the town that never sleeps

whats sanity worth?

26
When ronald was released from his shackles. He waited for his dad to leave for work. He snuck into his fathers room. Which was emaculate. Not a thing out of place. A bible by the nightstand. The same suit hung up in his closet with different colors. There was about 50 of them. His bed frame was gold with eggshell white covers and another silver blanket neatly folded on the bottom of the bed.
Ronald looked throught his room as he moved everything but he made sure whatever he did move.  he'd neatly place back in the proper spot. He found nothing in the drawers and bed side. He knocked on the walls for wendall had secret hidden components.
As the whole house had secrets behind its walls. He knew his father. There were secret pathways with peep holes for the maids and butlers to look through. When ronald came to the closet. he moved the suits and knocked on the walls.. He heard a hollowed echo and felt a click on the wall. He moved his hands around. He felt a handle. He pulled it open and slid apart of the wall open.
There was a little space with a small square black safe. It was digital with a number pad. He knew his dad had it secured. If he'd try to many times his father would know. Thats what he thought anyways..
He tried his sisters birthday. No beauno he tried james. Notta! Then he tried his mothers. Who died of a tumor. It clicked open.
He rummaged throught it. He found a letter, a ledger, bundles of money and some papers written in a foreign language. He put the money in his pocket and read the ledger.
As he started to read it. He seen all the mistakes of the people who wendall came in contact with. What they owed him and what they did. He seen a terry, ramona and Jeremy. With many others attached.
  He kept seeing the name mr. Barnett popping up. He thought i gotta meet this Mr. Barrnet.  I wonder who he is but if his name keeps intervening. He must be important. 
So ronald took the ledger and money. He went to his room. He grabbed his phone out his pocket. Then he dialed Tricia's number.
She picked up on the second ring. Ronald told her they needed to meet up. She agreed. She told him she was at the library studying with friends.
He jumped into his 1969 impala and drove to the library. When he pulled up he seen her standing outside. He popped open the door and she jumped in. He drove into the parking lot and parked his car.
He grabbed out the ledger and money. He looked tricia in the eyes and said," its time trish! I cant do this anymore. Im leaving! are you coming with me or not. He's been cruel to both of us. I take the brute of it for you. You know this. I cant do it without you. Please come. He'll do unspeakable things to you. Trust me!" The sincerity in his eyes showed. They had a glossy sadness about them. As he wiped at his mouth he said it again," please sister!
Tricia returned a glance of sincerity herself. Her eyes drooped down as she looked at the floor. She spoke with a low whisper. It was loud enough that ronald could hear it but barely," i cant leave yet ronny! I know dads a dick. He's done many things to both of us. He stuck me in the laundry shoot and pushed me down it. Then kept me in the basement for days. He whips me too. He does unspeakable thing i dont want to talk about it but i have too. I cant run yet. Let me clear a couple things. Then we can go together i promise!"
Ronald replied with a quickness and calm serenity," i dont care what you did. Family is family. He's a monster. Your not. Lets do this together. I have your back sis. Whatever you did. I dont care."
Tricia smiled as she wiped the tears from her streaming cheeks of sadness. She spoke with a calm satisfaction," ok brother! Together. Then we're gone. Put that stuff back tho ok. I know where he keeps a bigger stash. I dont want you introuble anymore."
He agreed and they did just that but he asked her do you know a Mr. Barnett?" She replied i heard he's by bakersfield at a crossroads. I heard dad mention it.
Ronald pulled out and headed in the direction of home.
27
Arnold woke up before the search part divided its way through the forest. He had blood all over him. He was still holding the cleaver in his right hand. It too was full of blood. He started to gain consequences. He was dazed and confused he looked around and seen trees.
He quickly got up and saw no one was around. He didnt know his way though the woods. So he wondered around. He came to the ryne. He walked up to the water and cleaned himself off.
He started to look around. When he seen a woman That looked of his oldest sister but she was dead.
He blinked and blinked. Then he wiped at his eyes. He tried to walk away but felt shock throughout his body or maybe he just didnt want to walk away. I mean he missed carol. She was his favorite. His mother was always busy working two jobs to support her kids. So carol was his second mother. She made him soup when he was sick. She'd walk him to school and she'd kiss him on the forehead. While reading him good night stories.  He'd drift away to her sweet voice. It sounded of peace to him. He admired her like plants do the suns glow. He felt breathless around her. As a kid he'd hold onto her side and follow her around. She didnt mind it either. She'd say thats my mini me. He's my lil goob." Then she'd laugh away the day.
This thing whatever it was walked up slowly to him. Piercing his mind with a calm anger. He could feel frustration in this thing. He didnt know why. He didnt know her or it. Whatever it was.  It spoke to him with the same high pitched tone his sister had saying," i thought i told you about coming back here my dear butch! Why are you here!?" Arnold replied stuttering," what are talking about? I dont know you. I mean i know you but i dont." The thing smiled as it replied with a calmness of a waterdrop," so you put it in the cage i take it. Well good for you. It hasnt taken you completely. Your other half welched and i should collect whats mine but it can redeem itself."
Arnold felt a headache and a pounding triumphant thump inside him. As if something was awake and much more scared of this thing infront of him. He felt fear but not from him. The fake carol continued," you know what to do butch!" Then it turned around and walked back into the water. Dissapearing with nothing more than bubbles floating to the surface.
