Don’t Close Your Eyes, page 17
Jenny had bought a cherry pie while they were out shopping and it was warming in the oven. Grabbing the oven gloves she opened the door to get it.
"Why were you in the attic, Mummy?" Abby asked.
Jenny froze. She could feel the heat from the oven as it hit her face and yet she felt cold as ice. How had she known? Quickly, she racked her brain going back over all their conversations. Had she mentioned going into the loft? No, she was sure she hadn't.
"How did you know I went into the loft?"
"Victoria told me. She says you mustn't go in there, that it’s private, and that bad things happen in there."
Jenny felt the breath catch in her throat. Her hands were still poised in front of the pie and she knew that she must move but right at that moment she did not trust her fingers enough to dare lift the pie. With shaky hands she shut the oven door and leaned against the sink.
"Abby," Mason used his stern tone. "Don't use this imaginary friend as an excuse to be rude to your mum."
Jenny heard Mason admonish Abby but she did not know what to think. Her daughter’s words went through her mind again and again. "Bad things happen in there." What did she mean? What bad things?
"I'm sorry, Daddy," Abby said.
"Tell me what bad things happen in the attic?" Jenny asked.
Abby looked as if she was talking to someone and then her face crinkled with frustration and she turned to face her mum.
"Victoria doesn't want to talk about it anymore. She said if you don't go up there you won't find out. She's not sure if she wants you to be her mummy anymore and she doesn't even want to talk to me."
"Abby, that's enough," Mason said, "now go to your room."
Abby got up and stamped her feet before walking out.
"What has gotten into her?" Mason asked with a smile on his face at their daughter’s behavior.
Jenny retrieved the pie from the oven and placed it on the table. She cut them both a slice as she tried to work out what to say. Whatever happened, this was going to be a long and difficult conversation.
"I need you to listen to me and to keep an open mind," Jenny said. "There's something about this Victoria that worries me."
Jenny explained everything she could as well as she could and waited for Mason to laugh at her. He didn't. Though he didn't believe the house was to blame for Abby's behavior he could understand her worries. He promised to keep an eye out and an open mind and he promised to listen whenever she needed to talk.
It was a start and Jenny felt a weight lift off her mind. Maybe just talking about this could solve the problem. She really hoped so.
Chapter 27
Abby had been in her room for over an hour and she had not yet asked to come out. This was unusual. Normally when she was sent to her room she would manage about half an hour and then she would come down. Her hands would be clasped together and her mouth would be closed tight. It was as if she wanted to talk but knew she mustn’t. So she would clamp her lips tight until she saw them smile. Then she would say she was sorry and they would open their arms. It was the signal that she was forgiven and she would run to them and be hugged for the rest of the evening.
Jenny didn’t like it that she had not followed her normal pattern. So, after an hour she crept up to her room. Abby was talking to herself but she could not hear what she was saying. It was a strange feeling but she was afraid for her little girl and a little afraid of her.
Bad things happen in there. Where did that thought come from?
Jenny listened at the door, her hand poised on the handle. Should she go in? Should she leave Abby a little longer? Then she thought about all her daughter had been through and she knew that she needed that cuddle even if Abby didn’t.
Gently, she knocked on the door and stepped into the room. Abby looked angry. There was a fury in her eyes that Jenny did not recognize and she felt herself recoil from it. What was happening?
“I thought I was supposed to be left alone,” Abby snapped.
"I just wanted to see how you were," Jenny said, surprised that her voice cracked with emotion and a little fear. Had bringing her child here caused this? Or was it just the inevitable stress of Mason losing his job? In many ways they had had no choice. The chances of him getting another job in London were slim and the expense of living there was exorbitant. Though he was reluctant to make the move, Mason had agreed that it was the right choice to make and now he had a job here and things were moving on. They could turn their family around and yet when Jenny looked at Abby, she saw the malicious spite of Victoria staring back at her and it chilled her to the bone. She was also holding Mr. Good Bear in front of her like a shield. The blood splattered across his front as obvious as always. For a few more long seconds they stared at each other. Like strangers fighting over the same cab on a cold rainy night. Their eyes locked and neither one would back down. Then the air seemed to crackle with static. For a moment, the room cooled and then it was like the storm had passed. Suddenly, Jenny could breathe as she saw a smile on Abby's face. What had happened? Abby was no longer the same, it was as if she was a different person. Only how could that be possible?
"I'm sorry, Mum, I don't know why I say these things, will you forgive me?"
"Always," Jenny said as she rushed forward and scooped her into her arms. Abby smelt of apples. It was a shampoo they used for her hair and it was so normal and so Abby that Jenny felt tears running down her face. As she hugged the child, she knew she had to find out what was happening in this house. Something told her she must go back to the loft, to the trunk there. She was also going to the library, to see what she could find out. Something told her the battle lines had been drawn and if she did not accept the challenge then she was bound to lose.
"You want to come and join us for a while?" Jenny asked.
"I'm really tired, can you read me a story?"
