Warning: This chapter is disturbing, creepy, and very horror-like. But I also think Nelle is so over the top crazy that it's almost funny at times, but very creepy.
Chapter 91- A Nightmare on Elm Street
"Hey Michael, it's Joss," Josslyn said over the phone.
"Hi…."
"How's Wiley?" Josslyn asked.
Michael sighed. "Not good. Nelle took temporary custody of him until the hearing."
"What? That's insane."
"I know," Michael said. "I'm going crazy worrying about him. The only silver lining is Nelle is obsessed with her so-called stepchildren and keeps inviting Lucas and Sam over for dinner."
"Because she was married to Julian," Josslyn commented.
"Yeah and Esme is living there since Nelle was married to Ryan Chamberlain as well," Michael said.
"Good," Josslyn said. "She and Nelle can be miserable together. But you need to get Wiley back."
"I'm doing everything I can. But Lucas is keeping an eye on him for me. They're going over there again any minute now for dinner."
"Good," Josslyn said. "Listen, I know you're still blaming me and Mom over what happened with Wiley, but have you heard from Mom?"
"No, actually," Michael said. "Not in a couple of days. Strange, she usually contacts me several times a day."
"I went over a couple of hours ago. Her door was left open but no sign of her."
"That's strange," Michael said. "What about Bobbie's?"
"I just called and the workers haven't seen her."
"I'll ask Olivia if she's heard from her," Michael said.
GHGHGH
"Thank you for coming," Felicia said when she let Frisco in.
"Of course," Frisco said. "I'm glad Georgie wants to see me again."
"Just please don't let her down. Maxie either… again."
"I want to make things up to all of you. I include you and Frankie in on that."
Felicia cleared her throat. "Just focus on Maxie and Georgie. I'm married to Mac, and Frankie doesn't need anything else to confuse her right now."
"Where is Mac tonight?" Frisco asked.
"Working."
She led him into the living room where Georgie was sitting.
"Hey, sweetheart." Frisco sat beside her and kissed her cheek.
"Hi," Georgie said. "How are you?"
"I'm great. How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good right now."
Felicia sat in a chair and looked at her phone.
"So, tell me a bit about yourself," Frisco said. "I want to get to know you. What are some of your interests?"
"Um, well, right now I've been playing a lot of Scrabble with Mac," Georgie said. "And the next few seasons of Monk have finally come out. I've been watching it with Mom and Esme. But Esme is away right now, so we haven't been watching anymore."
"Oh, I watched Monk," Frisco said. "That show ended years ago. But it was a great show. Maybe we can watch an episode together sometime."
"Maybe… but I want to save the new episodes for Esme."
Ring. Ring.
"I better answer this," Felicia said. "Will you be okay, Georgie?"
Georgie nodded. "Yeah. We're just visiting."
Felicia stepped into the kitchen. "Hello?"
"Hi, Felicia? This is Griffin Munroe."
"Oh, hello, Griffin," Felicia said.
"I hope you don't mind me calling, but I'm just concerned about Esme," Griffin said. "She didn't come to the soup kitchen this week and I can't get a hold of her to see if she'll be coming this week. Is she all right?"
"I—I don't know if she's all right. She moved out and I'm concerned about her too. She's not answering your calls?"
"No. I also sent her an email."
"Thank you for letting me know," Felicia said. "I know where she's staying, so I'm going to check on her. But I'll call one more person first to see if he's heard from her. I think he's the one person she'd be willing to talk to right now."
"I'll be praying for her."
"Thank you." Felicia hung up and called Cameron.
"Hello?"
"Hi Cameron. This is Felicia Scorpio. Have you talked to Esme at all this week?"
"Not since she left here," Cameron said. "She hasn't responded to any of my texts."
Felicia's chest went heavy. "I knew it was a bad idea for her to go to Nelle's. Something is wrong, I know it. Thank you, Cameron." She tucked her phone away and returned to the living room. "Frisco, do you mind staying with Georgie until Mac or I come back? Mac is going out with Kevin after work, so I don't know how late he'll be. But I need to go… now." She grabbed her keys.
