Haunted Visions (Part 14)

As soon as she reached the figure, she knew it was Suzi, “my god” Sharon said in a hushed tone, “who did this to you?” As soon as she put her arms out towards her Suzi fell into them sobbing uncontrollably. Sharon helped Suzi into the car, by this time Suzi had passed out, the drive home seemed endless.1

Sharon helped Suzi over the thresh hold of her apartment; Gary came to her assistance as soon as she had opened the door. “What happened?” Gary asked. “I’m not sure.” now in the light Sharon could see Suzi’s face; it was as if she had aged 10 years. Gary lay Suzi on the sofa. “I don’t know what to do Gary, should I ring the police or what?” Sharon said.2

“Wait till she comes out of it and find out what has happened first.”3

“I know, but look at her.” There was a rustling coming from the living room. They both made there way to where the noise was. Suzi was sitting up, “Suzi it’s okay, you’re in my apartment. Can you remember what happened?” Sharon asked. Suzi had a glazed look in her eye. “I need to go.” Suzi said. “Go where?” Sharon said as she put her arm around Suzi’z shoulders.4

“I don’t know but it isn’t safe here, I need to go.”5

“Tell me what’s happened.” Sharon said.6

Suzi turned to face Sharon, her eyes wide as if she was a deer in the headlights of an on coming car. “Please Sharon, I need to go.”7

“Tell me what happened, let me help.”8

“They know I am here Suzi.”9

“Who knows?”10

“I don’t know, but I know it isn’t safe to be here.”11

“Why?” Sharon asked, she could feel the panic escape in her body. “What has happened to you Suzi, please tell me.”12

“I’m not sure Sharon, all I can remember is that I came home from work and there was someone waiting outside my door. She said to keep away from you, that it wasn’t safe. Her voice, I can remember the even tone in her voice. I told her she must be kidding, but she stared at me with such a harsh tone in her eyes. Sharon I’m scared.” Suzi buried her head into the side of Sharon’s neck. “It’s okay Suzi I won’t allow anyone to hurt you. So what happened next?”13

“Well I walked away from her, I took my keys out of my bag to open my door. I could still feel her stare burning into me. I refused to turn around and be confronted by her anymore. She told me it wasn’t safe inside my house, that I should disappear for awhile, get as far away from you as possible.” Suzi began to shake again uncontrollably like she had done when Sharon had reached her at the park.14

“It’s okay Suzi please calm down you’re safe now.” Suzi lifted her head up to meet Sharon’s gaze. “Am I?”15

“Of course you are I’m not going to let anyone harm you. So what happened next?” 16

“I went inside, but the woman was still standing out side of my door. She wouldn’t leave. I picked up the phone to ring the police and all of a sudden it flew out of my hand. I turned towards the window and the woman was standing there with a smirk on her face. I refused to let her know I was scared of her. I went into the kitchen to get something, I don’t know what just anything to try and make myself feel secure. I took the biggest knife out of the block I could find. I walked back into the living room and there she was, I don’t know how she got in because I had dead bolted the door closed. There was no way of getting in, there was no windows open, and even if she did have a key, she couldn’t have got in because of the locks. It was like something out of the exorcist or something. I asked her to leave, she said no, not until I listened to her. I told her that I had rung the police and that they were on their way. But she just stood there laughing.” Suzi broke into fearful sobs; at that time Gary had brought her some camomile tea.17

“I’m ringing the police.” Sharon said.18

“No you can’t, they won’t help, she said they wouldn’t.”19

“Well what am I meant to do? I can’t sit here and let her do shit like this to you. It could happen again. What else happened Suzi?”20

“I walked over to where the phone had landed and picked it up. Her eyes, the look in them, I don’t know, just her eyes were so intense. I began to dial the number again and from nowhere something hit me in the side of the head. There must have been someone else there with her, because she was still standing in front of me. I must have blacked out for a second, because when I woke up she was standing over me, this time I don’t know her whole expression changed. Oh god Sharon please help me. I’m so scared.”21

