Escape to Hell

Prologue

A torrential rain fell, soaking everything it could reach. The wind tore black umbrellas from the hands of those standing on the cemetery lawn, "honoring their beloved husband and friend," as the priest had said. In reality, they had come because it was the right thing to do. No one liked Geoffrey Alliburton, a wealthy, miserly, and foolish man who thought he was the most important person in the world. He treated everyone, without exception, with condescension. Annie couldn't understand how she could have loved and married someone like him. It was true that at first they had been happy together, and their honeymoon had been a whirlwind of bliss, but all good things must come to an end. And so it did. Their life together quickly began to deteriorate. They had talked about the baby a hundred times, but Geoffrey considered it just another nuisance and an unnecessary hole in his pocket, which he would have preferred to keep intact.

..."and let us remember the deceased in prayer. May God welcome him into his kingdom, amen."

The coffin began to lower itself into the prepared pit, the soft rustle of the seat belts brushing the wet earth and grass. Annie was angry with herself for not feeling even a little sorry. She couldn't summon up any sadness, couldn't grieve for him. In seven years of marriage, she had come to hate him enough. After the funeral, mourners approached the "grieving" widow and offered their "sincere" condolences.

Finally, it was over. Annie began walking to where she had parked her car. Most of the guests had already left for their homes and offices. She got into her black BMW and slowly drove towards the city. She thought of her large, empty house. Finally, truly free, unmolested by her husband, free from arguments and stress. She longed to go home and rest, but she still had a few things to attend to. First, she had to go to the store and do some serious shopping, because there was nothing left in the fridge except the light. Next, she had to see a lawyer and sort out her inheritance.

A gleaming BMW pulled up to a large supermarket. A twenty-eight-year-old woman with blue eyes and light blonde hair stepped out. She was neither tall nor short, but her perfectly feminine curves and the way she moved were captivating. Watching her walk, one thought of Marilyn Monroe movies, or rather, their final scenes, when the star turns her back to the camera and slowly walks away, gently but noticeably swaying her hips. The viewer stares at the actress, her back turned, walking and walking and walking, captivated by this incredible phenomenon of quintessential femininity. This is precisely how Annie walked.

Annie Alliburton had made a truly enormous purchase. As usual, she'd paid with a credit card at the store, but today it wasn't hers. For the first time in her life, she'd used her husband's card. She got into the car and laughed out loud, imagining his reaction to what she'd done. Finally, she regained control, wiped tears from the corners of her eyes, and headed for the house where the lawyer lived. "

Maybe I've been disowned," she thought, "well, then I'd definitely have to go back to work."

When she was working, she was considered a very good journalist. People confessed to her as if to a priest, but Annie never exploited everything she was told, which earned her friendship and respect, and of course, she always knew a little more than her editorial colleagues.

Tony Peters, her lawyer, owned a small villa built in the style of an Old English manor house, nestled in a beautiful garden. White and red roses were piled high among the lush green grass and dwarf trees. Annie climbed the steps to the veranda and rang the bell several times. The door opened a moment later, revealing the familiar face of the housekeeper.

"Good morning, Ramage. Is Tonny home?

" "Good morning, Mrs. Alliburton." Mr. Peters is waiting in the library.

Tony Peters was indeed sitting at his desk in the library, absorbed in reading, one side turned to the door, the other to the large bay window.

"Hello, Tony.

" "Good morning, Annie. I'm glad you came," he said, standing up and turning to face her. "I'm sorry to hear about Geoffrey's death." He gestured to the chair on the other side of the desk. Annie sat down wearily.

"Tonny, thank you for coming to the funeral.

" "Well, your husband was not only my client, but also my friend. Just like you, Annie."

Ramage entered the library carrying hot coffee in two ornate cups. She set the tray on a small table, gave Annie a warm smile, and left the room, closing the door gently behind her.

"Annie, Geoffrey left a will, and he leaves everything to you. There shouldn't be any difficulties transferring the property, so you don't have to worry about that. I'll try to handle it myself, with as little hassle as possible. Of course, a few of your signatures would be helpful," he smiled, "but that's all you'll need to do in this matter.

" "I can't thank you enough. You saved me so much trouble." She lifted the cup to her lips and sipped the fragrant, pitch-black brew. "Ah! There's one more thing I wanted to ask you," she said after a moment's thought. "Do you think I'll be able to sell the house?

" "Do you want to sell the house?" The lawyer didn't even try to hide his surprise. "Annie! This house is beautiful."

"That's true, but… but I don't think I'd want to live there alone. It's empty, huge, and kind of alien.

I'd advise you to reconsider, but if you want to know, yes, of course you can sell it. It's your house now, and you can do whatever you want with it."

Annie took another sip of coffee, set down her cup, and rose from the armchair.

"I have to go. I'm terribly tired," she said, offering her lawyer her hand. "Hang in there, Tony.

" "Goodbye, Annie. Reconsider your decision to sell the house. Please.

" "I promise. Bye!" she said, and left the room. Ramage was already waiting for her in the hallway to escort her guest to the door. Annie said goodbye to the maid and left the house into the cool evening. The rose-scented air filled her nostrils and filled her lungs with force. She looked out at the garden once more and headed for her car. Half an hour later, she pulled up to her house. She opened the door and entered the hall, which led to the library, the kitchen where she'd left her groceries, a large living room, and several smaller rooms. She kicked off her shoes and went to the living room. She poured herself a glass of cognac, added two ice cubes, and walked barefoot to the terrace, which offered a fabulous view of the beach below and the blue sea. She sat on a plastic garden chair and fell into thought. Memories of her childhood, her university days, and her wedding began to flood back. She'd been a young woman then, twenty-one years old, and she hadn't known life as well as she did now. She'd fallen in love with Geoffrey because he was handsome, kind, intelligent, and, on top of that, wealthy. It seemed to her that nothing better could have happened to her when he finally asked her to marry him.

She got up, returned to the living room, closing the glass door behind her, and climbed the stairs to the second floor, where her bedroom was. She didn't have the energy for a shower, so she simply stripped off her clothes and slipped into the cool sheets. Even though she hadn't slept with Geoffrey in ages, she wished he were home now, sleeping in the next bedroom. Seven years had unaccustomed her to solitude. She turned off the lamp, pulled the covers up to her chin, and fell into a peaceful, restorative sleep.

Chapter 1

She woke up quite late, at nine. She got up, showered, and went to make herself breakfast. She figured toast with a cup of hot milk and two soft-boiled eggs would keep her going until noon. She was invited to lunch by Marione Gluck, a really good friend of hers. They'd met long ago, when they were children, and they remained best friends to this day. Annie was looking forward to this reunion, as she felt very lonely and abandoned. She knew that Marione, the incorrigible optimist who was always in a good mood, would be able to cheer her up a little. Thoughts of Geoffrey began to creep in again. She tried to suppress them, but she couldn't. Maybe, after all, she thought, he wasn't so bad after all? Oh no! He was Bad! How could she have let him hold her captive all these years? She had asked for a divorce so many times, but he always had a ready answer, always the same: "Oh no, my dear, did you even think about me for a moment? What would I look like? What would my friends say? You don't know what? I'll tell you. They would say I can't keep my own wife. And I can't afford that opinion." Over the past four years, they had spoken less and less to each other, seen each other less and less often. Finally, they learned that Geoffrey had cancer. At first, his illness brought them closer together again, but only for a short while. No one expected it would all happen so quickly. Three months after his diagnosis, he died in hospital. Of course, Annie visited him, but neither of them were happy with the initial frequent visits, so she checked on him once a week. She hadn't known death could come so quickly. She was completely unprepared for it. It was a surprise. During the funeral, she felt the cage that had held her prisoner as the coffin lowered, releasing her. She just wasn't sure if it was Now she wanted to be free, and was she prepared for that freedom? Could she live independently again? So the first person she went to, straight from the cemetery, was Tony Peters. She trusted him and knew she could always count on his help. Of course, she also remembered Marione, who had always been her support system. She knew her friend well, and when she last spoke with her, she had sensed the nervousness in her voice.

