Dead Man Walking II [ER] by Robby Richardson - HTML preview

Darkness disappeared within the light.  The bright white light popping like the flash of a distant star.  Blurred into focus by a zoom into view on a lone woman appearing tired and frail.  Her brown hair tangled into frazzles followed by the sudden appearance of a wooden chair.  It settled in the middle of the web camera’s eye.  With frantic eyes gazing over the web camera, the mysterious woman adjusted her laptop which was immediately followed by a pixelated delay.  A smear of rainbow colors flashed across the screen until a faint panic gripped her grumbled mousy pleas.  “Please work, please work, please work, please work…”  The picture restored to reveal a lone adolescent woman watching a television over her left shoulder.  Standing in front of a large flatscreen she swayed in her spot undeterred in the now unaltered picture. 

“I don’t know if anybody has ever had a problem like this.  Or if anybody would…or COULD be able to give me some advice.”  Her hands motioned towards the adolescent girl behind her.  “T-t-this is my daughter…as if you couldn’t tell…”  She played with her own frazzled brown hair with a motherly side glance towards her daughter’s similarly unwashed entangled hair.  “It all started when she found this video out on a hike through the Tiadaghton State Forest.  It was on a like…video card…sim card…or whatever you call it.  I don’t know.  The truth is I’m not good with technology or the terminology associated with it.  I discovered her watching it one day out here…here at this very television she is standing in front of.”  She motioned towards her motionless daughter again.  “As you can see before you, she has since then not stopped watching it or wanting to watch it.  She has such a-a-a desire a-a need, no…no, it’s more, more, more…so much more like a…a HUNGER for it.  No matter what I do or say she just won’t stop watching it…” 

Pausing the woman turns her head towards the girl and then back to the camera. “Ever…she won’t stop!  She just stands there all day…all night…until she collapses from exhaustion onto the floor.  After a few hours she wakes up and repeats the same process.  She barely eats…barely drinks…never baths herself nor takes care of herself.  I tried and can’t remove the video nor her from it.  When I do it causes a violent outburst.  She’s just…”  Joey’s eyes shifted back and forth desperate to find the correct wording.  “She’s a completely different person…beyond manic…”  Her voice breaks as she runs her hand through her frazzled hair.  “I don’t even know who she is anymore to be honest.  I look at that person standing there.  She looks like my daughter…but that is NOT my daughter!  I don’t know who that person is anymore…that shell standing behind me.”

Her eyes lowered to her lap pausing for a moment.  Her body appeared to slump forward revealing her physical and mental exhaustion.  Her eyes closed for a moment before returning to the camera shaking her head in helplessness.  “I’m sorry…where was I?  Oh right, it’s like she’s been taken over by some kind of force…possessed almost.”  Her eyes begin to swell in tears unfiltered from the video’s poor quality.  “I-I-I know that sounds crazy…”  Pulling back the sleeve of her baggy green sweater to reveal a bandaged arm.  She winches at her skin littered with various stages of healing bite marks.  The first time she bit me I had to get 9 stitches…9 stitches from my own daughter!  I’ve had to quit my job because she won’t go to school.  I can’t sleep because all she does is stand there… watching this video repeatedly.  My husband couldn’t handle it anymore and took off a month ago.  I don’t have anybody to help, or I can ask for advice.  Partly due to the fact that I can’t leave the house.  Well, I could…it’s not like it matters.  I’d just find her in the same spot I left her.”

Tears began to roll down her cheeks, she dabbed at them with her sweater sleeve.  “She was never…NEVER like this and whenever I disconnect the TV…”  Her posture straightened as if her release was encouraging her to continue with her venting.  “She just has this violent outburst until it’s turned back on.”  Her eyes rolled as if she had just relived it.  “And when I tried hiding the video card you couldn’t have imagined the destruction.  The utter devastation she caused trying to find it.”  She dabbed at her eyes again, “I-I-I have never seen anything like it.  There was no talking to her…no rationale…no reasoning in her madness.”

