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The Evil in Kansas
Part 2
********
I couldn't sleep. I knew what I had happened, that it was no dream. The lingering stink of the the "Thing", (I had the distinct impression it was a male spirt, but was unsure right then), was left hanging like rotting, melted damp and moldy linens. I wasn't afraid to sleep, no, I was pissed off! This was the first time as a mother, I had experienced a potential threat of this nature, to my kids and like any mother, I figured that "Thing" better be glad it had chosen to go, cuz I was all ready to kick ass!
That's what I told myself, but I was really more mad at myself for not sensing ANY energies the minute my feet had stepped on the property. I couldn't understand it, and decided to just get up, coffee up, and unpack. Both kids hadn't budged through any of it, it appeared. I decided not to say anything about it. What they didn't know couldn't hurt them...
Oh how wrong I was.
Dawn was approaching anyway and I had work later that night. I was excited and looking forward to unpacking and arranging with the kids their own rooms. That's all they had drove me nuts about prior to actually moving. I sat on the front porch as the sun came up coffee in one hand, cigarette in the other, tapping my foot hoping that they would hurry and wait their little butts up!
But lingering in the back of my mind, I was listing what needed to be done about the "Thing".
Finally, after too much coffee, unpacking the kitchen and dining room, and about 3 hours, both sleepy headed, clumsy from not quite awake, kids joined me on the front porch.
Ian slumped down onto a big packed bag of bed linen, looking cross and rubbing his eyes. Ivy, curled up in his lap, closing her eyes and snuggling him.
My alarm bells kinda let off a weak tinkling somewhere inside me.
Although not a morning person, Ian usually was pretty much in a talkative and mellow good mood after he woke up.
Ivy on the other had WAS a morning girl, happy from waking up and ready for the world.
Neither seemed like themselves.
" Well, how'd you sleep, you two?", I tried to force a cheery attitude when I asked. My kids are not stupid, and Ian gave me a look that made my spine prickle, while his sister just kept her eyes closed not saying anything.
"I had bad dreams all night, mom, and I couldn't get comfortable on that mattress. And I woke up cold a few times cuz you kept stealing the blankets", he growled, and gave me a hooded, dark look.
" Mommy farted too", Ivy chimed in with her two cents, grinning at her brother, who hid his smile with a snort. Why do kids find farts so funny?
"I did!?!", acting like I didn't know any better.
"You stink! You moved the bed too!", Ivy peeped. She knew she was cheering her brother up being silly, but I just caught her eyes looking distant and remembering what she had said. Had the "Thing" woken her as well? I told myself no, they had been sleeping, let it go, change the subject, have fun with them before they went to the overnight care while I worked.
"Well, who's ready for moving into their own bedroom!?" I asked excitedly to them.
"I don't care, mom", my son said, looking away. "You can do it", he glances quickly twords me with that weird look.
I felt like he was trying to push my buttons, start a fight or something, but Ian wasn't a fighter..
"Okay well you guys can at least help me to take boxes up into the rooms so you can unpack them later if you want. " I said heading in to start.
"We got to hurry up", I raised my voice then. I only had a few hours before they left. I figured they'd get into it after we started.
I was wrong.
Neither one of the kids brought anything farther up the 11 steps to the second floor than the 8th step. I would then get them, put them in corresponding rooms and return for another box.
You know you guys could be doing this yourselves, I said after 15 minutes of this, frustrated.
Why it's not like you bought us a damned bed, or anything, Ian sharply stated, glaring.
Yeah!, Budda,(Ivy's nickname), sang, then stuck out her tongue.
My brain farted.. WTH!?! was the matter with them?
I had always had a sailor's vocabulary, and unfortunately it had rubbed off on the kids. Occasionally a swear slipped but Ian never ever swore on purpose.
Excuse me? I quietly asked, looking him directly in the eye.
My alarm bells were begining a faint ringing inside.
He looked directly back into my eyes, said nothing, and turned back to go down the stairs.
At the bottom he yelled up at his sister,
And I don't need your help either brat! I was shocked!
Ivy turned to look at me, and I heard the front door slam.
Her big green eyes already glistened, tears ready to overflow.
Mamma... she came up the stairs into my arms for a hug, confused and hurt.
