Chapter 3
“Onward to Nowhere”
Grace awoke next to Annie. They were together in bed and it was already night! The door was barricaded and Grace’s father was in the room sitting in a chair. “Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“What happened?”
“What do you mean?”
Grace wondered if she was confusing dreams with memories. “Somebody was trying to get into the room while you were gone.”
“I know. You already told me.”
“I did?”
“Yeah.”
“Dad?”
“What?”
“He’s looking for me. I’m the one he wants.”
“You told me and I believe you, honey. If I find him, I’ll kill him.”
“Dad?”
“What?” Grace said nothing else. “Get some sleep, honey. You’re safe. I won’t let anybody hurt you.”
Morning: The sky was dark and ominous, flashing with lightning and rumbling with thunder. John led his daughter and Annie out of the hotel. “Most of the lunatics I’ve encountered have been there,” he pointed, “and there. The hags seem to be looking around there. If we go this way,” he led the girls forward, “maybe we won’t encounter anybody.”
“Hopefully,” Annie expressed.
“Yeah,” Grace agreed.
The three kept close to cover as they ventured into the eerily silent depths of Eldritchville. While wandering the streets of a neighborhood, Mr. Elderberry suddenly perked up. Annie wondered, “What?”
Mr. Elderberry gestured for her to be quiet then for everyone to hide. The three watched a man armed with a revolver and wearing a backpack, cross the street, look around then enter a house.
“A lunatic?” Annie wondered.
“No,” Mr. Elderberry told her. “That guy didn’t have a disturbing demeanor like they do.”
“If he might be normal, should we go talk to him?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Just because he’s not a lunatic, doesn’t mean he’s friendly.”
The three moved on under the darkness and flashing light of the rumbling sky. Annie uttered, “I hope it doesn’t rain.”
John chuckled, “Of all the things to worry about.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I like your attitude.”
Eventually: “How?!” Mr. Elderberry exclaimed. The monument of a naked young girl was right before them! “No matter where we go, we can’t get anywhere! How?!” Thunder rumbled as if laughing at him. “Shut up!”
“Dad,” Grace tugged at his arm. She was looking up at him, her eyes wide with fright.
“I’m sorry.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
That evening: The girls were nestling in the office of a furniture outlet. Mr. Elderberry was in the building, but was busy locking and or barricading doors. They were not going to roam about at night! The dry storm continued to flash and rumble outside. John assured himself, “People will be looking for food or weapons. If no one knows we’re here, then no one will bother with this place.” He rejoined the girls.
“Mr. Elderberry,” Annie addressed. “Are you all right?”
The man smiled and rubbed the girl’s head. “As long as you two are all right, I’ll be all right.”
“Dad?”
“What?”
“I’ve been thinking about that guy we saw today. I think there might be other normal people in Eldritchville. They’re probably hiding because of the lunatics and hags, too.”
“They are.”
“Don’t you think we should look for them; the normal people? We can’t leave Eldritchville, so we might as well find someone who’s in the same dilemma we are.”
“If we find someone, we’ll find someone, but we’re not going to roam around looking for normal people. We’re more apt to encounter hags or lunatics.”
“It’s just an idea.”
“Maybe it’s a good one, maybe it’s not, but we’re going to keep the risks down to the minimum. I’m going to get you girls out of here, one way or another.”
Grace walked the dark, empty corridors of the Eldritchville Elementary School, wondering why she was here so late at night. Fortunately, she had remembered to bring her flashlight. She went into the library. “Grace?” she heard Prudence’s voice. Grace shined her beam on the girl. Prudence blocked the light with her hand. “Don’t blind me!”
“Sorry.” Grace aimed the beam down. “Why are we meeting here?”
“Because the crazies don’t come here.”
“We could’ve met at a church.”
“No! The crazies like churches. Never go to a church in this town.”
Grace still wondered, “Do I know you?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“We’ve met.”
“When?!”
Prudence stared at Grace, giggled, then asked, “You still don’t remember?”
“No!”
“Grace, he brought you here because he wants you.”
“Who’s ‘he?’ What are you talking about?”
“He’s going to marry you.”
“Marry me? I’m only nine.”
“You’ll be his Mother.”
“What?!”