She fell silent her fingertips meeting her lips.  “I-I can’t afford another outburst like that.  So, I just let her do what you she wants.  And what she wants to do is what you see her doing right now!  So, do I call the police…a therapist…attempt to commit her…my own daughter?  As a parent I never want to think that something is beyond my control.  Although, if I am turning to people on this website for advice.  I have to admit to myself and accept the fact that this situation is beyond my control.”

Joey began to mumble to herself almost incoherently.  “She actually has a site too.  I-I can’t remember exactly the name.  It was some beauty…no, no, no, it was health…something…”  Her finger began to tap against her lip, “She had a better following than him…not by much-not by much-not by much…but definitely had more subscribers.”  Her eyes flicked back to the camera having darted away.  “Sorry, I…well as you can tell…I haven’t been getting much sleep lately.  Anyway, I guess the premise of the episode is Jason and Rebecca are going to investigate some local legend in their town of a…”  She waved her hand trying to recall, “A-a-a haunted schoolhouse or something…”

She shook her head at the disbelief in her own words.  “I know how it sounds…believe me!  I didn’t want to believe…chose NOT to believe what I DID see on the video.  I-I-I don’t really know.  The episode takes place somewhere in…oh where was it again?  I believe it was…South Carolina…no, no, no, Pennsylvania that’s it!  Well in their town they have this local legend about a haunted schoolhouse…like one of those old one’s from pioneer days.  They called it Schoolhouse 48.”  Her daughter began to sway shifting her weight onto her other side. 

Hearing her daughter’s movement, Joey turned to watch her daughter.  Recatching a glimpse of the television screen, “She’s reaching the end now actually.  I wish I could move this damn computer to show you all.”  She reached up and points her finger at the television.  The once bright television screen illuminating her silhouette was now replaced with darkening eerie gray.  “I don’t know what this is supposed to be, okay?  All I know is that it scares me…truly scares me.  I-I-I know that I should watch the video in its entirety.  I know that I need to see what it is about this video that is driving her to continuously watch it.  I know that a good parent would watch it…find out what’s so important.  However, when I tell you I can’t…I just, I just can’t.  I see the things in this episode…things I know these two weren’t doing…weren’t capable of.  Like that…”  Her finger pointed to the television screen again, “like that…what the hell is that?  God, I HATE that I can’t move this computer to show you all!”

Joey reached forward and the screen jiggled from side to side.  She shook her head, “I can’t take it off its charger…but look…watch this, watch this.  Can you see it?”  Darkness enveloped the room for several seconds before illuminating indicating the replay of the video.  “See…you see she programmed it to just goes right back to the beginning.”  Her daughter continued to sway in place as her body trembled slightly in place.

“I have only seen a couple parts…but the parts that I HAVE seen…scare me enough to NOT want to watch it.  I know that it has to do with the old teacher…well, THEY call her the schoolmarm witch of 48.”  She held up her hand, “Witches, no I don’t do witches…none of that black or dark magic.  I am a child of the Lord.  I can’t-I won’t!”  She shook her hands signaling her finality on the subject.  “So that option is out…”  Her hand lowered to begin tapping her finger on her chin.  “Maybe…maybe if I show it?  Show you…you can give me some advice?  You can tell me what my next step should be.  What would your next step be?  M-m-maybe that’s what I’ll do.  I’ll post a link to the video and please comment.  I have had several different doctors come out here already and all were unsuccessful.  Any advice will be read and taken seriously.

“Ok…green light is on, yeah?  Look’s good, look’s good…”  A hand turns the video screen towards him.  “Hey handsome…”  Jason’s white smile beamed back at him running his fingers through his nearly buzzed brown hair.  It ruffled like a small brush ruffling towards the middle.  “Yeah, everything seems good…I hit record so that light is red.”  He smirked revealing a set of coffee-stained teeth in a relieved sigh, “Wow, is filming going to go off without a hitch?  I don’t think that’s ever happened before.  Who knows things might be looking up for me!” 