"Yeah, of course," Frisco said.
"Is everything okay?" Georgie asked.
"I need to check on Esme. I should've listened to my instincts and done it right away. I knew she wasn't safe at Nelle's." She rushed out the door.
GHGHGH
Nelle embraced Lucas and Sam when they walked in. "Good evening!"
"Hello, Nelle," Lucas said.
"Oh, none of this, hello Nelle. It's time you call me Mom."
Lucas and Sam exchanged annoyed looks.
"I'm sorry, Mom," Lucas said as she led them into the dining room. "Where's Wiley? And Esme?"
"Wiley is sleeping," Nelle said. "I know how much you want him to rest whenever you're over. And Esme has the stomach flu, so she and Ace won't be joining us."
"Oh, maybe I better go check on them if they're unwell," Lucas said.
"No need," Nelle said. "It's just a 24-hour bug. Besides, your dinner will get cold."
Upstairs, when Esme heard voices, she pushed the dresser aside and tried to open her door. Locked. She groaned.
"So, we're just eating with you today?" Sam asked, back in the dining room.
"Yes, and it'll just be a quick meal so I can go be with Esme and Wiley." She held up a paper bag. "Burgers today. But I have cherry pie in the kitchen."
"I would really like to see Wiley while we're here," Lucas said.
"Yeah, otherwise, what's the point?" Sam asked. "Wait… what's that moaning?"
"The point is to spend time with your mother. And that is Esme," Nelle said. "She must have thrown up again. Now, sit down."
Sam and Lucas took the same seats as last time.
Nelle passed Sam the bag. "You may distribute the food. I'll go get the pie."
When Nelle fled to the kitchen, Lucas stood. "I'm going to check on Wiley."
Lucas headed upstairs.
Nelle returned to the living room with the pie and a large butcher's knife. "Where is Lucas?"
"Bathroom," Sam said, eyeing the knife.
"He never asked me if he could go. I didn't realize I needed to teach you children table manners."
Nelle held the knife up high and brought it down hard into the pie. Cherry juice splattered everywhere.
"On that note, I'm going to check on Lucas." Sam jumped up.
Lucas reached the hallway upstairs and peeked in each room, until he found Wiley passed out on his bedroom floor.
"Wiley!" He crouched down beside him and checked his pulse. "Okay, stay with me. I'm getting you to the hospital." He began lifting him when he heard a scream downstairs. When he reached the hallway again, Nelle emerged from the staircase, blood dripping from her knife. "What did you do? Is that from the pie? Did you hurt Sam?"
"Put Wiley down," Nelle said. "He needs to rest. You like it when he rests."
"Put the knife down, then I'll put Wiley down," Lucas said.
Nelle wiped the blood off the knife onto her shirt. "Wiley needs to rest. Put him down. Then we can go eat."
"I'm not leaving Wiley with you," Lucas said. "He needs a doctor."
"Wiley is fine," Nelle said. "Now, come back downstairs." She stepped down.
Lucas kept a safe distance but followed her to the dining room.
Nelle stood over Sam, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Nelle pulled Sam's hair to the side using her knife.
"Oh my gosh," Lucas cried. "Sam…. We need to call an ambulance."
"Sam will be fine." Nelle rose again and walked around the table. "Sit down, Lucas, before your burger gets cold. Sam never set it out for us." Nelle turned around and dug through the bag.
Lucas set Wiley on the floor, then tackled Nelle to the ground. He struggled for the knife. He managed to pry her fingers open, and the blade slid across the floor. When Nelle tried to wriggle out of his grip to reach for the knife, keys jingled out of her pocket. Lucas grabbed them and crawled quickly to get Wiley. Nelle dove for the knife as Lucas rose with Wiley in his arms.
"I'm going to get help, Sam!" Lucas shouted.
He raced to the doorway, Nelle trailing him. He shoved a key into the lock, but it didn't fit. He tried the next.
