Chapter 5:
Jill sat down and folded in her arms together, keeping herself warm. Suddenly she heard something thump at the door. Jill couldn't understand if it was a normal thump noise or not, but she still kept listening. The thump noise came along with the sound of the door opening, but it didn't creak or crack as it opened. Not the usual creepy noises she would've heard. The adrenaline pumping, like an engine gulping down gasoline. Jill held her breathe. Her lips were pressed together. She froze.
"Jill?" her mother called.
Her parents. Coming back from their quick grocery shopping, and there was nothing else that Jill could find disturbing. The dark doubts in her mind disappeared. Jill sighed and she felt so much better. Jill almost began to sob from relief, but her jubilant expression ruled that out.
"Yea, mom! I'm here!" Jill called back and her father came into the living room. Her father noticed Jill's face was a little pale.
"Hey, sweetie. You ok?" Her father came to her and held her head softly in his hands, observing her like a doctor.
"Yea, dad…how's mom?" Jill asked, and she was worried for her mother. Since Jill has been thinking for awhile that her mother needed help, and not her.
"She was nervous for you…"
"Well, she shouldn't be…" Jill assured in a sweet lie and she smiled," Everything went fine when you guys were gone…"
Her dad sensed she was telling a lie.
"You sure…?"
Jill sighed and she looked side-tracked.
"Yea, dad. I'm sure…and uh, do you need stuff to unpack? From grocery shopping?" Jill wanted to occupy herself somehow.
Get rid of the bad thoughts from earlier.
"No, we got it…thanks, kiddo. And, uh, just kick back…Ok? It looks…like you need it," her dad smiled.
"Ok, dad. Love you…" Jill said slowly, as if she was saying goodbye.
Her dad smiled.
"Oh, sweetheart. Love you, too…" He responded softly and he went to unpack the bags. Jill put her hand on her forehead. She felt stupid. The nightmare she lived through was over. She didn't want to act this way.
From the kitchen door, her mother still had a small frown on her face. Mrs. Johnson closed her eyes. She knew (somehow) that Jill wasn't alright at the moment, that she wasn't functioning well. Mrs. Johnson wasn't comfortable with this planned vacation at the moment now. Maybe it was a bad idea after all. She was still worried, and it was obvious.
Jill sighed and she went to the back of the house and stood on the porch. She needed fresh air to clear her head, and regain back her balance. She had a broken paralysis at the moment, which she wasn't proud of. She scratched her head and took a breathe. Her life was moving fast and the sound of the phone still haunted her. Oh god. It was quite stupid…but awful.
Jill sighed, and she was calm again. But, not for long. Jill always thought about him right when she needed her balance back, and it was taunting and almost unfair. This needed to stop, but how? That was the question.
Jill leaned against the wall and she closed her eyes. A black wave of pain came over her, and maybe those therapy sessions did no good after all. Jill could feel tears coming to her eyes, but her anger stopped them from falling. The level of her anger wasn't off the charts, since fear was also with her.
But…it was getting late with the signs of cold wind and the light of the sky dimming down and Jill had to get to bed soon. Jill went back inside and she didn't think about anything that she shouldn't. Jill entered her room and didn't even bother checking her cellphone that was laying on her bed.
All innocent and creepy-like.
And she wondered why she still even owned a cellphone in the first place. After all she went through in the past. Her parents didn't talk about it with her yet. But she thought she could have the nerve to throw it away or even destroy it. But she thought against it. Maybe she would need it for later.
That Night:
Jill began to breathe normally now.
That first day of vacation was…a little off, but ok. It was peaceful and Jill was glad to get away from all the News reporters and everything. That was her least favorite thing. But the day went on, and it got sorta worse.
But it was over. But the worst part of it…was at night. Jill felt that she needed to do drugs or something to get rid of the pictures in her head. But she decided against it. It'll only make her life worse. She didn't do drugs.
Jill tried to sleep. Her mother and father insisted that she'd take sleeping pills, but Jill refused. It was dark and she was in bed. A silent night.
One of many to come. But instead of counting sheep in her head to fall asleep, she counted all the brands of cell-phones she knew. Stupid, of course.
Disparaging in her case. Disappointing.
Still, Jill was somewhat fearful of closing her eyes. Either she would see the yellow birds in blood again, or the notorious boogeyman of her dreams. Dr. Brown said that it was all in her head. It wasn't real.
It was all in her head.
Shit, that didn't help. When Jill did close her eyes for a split second, she could see Tiffany's face flashing through her head. Like she was looking at morgue photos, against her will.
But…she didn't have any nightmares.
That's because she didn't sleep, well…not really.
Jill felt that there was no time for sleep, and it was useless anyway. Jill would pace around her room, like she was a caged animal. That's how she felt sometimes. Like a caged animal who would questions its over-protective masters (parents) or be fearful of what would happen if the key unlocked the barred cage door.
Would she be brave enough to stand up and survive on her own…or be attacked from what's out there.
Would she be better off in the cage, or out of it?
