The Next Horror

Updated: Monday January 9, 2006

Chapter 9: Unexpected Horrors

(6pm at the Turner Residence)

Hope ate her dinner quietly along with her parents. Damien hadn't returned and now Hope worried that he may never come back to her.

"I'm going to my room," Hope said softly and went to her bedroom.

"When are they coming?" Mr. Turner whispered after Hope was out of sight.

"In a few minutes," Mrs. Turner responded formally, "they've agreed to keep a personal eye out for Damien," she added.

"Oh, I guess that's best," Mr. Turner said but it was obvious that he didn't like it.

"It's for the best honey," Mrs. Turner reassured him, "we can't help them," she told him, "only a professional can."

"But what if they can't find anything to cure them?" Mr. Turner persisted, "we can't leave them locked away forever," he said to her.

Mrs. Turner looked at her husband coldly.

"They'll stay for as long as necessary," Mrs. Turner told him firmly, "I will not have nutcases under my roof," she declared.

"They're my nutcases too," Mr. Turner complained, "I won't let them rot in a.…a…madhouse!" he shouted.

"Shhh," Mrs. Turner reprimanded, "not so loud," she told him.

"I'm not leaving them in an asylum forever," Mr. Turner told her seriously.

Mrs. Turner glared at him.

"Fine," Mrs. Turner conceded, "but you HAVE to let them spend some time there," she said but Mr. Turner looked defiant, "do it for them," she added more kindly.

Mr. Turner stared into his wife's eyes. Soon he closed his and sighed.

"Okay," Mr. Turner said softly and hung his head.

"You won't regret it darling," Mrs. Turner said happily and kissed her husband on the forehead.

(Ten minutes Later in Hope's Bedroom)

Hope lay on her bed in her pink room and wondered how her life went so far down from what it used to be.

What if they send me to an asylum? NO! They're my parents! They wouldn't do that to me. They couldn't…. Oh my God. I have to get out of here. (Hope's thoughts)

Hope rose to her feet and grabbed her pink school bag. She emptied it of her school things and quickly stuffed it with a few items of clothing, her diary, laptop, three favourite books, two flash lights, pepper spray, pens and paper, three pairs of shoes and her cell phone.

Hope then opened her bedroom window and looked down. She knew that she could jump even though it wasn't exactly a recommended thing to do. She might sprain her ankle since her bedroom wasn't on the first floor. But she knew that it would be impossible to sneak past her parents if they were as intent as she suspected of sending her to a mental asylum. So trying to sneak out the back or front door was very unwise. Hope looked down then climbed onto her windowsill. She closed her eyes, whimpered fearfully then jumped.

Hope landed in a squatting position and felt pain shoot through her legs. She stood slowly and opened her eyes. After taking a few deep breaths and keeping back her tears she took a step forward.

"Oww," Hope said softly after wincing, "this isn't good," she whispered as she continued moving and feeling pain with every step, "I have to get out of here," she said and looked out to see no one and hurried across the street.

Hope kept walking and looked warily at anyone who passed her by. She wore her black hair hidden under a black sock cap (which she put on just before she completed packing her bag), and had on what she had on when she was at the dinner table which was a white T-shirt with a blue teddy bear in the middle, a pair of almost knee-length pink tights and white sneakers with blue designs and pink laces. She didn't think of hiding her blue eyes behind dark glasses but it seemed so far enough that people didn't see her beautiful flowing black hair for her to remain unrecognizable.

Thank God! I don't want anyone recognizing me and raising an alarm. Or worse, chase me down and try to kill me or God knows what else! (Hope's thoughts)

Suddenly there was a lot of cheering. Hope wondered what it was about and hobbled quickly (she can't run because she injured herself jumping from her bedroom window) in the direction of the cheering. Hope peeked from the side of a house and saw to her horror…

Citizens were cheering a huge white van. But it was what the van really was that caused Hope to look at it in horror. It was a van for picking up crazy people. A van from Brightsburg Top Security Mental Asylum, one of the most secure mad houses with among the best yet most questionable treatments in America.

