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, there's going to be a trip to the grocery store, and in Eleanor's thoughts. Before it return's to Marrow's POV, so from here the story starts heating up as he does the story for the added members in group. Before they settle now as he reflects on the day after and his latest notes. Just before the trouble starts the next night when they barely survive the attack.
And before they return to the house a second time, after this two week long trip in the house, before the summer program. And Crane gets out of the doors for real now and things change directions from there. While the quartet have their counterparts joining in, but it's a clashing of the movie. And from real life to art imitating life from here as things change directions now for them.
But this story finishes the movie off as it goes to her views for the pieces that the trio didn't see after they went looking for her the first time. And leading into the first view of the true paranormal as her gift activates completely.
Chapter 18: Grocery Shopping And Dinner
"So Pinkie there is really your great aunt?" Peterson asked and I looked over my shoulder to see Sarah and Jamie walking up and I nodded. "To put this bluntly, it's the Haunting Of Hill House meets the Power Rangers." Jamie said and the group nodded with a chuckle. "That's Jamie Keough, she's the daughter of my boss at work at the hospital." I said and they nodded as they looked at Sarah and the Lieutenant chuckled as Peterson said it.
"Good grief, she looks like Amy when she played Kimberly!" a 15 year old said smiling in shock as she looked between the girls and nodded. "Thuy, Ashley, Catherine and Nakia, nice choice guys, that's a good way for you to get around right now. Let me guess, but the boys are back at the house right now?" her boyfriend asked and they nodded. "Well we hated the Letter on the show and made it a mixture to the show."
"And the movie, she sent the letter out, but Kim and Tommy talked it over, and before it arrived and decided to give it a second chance and take it back. And to the beginning, my boyfriend, he preferred Tommy in his original color. So they went back to stage one, borderline two, and told the quintet. But 3/4's of the team took both sides immediately." Sarah said and they nodded with a smile to that.
"Well that we get, our parents would say the same thing, to protect our relationship take a step back and rebuild the bonds till one of us came home. And then start over as a result now, so you guys have been watching tv from our generation. Just so you can talk like us now?" the boy said and Sarah nodded. "Yeah, in fact if we were born in any generation, we were born in 1985, so we decided to go with your generation."
"Mid to late 80's, we'd be your age right now, if we were human, instead of ghosts, so with that, we chose your age group. Though we're 12, we look closer to your age of going on 16, and started watching your favorite cartoon and tv shows of that time frame." she said and they nodded to her smiling. "So you're Sarah, nice to meet you, and you too, ladies." the boy said to her and they smiled.
"Let me take a guess, but you guys are the ones born in '85, so officially, 15 years old?" I said, looking around the group of teenagers in the room. "We are, but the 12 there, are in 1st year college, 1982." she said pointing to the group behind me. "So let me take a guess, though a school night, you guys are going to see a movie. After the game, if you're all athletes?" I asked and both age groups nodded and I heard Theo chuckle.
"Uh huh, so that means, you were born, after my age group graduated from college, alright who in here was at the movie theater, my godmother told me of the spectacle. And I heard on the town logs that some wise guy, after drinking one too many cans of caffeinated soda pop, and during a jump scare on that movie. Threw his cup of Soda at his friends and nearly started a riot at the theater." I said and the duo started laughing.
As a boy of close to 19 moved forward and with him was his own girlfriend then as he answered me. "Yeah that was my room mate and his team mate, they caught the 9:30 showing and the repeated screams including having this lunatic attack from right around the corner. Was enough that the person just behind them forgot that the lid was off his cup and it went flying at the back of his head as a result, here Doctor Marrow."
"But trust me, this happens alot around here, since the town loves the paranormal, just like Salem does, we're just another version to Salem now. In any case, after the movie, us members that decided not to double check it. Agreed that going near the house was a dangerous idea as for all we know now. He could do a Freddy Krueger and start attacking us next, the unbelievers are the troublemakers." the kid said and I nodded smiling then.
"Freshmen in college kiddo?" I asked and he nodded. "Yeah I am and my brother is in his junior year of high school right now, and no older then these two." he told me and I saw a gentle smile in his eyes as he looked at me then gently. "What's your name if you know who I am?" I asked and he smiled. "My name is Tony Benson actually, my grandfather is your godfather." he said and I smiled at the news then as I answered him then gently.
"Remember the last time you saw me was when I was 3, Aunt Nell, you were 18 near 19 when Uncle Rob was killed. You and Aunt Dana were helping mom dealing with my birthday, age 3." he added and I smiled as I realized it then, the boy standing in front of me was the son of an old friend from here. "Tony?!" Dana asked in shocked delight and he nodded, smiling. "Yeah it's me alright, Aunt Dana." he said and I nodded, smiling.
The boy in front of me was the teenage son of my best friend here in Concord at the time, said best friend was also my other adopted sister. With Jack being my godfather I knew it then that Eric never stood a chance at all. And of getting him back, since Peter was the judge and Jack was the police chief in town as I said it. "God you grown, nice clue breaker there, we were here for your birthday, before leaving for college."
