AN:

In consideration of my last author's note:

What I said about this story only being from other people's perspective, and addressing readers' questions about when Claude will come about, I don't mean that he won't be making an appearance at all. I just meant that he won't appear as often as some people may have been expecting (by that I mean he won't suddenly be appearing in every chapter). As said, this story won't be from Maebe's perspective, but how long do you think a little girl can keep her demon secret? No, Claude will be making several appearances in this story. If I didn't intend him to then why, I ask you, would I mention him in this story? But when, where, how, and why he appears? Well, that's something I cannot tell you. It could be at the very end, not until later, in a few chapters... in this chapter... Who knows? ;)


A Voice in Her Room

Chapter: Nine


Mary made her way down the hall while fumbling to secure the watch around her wrist, the narrow walls that used to make her feel slightly claustrophobic now giving her comfort every time she walked down them. As she neared Maebe's room he could hear her voice on the other side of the door, playing per usual. She knocked gently on the door, and the girl's voice immediately halted.

"Maebe? I'm going to the store, do you want to come with me?"

"No thanks." Maebe called back.

"Are you sure? Will you be okay here by yourself?"

"Of course! Mr. Spider's watching me."

Mary smiled slightly at her daughter's play.

"Well, Mrs. Garberg is in her garden just next door if you need anything."

"Okay."

"Do you want me to pick something up for you?"

"No, thanks."

"Do you want me to wait until dad gets home to go?"

"No, i'll be fine."

"Are you sure? Do you wan't me to call a babysitter, because I can-"

"Mooom!" Maebe whined impatiently. "Just go! I'll be fine!"

Mary chuckled, and finished securing the watch. "Okay sweetheart, i'll be back soon. I love you!"

"Love you too!"

As soon as she started to descend the stairs Mary heard Maebe's voice resume playing once again, the sweet sound bringing back memories of a time less complicated, and more innocent.

Mary grabbed her purse from the table next to the front door, and exited the quiet home, locking the door behind her. After triple checking that it was properly locked, she made her way off the side of the house to the next door neighbor's yard.

"Mrs. Garberg!" She called to a lady well past her prime bent over her flowers with a green sunhat, and loose fitting yard-word attire.

"Yes dear?" The lady, Mrs. Irene Garberg, answered back, standing up from her work with a creak of her joints.

Mary reached the white picket fence with a pleasant smile in greeting. "Hello Irene, how are you doing?"

"Oh, just fine dear!" Irene cooed, flashing a rather friendly smile in return. "And yourself?"

"Good, good. Hey, listen, I was wondering if you could keep an eye out on my house. I'm running to the store for a bit, and i'm leaving Maebe home. I told her to come find you if she needed anything. Is that alright?"

"Sure, sure! I'm not going anywhere, just working on my azaleas. Aren't they beautiful this year?" Irene stood back a step to admire her flowers. And they were indeed perfect.

"Yes, they are very beautiful."

"And how is Maebe? Is she any better?"

Mary nodded slowly. "She's getting a tad better. Not a whole lot, but it's progress, and it's a good sign that she'll be recovering soon."

"Oh, well that's good. The poor child. The Lord only knows what she's been through."

"Yes, we're all praying for her. And as I said, she seems to be getting better. We'll just have to wait and see."

Irene nodded, then clapped her gloved hands together. "Well, I think i've kept you here chatting long enough, dear. I will keep an eye out for Maebe, don't you worry."

"Thank you Irene, I really appreciate it. And good luck with your azaleas!" Mary called, backing slowly to her car.

"It has nothing to do with luck, dear. It's the fertilizer!" Irene chuckled, then raised a hand to wave goodbye. "Ta ta!"

Mary waved back, then fully turned around. Nearing her car she chanced one last glance up at Maebe's window, just to be sure she was still in her room. She was of course. Mary continued heading to her car, until she stopped dead in her tracks, and snapped her attention back to the window.