I could feel her hurt, my own tears fell. Ian was and had always been her best friend in the world. He'd fed her, he'd changed her. He would read to her, and play with her anytime she asked. When she was a baby, he'd put her in her car seat, buckel her up and drive the little golf cart at my old job, around, and around, until she fell asleep.
He'd never been mean to her ever. Not until that moment.
I tried to convince myself it was because of crap sleep, and all the excitement.
It was what I told Ivy, holding her, making it an excuse that I knew hoped would pacify her.
I went down the stairs, and laid her on the couch. She was tired, and soon fell asleep after her cry.
I headed after my son to confront him about his shit attitude. He was sitting outside on the steps, his head in his hands. He'd been crying.
What's wrong with me today Mom, he cried, leaning in for a hug, just like his sister had. I held him, feeling heavy again, and nervous.
I lied, and fed him the same B.S. I'd fed Ivy, that I knew I wasn't even able to swallow.
We're all just tired I think, Ian" I said, hugging him tight.
We didn't sleep well last night, I said quietly, that's all. Being tired can make a person mean sometimes, I explained.
Yeah, but I made her cry! he cried out, sobbing. I knew he was upset with himself, he felt I should be mad at him. I couldn't be mad at the situation or him.
I didn't believe he was to blame.
I held him, told him it was ok, I loved him, and I wasn't mad, and that Ivy wouldn't be either.
I have an idea, Ian. How bout I call my boss and take tonight off. We all could use a big good rest. Well make a tent in the living room, and camp out, ok?
I suddenly didn't want to be away from them tonight.
" Okay, he sniffed, smiling at me with his usual green eyed smiling face.
Ok, kiddo, lets get stuff ready while Budda naps. It'll be a good surprise after she wakes up".
I was able to get the night off, and we decided to order pizza, move the air mattress into the living room, and have a campout. It was a wonderful, restful night, and all was well between brother and sister.
About a month later, things went suddenly south, and frighteningly wrong again, when I woke from a nap to see Ian, holding his sister against a wall, both hands around her throat, choking it tightly, her face a deep red , his teeth barred, and I screamed
*******
© M.E.Purdy
********
I couldn't sleep. I knew what I had happened, that it was no dream. The lingering stink of the the "Thing", (I had the distinct impression it was a male spirt, but was unsure right then), was left hanging like rotting, melted damp and moldy linens. I wasn't afraid to sleep, no, I was pissed off! This was the first time as a mother, I had experienced a potential threat of this nature, to my kids and like any mother, I figured that "Thing" better be glad it had chosen to go, cuz I was all ready to kick ass!
That's what I told myself, but I was really more mad at myself for not sensing ANY energies the minute my feet had stepped on the property. I couldn't understand it, and decided to just get up, coffee up, and unpack. Both kids hadn't budged through any of it, it appeared. I decided not to say anything about it. What they didn't know couldn't hurt them...
Oh how wrong I was.
Dawn was approaching anyway and I had work later that night. I was excited and looking forward to unpacking and arranging with the kids their own rooms. That's all they had drove me nuts about prior to actually moving. I sat on the front porch as the sun came up coffee in one hand, cigarette in the other, tapping my foot hoping that they would hurry and wait their little butts up!
But lingering in the back of my mind, I was listing what needed to be done about the "Thing".
Finally, after too much coffee, unpacking the kitchen and dining room, and about 3 hours, both sleepy headed, clumsy from not quite awake, kids joined me on the front porch.
Ian slumped down onto a big packed bag of bed linen, looking cross and rubbing his eyes. Ivy, curled up in his lap, closing her eyes and snuggling him.
My alarm bells kinda let off a weak tinkling somewhere inside me.
Although not a morning person, Ian usually was pretty much in a talkative and mellow good mood after he woke up.
Ivy on the other had WAS a morning girl, happy from waking up and ready for the world.
Neither seemed like themselves.
" Well, how'd you sleep, you two?", I tried to force a cheery attitude when I asked. My kids are not stupid, and Ian gave me a look that made my spine prickle, while his sister just kept her eyes closed not saying anything.
"I had bad dreams all night, mom, and I couldn't get comfortable on that mattress. And I woke up cold a few times cuz you kept stealing the blankets", he growled, and gave me a hooded, dark look.