"Should have seen that coming, Amy is your mother Tony, I take it Eric tried to come back, but your grandfather threw him out?" I asked and he nodded to me gently. "Yeah and it's good to see you Aunt Nell." he said and I gave him a hug at that. "Missed you too baby, but I promise, I'm back." I said into his ear and he buried his head into my shoulder then, before letting go then as I looked at the group surrounding us.
"Who's she?" Theo asked and Dana and I both smiled. "A friend of our's from school, mom used to bring Dana with her when we came to visit. But Amy was always looking forward to seeing us every summer for 16 years now. Tony's father abandoned them when he found out that Amy was pregnant with him. He couldn't take the responsibility, you remember the man Stella Randolph was dating on Silver Bullet: the conversation."
"That the narrator heard when she was a kid?" I asked and the duo both nodded to me. "That's this all over, they got into the very same fight, after hearing that truth, Jack was ready to kill the jerk for it that he decided he didn't take the responsibility. Then he was being denied full rights to Tony as he grew up, Tony doesn't even remember his father. And all that much anyway and to him, Jack was like the other character Busey played."
"The one on the secondary kids baseball movie six years, that's Jack all the way, as a result, Jack was more father to him then grandfather now. So to him, his father figure was Uncle Jack." I said and the duo nodded as I looked at my adopted nephew smiling. "They're right, my life matched that baseball movie that Gary Busey made at the time, grandpa became my father figure, mom is dating a man just like him right now."
"They've been together for three years, and taking it slow, my baby brother, he's no older the child star of that movie. Sees him the same way Henry did Chet on the movie, personally I couldn't be happier, as the last guy she dated was going too fast. Till his getting rough with me resulted in grandpa throwing him out of the house. After that, she ran it passed me so I made the final decisions and then background checks on the guy."
"Just hit college, I came home in time for you guys to come back to town now, so I could see you, we're still on winter break and I'm going to school in Boston. Did Dr. Keough mention a intern wanting to join the program?" he asked and we nodded. "Yeah, you're my intern parapsychologist, Tony?" I asked and he nodded smiling and I chuckled. "Best keep it in the family, mom's wanting to see you and asked me to tell you this."
"She's wanting you to call her later this week, Aunt Nell." he said and we nodded. "No problem we can do that right now, I guess you knew we were here. Or you arrived in time for our young trouble makers to get caught by me, but that works, then again. Issues of being wellknown in a small town especally when your mother is the best parapsychologist in town and when said house was created by a homicidal maniac."
"Had a lot of connections in town to the point this was why our generation knows me on sight here in town." I said and Theo nodded with a bemused chuckle to that remark. "Let me guess the ones that took both sides are your friends there, and whoever in the boys?" the cashier asked and they gave a nod. "Not quite, Zack and Trini just got marginalized in the team." Jamie said and they nodded firmly as they got it at the news and meaning.
"Our generation grew up with that tv show, we stopped watching after the second movie, but I could read between the lines, she never meant anyone else. They were friends before they became a couple and get Jase' and bring him home. The underlying message was stay focused and be wary of the guys upstairs here right now. And he took the darn thing at face value, and it results in nearly destroying the town twice, dating 101."
"I went to mom over that and she told me, word for word, what you told our young friends right now, if the soulmate is gone out of town for schooling or sports." Tony said and I nodded. "Which was why we and our own gang chose the same college to go to right now, so non separation and I just won my gold medals. Before we started college, to answer the unasked question, I'm also a gymnast, my name Annie, Dr. Marrow."
"Kimberly Annabelle Hartford." she said and I nodded smiling. "Our gang was like the team themselves, so we told them directly we were taking a step back. As a result now, it was no taking sides, they chose both sides with her in California. And for the all country championships in the Pan Global games, right after she got back we started heating it up. And I'm close to proposing to her in another year or so right now at the moment."
"But I was a white ninja for Halloween, her the pink in middle school, but somethings never change no matter how old you get." he said and we chuckled and nodded as I answered him. "How long have you two been together?" I asked and he chuckled. "Six years and she's it for me, she's a crane, I'm a falcon, so Sarah. You and Andy are just a younger version of us, not letting go?" he asked and she nodded as his mate said it.
"Nine years give or take since it was made, so let me guess, you were 9 when it came out, right?" I asked and they nodded to me. "And trust me with that scenario you got to wonder whether they should make these shows that real. But come on, it's one thing when you're acting like kids from another time, but another. And when your starring cast are all superheroes, and the fate of the planet lies un the hands of said teenagers."
"And a taking sides notion, combined with a case of pack mentality nearly rips the team apart right now, but after watching that episode our gang took it to our parents. And they all said the same thing, long distance relations never work and at times they result in. Now, in what happened to Zack, if Walsh broke up with him as well, best to take a step back and cool things down until whoever separated comes hom and start warming it up."
