Edge of Blackest Night

The door slamming echoed through the house. There was a pregnant pause before all hell broke loose. I could hear Dad immediately start apologizing to Teddy and Robert. I sat at the top of the stairs feeling empty. I still questioned whether accepting Robert’s explanation was wise or not. I felt like I was going through “Buyer’s Remorse”, especially after seeing Riley’s reaction accompanied by her facial expression.

I tuned out the chatter and banging downstairs, I was contemplating going after Riley. However my mind couldn’t focus. As soon as I decided to chase after her I got distracted by a fly buzzing around the door way of Grandma’s room. It went on like this while for a while. I would make up my mind then get distracted. I was in a fog. Finally forcing myself to focus I stood. I was going to go after Riley; nothing was going to stop me.

“Remi?” I focused on the voice and realized Robert was standing right in front of me. He gave me an odd look with a head tilt. “Let her go.” Robert then pulled me close, stepping up to the landing. He wrapped me in his arms, giving me a slight squeeze. “She just needs a breather.” He tilted my chin up to kiss me but I pulled away. I didn’t want to meet his eyes; I didn’t want him near me yet I craved his touch. What I really wanted was to go after Riley, apologize to her and try to make her see reason behind Robert and me.

I stepped from his embrace and started down the stairs but didn’t get far. Robert wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest, his other hand to my free hand and twined our fingers together. “Give her some space. How do you think she feels?” I nervously sucked on my snake bites. That was the problem I knew how she felt. She felt betrayed. She knew what Robert had said, because I spilled it all to her in anger and tears. Yet here I was all wrapped up in the one that said Grandma was dead and gone and to move on and forget. If that wasn’t enough the bandages wrapped around my fingers, and the wraps around my legs and arms were evidence enough to make any rational women stay away from men for a long time. Yet I knew I wasn’t thinking clearly. My pills for depression tended to leave me airheaded, and absentminded.

As soon as I found out Grandma was dying I started up again as a preemptive attack. But as soon as Grandma found out I was taking them, she asked me to stop. She knew what would happen; I would have thoughts of suicide. However, she made it clear I needed to grieve her, that this time I had people around me that would help me. I knew my system still held traces of my meds, but they were on their way out. In a day or two it would clear my system completely, but the next two days were going to be the worst and confusing as total get out.

“Remi?” I looked up to see Dad and Teddy watching me. At some point the two of them had converged at the bottom of the stairs. “Did you hear a word I said?” Concern was evident in Dad’s facial expression and posture, when I shook my head no. However Teddy’s posture was off somehow; he seemed to radiate pure unadulterated excitement at my confusion. If I was in my right mind I would’ve said something, pointed out that Teddy was acting weird, but all I did was shrug and shake my head again to confirm my answer.

“You are coming with me to work while these boy’s finish up the fence and head home. We’ve agreed it would be wise for them to stay scare for a couple of days if not a week. It will help your sister calm down.” Dad looked away and avoided Roberts and Teddy’s eyes as he spoke next. “It would also be wise for you and Robert to take a break.”

The arm wrapped around me tightened and his hand tensed slightly. I winced and knew I was going to have a bruise. Robert must’ve sensed my unease cause he suddenly relaxed his hold and kissed my temple, “With all due respect Thomas. I think it’s best if Remi stay with me. I think-”

“I knew what you think with boy. But with all due respect , Remi is staying with me. My family is finally starting to come back together and mend problems of the past. Remi staying with you would only add fuel to the fire.” Dad straightened up and crossed his arms giving both Teddy and Robert pointed looks. “Remi stays with me.”

With that both Teddy and Robert exchanged a look. Their mental conversation carried on for some time. Robert’s breath on my neck sent chills through my body, making my hair stand on end. Teddy went to open his mouth to speak but Dad’s walkie-talkie went off.

“I got to go. Come on Remi. The safest place to be is with me at the station.” I looked at his face mystified that he could understand an ounce of that static that came over the speaker, none the less I was relived to distance myself from the Pinch’s. Something was going on but I couldn’t figure it out my mind was clouded with fog. But as soon as the weight was lifted if came crashing down. As I descended down the stairs and out of Robert’s arms, I was halted by Robert’s hand in mine.

Dad had already turned to gather his coat and keys. Robert subtly nodded to Teddy and on cue Teddy crept up the stairs past me. He touched my shoulder gently, but his eyes twinkled with malice. I tried to concentrate on why what was happening should be setting off bells and whistles but no matter how hard I tried to find a fault or suspicion the thought flew over my head. Then Teddy was out of sight…and out of mind.

“Don’t get comfortable. I will be by to pick you up soon.” When I didn’t nod he shook me slightly. “You understand?” He snapped, raising his voice slightly, but not enough for Dad to hear. I rubbed my head with my free hand as my mind turned to mush and nodded just to get him to stop talking and release me.