Now she was on her way to the restaurant where they usually met. It was a small diner owned by Roy McDougel, who remembered them from their college days and treated them like his own family. She entered the wood-paneled saloon. There were only a few people there, so she almost immediately recognized her friend's auburn hair and headed for the table she occupied. Marione had her back to the entrance, so she hadn't seen Annie enter. Annie approached the table, placed her hand on her friend's shoulder, and said:

"Hi! I saw you as soon as we… Oh God! Marione! What happened to you?" She stared in horror at her friend's face. Marione looked horrific. Dark circles under her eyes, cracked or split lips, and abrasions on her cheek and forehead were terrible. Marione smiled slightly, revealing the hole where the pearly white number one always lingered. Annie collapsed into the chair, pale. She had never seen anyone in such a state.

"You know, Annie…" Marione couldn't say anything more as a sob tore from her throat and effectively prevented her from speaking. Huge tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Marione, what happened to you?

" "Annie," Marione began again, more confidently, though her voice still trembled. "Could we go somewhere else? I don't feel comfortable here.

" "Of course. We'll go to my place."

They left the restaurant and got into the BMW. Annie was about to ask what happened, but before she could, Marione started crying again and couldn't calm down the entire ride home. Outside the house, Annie helped Marione out of the car and led her to the living room. There, she poured her a large drink and waited until it was finished. Marione slowly began to recover.

"Marione, are you finally going to tell me what happened or not?

" "It's Paul. He did this to me."

Annie's eyes widened in surprise. She had probably never been so surprised by anyone.

"Paul? Your Paul?" she asked, and went to the bar to pour another drink, this time for herself. "God, why? He was always so tender, gentle, kind..."

"You know, Annie, Paul changed. At some point, he started drinking, and he drank more and more. I don't know why. I guess things weren't going well at work with his new boss. I couldn't help it. The day before yesterday, he came home completely drunk and from the very door, he was screaming that he was going to kill me because I was cheating on him. I didn't take it too seriously because lately he's been raving a lot when drunk, and for the past week, he hasn't been sober at all. Suddenly, he came up to me and punched me in the face. I fell down, and he started kicking me. Then..." Marione started crying. "Then I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was lying on the floor and Paul was asleep in the living room. I went to the bathroom, dressed my wounds, took some pills, and went back to sleep. In the morning, when I woke up, he was gone. Then the phone rang... I don't know, maybe he had been ringing earlier, and I just heard it. I picked up the phone, and it turned out to be Paul. He was drunk again, threatening me again." I panicked. I called you, and we arranged to meet. I grabbed my purse and left the house. I was so afraid he'd hurt me again, and this time he'd actually kill me. He'd hit me before, but he always apologized afterward, and I forgave him. I left the house and went to the first hotel I found. I checked in under a different name, went to a room, swallowed sleeping pills, and didn't wake up until this morning. In the morning, I went to the store, bought some clothes, and we met.

Annie sat on the sofa, unable to believe what she was hearing. Marione looked tired, so Annie helped her to the bedroom Geoffrey had occupied and helped her lie down. She waited with her friend until she fell asleep, then went to her room. She lay down on the bed and thought for a long time. She decided she needed to talk to Tony. After all, he was a lawyer and should know what they could do. She picked up the phone, dialed a number, and glanced at her watch. It was 11:42, and it wouldn't do to disturb him at this hour. She hung up, turned off the light, and let her thoughts drift. Sleep finally came, and Annie sank into it, drifting into unconsciousness.

Chapter 2

"I called my parents from the hotel this morning. I thought I'd go and see them through this," Marione told Annie, who was busy preparing breakfast, "but it turned out Paul had already called. My parents were very upset because he was threatening them, and they didn't know what was happening to me. They asked me to come over, but I refused.

"Maybe we should call the police?

" "No. There's always time for that, and anyway, what will they do? After all, Paul is one of them, and I'm not going after my colleague just because my wife is talking.

" "Maybe you're right. It probably won't do any good." Annie sipped her hot coffee and wondered how to help Marione.

"I don't think I need to go to my parents," Marione continued, "because since Paul already called them, I'm sure he'll go check on me.

" "Marione, you should go to another city... Maybe even another state. I don't know where, but far enough away to be safe and wait this out. Maybe you could convince him to start treatment over the phone and then come back here? We need to do something, but not here. First, get to a safe distance, and then take care of him. Of course, I'll go with you!" Annie said, emphasizing the last sentence.

"Annie, I can't demand that of you. You have your own life, and I don't want to disrupt it." Marione looked at her friend, her eyes seeming to contradict what she had just said.

"Don't talk nonsense. You're my best friend, and I won't let some crazy person hurt you.

" "But Annie, I..."

"I don't want to hear any more about it!" she interrupted, cutting her off. "It's decided."

Two large tears rolled down Marione's cheeks.

"I don't know how to thank you for helping me.

" "You don't have to thank me for anything. Now that Geoffrey's dead, there's nothing keeping me here anymore. I could go to the ends of the earth. Now, please, go upstairs and pack some of my things while I make some calls and take care of a few things.

" Marione left, and Annie dialed Tony's number. Ramage answered the phone and went to ask for a lawyer.

"Hello Annie! How are you?

" "Hello Tonny. I'm calling because I wanted to ask you to take care of a few things.

" "Of course. You know you can rely on me. Besides, I've already taken care of most of the inheritance matters. Oh! You'll never guess who just visited me and what happened. Well?! Do you know who finally remembered me?

" "And how should I know?

" "Because it's our mutual friend. Paul Gluck." He asked if I happened to know where his wife was, because he'd somehow lost her." I advised him to ask you; she's your friend, after all. I think she's on her way to see you. I hope his wife is okay.

"No, of course not. She's at my place. Tony, I have to go. Sorry, I'm in a hurry. I'll call you later." Annie slammed the phone down and ran up the stairs two at a time. Marione was just finishing packing her second suitcase when Annie burst into the room like a bomb.

"Marione, take one suitcase and go to the car." Marione wanted to ask what happened, but she was already alone in the room, and Annie was running down the stairs with a large suitcase as if it weighed nothing. They threw the suitcases in the trunk, got into the car, and, kicking up gravel from under the tires, drove away from the house.

"Annie, tell me, why did we run out like crazy and leave so suddenly?

" "Paul..." Only now did she feel the weight of the suitcase she'd carried down the stairs. "Paul's on his way.

" "How do you know?

" "Tonny told me.

" "Oh my God. If you hadn't called, he would have found us at home." Marione sank deeper into her armchair and wrapped her arms around herself as if in a defensive gesture.

"Where exactly are we going?" she asked after a moment.

"We'll find a motel outside of town and figure it out there."

Marione looked calm, though her complexion was the shade of soapy gray. She closed her eyes and tried to forget, tried to convince herself that she was safe for the moment.

Annie turned right and drove onto the road leading to the outskirts of town. She stopped at a small shop and got out of the car, closing the door gently behind her so as not to wake Marione. She returned 20 minutes later, carrying full shopping bags. She had bought everything they might need. From toothbrushes to towels to food. She drove out of town and, passing a roadside hotel, onto the interstate.