"Where do you think you're going, Lucas?" Nelle asked, holding the knife up and stepping towards them.
Lucas pushed in the next key and heard a click. Not thinking to grab the keys, he darted down the driveway towards his car. Nelle followed. He jumped in the driver's seat, Wiley on his lap, not bothering with seatbelts. He started the ignition.
He jolted when Nelle belly-flopped on the front hood.
"Where are you going, Lucas?"
He backed the car up and she slid off. He sped down the street.
GHGHGH
"I think I better go back to bed." Georgie yawned.
"I really enjoyed our visit," Frisco again. "I hope to see you again soon."
Georgie stood up and started walking towards her room on her own, then dropped to the ground and passed out.
"Georgie?" Frisco went over to her. "Georgie?"
GHGHGH
Esme stepped back with Ace when the door swung open.
"Esme, darling, I need to go to the hospital to check on Wiley," Nelle said. "And to do something while I'm there."
Esme's heart raced when she looked at Nelle's bloody shirt.
"I will be back soon," Nelle continued. "There are burgers and pie on the dining room table. They might be a bit cold now. But help yourselves." She blew her a kiss, then disappeared downstairs, and Esme heard the front door close and lock.
Esme looked down at Ace, then pulled her backpack over her shoulders. "Let—let's go check things out." She crept out to the quiet hallway, then downstairs to the front door. But no use because it was locked. "Maybe she keeps an extra pair of keys in her room. Or maybe she's hiding my phone there." She hurried upstairs again and went into Nelle's room. She glanced around. A poster of Carly hung on the wall with a bullseye and darts over her face. A framed photo of Nelle and Esme, who was looking at Maxie, at the party last week sat on the night table. Esme dug through it. She found marriage certificates for David Henry Archer, Julian Jerome, and Ryan Chamberlain. Underneath were files with information on Sam, Lucas, and Esme's families and a ripped photograph of Nina and Willow together at the Metro Court. Finally, she found a brass key at the bottom.
"Oh, please be for the door." She hurried downstairs again, Ace clutching tightly to her. She tested it on the front door. "No! It doesn't work." She tested the back door with no luck. Then, she stared at the basement door. "She left through the front door, then returned through the basement. There must be a way out of there." She swallowed hard, then shoved the key in the lock. It clicked open.
GHGHGH
Lucas burst through the doors of the ER, carrying Wiley. "I NEED HELP OVER HERE!"
Elizabeth and Willow rushed over.
"Wiley?" Willow reached for his hand. "Wiley, baby, are you okay?"
"What happened?" Elizabeth asked. "Amy, page Dr. Drake."
"Nelle happened," Lucas said. "He was passed out on the floor. She hasn't been taking care of him. I have to call the police. And send an ambulance to 1428 Elm Street. She stabbed Sam. I had to leave her."
"Nelle?" Frisco walked over to him after leaving Georgie's room. "Lucas, Felicia was going over to a Nelle's house."
"Oh no," Lucas said. He pulled out his phone.
"Mac? You need to send a SWAT team to 1428 Elm Street," Lucas said into the phone. "Nelle stabbed Sam. I got Wiley out of there, but I'm pretty sure Esme and Ace are still there. And Uncle Frisco says Felicia is on her way over there."
Mac paled as he hung up. He passed the information on to Jordan, then darted out the door and bumped into Kevin.
"Hey, you ready to go to Charlie's?" Kevin asked.
"No. Nelle has gone crazy… crazier than usual. I have to go save Felicia, Esme, and Ace."
"What?"
"I'll explain later." Mac jumped in his car.
"Well, I'll go with you." Kevin hopped in the passenger seat.
GHGHGH
Esme held Ace close as she crept down the creaky stairs. Dim light from a floor lamp spilled through the dark room. Moans came from the far corner. Bottles of embalming fluid and makeup kits sat on a table. Esme's eyes widened when she saw four coffins sitting in the middle of the room. Furniture surrounded them. At first glance, she thought they were mannequins sitting on the chairs and couch, but she froze in place when she recognized the body of Bobbie Spencer sitting between the bodies of two men.