When morning set in, Jill glanced around her room. Her mind felt dizzy. Everything was set neatly, but the door looked crooked and it seemed to have shifted to the left. When Jill walked to the other side of the door, it shifted to the right. Something was unusual about the room, but not frightening. Everything looked crooked or inside-out. Maybe Jill did need her sleep after all.
Jill went downstairs for breakfast, and it was 7:35 in the morning. Way early, even for Jill, and she didn't even count the minutes that she slept. Jill was exhausted, but she tried to hide that fact from her parents.
"Morning, Jill! Sleep good?" Her mother asked, with a new enthusiastic look on her face.
"Guess you could say that…" Jill smirked as she ate her cereal slowly.
"Well, sweety. Guess what? We're going to the lake." Dad exclaimed with a huge smile.
"The lake? You mean…" Jill trailed off with a big smile on her face.
"Yea! The one we used to go to when you were little…!" Mom exclaimed, vibrant.
"Yep, so get ready. We'll leave in an hour…" her father said, eating his breakfast and Jill chuckled.
Jill agreed to go to the lake, and that was her favorite place to go when she was a little girl. She remembers the rope that she would swing off of from the tall tree branch, and splash into the water! Her cousins made it more fun when they brought their water guns and played 'War' all day. And her mother and grandmother would take pictures of them all day. And her father and grandfather would cook pork chops on the grill and would even take the time to cook hot dogs and hamburgers. And even her aunties and uncles from Arizona would come along too, and they would go camping and even roast marshmallows over the open fire.
Jill took a shower and got herself ready, and soon they were driving in the car. The windows were down, making her hair smack her all over her face. Her father still remembered the way there. Jill had changed into her two-piece red bathing suit and she got all her stuff ready, and they were off! Jill was excited, and surprisingly….she wasn't tired. Jill was just dazed throughout the whole ride there and letting her head sway back an forth from the rhythm of the car.
They finally arrived and her parents set everything up, with her help. The lake was clean and beautiful. They set up at their usual spot, which was near a tree that was struck by lightning and all that was left was a burned trunk and the rest of the tree in the lake. Jill got her blue towel and placed it on the grass.
Suddenly her cellphone rang.
Jill looked at it and saw the Caller ID.
Scarlet
Jill smiled and answered, but was a little cautious.
Jill: H-Hello? Hello? Scarlet…you there?
Scarlet: Jill? Hey!
Jill: Hey! I'm so glad it's you…
Scarlet: Yea it's me, Jill. Uh, well, who else would it be? Hm…?
Jill: Um, nevermind. You sound freaked out. What's up?
Scarlet: Jill! Don't panic! Don't panic! You will not believe this…!
Jill: What?
Jill was frozen and she waited for whatever Scarlet had to say. There was crackling through the voice of the phone, like tin foil. She just hoped it wasn't hat she thought it was going to be.
Scarlet: It's Bobby… Something happened to Bobby! Something bad happened!
Jill: What? What!? What happened?
Even though he was a jerk, Jill was worried and she shifted uncomfortable on her bed and she layed on her stomach. Scarlet began to breathe a little uneasy…! Jill heard her gulp and clear her throat.
Scarlet: He got in trouble with the police…! Just yesterday…! The police, Jill!
Jill: The police!? What the hell did he do!? Scarlet!?
Scarlet: Don't freak out…! He tried to break into your place…
Jill: He is going to be in so much trouble when my parents find out!
Scarlet: I thought he would be. And I thought you should know…
Jill: How did he get caught? We don't have an alarm or anything…
Scarlet: It was the neighbors and they heard their dog barking…
Jill: Oh, the Thompsons'? I know them…used to baby-sit for them…
Jill couldn't believe that this was happening! How could Bobby go and do something like that? It's not a Romeo and Juliet thing going on here! They 'were' boyfriend and girlfriend! This was too complicated! Jill rubbed her forehead and all these angry thoughts were gathering up.
Scarlet: I know… And the cops came by and took him away…
Jill: Wow, that's how it happened? How did his parents handle it?
Scarlet: They were furious as hell! The cops found him in your room.
Jill: Why does he do stupid shit like that!? He knows that we're over!
Scarlet: I know! He just can't get through that head! Can't he!?
Jill: He's stupid, Scarlet! It's not hard to see that even from a mile away…!
Scarlet: I totally agree with you… I feel, like, he deserves it. Ya know?
Jill: Well thanks… and I think we'll be getting a call today…
Scarlet: Yea, guess so… And have a nice vacation…!
Jill: Thanks, Scarlet! Do you know why he did it?
Scarlet: He seemed…I don't know. He wanted to see you… really bad
Jill: Oh my-- Do not give him my number, ok!? Just don't…
Scarlet: Don't worry I won't… God, he's such a psycho punk!
Jill: How could he do this!? Well is there anything else I should know about?
Scarlet: That's it… That's all I know…
Jill: Ok, well thanks Scarlet…and it's good to hear from you…
Scarlet: Diddo…later!
