Is this Rare?

Chapter 24

Andrea pulls out her phone. I'm surprised, actually, that she even has one. She turns to me and asks bluntly, "What's Jennifer phone number?"

I'm not sure if Jenn even has her phone still, so I say, "I don't know. But, Ann's phone is still on the couch."

Then, she turns to Ann and asks again, "Well, what's your number then?"

In a surprisingly strong, clear voice Ann begins,"8648395177"

Andrea punches in the numbers and calls Ann's phone. I think Jennifer picks up on the other end. I listen as Andrea says into the microphone, "Get Out." Immediately she hangs up, puts her phone away and unplugs the lamp. She walks over to me. Towering in front of me, Andrea grabs my shoulders and jerks me up again. She places something soft and heavy in my hand and walks me towards the door. Her hands pressed on my lower back the whole time. I suppose Mary is following her too because I can faintly hear the clicking of her Mary Jane's on the floorboards behind me.

"Now, go downstairs. Put this doll on the counter in the kitchen, then, find Jennifer. Tell her she shouldn't be here, that she would leave and she could never have saved her friends! I figure that you're an actress, kind of, because of how well you played off my instructions last time. If you fail, I'll make sure that you never become famous. Don't fail."

She shoves me out the door and closes it. Before I leave, I hear the click of the key and Andrea's footsteps, followed by Mary's, click all the way back to Ann.

I think to myself, "You can do this, Chelsea. You have to keep your friends safe from Andrea. Ann will be fine. She is strong and knows what I told her to do."

I move to the stairs and go down them. With every creak of the boards, I wince. I'm in the kitchen now and place the doll ever so carefully on the counter. Before I find Jennifer, I examine the doll more closely. If I'm right, it's the same doll I found in the bathroom when we first got here. Andrea must have put it in there or forgot about it. I shake my head to clear it and give myself a silent pep talk. "Chelsea. Breath. Jennifer is your best friend and will 100%, completely forgive you after this is all over. She loves you no matter what you do. At least I hope she will." I let out a sigh and I put a blank mask of no expression on my face and go find Jennifer. I know she's in the living room. I stop in the doorway and stand, silent and motionless. Jenn, who is sitting in the couch with her head in her hand, looks up when I move and make a board creak.

"Chelsea? Chelsea! It's you! What happened?" She says, jumping off the couch.

In a strange voice, I state plainly, "You shouldn't be here."

Jennifer gets a hurt look on her face and I barely hold on, "Why? Why am I not supposed to be here, Chelsea? And, why are you acting like that?"

I don't reply, acting as if I didn't even hear her. It hurts to treat her like this. But, what other choice do I have? I mean, with Andrea's threats and all.

She asks me another question that I know Andrea would not like me to answer, "Did you write that note in the bathroom on the mirror?"

Again, I stay silent.

Desperately, she asks one more, "Chelsea, did you call me?"

I decide to give her a small clue, "No." Then I look up into her big, beautiful eyes: full of fear and sadness and some other indescribable feeling. Then, I realize what it is. Betrayal. She feels betrayed. Jennifer thinks I've betrayed her.

"Then, who did? Who, Chelsea?" She presses.

I know that Jenn want to know everything but, for her safety, I can't break out of this character, "She did."

"Who's she, Chelsea?" She has no idea who I'm talking about.

Instantly, I change the subject, "You should leave."

"I'm not leaving without my friends, including you, Chelsea Avery! Whether you like it, or not!" Jennifer bursts out, which is rare for her.

I continue, just as Andrea would want me to, "It's too late. You couldn't save them or me. If you don't leave, then you can't even save yourself anymore. Just leave!" As I say this, I reach forward and grab her arm.

"NO!" She shouts now.

That's when the screams begins. Ann. I know it's her, but it's kinda strange, I've never heard Ann scream before. Come to think of it, I've never heard her cry or complain about anything. Could she really be in pain? Or can she just pull off a really awesome scream? The look on Jennifer's face is terrible when she realizes who the screams are coming from. Jennifer knows something else too: the screams are not pretend. Those are legitimate screams of terror and pain.

"Ann?" She whispers quietly to herself. Then, she says it again louder, "Ann??"

Ann calls back from somewhere upstairs, "Jennifer! Help me!"

I still have ahold of Jenn's arm as she tries to run for the staircase. "Chelsea. Let me go!"

But, I refuse, "No. It's too late." I say, staring into space.

"No! I can save her!" Jenn struggles and tries to free herself from my iron grip.

"It's too late. They've already got her." I'm making stuff up now. And, I'm running out of ideas.

With another confused look on her face, she says, "They?"

Ann cuts her off by another piercing screech of pain, "Jennifer!!" My word, what could Andrea be doing to her?

"Let--me--go!!" Jenn grunts as she pulls back her leg, swings it around, and kicks me: right in the back of the knee. I release her hand to catch myself as I collapse. Just then, Ann hollers again, "Jennifer! Help me!"

Jenn bounds up the stairs and out of my sight as she calls to Ann, "Ann! Ann, it's me! Where are you?"

"Jennifer! Jennifer!" Ann just keeps shouting over and over!

I let my tears fall over the barrier I made. I don't try to wipe them away. I just let them roll down my face as I listen to Ann and Jennifer call out to each other it the upper portion of the cabin. Not wanting to hear their cries anymore I rush to the front door, yank it open and dive outside, into yet another storm.