, believe me, but you have no idea what that woman can do, the danger she could put you in."

"I-, that's, you can't-"

I was interrupted by what seemed as the faintest shriek coming from upstairs. The house began to rumble and quiver. I latched onto the top of the kitchen counter and crouched down after I realized it wouldn't stop - and that maybe it perhaps was an earthquake of some sort. I didn't know what to make of it. Peculiar whispers scattered around the house. Those sinister voices leapt around in the inner sanctum of my brain and poked at my innards. The sounds were a bit torturous.

The shaking came to a halt, and I could still hear the sound of someone chanting from upstairs, which gradually died off in a matter of seconds.

"I thought I heard something," said Elaine.

"Elaine, THE HOUSE JUST SHOOK. I don't understand any of this!"

The phone went blank, silent. The conversation went dormant once again for a few seconds.

"She's upstairs, isn't she? In her study, working on her project?"

"What kind of project?"

"Has she been upstairs a lot lately?" she asked.

"Well, sure," I answered, "but how could I've not known for this long what she was up to?"

I still didn't.

"That woman's particularly clever. As long as you're with her, you'll only see what she'll allow you to see."

"What is it I'll be running away from? What am I at risk for?"

"I haven't time to tell you that."

"But you had time to call the landline for quite some time now. What the hell is going on?"

"Jesus, kid! I can't tell you!"

"Why?"

"There's too much to explain. You've done right by talking to me. I know this has all been hard. Noon. Tomorrow. I'll arrange someone for you. Make sure she's out of sight. And bring your belongings. I promise. I will get you out."

She hung up and left me to the obscurity of my home and the chanting voice from upstairs.