Hope continued to watch and listen.

"'bout time this truck came," a small man with a gruff voice spoke.

"Yes," a middle-aged lady in a purple suit agreed, "they've been some nutty occurrences around here lately."

"More like nutty people," a young lady wearing a denim dress said cuttingly, "I'm so glad that they've finally arrived mother," she continued, "people like that Fair girl and those Turner twins need to be locked up," she declared and a growing crowd on the sidewalk agreed with her.

Hope stood where she was and watched the van and crowd fearfully.

If that van's here for anyone suspected of being nuts… Thank goodness that I left when I did. I just hope that Damien's okay. Fair can go to hell. If she harmed Damien I'll….. (Hope's thoughts)

"Well, Well," a voice said and Hope jumped and turned around, "we meet at last," she said.

"Who are you?" Hope asked nervously of the blonde female.

"Someone who will keep you from the madhouse," the blonde responded.

"How do you know about that?" Hope asked fearfully.

"Everyone knows about that," the blonde said frankly, "the thing is," she continued, "do you WANT to know something that they don't?" she asked Hope.

"What's that?" Hope asked carefully.

"That they're those who want to help," the blonde told her.

"Help?" Hope asked.

" Yes, help you," the blonde said.

"And Damien?" Hope asked anxiously.

The blonde's eyes suddenly became sad.

"He doesn't care about you Hope," the blonde said, "not really," she added.

"What?" Hope asked incredulously, "my brother loves me!" she shouted angrily.

"But he loves Mira more," the blonde pushed, "haven't you wondered why they're together so often?"

"They're friends," Hope said but her voice shook.

"And more," the blonde added, "don't you think she's told him how you behaved at school when she called you a freak, by now?" she asked.

"I….I…. I didn't think he'd take it seriously," Hope said but her voice betrayed her.

"He's been getting extra angry at you recently, hasn't he?" the blonde asked.

"But these are stressful times," Hope responded.

"Is that so?" the blonde asked softly, "I guess that's why Mira never told the crowd that the creatures didn't attack her either," she revealed to Hope.

"WHAT!" Hope shouted angrily.

"That bitch"

"You should kill that nerdy whore."

"She's just like the others, the rest of humanity."

"Calm down Hope, she might've…."

"No she deserves to die!"

"Stop it!" Hope screamed and grabbed her each side of her temple, "leave me alone!" she shouted and closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes she realized that the blonde was gone.

Then Hope thought back to the blonde she had just seen and remembered that she looked like a little girl but spoke like an intellectual adult.

"I'm really going mad," Hope softly in fear of herself, "I'm giving myself in," she decided, "or at least I'll go back home and get some counseling," she told herself, "yeah," she said calmly and happily, "and then we'll be a family again," she said brightly, "like we were before, yeah," she said, "everything will be okay now."

Hope sighed happily and straightened her T-shirt. Then she briskly walked home ignoring the pain that shot through her legs despite wincing a few times.

Unknown to Hope from a roof top, a girl watched. Actually a grown up trapped in a little girl's body. She smiled as Hope headed home knowing very well what was waiting for her.

"I did my job Veronica," the blonde said seriously, "remember your promise," she hissed.

"Yes," Veronica said simply and appeared beside her, "I won't forget Heidi."

(Meanwhile at Dark Manor)

"Why did you bring me here?" Tootie demanded angrily of two girls one of which was Pam.

"Because it's best," Pam said formally, "Rea, tell the others that we've arrived," she said to the other girl who physically looked like a petite ten year old red head with her hair in pigtails, chubby cheeks and bright brown eyes.

"Yes Pam," Rea agreed and her voice sounded no younger than a serious teenager.

Rea walked into the barn and shut the door behind her. Moments later two persons came out. The first made Tootie's eyes widen then grow small in confusion at his glowing green eyes. But the other made her eyes widen in horror and she took a step back.

"Tootie?" Timmy asked softly as he looked at her from behind Joseph before walking forward, "you still look….."

"The same age when she died," Joseph finished for him.

Tootie's eyes flew over to Joseph.