She could have sworn she saw a shadow cross it. If she thought it was Maebe's she wouldn't be at all concerned, except that it didn't look like Maebe's shadow. It was too big to be her.

Mary stared long, and hard at the window. Waiting for... something. The shadow to cross again, maybe? Something about it... unsettled her to a degree that she did not like at all.

"Something the matter dear?" Mrs. Garberg called, peering over at Mary curiously.

Snapping out of her trance she quickly flashed a smile at her neighbor. "No, everything's fine!"

Mary glanced once more at the window. Nothing. She shook her head, and continued on towards her car. It must just be her mind playing tricks on her. Nothing more.

As she got in her car, and started the ignition she placed a hand over her heart, just realizing how fast it was beating. Clearing her throat, and placing both hands on the wheel, Mary pulled out of the drive like nothing had ever happened.

But her heart still pulsed rapidly as that shadow lingered in the back of her mind like a particularly terrifying nightmare. It had to be nothing, right?


Mrs. Irene Garberg knelt over her garden, humming a nameless tune to herself as she pulled up troublesome weeds. It had been a fine day, but now she could see dark clouds gathering in the distance. Well, at least she didn't have to water her garden.

She had just started humming the tune again when the sound of a door being opened reached her ears. Looking up she spotted the small figure of Maebe Wattkins emerging from her house, a look of purpose set on her features.

"Oh, hello Maebe!" Irene waved.

The girl waved back, but didn't say anything.

"What're you up to dear?"

Maebe pointed to the flowers in front of her house before kneeling down to examine them.

"Oh, getting some flowers?"

She nodded, and pulled up five of the specially chosen purple flowers.

"Oh, those are lovely dear!"

Maebe sort of smiled before waving goodbye, and approaching her door once more.

"Alright then, goodbye!"

As she disappeared behind the door Irene shook her head at the young girl. She used to be such a friendly child, and knew how to light up a room with her smile. She was always so sociable, and would take time to come over to actually say hello. She would even sometimes come help in the garden if she had time. Then Irene would make lemonade, and they would sit out on the front porch drinking it, talking about school, and gardening, and many other things.

But now that Maebe didn't seem to exist any more.

Irene went back to her flowers, and resumed humming the tune, but not as happy as before. Her smile was now gone, and was instead replaced by a slight frown. She glanced up as the clouds rolled closer, and closer towards the otherwise unaware neighborhood. In a way, it almost seemed fitting for them to come. The shining sun just didn't seem right for the sadness the plagued the people living along that street named Mulberry Ave.


Mary pushed her cart half full of groceries through the aisle, going down the list of items she needed, and checking them off one by one as she acquired them. She came across a shelf of handy little boxes shaped perfectly so you could store sandwiches in them for a lunch box. She picked out the purple one, knowing Maebe would like that one the most.

She continued browsing down the aisles, scanning the shelves for any items she may need. As she ventured further a young boy, no older than five, sped past her, a plastic dinosaur held in his hand as if it were flying. He had a wide smile on his face, and was giggling with joy as he played.

Oh, how Mary missed when Maebe would do that. It had only been a few months before when she was her normal, cheery self, but it felt like years. Mary looked sorrowfully back at her list. She wished she could do something. Maebe's counselor told her that all she really could do was give her daughter patience, love, and total support. It didn't seem like enough. But, if that really was all she could do, then Mary would do just that. She didn't intend to give up on her daughter's recovery. She would do anything to get her real daughter back, not just her hollow shell. They just had to draw her out somehow...

Maybe they all just needed to get away from home. Go out of town, or something. Perhaps escaping to a different setting, leaving the bad memories for a while would help.

As Mary thought about ways she could help Maebe recover she had completely forgotten about what had unsettled her prior to coming to the grocery store. She was determined to make sure her daughter got better, and would not give up until Maebe was as close to her old self as possible.

That, she promised to herself, to her husband, and to Maebe.