Return To Hill House
Disclaimers: I don't own the story or the characters, the plot line belongs to me, everything else belongs to Shirley Jackson and Jan De Bont.
Warnings: for this chapter, they're making a visit back to the house, for the week, before their mission, so from here the story starts heating up as he reflects on the day after and his latest notes, before the trouble starts the next night when they barely survive the attack, before they return to the house a second time and things change directions from there.
While the quartet have their counterparts joining in, but it's a clashing of the movie and real life from here as things change directions now.
Chapter 14: Surprises, Dinner And Further Truths
"Yeah there's several $100,000 in my jewelry, his paintings and together priceless possessions, and heirlooms that are going with us David. But I kept a safe in my office here in the apartment, and it's got a few million in savings that we saved up since Ricky and Hannah left for college at the current moment. That's their insurance in case one or both of us are killed when on the job." Janie said to me and we nodded to that.
"Yeah, and we can bring the rest after the trial here too. But let's just enjoy this next week now, a real vacation, with him locked up we can just enjoy a true weeklong getaway between us and our friends now." she said and I nodded in agreement to that thought as we grabbed our suitcases, left the apartment, and locking the door then as the sextet, and the Watts, Sandersons and the Keoughs arrived then.
"Morning guys, ready for this?" she asked, looking at our quartet and they both nodded. "Yep, time to face the memories and we can enjoy a true weeklong trip out there this time." Luke said and she nodded. "If I remember right, we're heading for western Massachusetts and the house is in a section of the Berkshires?" Fields asked and we nodded to him. "Yeah, but winter up there right now, we're leaving the fireplaces running, because this time of year, it's freezing up there."
"With us so close to the mountains, so I hope you brought some added warm clothes and stuff. But though in the movie we made it sound like it was in either Concord or Manchester, we're going to Cheshire, that's a six hour drive here." she said and he looked at the map. "Alright question, why is the fireplace in the foyer that size exactly?" Alix asked and she sighed. " I'm not entirely sure, but during this portion of the story."
"My ability activated all at once when we, that is Luke, Theo and I, were in the greenhouse and I saw Renee hanging from the rafters. After seeing that I went to his office and found a picture of my grandmother pointing towards the fireplace and found out the horrifying truth here. Craine is not just a recluse, but a child killer. After checking out the nursery he knocked me away from it and that explains the reason she was acting like she was in shock, she'd just gained a third of that truth."
"But the shock was beginning to wear off was I was on the edge of falling asleep, but the second Theo left me alone he decided to frame me by making it seem, to her and Luke, I was about to commit suicide next, by breaking the window. Though Dave knew there was more to it than that, since he could hear my parents voices through me now, and he knew whatever I saw this time is the reason the shock had reached the level it did."
"That made her freeze up on the ramp, before you did that scene, but by then the pain was beginning to get worse, and I was tossing and turning in bed." she said and I sighed as I answered her "I knew something was wrong, but I didn't realize he hit you right at an artery, let alone right at your uterus. But if that explains the pale tinge to your skin, and the fact you were drenched in sweat, than I made the correct choice that night."
"In waiting till morning to bring you in, because my medical orders for you were wait till morning once the Dudleys were back and bring you in, but until morning, keep you in bed, horizontal and warm and wait it out. Fortunately this time if he tries that twice, Rick is around to monitor you, but I'm not risking a repeat performance and making sure you survive through the night, before we bring you to Jared." I said to her and she nodded.
"Hopefully this time I can prevent another injury, but he zeroes in on you guys this time I'm getting his attention, before he tries the same thing on either of us. Since though she had my determination at the end of the movie, she wouldn't survive the power blast as you saw at the end of it. Though with the fact they made this movie it's enough, to not be taken off guard now though." she said and Catherine sighed as she answered her.
"Yeah and though it was just the alternate version, that still scared the heck out of us, Liam and me, when we thought he killed you guys, both versions." she said and Theo answered that. "We know, when we thought we lost her, we immediately did CPR and it took fifteen minutes, but we still got her heart pumping again. But these types of injuries are like if you ended up in a car accident, so again, with what you saw that night."
"And it's we're having Jake and five members of his team involved here, along with us and that should do it." she said and they nodded. "Yeah want for a better chance at surviving this with the fact we're in the next decade now, medical technology created a portable defibrillator unit, and several other pieces of equipment that don't need a power plug to work, we can buy a generator and have the equipment hooked up to it."
"That cuts down on screwing with the old lighting in the house, but back up generators, and he probably can't go out on the property. " Owen said and she smiled. "Good point, alright all the medical supplies together I'm looking at $500,000 there. But with the amount in the safe we just told you yesterday, it's spared no expense here. This time, we go, we're going prepared here now, but be careful, so first off now guys, kids."
"I'm naming off four rules for us as we're the ones being out there for a while, and during the week leading to Halloween here. And this is non negotiable too, because we made three mistakes in the last trip and Luke and I are nearly killed by Hugh at the time. And with that for our survival and so he can't get to the kids, I'm naming it off in order, but if someone brings a gun with real ammo to the house, let me know immediately."