" Mommy farted too", Ivy chimed in with her two cents, grinning at her brother, who hid his smile with a snort. Why do kids find farts so funny?
"I did!?!", acting like I didn't know any better.
"You stink! You moved the bed too!", Ivy peeped. She knew she was cheering her brother up being silly, but I just caught her eyes looking distant and remembering what she had said. Had the "Thing" woken her as well? I told myself no, they had been sleeping, let it go, change the subject, have fun with them before they went to the overnight care while I worked.
"Well, who's ready for moving into their own bedroom!?" I asked excitedly to them.
"I don't care, mom", my son said, looking away. "You can do it", he glances quickly twords me with that weird look.
I felt like he was trying to push my buttons, start a fight or something, but Ian wasn't a fighter..
"Okay well you guys can at least help me to take boxes up into the rooms so you can unpack them later if you want. " I said heading in to start.
"We got to hurry up", I raised my voice then. I only had a few hours before they left. I figured they'd get into it after we started.
I was wrong.
Neither one of the kids brought anything farther up the 11 steps to the second floor than the 8th step. I would then get them, put them in corresponding rooms and return for another box.
You know you guys could be doing this yourselves, I said after 15 minutes of this, frustrated.
Why it's not like you bought us a damned bed, or anything, Ian sharply stated, glaring.
Yeah!, Budda,(Ivy's nickname), sang, then stuck out her tongue.
My brain farted.. WTH!?! was the matter with them?
I had always had a sailor's vocabulary, and unfortunately it had rubbed off on the kids. Occasionally a swear slipped but Ian never ever swore on purpose.
Excuse me? I quietly asked, looking him directly in the eye.
My alarm bells were begining a faint ringing inside.
He looked directly back into my eyes, said nothing, and turned back to go down the stairs.
At the bottom he yelled up at his sister,
And I don't need your help either brat! I was shocked!
Ivy turned to look at me, and I heard the front door slam.
Her big green eyes already glistened, tears ready to overflow.
Mamma... she came up the stairs into my arms for a hug, confused and hurt.
I could feel her hurt, my own tears fell. Ian was and had always been her best friend in the world. He'd fed her, he'd changed her. He would read to her, and play with her anytime she asked. When she was a baby, he'd put her in her car seat, buckel her up and drive the little golf cart at my old job, around, and around, until she fell asleep.
He'd never been mean to her ever. Not until that moment.
I tried to convince myself it was because of crap sleep, and all the excitement.
It was what I told Ivy, holding her, making it an excuse that I knew hoped would pacify her.
I went down the stairs, and laid her on the couch. She was tired, and soon fell asleep after her cry.
I headed after my son to confront him about his shit attitude. He was sitting outside on the steps, his head in his hands. He'd been crying.
What's wrong with me today Mom, he cried, leaning in for a hug, just like his sister had. I held him, feeling heavy again, and nervous.
I lied, and fed him the same B.S. I'd fed Ivy, that I knew I wasn't even able to swallow.
We're all just tired I think, Ian" I said, hugging him tight.
We didn't sleep well last night, I said quietly, that's all. Being tired can make a person mean sometimes, I explained.
Yeah, but I made her cry! he cried out, sobbing. I knew he was upset with himself, he felt I should be mad at him. I couldn't be mad at the situation or him.
I didn't believe he was to blame.
I held him, told him it was ok, I loved him, and I wasn't mad, and that Ivy wouldn't be either.
I have an idea, Ian. How bout I call my boss and take tonight off. We all could use a big good rest. Well make a tent in the living room, and camp out, ok?
I suddenly didn't want to be away from them tonight.
" Okay, he sniffed, smiling at me with his usual green eyed smiling face.
Ok, kiddo, lets get stuff ready while Budda naps. It'll be a good surprise after she wakes up".
I was able to get the night off, and we decided to order pizza, move the air mattress into the living room, and have a campout. It was a wonderful, restful night, and all was well between brother and sister.
About a month later, things went suddenly south, and frighteningly wrong again, when I woke from a nap to see Ian, holding his sister against a wall, both hands around her throat, choking it tightly, her face a deep red , his teeth barred, and I screamed
*******
© M.E.Purdy
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