~Eternal Slumber~

“Will she wake doctor?” the aging woman asked as she stared at her sleeping daughter who was only beginning to bloom into womanhood. For days the young woman did naught but sleep, it was as if she were sleeping the sleep of the dead. Never moving, never making a sound, hardly breathing. She had shaken her daughter many times, placing her hands upon the girl’s shoulders, beginning her to wake. There was enough racket, enough screaming and pleading to keep the entire town from resting, but still, Katherine would not open her eyes.

Now, after a week of forcing liquids like broth to drink as nourishment, she looked frail. Her complexion became pasty, but the older woman made it a chore to take care of her daughters needs, wiping her brow, washing her hair, bathing her the best she could and giving her a clean bed spread and clothing to wear. Only the doctor and herself stood beside the bed as her husband lounged in a chair near the door. What had caused her beloved daughter to sleep so deep?

“To tell you the truth,” the doctor replied, squinting his blue eyes, causing the sides to crinkle as he gazed down at the sleeping girl then to her mother, “I don’t know. It’s as if she has formed a barrier to keep herself from us, like she doesn’t want to wake.”

So many times had he treated patients in the past and so many times he regretted to give their beloved ones the bad news. He tried to soften the blow each time, but he knew it was to no avail. There was no way to tell someone in a way that would not break their heart.

The older woman brought a hand to her mouth holding back a sob but she managed to choke out:

“But why doctor? Why would she will herself to this…this sleep? It’s as if she wishes to die!” The last word came out in a wail of torment as she tried to make herself believe that that wasn’t so.

The doctor shook his head, his white hair lightly brushing the top of his shoulders. “God only knows, Anne, but there is nothing more I can do here. Continue as you have, give her the broth, move her limbs to keep her muscles from stiffening. We will not know how long she will continue like this, we can only pray that she will come out of it.”

With a heavy sigh, he turned for the door, nodding to Anne’s husband who remained calm throughout the whole ordeal. Only when the door was open did he allow one last look at the woman he had known for so long and her daughter. “Send for me if there are any changes. I will come as quickly as I can.” Without waiting for a response, knowing she had heard him, he stepped out, quietly closing the door behind him.

In the room, Anne silently wept for her daughter, holding he slim hand in her own. Oh my Kat, please wake, Over and over those words playing in her mind. Over and over she whispered those very words to deaf ears. How peaceful she looked, in sleep with hr features relaxed. She looked like a child, one who needed protection and protection she had always given. It was natural of a mother to protect her own child.

She heard a disgusted snort behind her but paid it no mind. How she despised him. Why she married the man, she would never understand, but she knew that he had always hated her daughter. Knowing it was a different man’s, her late husbands, he would not accept her like he said he would have in the past before she married him. But God has her witness, if he had anything to do with Katherine’s condition, she would kill him.

~*~

She stood on a large hill, looking over the never ending fields of corn and wheat as the wind swept past her, lifting her dark brown hair, letting it blow back as the skirt of her gown flowed with the current of the wind. It was a beautiful picture before her. Below her, was a simple white house. Her home. Tall thin trees lined the front yard, green grass blanketing the ground all around.

With slow footsteps, she began to make her way down the hill following a trail, which led down, and around. She avoided the weeds she became quite annoying. She remembered when she was younger how they would stick into her clothing, especially her socks.

Finally making it to the bottom, she walked toward her house, the wind still blowing past her. She stared at the back door with wide unblinking green eye, unusual in their lightness. The door came closer until she stopped, lifting a hand to the knob and turning it. With a gentle push, the door swung open and she stepped inside. The wind immediately stopped and the door closed. All around her, there was silence. She looked around the small open room before she moved forward. Ahead of her was a closed door, a familiar door with small designs. She knew it was her room but she turned to her right, her feet carrying her elsewhere. She traveled through the kitchen and dining room until she came to a stop when reaching the living room. Everything was in its rightful place. She stared at the big screen television then shifted her gaze to the empty sofa, which curved along two walls. Then, her eyes stopped upon the rocking chair. A sleeping cat lay, curled in a loose ball. She was drawn to it. She could not resist. Her hands moved over its soft fur, feeling its texture. A smile touched her lips before she again turned to the television, listening to the sounds of people talking and watching as they interacted.

Soon, she found herself in her room. Not knowing how she got there, but not thinking of the fact either.

She looked about her as if in a daze. The room seemed dark, the lights out and the sun having gone down. Outside her window, she could hear the crickets through the closed glass, their music soothing. Crawling into the bed, she lay down, pulling the covers to her chin as she turned to her side. With a sigh, she closed her eyes but opened them again upon feeling something crawling over her feet. It tickled and made a shiver run down her spine. Throwing the cover off, she reached forward and turned on her reading light, which was curled around the bedpost. Light instantly filled the room.