"While some of this equipment is really old and others are from our decade here, so one and again, check the equipment, before you start playing with it. Two: you hear a growling noise in the fireplace, if you're in there, than get ready to duck, or dodge it, because the maw is open on that lion head, three: during Halloween never let down your guard or you're going to get jumped when you least expect it here and finally."
"With us adults it's no more than two glasses of alcohol, you want something to drink after dinner it's mixing it with a non alcoholic beverage, and three quarters non, to one part is. Okay." she said and we all nodded to the orders then. "Yeah alright, that should do it. You guys lead us to the house, we'll follow you." Catherine said for herself, Liam and their sextet, as we loaded up everything and I turned to my doorman then.
"Derek, if my cousin-in-law tries to come back, and break into our apartment, everything that is worth taking we have right now, and the will is with us as well too. So she tries it a second time, call Philips and his team immediately. And secondly, call me if there's trouble, here's my frequency on my radio, but we're all patched to the same one." I said, passing him a number and a spare radio I bought then and gave it to him.
"Sure thing Dr. Marrow, I guess this goodbye?" he said and we shook our heads. "No keep the radio, it's your link to us and if you want to be one of the members joining the group later. Than that's fine, if you and your family want to switch towns and move Cheshire as well. "Eleanor said to him and he nodded to the request then. "We'll be back Thursday at the latest, but this summer is paranormal and sleep deprivation study."
"And we have the house looking like a cross between a bed and breakfast and a full scale hotel, with plenty to do." I added and he nodded. "Yeah well every summer someone can take my place at the doors here and my and I are going to Cheshire for four months so we can enjoy some peace and quiet from all the hustle and bustle of city life here." he said and we chuckled. "See you in a few days Derek." Luke said and the older man nodded as we got into the cars and I got into the truck then.
"Honey, you're first, and I'll follow you, okay." I said and she nodded as she drove out and we headed west then. At around ten we stopped off for breakfast and then arrived in Cheshire at eleven then. "It's just another nine miles from here guys." Theo said into her radio and I knew they nodded as we passed through town, I saw several locals give a wave and we nodded to them as we headed further then.
"Whoa, man this area is beautiful." I heard from Alix and hid a chuckle then, as the house came into view then. "Yikes, it looks just like the Harlaxton manor in England!" I heard from Owen then. "Yeah that was my thought when we arrived, but the inside is of the same layout as the college there Owen. And I think he did that on purpose as well. But the added tricks and traps are going to turn you around."
"So watch yourself." I said as as she pulled into the front gate and got out then. "Uncle Rick, we're here!" she called out and he appeared as he ran up to the gate. "Nice timing honey, guys. You got everything here?" he asked as he unlocked the gate and we both nodded. "Yeah we're going over added items, but we got it all worked out Rick, but at the moment, with the fact we had one attempted robbery I'm not risking another."
"So for now, I'm getting us settled, before the trouble starts in eight months." I said to him and he nodded to that as, together, we pushed the gates open and she got back into the van. After driving in she drove it up to the very front position that was just under the dining room window as the rest of the group parked behind her, before I drove the truck up to the side of the house and parked it then.
"If what we saw that first night is anything to go by with the kids, expect trouble once we get in there." Eleanor said and we nodded as we went inside as my eyes landed on the fireplace in the foyer then. "Good grief, looks we got a total replication of what we had the college looking like when we did this." Liam said and I nodded. "Yeah well it gets better, check it out." Owen said as the doors started glowing gold and she smiled.
"Yeah it's good to see you too, guys." she said in answer to the glowing response to the greeting the doors gave her and we chuckled. "Here we go again, nobody get too close to those doors if he breaks out twice." I said and the girls nodded in agreement. "Yeah and once was enough, sis be careful or you're really going to give us a heart attack this time." Luke said in response to her and she nodded as Theo wrapped her arm around her.
"Alright to repeat my remark, the last time we did this and you showed me those doors, if we don't want to be judged, than let's not stand here." Theo said to her at that and the five of us started laughing. "Not that I blame you for that remark, but we got eight months Theo, relax, the doors judged us good in our last trip here. But us six with us six standing in front of them, we're safe so don't worry." Eleanor said to her gently at that.
"Yeah well can you blame us, last trip was just before Halloween, we find that on the door and three days later comes the poltergeist intrusion that scared the heck out of us." Luke said to her and she nodded to that gently. "Hey check it out, they possessed the junior version to the billiard and snooker ball sets." Derek said and I looked up in time to see the 11 come rolling in then as the entire group came rolling out to greet us then and I smiled at that response.
And as she set Sarah on the floor and the eleven rolled up to her and surrounded her as she and Andy touched then and I didn't have to see a face to know he pressed his forehead to hers when they tilted their numbers down slightly. "Well that would be the team if she came back immediately, right now, but this says it all, he wanted her back and nothing is getting between them." Jason said smiling at that and his sister nodded with a gentle smile at that response.