Jason chuckled to himself placing the camera onto a tripod facing it towards him.  He patted himself down, “Jesus, I always look so BIG on film.”  His baggy cargo shorts and shirt were dragged down by his backpack.  He straightened the straps on his shoulders before returning his attention back to the camera.  His wobbled his nimble body preparing like a runner would for a marathon.

“I just want to take this moment fam to tell you how excited I am to bring you this story.  In fact, this was the story that started me down this path.  You could say it kindled the dark spot in my heart for everything spooky and scary.  As we are getting closer to our destination.  I couldn’t come out here at night without a local and my best friend.  So, keep hitting those like and subscribe buttons let’s keep the family of Ghouls together on every journey we take.”

“Jason…”  Reaching into his black jacket, he removed the radioed message coming from within.  The walkie-talkie glowed light green as he hit the side button.  “Hey Becca, yeah we’re here over at the meet up spot.”  “Oh good, I thought you were park enforcement at first!  I’m heading your way now.”  “Copy…”  Jason replied before returning the walkie-talkie to the inside of his coat.  “That’s Becca…so, after I show you Pine Grove Cemetery we’ll get into more detail because to truly see the terror of Alvira Schoolhouse 48.  You have to see it and I mean SEE it!  You see during this time with every month this section of the park usual has a park enforcement officer or two.”

The camera bobbed up and down, “Oh that’s great!  So, where are you at in the story?”  “Well, I thought it would be cool for our family out there to get a real understanding of the spookiness of this place.  I thought the best way to do that would be seeing what we see first.”  Becca’s chipmunk sized cheeks fell, “You haven’t even told them about the witch yet?”  The camera shook from side to side.  “Wow Jason no background on Schoolmarm Margaret Kalod?  You really know how to keep your audience in suspense, don’t you?  How many are tuning in?”  Becca leaned forward causing her glasses to slip down her nose to reveal Jason’s phone screen reflected in the large frames.  Her sweetness upon arrival had now turned slightly icy.  “Jason…cut the feed…cut the feed…” 

The camera shifted and lowered to the ground revealing wavy blades of tall grass.  The cemetery just behind them now turned upside revealing weathered and neglected tombstones.  The stone monuments losing to nature’s passing time.  The bugs still clicked from nearby trees as muttered whispering could be heard in the background.  “Jason, you promised…you PROMISED me views this time!  You promised me that your numbers were up, and you only have 12…12 viewers!”  “It’s still early Becca…”  Scores of small bugs swarmed in the air between a rotting wooden fence.

“I understand it’s still early, but I have a social media and market to uphold myself.  I love you and will do anything for you…friends to the end.  But this stuff…this stuff you asked me to do is a little degrading for me.  If I am going to degrade myself by wearing stuff like this and showing off my…”  Her tone lowered, “my bits for nothing…nothing but meaningless views.  It’s just…it’s not the image or message I want for MY following or my channel.” 

The video returned revealing the whip of a tattered black cloak moving out of frame before an off-screen sigh of acknowledged agreement could be heard.  The onscreen tension immediately seemed to lighten under a friendly giggle from Becca.  Jason’s hand raised the camera upwards to focus back on a smirking Becca.  “You always get me with your puppy dog face Jason!”  “Ever since fourth grade buddy, but I have to ask what’s this attitude all about?”  “N-nothing let’s just get this over with.  I don’t like this place.  It always gives me the chills.  You know I don’t like coming out here…NOBODY likes coming out here!  It’s creepy, besides you know all the stories just as much as I do.”  “Becca don’t worry it’s fine they’re just stories…”  “No Jason they aren’t just stories!  People go missing out here…ESPECIALLY students!  You know all the theories about this place just as much as I do…”  “Don’t worry we’ll be in and out, okay?”  “I hope so Jason.  I didn’t encounter any Park Enforcement, did you?”  The camera shook from side to side, “No, we didn’t see anybody.” 