Turning her head back to her feet, her eyes widened and a scream torn from her open mouth as she jumped from the bed. Spiders, maybe hundreds of little spiders crawled and hide on the mattress and in the covers, some still even moving on her legs, which she desperately wiped at but when looking down, more spiders covered the floor. She felt the terror grip her as the fuzzy arachnids drew closer but again screamed as others dropped down in front of her on webs.

She ran to the door, both hands gripping the knob, turning and pulling, but it would not budge. She pounded her fists against the wood but when she pulled her hands away, they were covered in the fine sticky threads. She tried to pluck the substance off, wiping it on her clothing She felt something probe her bare feet, tapping them and her legs. Looking down, and kicked away the spiders, tears streaming from her frightened eyes. They continued to come. Her walls, her floor, everything was covered with the eight legged creatures, each hissing as they stared at her.

Suddenly, the door opened and she felt arms wrap around her waist, pulling from the infested room, the door slamming on it’s own accord. She stood there, frozen to the spot, but when she looked around her to find her savior, she saw no one.

For a long time she continued to stand there, her feet glued to the spot as a hand moved up and down her forearm, feeling as if the spiders were all over her. Finally, when she was able to move again, she walked back to the living room.

“Hello?” her asked in a shaken voice, but received no answer.

Her feet carried her to the door on the far side of the living room, but instead of opening it, she appeared on the porch. Everything was still, no crickets sang as they had earlier and no wind blew. The night remained peaceful. Looking ahead of her, lining the long dirt path which was her driveway, were torches on each side. Walking down the steps, she moved toward the path, remaining in the center. Behind the torches were fields of corn, each standing straight and tall, but suddenly began to grow until they were as tall as trees. It didn’t seem to unnerve her as she continued to walk her feet soon entering sand. Only then did she stop to crouch down, lifting a handful of the fine dirt and letting it flow through her fingers, back onto the ground.

Katherine.

Katherine rose and looked about her upon hearing her name whispered.

Katherine.

Again her name was spoken near her ear. The voice caressed her, welcoming her. She turned to look back at the house, which now seemed so far away but spotted a figure standing at the beginning of the path, staring at her. Slowly, it began to walk toward her, moving past a torch which lit up its features. Katherine’s eyes widened at the sight as fear again gripped her. He looked so much like a human except for a few details. Horns, like those of a ram curled near his temple, and eyes, though gentle even from afar, they bore into her like green fire.

Do not be afraid.

She heard the words in her head, knowing he did not speak them, but obey them she did not. Instantly, she turned and ran down the path. Wind began to blow brutally, whipping through her hair and clothing from behind, pushing her hair in front of her eyes. The corn on both sides of her, too, blew forward, moving like a wave of water. The light in the torches remained as they were, flickering, but not to the wind, which blew. Soon, her feet felt as if they were on air, in fact, they were. She flew higher, though her feet still running, she moved forward. Looking behind her, the figure still followed, only more determined. Turning forward again, she continued, but stopped, her feet again touching the ground as she saw another figure in front of her. He stood there, as if it were in clear daylight, every detail of his face revealed to her.

It frightened her.

It’s skin was gray and deteriorated, the jawbone showing through one side and the hollow of the eye sockets, empty. The clothes were ragged, hanging by a mere thread over its body, which resembled the appearance of the head. It opened its mouth and began to stumble toward her.

Katherine began to turn but arms snaking around her waist stopped her. She felt herself being pulled back, but she didn’t fight, not just yet.

~*~

Another two days pasted with Anne remaining at her daughter’s side, only leaving when she must. She let her husband to his own doing, but over and over he’d rage at her for not cooking his meals or taking care of him, only remaining at her worthless daughters side.

“She is not going to wake up! Get that through her head woman!” he would rage, his eyes glaring into his wife’s back as if to strike her. How he wished he would be rid of that bitch once and for all, then he would have Anne to himself. But now, now she would not leave the girl’s side unless it was to be something to give to her daughter. But then, something came to him.

Putting on a sympathetic look, he walked toward his wife, slipping an arm around her slender body, pulling her close. “Perhaps I am only speaking rationally. I am as worried as you are, but you are causing me more grief as well. You should get out, even if to buy a few things, perhaps a few things for Katherine so she will be surprised when she awakens."

This turned his wife’s head to stare at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. Could he really mean what he is saying? He is truly worried about Katherine?

His head leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss upon her forehead, “Come on, love. Go to town. I will look over her and I will get hold of you the moment she wakes if she does when you’re gone. You need this break.”

