The Awakening Evil (13 page)

J
ane shoved Jason against the wall. She whipped the knife around and held it at his throat.

There was amazement in his eyes, but no fear.

“You're not afraid?” she demanded, feeling the anger rush through her.

She could feel her eyes glowing hot.

She could see green vapor wafting out of her mouth with every breath.

She nicked his neck with the blade, and watched the blood run down into his starched white collar.

Still, he didn't shake or tremble or beg for his life.

“You will die!” she shouted hoarsely. She put her face right up into his. “And I will have fun watching!”

He gritted his teeth. He stared into her face. “Who are you?” he murmured.

She cut him deeper. He gasped in pain. She shrieked with glee.

“You're not Jane. Jane!” he cried. “Can you hear me?”

It shocked Jane to hear her own name.

For a moment, she felt strong again. She wrenched the knife away from Jason's throat.

Jason's hand flew to his neck. He stared at his fingers. At the blood.

It's all right, she told herself. He isn't hurt badly. Yet.

“Say my name,” she whispered. “Say my name again. And again.”

“Jane Hardy,” Jason said, his voice loud and firm. “Jane Hardy, Jane Hardy, Jane Hardy.”

Every time Jane heard her name, she felt stronger.

She could feel the evil spirit inside her struggling to control her body. Trying to force the knife back to Jason's throat.

“Say my name!” she screamed. “Say my name!”

Jason shouted her name. Over and over.

“Don't stop!” Jane cried.

She could feel more of herself coming back to life every time he yelled the words: Jane Hardy! Jane Hardy!

Jane threw the knife onto the floor. She backed away from Jason.

They stared at each other across the dimly lit library.

Jane covered her face with both hands. “Jason. Oh, Jason.”

She heard him take a step toward her.

Jane jerked her head up. “No!” She pointed at him. “Please, don't come near me,” she begged. “It is not safe.”

He stood across the room, watching her.

“It is Sarah,” Jane said at last. “Her spirit. She is here.”

“What?” Jason cried.

“She was so angry that she drowned, Jason. So angry. She wants to destroy my life,” Jane told him.

“It—it's so hard to believe. But it is even harder to believe that you would ever try to hurt me. I knew it couldn't be you holding that knife,” Jason said.

“Then—you believe me?” Jane shook her head.

“How else could we explain what has happened?” he asked.

“Oh, Jason! I am so frightened!”

This time when Jason hurried toward her she didn't stop him. She let him hug her, hold her.

She told him everything. Everything that had happened. And what Sarah planned to do next.

As she spoke, she realized an amazing thing.

She no longer heard Sarah's voice in her head.

“Jason?” she whispered. She was almost afraid to speak the thought out loud. “Could she be gone?”

Jason nodded. “You have defeated her.” He gripped her shoulders hard. “I am sure of it! She would have killed me if you hadn't.”

Jane wanted to believe him.

But she couldn't.

“No,” she murmured, trying to push him away. “I have to get away. Away from everyone. But away from you most of all. She will kill you, Jason. If I give her another chance. I swear to you, she will.”

“That's right. Sarah wanted to kill me,” Jason said. “And if she is still inside you, she won't be able to resist this chance. Here.” He ran over and picked up the knife she had thrown on the floor. He pressed it into her hand.

“No!” she cried. “Are you crazy?”

He pressed her fingers around the knife's silver handle. Then he lifted her hand and brought the knife to his throat.

“We have to know.
You
have to know,” Jason said. “If Sarah is still with us, she will never be able to resist such an opportunity.”

Jane tried to move the knife away, but Jason held it in place against his throat for several more seconds.

Finally he let go.

She lowered her hand and let the knife drop to the floor.

Sarah was really gone.

It was finally over at last.

♦ ♦ ♦

The next morning, Jane sat at her desk. She glanced around the room.

It appeared so normal. So ordinary.

But such horrible things had happened to her here.

She heard a knock on her door. “Come in,” she called.

Jason strolled into the room. “I have a surprise for you. We're going sailing. And we're taking Michael and Margaret with us. They're waiting downstairs.”

“Jason, no. I can't,” Jane protested. “How can I even be around the children after the hideous things I've done? I'm a murderer.”

“You didn't kill anyone. Sarah did. And Sarah is gone,” Jason said firmly.

He pulled her to her feet. “We mustn't let Sarah kill another person. We mustn't let her kill you, Jane. You can still have a life.”

Jason tugged Jane out the door and down the stairs. Michael and Margaret raced up and hugged her.

“Race you to the carriage!” Michael called.

He and Margaret dashed out the front doors.

“Come on,” Jason cried. He ran after them, pulling Jane along beside him.

He helped Jane into the carriage, then climbed up himself. He clucked to the horses, and they started down the road at a fast trot.

Jane tilted back her head and let the sun shine on her face. It felt good.

Perhaps Jason is right, she thought.

Perhaps the thing to do is get on with my life. Try to put the past behind me.

Far behind.

Jane took Margaret and Michael by the hand. “We're going to have such fun today!” she exclaimed.