"Oh boy, the members that chose both sides are the Ducktales quartet and the five new arrivals along with the baby brother after Stewart just joined the team. This is the aftermath to Kim getting captured by Divatox." Kimberly said and Tony nodded in agreement to her thoughts at that. "Bingo, but be thankful you weren't there after she threw Eddie across the room." Theo said and the adults nodded with a chuckle to that.
"There was a sports store in town that had several versions of games that your mother bought, and your mother had the billiard balls custom made. I take it they possessed the balls if you said that she hit him hard enough to knock him across the room." Peterson said and I nodded as every teenager in college started laughing at that. "Not to mention knocking him into the corner pocket." I said and they started laughing at that remark.
"Corner pocket, they were on the table, before she blasted him into the bookshelves?" Peterson repeated and we nodded as I said it. "Yeah that's just what I mean right now, we were trying to figure out what was going on before we heard a thunk. And turned in time to see her knock him into the pocket, before the next one blasting him off the table. As he hit the wall hard enough she gave him a concussion before Andy lost his temper."
"And this time we heard a loud braang come off the piano and him lying on the keys, before she jumped off the table and he quickly got on the bench. Before the next resulted in Andy changing colors and he was so furious that his alter ego was now sitting in front of him." I said and they nodded. "One more reason never to tick that girl off or you get blasted." Hancock said for all of them and through his laughter at that remark and news.
"I see why they chose the actors and actresses so we could see them right now, are the 12 what you looked like when you were alive, ladies?" Peterson asked and Sarah answered that. "Yeah, so we chose their appearances and used their voices so we can talk to you for real." she said and they nodded gently. "So who are Fred and Alicia impersonating exactly?" Peterson asked and Theo started laughing then as Mary said it.
"Christian Bale and Winona Ryder, Caroline took her image on the painting, we got the time frame right, it was during the civil war." Mary said as she and Theo were standing next to me. "The Civil war and Ryder played Jo, and Chris played Laurie, nice choice, so that means that Carrie was acting like the twins version to Susan's character." Hancock said and Sarah nodded to him smiling and he chuckled to that news gently.
"Which explains why my sister in law had that book on the shelf actually, the books were the classics my age group created. Bram Stoker, Alcott, Twain, Stevenson, and several others, but Winona was right. But every book on the bookshelf, in our house, they were the ones. Now, that were necessary to get into college in our century." Sarah said as the quartet tried to hold it in at the news.
"I take it, you, young lady, you and your brothers got involved so you can get into the parapsychology program?" Peterson asked and Jamie nodded and they nodded bemused. "As for appearances sake, it was hair dye, make up and the right color contacts now. As for Mom and dad, you'll get to see them finally, as they decided they were all sticking around as long as I needed them." I said and they all nodded smiling to that news.
"Whatever you said to David was directly on target, if it's not Briarville, or Salem, let alone Springwood, it's us at the moment baby." Hancock said with a bemused smile at that. "You better start treating this like Krueger then, as I'm calling a town council meeting after the trial and having the road to my house blocked off to all children. Only adults are allowed passed the treeline that gives you a full view of my house."
"If the eight of us catch you kids younger then 25, within the perimeter of that and directly at the fence and you're on a three strike rule." I said, calling out to the teenagers listening and they nodded. "And young man you are digging yourself deeper into losing that scholarship if you keep this up. Now I may not be the daughter of the lieutenant of the homicide team or the daughter of the judge, but never mind that right now."
"My parents were part of the town council and I am resuming my position as the head psychiatrist and advisor to the mayor and the judge." I said and the adults all nodded. "Good thing too, if Becky was still alive she would give that same set of orders right now, so best to learn this to protect yourselves, if this is why the teacher did that class. He was trying to jar the kids memory that Fred's daughter was the kid's new psychiatrist."
"The more you dig into the past, then you get answers to more questions that no one wants answered at the moment." Hancock said and I nodded as I answered him at that remark firmly. "Well I just cracked who was murdered when you saw the footprints leading from my bed to his office." I told him and he nodded. "Who was it exactly, Nellie?" Peterson asked and I crossed my arms as I answered him gently at that.
"It was my uncle, Andy was the murder, he was trying to find something in Alicia's bedroom, that was my room. Craine snuck up on him and stabbed him, reason being he was the youngest of the family and preparing to give Sarah a promise bracelet. But to Craine, if he and the 11 left town, no more children and he decided here. That he was preventing that at all costs, before Caroline found the remains in the pit later."
"One of the adult skeletons was Renee, the other was Caroline." I said and he nodded in disgusted shock at that. "My team and I are doing the analysis for the entirety of the summer this summer and leading into the fall. We're just updating a few things on the house, but whatever you do, if you hear any racket stay clear at the moment of the gate. Or the house this coming Halloween, okay." I said and they nodded to the orders gently.
