Chapter 6-1

Chapter 6-1

The afternoon clock ticks by as EJ sits and watched from his bedroom window not daring to step further in the house where his sisters are or his father may be waiting. His mother watching like an eagle on its prey as she paced the living room. She to watches the clock as the minutes pass by into hours. She has made him a prisoner in her own home as she looked down the hall. Linda wringing her hands "No!!" I must not give in, he's mine this where he belongs.”

Linda turned the key over and over in her hand as she shakes her fist at the wall. "No I won't, I can't, there still hope for me, this has to work. I must give it a chance.” Placed the key back inside her pocket and sets the blocks up for Danny to play with. “Jim, this not working, he won't come out if you are all here. Please take the girls down to the park,” as she sighs packing them each a sack lunch pushing them towards the door.

Jim shrugged his shoulders takes a quick glance down the hall, “come on girls,” taking their hands.

“Yes daddy,” as they smiled at him.

Linda slowly walked down the hall, “alright EJ,” sitting down beside him, “its just me and Danny in the house.” EJ looks out the window watching the three of them leave down the road and nods back. Joins Danny in the living room for a while, but his eyes never leave the door and listening to every movement of the house. EJ’s muscle tenses, his ears kin to every sound.

His mother drops anything it rattles him into a corner, securing like a mouse in a cage. EJ heart pounding miles per minute as someone knocked at the door. EJ relaxes seeing his old friend Doctor Whitmore and Peter. “Hello Mrs. Stuart I was in the neighborhood heard that EJ might be sick,” as looked at Peter and back towards Linda, “and thought I would stop by.”

Linda stared down at Peter and Doctor Whitmore, “haven't I seen you before Doctor Whitmore?” She asked

“Oh yes that was me,” he replied; “now I am just a simple country Doctor trying to be a farmer that's all. Now then where's that boy of yours?” Not taking no for answer glaring down at Linda, Linda opens the door for them, Peter ran straight over to EJ as the fear melted away from his eyes. Danny jumping about the room seeing the both of them as Doc swings him around laughing. “And how have you been Danny?” He asked.

“Fine sir,” Danny replies as Doc sat him back down on the floor.

“Well, Linda looks like this boy needs some fresh air by the look of things,” as he looks around the room.

“Doc he can't go outside,” Linda replied, with omniscient in her voice.

“Why not? Its nice day out, he needs fresh air and sunshine. That's what's he used to. You can't keep him locked up. No sir, he got schooling and friends to play with and things to do. This boy bored stiff. Heck on the farm they kept him busy, surely you can find something for him to do.”

EJ tries to smile, “please mother,” as EJ looks into her eyes, “I need to do something besides sitting that room looking out the window. These are my friends, the only ones I have. Please don't turn them away too.”

Linda paced the floor looks back at Doctor Whitmore and Peter, “alright. EJ promise me you won't run off,” she said.

“I promise.” He said in the most convening voice he could muster.

“See Linda, that wasn't so hard,” Doc watching EJ, Danny Peter play together.

“No Doc.” She said as she watches tries to smile, “the hard part is what happens when they leave.”

Doc gazes around the room and down the hall, he has heard stories of the night in questioned and had questions of his own; the sanity of this home, as he looked about and felt the coldness, the emptiness that dawns this place. Martha’s right there is something missing as he looks at Linda, something just not right.

“Linda, might I suggest something?” As he smiled at the boy’s Peter and EJ, “what you need to have is an old fashion slumber party. Just EJ and his friends to lighten the mood. Send off his sisters to their friend's houses for the night. Invite all his friends over and make a big party of it. Trust me you'll have the best time of your life.” Hoping to get a foot in for the boys.

“Why I bet it will take some that fear right out your son and out of this old musty house. Peter here can help you with a list if ya like if you decide ya want to make it a surprise party even better. Of course, I’ll leave that up to you. I am just country Doctor these days,” giving her a wink and smile. “Oh, I didn't tell you we're all staying with Mrs. Trenny did I. Down the road so if you need anything just give us a holler and leave your porch light on.” EJ waves goodbye to Doc as he yells, “Peter be home before gets dark.”