"Tad's dead," Joseph summarized, "let's just say I look like him and leave it at that," he said instead of telling her the details.

"Did you kill him?" Tootie asked coldly.

"No," Joseph responded.

"Why am I here?" Tootie asked.

"You 're here because…." Timmy started to tell her.

"Don't talk to me," Tootie snapped violently.

"I should've expected that," Timmy muttered.

"What?" Tootie snapped.

"Nothing!" Timmy shouted.

"Could we end the grudge match?" Joseph asked simply, "frankly this I HATE YOU crap is old."

"Old!" Tootie shouted, "he made my life hell!" she screamed.

"Well you better get in line if you want to give me a piece of your mind," Timmy said rolling his eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me!" Tootie shouted, "hey," she said suddenly, "you look older," she noticed.

"Like duh, I died at seventeen before I was recently brought back to life like you were," Timmy said annoyed at how random and blank Tootie was.

"Died?" Tootie asked, "you died?" she asked him softly.

"He bled to death," Joseph spoke up, "we'd rather not discuss the details," he added immediately.

Tootie looked at Joseph suspiciously. He had been vague before when it came to why he looked like Tad.

"What are you hiding?" Tootie asked suspiciously.

"No offense but our life's story is none of your business," Joseph told her.

"I don't want to know your life story!" Tootie exploded, "I want to know what the hell is going on!" she screamed.

Joseph looked at her for a moment as if he were about to box her. But Tootie glared at him, refusing to back down.

"I'm not going to stand here and have a little girl shout at me," Joseph told her, "curb your hysterical behaviour or find a way to care for yourself on the streets."

"Do that and I'll go with her," Vicky said suddenly and stepped out of the barn.

"Vicky?" Tootie asked and looked at her sister who was all grown up now and in her thirties.

"Hey sis," Vicky said and walked up to her, "don't mind the creepy eyed blonde, he's in a tizzy about not finding out the source of some bad stuff that's been happening lately," she told Tootie, "otherwise he wouldn't be such a bitch," she added.

Joseph glared at Vicky. But he just huffed and remained silent.

Suddenly Tootie started to cry.

Everyone was taken back by this abrupt development. Soon Joseph decided to speak up.

"Hey Tootie," Joseph said and walked up to her, "it's okay," he said kindly and took her hand, "shhh," he said as he rubbed her hand gently.

Tootie soon stopped crying and looked at Joseph.

"Everything is so different," Tootie said tearfully, "my sister and Timmy are grown up and I'm still a little girl," she said and broke into tears again, "I want to be big like them," she wailed.

"So would I," a voice snapped and everyone looked to realize that Trixie had exited the barn, "I'm still a little girl just like you," she said bitterly.

This was indeed true. She now looked like her ten year old self. But just like Timmy and Tootie, she looked at her healthiest. Obviously the curse brought them back at the ages they died but not in the exact same state that they were in. Otherwise Trixie would currently be sickly. Just like she was at the barn before the fateful gas was released, taking hers as well as other children's lives with it. However unlike Timmy she was able to change out of her uniform and was currently wearing a red flannel shirt, brown shorts and black shoes. Timmy however kept on his uniform as a symbol of his imprisonment with the ghosts at Dark Manor (at least until he gets to leave like Joseph acknowledged).

"Trixie I told you specifically…." Joseph said angrily.

"Specifically my ass!" Trixie spat angrily, "I've finally met someone who's been brought back just like me in a little child's body just like me," she said.

"I'm supposed to be almost thirty," Timmy muttered.

"At least you died at seventeen," Trixie countered, "you're practically an adult physically," she pointed out, "Tootie and I are adults mentally and physically we're trapped in little kiddy bodies!"

"And we're sorry about that," Joseph said as he tried to calm down Trixie, "but until I can find out who's done this and how to over power their magic," he said to her, "there's nothing that I can do," he added solemnly.

"This sucks," Trixie said angrily.

"Whatever, at least we're alive," Timmy said frankly.

"You'd say that," Tootie said.

"What's wrong with that?" Timmy demanded, "I didn't bring anyone back."