"Annie, where are we?" Marione asked, stretching in her seat.

"About twenty-five miles out of town. How are you feeling?

" "Much better. I got nervous when you said Paul was coming to see you.

" "Don't worry. He won't hurt you again.

I hope so.

" "Marione, I'd appreciate it if you could make me a sandwich. I'm really hungry. Everything I need is in the backseat.

" "How much longer are you going to drive?

" "I don't know," Annie replied, and as an afterthought, she added, "I think another hour or two and we'll start looking for a place to stay."

Marione leaned over the seat, reached for the bag of food, and began making sandwiches. When she finally finished, Annie stopped the car and they ate their meal.

"I was so hungry I couldn't think of anything but food," she said after swallowing the last bite.

"So why didn't you wake me up earlier?

" "You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to disturb you."

They drove for another two hours, taking a long walk through a small town they passed along the way, until they spotted a pink neon sign that had once been a motel's name, now nothing more than a tangle of glowing tubes. They parked in the nearly empty parking lot, grabbed their toiletries, and went to check out the room. They entered the small room, which seemed to be drowning in dust, by passing through a dirty, revolving door whose handles stuck to their hands. Even the receptionist sitting behind the worn partition was an old, withered man. They signed in the hotel's yellowed guestbook and collected their key, careful not to accidentally touch the man's hand. The climb up the stairs took only a few minutes, and already both women's hands were sticky as if smeared with honey. Of course, the first thing they did upon entering the room was go to the bathroom, wash their hands thoroughly, and dry them on the towel they had brought. Something hanging in the hotel bathroom looked more like a dishcloth than anything else. They weren't hungry, so they just showered and went to bed. There were two beds, and like the rest of the furniture, they were long past their prime, which didn't bother the tired women. Annie turned off the light and listened to the soft rustle of the wind outside and the occasional car passing by.

Chapter 3

"Hello! Tony!" Annie shouted into the phone in the roadside booth.

"Anie, is that you? I'm glad to hear from you. Yesterday you ended the call so abruptly, and after that I couldn't reach you again.

" "Tony, I want to ask you to take care of everything yourself. I need some rest and I've decided to leave.

" "And where are you now?

" "About 250 miles away.

" "You left already? So suddenly?

" "Just yesterday, right after we talked to you.

" "Then you can't know what happened.

" "No. I don't know anything."

"Paul Gluck went to your place yesterday, just like I said. He thought you were home and wouldn't open up to him, so he broke down the door and went in. He didn't do much damage, but the neighbors called the police. I was really nervous about you.

" "Does that mean he's arrested?" Annie asked hopefully.

"They haven't released him yet.

" "Tonny... if you could secure the house somehow. I'm sorry he's taking advantage of you like that.

" "Nothing to say. I've already taken care of it.

" "You're invaluable. Really. I have to go now, I'll call you later. Bye.

" "Goodbye, Annie."

Annie hung up and walked to her car, wondering if they should stop in the town they were in. She decided, however, that they shouldn't risk it, and since they were having such a good time, they should take advantage of it and get as far away as possible. She got in the car, where she was bombarded with questions, which she answered evasively.

"Annie, do you know where we're going yet?

" "I think it would be a good idea if we rented an apartment or a house in some northern town and waited it out.

" "I can't help but think I dragged you into this.

" "I decided to go with you. Remember?

" "Yes, but now Paul's definitely after you, not just me, and I don't want to put you in danger.

" "Marione, do you have any money with you?" Annie asked, changing the subject.

"Not then—out of nervousness, I just grabbed my purse and ran out of the house, but I have about $100 and a credit card."

I don't have much cash either, but I do have three credit cards, including one for Geoffrey. Once we find a house, we'll have to pay for everything in cash. Paul would definitely follow us on the card trail.

"You've thought of everything," Marione said, settling comfortably in her seat. They both listened to the soft sounds of rock and roll drifting from the radio. They drove, each passing minute taking them further away from friends and acquaintances. They'd already traveled all over California and Arizona. They were now in Colorado, but they'd decided to stop for a longer period only in a small town in Kansas.

"What do you think," Marione broke the silence, snapping Annie out of her deep reverie, "should we rent an apartment or stay in a bed and breakfast?

" "I don't know. I haven't thought about it, but I'm sure we'll find something suitable. We have to stop somewhere and call Tony.

" "I'm curious to hear what he'll say, too, though I'm a little apprehensive." "She replied, looking out the window at the sun, which was setting so beautifully and spectacularly that evening. The sky shimmered with a variety of colors, from dark blue to light pink.

"Annie, what did Tony say to you?

" "What? Did you say something?

" "Yes. I've been trying to find out what you heard from Tony for half an hour!" Marione sounded nervous.

"I'm sorry. " I was lost in thought. "

So? What did Tony say?

" "He said Paul left town. He's tracking our credit card records. He's a police officer and has access to such information. I told Tony everything, and he advised us to get some cash. In the meantime, he'll try to do something, take some steps to help us."

The clock on the dashboard read 7:50 PM when they entered the small town, with only ten minutes left before the only bank closed. At ten past eight, they emerged from the bank, which was located in a white building on the corner of two main streets. They now had a considerable amount of money, and their outlook on the future seemed a little lighter. It was strange how a few thousand dollars could change one's perspective. They weren't any safer than they had been a few minutes ago, yet they felt as if they had suddenly found themselves on a completely different continent, where finding them would be impossible.

They stopped for the night several dozen kilometers away, in a town whose entire population could fit into a single building in Manhattan. There was no hotel here, but a small house housed a guesthouse run by an elderly woman. They went upstairs to the room they had been given, which was infinitely cleaner and cozier than the "hotel with no name." In fact, it was cleaner than any hotel. In the morning, they ate breakfast, said goodbye to their hostess, and drove away. They hoped they'd reach their destination by tonight or tomorrow morning.

"You know," Annie began, "I wonder what Paul will do when he realizes our trail ends here. I'm sure he won't give up.

" "Oh, he probably won't give up. He's too stubborn and determined for that. He won't give up until he catches me. He's the hunter, we're the hunted, and I don't like that at all."

They drove in silence, wondering what awaited them when their escape was over and whether they'd ever be able to find peace again. Both women were happy that their escape was finally over. Now they'd have to go into hiding, but at least it would be less tiring than sitting in the car all day. They supposed they'd reach central Kansas around noon tomorrow and find some godforsaken place. They knew perfectly well that hiding in a city with thousands of inhabitants would be better, but there their funds would quickly melt away. Besides, they didn't want to advertise their names, and what they needed now was peace and rest far more than the bustle of the city.

Annie glanced in the mirror, and for a moment, the blood stopped flowing properly to her heart, frozen with fear. She couldn't tear her eyes away from what she saw. She began to shake her dozing friend's shoulder. At first, Marione didn't know what was happening, but after a moment, she noticed that Annie was constantly looking at something, moving her lips silently. The seat creaked as Marione suddenly turned and looked through the rear window at the road behind them.

"Oh my God," she gasped as she caught sight of Paul's blue Toyota. She tried to make out the license plate number, but the car was still too far away. They didn't say anything, just kept staring in horror at the rapidly approaching Toyota. When it finally caught up enough to make out the driver's appearance, she sank back into her seat with relief, and Annie breathed a sigh of relief too. The woman in the blue car flicked on her blinker and overtook them, becoming a tiny speck in a few moments, and disappearing below the horizon a few more.