"Happy greeting, they're glad to see her, in her own version of their billiard ball form." Jamie said with a smile. "Yep, next question is whether or not they're going for a repeat performance of the battle they got into when we arrived though." Theo said as she, Luke and Todd moved next to Eleanor then and in answer to that remark Katherine tapped and they all turned to her. "What's going on here?" Owen asked and I answered that.
Before I could say it though the snooker balls rolled in, and the sextet went on the defensive. "Uh oh, here we go again." Todd said as the leader of their clones ran into Robbie and he dodged it, before Andy slammed into him and sent him flying into the wall. "Yeah, I think they decided on the parlor tricks this soon." Liam said laughing and I nodded as Sarah knocked another across the room and he landed in the fountain.
With a thump then, I heard another thunk, and Daniel went flying across the room and landed in there as well. "If this a repeat performance of what we saw that night, get ready for the full blown intrusion, when they were playing. It was a repeat of the cloning episode just with the quintet in the colors we gave them." Luke said and I nodded. "What colors, what are you talking about?" Owen asked him and she explained that to him.
"He means so that we could tell them apart, we decided on their Ninja team to be solids, Robbie and Eddie were snooker balls, Jenny was orange, Kathy was a stripe, and Rosie was in purple, while Sarah was a pink snooker ball, and her clone had a red sticker on it. Though now that Dave created her traditional billiard ball form, she's in pink, now and her clone is a snooker ball." Theo said and she nodded as I switched it.
"If we needed another reason to get worried is that we have close to 90 kids in this house and three are mine. But adding 87 more and said are possessing things that we as adults like to play with. And we're asking for trouble right now, so whoever started the fight end it now and before we. And your fellow playmates get caught in the middle." Malcolm said and I nodded to that as the eight of us stood grouped together at that remark gently.
"And I thought that the practical jokes in the movies were getting strange, alright whoever did that. We're not having anyone pointing fingers at each other here so can it already right now." Eleanor said and we all looked to where she was pointing and seeing several dolls sitting on top of the bench by the fireplace. "I don't believe this, but whoever did this doesn't know when to stop right now." Luke said in annoyance, and she nodded in agreement.
"Didn't you say you all saw this the night after the fight over the painting?" Liam asked and we nodded. "And this time it was when I was here, but whoever did it, it wasn't one of us and secondly it was too far out of reach for any of us." I heard Benson say as he came walking into the foyer right behind us. "Yeah well be thankful you didn't see the spectacle we did, that first night." I said and he looked at me at that as he and Liam turned to me at that.
"Why exactly?" he said, and we heard a loud clang, followed by a thunk and looked back at them in time to see Daniel spinning in circles, before he stopped and leaned sideways at the the blow. "That's why, alright who did it this time and we've gone over this you guys, if there's anymore fights like this you're back on that table and we're not using you at all." Eleanor said sternly and Andy tapped that out to her gently.
"He's gone from that punk who became a cop to some creep who can't the hint that no means no and just touched her in the forbidden zone Eleanor, though I did go green ranger." Luke read out and she nodded. "Was it you who just smacked him in the head, son?" Jefferson asked from behind me and he jumped once to answer him. "Great, first that punk who won't back off, and they become friends and now he's acting like some punk who won't take no for an answer, alright guys I recommend you keep her surrounded here." Derek said and the sextet jumped to answer him then.
"Oh dad, if you and mom are back to haunting the house, you better get down here, alright." Eleanor called out and I heard a fast remark from him at that. "Got it baby, I'll be down in 15 minutes, we're getting our clothes at our current age set up and our appearance, you remember." he called out and we both nodded. "They look like Saxon and Blakley when they played Heather's parents." I said and the cast nodded with a chuckle at that remark then.
"Then again, in this case the guys and I remember Grandma at that age and mom and dad with us." Jamie said laughing and I nodded with a chuckle. "Well at least he didn't go Freddy Krueger on us, or this is going to be the haunting from heck." Malcolm said to that in response and I nodded. "What's his current age in appearance?" Liam asked and she chuckled. "That's 63 and mom passed last year, she's 62." Dana said and he nodded and as she and I exchanged smiles.
"Mom?" Liam asked and they both nodded. "My parents passed when we were 28, so Becky took over, she's my godmother, and Rob is my adoptive father, we both knew about this about the house being haunted." she said and he nodded. "Last visit resulted in Eddie breaking a window after getting blasted across the room, but in our case, he ended up on the piano, when we were in the foyer right now." I added and they all nodded smiling as Owen looked at Derek then.
"I take they're your age if you're saying that?" Owen asked and he nodded. "They are, evidently they're all twelve and at the moment with us here, expect things to be getting a bit out of hand this weekend." Jamie said to him and they nodded. "Alright before we do anything, we're heading for the north wing, that's where our living quarters are going to be." I said and they nodded as Liam answered me.
"North wing huh, well, if he matched this house up to Harlaxton that should be easy to find. And..., Jeez, what happened to that..., never mind, we did every scene in the movie, but the last ten minutes correctly. He put the painting back up and blasted out of it." he said and we nodded. "Alright come on, the dining room is over here. So we better go over this, so we can set your rooms up now." Eleanor said and they nodded to her.