"But you caused us to die," Tootie countered him, "if it weren't for you, Trixie and I would be adults, alive and not trapped in our young tween bodies!" she screamed.

"Tween," Timmy said distastefully, "you really use that word?" he asked her.

"So?" Tootie snapped and glared at him.

"Whatever," Timmy said, "I'm going back into the barn," he said and headed towards it.

"Wait!" Tootie cried and Timmy looked back, "how do you feel about me now?" she asked him.

Timmy was surprised by the question. He had never forgotten about Tootie. Even after all these years at Dark Manor, his feelings burned for her like they did when he was ten and realized that he loved her.

"Nothing," Timmy lied, "I loved you then but you died and I moved on," he told her.

Tootie looked surprised for a moment. Then her lips turned into a superior grin.

"You feel the same don't you?" Tootie asked.

Everyone else looked at Timmy who could feel his heart beating faster and faster per second.

"No I don't," Timmy said refusing to admit the truth.

"I don't believe you," Tootie responded.

"Then don't," Timmy said and re-entered the barn.

Floating right at the door was Tad who had a victorious grin on his face. Timmy closed the door behind him and glared at Tad.

"Who do you think you're fooling?" Tad asked him slyly, "we all know you still love Tootie."

"No I don't," Timmy denied but his voice didn't sound confident anymore.

"Yes you do," Tad said in a teasing tone, "and you know what?" he asked, "it makes me so happy because she'll never love you back."

Timmy gulped. He knew that was true and that hurt him the most.

"So what?" Timmy asked Tad, "I can't change it so why admit it?"

"And who will you fall for next, Trixie?" Tad asked Timmy's eyes widened, "I've seen you two getting all comfy during those years while you were a ghosts," he said to a surprised Timmy, "I tell you she's making a big mistake," he declared.

Timmy suddenly laughed.

"What are you laughing about?" Tad demanded and Timmy laughed even harder.

"It's so funny!" Timmy cried between laughter, "you know so much yet you don't know about…." He said but stopped and continued laughing.

"Know about what?" Tad demanded loudly.

"That she doesn't want me either," Timmy said and soon stopped laughing, "I already told her that I was starting to like her as we spent more time together and got closer and friendlier," he told Tad, "but she made it clear to me as kindly as she could that despite my change in persona, that she couldn't forget what I had done and that she couldn't even explore a romantic relationship with me much less have and keep one," he revealed to Tad, "funny," he said to Tad, "you're not laughing," he observed.

"Because it's not funny," Tad said darkly.

"So you're disappointed?" Timmy asked.

"No," Tad said, "I'm glad Trixie doesn't want you."

"Well I guess it's for the best," Timmy said simply and went to sit down.

Tad just looked at Timmy incredulously.

"How can you be so calm?" Tad asked him, "aren't you angry that both girls you love don't love you back?" he asked Timmy.

"I'm not happy about it," Timmy admitted, "but I've become rather used to unhappiness now," he confessed, "it's happiness that surprises me now," he added.

"That's pathetic," Tad said frankly.

"Then I guess I'm pathetic," Timmy said in response.

Tad leaned over and looked into Timmy's eyes. He had noticed that since Timmy came back alive they had been becoming emptier and emptier. After initially being excited about being alive, it seemed that Timmy had gotten quieter and quieter. Now Tad noticed that he was getting sadder and sadder. Tad didn't know why, but instead of it making him happy, it bothered him (Timmy being sad).

"When are you leaving?" Tad asked deciding to change the subject.

"Soon," Timmy responded, "my parents live in Brightsburg so after I do some business for Joseph in Dimmsdale that's definitely NOT where I'm going to next," he said.

"What are you doing in Dimmsdale?" Tad asked.

"Joseph said he was able to sense some magic in that area even though he couldn't pinpoint the exact location," Timmy told Tad, "he believes that someone in Dimmsdale might have something to do with the magic," he added.

"Not Richard?" Tad asked.