Chapter 4

They passed the "SNOWFIELD" sign while the sun was still high in the sky. They drove down a street lined with pretty little houses with miniature gardens bursting with flowers. They knew immediately that this was where they would stay. They had left Los Angeles over 950 miles behind, and that should have been more than enough to feel relatively safe. They stopped at the white-painted curb and headed toward the boarding house. They approached the large, carved wooden door, which had undoubtedly done its job admirably protecting the household from uninvited guests, but now stood open, welcoming customers. Annie and Marione entered the pleasantly cool hall. At one end sat a woman who looked to be in her thirties.

"Good morning," Annie said, approaching the woman. Marione merely nodded and began to carefully examine the furnishings. "Good morning,

" the woman replied in a voice more suited to a kind old woman than her own. "How can I help you ladies?

" "We're looking for an apartment. We'd like to stay here for a while.

" "Unfortunately, I have no more rooms available; it's high season, and I doubt anyone will rent you a room. People are afraid. Especially now after the incident with Emma Sams." The tone of her voice no longer belonged to the kind old woman, but to a woman who loved to gossip.

"What accident?" Annie sensed the woman's desire to tell this story to someone who didn't already know it.

"Well, Mrs. Sams was a widow and lived alone in a large house. To supplement her modest income, she rented a room to a young woman. A month later, she was murdered, or so we assume, because her body disappeared and has never been found. But the newspaper said the entire kitchen was splattered with blood, and they say the trail leads to the wall and then suddenly stops. And as for the apartment, I just remembered that Mr. Stendman has a house for rent. This is your first time in these parts. Right?"

Annie decided to take advantage of the woman's tendency to gossip.

"Yes. I'm a writer and I need some peace and quiet to proofread my book.

" "Oh, that's wonderful." Annie didn't quite understand what was so great about it, but the woman looked as happy as if she'd just won the lottery jackpot.

The two friends thanked him and headed to the address he gave them. It turned out that Mr. Stendman lived in a magnificent Victorian villa painted white. Annie went to the gate and rang the bell. They decided Marione would stay in the car so as not to frighten anyone with her battered face. It was bad enough that the woman at the guesthouse was looking at her suspiciously. An elderly gentleman with gray hair approached the gate, leaning on a cane. Annie explained their intentions.

"So, I think—

" "Alliburton.

" "Yes. Mrs. Alliburton, we should agree to $550 a month. It's a large and beautiful house.

" "Yes. Of course I agree. Could you give me the key right now?

" "I think so. I don't need to give you the address, as it's a large, yellow house at the end of the street. It's impossible to miss it."

He turned and went back to his house without a word. After a moment, he left, handed the waiting Annie a key, and returned home without a word of farewell. Annie got in the car, briefly recounted to Marione her conversation with Mr. Stendman, and drove down the street.

The black BMW pulled up to a truly grand, old villa, built like a Baroque palace, with numerous ornaments and columns. Annie was delighted. She pulled up the driveway so they could easily move their belongings from the car to their new home. She opened the door, and immediately a musty stench, like that of a decaying animal, overwhelmed her. She opened the windows in all six rooms on the ground floor, as well as the kitchen and the vast hall. Only now did they decide to go upstairs. They assumed there would be seven more rooms. They climbed the steps and made their way up with increasing difficulty, as the stench intensified with each step. On the first floor, it became unbearable. Marione ran to the window opposite the stairs and opened it fully. Clean, fresh air forced its way into the building.

"I wonder what smells so bad in here?" Annie asked, not expecting an answer.

"Definitely not a house, it doesn't even smell like a pigsty," Marione replied, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

They separated and began checking each room. As Annie peered into the other room, she heard Marione's sudden scream. At first, she didn't know what had happened. The thought flashed through her mind that Paul had somehow outsmarted them and had now caught Marione. She ran to the room from which the scream was coming, feeling her stomach shrink to the size of a football. She stood frozen in the doorway. The scene before her was like something out of a worst horror movie, except that the omnipresent stench was a special effect. On the large bed lay the remains of what had once been Emma Sams, or so she assumed.

The police left at eleven o'clock at night. Marione had taken sedatives, Annie hadn't taken anything, but she was barely coping. They made their bed in the living room downstairs, where they had decided to spend their first night. Unfortunately, as the woman had said earlier, there was no chance of finding anywhere else at that moment, and the police forbade them from leaving until they had given their statements at the police station. They slept on large mattresses and with the windows open. The night was stifling, but the occasional breeze carried away the remnants of Mrs. Sams's body odor.

She was sitting in the enormous living room, reading the book, when someone knocked. The dull thuds on the heavy oak door echoed softly through the old house for the second time. Marione got up and started toward them. She was alone, Annie; she had gone shopping that morning and hadn't returned yet. Marione went to the door, removed the chain, and unbolted the bolts. She didn't ask who it was, because she was sure it was Annie. After opening the door, her surprise was less than the terror that gripped her. She probably would have been less terrified if Emma Sams had been standing dead in the doorway. Paul pushed the door open, and Marione slammed into the wall. She reached the stairs and began running upstairs, but a strong hand grabbed her ankle and began spinning her around, dragging her entire body down. Marione screamed and struggled. Finally, she managed to kick Paul with her free leg, striking him in the chin with her heel, knocking out two of his front teeth. She broke free and began climbing the stairs just as her husband spat out tooth fragments and blood. Paul began chasing her almost immediately, but he caught her only on the first floor, punching Marione in the head. The blow was hard enough to rupture the delicate skin on the woman's scalp, but not hard enough to knock her unconscious. As she fell, she grabbed the edge of a napkin from a small table, pulling down a vase of red gerbera daisies, a notebook, a few pens, and the scissors they usually used to trim the stems of flowers. She felt a sharp pain in her right side. She couldn't breathe, as the kick had been aimed so well. Blood trickling down the sides of her head gently tickled her behind her ears. Her hand touched the scissors just as Paul grabbed her hair and pulled her up. With the last of her strength, Marione turned and plunged the scissors into Paul's body up to the hilt, feeling the metal scrape against his ribs. Blood began to spray across the hallway, drenching the woman's face in the process. Paul collapsed and lay still on the floor. Marione staggered to the bedroom and lay down on the bed, where Mrs. Sams's body still lay, but that didn't bother her now. Suddenly, Paul appeared before her, covered in blood, but the scissors were no longer where she'd left them, but in his hand. He held them in a fist, aimed directly at her throat. He slowly lowered them, the movement becoming faster and faster, and…

"Oh God…! No!

" Annie was awakened by Marione's piercing scream. She jumped up and ran to her friend's mattress.

"No!" A scream rang out again, shattering the silence of the night.

"Marione, wake up! Do you hear me? Wake up, it's me, Annie. It was just a dream." Annie began to shake her friend, grabbing her sweaty shoulders. Beads of sweat and tears streamed down Marione's face. She embraced Annie and snuggled close.

"Annie, it was him. It was Paul. I—

" "Hush, it was just a dream.

" "But he was so real. I thought it was over, but what if he succeeded? What will we do then?

" "We won't let him.

" "Mrs. Alliburton, please don't get upset and tell me everything without emotion.

" "It's easy for you to say, without emotion. You didn't find the decomposing corpse in the bed.

" "I know it's difficult, but we need to know as much as possible about this case. We've been trying to find Mrs. Sams's body for 43 days, and we'd still like to know something about her tenant," the policeman said to Annie, who was sitting in the chair by the desk. She came to the police station alone. Marione wasn't feeling well and preferred to wander around the shops. Annie couldn't understand why Marione didn't want to stay home alone. Lately, she'd been acting increasingly strange.

"Mrs. Alliburton, tell me everything again from the beginning, and we'll get this over with.

