ONE NIGHT IN THE CABIN HOUSE (Completed...)

11

“I wouldn't be doing that, I'm sorry.“ Claire shook her head after having what seemed like a deep thought about what Gracia said.
  “That is the—”
“I hate that idea. We should figure out another.“ Claire cuts through Gracia's sentence.
“I don't think there is another.“ Gracia shook her head.
“Ghosts can be unpredictable. She might decide to attack us while we're at it, and chew our flesh, then suck our blood dry. From the little I know about ghosts, the movies I've seen, they love human blood just like vampires.“ Claire knew her words scared herself a little.
“Stop that.“ Justine looks at Claire.
“That would be the main reason we carry out with what I'm saying we should.“ Gracia urged. “No one else should die.“
“What you said sounds unachievable to me. What if we don't succeed in getting rid of her ghost?“ Claire queries.
“No one is praying for that.“ It was Gracia.
“But we should be certain that—”
“It's going to work. I've seen situations like this on google, and it worked.“ Gracia breaks into Claire's statement.
“It's google. It might be scripted. You aren't so sure it actually occurred.“ Claire says.
“It's real.“ Gracia tried to make her believe.
“We're only going to be risking our lives. Does holding a dead human being bones sound fun to you. I can't risk to handle what that dead lady would do to us.“ Claire said.
“No, we would be risking our lives if we don't carry out on destroying Marylou's ghost as soon as possible, don't you understand.“ Gracia tries to make her reasons.
Just as the disagreement between the girls happened, the window did a crack. It appeared like someone opened it. The three girls looked up at it quickly and anxiously.
“What was that?“ Claire said lowly. Her heart was skipping.
“The curtain is lifting. This only means one thing.“ Justine says.
“What?“ Claire looks at her with eyes widened.
“The window is opened.“ Justine was somehow surprised that she asked.
“Oh, was thinking you would say something freaky“ Claire said.
“It was opened by something.“ Gracia said.
“Probably the breeze.“ Justine utters.
“It's not the breeze.“ Gracia's eyes were fixed at the direction of the window. She tried to figure out something from the dark.
“What are you seeing?“ Claire said when she noticed Gracia gazing pointedly.
“Nothing.“ She brushed through her hair. Gracia wasn't sure if she wanted to see anything, she knew if she did, she would forever live with the memory of it just like she was going to with the bleeding eyelids.
“I'll just check.“ Claire was already taking steps to the window.
“Don't go.“ Gracia warned.
“Come on, just to clear the suspicion.“ Claire said and went further on. She tried to shake off her fears. “It's just the breeze.“ She said to them, and gazed at the darkness outside. She didn't bother to stretch her neck since she was tall.
“The morning has abandoned us.“ Claire says and looked at them.
“God haven't.“ Gracia uttered.
“God did to Lee and Bate, don't you think he was unfair to let them die just like that?“ Justine said.
“Maybe he allowed it for a reason, don't doubt God.“ Gracia looked at her.
Justine sighs. “Perhaps I am already.“
Gracia shook her head and came to her arms. “God wouldn't let anything bad happen to any of us. Yeah the devil won with Bate and Lee, but not on us. We must believe in him, he's the only one that is able to set us free from here.“ Justine looked at Gracia and wasn't surprised by her speech. She was aware of how Gracia loved God and the Bible. Gracia was the only one out of her numerous friends that persuaded her on visiting the church every Sundays. She recalled the first day she met Gracia. It was 7 years agone, on a Sunday morning, Justine followed her grandma to church, she'd listened to the young girl of her age singing sweetly in front of the church. Not only her, but everyone admired the way she sang. Justine had walked up to her after the service and complimented her voice, and then they were exchanging phone numbers.
Gracia thought she saw the shadow swift past on the curtain. Was she imagining? Gracia wonders.
“I can only imagine what's next?“ Justine said.
Claire rotated to look at the window once again, “Dusky cold night.“ She was rubbing her palm.
“Should I close the window?“ She gazed at them.
As the girls were about to say whether or not she should, the black shadow Gracia had suspected she'd seen, appeared at the windowpane and behind Claire. Gracia and Justine eyes were widened in shock. Their gaze were on the tall figure.
“What's wrong.“ Claire asked when she noticed their facial expression.
“Behind you.“ Gracia cried, and the dark hands reached to Claire's neck.
“Ouch, my neck...“ Claire forced the words out of her mouth.
“Claire!“ Justine snapped. She looked at Claire struggling. “This is almost the same thing that had happened earlier to her.“ Justine said in fright.
“Help me, it's tearing through my skin.“ Claire says in great pain. “Arrrggghhhhhhh…”
“She's loosing her breath, Gray!“ Justine saw Claire breathing slowly and had become very afraid.
Gracia didn't know how to get rid of the dark hands pressing Claire's neck. She watched it pull Claire's body close to the wall. Her head half through the window. Claire was in pain.
“There's one thing that I could do.“ Gracia reasoned.
“What?“ Justine looked at her. Gracia didn't respond. She was heading to the door with haste. The cold wind slapped on her cheeks the moment she stepped outside. Gracia was going to the back of the house with courage. None of her friend should die again. Her mind kept on saying. She remembered promising them that she wouldn't let anything bad happen to any of them. Her shoes continuously stepped on the woods and broken objects that she cared less to notice. On reaching to the back of the wood house on where the window was seen, she watched to see the shadow but she wasn't seeing any. At the back of the house the window viewed far up at the wall. She heard hurrying footsteps and sniffling in the cold wind behind her. Gracia quickly turned around, she was going to hide when Justine called out to her. “Gracia!“ 'Justine?' Gracia said to herself as she started walking to catch up with her.