"Got it Ellie, that bad, if you were all at the hospital after things ended that night." Hancock asked and Theo nodded. "That bad, the damn car was stuck in the on position after the section of the fence collapsed on top of it. That was attempted murder, but Jack gave orders to kill the damn thing if he had to, so to save her life. He dealt with the car, but we made a fatal mistake here, Nell said don't come looking for her, stay put."
"And she would come to us, after the house started going berserk, we forgot this conversation." she said and they nodded. "And again young man, I catch you anywhere near my property and you're being arrested for breaking and entering. And I mean that, I am trying to protect every kid in town, you keep this up right now. And he could do a Fred Krueger at the pool party, understand." I said and the duo nodded quickly to me.
"Alright let's go you two, Ellie, we need to talk to Rick and your cop friends later, so we're coming by the house at 3 to 4 later." Hancock said and I nodded to him. "See you then, but tell the princinct with the fact that Tom knows we're back. The house is off limits to any and all teenagers and the restrainsment orders is for the trees. And in eyesight of the house, cross that barrier and you're getting arrested." I said and the duo nodded.
"By teenagers you mean my age group for the ones wanting to check and still in high school, got it, I'll tell the headmaster at my school and I'll let mom know you're back." Tony said and I nodded. "Candy shop for a monster movie if you and Kim are here?" Mary asked and he nodded. "Yeah, we're going to see Galaxy Quest." he said and we nodded. "Well we better leave you to it." I said and they nodded as we ended it then gently.
"Hey guys, is it the same for the rest of you?" I asked and the 80 odd teenagers from going on sophomore to junior year nodded. "Yeah we're all Star Trek fans that them doing a parody off it is something we didn't want to miss right now. Thursday night and our basketball game is tomorrow, we just came from practice. And decided on this together, we're the basketball team, both genders." the leader of the boys teams said.
"And running a raid on the candy aisle here, but guys, you do realize, that once you leave, I got to restock the shelves for the adult customers here right?" the manager said with a bemused smile and they nodded. "Yes Sir, but the movie is in two hours and we can help restock, Mr. Johnson." the leader of the girls team said and the boys nodded. "Yeah, and some of us are working for you anyway." Tony said and he nodded smiling.
"There were several shops in town we do retail in for the kids as a summer and part time jobs in between their sport seasons. And 1/3 of the teen population is doing bag duty during the summer before the following school year around here." Johnson explained and I nodded as Dana said it for me. "So why try to rob the house?" she asked and he sighed. "The amount made is not enough to live on for the entire term when there, Dana."
"But breaking and entering, armed robbery, getting arrested for speed-balling, even DUI, that's cutting their chances at getting into college. But us adults from your age group, to Dave's, to mine, all of us are seeing this right now. As this is to us as we're not taking them on as employees here, till they clean up their act as teenagers. I chose the kids sticking to staying out of trouble and the duo are jealous of Tony and his friends."
"And the kids just behind him at the moment, Tony's on break for the week, before spring break and decided to help out, and with him, his gang. The other group is the kids two grades behind them." he explained and we both nodded to the news smiling. "Yeah alright guys, spread the word: but the house is off limits and tell your high school. The principal and your headmaster, Tony, Kim, guys." I said and they nodded to my request.
"Alright we better finish loading up what we need here at the store, because the next stop is at Sams next, Sis." Dana told me and I nodded. "And I'm adding a Fridge and Freezer to that list, but the kids are drinking alot of milk this week." I said as I checked the food allergy list and and saw two big ones in the case of the triplets then. "Never mind the high sodium products, or high sugar, baby, you know your diet."
"You three all suffer from the same allergies, what with the fact you can have citrus fruits, but this takes out the other. In the case of the pine apples or bananas, let alone the grapefruit and guavas." Dana told her and she nodded to her mother gently at that. "I know, no pretzel sticks or pretzels period, and no ramen, too much sodium. So fortunately we can eat the other snack foods that they sell here at the moment."
"And our favorite fruits are apples, grapes, strawberries and pears, though the boys love the chocolate. In the case of the strawberries, but no one is making a mess, that is if Nana doesn't decide to make home made chocolate covered cherries. As the guys are going to go bonkers for that right now." she said and I chuckled to that news and remark as I answered that remark gently at that news as I said to her at that.
"I know your favorite candy products, but take it easy on the sweets as my godmother is making a double batch of cookies for you and the 14 later. What with us having the cakes speaking of which." I said, grabbing several packages of what was needed for it. "Alright look guys, with the fact we got the run of the house from 6:30 to 8:00. We got to make things as easy as possibly for my godparents, okay." I said and they nodded to me.
"Well we got kitchen duty after dinner and our story telling and again after breakfast, while the duo get a break and we take care of ourselves and the kids." Mary said for herself and Dana and Theo and I nodded in agreement to their thoughts. Just as I was saying it, Dana's phone beeped and she checked it and smiled. "Caitlin got your classes set up so a file folder for each of you, over night mail and you bring it back in 17 days."