" "Okay. We arrived here yesterday around noon, went to the hotel, and were told Mr. Stendman had a house for rent. We went to his place, and then to the address he gave us. When we entered the house, it smelled awful. At first, we thought it was because it was locked. We looked around the entire ground floor and opened every window we could, then went upstairs. We immediately knew something was wrong. The house couldn't stink like that; it had to be something else. We started opening the windows, just like the first floor, and that's when we found her. You know the rest.

" "Thank you so much," Annie said, getting up to leave, but the policeman's voice stopped her. "I have one more thing on my mind. Could you tell me why you came here? Do you know anyone here?

" "No. It was pure coincidence. We went on vacation and really liked this town. Is there anything else you'd like to know?

" "No. Thank you very much for your help. Goodbye.

" "Goodbye," Annie replied, but after a moment she turned to face the policeman and asked a question. "Where did Emma Sams live?

" "In the building that adjoins the lot the ladies are renting. We searched that house, but no one thought to check next door."

"Thank you very much. Goodbye," she said as she left the police station and headed for the main street of town, where Marione was already waiting for her. They had come on foot because they wanted to see what the town was like. They knew that even walking around the entire town wouldn't take them long, so they walked very slowly, trying to absorb the atmosphere of peace and normality. It was a typical small town. There were two grocery stores, a bookstore, a small library, a pastry shop, and a general store run by a very kind and chatty elderly woman, from whom they learned how to get to the lake, about eight kilometers away, where apparently life was currently bustling. Of course, the town also had a small but well-maintained park. On a sunny afternoon like today, the park was bustling with life and filled with the chatter of the town's inhabitants. Residents met here to chat, sit, and relax. Children chased animals, which were in abundance in the park. From what Annie could see, there were dogs, a guinea pig, two hamsters, a white mouse, and a huge toad nibbling on a lettuce leaf. It all gave the impression of an eerie idyll and normality. They passed two women chatting loudly, one of whom held a cat the size of a large dog. Like its owner, the cat was also absorbed, but not in conversation. With great curiosity, it watched a fat white mouse that was escaping from its owner. Of course, a "cat lady" would never allow her pet to get at any mouse, especially not the neighbor's favorite mouse. The park was so cheerful that both Annie and Marione momentarily forgot about the unpleasantness of the past few days. They went straight from the park to the store and then home. They wanted to dust, change the bedding, and carefully, leisurely, inspect the house. Then they wanted to tend to the garden. As they had already noticed, the garden was large but sparsely overgrown. The previous owner must have been taking care of it. Annie was feeling hungry; she hadn't eaten since breakfast. After a quick lunch, they went upstairs and began cleaning. Upstairs were two living rooms, one large, the other smaller, two bedrooms, a small library, and a study room with only a desk and a few dusty cabinets. The first floor also contained a sitting room and a large bathroom with a toilet. The bedrooms were simply but comfortably furnished. A dark oak nightstand and a rather large bed by the window. A wardrobe, a small and a larger chest of drawers, a night lamp, and a few trinkets belonging to the previous owners completed the furnishings. The library was a small room with a large number of books, beautiful carved wood furniture, and a light walnut desk. The living rooms weren't as elegant as the one downstairs, but they were neat and comfortable enough to serve as guest rooms. They decided to share one bedroom.The bed still smelled of Mrs. Sams's recent presence. By the time they'd cleaned up the entire upstairs, it was getting late, and there was no point in tackling the downstairs. They ate dinner and went to bed. They closed not only the front and kitchen doors, but also the bedroom door. Annie turned off the light and waited for sleep, which, as if to spite her, refused to come. She envied Marione her peaceful and deep sleep. Suddenly, she heard rustling sounds behind the wall, then slow footsteps. Someone was walking around the room, dragging their feet behind them; they must have been tired or old. A shiver of fear ran down Annie's spine. She slipped her hand out from under the covers and groped for the switch on the nightstand lamp. She wanted to turn on the light and see if the wasp was lurking in their bedroom. After several unsuccessful attempts, she finally found the switch, but the light wouldn't come on. Annie withdrew her hand and pulled the covers tighter around herself, snuggling closer to Marione. Now she heard no more sounds. She lay there listening until the long-awaited sleep finally arrived, and Annie drifted off into unconsciousness, joining Marione. After breakfast, with less enthusiasm, they set about cleaning the ground floor. Marione took on the large, stylish living room, and Annie the library. The books on the shelves, identical to those upstairs, were thickly covered with a blanket of dust. The library was large, at least twice the size of the first floor. Besides the books, there was a beautiful, old sofa with two armchairs, a coffee table, and a fireplace with a wood burner. Annie immediately knew this room would be her favorite; it felt safe, with its strong wooden doors and bars released from the inside on the two wide windows. Once Annie had cleaned up the room, she went into the living room to help Marione.Marione took charge of the large, stylish living room, while Annie took care of the library. The books on the shelves, identical to those upstairs, were thickly covered with a blanket of dust. The library was large, at least twice the size of the first-floor library. Besides the books, there was a beautiful, antique sofa with two armchairs, a coffee table, and a fireplace with a wood burner. Annie immediately knew this room would be her favorite; it felt secure, with its sturdy wooden doors and bars released from the inside on the two wide windows. After Annie had cleaned up the room, she went into the living room to help Marione.Marione took charge of the large, stylish living room, while Annie took care of the library. The books on the shelves, identical to those upstairs, were thickly covered with a blanket of dust. The library was large, at least twice the size of the first-floor library. Besides the books, there was a beautiful, antique sofa with two armchairs, a coffee table, and a fireplace with a wood burner. Annie immediately knew this room would be her favorite; it felt secure, with its sturdy wooden doors and bars released from the inside on the two wide windows. After Annie had cleaned up the room, she went into the living room to help Marione.

"Were you in the library?" Annie asked as she entered the living room. Marione jumped, unprepared to hear someone's voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.

" "It's okay. I was lost in thought and didn't hear you come in.

" "The library is really cozy. So far, that's my favorite room.

" "I have to see it; I haven't been there yet," Marione said, leaning over and scooping ashes from the fireplace.

"We have to call Tony today," Annie said, and began polishing the large table.

"I know. That's exactly what I was thinking. I'm very curious what he'll tell us. I admit, I'm a little afraid.

" "Well! The whole house is sparkling clean." Annie glanced approvingly around the living room. "Now for the shower and the post office."

Marione rose from her knees and went into the kitchen as well.

"I love it here," Marione said as they drove to the post office.

"Me too."

She pulled off the street and parked the car at the post office. Annie went to make a phone call, and Marione was waiting for her in the car. Annie returned ten minutes later.

"Tony wasn't home, but he left us a message. Ramage said Paul called and asked if Tony happened to know if we were back or where we were going."

Marione breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know what she wanted to hear, but the news that Paul didn't know where to find them brought her relief. Smiling, they decided to celebrate their small victory with a large ice cream cone.

Annie had been doing something all day, and now, as she sat in the library, watching the flames leap across the logs in the fireplace, she remembered the sounds she'd heard the night before. She told Marione about them, who didn't bother to hide her displeasure.

"Something's wrong here, everything's getting complicated," Marione said nervously. "First Paul's drinking and Geoffrey's death, then Mrs. Sams's body, and now these sounds." Someone's after us. I don't believe this was all a coincidence.

"Don't get so upset. I can't imagine what more bad things could happen to us. Only good things await us now. We've suffered enough already."

