Chapter Ten.

After finishing all his packing and taking a quick shower. He carried his stuff to his mother’s car. Hailey appeared just as he was about to head back into the house. She gave Jake a huge hug, the type that you would give to someone when you have not seen them for nearly a year.

“I love you Jake.” She said to him, still clinging on to him and not letting go.

“I love yo –”

“Ah Hailey, you’re here” Diane interrupted as she walked out the house with a handful of bags. “I guess we can get going then, is everyone ready?”

“uh, yes. We’re good to go.” Hailey responded with a smile on her face.

“I’m just going to go inside to check if I haven’t left anything behind.” Jake said.

He got into the house and did a thorough search. Making sure that neither him nor his mother had left anything behind. He started with the bottom floor of the house and he did not find a single thing. He then rushed up stairs and too to look in his room if he had left anything. His room was empty. There was nothing left in it beside his bed which was sold with the house. He stood there and suddenly started reminiscing about the memories he shared in his room with his dad as a child.

Just like Diane, Jake missed his father, but he also had a strong resentment towards him. He could never forgive him for what he did to him and his mother. He just left with no explanation at all. He Just woke up one day packed his bags and drove off, he never returned since.

“who needs him anyways.”

Jake Slammed his door and started walking out of the house, but suddenly he heard something slam into the kitchen window. He froze for a moment, until he heard it again. However, whatever it was, it seemed to smash the window the second time around, the glass had shattered all over the kitchen floor. Jake crept towards the kitchen to see what it was.

“What the –”

“Jake! I heard something break are you okay” Diane rushed into the house to stare at the carnage which had Jake completely unnerved.

“What in the world happened here.” Hailey said as she shortly followed Diane into the kitchen.

Shocked as to what was in front of them, they stood as still as a statute. 2 black crows had flown into the window. One of the birds had an injured wing and the other was laying on the ground with a piece of glass that had pierced through it’s body. Hailey got closer and knelt down towards the bird, black blood oozing from its body as it wriggled in pain. She held the bird in her hands and stared at it directly in the eye. Jake and Diane stood behind her in wonder, curious as to what she was doing. The more Hailey looked at the bird, the more could hear it’s heart beat slow down by the second, she could feel its body giving up and its body functions shutting down. The glass had done too much damage to its and the only thing that was keeping it alive was the fact that the glass was the only thing that kept the crow from bleeding out.

“It’s suffering” she whispered as she stared at the bird.

“Pardon?” Jake said to Hailey.

“The bird has to die Jake.” She said to him.

Hailey looked at the bird and gently stroked it, trying to calm it down, but something dark came over her, she had some kind of anger in her eyes like she had been possessed. She stopped stroking the bird and stared at it. She grabbed the birds head and twisted its neck aggressively. Killing it instantly. She pulled out the glass from its body and drove it through the other bird that was laying on the ground. She stabbed it several times with anger fueling her heart.

“Hailey! Stop!” Jake grabbed her and dragged her away from the birds and broken glass that was all over the floor. He held her tightly and grabbed the piece of glass from her hand and chucked it far away. After all the hassle Hailey eventually calmed down.

“What is this?” Diane Knelt down towards the dead birds, she stared at the strange and dark liquid that was slowly dripping out of them. she stuck out her finger and stuck it in the thick, dark yet warm blood. She got startled by the sound of her phone ring.

“Oh gosh, stupid phone. Hello Diane Speaking.”

“Hi, this is Michael, I just wanted to let you know that I will be 20 minutes late. I do hope I haven’t been keeping you waiting.”

“Oh no, not at all. We’re actually on our way to the house right now.”

“Great, I’ll see you soon.”

Diane hung up the phone and got up. Jake had helped Hailey clean the blood from her hands. Diane quickly cleaned up the broken glass in the house and chucked the two birds in a black garbage bag and put it in the dustbin outside. They finished cleaning up and rushed to the car.

“What about the window?” Jake said to his mom as he got in the car.

“I’ll inform the agent and make a plan to get it fixed sweety, don’t worry about that. Hailey sweety are you okay?” she asked her as she turned around and looked behind her seat to face her.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. It’s like something took control and –”

“You do need to explain yourself, it’s okay Hailey we handled the whole thing. Just come talk to me if something is wrong okay?”

