Chapter 5: History Repeats Itself

The drive back home took nearly two days straight with a few breaks to get gas and a bite to eat. I had not been in my hometown since that night when I had left Carla's parents nearly two years before, but as we neared it, everything seemed exactly the same after we had left Barstow as it had before. Nothing had changed at all-- I recognized the same small family-run businesses that had sold ice cream or school supplies to me when I had been a kid. It was surprising, and yet so unsurprising at the same time-- ambiguous, even. I mean, you hear about all these people who return to their hometowns years later after their childhoods have ended to find nothing they recognize, and for me, it was the complete opposite. It figured.

We drove on, and all the while, I became more and more anxious of what I would find in the house that I had abandoned so long ago; I'm not exactly sure what possessed me to tell Matthew to stop the care about fifteen minutes from my hours, but nonetheless, I did. When I saw the small river where I had always swam as a summer treat during my childhood with friends like Carla Baker and others, I suddenly had the urge to see it again with adult eyes; to feel it again before we went any further. I'm still unsure why I chose to stop here of all place; maybe it was the nostalgia-- the happy memories that might give me a boost of energy before leaping back into my journey. It was nearing midnight, and somehow, Matthew sensed what I was feeling as well, so without his questioning my intentions here, the car came to a complete stop on the side of the road, we opened our doors, and rushed out into the beautiful moonlight.

The yellow moon was gently glowing above us; I could see its large reflection in the dark water, "What is this place?" Matthew asked-- his voice a timid whisper from behind me, as I became enchanted by the thrall of everything surrounding us.

"A river where I used to play," I whispered, gently, peering into the dark water, only to see nothing but the moon, "Why are we here?" Matthew finally asked after the long silence that had ensued.

"I am not sure," I replied truthfully, "But we're only about fifteen minutes from my house… I think we have some free time," I plunged my hand into the water.

"Are you sure we have spare time?" he continued, "You weren't too keen on stopping so I could use a toilet on the way here."

"Very funny, smartass," I replied, bringing the water to my lips-- I tasted it, and it wasn't the same; suddenly, the water felt hot-- everything felt hot, actually. Maybe making a stop here had indeed been a bad idea.

No. I was being stupid. Just because I had been overcome with the notion of visiting my favorite childhood retreat, it didn't mean that anything out of the ordinary was about to take place there. Sure, it was past midnight, and yes, this place was in the middle of nowhere, but did it mean anything? Not necessarily, and that meant that I had no need to worry.

But, then again, something was wrong about the atmosphere-- it was almost as if the two of us were being watched by some unseen figures in the near bushes, "Wait," I whispered, deciding to voice my inner fears, "something is not right here."

He did not reply. Was he messing with me? No, Matthew wasn't the kind of guy to do something like that. I turned around, sure that he was just behind me… but, he wasn't, "Matthew?" I whispered, "Matthew…" I repeated, Where is he? I wondered, overcome by a sudden panic that I had only experienced within my dream the previous evening-- it didn't make sense. After all, he would not have left me-- at least not now; not while we were still out in the open-- not while I was still vulnerable to whatever it was that was lurking in the bushes… No. That was nothing… "Beatrice…" a voice whispered, telling me otherwise, and I screamed in fright. Something had happened-- something had happened to my Matthew, and he had somehow disappeared without a sign… "Matthew!" I screamed his name, somehow knowing with an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach that he could no longer hear my voice… "Matthew!" I screamed once again, but I knew that he was gone. Gone, the word echoed in my mind, He left-- he's gone now… Is he--

NO! That simply was not possible. He could not be dead. He just couldn't be. This wasn't the same as what had happened to others that I had loved. I was acting retarded-- maybe he had gone back in the car, or wandered into the bushes…

Yes. That was it. That had to be it… But all the same, why wasn't he answering me…? What had happened to him…? Why had I been stupid enough to have made him take me to the river; a place that had seemed so safe and harmless when I had been a child…? Why couldn't I have ignored my first instincts, and why was I being stupid enough to stay put when I should get as far away from this place as possible…?

A spell, I realized, Someone was-- is watching us-- me tonight, I began to run; pausing to cast a glance towards the strange bushes, and I saw them. Eyes-- glowing-- burning red eyes that seemed to look into me with such hatred that I could hardly restrain myself from falling onto the muddy floor, and going into fetal position.

I wrenched the car-door open, and climbed into the driver's side; Matthew had left the keys right in the ignition… Something that had always irked me during our relationship, but something that I was now truly thankful for.

I didn't know why it had happened, but it had. Matthew was gone now, and I was determined to discover what had befallen him on our seemingly harmless outing to the place that I had loved so…

I turned the key in the ignition, and slammed my foot on the pedal; with a roar, the car sped away from a patch of grass just in front of the bushes where I had seen the glowing red eyes…

Just like with my mother when she and my father had been newlyweds, her husband had disappeared… Mine had as well… How ironic that was. It made my stomach turn… Where had they taken my husband…? Where had they taken my Matthew…? Where had they taken the only man I had ever loved…?

They…

Well, it was obvious that darker forces were somehow connected to all of this, and one thing was for sure: I would make them pay for putting me and my husband through hell.

And I didn't care if I would die trying.