Jill: Bye…!
Jill flipped her phone shut and looked back at her parents. Maybe she could let them find out about what happened on their own. She didn't want to spoil this moment. Jill layed back and let the sun warm her skin. It was a very nice moment, and she let memories take her away to good times. Like she was a child only yesterday, and her parents were celebrating their anniversary again. Like, they did…every summer and every winter. Jill smiled and put on her sunglasses and put on some sun tan lotion and her mother and father laid next to her. Jill rubbed the lotion up and down her arms, shoulders, and on her legs, and between her legs and on her chest.
Jill looked around and noticed a family of campers were across the lake. There were two children and a mother and a father. There was a big black and green RV that looked like a house from a distance. Jill narrowed her eyes and lifted her glasses to see a bit more clearly. Yea, they were there. Camping.
She saw a red-headed woman, almost orange and her hair was curly. The father was tall and had dark hair with some grey tint, and he wore Capri's with a loose white shirt. The children were playing, and one was a girl and the other was a boy with light chocolate hair, almost bronze. They laughed and they headed for the water with those long colorful noodles that floated in the water in their bathing suits that were orange and colorful. The woman took out a long chair and she wore a blue bathing suit. The boy circled around eachother and the girl pushed the boy into the water.
Jill puts down her head and puts her sunglasses back on and chuckled. She looked at her parents and she just had to ask. She bit her lip, and grinned.
"Hey mom? Dad? Isn't that the Mandrakis Family over there?" Jill pointed and she sat up more straight.
Her father and mother looked over and scanned the area with their lazy expressions. Her mother took a sip of her Hawaiian punch and her father took off his sandals. Their expressions on their faces looked observant and bored, and her mother sat up. Jill waited for them to get up and go over and greet them with a happy welcoming, but they didn't move. Her father looked confused.
"The Mandrakis Family? Where, Jill?" her dad asked.
"On the other side of the lake…their in the shade," Jill smiled, and maybe he needed his glasses.
"Honey…I don't see them…"
"Dad, the kids are playing in the water and Mr. and Mrs. Are sitting in long chairs," Jill smiled and she got up to get her fathers case for his glasses.
"I can't see them…"
"Of course you can't…you don't have your glasses. Mom, don't you see them?" Jill asked and she knew her mom had better vision than her father's.
"Hm? Oh, I don't, Jill…On the other side of the lake, you say?" Her mother put her hand over her eyes and squinted.
"Here," Jill held up his glasses and her dad put them on, and narrowed his eyes.
"Where?"
"Dad, they're----" Jill stopped mid-sentence and on the other side of the lake, no one was there.
The children were gone, and the woman and the man were gone. There was nothing there. The big black and green RV wasn't their either. It wasn't the shade that was keeping her parents from seeing what she saw, but it was something else. The water on the other side seemed to have been undisturbed and untouched. There was no long chairs. And there was no colorful floating noodles
"I-I don't s-see them, sweety…" Her dad repeated and her mother squinted too.
"Maybe it's another family…"
"Or maybe you need something to drink…" Her dad said, offering Hawaiian Punch.
"No. No. No! They--They were there! I know they were…!"
"It was another family, Jill. There's no need to be…alarmed. Ok? Just calm down…" her dad assured.
"Jill, we're here to relax.. So kick back and have some Hawaiian Punch, and go swimming. It's a nice day…"
There was something there, and she knew it. In a quick flash and they were gone. Jill put his glasses away back in his bag and she sat back down on her towel with her legs crossed tightly together. She put on her sunglasses and she put her cellphone away in her own bag. She put her chin on her knees, and she tossed her sandals off. Her mother and father went back to what they were doing and they were relaxing like Jill hadn't said anything. They looked tired, but Jill was restless now.
Jill took the cup of Hawaiian Punch and took a huge gulp. She could feel the hard gulp go down her throat like a big round rock, and the taste was sweet and abit sour. She shook the drink around in her mouth sideways and finally gulped it down as if it was strong liquor! The taste was extremely sweet. Her tongue licked at her teeth. Then she took a deep breathe. Jill knew she saw something.
"Jill, it's ok…you just mistaken another family for the Mandrakis…" her father comforted her with a small smile.
"Mom. Dad…I didn't see another family…they were there. They were--"
"Stop, Jill. It's ok. There's nothing else there. It's not worth thinking about…" her mother interrupted, with a scowl on her face.
"Ok. Ok. Ok…" Jill agreed, giving in.
So, for the rest of the day Jill went swimming and laughed by herself. Her parents brought out their refreshments and beverages in an ice chest. Later, her father picked her up and threw her in the water! The water was ice cold and Jill freaked out that there might be fish in the water. Her father laughed Jill pulled her mother in along with her afterwards. Her mother shrieked out in terror and she jogged out of the water, and her father was cracking up laughing!
They finally drove back home at the end of the day and her parents had a great time and they were laughing and smiling. Jill dried off and dressed again when she came into her room. But she was still…dazed.
