Chapter 21 Interlude part 1.
Jessica Upshaw POV.
Jessica watches Carrie as she leaves the room.
Normally she would probably be complaining or finding it funny that the being that brought them here only opened the door for Carrie and not for anyone else, but she it too occupied to care.
How did things change so fast?
She remembers feeling pride at Carrie watching her not falling for Maragreth's manipulation, till Margareth threw her last ditch effort to...
To what? Shock her daughter? Make her so upset after the revelation she wouldn't want to go to Prom? Make her feel bad for and feel indebted to Margareth for keeping her instead of aborting her?
Or killing her?
Jessica can't help but feel ill.
The page that had appeared out of thin air (like the first one) was in Nurses Lopez and Mrs Desjardins hands.
Both woman are slightly shaking and Jessica is certain that she isn't hallucinating the tired look in their eyes.
The page had appeared out of nowhere on Carrie's lap when they were busy trying to put together what movie Margareth had told them.
She and Freddy had been the closests by so once they had gotten through their surprise, they were able to read the letter first together with Carrie.
She desperatly wishes she hadn't.
The way Carrie's face had slowly crumpled...
Despite her best efforts the words reappeared in her head.
Ralph White had coerced/raped Margareth in a bizar form of material rape.
He had done so once before they had been married. That encounter had resulted in a pregnancy that tragicly ended early.
After they were married Ralph did this again. That was Carrie's conception.
This time the pregnancy was succesfull.
Was Carrie born because Margareth had an succefull pregnancy or because she didn't notice she was pregnant? She did call Carrie cancer. If that bitch had known she was pregnant instead would she have thrown herself down the stairs, causing herself to miscarriage like she did the first time with Carrie's sibling?
No, the being that brought us here didn't know if she did miscarriage on purpose or it was just a tragic accident and yeah Margareth did try to kill Carrie but at the end she couldn't go through with it.
But that was only after Carrie opened her eyes. An baby in the stomach she didn't get to hold or look at is something entirely else.
''Are you alright Jessica?''. Asks Freddy beside her.
Jessica turns towards him. Despite his smile she can't help but notice he is pale.
He had been right beside them when the letter had appeared.
''I could ask you the same thing''. She answers back.
Freddy snorts.
''I have had better days, though nothing compared to Carrie ''. Says Freddy.
She grimaces.
''I can't begin to imagine how Carrie feels''.Says Freddy timedly.
''How is it fair that so much shit happens to one person?'' Asks Freddy, though she gets the feeling the question isn't pointed to her.
She desperately wanted to comfort her new friend, but she doesn't know how.
Thankfully at that moment her mother together with Freddy's parents next to them appears. They take the empty chairs left behind once more of the adults left to deal with the crowd. She hadn't noticed but while she and Freddy had been left to their thoughts, the others had been curious to know what had caused the rackess. From the way the letter kept changing hands and peoples expression it soon would be known by all in the room.
Oh no.
Jessica felt panic grap her.
''They are reading the letter!''
They couldn't know! This was private, Carrie didn't deserve to have her (last) bit of privacy shattered like that.
She wanted to stand up, but was stopped by an unfamilair pair of soft hands. Looking down she saw it was Mrs Holt.
''I am afraid it is too late for that, my girl'' Said her mother quitely. Her face like the others pale.
Jessica wanted to weep.
No, no this couldn't be happening. She had to do something! Anyhing to protect her new friend privacy.
She could only watch helpless how the letter kept making rounds, the information shared for all.
She couldn't blame Carrie for bolting, she herself wanted to curl in herself and find an quite cornor to weep.
''Jessica dear?'' Asks her mother.
Jessica didn't react. Any other day she migh have been ashamed for ignoring her mother but today wasn't that day.
''Why don't you and your teacher go find Carrie?''
Jessica looked up.
''I think some familiar faces might do her good''. Finishes her mother.
There are a lot of things she wants to say, instead she ends up saying:
''Do you think I will be allowed to leave?''.
Her mother smiles and despite everything she can't help but feel herself calm a little.
''You have really begun to care about the girl, haven't you?'' Says her mother.
She doesn't know how to react on that, partly because it is true.
In the short time she had gotten to know Carrie, the real Carrie, she had become to care about her already seeing her as a friend.
Her silence is all the answers her mother needs.
'If you truly care about that girl I don't see how whatever brought us here won't allow you to go comfort her''.
She can't help but smile a little, her mothers words filling her with warmt.
Her mother like reading her thoughts pushes her towards the door.
''Well hop on dear, I will stay here and look after your sisters''.
''Go!''
Not needing more encouragement and with the promise that her mother and sisters will be fine Jessica sprints to the door.
Thankfully nobody follows her, to obsorbed by the letter.
Shaking her head she paitently waites for the door to open.
If they will open.
Please Mr or Mrs or whatever summoned us here, I only want to help my friend!