“Yes, we’re all here for you Hailey.” Jake responded.

“Thank you so much, I’m sorry if I ruined your morning.”

“Don’t worry about it love.” Diane answered.

They drove off and headed towards the house. The drive was quiet and awkward. Hailey fell asleep in the car on Jakes lap. He stroked his fingers gently through her long, soft blonde hair. Jake questioned everything that happened earlier on that day. and the night before. He found these events strange. He failed to make sense of anything that happened, concern grew deep in his heart. But he had no idea on how to handle the entire situation.

They arrived at the house and Hailey immediately woke up when the car stopped. She starred at Jake for a few seconds before she noticed something on his neck.

“Jake what’s on your neck?” she asked him as she gently moved the collar of his jacket to one side.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the marks on your neck, it looks like someone was strangling you.” She said to him. She pulled out her phone and opened her front camera and gave it to Jake.

He looked at the marks on his neck and it did look like someone had strangled him, he touched the scars with his one hand and for a second he remembered the dream he had the previous night.

“That can’t be” Jake said softly.

“What Jake? What can’t be?” Hailey said to him.

“Guys come on, I could use a helping hand here” Diane said to the both of them as she started walking into the house with bags in both hands.

“We’ll talk about it later, lets get all this stuff out the car first.”

They unpacked the car and got everything into the house. Shortly after that, the agent arrived. He handed over the keys and all the papers to Diane. She invited him for dinner and a few drinks at the house to celebrate. And for once after five years everyone felt like a whole family once again. Michael (the Agent) was actually more than just the families agent, he was actually one of Diane’s closest friends, who has been really helpful to Diane over the years of her husbands absence. Jake felt like he could confide in him. He saw someone who always kept his word and would move mountains to help his mother.

Jake and Michael were also the best of friends, they always got along. In fact, Jake saw him as a second father, most probably the only father after his dad left. He enjoyed his company and appreciated the fact that he would check in on them every now and then. At the moment it felt like his timing was impeccable with everything that has been going on.

“I just want to thank you for inviting me over for dinner Diane, but it’s getting late now, and I think I should start heading home. I hope you guys enjoy your new house.”

“You’re more than welcome. And thank you for making all of this possible Michael. We really appreciate it, we definitely needed a change of scenery after all these years and what has happened. I think this will be a good start for everyone.” Diane said. She leaned over to give him a hug and show him out.

“Oh, and Jake, look after your mother for me okay, and be good to Hailey, you guys are perfect together. It’s about time.” Michael smiled and winked at Jake.

“ha-ha, you know I will Uncle Mike.” Jake responded.

Diane walked Michael out the house and shut the front door behind her. she gave Michael a long and warm hug. Showing how grateful she was for looking out for them. Tears ran down her cheeks as she finally realised that she is starting a completely new chapter with her son and they have been given a chance to move one from what happened.

While Diane saw Michael off, Jake and Hailey headed up stairs.

“Wow, the view of the garden is actually beautiful from here.” Hailey stood at the window in jakes room and stared out of it. admiring the view in front of her.

“Yeah, I guess it is. Look Hailey I have something crazy to tell you and I need you to listen to me, because I am honestly struggling to make sense it myself.”

“Okay?” she said as she walked towards Jake and sat beside him.

“The marks or scars on my neck, I think I got these from a dream, or at least it was a dream honestly I don’t even know what to call it.”

“A Dream?” Hailey said with confusion.

“Yes, I had this nightmare that there was something, well, someone in my room last night. but she was not a normal human. She was like some kind of demon or dark entity. I tried fighting her off, but she was too strong. And I mean unexplainable strength. She grabbed me by the neck and lifted me into the air. Hailey, I watch her crush my neck with her bare hands as if it were a toothpick. That is only a small part of the dream but that is the only explanation I have, because I didn’t have these scars before last night, I have a crazy dream and when I wake up I suddenly have matching scars.”

“Look Jake, I don’t know what’s going on. Weird things have been happening lately and I feel that the more we entertain them and pay attention to them it just seems to get worse. As crazy as your explanation sounds, I actually believe you, because I don’t know what is real anymore. So, let’s forget about all of this and just move on with our lives okay?”

“Yea you’re right I guess.”

The two laid in bed for a while talking away before they both fell asleep. It was a peaceful night for once and they both managed to get some proper sleep.