Yes,
the evil spirit answered.
We're going to have lots of fun.

J
ane stared out at Fear Lake. She could still hardly believe the evil spirit had tricked her. She had felt so certain Sarah was gone.

Sarah laughed and laughed.
What a little fool!

A low whimper escaped Jane's throat. I must find a way to warn Jason, she thought.

But how could she? Sarah controlled her lips, her mouth, her throat. Sarah controlled her hands. Sarah controlled
her.

A black-and-gold butterfly fluttered down and landed on Jane's palm.

“Look at the butterfly,” Margaret called. “Isn't it pretty?”

“It must have stowed away on our sailboat,”
Michael answered. “I don't think it could have flown halfway across Fear Lake by itself.”

Jane felt her fingers close into a fist—crushing the delicate butterfly.

“Why did you kill it?” Margaret demanded. “It didn't do anything to you.” Her voice quivered. Jane could tell she was about to cry.

Sarah allowed Jane to answer.

“I … I thought it was going to fly away,” Jane told the children. “I just wanted to hold it in my hand a moment longer. I didn't mean … I'm sorry.”

Sarah cackled.
And how will you explain to Margaret why you have ripped out Michael's throat?
she asked sweetly.
What will you say to the child when she has to watch you pluck out her brother's blue eyes?

You will not harm the children! Jane screamed back. By all that I hold holy, I am warning you, Sarah Burns! You will not harm these children!

Who will stop me? You?
Sarah asked her.

The boat began to spin wildly. The children screamed. Sarah laughed.

Sarah placed one of Jane's hands on little Michael's head. The other on Margaret's.

So innocent. So trusting. Sarah could have Jane kill them anytime she wanted.

No, Jane thought. No! She would not allow that to happen.

Jane felt strength rush through her. She would stop Sarah. No matter what it took.

I will drown you, Jane said quietly.

What did you say?
Sarah demanded.

I will drown you, Jane repeated.

And just how do you plan to drown me?
Sarah asked Jane.

I will drown us both, Jane answered. I will drown myself and take you with me.

She felt calm and certain. I can do this, Jane thought. I must. I will never allow Sarah to kill again.

You don't have the courage,
Sarah told her.

Jane felt Sarah's control over her loosen.

She is frightened, Jane realized. The thought of drowning a second time terrifies her.

Good.

Jane struggled across the deck toward the railing.

What are you doing? Get back down at once!
Sarah screamed. She tried to force Jane back down onto the deck of the boat.

But Jane was too strong. So much stronger than she had ever been before.

Jane stared down. The murky water waited below.

It is my only choice.

“Don't!” Margaret shrieked.

“Come back!” Michael yelled.

Jane glanced at the children. She smiled.

Don't leave the children!
Sarah cried.

I'm doing this for them, Jane answered.

Then Jane turned and dove under the railing.

Sarah screamed as they plunged into the cold water and down, down, down.

Jane kicked her feet. Taking them deeper and deeper.

Shrieking with anger, Sarah forced Jane back toward the surface.

Jane could see the water growing lighter, lighter as they neared the top. They burst through the surface. Sarah pulled in a deep breath of air.

Jane saw the boat. It was overturned. Oh, no. The children, she thought.

Jane did a somersault, taking them under again. Kicking her feet. Heading down, down through the murky water.

You'll kill us both!
Sarah shrieked.

Jane kicked harder.

She felt Sarah gathering force inside her. Sarah tried to force her lips open.

Let me out!
Sarah wailed.

No! Jane shouted. She locked her teeth together.

The water around her began to bubble, began to boil.

I can't get out!
Sarah cried.

Red dots exploded in front of Jane's eyes. Her lungs burned.

But she had to go deeper.

Jane forced herself down, down.

She needed air. She had to have air.

Jane opened her mouth and gasped.

Water rushed in. Trapping Sarah inside her.

Jane felt the water filling her lungs. Her lungs ballooning.

I win, Jane told Sarah.

Then her lungs burst.

S
arah stared out of Jane's dead eyes.

She wore a beautiful white lace dress. Her gold wedding band was on her finger. A white satin pillow rested under her head.

Was it worth it, Jane?
Sarah asked.
Was it worth dying to stop me?

But there was no answer from Jane.

And there never would be again.

Jason appeared beside the coffin. He's crying, Sarah realized. He kissed Jane's dead cheek. Then he slowly lowered the lid of the coffin.

Sarah felt herself being raised into the air. They are taking the coffin to the cemetery, she realized.

She was trapped. Paralyzed. She couldn't move
inside Jane's dead body. She could only stare out of the corpse's lifeless sockets.

Stare endlessly at those four black wooden walls.

Sarah felt the coffin being set on the ground. Then she heard the minister begin the service.

She bucked and writhed and wriggled inside Jane's dead body. She was running out of time!

She heard the shifting of footsteps. The workmen grunted as they lifted the coffin. Then the coffin began to sway as they used ropes to lower it into the ground.

The fools! Sarah thought. Don't they know—can't they sense—that I'm in here? And I'm alive! They're going to bury me alive!