The seconds feel like hours and like an test of her faith.
If she is truly a good friend for Carrie.
It takes some minutes but the doors do open.
Yes!
Adrenaline goes through her.
Fuck yes!
This being finds me important enough to open the doors for me.
Hahaha.
No focus, I can gloat after Carrie is back.
She looks back one more time, seeing if Freddy or anyone else wants to come along now that the doors are open but he waves her off. It seems like he is talking about something important with his folks.
Oh well if he wanted to join he could come afterstands up and walk to the doors.
And maybe for the conversation they were going to have it was better if it was only woman.
Pushing her thoughts aside she walks through the doors. Once she is far enough from them they close behind her.
Panic slowly rises.
No, no need to panic, they doors will open again after this.
Just find Carrie.
She starts walking that soon turns in sprinting, the adrenaline flooding in her veins.
She checks all the rooms for a straweberry haired girl.
She has gone through 20 classrooms when she suddendly gets an idea.
She sprints towards the lockerroom and just as she thought Carrie is sitting on the bench, her face burried in her hands, just like in the movie.
There are a lot of things she wants to say, but the words leave her.
''Hey''.
Carrie looks up, her face red from crying.
''Hey''.
Back in the cafeteria.
While Jessica Upshaw and Carrie were away from the cafeteria, having a talk in the gym the rest of the cafeteria was talking about what they had learned. By now the paper had been seen by everyone. Reactions differed from shock, to disbelief to some people actually getting ill thinking about the fact that Margareth might have actually killed Carrie's older brother or sister. The baskets that Mrs Lopez had put in the room after the talk she and Carrie had came in handy, with several people rushing to them to empty their stomachs.
The adults tried as best as they could to deal with the situation, but the atmosphere in the room was tense.
Not that they haven't any reason to.
Principal Morton could only sign.
He earlier had given the order for the other teachers to look around and see who needed guidence.
After this we probaby will have more requests for the school counselor.
He couldn't help but sign.
He looked around and saw Mr Frogg beside one of the baskets holding the hair off one of the students.
He wanted to look away but remembering his earlier blunder around Mrs White decided to walk to them, seeing if they was anything he could help with.
Once he was closer he recognised the student. It was Vicky Hanscome. The girls long red hair hanging around her face while she was trying to calm herself, her hands resting upon her legs.
He decided to give the girl some time to calm down before asking her if he could get her something.
The girl shook her head and a men he thought was her father thanked him for asking.
Seeing he was unnecesary there he looked around to see who else might potentielly need help.
Mrs Snell POV.
Mrs Snell was lying back in her chair, the shock making her body feel like she was running 15 miles.
Around her were her concerned husband and daughter.
She wanted to say something, make them not worry but her chest felt so tight and no matter what she did no sound came out of her.
I see that woman regurly, she has made so many of mine and Sue's clothes.
How could she make those childrens clothes while having killed one of her own children and abusing her other?
How did we never notice these things? How were we so blind?
Eleanor could only stare at her hands.
My God Ralp, Margareth what have you done?
Freddy Holt POV.
Freddy sat in his chair beside his parents, but all three were quite.
Mrs Upshaw after sharing some words with them had to leave to check upon her daughters.
He shakes his head, like he does during science class and is trying to make sense of a difficult formula, trying to make sense of it all.
It sure feel like that now.
He thought about the new information that had been added to the already extensive puzzel.
It answered much questions, while creating a bunch of new ones and a growing part of pity for both Margareth and Carrie added in the mix.
He had wanted to go to Carrie and comfort her but his mind was a mess and remembering how Carrie could read minds it was probably for the better that for now he stayed back.
That and another unpleasant thought had made itself home in his mind.
It was during his conversation with Jessica that the thought had first came in his mind.
How is it fair that so much shit happens to one person?
How much can a person go through before they lose their minds?
The first question he and probably all the others in the room had was why they had been summoned here.
Multiple answers had been given during all the had seen, but instead of stopping the showing it only allowed them small breaks before continuing, showing them more and more awfull things.
Someone is going to break and do something horrible.
It is all building up to that. But whom?
Hargenson, Mrs White?
Carrie?
The last though made his heart squeeze painfull. The thought that the sweet girl he slowly had gotten to know might be hurt permanently or break so badly she might end up hurting others was heartbreaking.
No, it can't be. Yes she has been thorugh Hell and back but she is strong just look how she standed up to her mother.
If anyone is going to snap it is Mrs White or Hargenson. Those psychos should take notes from the other.
He shook his head, trying to block out the small voice that didn't want to let go of his suspicious about Carrie and her mental state.
Thankfully soon enough an distraction came his way.
His friend Tommy Ross and his parents came his way. Despite his casual walk and the way he smiled to the people around him, Freddy couldn't help but notice that all three looked wary.