Anne hesitated for a moment, looking at her sleeping daughter. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to leave her side for a little while, but only wanted to be here when she woke. Looking back to her husband, her searched his face. He did look worried, perhaps he did care, even after all this time, and maybe it was just his male pride that kept his true feeling for Katherine hidden?

“All right, Jacob. You promise to tell me when she wakes?”

Jacob nodded, “Of course, Anne.” He brushed her hair from her face. Hoe he could not wait until she was his completely. “Now go, don’t worry about a thing. Katherine is in good hands.”

Anne’s lips lifted into a small smile before she leaned down, placing a kiss on her daughter’s temple, “I’ll will be back soon, Kat. I love you.”

When Anne left, Jacob glared down at the girl. “Soon, you will be but a memory.”

~*~

She watched the creature with wide eyes as she continued after her but when he turned her head, she opened her mouth to scream but quickly closed it when seeing his look.

“Be silent! I mean you no harm as I told you before, but still you ran!” his voiced moved around her, silencing any objection or comment she might have, but she wanted free. She felt safe even if she would not admit it. Then, he stopped and she felt something familiar beneath her feet.

The sand.

She turned questioning eyes to the man who had pulled her but saw he staring at the creature. He now stood a couple feet from her at the edge of the sand, his feet planted on the gravel, but then she flew back, not knowing back happened but feeling an awful sting across her face. She stumbled back and reached out, but screamed. She looked at her hand seeing it on fire as she gripped the torch. Her savior pulled her free and instantly moving her out of harms away of the creature. Immediately, he put her hand to the sand and she watched in amazement as her hand began to heal over, the redness and the blisters disappearing. When she lifted her eyes to his, she saw him looking at her with confusion but left her side to battle the creature.

~*~

Jacob stood over the young girl’s side, heaving as he looked at the blood seeping through the cut on her cheek where he had struck. He looked around him then walked to the closet, pulling out another pillow. As he returned to her side, he grinned. Slowly, he pulled the covers back and studied her body, outlined by the cotton nightgown. He had done this before, but when she was awake. When he was finished, she had been sleeping like a baby. He reached down now, slipping his hand though the top of the neckline, squeezing a breast. He snickered then pulled back.

“To bad Katherine. So beautiful you have grown and how much I would like to take you again since you remind me so much of your mother at this age, but you are only getting in the way.” He held the pillow by both ends and lowered it to her face, pressing it down.

There was no struggle, no flying limbs for screams. He watched her chest, waiting for the rise and fall to stop.

~*~

The creature lay on the ground before disintegrating to dust at the foot of her savior. He again moved to her side, looking down into her features. With a hand, he brushed back the strands of her face, arranging it back to his normal position. The wind seemed to move around them, around the barrier the sand provided.

Suddenly, Katherine began to cough, pulling away. Her chest burned and she couldn’t breath.

Again, her savior caught her, holding her. “What is it?”

She could not answer him. She could no speak. The pain became worse and she let her head fall back, her eyes wide as she stared at the starless sky. Then, she let out a long breath.

~*~

Jacob laughed and pulled the pillow back, looking into the angel face of his stepdaughter, with a streak of blood marring her cheek. “And now, you will sleep as you want, never to awaken.”

At that moment, Anne entered the room.

“I’m sorry, Jacob, I had to-” she went silent seeing Jacob holding a blood stained pillow then to her daughter. She dropped her keys, her eyed widening. “What have you…done?”

Jacob, hearing his wife enter the room, turned in rage. What was she doing here?!

“I rid ourselves of a burden.” He shrugged carelessly.

“Oh God, you didn’t! You didn’t kill my baby!” She ran to her daughter, but he blocked her path. “Get out of my way!”

“I will not. She is gone and we can now get on with our lives.”

“You bastard!” her hand struck his cheek but before he could move, he ran from him.

“Get back here, Anne! Don’t you see? We will not have to live in grief anymore. You are now mine and it is now just the two of us.”

He received no answer. “Come now Anne, come out. Come to me. You know I love you.”

“I am glad I can’t say the same for you!”

Jacob gasped upon feeling something enter his back, then again and again, over and over. Pain shot through him and he collapsed to the ground, his eyes blank as everything went black.

Behind him, crouched down, Anne continued to stab Jacob’s back with a knife, blood seeping through the wounds and covering her hands and smudging her face. Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears but she continued to bring the knife down. Her daughter was gone and there was nothing left for her now.

~*~

Katherine stared at the sky, breathing easily now. She could feel arms around her still, holding her close.

“Katherine? Look at me.”

This, she did. Lifting her head, she stared into the more beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. They captured her very soul as he spoke to her in soft tones, his hand brushing her cheek.

“You are now mine, my beloved. Forever, you will be mine.”

“Yes,” was all she could say.