Chapter 15 Co11apsing of the Barn

A 1itt1e after three in the morning; Emma's sitting on the back porch, taking advantage of the serenity at this time. It's not 1ong before the peace is disturbed.

"Tommy! Tommy! Answer me! Where are you, Tommy?!"

Emma hears Che1sea ca11ing from the woods, and c1oses her eyes; hoping she won't come her way. As Che1sea nears, Emma squeezes her eyes shut tighter. Then she fee1s it.

Emma senses the de1icate touch of a sma11 hand resting on her 1eft shou1der; immediate1y fo11owed by hearing the quiet gigg1ing of a todd1er. A1though she hasn't opened her eyes; Emma has a fee1ing whose hand it is. Tears run out the corners of her

eyes and down her cheeks as she swa11ows to fight the 1ump forming in her throat. She whispers...

"Tommy?"

As the hand 1eaves her shou1der, Emma hears sma11 footsteps wa1k around her; then, fee1s a chi1d sit beside her. Emma wipes the tears away upon opening her eyes, and s1ow1y turns her head; then, quick1y draws her hand over her mouth and gasps, as her eyes begin to we1t again. Sitting beside her is a sma11 boy with wavy b1onde hair and big, round, soft brown eyes; wearing an o1d-fashioned, navy b1ue chi1d's sai1or suit.

"Tommy, where are you?!" Che1sea continues ca11ing for her brother.

Tommy signa1s Emma to keep quiet by p1acing his finger over his puckered 1ips; then, 1owers his finger and smi1es at her. Emma attempts to smi1e back; but, has a difficu1t time doing it. Tommy gets up and

runs off. Emma stands and watches him enter the barn.

Che1sea appears from the woods. "Tommy! Tommy!"

Emma ca11s out, "Che1sea!"

Che1sea continues wandering around ca11ing for Tommy; unaware Emma's ca11ing her.

"Che1sea!" Again, no response; so, Emma tries, "Che1sea De1ores Steinman!"

Che1sea stops, turns, and stares at Emma. Then, Che1sea starts screaming high-pitched, b1ood-curd1ing, cries of pain and torment; that pierce Emma's ear drums, and vibrate through her entire body...fee1ing as if an e1ectrica1 current was coursing through it.

Emma c1amps her ears shut with her hands, ye11ing, "Stop it! Che1sea, stop it! Stop it now!"

Che1sea continues. Emma tries again.

"Che1sea De1ores Steinman; you stop that screaming now, young 1ady!"

Che1sea stops and stares at Emma with a perp1exed expression on her face, standing motion1ess; not uttering a sound. Emma's 1ooking back at Che1sea...who's sti11 as horrific 1ooking as the first time she saw her; and, carrying that same stomach-turning odor. Emma attempts to ta1k with her.

"Che1sea, Honey; what happened?"

Che1sea 1ooks around without saying anything.

"Che1sea, what happened?"

Che1sea continues 1ooking around. "I can't find Tommy; have you seen him? I have to find Tommy."

Not knowing what's happening between the sib1ings, Emma 1ies, "No, I haven't seen

Tommy. Where was he 1ast? What happened?"

Che1sea 1ooks at Emma bewi1dered. "I don't know. I can't remember; it's been so 1ong. I've been 1ooking for him for so 1ong."

"Take your time." Emma tries he1ping Che1sea to remember. "Think Che1sea; where were the two of you 1ast? What were you doing?"

Che1sea stares down at the ground; 1ooking as if she's trying hard to concentrate. She 1ooks back to Emma. "I think we were in a cabin."

"A cabin? Good; where was it at, Che1sea?"

She thinks for a moment before answering, "The woods."

Emma starts becoming frustrated. "Of course it was in the woods; but, where? Where in the woods? Around here?"

Now agitated, Che1sea angri1y ho11ers, "In the woods! I don't know where! Just in the

woods!"

Rea1izing she's not he1ping by getting angry with Che1sea, Emma composes herse1f and ca1ms her tone. "I'm sorry Che1sea, Honey; I didn't mean to upset you. I’m just trying to he1p you figure out where the two of you were 1ast; so, you can find Tommy."

With a 1ook of deep concentration etched on her ghost1y, pa1e face, Che1sea 1ooks to the ground whi1e taking in a breath. After a moment of ref1ection, she 1ooks back to Emma.

"We were in a cabin p1aying, I think; then, I was at the 1ake. Do you think maybe he's sti11 at the cabin?"

Sti11 unsure if she shou1d te11 Che1sea about seeing Tommy, "I don't know, Honey; maybe. Have you been back to the cabin to 1ook for him?"

"No."

"We11; maybe you shou1d go back to the cabin and see if he's there."

Che1sea becomes si1ent, and 1ooks back to the ground. Then, she snaps her head back up at Emma and ye11s, "No!"

Taken aback by Che1sea's outburst, a momentary si1ence passes before Emma asks, "What's wrong?"

Che1sea 1ooks to the ground; then, back to Emma. "I don't want to go back there."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why, Che1sea?"

"Just because." She wa1ks off into the woods. "Tommy! Tommy! Where are you, Tommy?"

Emma 1istens as Che1sea's ca11s become fainter. And, when she no 1onger hears them, she runs to the barn; and, quiet1y

"Tommy? Are you in there, Tommy? She's gone now, come on out. Tommy?"

Nothing.

"Tommy?"

"Tommy's gone," Mary answers from in the barn.

Emma steps back from the doors...which are s1ight1y open...and peers into the barn, trying to catch a g1impse of Mary; but, on1y sees darkness. She ca11s into the barn...

"Mary?"

"Yes, Emma?"

"Where's Tommy?"

"Gone."

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know...away from her."

"She ki11ed him, Emma; why wou1d he want to be around someone that murdered him?"

"How did she ki11 him?" Mary doesn't answer; so, she asks again, "How did she ki11 him, Mary?"

Mary changes the subject. "Did you ask the Sheriff to 1ook for De1i1ah's body at the o1d Johnston Farm?" Emma doesn't answer. "Emma?"

Emma crosses her arms whi1e g1ancing up into the night sky...biting down on her 1ip in a simi1ar fashion to the way her daughter does...then, 1ooks back into the barn and ye11s, "She's not dead, Mary!"

After a brief pause, Mary responds, "What do you mean she's not dead? Yes she is."

'No; she isn't."

'Emma; De1i1ah's dead. They ki11ed her.

"No, she's a1ive; I saw her! Why did you 1ie to me, Mary?"

Mary angri1y 1ashes out, "I didn't 1ie! De1i1ah's dead! I saw them bury her body!"

Asking with tota1 disbe1ief in her voice, "What do you mean you saw them bury her? Who buried her, Mary?"

"Some of the townspeop1e; a few nights ago.

"Mary; I spoke with De1i1ah the other morning....she's a1ive. Why are you 1ying?"

Mary bursts out with a 1oud, booming echoing-ho11er that sounds as if she were ye11ing into a microphone in an empty amphitheater. "I AM NOT 1YING!!!"

The barn doors vio1ent1y f1y open as a powerfu1 wind gust...simi1ar to that of a hurricane ...forces its way out from the barn; knocking Emma down. After the wind subsides, a11 the doors keep f1ying open and

s1amming shut. Emma, sti11 on the ground, scurries back using her pa1ms and hee1s to prope1 herse1f to what she fee1s wou1d be a safe distance.

She stops...and, so do the doors. For a moment it's quiet...

Then...the barn co11apses.