When she turned her gaze to the body on the couch, she dropped to her knees and began hyperventilating. She would recognize Daddy's face anywhere, even if he were dead.
The muffled moans grew louder and her head turned, her breathing still fast. Carly Spencer lay gagged and tied to a table, trying to get Esme's attention.
GHGHGH
Maxie hopped off the elevator and found Nurse Amy at the desk. "Hi. My father just called me to say my sister Georgie is here. Is she all right?"
"Yes, she fainted," Amy said. "Her blood sugar is a little low, so we're going to keep her overnight."
Molly came running from down the hall and stopped at the nurse's desk. "Have you seen my mom? Was she taken for tests or something?"
"No," Amy said. "She wasn't. Are you sure she's not in her room?"
"I'm positive," Molly said.
GHGHGH
Esme did her best to gain control of her breathing as Ace buried his face into her chest. She slowly got to her feet and tried not to look at the dead bodies—especially Daddy's. She held Ace in one arm and pulled off Carly's gag with her free hand.
"G-get me out of here, I'm in labour…" Carly screamed.
When Esme reached for her binds, someone grabbed her arm and she screeched.
Nelle stood there, holding up the knife. "Esme, it's time for bed."
Esme's breathing sped up again, when Nelle prodded her upstairs.
"Wait, come back!" Carly yelled.
Nelle pushed Esme and Ace through the hallway, and Esme saw Alexis, in a hospital gown sprawled out on the floor near the front door, groggy and calling out for help.
Nelle prodded Esme and Ace upstairs and back into their room. "Get some sleep and we'll talk in the morning." She slammed the door and Esme heard her lock it.
GHGHGH
Felicia pulled in front of Nelle's house and jumped out of the car. She darted up the lawn and got her gun ready. She tested the door, but it was locked. She knocked.
The door swung open. Felicia spotted Alexis.
Then she saw Sam crawling along the floor, blood spilling from her stomach. "Mom…."
"What the hell? I demand to see my daughter," Felicia said.
Nelle held up the knife and stabbed her shoulder. Felicia screamed and dropped her gun.
GHGHGH
Upstairs, Esme heard a scream. Ace started crying. "I have to get you out of here, Ace." She put him in the crib and pushed the dresser in front of the door again. She then pulled the sheets off the bed and tied them together. Unplugging the lamp on the night table, she hoisted it at the window. It crashed through the glass and fell into a bush. She tied the sheets to the bed post and the other end around her waist. She pulled off her backpack and unzipped it. "I'm sorry, buddy, but you gotta go in here." She emptied the backpack, then put Ace inside. She zipped it partway, so his head was sticking out. He wailed. "I'm sorry, bud."
She put the straps over her shoulders, so Ace was in front of her. She climbed onto the window edge. Gripping tightly to the sheets, she lowered herself and Ace out the window, barely big enough for Esme to fit through. She screeched as pieces of glass cut through her arms and hips. She tried to walk down the wall, but they fell fast. She screamed as they missed the bush. She landed on her left leg and heard a crack.
GHGHGH
Mac and Kevin pulled up behind Felicia's car and jumped out. Mac had his gun ready. They hurried up the lawn and found Nelle standing over Felicia, knife coming down onto Felicia's chest.
Bang!
Mac shot Nelle in the chest and she felt backwards, knife slipping onto the floor.
"Felicia…." Mac dropped beside her. "Kevin, she's hurt."
Felicia pointed to Sam. "I'm fine… help Sam. Mac, find Frankie."
Kevin knelt beside Sam and held pressure to the wound.
GHGHGH
Esme heard sirens in the distance. She tried to stand up, Ace still in the backpack, but she shrieked. Her leg was in too much pain. She glanced up when a hand reached out to her.
"Come on, Frankie, I'm here to help." Frisco took her hand and helped her walk.