"Aunt Beth did you check the grate while I was in the hospital?" she asked and the Dudleys both nodded. "Yes, and we weren't expect that portion of the legends to be proved true, your mother never found his office, let alone never got the message to check the fireplace either." Rick said to her and she nodded to that. "Yeah and living in one of the state's that's one of the oldest colony states is one thing, but this is ridiculous." I said to him and he nodded in agreement as I saw the fireplace equipment rack missing and Luke said it for me then with a nod as we exchanged looks at that
"I think whoever was working on checking the grate moved that crowbar and the equipment stand with it, after we left, because it's been yanked out of it." Luke said and I nodded. "Yeah and I don't blame the Dudleys whatsoever, her abilities and training were rusty. And she saw something, or at least one of the pieces she wasn't ready for, which explains why she went into shock, but that room evidently had the window open."
"Even though it's October and freezing once the sun goes down, because she was suffering exposure in addition to being in shock that night. Though he tries that twice and I'm killing him again this time." I said in answer to that and the sextet looked at us. "Alright so just what the heck did she see, because if I didn't know any better, it's like you understand this better than the duo do about what happened that night."
"During that scene, it crossed our minds that she'd really had gone into shock at the time that night, but whether from an injury, seeing something that scared her into paralysis or both at once. When we did that scene, because she was so in shock it was like someone who was suffering delirium from a fever. Before the three of us found her in the greenhouse." Catherine asked and I sighed as she answered her, before I explained that.
"After our soulmate bond snapped into place, I could start hearing everything she was thinking, and her parents through her after that. So I took a guess and guessed right, but her thoughts lead me directly to the greenhouse. And the shock and exhaustion had reached the point, that was enough to concern me. As to why it's because she had a death grip on the railing, and she just barely lost her balance, when I moved to her."
"To the point to where I knew she'd seen another piece she wasn't ready for at the time, but that explains my decision by staying put in the room so I could watch her. And she had a death grip on my arm, so she could keep me next to her then. But I knew he was waiting for us to leave her alone again to push further, and he was slowly scaring her into a nervous breakdown and everytime we weren't around it just kept getting worse though, in your case, we left that part out, but she was so in shock by that point."
"That I had to restrain her at the time, because this time she was suffering hysterics from learning the fact that her grandfather was the son of this maniac and her powers were going out of control. So I made the decision to stay put in the room with her, and sitting at her side, because I knew if I didn't I'd probably find her outside next with the blasted crowbar or the shovel trying to break out that way." I said and she finished that.
"I saw the bones of every kid, including Andy, he murdered and one of the skeletons in the grate happened to be my grandmother, before he possessed one of the skeletons and did the jumping skeleton routine, you know the plastic skeletons they used during Halloween. After that secondary jolt, my ability started getting out of hand, and they lead me to the nursery next and I could smell a scent of decay coming out of it."
"Alright to put this gently it's like if someone never survives a fire and you can smell the blood and carrion along with the smoke coming out of the room. So he killed them, chopped up their bodies, burned them and hid their remains in the fireplace. And the final jolt was by having him possess the door and knocking me away from it. But that explains the shell shocked look on her face when she walked in on you guys."
"To answer the unasked question the spots I went into were the ones that didn't get any sun and your guess regarding the nursery was right, that area was like being in outside in the snow for six hours. Or falling through some thin ice and that's what I was feeling like at the time." she said and he looked out the door. "Uh huh, well that explains why your skin was beyond freezing at the time that night, up in this area."
"And you've been outside for several hours or supposedly outside at the time. Or just an area that didn't have the fire running and it was freezing, so best to get into warmer clothes and in front of the fire to warm up. And I did remember that in training, but with the fact that this time there's likely to be more than what we learned hiding in the walls here, and I'm getting you on the couch if there is." I said to her and she nodded.
"Speaking of snow, it's snowing right now out there at the moment. Alright kids, before you start playing around outside here I want you to get your stuff and bring it in. If they ever bothered to make beds full size here back then." Malcolm said and they nodded to him and grabbed their trunks and book bags then and set them in front of the couch in front of the fireplace as we watched our little friends playing and Beth answered that.
"We got a set of bedrooms in the north wing and they're both the size of the nursery in Mary Poppins, including her room next to it, but thirty by thirty five feet in both rooms, big enough to fit the trio in there Malcolm, and the bathroom is between their rooms, but the beds are full size." Beth said as she walked in and he nodded as Eleanor gave her a hug and she tightened her arms around her then as he answered her then.
"David your book became a big hit after the movie came out here in town and every local from the kids age to fully grown adult loves that story, so we can get ten to fifteen copies, and choose the people that are willing to run and live in a house that is slightly haunted during the summer." Rick added and I nodded. "Well they're up for volunteer status, but I'm running the Keirsey temperament sorter a second time."
