The Haunting of Forest Lane

Chapter Fourteen

Lauren awoke to the sound of someone knocking on her door, she woke up to a man and a child standing in her room, she was confused.

"Hello Lauren my name is Anthony I work at a Florida State art museum and I'm a junior art teacher. I've been admiring your art for quite some time and my youngest student told me you were in the hospital so we wanted to come and visit you. Cassidy come say hello."

Lauren knew this wasn't real as soon as she saw Cassidy.

"Cassidy I know this isn't real."

Cassidy slammed the door shut, it was now just her and Lauren in the room together "Finally some privacy, and you can't leave."

"Cassidy come on leave me the hell alone."

"No! You cannot make me leave!"

Lauren gave the little girl a confused expression, "what is your obsession with us anyway?"

"Everyone forgets about me! Everyone. Camden is the only person who knows plays with me in her dreams. I like when she plays with me, but the demons aren't always the nicest to her and that scares her, you're going to get rid of me and forget about me like everyone else has."

Lauren felt sympathetic towards Cassidy. She looked at the little girl who was standing in a yellow dress a white head band and white shoes and she was holding a teddy bear. She had never seen Cassidy without demons around her, she was just a real 5 year old right now.

"Cassidy, can I ask how you died?"

"It was the pond. I know you know that I drowned but I was swimming with my brothers Roger went inside and he never came outside again until it was too late. Jason was only 7. Mommy and Roger both forget about me and I drowned in the pond. If you forget about me like my family did I'll disappear forever, but I'll make sure to bring Camden with me since she plays with me."

Lauren knew she had to lie to protect not only herself but her girlfriend, she knew Nicholas was coming but Cassidy didn't have to know that.

"We're not going to forget about you. We're your friends, but you have really mean friends that we need to protect ourselves from. We don't like when they're mean to us, they hurt us and we sometimes end up in the hospital which means we can't play with you when we're hurt. If you protect us, then we will hang out with you, you're stuck with us honey."

Cassidy smiled widely "Really Lauren?"

"Of course, just make sure your friends are nice and treat us nicely, so we all don't get hurt. I need to rest a little before I go home so we can all play together."

Cassidy disappeared after that, she didn't know why she lied to Cassidy but it was something seeing a child looking into her eyes for answers that broke her heart, in Cassidy's mind she was just 5 years old, who was robbed from her entire life. Cassidy loved teddy bears and loved playing, Lauren knew she didn't mean to hurt them but she knew Nick had to get rid of her too, because she was the reason the house was infested with demons.

Camden's phone was ringing. She couldn't find it. She was throwing blankets and pillows around Ally's room, "I have to find my phone it might be Lauren."

Danielle handed her, her phone, "It's Caroline she wants to talk to you."

"Camden hey! Lauren's nurse MJ called us, they're releasing her at noon today. I have to work and I have an emergency meeting, and I have Taylor's soccer game after school, can you pick her up? Ally is working, and Amani is tutoring a dance student. I know you hate driving but can you please pick her up?"

"Of course Caroline! I'd do anything for her. I'll get ready now!"

"Love you so much Cammie!"

"Love you too!"