The Others

Chapter 9: It's All Your Fault

Mr. Flinch POV

I sat at Abby's bedside holding her hand. Both of her arms were bandaged up as she laid still sleeping. I've been in this position before.

I feared being here again. In this position.... waiting. I knew Abby was like her in so many ways but I didn't want it like this. I squeezed her hand with mine and saw her eyes flutter open.

"Dad?" She said as clear as rain when she looked at me, "you should head home. Things aren't going well."

"How do you know?" I asked scrunching my eyebrows.

"I don't know," she shrugged but I could see that slight movement hurt her. Her medicine was wearing off. She put her other hand on mine. "Dad I'm fine now. Go check on the others."

I nodded and told the nurse that Abby was awake before quickly leaving to check on the others. I got in the car and my phone buzzed. It was The home number. Why didn't they call me from their phone?

"Daddy," I heard Lily crying on the other side.

"Pumpkin what's wrong? Where are you sisters?" I ask afraid to hear the answer.

"Emma... Isn't Emma anymore and... Sydney was taken away... I'm scared daddy. They're going to get me next..." She cried and my heart stopped. I started the engine and drove without stopping. Why am I being put through this again? Can't we just be left alone?

"I'm on my way pumpkin just hide until I come ok?" I tell her on the phone and listen to her crying while running around the house, "don't hang up ok pumpkin? How about you count for me ok?"

"Daddy I can't I'm to scared," she whispered into the phone.

"Count for me baby," I tell her. As long as I hear her voice I know she's ok. I know my baby is ok. She started counting through her tears. When I got out of the car I ran into the house to find Emma banging her head continually against a door that hadn't been there before. It was an old wooden door. All the paint was chopped off and the handle was gone.

"Emma," I called out to her and then remembered what Lily said about Emma not being herself. Emma had continued hitting her head and I grabbed her shoulder. She stopped hitting her head right away and opened her eyes.

"Dad?" Emma said rubbing her forehead.

"Emma where's Lily and Sydney?" I asked her. Emma held her head she looked more lost than I did.

"I.... I don't know... We were all sleep is all I can remember," she touched the bleeding on her head and I cupped her face.

"Let's find Lily I have her hiding," I tell Emma and listen back to Lily who was still counting and crying.

"Lily honey where are you?" I ask her carefully and Emma just listened.

"I.... I'm under my bed," she tells me and added "daddy please get here I'm scared."

I ran up the steps dragging Emma with me by her hand. When I tried to open the door to Lily's room the door was locked. I know there isn't a lock on this door!

"Lily! Lily honey open the door!" I yelled through the door. Lily only responded in a quivering whisper on the phone.

"I can't daddy," she was sobbing trying to hold it in, "she's watching me.... She won't let me out..."

"Who?!" I yelled.

"...... The woman... She doesn't like you.... She won't let you have us... She'll take us all," Lily sobbed. I back up and I was ramming into the door, "I have to go now daddy... She wants me to go with her... Please find me soon daddy," she hung up the phone.

"Lily!" I yelled just as busted through the door and fell to the ground.

"Dad," Emma said with a crying voice by my side. I looked around, under the bed and in her closest.... Lily was gone.... Sydney was gone.

"No!" I punched the wall and tears streamed down my face. Why couldn't I keep my family safe?

"Dad... Look," Emma slowly pointed at the wall over Lily's bed. The wallpaper was torn off there and there was a sloppy message written in red.

"It's..... All your fault," I read out loud. Why was I being tortured? Them haunting my kids was worse then coming for me. All these things happened to them and I couldn't stop it. I was powerless and yet it's my fault? I looked at Emma who was still crying and I hugged her tightly. "Let's.... Go back to the hospital... We can't stay here,"

On the drive it was quiet. Emma just cried to herself and I took one hand off the wheel to pat her back.

"I promise you... You will see your sisters again and we will be together just like before," I made a promise that will happen... Or I'll die trying.

"Dad... Please don't make promises you can't keep," Emma tells me and that broke my heart. Not only am I losing my kids literally but now they're losing their faith in me.

We stayed silent up until we got into Abby's hospital room. Abby was sitting up in her hospital bed watching the tv. Emma immediately ran and hugged Abby.

"Emma careful she's still in pain," I said cautiously and Emma let go of Abby. Abby was always like that. She'd never show how much pain she was really in wether it was physical or emotional.

"Where's Lily and Sydney?" Abby asked looking from Emma to me. I sighed and closed the door behind me as I walked over to her bedside.

"They took them..." I told her and I could see her crumble. She broke down in tears like she was a little girl and I wrapped my arms around her. No matter how much she was hurting from my embrace she clung on. Her emotional pain was a lot worse. Emma started crying again to and I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into the embrace.

I won't let it end here. I won't let them win.