“Remi.” Dad waited at the front door, holding it open and gesturing for me to come down and follow him. Robert released me and I stumbled down the steps, eager to get to safety… my Dad. “Where’s Teddy?” Dad asked rushing me out the door. He was curious but didn’t really care for the answer.

“He went to check on the fence…see what else needs to be done,” Robert answered before I could with a pleasant smile as if he wasn’t irritated in the least bit. Dad nodded said a farewell and shut the door. I happen to catch one last look at Robert and had a bad feeling that Pinch’s were not who they said they were and were about to put Haysville on the map.



My time at the station passed in a blur. The only constant I remember was Dad. He was always there. He was my stone keeping my lucid mind somewhat grounded. Besides Dad there were only bits and pieces of my time spent there that could I remember. The air condition suddenly stopped working. Then my mind fog rolled back in and suddenly all the windows and doors were open with fans going. Then at one point Dad was called away to take a phone call and suddenly Robert was there, guiding me towards his truck.

I remembered only a few glimpses of my afternoon with Robert. My mind fog was being held at bay until Robert took me out to lunch. After some weird tasting soup my mind was in pieces. One was of Robert driving, giving me sweet smiles followed by caresses on my cheek and thigh. Another was getting back into the car. I remember turning my head to see a gleaming white chapel and priest waving farewell with a smile on his lips. After that nothing but mind fog, until I somehow ended up in Robert’s room.

I was on his bed. I struggled to sit up but my mind had no control over my body; it refused to move. The only thing I was able to do before I passed out was yank the covers off my body and my second skin of sweat soaked jeans and shirt.

I was transported back to the dark night before Bradley was found murdered. For some reason the night was no longer as dark as it was before. The walk was the same, the rain was the same, but as lightening cracked the sky in half, the light revealed the shadows. The moving shadow was none other than Robert. The look on his face was downright frightening, his eyes were daggers. However all his hatred wasn’t aimed at me it was aimed at Bradley. The light flashed again and thunder screeched and I was brought back to his room.

I shook my head to get my bearing and realized that the so called thunder was real. No wait it was a scream. But then followed by total silence. The blood pounded in my ears as I tried in vain to hear more but my ears were met with nothing but silence. As my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, I realized it was night. The moon was full casting Robert’s room in an eerie light.

I took a deep breath and forced my heavy body to move. I successfully lumbered to my feet and shuffled to the door and flipped the switch. I grimaced as the light blinded me. Slowly the offending light stopped irritating my eyes and I took in his room. It was neat and clean and looked the same as it always did, until I saw a doll.

A thought of familiarity flashed through my head but was gone in an instant. I shuffled over to it and picked it up. It was a female cloth doll with a white dress and jewelry wrapped around her limbs. Suddenly the memory clawed its way through the fog. I sketched a doll just like this. I was snooping in Riley’s room when I saw it. It was disturbing how it was dressed like the victims, but I shrugged it off as a way Riley was coping with her feelings.

I dropped it realizing how wrong I was. Robert was the…The thought was on the tip on my brain but it vanished before I could make the connection. I leaned into the dresser to stop myself from falling when I realized I was not longer in my jeans and shirt but in a sheer white dress. What was going on?

“Remi.” My head shot up at Robert’s voice. He was leaning in the doorway appraising me. “How are you feeling? You seemed to be in a daze all day.” He sauntered towards me. He was arms reach away as he gripped my chin and titled it upwards. His murky brown eyes searched mine.“Your eyes don’t seem as clouded as before.” I nodded. He leaned forward to kiss me but I pulled away.

“Why am I in a white dress?”

He smiled. “It was all I had. You had a fever so I changed you.” He leaned forward again and this time I let him kiss me, but it felt wrong. He looked me up and down. “Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.” He broke away and wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled my neck. Then lead me backwards until I was against the wall.

I licked my lips. “My sister and my Dad I have to…” he cut me off with another kiss. He pulled away and smiled while rubbing circles into my back and hip.

“Tomorrow I will take you home, but tonight stay with me.” I tried to find a reason to say no but the fog was too thick, making it so hard to think. I nodded in agreement.

“But I should call them…”

“You left a note. Everything it alright.” He gave me two more tender kisses before he led me to the bed. I tried to remember what was said in the note, but I couldn’t even recall writing one. Before I could comprehend anything I became dizzy and the next thing I knew I was in bed. All he was doing was holding me, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long.

He said everything was fine, but it wasn’t. I needed time and space, which I knew wasn’t going to happen. Most of all I needed to tell Dad and Joshua about the doll. Somehow it was the connection to everything.