“Justine.“ Gracia caught sight of Justine searching the night with her eyes. She drew near and touched her shoulder, Justine flinched and turned her head.
“Thank God.“ Justine whispered and did the sign of the cross.
“What are you doing out here?“ Gracia inquired.
“I should be asking you that, what came over you? Why did you leave.“ Justine was shouting.
“Claire.“ Gracia remembered, and they were running back to the cabin house. Gracia's corner of eye had seen the tall shadow walk past quickly at a measurable distance in the woods, before she entered the little door. They saw Claire on the floor writhing in pain, her hands were on her neck. Hurriedly they reached to her.
“Claire.“ Justine fell to the floor and hugged her tightly. “I thought you were going to die.“ Justine said.
Gracia sat on the floor beside Claire and held her. She was combing through Claire's scattered hair.
“I was going to face the shadow, but it had disappeared.“ Gracia explained why she left the room.
“That's a risky decision you took.“ Justine gazed at her.
“I wasn't about to let it kill Claire. She was dying.“
“You could have been dead too, and then what?“ Justine said to her.
Gracia inhales. “Perhaps in heaven.“
Justine saw the red marks on Claire's neck. “You're injured.“ She told Claire.
“It's severe.“ Gracia observed the wound. “We're in danger, we must destroy Marylou's ghost.“ Gracia told them. “We are lucky that it left her. She would've been dead.“
“Claire, how are you feeling?“ Justine brought her eyes to Claire.
“I'm fine. Grateful I escaped death, again.“ Claire managed to mutter, her eyes were tearing up.
Justine glanced over the room. “Anyone could be the next, maybe that person wouldn't be so lucky.“
“I don't want to die, lord. I don't want to.“ Claire says softly and bent her head. Gracia drew nearer to her and placed Claire's head on her chest and patted it.
“You're not going to die. None of us is. I'm sorry this happened to you.“ Gracia glanced at the wound.
“It's nobody's fault.“ Claire mumbled.
“No one knows we're here. They would've sent a search team or something to look for us.“ Justine was worried.
“Our families would be so worried. They haven't heard a word from us in hours.“ Claire uttered in a low volume.
“Incase I'm no longer alive, please tell my Dad and my sister that I love them so much, and they shouldn't be cry much about me.“ Justine didn't want the tears to come on her face, she continuously blinked it away.
“Justine.“ Claire whispered and touched her hand.
There was quietness in the room as the three girls looked at each other thoughtfully with weak eyes. They had not had a moment of rest and it was clearly visible on their faces. Claire's wish was to visit the clinic and have a good sleep on a comfortable bed with nice sheets, just like the one at the inn and back in her room in Townfriday. Gracia waited for the girls to respond to what she'd said. They looked like they weren't willing to do anything. She sensed the fear in their faces.
“What're you saying?“ Gracia broke the silence. “You saw what happened, we must do something really fast.“ She added.
“Can't we do something else. I don't want to carry out with what you're suggesting. I'm scared, Gracia. I don't want to.“ Claire says with much worry in her voice.
“But we mu—”
“Claire, we should do this.“ Justine cut through Gracia's sentence as she gazed at Claire.
“But I don't want to. Anything concerning ghosts freaks me out, I'm keeping up with all of this because it's—it's.“ Claire stopped saying and groans soundly. There were more tears filling in her eyes.
“If we want to live.“ Justine pointed out.
Claire nods a little and said. “How do we proceed?“ She was still not sure she wanted to partake in it. “I'm doing this for Lee. He wouldn't want any of us to die.
“And Bate.“ Justine puts in.
“Lee, if you're present watching me, us, I'm sorry. Please forgive me.“ Claire glanced about the dark room. She was struggling with  the tears off her eyelids.
  “We should begin.“ Gracia said and was going into the small room.
“What if she heard us, what we're planning on doing?“ Claire whispered, as she peers about.
  “Just be quiet.“ Justine uttered softly.
“I'll get the skull.“ Gracia said with some fright.
“Thank God I'm not about to do that.“ Claire heaved a sigh.
“Not the skull, yeah, but the bones.“ Gracia turned to her to say.
“Why?“
“We must each be with something in contact with Marylou. It's mandatory.“ Gracia said.
“This is going to be a worst nightmare, undoubtedly.“ Justine added.
“Let's do this.“ Gracia looked at them, and Justine did a little nod.
Gracia was striding slowly towards the cabinet. The torchlight pointed fixedly to the corner. She inhales deeply, and was scared of what she was about to do, she wished they had another choice. With courage, she moved closer to the cupboard and glares at the bony structure. Gracia threw a gaze at the faces staring at her way. Justine's eyes read, are you sure you want to do that? She bit her lips and bent over to pick the skull. Her hand and body was trembling. 'do it.' Gracia whispers to herself and shut her eyes before holding the rough surface. In her hands she held a part of a dead human, maybe her skull would be held like this soon. With the thought of that, Gracia lets go of the heavy axial skeleton. Tons of fear was shooting inside of her as the skull hit hard on the floor and produced a loud sound.