The Voices of Hartford Manor

Chapter 20. Termination

James knees hit the floor as he felt an excruciating pain on his back. Thick black smoke surrounded them as the flames danced all over the walls. There was no room in the house that wasn't on fire.

On his back blood started to form in three distinctive marks. Crying Katherine sat right next to him, as the fire figure had long disappeared into the wall. It was now stronger than before.

Coughing Harper sat frozen unable to help her husband or comfort her daughter. She had to do something. She knew the home didn't have much time left and it was only a matter of time it before it collapses on them. The beloved home she had fallen in love with was now going to become their tomb. It was an old home and it didn't stand a chance with the fire.

James fought against the pain as he stood up once more, to check his surroundings for anything that could provide them an exit. From behind them they could hear the menacing cackle of the spirit as it enjoyed watching them attempt any solution to his madness.

James felt the same horrid pain again this time on his chest as he left out a scream.

"NO STOP!!" Katherine yelled into the fire as she couldn't bear to see her father in pain.

"Don't..." Her father said as he grabbed her arm. He wrapped his fingers tight against her wrist as blood accumulated on his shirt.

"Dad...I'm sorry..." Katherine sobbed as she truly thought her time was over.

It seemed like it was the only thing that came back. The salve girl was nowhere to be found. They had no way to fight back. The family rose from the ground as they stumbled towards the hallway. What Harper feared was happening.

Even the front door was on fire, there was no way to access it. With their backs turned away from the hallway and towards the enflamed door, Katherine's body was dragged into a ball of fire as she let out of a stream of screams. Her skin felt a few seconds of agony when it met the scorching fire; she was being dragged by her hair. She finally stopped when her back hit the fridge in the kitchen.

"KATHERINE!!" James yelled as he moved towards the wall of fire but he couldn't cross it. Harper felt like she had been split in two as tears ran down her face. They made several attempts to cross the fire but they couldn't, they couldn't reach their daughter.

Katherine found herself in the kitchen again. The fire wasn't as strong here, but the flames that twisted on the counter. She backed herself against the fridge as it was the only thing she could think of that would protect her. Her back felt like the artic but it was pure hell in front of her.

The entity had separated them. This spirit was obsessed with Katherine, it wanted her to join him. From the roars of the burning wood, Katherine could hear her parent's calling out for her, but she couldn't move.

To free herself, she had to face the evil man and that most likely meant she had to make a sacrifice.

Her legs shaking, Katherine stood up with her black sliding up the fridge. Looking all around her, eyes stinging from the smoke and tears; she was utterly trapped.