Something Wicked This Way Comes

In the Still of the Night

The familiar sound of a car pulling into the driveway reached Marley's ears, signaling the return of her mom and her boyfriend from the Halloween party. Panic fluttered in her chest as she glanced at Jake, their eyes exchanging silent agreement. The evening had been far from uneventful, and now they had to mask the supernatural turmoil that had unfolded in the alternate dimension.

With a quick and practiced efficiency, Marley and Jake ushered her siblings to bed, reassuring them with hushed voices and promises of sweet dreams. As the bedroom door closed, enveloping the little ones in the safety of slumber, Marley turned to Jake, a shared understanding passing between them.

Downstairs, the door opened, and the murmur of conversation floated into the house. Marley's mom and John laughed, their voices mingling with the sounds of a Halloween night well spent. The facade of normalcy needed to hold a little longer.

Marley and Jake made their way to the living room, acting as if the night had been a typical babysitting venture. The mirror in the hallway caught Marley's eye, and she hesitated for a moment, her gaze fixed on its reflective surface. A shiver ran down her spine as a flicker of dread crept into her thoughts. 

Seeing Jake standing at the edge of the hallway, Cindy, her eyes sparkling with excitement, launched into the tale. "You wouldn't believe the costumes, Marley!" she called, "There were superheroes, monsters, and even a giant inflatable dinosaur. It was quite the spectacle!" Marley's attention shifted to her mom; she forced a laugh as she came around the corner into the living room.

John chimed in, his laughter adding to the buoyant atmosphere. "Your mom rocked her black cat costume, by the way. She was the talk of the party!"

Marley couldn't help but smile at the image of her mom in her cat ears, tail, and whiskers. It was a stark contrast to the supernatural hell she had just experienced in the alternate dimension.

Her mom continued, "And the music! It was a blast from the past—'80s hits that took me back to my younger days. Though, I have to admit, the crowd was a bit younger than I expected."

Marley's eyes met Jake's, a knowing glance passing between them. Her mom had a penchant for hoping for more sophisticated gatherings, and a party filled with younger revelers likely fell short of her expectations.

Her mom giggled, as if reading Marley's thoughts. "It was a bit too youthful for my taste, I must say. But the energy was contagious, and we had a good time."

John added, "We did win the costume contest, though! A little surprise for us."

Marley burst into laughter, picturing her mom and her boyfriend in a playful cat-and-mouse costume pairing. "Of course, you won! Classic, yet so creative. I bet everyone loved it."

Cindy chuckled, sharing the joke. "It was a hit, surprisingly. We even had a little skit prepared. I chased him around a bit, and the crowd loved it."

Her boyfriend added with a grin, "We might have hammed it up a bit. But hey, it worked!"

As the conversation wound down, her mom yawned, revealing traces of exhaustion beneath her lively demeanor. "Well, it's been a long night. I think it's time we all get to bed."

Marley nodded in agreement, concealing the horrid events that had transpired earlier. "Yeah, it's been quite a night."

With the adults settled in, Marley and Jake excused themselves, claiming the need to check on her siblings once more before turning in for the night. A look of surprise crossed her mom's face. "Well, this is a change of pace." she said smiling. Marley looked over replying with a lie, "Well they did have a lot of candy tonight, I just want to make sure they are sleeping still." 

"Oh ok, that's a good mini mommy" her mom said to her with sarcasm. Marley stuck her tongue out at her.  As they ascended the stairs, Marley couldn't shake the sense of unease that gnawed at her.

In the dimly lit hallway, they paused outside each bedroom, peeking in to ensure peaceful slumber. The routine was familiar, yet tonight held an undercurrent of tension that refused to be ignored.

As Marley and Jake looked in on her siblings, her gaze lingered on the mirror once more. In its reflective surface, she caught a fleeting glimpse of Mary Shaw—a shadowy figure, indistinct but undeniably present. A chill crawled up Marley's spine, and a sense of foreboding settled over her.

Jake noticed the change in her demeanor. "Is everything okay?" he whispered.

Marley hesitated; her eyes still fixed on the mirror. "I thought I saw something. Mary Shaw."

Jake's expression tightened with concern, his eyes flickering to the mirror. "We got away; we beat her. How could she still be here?"

"I don't know," Marley replied, a note of apprehension in her voice. 

Armed with determination, they went from room to room, checking each mirror, ensuring that Mary Shaw's malevolent presence had been banished.

In the kids' bedroom, they inspected the mirror with a careful eye, searching for any lingering shadows or signs of the malevolent entity. The reflections remained undisturbed; the room bathed in the comforting glow of the night light. 

As they came to the conclusion that things were ok, Marley felt a weight lift from her shoulders. It seemed that Mary Shaw had been thwarted—for now. They made a vow, to never speak of her or her haunting poem again. The supernatural struggles had taken their toll, and they were eager to put the shadows behind them.

In the hallway, Jake turned to Marley. "We did it. Mary Shaw won't be coming back."

Marley nodded, a mixture of relief and resolution in her eyes. "Let's just forget tonight."

Marley reached out and wrapped her arms around Jake's waist. His arms wrapped around her shoulders; he kissed the top of her head. "Everything is good babe, ok?" he said to her. 

"Ok, yeah." she sighed, looking up at him. He leaned down and kissed her lips. " I will see you tomorrow." he said letting go of her. 

As Jake left to head home, Marley lingered in the hallway for a moment, watching him disappear down the stairs. The events of the night had forged a bond between them, a shared experience that transcended the ordinary.

"Goodnight, Jake," she called, her voice carrying gratitude.

"Goodnight, Marley," he replied, his smile reflecting a sense of camaraderie.

Alone in the hallway, Marley took a deep breath, preparing to retire for the night. As she walked to her bedroom, a sense of calm settled over her. The mirrors had been checked, the malevolent entity banished, and a new day awaited.

However, as Marley slipped under the covers and closed her eyes, a faint laughter echoed through the stillness of her room. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she hesitated for a moment, the laughter unmistakably familiar.

"Billy!" Marley gasped. Her eyes searching, finding nothing. 

Marley shivered, the echo of Billy's laughter fading as quickly as it had come. In the quiet of her room, she closed her eyes, determined to push aside the memories of the malevolent entities that had crossed their paths.

As sleep claimed her, Marley embraced the promise of tomorrow, vowing to leave the shadows and the echoes of the supernatural behind. The mysteries and challenges of that Halloween night would forever be etched in her memory, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of otherworldly forces.

And so, in the still of the night, the story of Marley's encounter with the malevolent entities reached its conclusion, leaving behind a sense of closure and the lingering question of what other mysteries the shadows might hold in the depths of the unknown.