" Mary!" I started screaming as I fumbled my way through the kitchen, bumping into random objects. I tripped and ended up falling on my wrist." Billy, Mary are you alright?!?" The only response I got was more screaming from Mary. I picked myself up off the floor, using my fingers to find the wall. That wall is what was going to lead me up the stairs to find out what was wrong. My fingers lingered lightly on the wall as I hurriedly made my way in the dark.I heard a loud slam and stoped for a few minutes before continuing faster than before. I found my way to the stairs and ran up them, tripping with almost every step. I found my way to Mary`s door and pushed it open." Mary are you in here?"
The moonlight glinted through her window and I looked at her quivering sheets. There was a giant lump underneath them and I cautiously stepped forward." Mary, are you alright?" My hand shakily reached for them, grasping them loosly between my fingers. I took a deep breath and counted to three, pulling them back quickly. I was horrfied to see nothing there. My hands clasped around my mouth to stifle the scream that was making its way to my thoat. I stumbled backward and out of the room. Another scream from Mary was heard close by, but this time it sounded somewhat muffled. I looked down the hallway toward the dumb waiter, knowing exactly where she was now. I walked with my hands outin front of me, until they came across the cold, rough steel.
I banged on it once." Mary, are you in there?" I could hear slight movement inside.
" Yes, get me out!" My fingers found the crease of the opening and I pried at it. I could feel it opening bit by bit. It was stuck somewhat, but it reached a point where it opened with no problem. I reached inside and grabbed onto her, pulling her out. I could hear her crying.
" Wheres Billy?"
" I think he went to his room."I looked down the hallway and saw Bright blue eyes making there way towards us. The lights came on suddenly, me and Mary glanced around. I looked back to the end of the hall and saw Billy standing there. I let go of Mary and went right over to him.
" Billy where were you, you scared me half to death." He looked absolutely terrified." Whats wrong?" He brought his arm up slowly and pointed back towards Mary. I slowly turned my head to look and saw something stiring around in the dumb waiter." Mary get over here now."
She wouldnt move at all. It was like her feet were stuck to the floor with superglue. I walked over to her and gently took her hand, keeping my eyes on the dumb waiter. I pushed her behind me as I walked backwards. The doors crashed down on each other, closing up the dark space. I closed my eyes tightly as the sound echoed through the hall." Alright, I think its time to go down stairs." I turned to the two small children, holding onto each other and shaking." Quickly change and get what ever you need, then go downstairs into the lving room." They both parted into their rooms. They were ready in 5 minutes, carrying their blankets and armed with flash lights. They clutched onto my arms as we made our way down the stairs and into the living room. Billy laid down on one side of the couch, Mary on the other. I tucked them in and knelt beside Mary." Would you like to pray?" She nodded at me.
I placed my hands together and closed my eyes." Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep. If I die before I wake, I pray the lord my soul to take." My voice started cracking up as I said the second to last verse. I looked to Mary and Billy." I want you guys to try and get to sleep ok?"
" But what if the lights go out?" I smiled at Billy.
" Dont worry, they wont. Besides, you have your flash lights."
" Is Matt going to be alright? He didnt die, did he?" I felt the tears in my eyes as I looked at Mary. She was only 7 so she didnt understand much about death.
" No Mary, Matt is going to be perfectly fine." I leaned over and kissed her forehead, then turned to Billy and kissed his." Alrigth go to sleep now, there is nothing else to worry about." I stroked Marys hair until I knew they were both asleep. I sat on the floor at the foot of the couch, feeling the hot tears slowly fall down my cheek, reaching my chin and drippping to the floor. I pulled my knees up to my chest, holding myself, wishing Matt was here to hold me and tell me everything was alright. The phone rang a few feet from me and I fll backwards, startled. I quickly got up and answered it." Hello?"
" Cheyenne, how is everything there?" Wendy was on the other end.
" Oh god Wendy things here a crazy." I wiped under my eyes.
" Why whats wrong?" She was really concerned.
" I`ll tell you when you get home. Hows Matt?" I started to bite my finger nails, an old worrying habit I had.
" Oh he`s fine now, just a side effect of his medication that worsened. We are just coming home now, and I want to hear about everything." The line went dead and I placed the pine back on the charger.
I picked Mary up in my arms and brought her up the stairs into her room, praying nothing would happen again. I went back down and had some difficulty with Billy but I managed to get him up the stairs and into bed. I rubbed my eyes, they were sore and probably red. I blinked a few times before I headed to the staircase and slowly made my way down. I walked into the living room and sat on the couch, waiting. My eye grew heavy ad I felt mysef starting to nod off, then I heard the crunch of the gravel, the doors of the car closing and the low thudding of footsteps on the porch. My head tilted back against the couch, the sounds I heard getting lost in the distance." Cheyenne? is she asleep?" The sound of someone coming toward me, then a light tap. I had no more will to open my eyes, or move for that matter, so I stayed still and silent until I drifted to sleep.
Matts P.O.V
She was crumpled up on the couch as I walked toward her. Weny told me something had gone wrong here and I was desperate to get home, praying she was alright. I crouched in front of her motionless body and tapped her lgithly on the knee." Cheyenne? wake up." Nothing I did would wake her up. I pushed her into a laying position on the couch and tucked my arms under her legs and back. I used all the force I could to lift her into my arms, only to have them fail out on me and make me almost drop her on the floor. Wendy came over and quickly rolled her back onto the couch.
" Matt just leave her, im sure one night on the couch wont hurt her, or you for that matter." She patted my shoulder lightly and pushed me in the direction of my room." Now get your skinny little butt down in your room and get some rest, its almost mid-night." I scrunched my nose up at her. I used to have a muscular body, and I did what I could to try and get it back. I went down stairs and realized I hadnt worked out in a while. took m shirt off and threw it to the floor. I gently brought myself down until I touched the floor, placing my feet under my bed. I struggled to get myself up, but I managed to do 7, berfore I gave up and stood. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him advance toward me. I turned quickly and backed away." Would you lave me and my family alone!"
I closed my eyes and turned away from him, reopening them. I climbed into my bed and thought about what he could want. I knew he was standing right beside my bed, looking down at me, but I paid him no attention and just turned on my side. The lgith flicked off and I just laid there for a few minutes, things running through my restless mind, one after the other. Mostly it was about what happened here while I was gone. I wanted to be here, with her and Mary and Billy, to protect them from every small thing that scared them, no matter how stupid.