Before she vanished in the water she pointed and said go that way. Youll be safe. He walked through the woods awhile. He came to the back of a dusty white and tan building. He took his bloody shirt off and Walked around the building. It was his newly aquired balkery. He walked through the front door. He threw his bloody shit behind the counter. As he seen wendy behind him. She knocked on the cracked glass door. He screamed come in. She did.
She asked him if he was ok?" He replied yes. He felt a tingle in his mind. It grew. Then it stopped. Wendy told him you look like you were hit by a dumptruck. Get some rest." He agreed and she left.
He made his way downstairs. To see if his eyes deceived him from the other night. They didnt but when he went to the room. He thought this isnt real none of it. Im in a nightmare!" But he wasnt. He looked in his secret room to see two more dead carcasses so mangled they couldnt be recognized. All there body parts were chopped off. Limb to limb. Fingers to toes and even headless. They were placed all over the room.. Hanging on hook and placed on the ground with newly aquired blood dripping all over the place. He puked. The splatter went everywhere. He screamed in horror thinking no i didnt! I couldnt! This isnt me. But he heard a voice reply its us!" Then it laughed as it spoke again," this is the first of many. We're bonded together in blood friend! Its our time to shine. Lets have some more fun!" Arnold put his hands on his head and curled into the feedle position on the ground. He cried the whole time thinking," no! No! please God no! Then he heard a wicked reply," god doesnt live here. Let me introduce myself! Im the butcher! Nice to meet you old friend!"
28
Pierce stepped out his trailer after eating with barry. He went to the grocery store to get what was on his list. As he was in an aisle picking out a loaf of bread. He seen a foggy auraed little girl dancing around saying," we see you Pierre! You cant hide from us. She started to laugh. Then she threw a daisy by his feet and vanished.
  After he got most of his groceries he was going up to pay for them. He seen a foggy auraed older gentlemen with a red line around his neck. Like he was hung by a neuce and the mark was his pain. The man was bald. He had a mole by his right cheek and he was pointing to the door. He to spoke eerily saying," Vengence is sought by those who dont forgive. Then the man hollared and poof he was gone in a cloud of smoke.
If you didnt know pierce. you wouldnt for he didnt let people into his world for it was something seen in nightmares. So ill present you with a few facts about this man. When he was a kid he had imaginary friends. One was his dead grandmother. She'd tell him secrets of his family. When he brought it up to his mom. She would say," who told you this! Howd you hear this?" He would reply grandma momma. She said you're a whore!" He was only 5 and didnt understand the meaning. His mom would slap his mouth telling him to shut up.
As he got older he realized there was more to it. Everywhere he went. He would see things others couldnt. Like little films passing by. Once when he was 10 he got lost in the woods. He seen a man and woman being chased by a man with a cleaver. He cut the couple to pieces. Then he looked at pierce smiling with blood all over his face. While saying that's how you do it! You hear me boy? Its all in the wrists! Clickity clack!" Then the murderer and people dissapeared into thin air. Pierce ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.
As the years went by he went into seclusion. He thought he was crazy. His mother put him in therapy. He told the therapist all about it. She put him in the psych ward. There it got worse. He seen people hanging from the ceiling. Who commited suicide. At night they would knock on his door saying creepily let me in. We're coming for you." Pierce would shut his eyes putting his hands on his head saying this isnt real! Its not. Its just in my head!" But as he looked up a face would always be staring back at him. It looked malnourished, old it had warts with dark as night eyes saying," in the house of sanity you live with reluctance but with the insanity you find peace understanding my boy. I will bring you both! just let me in the door to reality! as you know it to be!" The doctors thought he was crazy. they prescibed him medicine to get rid of the hallicinations but it didnt work. He felt like a zombie with no motive. His family never visited him. He felt alone. He tried to commit suicide by taking a bunch of pills but the dead wouldnt let him. They reached inside him and took it out..
He wanted death. He wanted it all to go away but it didnt. He just learned to adapt. He'd sit in his room crying all the time. He tried to live life but to him it was a joke and he unfortunately was the punchline..
When they eventually let him out. He had no place to live but he had money. His brother robbed a bank. He hid the money in argons woods. The cops eventually found him and shot him for he put up a fight with no surrender in sight.
Pierce went to the place were he was shot. The trailer that he now owned. His brother was standing there a foggy aura. He told pierce im sorry we all thought you were crazy. I see know now you're not. I just want you to know i love you lil bro. Im a take care of you. Go out past the lake. There will be a ditch at the end of it is a sewer opening it'll be waiting. Just bring a shovel." He did and found a sack full of money. After his brother died the two became bestfriends. They'd talk all the time. Pierce called him his gaurdian angel Rodney! But now back to it.
As he left the asylumn he got a check from the government every month. He lived secluded in his trailer. Everyone in town thought he was crazy. They knew his story but after he got out it worsened he would act like other people. People from all ages from all cultures of time itself.
As he left the grocery store. He was being followed. He walked everywhere. They didnt want to give him a license or maybe fear didnt let him drive. Seeing all this things could lead to a wreck. When he turned around he seen a little girl and boy jumping rope. They were staring at him. as blood was dripping out there mouths. They had pale white skin. They creepily said," she coming for you. He grabbed his crystal necklace that zatalla gave him. He turned back around. A man with black hair was inches away from his face. His eyes were black. His mouth smelled of sulfur. As it was unnaturally wide open. He screamed at pierce with his rotten teeth," it'll come off soon. Trust that and when it does pierre. We're coming for you bet that. Then the thing dissappeared into a black cloud of smoke.
Pierce ran back to his trailer. He slammed the door. He ran to the back room turning off all the lights on his way and he curled up into a ball in the darkness on his cot.