"But it's being run like the last one, though hearing me tell the history of the house in person than through my book and Liam. And this time they lose it out of their fear and break something in my house, the volunteer status is getting revoked and the compensation is coming from that suitcase, with the amount we have in it." I said firmly and she finished my remark. "And this time we got police and medical help."
"So one of them has a panic attack bad enough that they attempt a break out, they're getting arrested and sedated. If they choose to stay til October this time rather than throughout the summer." she said and I nodded in agreement. "So what's the amount we're putting for the entire summer if they choose to go it that long?" Todd asked and we looked at each other. "If they're intending on a fresh start here at the moment."
"And with the fact we have nicely done amount in the safe and we're not digging into the vault here in the house unless need be. I'd say... 5.5 million, if they're willing to stay till Halloween, if not, it's $2,500,000 each for our guests, with the fact that you four are living with us and mom left the amount she had set up in your accounts here. That's not a problem, but we're setting up some house rules here and getting work done."
"Before the summer program starts." Eleanor said and I nodded in agreement to her thoughts. "Nicely thought out number, if they're broke, they're doing tests like this for the money, but for others it's an added incentive. But as I'm the psychiatrist running this with you at my side, I'm laying down several ground rules and getting the tests printed up, but if these tests start revealing a more mentally unhealthy notion."
"Then the person revealing it is getting placed under a suicide watch, but these tests are the same as the ones in a psyche exam at a military installation here." I said and she nodded to that in agreement. "Speaking of tests, whatever the kids had today, seems to have been remembered. Hey guys where are the kids exactly anyway?" Todd said and Malcolm called out at that. "Guys where are you exactly here in the house?" he called out and I heard Jamie call back to him. "Sarah and Andy lead us to the library dad."
"We decided to do our home and school work, so we got the rest of the night to play around." she said and he nodded to that. "Well that solves the issue of homework, it's a Thursday here, so tonight one day for school and then tomorrow starts the weekend and they have their tests, before things relax." Dana said and he nodded. "If she's a bookworm, she's ended up in her own paradise here." Tom said and he chuckled at that.
"She's a bookworm, but she's a bit of a sports fanatic and a loves playing kickball and basketball. So with the fact we got the possibility of a few families coming, then we got kids their own age to play with along with my uncle and his friends. As for living arrangements, everyone's in the living quarters in the north wing and there's thirty room the size of two near three bedroom apartment in that wing." Eleanor said to him gently.
"Yeah okay that works Beth, Dana and I are on the other side of Jamie's room, the Sandersons are on the other side of Derek and Jason's, the Watts and the Marrows and we move further down the hall from there, but all in all we're all stationed to the same wing now." he said and she nodded to that. "Yeah alright, come on, I'll show you that area now." she said and they followed her upstairs and I looked at the painting.
"It's not going to work twice Craine, try it again and you're just ending up back in those doors later." Luke said with a firm growl as he was standing next to me. "Yeah and you even try getting near those kids you're winding up dead a second time, you bastard. Your parlor tricks are not going to work on us a second time and neither are your scare tactics." I added with a firm growl at the painting of my wife's deceased black sheep.
Looking at him we exchanged looks. "Starting now leading up to the weeks of Halloween we never leave her alone in the room." I said and he nodded to that. "That's my mistake, I left at the wrong moment here. With Todd gone he could have taken my shift, but this time, he wants her this time, he's going through us to get to her. She's the center of our sextet and none of us are giving her up this time." he said and we both nodded as Todd looked at the painting as well with an icy look as he went to the next question.
"You think he's going to try it with the fact he thought he killed you two?" he asked and we both nodded. "He just gave me a second degree, near third degre concussion, but the blow never triggered an aneurysm at the time. While she ended up with the injuries Jefferson told us, but we both survived the fight for survival that night, but if this causes her to need another surgery Jake is going to have to bypass the stints."
"By hitting her with jolt of epinephrine here that night, and we get her stabilized. But again it's never mind self preservation that night, we do this we have to be ready for anything, that the four days leading up to Halloween making sure no one else gets hurt and we're not letting him spook us out of the house. But follow our lead and whatever you do stay away from the equipment he booby trapped and that statue in the fountain."
"Because at this rate if he has to do it again, she's going to be out of commission till after Christmas if he starts acting like Krueger." he said to him softly and he nodded. "At the moment I hope he doesn't realize that there's two copies of each of us. But he figures it out it's an repeat performance and he's going to destroy the room a second time, after I just repaired it." Luke said in an undertone then and I nodded.
"Luke were you suffering exhaustion when he did that, because if you're too tired to stay awake, Todd is taking your shift this time." I said and he nodded and we headed to our living chambers then. "Jeez the marriage suites are twice the size of the normal bedrooms, honey check this out!" Theo called out and we looked into their room and I saw a room the size of a normal three bedroom apartment and I nodded in shock at that.
"Great we just turned the manor into a boarding house during the summer in addition to a B&B and smaller version of the plaza hotel in entertainment. So what do we got here?" I asked and we looked around the room then. "Nice sized work table, the bathroom has a good sized shower and bathtub." Eleanor said and Luke answered her. "That's not a bathtub it's a jacuzzi, I'm looking at it being big enough to fit two people in that bathtub." he said and Theo smiled at him as I hid a smile as I answered that look.
