Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you have heard of, they own me.
Author's Note: A little later on in the story there will be a character named Daveniegh. I know that this looks a lot like Daviegh (which is the name of the girl who played Samara in the Ring) but there were no intentional connections. Thanks!
CHAPTER ONE: It's not over yet
Rachel looked weary eyed at the procession of policemen in front of her. One of them was carrying a lifeless body covered in a white cloth. The body of little Samara, the body that Rachel just found in the well. Just as the last policeman walked past, Noah came up beside her.
"Hey, Rachel, let's get you home, it's late and Aiden is all alone" he said to her.
Slowly, mechanically Rachel stood up and walked towards the car. She was soaking wet and her legs felt like lead. She officially proclaimed herself emotionally and physically dead. The past week had been too much for this small city journalist whose biggest problem used to be when the Chinese food delivery man mixed up her orders.
She got into the car and fell silent; the only sound came from Noah's new CD. Rock, of course, since Rachel hated it, and everything Rachel hated, Noah loved. She was just glad that she wasn't driving because if she had she would have crashed in the first two seconds.
"You know what, it just doesn't feel like it's over" Noah said, cutting through Rachel's thoughts.
"Doesn't seem like what's it" she asked him.
"Like the curse is over. I still feel scared, you know, still a bit paranoid." He said
"Noah, you're always paranoid, you would think that you're used to it by now" Rachel said, leaning on the window pane.
The rest of the drive was silent. After what seemed like eternity Noah pulled up in front of Rachel's apartment. He walked up with her to her door. After saying goodnight Noah started down the hall.
"Oh yeah, call me tomorrow" he said to her, turning back.
"I'm sure I will" she said back to him, not knowing why. It wasn't right to be still chasing him. She knew this, but, still she had for the past eight years.
Shaking the thought from her head she opened her door and found Aiden sitting on the couch, watching TV. He turned around when he heard her enter, his face a mask of fear, but when he saw who it was he visibly relaxed.
"It's okay, honey, you don't need to be scared anymore. Mommy set everything back" Rachel said softly to him. Aiden looked up at her in confusion.
"You mean that you helped her?" he asked.
"Yes, I did, and now she is free from the dark place" Rachel said to him. Aiden's eyes widened.
"Oh, no, Rachel, you weren't supposed to help her, don't you see?" he said to her
"See what?" Rachel asked
"She never sleeps" Aiden said, pulling up the sleeve of his nightshirt reveling some bruises and bloody handprints.
"Oh no, oh no no" Rachel whispered as she touched her son's arm. "Aiden, honey, were these from today?" she asked him, already knowing the answer.
Aiden nodded solemnly.
"Crap!" she yelled, slamming her fist down on the table next to her. "Damn it, what did I do do that he didn't! Tell me! Don't take him, don't take my son!" she yelled hysterically at the sky as though she expected Samara to just appear from it.
"Rachel, yelling won't help" Aiden said calmly from beside her. Rachel turned towards her son, tears falling from her cheeks.
"Don't worry, baby, I'll save you. What, what did I do that you didn't" She said touching his cheek. She walked over toward the mantle place and took the video from it. The white and red copy sticker was placed blatantly on the side. Suddenly she had a flashback to when she was talking to Mr. Morgan.
"I made a copy.... I made a copy..... I made a copy" The words ran through her head over and over again.
"She just wanted to be heard" she whispered to herself.
"I made a copy." She said out loud. That is what she did. She looked at her son. Aiden had to make a copy, and Noah.
'Damn it" she cursed. Today was Noah's last day. She had to get him to make a copy before time was up.
"Come on Aiden, we're going on a little visit" she said, grabbing her coat.