“It’s okay Suzi, you’re here, Gary and I won’t let anything happen to you.”22

“But she said no one can help, don’t you understand that? No one!”23

“What else happened Suzi?”24

“Well I was still clutching the phone in my hand, she was right on top of me it was if she was peering into my soul or something. So I hit her with the phone. We broke out into a fight, for being small she could fight, but then again she was about the same build as me. But the power she had behind her, I reached for the nearest thing and as hard as I could across her head. She fell and slumped over me, I pushed her off of me and got out of there as fast as I could. I didn’t have time to grab anything I just got up and ran. Someone gave me enough money to use the phone to ring you and I walked to where I asked for you to meet me.”25

By this time Gary had already gone and got the phone, Sharon still held Suzi she could feel the trembling in her body. He dialled the number for the police, on the second ring someone picked up.26

“Hi I was wondering if we could have someone out as soon as you can. A friend of ours has been attacked in her home.” Gary gave the police their address and not even 10 minutes later there were 2 officers at the door.27

“Good evening, this is Detective Wright, and I am Detective Lucas.” The bigger of the two spoke. “Come on in,” Gary said moving out of the two women’s way. “Thank you,” They both said politely as they entered.28

“So who was the person who was attacked?” The smaller one said. Gary looked towards Suzi and Sharon; “she’s sitting right over there. Can I get either of you two something to drink?” 29

“Please, I’ll have a coffee” Detective Lucas said. The smaller one shook her head. 30

“So Mrs…?” Detective Wright said.31

“Please call me Suzi.” 32

“Okay Suzi, Can you tell us exactly what happened tonight?” Suzi explained to them as she had just told Sharon. Detective Lucas got on her radio and asked one of the squad cars to go round to Suzi’s house, to check out if there had been a forced entry.33

“Can you give us a description of the woman who you claim to have broken into your house at all Suzi?” Detective Lucas asked.34

“Yes, she was Small in height, about my height. She had auburn hair, with a very youthful complexion. But her eyes, for some reason, they seemed to have been around a lot longer than she had. Does that make sense?” Suzi asked.35

“Yes of course it does.” Detective Wright replied.36

Gary stood in the corner of the room with a terrifying look on his face. Sharon turned towards him; she could feel there was a slight change in the atmosphere. “Gary you ok?” She mouthed. “That, the description you just gave…” Gary didn’t take his eyes off Suzi. “That was the woman at the park the other day asking me questions.” Sharon’s face began to turn paler than it had been, the room seemed to spinning underneath her and she had no control over it colours becoming one. The voices became as blurred as her vision, she managed to let out a few words before total darkness enshrouded her again.37

38

Sharon opened her eyes; she was sitting in the corner of a dark room. There was a familiar smell around her she knew it from her childhood. A door opened and a light shone on her, she saw a child sitting up in her bed, she tried to focus a little harder, it was her when she was young. “Honey are you awake.” The voice was so similar to her it shook her. “Daddy?” The child said. “Yes baby it’s me.” The man moved towards her bed and sat down on the edge. “Where’s mommy?” 39

“That’s what I have come to talk to you about.” The child rubbed her weary eyes.40

“Where is she? I’m scared, I want her.”41

“She’s not here sweetie.” Her fathers voice was quiet she could hear a slight brake in it. 42

“So where is she. Is she coming home tonight?”43

“No honey, she won’t be coming back home to us anymore.” Sharon could see the light reflecting off her father’s tears.44

“Why?” The child asked.45

“Well there was an accident, your mommy was in it and now she’s with the angels.” Her father couldn’t contain his pain any longer. Sharon watched from the corner of her room, watching her father holding her as a child.46

“I want my mommy daddy, I don’t want her to go away forever.”47

“She’ll not be gone forever, and no matter what your mommy will be keeping a close eye on you. She’ll never be to far away.” He said stroking his daughter’s hair.48

“Then why can’t I ever see her then?” The questions were getting harder for him to answer, “Close your eyes sweetie.” The child obeyed him. “Okay, now think of your mommy last year on her birthday when you had made her the card and she’s smiling and so happy. Can you see her?” The child nodded her head without opening her eyes. “Okay, so now when you want to see your mommy she’ll be there when you close your eyes, and in your dreams always, she’ll always be with you.” Sharon found it hard to visualise her mother now, as it had been so many years ago that she had died. The child started to cry, “It’s okay baby, I’m here.” Sobs broke lose “I want to see my mommy though, why can’t I see her ever again?”49

“I just told you baby, sometimes bad things happen and it is good sometimes it is the good people it happens to, the ones that we love, the ones that we adore…” His words trailed off.50