"Alright don't say it, now isn't the time for this." I said to her and Todd, Eleanor and Luke started laughing at that remark. "I take it this is regarding the remark she made during dinner that night. When you were explaining the intention of the project, or at least part of it?" Fields asked and we all nodded to him. "Yeah but remarks like this we're keeping between us adults when our kids are in bed next." Eleanor said through her's smiling.
"You remember what routes you took in this house at the time here, because just four days results in getting turned around when you're too scared to think straight?" Alix asked and I nodded. "Yeah, but trust me, for now we're marking the rooms that got totaled and their off limits after that. Aside from the spots that turned into the contaminated areas, everywhere else is clear, but I'm naming five rules here."
"But 1) no one is being left alone, we're on the buddy system or we're in group like we are now. 2) no one is taking in more then 2 glasses of straight alcohol after dinner, you want it, it's being mixed with a non alcoholic drink. 3) keep an eye on each other if the sudden captivity is getting to anyone and if it is I want to know about it. 4) if anyone brought any hunting equipment with them it's getting confiscated later."
"And 5) when exploring the house watch where you're going, or you're to scare the heck out of the person coming from the opposite direction." Eleanor said and they nodded to her. "With you guys being under 15 your curfew at night is at 9:30 you three, and after that it's bed time." Malcolm said and the triplets nodded to the orders. "With the amount we have, you better collect the stuff needed, Luke." I added and he nodded to me.
"Alright I'm keeping the added equipment and supplies in our truck, so any work done on the house after this Halloween, I can do it and repair the damage a second time. But with the added supplies we got a way to watch over things and though this house is 130 years old. So it's able to take a generator to power the emergency equipment in our medical room, Dave, but we just get an electrician to adjust the power flow."
"So that solves things later, the house is running on portable generator, and I think ten should do it as well. Emergency medical supplies, and we got a real doctor in the house the house and any real injuries he can take care of for us." Luke said and she finished that remark. "With some of us being a bottomless pit more then others, best to stop up on the food this summer at the moment and with a trio of preteens in the house."
"This weekend at the moment and it's food of both varieties, the good and the bad, and a set of house rules as well, so we write up the house rules. And use that form you gave us, a spare set of keys to the gate and their bedroom door. But I'm looking at 4 gallons of week in the kids case, and we do a grocery list to get preferences. And Todd and I can go shopping and bring it back, but house rules, spare set of keys, a map, the form."
"And your book, because whoever thinks that the story wasn't real is going to get a shock at this later. Along with directions of how to get from wherever they're coming from to the house and that should do it this time. But the idiot bringing hunting or camping equipment better lock it up, since we got a setting of woods by the lake up here." Eleanor said and I nodded as he finished her sentence then at that.
"If the damage is still that bad I got to get the furniture out of the room first, before I go to fixing the amount of damage he did to the wall and floor in there." he said and I passed him the key as he unlocked the door and I looked at the amount of damage done. "Jesus Christ, yeah that's what we had it looking like when we did the scene, but this is ridiculous." Owen said in shock then as he looked at the damage.
"Yeah, hey watch out." Lili said as a piece of wood hit the floor in front of them. "Great that happened with us and Theo pushed herself right into me to keep from getting hit by it when we broke down the door." Luke said to her and she nodded as he examined the floor carefully as Eleanor walked into the room. "Luke can you fix the room, aside from those spikes, because the framework on the ceiling took damage and it's even worse here and here." she said, walking in and he followed her.
As she pointed towards the pieces that were just barely hanging onto the wall and he nodded. "Yeah I can, but I'm grafting cement to those and molding them back into the wall, fixing the floorboards and then once done the room is getting put back to what it looked like the night we arrived, and the door is being locked. So from here on in, they want to look at the sets, it's a before and after setting now." he said to her gently.
"Guys, I found the pieces left over from the cave in over here, I'm looking at..., yeah okay I've got an idea. We do a comparision, since you chose the Harlaxton manor as the site for the movie, so we do a before and after look to this. They get images of the movie and compared to the manor, they're going to get a shock that the house is actually the one in the movie they saw. We just got to get the props from that movie."
"And I need a fixed point of reference to get his face cleared up a second time and fix the damage to both paintings here." Theo said and they both nodded as I crouched on the floor next to them. "Yeah well to make sure he can't get to her a second time, boys, we got to take turns, because I'm not leaving her alone anymore once we reach September here." I said and Todd and Luke both nodded as Liam got on the phone then.
"Jan, this is Liam Neeson, yes I could use a bit of help here, we need a few props from the movie we created, which, I need the full size version of the painting, before it got vandalized, the smaller one, the same and the stair case before it got destroyed in the scene, along with what the bedroom looked like, before Craine destroyed it. Yes that's right, we're restoring her house and we need this stuff to make it easier to do."