"With Uncle Rob being your tutor and gym teacher this helps out right now." she said and Jamie nodded in acceptance to her decision then. "Better get the paper clips and post it notes then mom, because that's marking tomorrow, all week next week. And half the week, before we return to Boston." she said and Dana nodded in agrement to that. "Well we're staying for two weeks, so get ready for trouble." Theo said and the girls all nodded.
"Well that's six gallons of milk, 7 of O.J. and we're getting two of the long line boxes in the soda for the entire group. So both fridges and freezers are being put up outside. And we got the surge protectors drawing a gentle flow here now." I said and she nodded as I activated my phone. 'Honey, you and Luke, could you meet us at Sam's if you're done?' I asked, pushed send and five minutes later it beeped back at that request gently.
'Sure thing honey, guys, we'll be there soon, if this is about getting the stuff in bulk, we can help get the shopping done.' I read out at that and nodded. 'Yeah about that, I'm buying a couple standing fridges and freezers. And we're getting a couple surge protectors for that, so best bring the moving van for this, the second. That had areas to hold our grocery supplies.' Theo said for me and the next came back in Luke's voice.
"Okay, we can get the second van unpacked and tell them we can make the delivery ourselves girls, so give us twenty minutes and take your time, no rush.' she read out and we nodded. "That's Dave, and Luke gave out the second reply and while they got the real heavy stuff, we get the easy stuff. But getting the fridges and freezers are a one that we got to work out right now." Theo said and I nodded to that remark.
"Good thing Todd is with Malcolm, he can be a tour guide until we get back as everyone learns their way around the house, until this coming summer." Mary said and I nodded to that gently. "Yeah alright ten minutes here and we get to go to Sam's next, so ladies get your stuff together, Mary once we get to Sams. You take the van back with Dana and the girls, the guys, Theo and I need to talk." I said and she nodded to the orders gently.
"Got it." she said and we nodded. "What are you thinking exactly Nell?" Theo asked and I nodded. "I'm thinking that the pieces we didn't tell the rest of our group are the piece we got to talk about amongst ourselves. The parts that could start a second time and we need to go over, such as when he told us the truth. You already read it right, I was beyond exhausted by the time my ability went to full power, but here it is now."
"I was up all night the night before the house went berserk, going over names, the kids told me what they remembered. Before someone and I'm not sure who, decided to give the indication, that indication is and was I was what Caroline looked like at this age. My voice, my face, my appearance, everything matched up to her in their eyes. Mom was gone, they needed me to free them and the only way to do that was changing my looks."
"What Dave told you in our room, he wasn't joking when he said that, right after I went into my room, someone started playing with my hair. Before I realized this, but I look just like Caroline, as does mom and as a result now. That's the piece I wasn't ready to explain to you, before I realized it that he, Hugh, was my great, great grandfather." I said to her softly and she nodded in shock as she answered me at the news then at that.
"That was why you were a bit shaken up, before you saw Renee hanging from the rafters, and the house started going berserk that night?" she asked and I nodded. "Yes it was, the pieces that were from my point of view when alone were the ones I told him. Though it started getting worse, he was starting to see everything through me now. That question I asked you was really based on this, the night I found that ledger, though."
"I knew you and Luke were getting used to hearing my parents voices in handwriting, but I was afraid to tell you that my abilities were waking up. 'Did you ever keep something to yourself, because you were afraid.', that afraid was I was afraid he would target you. If you realized he was after me, because I was the only one who could lock him back up." I told her and she nodded as she hugged me tightly at that as she answered me gently.
"That's fine, Luke and I don't care about your powers, you're our best friend, we're not leaving you, not at all." she said and I nodded as I hid a sigh of relief as we rounded up the rest of the stuff at the store and headed for the checkout. "Dinner party tonight at the house, Nellie?" the cashier asked with a slight smile and I nodded. "Yeah in total we got 27 people at the house and with the kids pretending to be the invisible man here."
"I decided to stock up, but this is like when my parents were acting like they were at the movies when at the hospital after they got me to ICU." I told her and she nodded. "Well we're glad you're back for the next two weeks and you're coming home soon." She told me and I nodded. "Well the total comes to 500 from here at the grocery store." she added and I nodded as I passed five $100 bills to her and at that remark then.
As we finished up and headed for the car as we put everything into it, "Let's keep the breakable stuff out of range of the heavy stuff, shall we. Since 1/3 of that is baking supplies and Beth knows what's needs to be used here." I said and we carefully put everything in the trunk before moving the breakable stuf into the backseat then. "Boy am I glad we got the guys coming." Theo said as we got back into the car then gently.
Starting the car, I drove us to Sams and arrived at the same time the guys did then, as I got out with Theo next to me. "Mary, take the van, and tell the guys that we got a lot of groceries arriving in the next 90 minutes, let alone clear a spot by the back door. The one leading into the kitchen, so we can get these freezers and fridges into place right there." Dave told her and she nodded as I passed my car keys to her and she nodded to me.