“Yes Pa,” leaving Linda standing there.

“So that's why he looks so familiar a man in a dress. It’s amazing how everything changes,” while watching her sons playing with friends outside without fear. “Without fear oh no I forgot,”

Linda seeing her husband and daughters coming back from the park EJ sees them to as their eyes locked like on grid. Linda not waiting for something to happen between them, she rushed over to EJ side silently praying “not now EJ, please not now,” watching his muscle tighten, Peter watching EJ and his father as EJ mother quickly dashed by his side.

Peggy and Dona could feel the tension in the air as they smile waiting for the explosion. “Jim take them inside, don't just stand there looking at him go,” Linda replies as she holds EJ close to her to calm him down stroking his hair. “Shhh, it alright, he won't I promise EJ,” as Linda stokes his hair whispering to her son.

Jim looks back paused at the door shrugged his shoulders mumbling, “why couldn't she left things alone.” As he tries to smile, but instead gives a little smirk at his two daughters, “come on Peggy, Donna lets get cleaned up.”

Peter puts his arm around his friend letting him know he was still here as Peter watched EJ’s fathers and sisters go through the door. He to could feel the coldness that surrounds them. EJ relaxes, knowing that they are gone as his muscles still feel tight and mouth dry, but the fear never totally leaves him as he knows he is being watched from inside the house by two pairs glaring eyes. As the sun lowers in the sky Peter leaves him, looking back at the house. “EJ we will be back tomorrow, I promise.” EJ sat alone on the front porch in the cover of darkness of twilight thinking of the distance of his room.

Linda inside setting the table for dinner, hoping at least tonight she might have family dinner without interruptions as she council her daughters, begging them. “Please for me,” with tears, “leave him alone.”

“Yes mother,” they replied as they look down at the ground and out the window where he sat all alone.

“Jim not one word from you either, I won't have it, not tonight,” shaking her finger at him.

Jim mumbles a bit then looked away “alright, but I' am still right, and you can't change it for what it is Linda.”

“Jim I least have to try; he's my son and you can't change that, and I won't let you.” Linda opens the door of the house sits next to EJ on the steps knowing he will shriek back until he knows who it is and they won't hurt him. EJ hearing her voice, “its time to come in now son,” helping him up the stairs holding him close as he went through the doorway of the house.

EJ looked at his father and his sisters at the table staring at him as she guides him to the table. “EJ come, son, you can do it.” EJ missed the table as he quickly dives for the bedroom as his father begins to follow after him.

His mothers stepped in front of him “Jim "No!" Jim let him go, it’s alright,” pushing Jim back towards the table with the rest of the family. Linda walked down the hall where her scared little boy is and tries to calm him back down “Shhh now EJ. I promised you that he won't, now didn’t I?” As the tears slowly streamed down her cheeks as she glanced down the hall towards the kitchen.

EJ shaking as he looked around the room and down the hall. “I can't, mother. I just can't.” He replies as he tries to look into her eyes, hoping she understands.

“I know, I know,” she whispered back finally as she looks down the hall towards the table. “It's too much to ask right now,” as she swallows not daring to say the words. Linda carefully wrapped her arms around him until he's calm enough to leave him. Looks back only once, “let's try to make through this weekend EJ,” as she wipes the tears from her eyes. Linda walked back down the hall fixes him a plate of food for him sets it on a tray by his bed kisses his cheek before leaving him alone.

Linda looks at Jim with her cold hard eyes from across the room, “you promised…Girls, it’s past your bedtime,” as she picked up Danny takes him down gets him ready for bed.

“But mama,” they replied.

“I said bed!” Mother glares at them straight in the eye then back at Jim.

“Yes, Mother.” Peggy and Dona whisper as they leave the room.

Nothing was working out as planned according to the schedule as EJ goes over it in his mind looking out the window. So far everything has been lopped sided or thrown off track one way or another. “Where is everyone?” As EJ placed things on a diagram in his mind, “how can things have gone so wrong?” As looked down the hall. “Oh how I hate this place, it so suffocating and cold.”