Annie wanted to add something more, but something upstairs tipped over and a light began to flicker. Marione sank deeper into the sofa, and Annie rose from the armchair and approached her frightened friend. She sat down, hugging her, listening for more. This time, nothing disturbed the silence except their quickened breathing and the faint sounds of the lazy burning wood. The light, too, had stopped flickering, now bathing the library in a stream of white light. It had grown hot, so Annie went to the fireplace and hid the flames with a glass screen. They got up and went to the bathrooms, then went to bed. They both fell asleep almost immediately. When the clock struck two, they heard the rustle of feet on the floor and the soft, muffled laughter of an older woman behind the wall.

Chapter 5

Only in the morning, in the daylight, did they dare enter the room where they had first found Emma. Once inside, they found that everything was in its place.

"Annie, look here!" Marione shouted. "Here on the nightstand. I'm sure it wasn't there before."

On the nightstand lay a Dickens book and a pair of brown-rimmed reading glasses. Annie stepped closer and saw that the bed wasn't made the same way as before, but this time Marione preferred not to say anything. They left the house and, walking along the beautiful green street, watched people and talked about what they'd noticed in the morning and what had happened in the evening. From a distance, they recognized a stooped figure walking in the opposite direction, using a cane.

"Good morning, ladies," he greeted with a slight bow of his head.

"Good morning, Mr. Stendman.

" "How do you like the house?

" "Very much. It's really charming," Annie replied

. "Old houses have a soul," Marione said. She didn't want to stand on the sidelines and just listen passively.

"From my window, you can see the bedroom windows of your house. One of you couldn't sleep last night, right?

" "Yes, I couldn't sleep." "Annie replied quickly, and Marione looked at her in surprise.

"Emma always read books, she could stay up all night reading," the old man continued. "That's why I noticed. I was used to having the light on in her bedroom all night. I have to go now. See you soon.

" "Goodbye," Marione replied.

"Mr. Stendman," Annie said to the departing old man. "Has Mrs. Sams read Dickens?" "Yes, and how do you know?

" "I think I saw her signature on all his books in the library. I like him very much too. Goodbye.

" "Goodbye."

Marione paled and bit her lower lip.

"Why did you lie about not being able to sleep last night?

" "What was I supposed to tell him?" Annie asked. "That Emma came from beyond the grave to read?

" "You're right. That doesn't sound very convincing. But how did you know it was her?"

"I told you I heard an old person's footsteps.

" "You were right," Marione admitted reluctantly. That was the end of their conversation. They went home, but they didn't feel like talking to each other. They wanted to think things through. That evening, after an early dinner, they took sleeping pills and went to bed. That night, complete silence reigned outside.

Mr. Stendman returned home around six. He had been sitting in the park all this time and would have been there even more if he hadn't gotten hungry. He opened the door and went into the hall. He hung up his cane and went into the kitchen. He made himself a sandwich and took it to the living room. He turned on the television and started watching a movie. He had lived alone in this house for fifteen years, ever since he became a widower. He knew every corner and every sound of this old house. He had always liked it. He had bought it for himself and Pamela. They had lived happily here for almost forty-five years. He had lived here for fifty years, but today the house seemed different, unnaturally quiet. He turned off the television and went upstairs to the bathroom, then to the bedroom and lay down on his bed. He got up, went to the window and looked out, but there were no lights on in the house he'd rented.

He lay there reading. As usual, he couldn't sleep. Suddenly, he heard a strange rustling in the living room downstairs. Then quiet, shuffling footsteps echoed up the stairs. He never closed the bedroom door, but he was sure he'd closed the front door securely. Footsteps slowly approached the bedroom, the footsteps of someone tired, but clearly human. He stood and moved toward the door, only to see it open just enough to reveal the long-lost face of an old friend. Emma Sams stood in the doorway, just as she had been before her death. The old man recoiled involuntarily when he saw the knife in her hand. Emma moved toward him, slowly raising the knife. Stendman stood paralyzed with fear. The knife swished down, piercing his chest. A faint scream escaped his throat, turning into a gurgle. Blood spattered the sheets and walls red. Emma leaned over him, striking him again. She continued to strike him long after his death. Then she stood, turned, and left. The clatter of feet and the murderer's laughter could be heard on the stairs.

Annie got up, ate breakfast, and left without waiting for Marione to wake up. She went to get something to eat, and as she passed a newsstand, she saw the headline "PSYCHOPATH MURDERS IN SNOWFIELD." She went over and bought a newspaper. She stood behind the newsstand and began reading. The more she read, the more terrified she became.

"Psychopath Murders in Snowfield"

On the night of August 23rd, R. Stendman, a longtime Snowfield resident, was brutally murdered. He died from 23 stab wounds to the chest. What's most strange, however, is that the entire apartment was secured from the inside, and the killer left no trace of his presence except the victim. How he entered and left the deceased's home remains a mystery.

She couldn't believe something like this could have happened to such a nice man as Mr. Stendman. Annie longed to get home and tell Marione everything. She hurried back and was home in a matter of minutes. Marione was already awake and eating breakfast when Annie burst into the apartment. She hadn't even closed the kitchen door behind her. She handed Marione the newspaper and sat down, shaking, in a chair. "It's unbelievable," Marione said after reading it.

"Mr. Stendman was a really nice man; I doubt he had any enemies in this town.

" "Did you read the last two sentences?

" "Yes, but I don't understand a thing," Marione replied, confused. "I think I do. You were in Emma's bedroom today—"

"Annie!" Marione shouted. "You don't think she, Emma Sams, had anything to do with this, do you? It's impossible; she's dead.

" "I know!" I know it sounds stupid and absurd, but I just know it, and that's it.

They went upstairs. As they reached the door, Annie was praying, but she didn't know what for. "What could possibly prove the corpse's innocence?" Annie entered and looked around the room. Nothing had changed since their previous visit. Marina was right behind her.

"Annie, I really think it's impossible." Annie opened the book to see if the bookmark was still in the same place. The page was the same, but four words were circled in red ink: "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE." Marione, seeing the circled words, ran out of the bedroom. Annie closed the book and followed it. She found it in the garden.

"God, I think I'm going crazy, I don't know what to think. This is all too much for me," Marione began to sob.

"Marione, don't worry, if you want, we can go further north today or tomorrow morning." They headed back home. The air was muggy and rain threatened. When they reached the kitchen door, they noticed it was locked. Annie tugged on the handle several times, but the door wouldn't budge. She turned and went to the front door, which should have been locked, as no one had used it yet today. Marione followed her. The wind must have blown and somehow the lock had engaged. She tried to explain.

The front door was wide open, so they entered the building. Annie went to the kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks. The heavy chain was set so that whoever locked the door still had to stay inside or leave through the front door. She went into the living room and found her friend sitting there. She said it was the wind that had slammed the door and the old lock had engaged. She didn't want to upset her any further. She sat down in the armchair and stared at the greenery growing outside the window. She wanted to get up, grab her bags, and leave without looking back, but she couldn't. Something held her there, something fascinated her. Suddenly, a muffled giggle came from upstairs, the slamming of a door, and another giggle, only even quieter. Annie stood and listened. The house was silent now. Marione also stood and started going upstairs, pretending she hadn't heard anything—or maybe she was just imagining it. They spent the rest of the day in the garden, walking and talking. That evening, they went to bed early, but not before locking their bedroom door tightly and propping the doorknob with a chair. Feeling safe, they turned on the television and began watching a movie that was currently playing. They fell asleep without turning it off. They were only awakened by the sun streaming through the window the next day. They woke up in a much better mood than the day before. They didn't feel like staying home all day or wandering around the small town of Snowfield. They decided to drive to a larger town, only 60 kilometers away. After less than an hour's drive, they began to pass the first buildings. These were small single-family homes, adapted to the needs of typical American families. All were painted in pastel colors, densely planted with trees, bushes, and grass. Of course, the grass was cut to the millimeter. The impeccably maintained sidewalks and streets gave this neighborhood a distinctive and pleasant appearance. Annie wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was enjoying this trip with Marione, especially not having to sit passively and think. They stopped in the parking lot and entered a large department store. They emerged an hour later carrying enormous packages. They packed them into the car and went to a small bar for two enormous hamburgers. They got in the car and started back home, but this time they took the longer route. They wanted to explore the area they were in.