"No problem, see you guys in two hours." she said and we nodded to her. "I take it you needed to discuss this with us only as we were there for everything from start to finish?" Dave asked and I nodded. "You being my psychiatrist that goes without saying honey, but our group is the same as being in therapy and this was something. I had to tell you guys only, before I tell Mary and Todd this next." I said and they both nodded to me gently.
"What's up if you needed to talk to us alone, is this was the same as unloading your emotions over Jane and Webster?" Luke asked and I told him the truth then. "The part of the trailer on the movie when we were in her bedroom, that piece of it. I meant, and there was the real possibility, that you were going to get a serious shock from this. But my powers were waking up the night before he lost his mind completely here, Luke."
"Whoever of the kids revealed the truth to me, I'm not entirely sure, but I was what Caroline looked like when she was our age. But mom and I, we both look like Caroline at 32 to 35, realizing this, it meant one thing, to him now. It was he was determined to get me out of the house, before my ability went to full power. The first thing I saw after whoever it was, was playing with my hair was I saw a painting of Caroline in my room."
"That was why I was a bit shaken up the next afternoon, before my power activated right then and I saw Renee hanging from the rafters up there. But the scene in the mirror room, was what finished it off, she was pregnant with Andy himself. At 32, as it hit me right then, she was my grandmother, and the thought of Hugh. He was possibly my grandfather was too much to take then." I told him and the duo nodded firmly to that.
"She was 32 when she had Andy and she was what you looked like at this age?" Dave said gently and I nodded. "Yes, but a double whammy the night before, first finding his ledgers at the textile mills. And immediately following that by that realization, but then I get several more shocks. Just before he lost it completely, when you tried to crash the car into the fence, but they lead me to his office, following that was the fireplace."
"And the pit, the nursery, before he chased me out of the bedroom and into the hall, I ended up in the mirror room. And it hit finally in the message that was written on the painting, 'Welcome home', the house belongs to me. And our little friend, the leader, was the baby that she, at 32, was pregnant with, but that did it finally. I was in shock and the pain in my side was getting worse by the minute." I told him and he nodded to me then.
"We knew she killed herself, but didn't know how at the time, till you see the reason in how she did it as your powers activated right then. On top of the fact is you're beyond exhausted from an alnighter that we try to get you to rest. Before its worse right now, yeah alright that makes plenty of sense, but to repeat whatever it was Theo said. We don't mind about your powers, you're our best friend, our sister, not letting go, Nell."
"These things only we understand as we spent that entire week with you, we know you better then anyone." Luke said and I smiled and nodded gently at that. "How much do you suppose we need from here exactly?" Theo asked and Dave chuckled. "With 27 people in the house, plus the kids and my in-laws, we're going to close to $15,000.00. In total at the moment, so I think we're going to need three carts at the moment here."
"I'll talk to the appliance seller in making a deal on the fridges and freezers and then we all meet back up at front, so take your time guys, I'll join you in a few minutes honey." he said and we nodded as we split up at that as I checked the list to what was left to get, before I heard him running up to me. "Yeah alright we got it, we got two of each and the total comes to $1,700.00 for that, we just add this to this bill as we spent $2,200.00."
"Already, so another $3,000.00 should be enough, since we're spending $10,000.00 for the visit up here right now for everyone in the team at the moment. So what else happened at the grocery store exactly?" he asked and I explained that to him. "Uncle Jack's prediction was directly on target here, the kid he mentioned to you. Just tried to rob the store and with him was his best friend, so I wound up meeting the duo."
"That Jack and Beth told us about and in the process met 1/3 of the local teenagers, the ones the kids are impersonating in chosen age level in appearances. And just as they were all heading for the movies to go see Galaxy Quest. Before running into the son of a friend from here and with him, his girlfriend." I told him and he chuckled and nodded. As we did our chosen selections then and I saw the duo with their own carts at that.
Arriving at the front of the store, I pulled my card out and gave it to the cashier as my guess at the cost was directly on target. And at a total $7,000.00 in total and the rest was for later as we got everything in the van. "Better make sure that the laundry baskets in the van are steady for some of the stuff and tighten the straps Luke." Dave told him and he nodded as they got it into position and strapped them to the wall then.
"Yeesh, and if this is anything to go by, with just us in the house, wait till we have twice this number in the house." Luke said, looking at our supplies with a bemused smile and we nodded. "No kidding baby, but four is enough, twice that is cutting it close, but 50 to 60 people running loose in the house, and they bring a handgun or worse a shotgun. We're not turning this into Rush's version of the House on Haunted Hill here now."
