The Outside

Section VIII

 The woods rejoin me, encircling me. I am aware of the axe in my hand again. I swing the head of it from the ground up to my ear and grip it tightly. I walk slowly out of the woods, axe raised. Eventually, the woods give way to the open field of crumpled leaves surrounding the cabin. Marion stands in the shining doorway. She's dozing lightly as she leans against the frame of the door. I relax a bit. She doesn't seem to be in danger. I look around, the moon seems to have come out again. I let the axehead fall again. I walk up to Marion, she doesn't wake up as I approach. I set the axe down, leaning against the cabin wall.

I rest my hand lightly on her cheek. Her eyes flutter open as she looks up at me. She smiles tiredly and leans into me. I run a hand through her hair and nuzzle my chin into her shoulder. I breathe in her flowery perfume with closed eyes. Her arms wrap around my back. We stand there for a moment. Then, the crunch of leaves.

My eyes shoot open and I twist my head towards the sound. Nothing is there. I nuzzle back in. A branch snaps with a loud, brittle crack. My head bobs back up. I stand face to face with the shadow creature from the mirror. I spin, pushing Marion into the cabin. She stumbles, falling back. I deftly scoop up the axe again. The creature smiles a black and sinister smile.

"Run." I whisper to Marion.

She rubs her hindquarters sorely, "What?"

I point over at her, eyes still fixed on the creature, "Close the door, run and hide. I'll come and get you when it's safe."

She looks over at the creature. She can't see it with the wall in the way.

"RUN!" I yell as I jump forward swinging at the creature. She jumps and slams the door shut. My axe shoots through the creature and slams into the wall. The creature looks down in shock at its cleaved midsection. It brings its smiling face up slowly as the vaporous shadows refill the cut through section. Its hand shoots out to my throat. A searing pain flares in my neck as its nails draw blood. It forces me to my knees. Black dances at the corners of my vision as the hand lamps down around my throat. I scratch at the shadowy arm with no avail. Every flailing swing I take just goes through the creature like a cloud of smoke. The creature lifts me up till my feet kick a foot off the ground. Pressure builds up in my face as I struggle for breath. The creature throws me back. I hit the railing of the porch squarely and flip backwards over it. I land hard with a thud on the leaves below. An ache tears open my side. I curl over to try to get up but I crumple back to the ground. I grit my teeth against the stabbing pain in my back as I push myself back up straight. I look at the creature. It smiles and turns away from me. It slides through the door without a second thought.

"NO!" I scream hoarsely as I stumble, grimacing over to the door. I clamber up the porch steps. I fall to the door and pull at it. It jiggles but doesn't budge. She must have locked it. I look around for a way in. I spot the axe.

I tear the axe out of the wall with a grunt. I stumble back against a support for the porch awning. I fall forward howling in pain. I push myself back up again and level the axe at the door. I bring it up overhead and bring it crashing down into the door. Then again. Then again. Then again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And, on the final swing, the door crashes open. My eyes do a sweep of the foyer. Empty.

"MARION!?" I scream her name out. It echoes off the walls back to me. I stumble in and again scream her name,"MARION!?"

"Edgar?" A questioning response comes from the hallway. I stumble quickly to the shadowed hall.

I take a step into the darkness and am launched to the side. I slam against the wall with a loud crash. The house moans. I push myself up to my hands and knees. Something feeling like a steel-toed boot crashes into my nose. My eyes well up. My face feels like it's on fire. Blood pours out of my nose onto the wood floor. I stand up. I'm met with an unseen force slamming into my cheek. I crash to the ground. The wood cracks, sending splinters into my cheek. I push myself up again. I'm hauled up into the air and slammed down into a chair. The chair squeals under me in offense. I look up, dazed. The creature walks down the hallway and slides through the bathroom door.

I launch up from my chair, screaming, "MARION! I'M COMING TO GET YOU!" I run down the hallway, scooping up the axe on my way. I swing at the bathroom door. Again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again. The door crashes open. Marion is curled up under the window, covering her head. I search the room quickly. It's empty except for me and Marion. I touch Marion and she recoils.

I speak softly, "It's ok. It's ok. I'm here. The monster is gone. I'm here."

I cradle her in my arms and rock back and forth. She slowly releases her tension and relaxes into my arms. She cries deep, scared, heavy sobs into my chest. We sit there for a while, wrapped in each other's arms.