“I’m going to miss my mommy daddy, I really really am! It just isn’t fair.” Sharon could feel the pain recast in her mind off when she was that young. Even though it had been many years previous she still could feel every cut those words had sent through her.51

“I know baby I’m going miss her with all my heart too.” He sat there clutching at his child, the last part of his wife Amber he’d ever have to hold. They both sat and cried.52

53

“Sharon, Sharon its okay, it’s just a dream wake up.” She opened her eyes seeing Suzi and Gary standing beside her. “It’s okay sweets, you passed out.” Suzi said.54

“Where are the detectives?”55

“Oh they have gone, when you fainted we told them that they should come back tomorrow that it was late and you needed your rest.” Gary said.56

Sharon lay her head back onto the bed, Gary must have took her through to the bedroom when she blacked out because Sharon couldn’t remember getting there. Sharon went to get up, “where are you going?” Suzi asked. “I need a drink is it okay to go get one nurse?” Sharon said in a sarcastic tone. 57

“I’ll tell you what I’ll go and get one for you and stick a bit arsenic in as well as water.” Suzi gave a faint smile.58

A few minutes later Suzi came back in with a glass of water and her jacket on. “There we are malady. Can I get you anything else before I retire?” Suzi asked.59

“Yeah, you can tell me where the hell you’re going?”60

“Well the police said my place was clear so it was safe for me to go home. They’ll be casing the joint out every hour to make sure I’m safe.” 61

“Like hell you’re Suzi, you’re staying here with us and that’s final.” Gary got in before Sharon had a chance, so she sat there nodding.62

“Shaz, your in no fit state for visitors, so I’ll get out of here and ring you tomorrow. I wish to hell I knew you hadn’t been to good because I would have never rang.” Suzi said head bowed low. Sharon knew Suzi didn’t want to intrude, because of the way she said her name, she only really said it like that when she was trying to put up a brave front.63

“Look Suzi, I’m not taking no for an answer, so take that damn jacket off and I’ll get some of Sharon’s clothes for you to change into so don’t give me that shit. I don’t care how safe the police said it was, you’re still not going back there.” Gary said with authority in his tone.64

“Gary’s right Suzi, were not letting you go, even if we have to barricade the door to stop you from escaping.” Sharon added.65

“Jesus Sharon, you don’t have enough room for me and plus, you’re too ill to argue so enough said!” Suzi turned towards the door; suddenly she was face to face with Gary, holding pyjamas. 66

I’ll stay on the sofa and you can stay in here with Sharon so that’s sorted you’re staying here tonight.” Suzi could feel the sigh of relief coarse through her body; she didn’t really want to go back to her place by herself. If ever again.67

“Plus, we might just keep you for the rest of the week just to be on the safe side.” Gary broke into a friendly smile.68

“You know you guys are so stubborn, it’s a good job I love you both or I might have to teach you both a lesson.” Suzi smiled looking at Sharon and Gary.69

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The next morning Suzi was awoken by a sudden rush of laughter and a constant bouncing on the bed, “Suzi, Suzi.” It was Jamie, “Good morning Sunshine.” Sharon was already up. Suzi caught the smell of freshly brewed coffee. “What time is it Hun?”  Jamie went rushing out of the room, a few minutes later Sharon entered with a cup of coffee. “It’s 10:30.”71

“What? Oh god I’m late.” Suzi dove off the bed collecting her belongings.72

“Don’t worry about it, I rang the office and told them that you wouldn’t be in today because something had happened.” Sharon noticed that the bruise on Suzi’s face had become bigger and even more swollen than it had been last night. “Think we should get you to the doctors anyways to make sure you’re okay.” 73

“I’m okay Sharon, I don’t need to see a doctor. You on the other hand do, those black outs aren’t good.”74

“I’ll tell you what we’ll both go and see what the deal is ok?” Suzi lay back on the bed sighing. “Why are you so stubborn?”75

“Because I have a friend who has taught me the way, and now I am just as much as a pain in the ass than she is... So she taught me well...” 76

“Well then I should kick her ass then shouldn’t I?” They both started to laugh. “You get dressed, I am going to go down and check out what mail we have okay? I won’t be long.” Suzi set her cup along and walked over to Sharon’s wardrobe.77

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