“He’ll be born anew and become more powerful than he’s ever been.”
“Stop it. Stop talking like that. I don’t like it.”
“He’ll teach you. Your powers will awaken and you shall be the Matriarch, the High Priestess.”
“Stop! If you don’t shut up, right now, I’m leaving!”
“Sorry.”
For a long, tense while, neither girl spoke. “Prudence,” Grace broke the silence, “who are you?”
“I’m one of the Teacher’s students.”
The girls were startled upon hearing, upon feeling a dreadful presence enter the school. Grace whispered, “Are we expecting someone?”
“No.”
The two girls could hear the footsteps approaching. Prudence suggested, “Turn off your flashlight.”
Grace did so, but knew it was a useless effort. The presence could feel her. “We need to get out of here.” Grace switched her light back on and led Prudence to the back of the library. They slipped out the fire exit and ran into the night.
Grace peeked over her shoulder. She saw a shadowy figure coming out of the school after them! No– he was coming after her.
“Grace,” he called in a voice that was frighteningly familiar!
Grace awoke in the office of the furniture outlet. Even in the dark, she could see Annie was still cozy next to her and dad was asleep, sitting in a corner. Had Grace dreamt? Maybe. Still, the dread she felt was very real. The shadowy figure, the foul familiarity of his voice and presence, felt very real. Who was he? Grace would know if she truly wanted to. In her heart, she never wanted to know. Whoever he was, he was the Purifier... and he hated her with all his heart.
Morning: Mr. Elderberry and the girls sat together in the furniture outlet listening to the downpour that rained outside. Grace asked, “Are we going to go out?”
“Maybe,” her father considered.
“Let’s wait.”
“You two can wait here.”
“No! Dad, don’t ever leave us again! That guy is still looking for us– for me. I think he can sense me, because he always finds me.”
“I’ll wait.” Mr. Elderberry hugged Grace and kissed her head. “I won’t leave you. If we go anywhere, we go together.”
“I had a dream last night. I saw him.”
“In a dream.”
“Dad, it wasn’t just a dream! It was real!”
Flashes, cracks and booms joined the downpour. Annie commented, “I don’t think it’s ever sunny in this town.”
Mr. Elderberry chuckled, “Probably not.”
Ann
ie produced the deck of playing cards. “Anybody want to play?”
“Sure,” Grace agreed.
Mr. Elderberry shook his head.
Grace asked, “What’s the game?”
“Whatever.”
The front door rattled! Annie hoped aloud, “Maybe it’s the storm.”
Mr. Elderberry picked up his pistol. “Maybe not.” He peeked. Nobody was outside– that he could see. “Girls, pack up.”
“Dad, we shouldn’t just rush out. Whoever it is might not even know we’re here.”
Annie added, “But they might, if they see us or hear us leave.”
Mr. Elderberry sighed. “We’ll wait– for now.”
A short while later: they heard the back door rattle! “Someone’s walking around in a storm trying to get in here,” Mr. Elderberry concluded. “I’m assuming they know we’re here. Everybody pack up.”
Grace asked him, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to kill Mr. Curious. Wait here.”
John went into the back and listened. He heard only the storm. He flung the back door open and jumped back! He then stepped outside into the rain. Nobody was outside– that he could see. He went back inside, closed and barricaded the door and went in to get the girls. They were gone! “Grace?” No answer. “Grace?! Annie?!” No answer. “Grace! Annie!” Thunder cracked as if in irritated response.
The front door was still locked. The floor in front of the door was still dry. “Grace!” No answer. Every other door was still locked and barricaded. John looked around for wet footprints or any other sign of an intruder. Nothing. “How?!” John ran out into the pouring, raging tempest. “Grace! Annie!” Only thunder answered him.
Inside the outlet: “Is your dad outside?” Annie wondered. They heard, over the storm, Mr. Elderberry calling their names.
“Dad?” Grace called towards the back of the building. “Dad?!”
“Why did he go outside?”
“I don’t know.” The girls went out front. “Dad!”
“Mr. Elderberry!”
“Grace!” called the distant voice of Mr. Elderberry. “Annie!”
Annie wondered, “Where’s he going?!”
“I don’t know.”
The girls ran out into the rain in search of Mr. Elderberry. Annie asked, “Where’d he go?!”
