Darkness Beckons

Part 2

" Since when do we have a rocking chair in the baby's room, Octavius ? " Marlana asked the next morning. 

As  he was stirring his coffee that morning, he nearly dropped his cup when she asked him that. If she saw how nervous that question made him, she didn't seem to show it. 

"Oh, you noticed that ? It must have been a gift from one of the neighbors. "  he said calmly.

" If that's the case, I'd have to say it's very kind of them. I'll have to thank them later, when I'm certain I know who it is. Are you sure you didn't see anyone bring it by ? "

" I'm very certain. "

He quickly looked at my watch.

" I have a lot to do at work and I want to get  an early start. "  he said, making an excuse to leave early. He wanted to avoid any more questions she might ask.

" But you don't have to be at work till another hour. "  she said.

The expression on Marlana's beautiful, heart shaped face looked disappointed as he gazed into her catlike blue eyes. Her full lips seemed to be pouting. He walked over to her and gave her a long lingering kiss. 

" Miss me till I come back, "  he said as he smiled warmly at her.  " I'll come by at lunchtime. "  he said, hoping that would appease her.

" That would be wonderful. I'll make you some Philly cheese steaks with some salad. I know just the way you like it. " 

" Sounds appetizing. No need to go to any trouble. After all, I am the restaurant manager of  Temptations.  I'm surrounded by all kinds of food. "  He lightly teased her.

" Does that mean you don't you don't want to eat my Philly cheese steaks ? I notice that's the one thing you don't serve in your restaurant. "  she laughed.

" Well, then we'll have to add that to the menu and let the public enjoy your scrumptious delight. Seriously though, go ahead and make them. You know how much I like them and I know how much you enjoy making them for me. "

When he left that morning, he thought everything was fine. He never thought or suspected anything would go wrong. That morning, Marlana had tried out the rocking chair for the first time with the baby. At first the rocking chair felt comfortable and Abigail enjoyed the gentle rocking in the chair while looking up adoringly at her mother and clutching a small lock of Marlana's honey blonde hair. As Marlana stopped rocking to prepare to feed Abigail, she found herself bound to the chair, as if she were stuck to the chair and unable to move no matter how many times she decided to get up. She began getting frustrated and the baby became fussy and started to cry. Then the chair started forcibly moving on its own. At first it rocked slowly. Then at a faster pace, non-stop. Marlana felt frightened and knew she wasn't moving it herself but felt as if someone else were in the room standing behind the chair, forcibly pushing the chair from behind. She would later tell Octavius in a conversation that it got to the point that it felt like the baby and her might be physically pushed right out of the chair. No matter how fast the rocking chair moved, she still could not bring herself to get out of it. 

At this point the baby had started crying intensely. Marlana had become terrified for herself and the baby. Suddenly she felt the baby and her were pushed forward forcibly to the floor with the baby in her arms. She screamed " No ! "  which frightened the baby. It began wailing loudly. That's when Marlana woke up in a sweat, lying on the floor. 

Marlana got up quickly, feeling panicky. The baby was not in her arms ! Her eyes searched all throughout the room. There in the crib, was Abigail, just waking up and stretching her arms above her head. Safe.  She rushed to the crib, picked her up and left the room, swiftly closing the door behind her. Was I only dreaming ?  It was so real! I know I felt that rocking chair move on its own and the fact that I was immobile while I was in it is impossible to explain, she thought to herself. It was like an unseen force was holding her and the baby in place. Why couldn't she get out of the chair with the baby of her own free will ?

She decided to call Octavius during his lunch hour and tried not to sound frantic on the phone. He seemed to find the experience she described to him to be incredulous. Then again, thinking about it,  remembered how unnerving it felt when he saw  that rocking chair in the house. It was unexpected. And when he had looked at it briefly the other night, he thought he could still still faint traces of blood on the arms of the chair. The way she had described her experience over the phone seemed genuinely frightening to him. He could not imagine how she must have felt. She seemed nervous about being home alone. He assured he would be home soon. 

Marlana saw him come up the driveway as she sat by the window, looking anxious and worrisome.  When he walked into the living room, he noticed Abigail was wrapped up in a blanket in her carrier on the sofa. As he looked to Marlana, her cheeks looked flushed. She threw her arms around him and he held her close, whispering words of comfort in her ear. 

" I was so scared ! It was so real ! I couldn't do anything to stop it ! I was afraid the baby might get hurt, so I protected her as much as I could by holding her close to my chest before we were thrust to the floor. It felt like someone else was in the room. "

" Was there ? "

" No ! There was no one at all. Then I woke up on the floor alone. When I woke up, Abigail was safe in her crib the whole time though. I can't begin to explain what happened or why. I do know there is something wrong with that chair ! While that chair was rocking itself, I just felt Abigail and I weren't completely alone in this room. I don't think the baby should stay in that room anymore. I don't feel it's safe. "

" It had to have been a horrible dream. You and Abigail aren't hurt and that's all that matters. You said yourself that no one else was in the room and that you woke up on the floor alone. You must have felt exhausted and fell asleep on the floor and simply didn't remember. I'm sure the room is perfectly safe. If it makes you feel any better, I'll check the chair out myself. "

Octavius started for the room as Marlana reluctantly followed him. He really did not want anything to do with chair. He didn't even want to be anywhere near it. If he didn't confront it though, his wife would ask too many questions. It was better to face it head on. He opened the door and didn't feel anything out of the ordinary as he walked around the room, avoiding the chair at first. She took hold of his hand. He felt her hand slightly trembling. Whatever she had experienced in this room had truly frightened her, he thought.  His eyes went to the chair. He gently let go of her hand and gave her a look of reassurance. She let out a breath that seemed as if she had been holding it in. He sat in the chair for a few moments, although he had to force himself to, so as to reassure his wife that it was harmless. Nothing happened. He looked to his wife, full of concern. 

" The chair seems to be perfectly fine. I find nothing strange about it. You shouldn't be afraid of a mere chair. "  He tried to sound as comforting as he could.

It didn't seem to do a bit of good Her eyes widened in terror. She was staring right past him, straight at the arms of the chair.

" Then why is there blood on the chair ? "

He looked at her in utter confusion.

" What are  you saying ? There's no blood on this chair !  "  he said. 

He quickly looked down on the chair arms to see blood dripping down. Some of it it had gotten on his arms as well and small drops started to fall on the carpet. Marlana screamed and ran from the room. He had an idea where it had come from and why it had appeared. He just couldn't say anything to his wife about it yet. He abruptly left the room after her, eager to leave the chair. As soon as he left the room, the chair slowly began to rock and quiet, evil laughter ensued.