Before I can even begin to comprehend the vicious noises outside, or come to Nessie's aid, the door is suddenly kicked down; everyone else gasps and starts trembling. I can't tell what they are looking at. Suddenly, wind rushes past me, but something is wrong. The wind doesn't feel right.
Everyone starts screaming and begin making their way toward Nessie, but they aren't fast enough. Nessie's ankle suddenly jerks up into the air, and she awakens, screaming at the sudden pain. That must be awful to wake up to, I think. She screams in terror and agony as she is dragged out the door. I freeze; I can't see Nessie's feet anymore, and then her knees, and then her whole legs are gone. If someone doesn't do something, we will lose her again.
I dive towards the door, grab hold of her arm, and hold tight; I'm determined not to lose my best friend, ever again. She screams in pain as whatever it must be, pulls on her broken ankle. I wonder if I should just let go, because as long as I keep holding on, the more the monster will pull, and the more pain it will cause her, but I don't want to give her up. This feels almost selfish. However, before I can make up my mind, Mr. and Mrs. Görtz, Jason, Annie, Mr. Marsh, and the other people in the house flood around me and start pulling on me as I pull on Nessie. We start to overpower what must what they were calling “the shadow man,” and Nessie's crippled figure comes back into the light of the house. Just when I start to think we will win this fight, “the shadow man” pulls harder, and we are in all out tug of war, Nessie our rope. We're in the heat of the battle when Nessie screams out a desperate, strained, angry scream—
“STOP! JUST STOP!” Tears flood her eyes, and she looks so pitiful and pained. Just the effort of speaking alone is hurting her to an extreme; Her energy is diminishing as she yells, “ALL YOU'RE DOING IS HURTING ME! JUST LET HIM TAKE ME! JUST STOP!” I hadn't realized the extensive pain that it had caused her. Nessie's ankle falls to floor and she winces in pain, the breath taken out of her. This already pretty weird and freaky about the tug-of-war and Nessie disappearing and now she has just surrendered herself to him (I'm still not exactly sure who “him” is).
Now Nessie's pitiful figure just lies in front of us, breathing thick, heavy breaths, but the shadow man does nothing. Mr. Görtz comes to pick her up, and lays her down a little farther back from the door; “the shadow man” surprisingly does nothing. But then again: what can a non-existing person really do?
Annie notices the lack of movement and suddenly yells out a suggestion, “Come on! Quickly let's put the door up so he can't get in!” Everyone jumps a little—her voice sounds too loud in the silence that had taken over. However, before this can be done, there's a smacking sound on the broken down door—so no one can lift it up.
“Ohhz Anniez, youzz zeemed to forgetz we haz unfinizhed buiznezz...” That was weird. I hadn't heard anything but I just kind of thought the words or heard them in my head... I guess... I look as something lands onto the cold wooden floor of the house with the prettiest tinkling sound. Everyone seems puzzled, including Annie and Mr. Marsh.
“What's that?” Annie asks, but before there can be “another reply,” Nessie pipes up from farther back in the house.
“The—th—” she coughs on the words, “the necklace...”
“Why does it matter?” I ask, truly curious.
“It's what turns you in—“ Nessie cuts off abruptly. She seems to be fighting something. I see her eyes take on a new crazed expression that doesn't belong to her. It is almost completely unnoticeable to someone who doesn't really know Nessie, but I really know Nessie. Something isn't right.
“Give it to me.” Her voice is hoarse and strained.
“What?” Annie chimes in, obviously terrified and confused.
“Give me the necklace,” Nessie says again, “I want it.” I share a glance with everyone in the room. Annie looks utterly terrified. Mr. Görtz is still in bitter resentment, and seems very confused at what has just come out of his daughter's mouth. Mrs. Görtz looks just as scared and concerned as he does. Jason has a look as if to say, “What happened to my sister?”. Mr. Marsh looks horribly lost, and seems to have no clue what Nessie is thinking. Okay, I'm not the only one that thinks this isn't right.
“Annie, please give it to me,” Nessie says in a sweet tone, but I can detect a certain demand in her voice, and can sense she is losing her patience. Annie remains motionless.
“Annie. Bring me the necklace. Now.” Annie looks up at everyone cautiously, and ever so slowly scoops up the silver chain with the charm and begins to walk towards her. I study Nessie. Her glazing eyes never leaving the necklace, the crazed look on her face, her suddenly overactive salivary glands. This is not my best friend. If it was, she wouldn't want anything to do with the alleged shadow man and especially not that necklace. If this necklace came directly from him, it must be no good. I suddenly get a horrible feeling about this necklace. Annie keeps getting closer and closer to Nessie, and Nessie keeps getting more and more crazed. Everyone's expression has now gone from confused to worried. Annie gets within three feet from her, when I can tell she can't take it anymore. She is about to dive for the it. Nessie jumps, but I jump too, and tackle her before she gets to it, and now I am fighting with my now crazed best friend, determined not to let her up. Annie screams, and rushes over to her father who wraps her up in an embrace as she cries. Confused emotions are flickering across his face.
“GET OFF!” Nessie hisses, her sanity gone.
“Nessie you don't know what you're doing!”
“JUST GIVE IT TO ME!”
“NO!”
She growls, and then begins to sink her nails into my flesh. She tries to bite me, she snarls, she kicks, she screams, and grabs my hair, though I somehow managed to keep her down.
She keeps fighting, hard and vicious, but I stay on top of her, pinning her to the ground. Everyone rushes in to help me, but in the midst of the screaming and hurrying bodies, I can hear (for the first time) the still, haunting words of what must be the shadow man saying, “The weakerz youz arez, the strongerzsssss itz becomez...bwahazhaza...!”
YOU ARE READING
The Endless Night
Action"...never walk out alone..." Rumors have haunted the property around the little cottage for years. Vanessa Görtz and her family have just moved in and her parents are taking these rumors seriously. Vanessa decides to take matters into her own hands...