"We're the ones that lived through that escapade and we know the legend is true, but might as well enjoy ourselves for the next two weeks. And as we didn't get that chance last time we were here, we can actually put your theories and module to use. And for the next two weeks as we know that it's just your parents, Fred, Alicia and Caroline. And he's trapped in the doors at the moment." she said and we nodded in agreement gently.
"Yeah good idea, occasional noises and the understated scares when walking around the halls at night, just watch where you're going next time." Luke said and Dave nodded as we got in the van and headed back for the house at that remark. And as the trailer, which was a moving van sized one that was connected to the back of Luke's truck. As it was being pulled behind us then as we made our 45 minute trek back to the house then.
As Todd came out to meet us then and the guys got to work on the fridges and freezers while the five of us moved the groceries into the dining room next to the kitchen. Looking through the amount, I saw Beth checking every bit carefully and smiled. "There's enough for 50 people, in both the pot roast and the croissants, and Cubs. Do you want cookies or a cake for dessert?" she asked and they smiled as James answered her for the trio.
"Cookies please, our favorites are snicker doodles or double chocolate chip." she said and Beth nodded as Dana and I went into the kitchen with her. "She took a guess and guessed right about your home made chocolate covered fruit, Beth." Dana said and she nodded with a chuckle to the news. "I know you probably said this to her and the kids already, but when we're not here, you got the run of the house girls, in which case."
"It's like it used to be for us when you came: you and Becky came to visit, so back to that again, honey." she said and I nodded as I hugged her then and she tightened her arms around me, before Dana also gave her a hug. "We know, but we ended up running into Tony and his girlfriend." I said and she nodded. "Jack's grandson?!" she said and I nodded. "Yeah, Amy wants to see us later." Dana told her and she nodded smiling then.
"Repeated run-in's with old friends and extended family members this is getting ridiculous at the moment ladies, so best keep it under control. As during the day is one thing, but like we said, no one crosses the perimeter at night after 6." I heard as Rick walked in and we both nodded to the request gently. "Whatever you were expecting happened directly on target, Dillon tried to rob the store when we were there."
"And with him was Joey Parker." I told him and they nodded, bemused. "I swear that cub keeps it up and he's going to blow his chance at getting into college at this rate." Jack said, walking in as well then and we nodded. "Jake and Eric are coming to report in, so they'll be here in the next hour, Uncle Jack. I think we're setting field plans for the summer in case of trouble with Tom and Derek here." Dana said and he nodded to her.
"Good idea, Rick, Malcolm, David, and the boys should be enough, but we add Tom, Derek and Philip to the team and that should do it in Boston's finest now. But keep me updated in what the heck is going on over here and I'll come back in the morning." he said and we nodded to the orders then. "How's it going with setting up exactly, with the appliances we just added now?" I asked and he smiled as he answered me at that.
"The surge protector just pulled it off, there is less of a drain on resources in the house then there was before, as we got a walk in fridge here in the kitchen. As the back ups are just outside the kitchen door, but with the temperature that cold outside. Well the ice boxes are going to get cold fast at the moment, I hope you brought your own toiletries. So everything, but the personal health stuff, or the medical stuff now for them."
"That is already provided for our guests here now for them, while they bring what they want, minus the weapons or the drugs into this house." he said and we nodded. "We know, we're running a drug free program here for this, if anyone is on drugs or worse. Brings dangerous weapons into the house and they're getting it confiscated until they leave here at the moment." I said and they all nodded as I looked at my aunt then.
"So do you need some help, Aunt Beth?" I asked and she smiled. "Yes please, in fact, why don't you girls cut the vegatables for me and as I get the roast ready to go." she said and we nodded as we each took half in the potatoes, carrots and celery. And started peeling and cutting them, before washing them, as she pulled out two huge cassorole dishes. And put both roasts in each one and added some added seasonings to the roast.
Checking my watch then, I saw it was 4:30 and nodded as I heard a conversation in the dining room and knew the duo just arrived. "Nell, the guys just arrived." Theo told me and I nodded. "Good thing too, fishing equipment, I'm going to allow, but hunting, no way, that gun or rifle is getting locked in the nursery till further notice." I said and she nodded as she checked the amount and nodded in shocked disbelief to that.
"Whoa, looks like we got enough to feed an army here." she added and we nodded, as I saw six cake sheets and the size of bike tire at that and nodded. As Beth also pulled out several cookie sheets the size of painting. "Two of these are the croissants, and the other 3 are for the cookies for the kids, okay, got it. I just hope we don't have a raid on the snack table during dessert here, because the kids are switching from soda to milk."
"During and after dinner, before they go to bed at the moment, their curfew is 9:30, and in bed by 10:00. And that is if they're not deciding on a case of snack time in the middle of the night." Dana said as she started laughing and I nodded to that, smiling. "Whoever was drinking the soda, better take it easy or the next jolt we took. And we're going to, is going to have the soda getting thrown at someone." Theo said, smiling at her remark.