"Not powerful enough," Timmy said, "Joseph says this person HAD to have natural witch blood in their veins to be able to perform such magic as bringing us back to life AND making us be brought back looking the healthiest that we did the last time we were alive," he explained, "plus he's worried that this person or persons are planning along with the ghosts to hurt people like my surviving family, Wendy, and others," he continued, "I mean, look what happened to Vicky and her husband."

"Good point," Tad agreed, "Timmy, I think I should tell you something," he said suddenly.

Timmy looked at Tad totally confused.

"What?" Timmy asked.

"Um, when you were dying after being hit with that stone shortly after coming here," Tad said, "you muttered a whole bunch of stuff and among it was something about being sorry for not really appreciating your fairy friends Cosmo and Wanda," he revealed to Timmy, "that day when you told Crocker about a magical entity," he continued, "could you have meant them?" he asked Timmy.

"WHAT?" Timmy asked incredulously in disbelief.

"I know it sounds crazy," Tad admitted, "but we've been living in this freakish place long enough to know that anything is possible," he said seriously, "back then I thought you were being delusional," he confessed, "but if it's true some things might actually make sense," he added.

"Like what?" Timmy asked.

"Like you claiming to know about a witch and later it's proven that Britney was the witch after all," Tad started to list, "those strange green and pink objects that I along with a few other students noticed randomly being with you and times when you whispered to them," he continued, "plus Crocker had accused you of having Fairy God Parents and it seemed to REALLY bother you," he added.

"Of course it bothered me, Crocker's nuts!" Timmy cried.

"But he's also really smart," Tad countered, "even though his crazy behaviour caused him to only be able to get a lowly teacher's job and live with his mother," he added.

"Exactly!" Timmy shouted, "I must've been going crazy from a long time ago," he said frankly, "must've started after Chester's death I guess," he said sadly.

"Actually it was before," Tad said and Timmy's eyes grew wide, "you were talking to objects before his death," he told Timmy.

Timmy was dumbfounded.

"I must've lost my mind longer than I thought," Timmy whispered to himself.

"Maybe not," Vicky said suddenly from the door, "um, we couldn't help but…."

"Eavesdrop," Timmy finished darkly.

"Tad mentioned something about you possibly having fairies named Cosmo and Wanda and that you had green and pink objects," Tootie said from beside Vicky, "and I think that he may be right," she said suddenly.

The others looked at her in a way.

"Don't look at me like that!" Tootie shouted angrily, "Timmy," she said seriously, "remember when we were ten and you gave me that action figure?" she asked him.

"Hey!" Vicky cried suddenly, "is that the action figure who said rude things to me when I tried to destroy it?" she demanded glaring at Tootie.

Tootie looked the other way, not daring to answer.

"Dumb doll," Vicky muttered.

"Yeah I remember that," Timmy recalled, "I went to your house for some reason."

"To get back your Fairy dolls," Tootie reminded him, "the one with green hair was…." she continued.

"Wait," Vicky interrupted, "was the green haired one a guy?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Tootie cried happily and the pink haired one was a girl one and…."

"A girl!" Vicky cried.

"Well a woman," Tootie corrected herself, "and…"

"That night Mary and I tried to save the popular kids trapped in the barn," Vicky recalled, "we got help from a green haired man and a pink haired woman."

"She could've dyed her hair," Timmy pointed out.

"And her eyes?" Vicky demanded.

"Contacts," Timmy countered.

"And the fact that the green haired man had magical powers that could only work for a short time?" Vicky questioned.

"Oh um," Timmy said unable to think of something to counter that one.

"Magical powers aren't supposed to work here," Joseph said seriously from outside, "my powers being an exception but it's still easier to use them beyond this property."

"Well that woman called the green haired man her husband," Vicky continued, "and earlier that night he told us to call him Cos," she added.

"Short for Cosmo!" Tad cried, "that must be it Timmy, it makes the most sense."

"Most sense!" Timmy cried, "this is nonsense!" he shouted.

"That makes more sense than sense," Pam added emotionlessly.

Rea giggled.

"I wasn't trying to be funny," Pam said frankly.

"But you still were," Rea said among more giggles.