"Yes, okay, thank you. Three days, alright got it, thanks." he said and hung up his phone then. "He's sending a few members of the crew for this and the pictures and props we used Dave." he said and I nodded to that. "Alright with the fact he's a director, I'm paying him $700,000 for everything regarding this. But hopefully this time the movie doesn't come true or its going to kill us both emotionally right now."
"At the moment the big one was like two days further in, we had a stray dog get into the house and then the next night the kids got her attention and lead her to Craine's office and that's when Theo and I started getting worried. Because I knew the connection activated then, and this was beginning to start scaring them. And it's because they didn't realize her abilities were going on line that day." I told him and he nodded to me.
"The added act is of my being with you and Mary or Theo and Todd when on the job, as a parapsychologist, part of the job was doing a room by room search here. I found several key spots during our trip here, but I have to dig deeper." she told me and we nodded. "Alright, with us being here this coming fall, Owen, Todd and I can fill in for your version and we watch your back Eleanor, as to that, it's meaning I'm at your side."
"During the time when we dig into the spots that put you in thst condition in the first place." Liam said to her and she nodded to him. "Anybody got the time right now?" Hatchet asked and I nodded as I checked my watch. "Yeah it's 1 in the afternoon, we can just make a few sandwiches while Beth is working on dinner. As to why it's because they leave at sundown and it's just us after that." Theo said for me and he nodded to her.
"Mom, I've got the books you wanted me to read as first additions, but the next stage now in my case here is I'm writing up the next generation and I'm saying this too. But my daughter, if I have a daughter, is finding it in the very same book you put it in for me now, he's staying locked in the doors mom I promise you. And he's never taking another life right now, I can promise you that now." Eleanor said and the pink snooker jumped.
Just as she was answering I heard a gentle thud going back and forth and turned in time to see Jamie's soccer ball going by the door. Before hearing two thuds, just before seeing 12 billiard balls go chasing after and she chuckled at that. "Before you ask, the twelve grabbed Jamie's ball and decided to play soccer. But doing it in the hall up here, dad." Jason called out to Malcolm and we nodded with a bemused look at the remark..
As I was getting ready to say it I heard a thunk followed by a meow at that. "Who let the cat in the house exactly unless..., Rose if that's you, get your spirit animal under control." Theo called out, before I heard another thunk and it was followed by a bear growl and it started going back and forth then. Before the next one I heard was a T-Rex roar and Luke called out as the ten of us started laughing at that response then.
"Alright guys that's enough of that alright, pipe down before you break anything else kids." he said and I looked at my friends and she nodded. "I think their spirit animals combined with their souls and that's why we keep hearing that." Eleanor said as I heard a falcon screech in answer to that and she started laughing. "Andy come on, you keep that up and one of us is going to die laughing." she added in response to that smiling.
"What the heck was that exactly anyway?" Liam asked and she explained that. "The woman that played their martial arts instructor on the art of ancient ninja. She said that deep in each of us was there was an animal spirit waiting to be released. But the four we just heard were the members that spend the most time with us and Robbie, Kathy, Eddie and Jenny are about to join the ranks or already did." she said as I heard another then.
"Whoa, hey watch where you aim that pillow, Robby." I heard Jason say, before I heard another smack and following that was annoyed roar, following that was lion roar, and then ten minutes later we heard the animal sound off and I looked out the door then. "Guys don't encourage them, before you cause it to turn into a zoo in the house, would you please." Eleanor said from behind me and the triplets nodded to us at that smiling.
"Alright the next thing here is for a weeks worth of food, girls come on we're going grocery shopping here, hey kids, you got any food and snack pereferences here. Because between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Dudleys have the run of the kitchen. When we're not around so if there's trouble go to them if we're dealing with psychological problems." Eleanor said and the Dudleys nodded in agreement to her thoughts gently at that.
"Well, at least this way we can get used to being around kids again, but if we have 6 more kids their age or younger and it's going to result in what we just heard here. But it's getting used to it being a full house in the house now at the moment. Although I don't recommend getting the kids a nanny at the moment." Dudley said and I smiled. "No need, when not in class or tutoring they're with us." Dana said to him gently then.
"Yeah good idea, and with close to thirty people in the house tonight, you got any ideas on dinner tonight baby girl?" Dudley asked and we exchanged looks. "With the fact it's another meet and greet as our friends are meeting our doubles. Hey guys, same as our first night tonight?" Luke asked and the five of us nodded to that, just as I was answering I saw a water balloon go flying across the hall and heard Jamie at that.
"Well the first night we were here it was a roast with several other added things with it so we get several packages so there's enough for 20 people. And 10 tubes of the croissants, so that's dinner, so we get us a month's worth of groceries. And with it, this time with us knowing each other this well it's not turning into our repeater in trouble, but we're not having the kids running wild." Theo said and Eleanor nodded to her smiling.
Just as she was getting ready to say it I saw a white ninja and pink ninja walked into the room as Sarah walked up to me. And with her was Andy, in their colors as I got a better look and saw a couple of robed characters dressed in the third season. But their robes matched up to the first film as I saw their eyes then and saw they were wearing colored contacts as well then. "Guys, Andy, that you?" Theo said and he nodded to her then.
