Route 66

19 Home Alone

-December 22, 1965-

Judy Garland gave a performance at the Houston Astrodome. I gazed at myself in the bedroom mirror and traced my face. I didn't resemble Judy as she appeared now, a middle aged woman. I was Judy from 1939, vibrant and youthful, but disturbed eyes stared back at me.

It was a frigid night with howling winds as I shivered, wishing Blake would hurry home. He'd be late tonight with ever growing responsibilities at work.

Wait? What was that? Someone whispered my name.

I convinced myself it was merely the wind as the mirror's image quivered, but panic hit me as I turned to see a shadowy figure bolt into the hallway, and then heard it again.

Veronicaaaa...

As I cautiously approached the bedroom door, an icy chill brushed by and I heard the voice beckon to me for a third time. This time it was coming from the guest bedroom, just two feet forward and to the right.

Come on, you're scaring yourself silly.

I moved quickly into the room and hit the light switch and then dropped to the floor in terror. Annette was staring at me from across the room; her face sickly white and eyes conveying an aura of hate, disgust, and malice.

"Why did you leave me?" she hissed.

"A-Annette, is that really you?"

"Why did you leave me to die?!"

I rose slowly, never moving my eyes from her icy stare. My feelings of horror morphed into sadness, despair, and guilt as tears streamed down my face.

"Please forgive me," I whispered.

"Is this the way you repay me? The only reason you had my friendship is because I felt sorry for you. You're just a pathetic girl who can't think for herself and the world would have been better off without you anyways. You deserved death. I DESERVED LIFE!"

Her shocking response revealed something clear as day. The apparition was not Annette at all. She'd never say anything like that.

I felt anger welling up through my navel and coursing through every fiber. My fear vanished as I raised my head with flashing eyes and screamed—

"You!"

"Are not!!"

Annette!!!"

She pointed a deathly pale finger at me and boomed, "Shut your mouth you weak, disgusting—"

"NO!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "I know what you are. You're a putrid demon disguised as Annette trying to make me feel guilty by using my fears and insecurities against me. It's not going to work. GET OUT."

Her mouth curled up into a menacing grin.

"LEAVE ME!!!" I shrieked.

The next instant I found myself in bed, drenched in a cold sweat and clutched my chest in relief as Blake pulled into the driveway. I bolted outside and threw myself in his arms.

"Are you okay, honey? What's wrong?"

"I saw a demon disguised as Annette and she said terrible things to me. My God, I'm so scared!"

Blake sat me down on the living room sofa and ran comforting fingers gently through my hair.

"What did she say?"

"That I should have died, am pathetic, and can't think for myself. The worst part of it is she's right. It's all true!"

"Look at me, baby."

I raised my eyes slowly to his.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to my life. I know you feel guilty and it manifests in all kinds of ways but you've been improving. Never think of yourself as anything other than the most amazing girl on Earth."

I nodded and buried my face against Blake's chest; his heartbeat pulsing against my cheek and drifted peacefully to sleep within a couple minutes knowing that I was completely safe in his arms.

Never again did I see Annette in the form of a demon. She still visited my dreams but they were of the nicer sort where we were just hanging out and having fun like old times. In others she told me to keep my chin up and that she was okay. I asked if we would ever meet up again to which she gave me a big smile and said, "Don't worry about me. You have more important things to think about, Veronica Preston."