"Marione, you know, I'm still wondering what happened to Barbara.

" "With who?

" "You know, with Barbara Brown, Emma's tenant.

" "I'm more wondering what happened to Mr. Stendman, or rather why it happened and who did it.

" "It all sounds unbelievable. Think about it, the killer couldn't have entered or left without leaving some obvious trace. You know, I forgot to tell you earlier, but I found a lot of books on the occult while cleaning out the library."

"Different people have different interests. Well, we're finally here, I'm tired and hungry after all that shopping." Marione steered the conversation elsewhere.

"Oh yes, I haven't shopped like this in ages." It was already getting dark when they pulled up to the house, chatting about their purchases. They got out, gathered their groceries, and went to the door.

"Annie, look, there's a light on in the upstairs bedroom.

" "We must have left it on." Marione went to the kitchen to carry the groceries and prepare dinner, and Annie climbed the stairs to turn off the light. She went to the door and opened it, but the light from the lamp didn't fall on her. The room was almost completely dark. Surprised, she closed the door, turned, and went downstairs.

"So what?

" "Well, nothing, I turned off the lamp and that was it." She didn't quite understand why she'd said that.

"So? Maybe we should have dinner?

" "You're right. What will we eat?

" "We have to finish last night's roast."

"I don't mind."

They didn't talk much over dinner. Neither Annie nor Marione felt like talking much, especially since they'd exhausted the topic of "shopping" in the car, and most importantly, they'd decided to leave town the next morning. After dinner, after they'd cleaned up the dishes and sorted out the groceries, they went upstairs to the bedroom and buried themselves in the cold sheets, which still hadn't lost their moisture. They both fell asleep quite quickly. After dinner, after they'd cleaned up the dishes and sorted out the groceries, they went upstairs to the bedroom and buried themselves in the cold sheets, which still hadn't lost their moisture. They both fell asleep quite quickly.

A loud crash roused Annie from her sleep. At first, she didn't know what was happening or where she was, but after a few seconds, she remembered everything. The sound repeated; it came from downstairs, she was sure of it. She reached out to wake Marione, but her hand found only cold sheets. She reached for the switch, and a moment later, light flooded the room, blinding Annie. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she stood and moved toward the door. Emerging into the dark hallway, she heard something heavy fall to the floor again. She was so terrified she could barely breathe. Descending the dark stairs, she wondered how fast a heart could beat before it burst from her chest. In the still, deathly silence that followed the last beat, she could only hear her own far-too-rapid breathing and the loud pounding of her heart. Finally, she reached the bottom and could turn on the light; the glow of the lamps brought her some relief. She wondered who had been foolish enough to put the light switch downstairs.

"Marione!" The voice, fueled by fear, sounded far too loud, and the awful silence of the house raised it to the scream of a terrified woman. Annie headed toward the kitchen, where the stairs to the basement were. As she passed the library door, she heard a faint scream. Now she was sure the sounds were coming from beneath the floor. The basement door stood open. She heard the sounds of a scuffle from below. She wanted to call out to Marione again, but she was afraid to speak. She began slowly down the stairs, running her hand along the wall until it caught something slightly bulging. She breathed a sigh of relief and flipped the light switch. Unfortunately, there was only one good light bulb in the basement, far too few for such a vast space. Annie carefully placed her feet on the wooden steps, prepared to retreat immediately in case a treacherous step creaked, revealing her presence. It didn't even occur to her that someone below had surely been alerted by the light she'd switched on. Her nerves were racing. Sweat ran down her cheeks and dripped onto her nightgown. She walked and walked, but the stairs seemed endless. She felt a sharp pain in her foot and almost screamed. She lifted her injured leg, but the dim light from the single bulb prevented her from seeing much. She turned to leave the basement when something struck the wall dully. She turned back and began to walk into the darkness, thinning beneath the dim light. Her bare foot touched the dirt floor, signaling that the stairs had ended. She started toward the scraping sounds. At the end of the basement, she saw a familiar silhouette.

"Marione?" Annie asked in an uncertain voice. Marione turned to face her, raising her hands to eye level. Her palms were facing Annie, her fingers bent like claws. Blood was dripping down her hands and dripping from her wrists onto the dirt floor. Marione's face was twisted into a terrible grimace that was supposed to be a smile. Annie felt her legs give out beneath her. As she fell, she heard a growl.

The sun shone directly on Annie's sleeping face, gently caressing her skin. Annie was sweating profusely, lying on the bed in a fetal position, her legs drawn up, the sheets rumpled and bunched in the corner. She slowly began to open her eyes. "

Oh God, what a nightmare," she said, stretching her arms. "Damn, a few more dreams like that and I'll be done for."

She swung her legs off the bed and stood up. As soon as her left foot touched the floor, Annie felt a searing pain. She sat on the bed and pulled her left foot up onto her right knee. A large piece of wood was lodged between her toes. Annie began to gently pull it out. After a few agonizing seconds, she finally reached her goal. Now she didn't know what to think. Whether she had dreamed it or not, and if not, who had brought her here? She didn't remember going upstairs alone. She quickly dressed and went down to the kitchen, checking the basement door on the way. It was locked. There was no one in the kitchen. She didn't feel like breakfast. She went into the living room, checking every room along the way. Marione was nowhere to be seen. She went upstairs again and began searching the entire floor, starting with the library at the end of the hall. She didn't find Marione there either. There were only two rooms left she hadn't looked in yet: the basement and the unused bedroom. She went to the bedroom door and tried the doorknob. The door opened a thin crack. Annie pushed it open and entered the room. On the bed, where Mrs. Sam's body had lain, lay Marione. She was pale, her lips blue. Her hands were wrapped in bloodstained bandages.

"Oh my God. Marione!" Annie screamed, running to the bed. She began shaking her and sobbing, calling her name. Only after a few moments did she realize her friend was unconscious. She ran from the room, called the sheriff, and the ambulance. The police left around noon, leaving Annie alone in the big house. Annie wanted to leave immediately, but she couldn't leave Marione alone in the hospital. She went upstairs and packed her things and Marione's. Then she carried her suitcases to the car and started the engine. She drove to the boarding house where they had stayed as soon as they arrived in that wretched town. She rented a room facing the street and went to bed. She woke up in the middle of the night, lay awake, unable to sleep. She had a strong desire to see the house again; something about that old building had a terrible pull on her. She dressed and walked out into the dark, empty street. The air was cool, yet clean and refreshing. As she slowly walked, she recalled all the moments she'd spent with Marione—and there were a lot of them. Now she was walking to some ghost house, while her best friend lay in the hospital with her hands torn to the bone. She hadn't noticed when she'd approached the house and stood staring at the upstairs windows. They were dark. And anyway, she thought, what did you idiot expect? There's no one there. You locked the damn house yourself and ran away like some timid gray wolf. She turned and walked briskly to the boarding house. She turned her head once more, to take one last look at that cursed building that had almost become the grave of her most faithful friend. Someone moved the curtain in the nursery window. Annie squinted to see better in the darkness. A head, or rather a head, most likely that of a twelve-year-old child, peeked out from behind the window frame. Annie stood speechless in the middle of the sidewalk, staring out the window. This was Marione, twelve-year-old Marione. "It's impossible," her inner voice screamed. And yet the child stood there, and, pulling out something, began writing on the glass in large, crooked letters:

YOU'RE DEAD NOW!