The camera picture spun back towards Jason, “This here is Pine Grove Cemetery.  It’s a quiet…forgotten place off the Black Forest Trail.  A place of solitude for the memory of the forgotten.  However, the story that these faded tombstones tell is no less mysterious as it is chilling.”  Making their way around the fence, the wooden archway entry came into view.  Broken boards littered the ground in front of it nearly swallowed by the waving stalks of grass.

The broken archway deteriorated from nature’s cruel passing of time.  Jason continued through, “This is all that remains of the entrance into the cemetery.  As you can see this place is never attended too and maintenance to the grounds is evidently under-managed…”  Becca turned around readjusting her black book bag on her shoulders.  “It is also rumored in our town that Park Enforcement must accompany them every time they do.”  “That’s right Becca.  You can barely make out the tombstones scattered among the grounds.  I wanted to first bring you over here.” 

The camera’s view turns back to Jason smiling broadly.  “You see here fam this…THIS is why I wanted her to be here!  This is some REAL local legend you’re hearing here and not just from MY mouth.  I’m sorry for cutting you off Becca, please go on.”  The camera flips back to her, “You see back then the only students that could go to school were the kids that families didn’t need on their farm or in their business.  They would only go for a short period of time or just a farming season…harvest or planting…”  She pushes her blonde hair back smirking at an off-camera Jason.  “You get the picture…Abigial went missing the first year under the tenure of Schoolmarm Margaret Kalod.  There’s only one newspaper article about it too.  Basically, they never found her…only her rucksack.  She was sent to school one day and left with a boy she normally walked with.  During the walk, the boy confirmed to walking ahead of her and upon turning back discovered her missing.  Abigial’s rucksack was found 2 miles from the school and the last location from boy that was walking with her.”

Jason leaned towards the camera and whispered, “She really doesn’t like it out here…”  “Who would…”  She snapped back trying to keep her tone playful.  Jason spun the camera around to reveal the dark trees surrounding them and the tall grass obscuring a history long forgotten to time.  “Ok fam here’s where the story gets really interesting.”  Jason moves to a set of small stone crosses weathered from nature nearly forgotten to world.  “This here are victims three and four…Hannah and Harriet O’Flannery who died in 1883.  Their father reported picking them up and riding them out from school on the back of his haycart.  While on the journey, he noticed they had gone missing.  Upon questioning, the father said that they must have been taken or jumped out at some point during the journey.  The father was never charged, and their bodies were never found.  However, this is where the local town gossip starts to come up.  People were starting to notice that since Margaret Kalod became the schoolmarm of Schoolhouse 48 children had been going missing…specifically HER students.  Although considering her age and with no evidence discovered they didn’t charge her.  Others merely shrugged it off as coincidence or simple disbelief due to her dedication to the students and career.”

“Stories or not…oh, I can’t believe you convinced me to do this.  I haven’t done this since high school.”  “Back to the story, at the start of the civil war the townspeople are going to close down Schoolhouse 48.  The men are going off to fight and families struggling financially.  Well apparently, she did NOT take it well.  Locals believed she felt she had dedicated her whole life to teaching…and when the school was closed.  She supposedly lost everything for the profession…the kids.  Whatever you may think at this point it leads us to our final victim of fact… not speculation.” 

Jason made his way to one of the last tombstones near a missing section of the wooden gate.  A loose board hung from one of the posts lightly resting over least worn stones with a name still etched fairly legible.  Thomas “Turtle” Tuttle died 1885, he was found a few days after leaving school.  His body torn to shred…”  “They found pieces of him all over the place.”

Jason’s hands outstretched pushing the branches now to the side.  His camera lowered to get flagrant views of Becca’s backside.  Her black yoga pants stretched across her broad backside hinting subtle teases.  “Now, you might think that might be the end of the story.  The police find nothing…no connection with Margaret.  So, naturally she was never charged.  The coroner for cause of death wrote down the most likely cause being an animal attack.  Becca you want to continue?” 