“I don’t know.”
The two girls ventured further into the tempest when they suddenly spotted someone perched on a rooftop. The girls hid. Annie remarked with a question, “Who’s stupid enough to be on a roof during a lightning storm?”
“I don’t know, but I know I don’t want to meet them.”
“I think we should go back.”
“Maybe.”
Annie reminded, “All our stuff is there.”
Grace considered going back. “No,” she decided. “Whoever was trying to get in earlier might be back.”
John hid. A man was wandering around in the storm wearing only his underwear, a hat and sandals! “Definitely a freak.” Mr. Elderberry snuck out of the area in search of Grace and Annie. Somehow, he was sure the girls were all right... for now. He dismissed his certainty as desperate optimism.
Lightning struck a tree, breaking off a branch. Annie told Grace, “We need to get out of the storm!”
“You’re right.”
The two tried the door of a building. It was unlocked. They went in. “Hello,” someone unseen greeted. The girls ran back out into the storm!
John watched an armed group of three men and a woman. Their eyes were wide and their mouths grinning. They were lunatics– and they had someone in tow; a frightened woman. One of them told her, “You shouldn’t be out during an electrical storm.”
“Yeah,” another chuckled. “It’s dangerous.”
“Let go...,” the captive struggled. “Let me go!”
“Don’t worry: We’ll kill you before we cook you.”
Another added, “And we’ll give what’s left a proper burial.”
The group laughed.
The captive screamed. “Help me! Somebody, please!”
“Don’t whine about it, Lucy. Death befalls us all, sooner or later.”
“You sooner,” the lunatic woman giggled. “Us later.”
Shots rang out! Lunatics winced, cried and dropped– but none of them died. A fat man raised his shotgun. He shook as he absorbed bullets. John hurriedly reloaded.
“There he is!” the lunatic woman pointed– until shot in the throat.
“Hey!” a man yelled. John shot him dead.
One unarmed lunatic remained. “Come on!” he challenged. “Fight like a man!” John blasted him in the face.
“Hey!” someone shouted from elsewhere. Shots rang out and voices could be heard, even over the cracking and rumbling of thunder.
“Let’s go,” John urged the woman he had rescued.
“No!” she pulled on him. “This way.” John followed her.
Annie and Grace heard a storm of gunshots, even over the rain, wind and thunder. “It might be your dad.”
Grace cautioned, “Maybe not.”
“What if it is?”
Grace had no answer. “We need to find a place to hide.”
John followed the woman he had saved. He asked her, “Where are we going?”
“To join the others. We’ll be safe with the others.”
“I’m John.”
The woman giggled, “I know who you are, silly.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” The woman asked him, “You don’t remember me, John?”
“No.”
“We were neighbors.”
“Where?”
“Here: in Eldritchville.”
John told her, “I’ve never lived in Eldritchville.”
“Yes, you do!”
“I’m sorry, miss, but you must be confusing me with someone who looks like me and has the same name.”
“You’re John Elderberry. You and Martha lived only two houses down from us. I’m Lucy; remember? Lucy Lee?”
John shook his head, “Sorry.”
“That’s okay, sweetie. You’re probably still shaken up by the whole incident.”
“Incident?”
“Yeah.” The woman brought John to a community center populated with armed men and women. “Uh, oh.” This was where he had seen... the cannibalistic party!
“Don’t worry, John. You saved me. Nobody’s going to hurt you. Come in with me.”
John smelled something cooking. He did not want to guess what it was. Some of the people were approaching. John ran.
“Wait!” Lucy called after him. “John, wait! We forgive you!”
Whether they forgave him or not, he was not going to join these people for lunch!
“A church,” Annie suggested.
“No!” Grace pulled her back. “The crazies like churches.”
The two found shelter in a bookstore. Annie tried to joke, “At least we’ll have something to read, if we get bored.”
“Yeah.”
“What do we do now?”
“I don’t know.”
For a long while, neither of them said anything. “Grace?”
“What?” Annie hugged her and squeezed. Grace returned the embrace and assured her, “We’re going to be okay.”