"And you knew I was finding that funny after we had a sudden tension kicking in, before the acorn exploded in the fireplace." I said and she nodded to that remark. "Yeah alright, I'll get the cookies and the croissants last of all, as the cookies are freshly baked. Chewy cookies and staying in a slight warmer so the kids are all going to love them. Including Andy and his friends." Beth said and we nodded in agreement to that smiling gently.
"You know we loved your, mom and Aunt Becky's cooking that we enjoyed coming up here every summer, Aunt Beth. So as a result the kids are going to love it just as much as we do now, as we get and got plenty to do up here at the moment. So we just work things out and we got the clean up for you, so you got cooking. And we'll keep our rooms and spaces clean, so less mess for you." Dana said smiling and she smiled at that news.
"Nice arrangement for us, us guys have to deal with issues like the painting vandalism or the heavy lifting, you girls make the job easier on your aunt and adopted great aunt now. And as a result we got things running so smoothly in the house now, that aside from Hugh, there's less likely chance to repeated Night Of The Living Dummy. To A Nightmare On Elm Street Vandalism scares in this house." Rick said smiling and we nodded to that.
"So same sets of clothes for us girls tonight, guys?" Mary asked, walking in and we both nodded. "Yeah I think so, we can put ourselves back into our original spots as well tonight, but directly in front our mates, although we got our doubles added to it. Plus the quartet and each side hold ten people to 12, we just set two more smaller tables out." I said and they nodded as Mary answered me then gently at that remark smiling then.
"The guys bought three rectangle shaped tables for the 15." she said and I nodded to her. "If I know Todd and Dave, they're dressed in dinner jackets and Luke in a slight relaxed manor tonight, so first night in the house for the others. We did this before, so slight reincarnation of our first night here, so expect the kids to start doing it again. And until we get started tonight." I said and they nodded smiling as Dana chuckled at that.
"Well that is three on both ends of the table and 5 each at the sides of the table now, as we just got to make sure. That they don't start the disappearing acts with the food and utensils. Or we got a massive repeater of the understated table pranks at the moment here." Theo said smiling and I nodded in agreement. "Well the guys just finished their music practice anyway honey." Luke said to her, coming in, in time to hear that remark.
"Any other problems, since you guys doubled checked?" I asked and they nodded. "We found the reason they, the spikes, hovering over the bed got to you so easily. Those spikes are 15 feet long in a 20 foot tall ceiling that he just stretched them the added 5. Just to reach you that night, before you alerted me to the fact you were being attacked again." he said and I nodded to the news in shock at that new fact as Dave came in.
"How are the sextet adjusting right now, since though that was a movie, this time it's likely to turn real." I asked and he chuckled. "Two or three understated scares in practical jokes, but other then that, they're finding this just as funny as you three did. Before Mary got hurt that first night at the time now, then again, we got plans for same clothes and set up guys?" he asked and we nodded and Luke chuckled at that remark, smiling.
"God it's going to be a long night if this keeps up right now, well the kids in bed first, and then we check the place out, check the places we never did that first night. But like I said last time, so try to stay focused, before you scare the heck out of the person. Who's coming from the opposite direction, but for the duo it's likely to turn into repeaters this week." he said to him and Mary answered that as we took our positions at the table.
"If you mean Owen and Liam, more then likely, Luke, Lily and Catherine, they're playing you guys in doing it a second time, Nell, Theo, but come on. We keep this up and someone is going to have a heart attack from running headlong into whoever it was. And, when they're too focused on what they're looking at or their minds start wondering. And until they don't see who's coming from the opposite direction here now, guys."
"Check the equipment, before anyone else gets hurt here, we know that the staircase finally broke down. And with that, so for safety sake, lets close the clavicord and check the harp and piano." she said and we nodded in agreement. "Agreed we close the clavichord and check the strings on the piano, check the windows and double check the greenhouse amd the staircase, dinner's at 6:30, so we got time to do this right now."
"Girls stick together, Luke, you and I got the greenhouse." Dave said and we nodded to him as we split up and went to check the Clavichord then. Checking the piano, I saw it myself and closed the top gently to prevent the wire from flying out of the inside of it. And as Mary looked at the clavichord carefully and nodded. "There, found another one, alright, lets loosen that wire up before someone takes it right to the face a second time."
"Well that prevents several lacerations at the moment." she said and I nodded in agreement as I heard a thump thump noise and smiled. "The kids are in the foyer playing soccer at the moment, that's including the triplets." I said as I gently arranged some added spots so the kids could have a spot to sit at as the rest of us prepared to settle in. "Hey dad, grandpa, could you get several more sofas for the library tonight here."
"We got 27 people, so 17 adults and 3 kids, plus you guys, so we need some added spots to make enough room for everyone." I said and ten minutes later 5 sofas came in the door and 22 floor sitting chairs for the kids settled around the floor in front of the sofas. "Frankly mom I don't know how you can fit this many people into the library at the moment, without it getting too crowded." I said and I heard a chuckle to that remark.