They pushed through the trees until they thinned to reveal a grassy field interspersed with few large trees.  These trees were allowed to grow free from the crowding and able to spread out for space.  “Absolutely, so Margaret ends up reopening Schoolhouse 48 privately and necessarily illegally.  She survives mainly on donations from the townspeople and her students’ families for several years.  And here is where the story takes a turn for the worse…and where the story ends…supposedly.”  Becca paused taking in the clearing in front of them.  “Wow…I’m sorry, but now that we are out here.  It’s all coming back to me.  The high school dares and stories.  I never liked it out here.”

The camera turned back to Jason with a playful smile.  “You never did.  You rarely came out here with any of us from school.  But anyway fam, there’s still one more student and the final alleged victim of Schoolmarm Margaret Kalod.  In 1886, Pepe Magiona left Schoolhouse 48 and was never seen again.  Well, naturally with all the controversy and tragic events surrounding the school and Schoolmarm Margaret Kalod. Alvira decided to relocate the school to more populated areas, and I guess kinda start over.  Alvira closed the school, took over the property, and let Margaret Kalod go.  The townspeople reported Margaret appeared lost without devoting her time to the school and to the students she taught.  She would apparently show up at former student’s housing begging them to be her student again.”  “Despite the fact she didn’t have a place to even teach them.”  Becca mumbled and pointed to her left.  “Hey, I think that’s it!  Yeah, I think that’s Hallow Tree.  I’ll go check and you can finish the story for them.”

The camera panned to watch Becca sway through the tall grass of the clearing.  Heading to one of the largest trees with twisted branches casting finger like towards the sky.  “Even though there was never any proof that she had any involvement in the missing children.  The people of Alvira thought she was well past her prime and…dangerous.  They told her she should move on with her life.  She didn’t…or couldn’t…and her life would end.”  “Here…100 yards from where her beloved Schoolhouse 48 sat.” 

The camera had repositioned on Becca repeating the last four words with Jason in unison, “that was the deal…”  It shifted back to Jason, “You see Fam…this is what I keep saying.  This legend is SO ingrown into our local population of Allenwood.  Which naturally can divert the legend into many different versions of the legend.  Becca and I are giving the version we were raised on.  Since Margaret Kalod was hanged this land and nearby surrounding towns report numerous strange and unexplained incidents.  You see people who venture out into what was Alvira or onto Black Forest Trail can suffer from injury or violent illness.  People occasionally go missing, get lost, hurt, or injured in this area…whether hiker, transits, tourists, children.  It’s not frequent to draw any suspicion, but enough to keep local interest like in Allenwood.  Coincidentally, they happen more frequently nearing or during a Blood Moon, but they still happen.  The town eventually forgot about Schoolhouse 48 and the only reminder of Alvira being the abandoned army bunkers.  This area has mostly become a rundown hangout for partying or daring teenagers.”  “Hunters too, my dad and I go hunting up here sometimes.”  Becca nodded, “It fell into disrepair eventually being swallowed up by nature.  My great, great Grandpa Wilbur told me because he was one of the last to play in it…or at least that’s the story my grandpa would say.”   

The camera picture returned to Jason, “Since the late 90’s I think…someone from Tiadaghton State Park Enforcement is always patrolling this section the closer it gets to a Blood Moon.  Now over time, the Tiadaghton State Park Enforcement got more laxed with it.  Although, every time their attention starts to slip…another incident happens.  Now, let’s make our way over to Hallow Tree so we can start this investigation.”  