The rain stopped, but instead of the sun shining through the clouds, the sky grew darker, much darker. Thunder seemed to growl then all was tensely calm and quiet. “What’s happening?” John wondered. The air became cool, crisp and tingled with weird energy. John moved on. He had nowhere to go, but he was very much in a hurry.
“Something’s wrong,” Grace uttered.
“What?”
“I don’t know... but I feel it.”
“Did he find us?!”
“No.” Grace snuggled her frightened friend. “It’s not that. Something’s happening... everyw
here.”
“Everywhere?”
“Yeah. It’s like the whole world is about to change.”
John watched a comely, redheaded woman lead a dozen ugly, white-haired hags down a street. The beauty held a black, wooden rod; each end of which was in the image of an open hand with a blue crystal set in the palm. The crystals suddenly glowed! The priestess brought her procession of ugliness to a halt. She then outstretched her arms and looked up. She then gestured for the hags to head back the way they had come.
John wondered, “Do you know what’s happening?” He snickered, “Yeah, you do. You people are probably the ones causing it.” He followed them.
Annie mentioned, “We’ll need to find food again.”
“Yeah, I know.” The girls thought for a moment. Grace surmised, “We might have to go back to the furniture store.”
“We can’t!”
“It should be okay now. If it was... him, he’s already left... because I’m not there anymore. He’d think we’d be too scared to go back, so it might be the safest place to be.”
Annie worried, “What if it’s not?!”
“Then we’re going to have to look for food somewhere else.”
“What should we do, Grace? Maybe we should look for your dad again.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It’s too dangerous to wander around town.” Grace thought for a moment then concluded, “I think we should go back to the furniture store.”
John watched the redhead lead her procession through the guarded gate of the Eldritchville School for the Gifted. A few beautiful priestesses and dozens of ugly hags surrounded the grounds or were on the roof. “A school?” John was surprised. “The ‘Teacher,’ huh? Is that literal?” One of the hag guards peered in John’s direction. When she pointed at him and called to others, the man hurried out of the area.
Grace stopped in front of the furniture outlet and looked through the windows. She did not see anyone... and she did not feel anyone. “I think it’s safe.”
“Are you sure?”
Grace stepped inside. “Come on.” The two looked around. “Let’s check the doors.”
John did not know whether the hags and beauties were chasing him or not, but he fled as if they were! Eventually, he happened upon... the monument. He slowed and panted. “You, again.” The dark sky, though still flashing, dimmed, enshrouding the town in deeper shadow.
Even in the fading light, John could clearly see something he had often seen but never noticed: The statue atop the pedestal looked... like Grace! “No way.” He read the inscription:
“Grace Faye Elderberry
THEN AND NOW, NOW AND FOREVER
Let he who has ears to hear, hear.
Let he who has eyes to see, see.
Beloved is our Daughter of Eldritchville,
she who hears the Stillness
and sees the Darkness.
The Curse unto her is our Dearest Blessing.”
John shrank away from the ominous thing. “Is this a monument... or a gravestone?” A bright flicker emphasized the statues likeness to Grace. “No way. This is not happening.” John turned and walked briskly away. “‘Not happening.”
Grace and Annie stripped down to their underwear and laid their clothes out to dry. “My dad might come back here to look for us.”
“That would be good.”
“Yeah.” Grace felt an internal chill. “Maybe.”
Annie stared at her friend. “Why don’t you want your dad to find us?”
“I do.”
“You didn’t sound like you did.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t understand what I meant.”
“I want him to find us.”
“So do I.”
John stared up into the flashing, flickering, growling gloom that had devoured the town of Eldritchville. “What a nice place to live.”
The man checked his pistol: it was loaded– with the last of his ammunition. “Thank goodness for knives and crowbars.” John wondered if it would be better to find a bullet-proof vest rather than more bullets. “Next time I snuff a cop, I’ll check him for body armor.” He remembered police officers he knew personally, most of whom were amiable. “Don’t think like that,” he rebuked himself. “Don’t premeditate killing people.”
Something was wrong: John could feel it. This town was beginning to feel uncomfortably... normal. “I hope I’m not becoming a local.” John shocked himself with a maniacal chuckle. “No. It is not going to happen.” He ejected a round from his pistol, picked it up and pocketed it. He patted the reserved bullet and promised himself, “I’ll put this into my own brain before I become one of them.”