“Its all your fault you know, all of it.” As Peggy walked into the bedroom, her eyes glowed with anger and so much hate, staring straight at him as she circled the room around him. “We were just fine without you,” as she looks down the hall towards their parent's room listening too them scream at each other. “You causing all that trouble, what did you think would happen? Of course, she would feel sorry for you when ya came up missing for days.

“I do have to hand to you, we never would thought you would have lasted this long without help. It’s a shame really that you survived. Now that I have two to worry about,” Peggy staring at Danny in the bed, “but not for long and if I get my wish and soon. It will just be me, you will be gone forever.

“Oh yes, brother I know all your friends, after all, they can't be too many that wear dresses around these parts. Something's never change brother and I am one of them.” Peggy looked at the window, smiling, throwing a rock at it from behind her back. “Now I wonder how that happened” Peggy watched the window shatter as the glass hits the floor. Peggy screams “Mother, EJ trying run again!!”

As EJ leaps to the corner of the room as his father and mother enter the room, seeing the broken glass. EJ huddled in the far corner of the room shaking as Peggy pointed her finger at him nearly laughing as she accuses him. Danny crying because of all the noise in the room ... Linda flings to EJ side shielding him from everyone. “That's enough!” Not caring about the broken window. Checking make sure EJ's alright, stepping around the broken glass.

Linda screams again, “that's enough….! I can't take it anymore from you, get out, all of you!!” Pushing Jim out of the room with the girls. Wrapping a blanket around Danny and EJ holding them close too her. Linda looked down against the wall seeing the rock as white temper boils within her staring down the hall. She knows if he wanted to run he would have done so, why wait till now; knowing his friends are just down the road. “Shhh EJ, its alright I'm here now,” as his mother stares down the hall towards her daughter's rooms. “EJ you wouldn't, would you?” As she looked at him, as she stops to question the possibilities in her own mind.

“Mother I promised,” EJ replied with tears streaming down his face with terror in his eyes as he shakes against her. Wishing his Pa and Ma was here to take him home right now as he watched the shadows on the wall grow stronger as a strange wind beats around him. Wondering why she could not feel it or see it as the room grows cold.

“Of course you did,” as she kisses his head looking at the broken glass, “I didn't think so.” Linda carefully gathers up the broken glass with a broom, ”best I can do for now looking at her boys huddled together,” hanging a quilt over the window, Linda leaves the boys alone in the room.

“Alright girls!” Holding the rock in her hands, “someone has some explaining to do,” as she closed the door behind her. All you hear is arguing who done it as she grounds them both...

“But Mother...” Peggy pleads.

“No buts,” placing the rock on the counter as a reminder.

At least the window was easy for Robert to climb through that night as he looks about the room. EJ flings his arms around his brother, “where have you been?” He asked.

“Sorry been kinda of busy ya know, change of plans and all,” he replies.

“Tell me about it,” EJ pointing at the schedule they made at school.

Robert tries to smile, “about that brother,” Robert said gazing again at the broken window,   “I can't stay long, just came here to deliver a message.” EJ face nearly went white and into a panic as he falls back onto the bed looking up at his brother. Robert sits on the bed putting his arms around his brother as he whispers in his ear the message...

EJ head turned slowly to Robert with wonderment. “You mean it?” EJ asked.

Robert nods his head, “yes brother, we’re all here for you, we just need to figure out how to get you out past the doors and those blaming sisters of yours.” With a hug and pats him on the back. EJ watched his brother Robert leave down the road as he waved to Will as they put the ladder behind Mr. Johnson shed head back down the road.

EJ slowly turns around climbs back into bed thinking about the message over in his mind. Closing his eyes as he slept when his mother checks on him. She sees a soft smile on his face and wonder's “maybe theirs hope yet,” as she approaches close to his bed.

Her shadow draws near as terror awakens him, he screams as the coldness enters the room. Huddling in the corners of his bed shaking, Linda weeps to see her frightened boys. Tries to calm them as EJ looked down the hall as if somebody was there or in the room, but nobody was there except her that she could see. EJ face white with terror with Danny holding on tight to his brother as they both watched the corners of the room.