"Twelve years old and you look closer to 14 to 15 in height right now, alright let me guess, but your age level was close to the second older sister's nephew, by marriage, and he looked closer to 16, so you're, in age, closer to one of three new arrivals in age level appearances right?" Mary asked and they shook their heads as Sarah removed her hood as I saw the first pink ranger in her looks then and I nodded to that gently.
"The pictures we gave you was the only option, so we decided to hang onto the camera that you left and channeled ourselves into the tv set. So we can see our doubles and watch them at their current age as at the moment. Jason and Austin are preparing to come back the picture by that Forever Red episode. When ten years worth of powers rangers were created on that tv show."
"But using their first five years we put ourselves at their ages as their characters in appearance. We chose the age group that was born in the mid 80's, the ones that just entered high school now to get around. Which explains the movie choices and music, if we were kids in '92. Then we were watching our favorite tv shows and movies, as a result, we were 8 years old in appearance."
"At that age, our taste in being gentlemen and ladies was set mentally at the time here, as a result. Being the only ones that you have the game room dressed up as at the moment. We decided to drop by the department store and went to get the a few things, sewing supplies, cloth, pharmacy and so on. And we recreated their robes and uniforms and their appearance, so here we are."
"In truth this is what we looked like when we were alive, that's why we took such an active interest in the tv show Mrs. Watts. The girl that played Kimberly is actually what I looked when I was alive at the time." I heard in the actress's voice and we all nodded. "So with the fact that the show was cancelled, that one 2 years ago, you guys got the stuff to recreate their appearances at the time and..."
"Whoa colored contacts, with the eye color ranging from green to hazel brown, chocolate and blue, Andy has chocolate brown eyes and she's got a hazel brown in her's. But if this is what the group we met had planned since we said we're coming back. They decided to give us a shot at us seeing what they looked when Hugh was still alive." Mary said and she and I nodded, as I looked at her gently at that as Eleanor said it for me.
"Well I can see one clear thing and it's that with the fact you hated the dear john letter, and I don't blame you for that one. I guess with you doing this you manage to figure out a way to help us see you now by make up and the right contacts. Hairstyles and such and let me guess it's not wigs, you just grabbed hair dye, right guys?" she asked and they nodded to her as I heard Jason David Frank's voice in response to her question.
"Yeah, we did, but the right hair dye, contacts and clothes, as well make up and here we are, you can see us now. But with it, we borrowed their voices, so you can talk to us now as well, but this was why I told you that, Fred left. When I was 11, and dad lost his mind when I met Sarah, it's that old remark." he said and she nodded as she moved forward and he gave her a hug smiling then.
"Nice way to make sure that what happened up here during the last visit was not a dream at the moment Andy. But you certainly read my thoughts: but I feel safer up here then just waiting for Lou to lose it again." Eleanor said and he nodded sternly. "Yes and that was why if Robbie didn't do it first, I would have given him that warning. When he grabbed her like that, but Robbie said what I was thinking that day."
"So to us, any drunken lunatic ever lays a hand on you girls like that again, he won't have to worry about the boys beating the heck out of him. Because the guys and I will at the moment, you're my baby girl, but I was beyond relieved. Now to see you again, so I was relieved you responded to us like you used to, before the 8 joined in now, as your earliest memories were of us and Robbie."
"Following you around like this, so this way instead of being billiard balls you can talk to us and learn the true history of what really went on." he said and turned to me. "David, she wasn't kidding when she told you that, after we lead her to the trap door leading into his office. Which was a hidden bookshelf now, mom lead her to the fireplace and saw the truth, before we redirected her."
"To the nursery, but Dad hit her hard enough to tear that blood vessel, before it got worse as her powers started going berserk now." he told me and I nodded, as I was answering I heard a startled shout and then an annoyed one. "Uh oh, sounds like Eddie did it again with my daughter, Sarah, get them to break it up." Dana said and she looked out the door then, before Andy turned to me at that remark bemused.
"He and Jenny are still on thin ice at the moment, but Jamie is playing my wife really well, so get ready in case Sarah channels her powers into Jamie. So she can blow Eddie across the room as we had these created already." he said passing me the tv show version to his ranger helmet then. "God if it's not being a billiard ball and breaking a window, you got helmets to prevent a concussion right now."
"So robes and your spandex uniforms with the foam collar below the helmet, you create three more, each, of these for my children. As a last birthday and Christmas gift from both you and Becky?" Malcolm asked anf he nodded to him. "Yeah the uniforms were created 6 weeks ago and the robes for Halloween. I knew the triplets like the show, I just didn't know which boy like which male ranger, so with that."
"I chose us and Robbie, but I figured that, like me, whichever of the boys liked Tommy had the original color. What with the fact I dress in white with the gold and black mixed in, Jamie gets Amy's hot pink tinge. As for Austin himself, I chose a lighter tinge to his original cherry red tinge from the first season." he said, just as Dana was answering that I heard Jamie shout it out in annoyance then.