The dead looking tree cast a macabre shadow over the ground around it.  Despite its lifeless appearance, the large branches stretched outward swaying with the light breeze.  “Now, they say if one wishes to see Schoolmarm Margaret Kalod one must place their hand on Hallow Tree, say her name, and…”  “Jason please don’t say the name anywhere near Hallow Tree and…DON’T look at me like that!  I’m not putting my hand on it or near it.”  Jason placed his hand on the dry bark.  Bits detached from the tree cracking softly before scattering into the dirt.  “Becca, you need to put your hand on Hal…”  “NO, I told you Jason!  I don’t like coming out here.  And I CERTAINLY don’t like or want to put my hand on that tree!”  Becca took a step back her eyes visibly scanning over the tree expecting something to happen.  “Becca…you know as well as me that it is all just superstition.”  The camera pans back to Jason, “You see my Ghoulery Family as I was saying!  It is believed that if one places their hand on her tree, says her name, and repeats her final words.  ‘That was the deal.’  They will be forever doomed to be her student…trapped in the classroom of Schoolhouse 48.”

The camera picture drops towards the grass and trees again.  It was as if the world had taken a misstep and flipped around.  The gnarled and twisted fingertips of the branches stretched towards the top of the screen dancing in a playing wind.  “Becca, you know it’s not true.  It’s just all stories…especially this…”  “They’re not all stories Jason…NO ALL the things that happened.  You can’t erase those!  Which is why I am assuming you won’t go more into depth about it!”  “What’s there to go into depth about?  This is all part an abandoned town filled with forgotten bunkers from World War 2.  It’s bound to have people get hurt, go missing, or get sick.  Life happens Becca…the world turns and things happen because that is LIFE not because of Margaret Kalod!”  “STOP saying her name near Hallow Tree!  And what about the rumored Woman in Black?  You haven’t even told them about the Woman in Bla…”  “Stop Becca…stop there is NO woman in black.  Margaret Kalod is dead!”  “My cousin says she has seen the Woman in Black in the bunkers.”  “Well, your cousin is lying because Margaret Kalod’s spirit wouldn’t go into the bunkers.”  “You don’t know that!”  She snapped at him making Jason bluster slightly, “I-I-I don’t want to get into a whole thing about the different kinds of energies with spirits ranging from electrical to thermal.  You need to trust me.  I have done this before and nothing has ever happened.  Think of it as saying Bloody Mary in the mirror three times.  And where is this all coming from?  You have come out here before me.  You agreed to help me with this episode and knew what would entail.”  “I agreed to help…agreed to wear this outfit and be your cheap little eye candy for ratings.  I DID NOT agree to do anything near Hallow Tree!”

The scattered trees in the background swayed at the bottom of the screen.  The leaves rippling in an almost mesmerizing dance.  The blackness of the night barely penetrated by the camera’s night vision.  Suddenly, a dark figure can be seen emerging from behind one of the thickest trunks of trees.  A dark veil of flowy lace matched with a black shawl glided slightly on the very air.  Her feet hidden beneath the grass and edge of the screen.  The figure disappeared behind another tree trunk and did not reappear.  “I’m sure we’ll get great stuff if we do it the right…”  “Save it Jason…just save your breath.  I’m not doing it and if you’re doing it, I’m leaving!”  “You grow…I go…”  Jason mumbled to Becca who appeared to finalize her refusal with her silence.  “No face Jason…NO puppy dog fa-OH alright, okay?  Y-you’ve really done it before?”  Jason gave a soft barely audible, “Mmph…twice…”  “O-okay…then, you do it…I’m not that’s the rule…good, just do what you gotta do.  What are the views at?”

The world flipped around returning to Jason.  “See we’re doing good.  Hey guys…”  Becca angrily whispered, “78 Jason…78!”  Her disappointment fumbled his words.  “H-hey gu-guys, so we are going to start gathering evidence.  Now that we have told you the sort of legend surrounding Schoolmarm Margaret Kalod let’s get her trending.  Let’s get the local legends out there into the wider world, huh?  So, what I have here…”  Jason reached around and pulled his backpack towards him searching with a jostling of the camera’s picture.  The picture trembled back and forth until Jason’s stubbled face reappeared.  “I just gave Becca here, a thermal camera we can use to search for any thermal anomalies, and an EVP recorder.  Now, I am sure you are all aware that EVP stands for Electronic Voice Phenomenon.  Becca and I are hoping to catch something.  So, come along with us as we begin the hunt for supernatural proof.