Jenny nodded and watched as Abby got ready and climbed into bed. She took Mr. Good Bear in with her and Jenny shuddered. When she sat down on the bed and placed the book between them Jenny managed to pull the bear out and toss it behind her. Maybe she could throw it away? She knew Abby would be upset but was sure it wouldn't last too long. Maybe she should just get another bear and replace this one and yet somehow, she knew it would not be that easy.
The next 30 minutes she read a story about a princess and dragons and amazing adventures. It was one they had read many times together and Abby still loved it. Just as Jenny was finishing she could see Abby's eyes closing as she fell asleep. So she read the last few words, closed the book, and tucked the duvet around her neck. Then she crept from the room only to find Mason stood in the doorway. They shared a smile and looked in on their daughter as she slept.
"How is she?" Mason asked.
Jenny didn't know how to answer. One minute it was her daughter and the next… the next it was somebody else, something else.
"She apologized, eventually. I just don't know what to make of it, or what to do."
"The first thing you need to do is have a long soak in a hot bath. It just so happens that one is waiting for you. Along with a nice glass of wine. After all, we have something to celebrate tonight."
Jenny smiled at Mason, maybe he was right, and maybe a long soak and a glass of wine would make the world seem a different place.
Mason escorted her to the bathroom where she found candles burning all around the tub. It looked so romantic, so like the new start she imagined. A glass of wine was already waiting for her and she could see the condensation on the side which made her lick her lips. Suddenly, she wanted a drink more than anything. She turned and kissed his lips. They tasted of chardonnay, it seems he had started without her. Mason kissed her back, his mouth opening with a groan and then he pulled away.
"Just give me a few minutes to finish off and then I'll come and wash your back," Mason said and with a wink he left the room.
Jenny lowered herself into the scented water and let out a sigh. It felt amazing as the hot liquid caressed her muscles and eased away the stress. The candles created a soft and subdued lighting. Perfect for romance. Closing her eyes, she took a sip of wine and the liquid slid down her throat. It relaxed her even more. Lulling her down into a sense of pure bliss. This was the life. This was what she wanted and this was what they deserved. They could have this and yet a nagging doubt niggled at the back of her mind. Why could she not be happy? Nothing had really happened. The house felt strange, of course it did, it was new to them. It was big, old, and cost them more than they could afford. The strangeness probably came from the fear of failure. If her artists’ retreat failed then the house was too much for them. The only other things that had happened was Abby acting out. That could be explained by the move. She was angry that she had left her friends behind and so she had made a new one. This new friend just happened to be antagonistic. It was Abby's way of coping with the move. Jenny didn't think about the people who had warned her against the house. Or the fact that Abby knew she had been in the attic. No, she pushed these things to the back of her mind and took another drink. Already she was feeling better. Tomorrow she would go back into the attic and she would have a good look around. That trunk intrigued her. Who knows what she would discover in it? Well, tomorrow she would find out. As soon as she dropped Abby and Mason off she would investigate. When she had done that she would research the house on the Internet. Who knows, maybe she could find something out that would help her gain more clients.
Closing her eyes, she leaned back in the water and took another sip of wine. This was just luxurious and she could feel herself drifting.
A hand touched her head, she knew it must be Mason and yet she was too tired to open her eyes so she let out a sigh.
The hand was cold, ice cold. It pushed down with such force that she was shoved under the water. The water was warm, the hand, being ice cold, seemed to sap her strength and though she could tell it was small she could not push back against it.
Fear filled her as her lungs gasped for air. Clamping her mouth tight she knew she must not breathe. Desperate, she thrashed in the water. Her hands reached up behind her trying to force the weight from her head. They clawed, beat, and grasped but there was nothing there. Nothing to grab onto, nothing to hold her down. With her lungs screaming, she did not know how much longer she could hold on. The urge to breathe was so strong. Kicking with her feet she pounded on the tub in a desperate effort to break free. Darkness was closing in on her and she opened her eyes and looked through the water. There was a figure above her. All she could make out was blonde hair and a twisted smile.
It was no good, she could not hold on any longer. Though her mind knew she must not breathe, cannot breathe, her body gulped anyway. As her lips opened she took a gasp of water. The warm liquid ran down her throat just as the pressure was released.
As the liquid hit her lungs, Jenny erupted from the bath coughing and choking. There was nothing there, no one there and she crawled out of the tub and onto hands and knees.
Mason ran into the bathroom to find her coughing water out of her lungs.
Gently, he wrapped her in a towel and pulled her close.
"What happened?" he asked as he rocked her gently.
Jenny was coughing so much that at first she could not talk.
"Someone pushed me under. I couldn't breathe... I couldn't escape... there was no one there and yet I was forced under. Oh, Mason, what is happening?"
"I don't know, my love, I really don't know."
They both looked up as they heard somebody walk into the room. Abby was bleary eyed and holding Mr. Good Bear in one hand.
"Victoria says she's sorry," Abby said before turning and walking from the room.
Jenny and Mason watched her go.
“Do you think Abby did this?” Mason asked in shock.
