The Pale Man Rises

CHAPTER FIFTY NINE

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The old woman was about to scream. Meeker put a hand over her mouth and stifled it. "Don't do that ma'am–I just want you to get out of bed and join us in the living room." he told her trying to sound as non-threatening as he could. Her eyes bulged beneath his hand. "Do you understand me ma'am?" he asked her. She nodded yes. "Now don't yell when I remove my hands okay?" She nodded again. Satisfied with her response he now lifted his hand from her mouth. "My glasses–I need my glasses!" the old woman said with nervous excitement. He reached for them from the night stand and then placed them over her eyes. She adjusted them on her face and the fearfully asked. "Who....who are you?" "No questions." he cautioned her. "Oh you're hurt!" she said when she saw the injury to the side of his head. He threw back her covers and assisted her out of the bed. She steadied herself on his arm like she was a weak kitten. And he also found it necessary to guide her out of the room as if he was her nurse instead of her captor.

When they were in the hallway she begged him to turn on the light. "No!" he said sharply. The bulb above their heads was naked and it would hurt his eyes. The light of the living room was reasonable, but a naked light in this cramp space was something he did not wish to contend with. And yet the old woman reached out and clicked the switch that was at this end of the hallway.

Meeker turned aside from the light's barren glare. She could then see the extent of the wound that was on this young man's head. It was a very frightening sight. "Young man what in the world happened to you–you look terrible–you look sick son–you need to see a doctor this instant!" she insisted. "Cut off that light–cut it off!" he barked at her.

His tone magnified her fear and she did as he ordered. Now he stopped gently leading her and instead began to pull her down the passageway. When he had her at the doorway to the living room he framed her there before him.

She could see her husband cowering and gruff all at once there, on the couch before her. At the other end of the couch her son Jack sat like a bewildered schoolboy intimidated by some punishment doled out to him by the teacher.

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Standing by Jack was an evil looking man whose skin was bleached of any color with white hair as long as any woman's and black sunglasses hugging his face. This man looked at her and her escort. "Ah Danny please show Julia in." he said and held out the arm he had around Loretta who still clung to him. "Please join your husband here." he said directing the old woman to the couch in a soft male voice.

She went forward and almost fell next to Norman on the couch. She put her hands in his. Both of them were very much wavering now. "Who are you people?" the old woman dredged up enough courage to ask them. "Silence!" The pale man snapped. "Don't worry Julia he's wonderful–he's wonderful!" Loretta said breathlessly pulling on the pale man's arm as if he was a matinee idol that was visiting them. The pale man looked down at her with a less than amicable expression.

He pulled himself loose from her grip and at that same moment Clay Reese ushered into the room a little girl dressed in pajamas that looked perhaps eight years old. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Mommy who are they?" she asked fearfully. Loretta Rankin bent down to her daughter, but the child was repulsed by her mother's appearance and she quickly moved away from her to the old lady who was whispering to her husband. He in turn was looking from villain to villain as if somehow he could find some new words that would make them leave or some weakness in their makeup that he might exploit.

"Mommy what's wrong with you–you look scary?" the little girl moaned. "She's just fine child, she's just find–what is your name?" the pale man asked her using the voice of another youngster. Jack looked at his wife angrily now. "I told you not to bring this youngun over here–now the poor thing is going to die!"