''Hey,is it okay if we sit here for a while?'' Asks Tommy him and his parents, pointing to the empty chairs the others left behind.
His parents nodd.
He watches as Mr and Mr Ross find chairs while Tommy sits behind him.
''Hey buddy, are you alright?''. Asks Tommy tapping him on his shoulder, his voice full of concern.
Freddy couldn't help but snort.
''Yeah stupid question''.
''Want to talk about everything we have seen till now?'' Says Tommy.
Freddy hestitates.
He would like to talk about everything that has happend till now but...
''Shouldn't you comfort Sue right now?''
Tommy signs laying back, his hand going through his hair while having that thoughtfull look in his eyes.
''I probably should and I did, but at this moment there isn't much I can do so I decided to check things out over here''. Says Tommy, not wanting to say how lost Mrs Snell had looked and how he was unable to get through her.
And he had began to suspect there was a valid reason why they were shown this. He only hoped it wasn't what he thought but he needed answers, both for himself but also for Sue.
''George and his parents are handling things with the others for now''.
''And can't I worry about my friends too?'' Says Tommy with a smirk.
The two boys sit down and watch their parents talking.
After some time Tommy decides to break the silence.
''Can I ask you something Freddy?'' Ask Tommy.
''Sure''.
''Why do you think we have to known all this?''. Says Tommy.
Freddy gives him a look.
Tommy shakes his head.
''No, I didn't mean it like that you know that''.
''I mean what is the purpose of this all''. Says Tommy.
Freddy looks at Tommy and while he isn't telekinetic like Carrie he knows what Tommy is thinking.
Tommy had come to the same conclusion as him and now wanted to discuss it with him.
He felt conflicted. Tommy was one of his best friends, but he also didn't want to say something harmfull that might not be true.
Some words could not be taken back.
What if he was wrong about Margareth or Chris?
Carrie?
''I don't know, no one here knows for sure why we had to see and know all of this''. Says Freddy.
''Well I am gratfull at least someone decided to do something about it''. Says Tommy.
''No one deserves to through so much horrible things, especially someone whom sees to be such a good person as Carrie''.
''She is'. Says Freddy, remembering the conversations he and Jessica had inbetween the movie and the way she had been willingly to forgive Hargenson.
''Do you think Margareth is going to hurt Carrie?'' Asks Tommy.
The question takes Freddy by surprise.
''You and Jessica are after Mrs Desjardin at the moment the people closest to Carrie''.
''Has she told you anything about Margareth, if she has ever tried to kill her beside what we saw in the beginning?'' Says Tommy.
''Tommy...''.
''I know this probably isn't for me to know, but if this continues and we see more we need to be prepared''. Says Tommy.
''I don't know''. Whispers Freddy.
He hated it but he truly didn't know. This could go multiple ways and he was clueless on how it would end.
''I don't know''.
Cindy Yang POV.
Cindy stared at the letter in her hands. The letter had some small cuts thanks to exchanging so many hands but it was still readable. Around her she heard people talking.
''Oh gosh this can't be true right?''
''How...''.
'Why did we need to know this!?''
''What a monster these two are''
She listens to the others, not knowing what to say.
Beside her Ruth has a grimm look on her face.
''The bitch killed her own child''. Says Ruth.
''We don't know if she ended up losing the child naturally''. Answers Cindy with an desperation she didn't knew she could have.
Ruth shakes her head.
''Maybe, but from what we have seen till now I wouldn't put it beside her to do it''.
In an rare moment of vulnerability Ruth softens.
''But Margareth isn't the only one to blame''.
''That men, Carrie's father...'' Ruth hestitates, but then her eyes harden.
''What was he thinking?!''
''Didn't he think about the consequences''.
''If he couldn't deal with an sexless marriage he shouldn't have preeched about that and then married Margareth!''.
Cindy can only nod.
''Both set the stage for Carrie and she had to deal with their mistakes''. Whispers Cindy.
Both girls fall silent, lost in their thought.
And done! Well I hope you like this. This is part 1 off an important part of this story. I don't want to say to much because ''spoilers'' this will be the breaking point for Carrie in the relationship with her mother and will give her an different perspective on what is about to happen. The point of the town watching their future is to warn them so they can do something about it and make sure Carrie doesn't reach her breaking point, but it is also about changing Carrie. It will have no use if Carrie is still the way she is now. For things to truly change without people getting hurt Carrie too has to change. We saw that in getting her the help and support/compassion she needs but also being able to let go of at least some of her anger and be able to empathise with the town that has hurt her so much. The thing I want to accomplise with Carrie finding out about her brother or sister is that when the Black Prom is shown Carrie will be able to empathise with the mothers/fathers and siblings who lose their family members making the Black Prom even less likely to happen. Also some people are starting to suspect something terrible might happen. Whom do you think will find out the fastest what is going to happen?
I promise to post the second part as soon as possible before we return to the main watching.