"Fairies, naturally pink and green haired and eyed people, Fairy God Parents?" Timmy asked incredulously, "where's the crack and the ecstasy because someone is high in here," he said.

"Well it makes the most sense so be on the look out for anyone like that," Joseph said, "and Timmy, Fairies exist, one even brought you here that night you first returned here on your seventeenth birthday," he revealed, "her name was Whitney and though sketchy on the details as to why she came to help us capture you," he continued, "she definitely had a great hatred for you and was willing to help Mandy capture you."

"Why?" Timmy asked.

"Why do you think?" Tad responded.

"I'm not in the mood for another argument," Timmy said frankly, "fine, if you say fairies exist I'll believe you," he said even though secretly he didn't.

"So," Vicky said slowly, "who's going to Dimmsdale?" she asked.

"Timmy, Tootie, Pam and Lorna," Joseph listed.

"Lorna!" Timmy cried, "she hates my guts more than Tad!"

"I know but Tad declined on going and I think it's best for at least one ghost to be with you," Joseph told Timmy.

"And what about Tootie?" Timmy asked not happy about her either.

"Neither Tootie or I are enthusiastic about that," Vicky said frankly, "but I'm staying hidden because I'm safer here and it's obvious that someone wants me dead."

"Yeah," Tootie chimed in.

"Whatever," Timmy said in frustration, "just keep close to Pam."

"Gladly," Tootie said loudly.

"This is going to be interesting," Joseph muttered.

(7:15pm at the Turner Residence)

Hope entered the house through the basement window that was always left opened slightly to help keep it cool. It was a tight fit but her petite body fit through it despite some difficulty. She balanced herself on a dusty night table and climbed down. She slowly walked to the steps as dust rose slightly with each step she made. When she stretched for the rail to start up the steps she hesitated. For a moment she thought of the possible consequences of going up those stairs. What if her parents were waiting for her? What if the van came to their house and her parents let them in? What if she was taken away to that asylum? Could she survive in a madhouse? She knew that the answer was no.

"I trust my parents," Hope said firmly, "they will not abandon me," she declared as she climbed the stairs, "they love me," she added when she reached the top of the stairs and opened to door.

"Very much I might add," a male in a white lab coat said to Hope the moment she saw him when she opened the door, "I'm Dr. Ennis," he told her.

"What do you want?" Hope asked fearfully moving back a step.

"To help you of course," Dr. Ennis said kindly and took a step towards, "we all want to help you," he said softly but Hope picked up something eerie in his voice and cold and creepy in his eyes which now seemed to bore through her very being.

"All?" Hope asked fearfully as she took another step back.

Then Dr. Ennis grinned evilly.

"What?" Hope asked fearfully knowing very well that grin meant something.

"You'll see," Dr. Ennis said in a singsong voice and took another step towards her, "you'll see," he said wickedly and started laughing.

Hope took another fearful step backwards and felt something prick her through her sneakers. She immediately lost consciousness.

(Meanwhile at a small local Hospital on the outskirts of the Amazon Rain Forest)

Trina opened her eyes slowly and screamed. She screamed so loudly that nearby glass cracked and her scream echoed throughout the floor that her room was on.

Mary suddenly ran inside the room, which held her daughter and hugged her to her breast. She rocked with Trina back and forth until her screams subsided and she was sobbing unto her mother's chest.

"I want Daddy," Trina said tearfully, "I want my Daddy."

Mary simply rocked Trina back and forth as she held back her own tears. How could she tell her daughter, her only child, that her father Marcus was dead?

Done

Death's Soulmate: Bet that surprised you huh? More about Marcus in the next chapter. Happy New Year! 2006! 2006! 2006! 200…. Okay, I'll stop now. Well I'm certain that this chapter will have readers ready for more. I'll try my best to update in January. Oh and if you don't remember who Heidi is she is the twin sister of Mandy (not to be confused with Mary) who were both in the prequel of this story and were two of the three survivors saved from the barn that night when the gas was released on the popular children. If you're confused check out the prequel between ch10-12, 'cause I'm not explaining it any further right now. Thank You reading and please review.