[VIDEO CORRUPTION]

“I’m done Jason!  I’m done and I want to go home!”  The camera fixed on Becca’s back with Jason struggling to keep up behind her.  “Becca wait…”  The rotted wooden fence past her in a huff as she left the cemetery.  “Becca please…”  She continued to ignore him storming down the dirt path reemerging into the small forest.  “You can’t just leave in the middle of the episode…”  Becca spun on the spot sending her blonde hair to snap behind her. 

“Middle…MIDDLE of the episode!  Jason, you promised me that if I dressed like this people would watch!  You PROMISED me that once we started catching things…videotaping, hearing, seeing things the viewership would go up!  But we have been out here all night…ALL NIGHT!  And for what…NOTHING, we haven’t gotten so much as a strange sound!  You haven’t even broken a hundred views yet!”  “Becca we are bound to come across something.  You know the stories out here just as much as I do.  If we just go back and keep trying…”  “No Jason, you never listen to me.  I told you I don’t like coming out here and I certainly don’t like dressing like this.”

Jason stopped in his tracks halting the jostling of the camera.  His face twitched almost involuntarily with eyes slightly bulging in growing horror. “W-what the…”  His words became lost in his throat.   Despite the camera’s green lackluster picture, the fear in his face was evident.  “F-family…”  He whimpered his slowly cautious steps evident by the light crunching of twigs and leaves under his feet.  “I-it’s here…I can’t believe it…it’s here.  It’s standing right in front of me.  Th-this is impossible!”  His words trembled with the spinning of the camera’s view.

The camera attempted at zooming but failed with flashing white stripes streaking across the screen.  The screen steadied and returned to normal before zooming back to find Jason’s hand gripping Becca’s thigh.  He shook it with a sound no more audible than the squeak of a mouse.  “B-B-B-B-Becca…”  He shook it with more force, but his voice grew no stronger.  “B-B-B-Becca…please…”  Becca resumed her protest in an almost trance like refusal.  She pulled away with another protesting groan, “UHHH…”  “SHHHH….”  The camera snapped back to the Woman in Black who remained motionless with her piercing stare scrambling the camera picture.  It flickered several times before clearing to reveal the Woman in Black continuing to watch him.

Snatching at his waist, “NO PLEASE…”  He screamed as the hands pulled him inside with a sudden jerk.  He was dragged up the stairs until his hands gripped the edges of the door frame.  Blood poured thickly from his mouth, “NO…GOD…PLEASE…”  He screamed blood spat from his lips with every word until one final pull dragged him inside.  Fighting with all his strength at keeping himself outside the door.  Face shaking with the strain of keeping out of the Woman in Black’s grasp.  “Let go…Margaret let…”  Thin spindly fingers slithered through the darkness across his face silencing his words.  With a mighty pull, Jason’s final scream became muffled as he vanished inside.

She turned back to the camera, “Well hopefully I did it right and edited the video in correctly.  If so, hopefully you were able to watch the episode in its entirety.  Please send me any advice you can give me.  The truth is…I…I am afraid of having her committed.”  Once again, Joey turns to her daughter laying on the floor.  Tears begin to run down her cheeks.  She quickly brushed them away before returning her attention to the camera.  “I am afraid of what she will DO to herself should she not have the tape, or when the tape is taken away.  The truth is I haven’t watched the entire video just bits and pieces.”  She paused her drooping eyes trailing for a brief second before returning.  You know what?  I think I should do that first.  Let me go watch the whole thing and I will report back to you.  I’ll repost a video update when I watch the entire thing.”

The camera straightened one final time before a message flashed across the screen, LOW BATTERY.  Joey straightened herself up and silhouetted herself in the middle of the camera.  Wordlessly standing in front of the screen her wide and unblinking eyes bore through the camera.  Swaying in place letting the seconds tick by until a red battery icon flashed in the top right-hand corner.

THE END