Jenny didn’t. Somehow, she knew it was Victoria and that the child was against them, or against her. It made no sense and yet she knew it. Tomorrow she would try and find out who she was. If she was a real person or if she was just a figment of her imagination. Maybe she had done this to herself? No, that couldn’t be... Abby knew it had happened!
Chapter 28
Jenny tossed and turned the night away. Her lungs burned, her throat ached, and there was a ringing in her ears that just wouldn’t go away. Every time she thought she would drift off to sleep the ringing jerked her back awake. For once, Shadow Hill House was quiet. To most people it would be peaceful and relaxing and yet to her it felt like a petulant quiet. Like a child that was hiding because it didn’t get its own way. To Jenny it felt as if it was waiting. Crouching in a corner and waiting for her to make a move and when she did, she was sure it would act. Maybe it hadn’t decided how to act yet, exactly which side to take, but she knew it would act and she knew she must be ready.
When the alarm went off Mason got straight out of bed. It was light and the room seemed normal. Just that thought had Jenny falling asleep and she felt her eyes close and she sank into a blissful peace.
“Wake up, sleepy head,” Mason called.
“Urgh,” Jenny managed before she rolled over and pulled the duvet over her head. If she could just have a few more minutes then she would be able to face what came next.
Mason dressed and left the room. She was vaguely aware of him moving about and yet she still could not pull herself from the clutches of sleep until a hand touched her arm.
Jenny let out a scream and jerked upright only to look into Mason’s amused eyes. He raised his right eyebrow. It had always caused her stomach to flip and her insides to melt in a most glorious way, only today she could not control the pounding of her heart and the dread that settled there.
“Would Madam like a cup of tea?” he asked and showed her the cup.
Jenny managed a smile and tried to rub strands of long black hair from out of her eyes. It didn’t want to move and simply clung to her face.
“It’s like a scene from The Walking Dead,” Mason said as he put her cup down on the bedside table and sat on the bed.
Jenny had hauled herself into a sitting position and she took the china mug of strong Assam tea like an addict. She supped down her first taste of the malty brew and already she started to feel more human.
“Thanks,” she managed and looked at her watch. It was seven a.m., there was still plenty of time to get dressed, get Abby up, have breakfast and then the drive into town. Then she would have time to investigate. Quickly, she pushed the thoughts away. Feeling as if she must not warn the house too much in case it set a trap for her. Taking another sip of tea she wondered what Mason would think of such thoughts? Maybe, that she needed a visit to the funny farm. That was not too politically correct a name but right at that moment she wondered if it was maybe a good idea. Was she losing it?
“You need to get some sleep,” Mason said with his wonderful ability to state the obvious.
“I know, I think it’s just... well, everything.”
“You can relax. Now I’m working it takes the strain off. In another few weeks your first customers arrive and we will be doing great. How many retreats have you got booked now?”
That thought always brought a smile to her face and yet today it hardly twitched her lips. She knew Mason saw this and she saw his jaw tighten. He was trying hard and so she let a smile come. “The rest of the year is fully booked, with a few on the waiting list in case anyone pulls out. Next year, I have the first retreat booked and will start advertising for the rest as soon as we’ve done with this first one.”
“Not we, this has been all you, you should be proud,” Mason said and he swooped down and kissed her. “Now, up you get and wake up the other sleepy head. I’ll get started on breakfast.”
Jenny watched him leave and felt the room darken. How could that be? She held her breath waiting for something to happen and then the room lightened again and she realized it was just a cloud passing in front of the sun. What was wrong with her?
As she dressed she couldn’t tear her eyes from the stain on the carpet. It was still there and still revolted her. No matter how much they scrubbed it always came back. She made a decision. With Mason working, money would be easier. When she dropped them in town she would pick up a couple of rugs. The stain would still be there but at least she wouldn’t have to see it.
As she approached Abby’s room she felt the trepidation start to mount. Her palms were sweaty and her stomach was rolling. How would Abby be today?
Gently, she knocked on the door before entering.
“Morning, sweetheart,” she called.
Abby was still tucked up in her bed, the covers tight around her chin with that confounded Teddy lying next to her. For a second, Jenny could have sworn it winked at her and she was filled with rage. Rushing to the bed, she stopped when she got a good look at Abby.
Her baby’s skin was white and waxy and her eyes were lined with a smudged blue.
“Are you all right?” Jenny asked as she dropped to her knees feeling her forehead. There was no fever, it had to be that bear! Jenny yanked the bear from the bed and threw it to the side of the room.
Abby looked up weakly. “I don’t feel too good.”
“Do you want to stay in bed?”
“I’m not sure, I want to stay and I want to go to school. I will be all right.” Abby smiled weakly and got out of the bed.
Jenny helped her wash and dress and all the time she said nothing. Normally, they would banter away. Sometimes Abby would want help, others, she would be all adult and wanted to do everything herself. Most days Jenny didn’t help but every now and then she couldn’t stop herself from hovering as she tried to hold onto her little girl. Would she ever want to let her go?