As soon as she finished writing, the girl quickly turned away from the window and disappeared behind the curtain. Annie turned too, and with a sinking heart, she ran to the police station. She bumped into a police officer who was just emerging. Her words began to break off, until she finally managed to explain what was going on. The deputy followed the flustered Annie to the house, where she read the writing on the window. When they approached the large, white mansion, Annie reached out, pointing to the nursery. There was nothing on the windows, and the house was quiet, peaceful, and dark.

"There's nothing there," the nervous officer said to Annie.

"But I'm telling you, there was a writing that said I… I…" She stopped, feeling terribly foolish. She was sure the policeman thought she was crazy and realized he wouldn't prove anything anyway, so she gave up.

"You should get some rest."

The officer turned and headed for the station without a word of farewell. Annie checked all the windows again and headed for her room, angry that she'd even left it that night. She crossed the street and, as she walked, gazed at the dark windows of the houses where the residents of Snowfield slept peacefully. She glanced briefly at Mr. Stendman's house, which now stood empty. Annie's heart leaped into her throat. On the large front window, written in the same crooked letters, were two words:

NOW

YOU.

Annie started running again, eager to get to her room and sleep. She didn't sleep again that night; she lay awake until morning, thinking about the events. In the morning, she got up and went to

the station. After giving her statement, she left and went to the store to buy something to eat.

"I'm terribly sorry about your friend's accident," the saleswoman grumbled.

"News travels fast in a small town like this. Twelve fifty."

Annie handed over the money, thanked him, and left. She went to her rented room, ate, and lay down. She woke up a few minutes after three, the sun still high in the sky. She got up and went to her BMW. She drove to a gas station a few miles from Snowfield. She poured gasoline not only into the tank but also into the canister. She had never done this before, but she had a feeling it would come in handy.

She couldn't leave yet; she wanted to do something about it all. She didn't know what yet, but she had already decided she would. She went to the library, wanting to learn about the history of the house. She went to the browser and started browsing through old newspapers from Snowfield. In one, she stopped and read:

"Amazing Murder," read the headline in all caps.

In the small town of Snowfield, the brutal murder of Paula W. occurs. The murderer remains unaccounted for, and the search continues.

Then she came across another article. – “Blood has been shed again.”

A second murder has occurred in Snowfield, the victim of which, like the last time, was a woman. Sylwia Z., born in Snowfield, was brutally murdered, and her body dismembered. The police are powerless – the monster remains unpunished.

Next came an article, the content of which she was already somewhat familiar with, but not from the newspaper.

“For the third and fourth time in a row.”

This time, the victims are Emma S., a longtime resident of our town, and Barbara B., who was just passing through Snowfield. Emma S.’s body has not been found. Neither has the murderer.

This article, Annie was already familiar with.

“Psychopath Murders in Snowfield.”

On the night of August 23rd, an elderly Snowfield resident, R. Stendman, was brutally murdered. He died from 23 blows to the chest…

Annie didn't read any further, because she knew the rest all too well. She turned off the phone, paid, and left. She went to her room at the boarding house. Dusk was already falling, and Annie felt very tired after a sleepless night. As soon as she entered the room, she lay down and fell asleep. She slept soundly until morning.

Chapter 6

During breakfast, a thought occurred to her that hadn't occurred to her before. The murders followed one another with breaks, but the breaks were becoming shorter and shorter. She remembered yesterday's threats scrawled on the window, but she believed she would be safe until she went to that terrible house. She decided to stay another day and digest everything calmly, especially since Marione wouldn't be released from the hospital until tomorrow.

She left the motel and headed to the park, stopping at a pastry shop along the way. Walking through the greenery, she seemed to notice no one. She walked like a robot, staring blankly at the sand of the path. A multitude of ideas came to mind, but she didn't think any of them were particularly good. She hadn't even noticed when she'd left the park and headed back down the street. She hadn't stopped at the guesthouse, but had walked straight ahead, ignoring the cars and not acknowledging people's greetings. At the end of the street, she stopped and stood in front of a large white villa. Only now did she come to and realize where she was. The feeling of being watched grew stronger. But she was certain no one from the street was looking at her. So who was it? Annie began to examine the windows of the house in front of her. In the living room window on the ground floor, she saw Marione's face, and in the window above, Emma Sams. Marione, now an adult, raised her hand, holding something, and waved it. Annie turned and walked resolutely toward the center of town. She sat on a bench and tried not to think about anything. She listened to the rustle of trees gently rustling in the wind. She wished Geoffrey were here; with him, things like this wouldn't have happened. Annie opened her eyes and glanced around nervously.

She stood facing the bedroom door, unable to remember how she'd gotten back here. The last thing she remembered was sitting in the park and falling asleep. Darkness surrounded Annie, so it must have been night. She turned and began slowly down the stairs. She did so very carefully, afraid the stairs would creak. However, she wasn't as lucky as she had been on the basement stairs, for suddenly the step she'd set foot on creaked. A deafening creak shattered the silence of the night. Annie heard quick, shuffling footsteps behind her. She rushed down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. She reached the door and yanked on the doorknob. In her frustration, she forgot to remove the chain, and the door only opened a few centimeters. Annie slammed her body against it and yanked on the chain. She pulled the door toward her, feeling a warm breath on the back of her neck. She jumped through the open door, catching her foot on the threshold and tumbling, landing on the porch steps. She instantly got up and started running. From the street, she heard the door slam and the lock click. She ran all the way to her room. When she finally got there, she began to pack her clothes in a panic. With shaking hands, she stuffed her belongings into a suitcase. She grabbed the full suitcase and went downstairs to her car. She opened the trunk and slid the suitcase inside, briefly glancing at the gas can she'd filled the day before. An idea flashed through her mind. She pulled the gas can out of the trunk and placed it on the passenger seat next to the driver. She got behind the wheel herself and drove to the hospital, where, after a brief argument with the doctor, who refused to discharge the patient at that hour and lied about his own child's accident, he finally allowed the patient to leave. She helped Marione settle into the backseat and drove to the house she had so quickly escaped from. She opened the gas can and got out of the car. Slowly, with a pounding heart, she approached the front of the building. She took a swing and splashed it against the wall. Rivulets of gasoline began to drip, creating a large, shimmering puddle of various colors on the windowsill and on the ground. She splashed it a few more times and then threw the half-empty gas can into the building through the window, shattering the glass in the process. She took out her lighter and held the flame against the wall. In a flash, flames engulfed the entire wooden wall, and through the shattered window, they began to peer into the building. Annie turned and ran to her car, got in, started the engine, and watched as the flames quickly consumed the dry wood. Annie pressed the gas pedal and, laughing loudly, drove off. She was certain the fire department wouldn't be able to extinguish the wooden building, especially since the library had already caught fire. Tall flames began to appear on the first floor, consuming curtains and antique furniture.

Epilogue

The sun glinted off the windshield of a black BMW hurtling towards Los Angeles. Annie was happy it was all finally over. She'd decided to pay for the burned-down house as soon as she reached the city, but she didn't have to anymore. She'd heard over the radio that an arsonist had been found in the house. She didn't even blame herself. After all, Marione's bastard husband deserved what happened to him. She passed a sign that said LOS ANGELES 60 miles. Now, thinking about what had happened in Snowfield, it didn't really affect her. She began humming a song along to the radio, happy to finally be driving home. In the backseat, her friend snored softly, oblivious to recent events. She decided not to worry about anything. After all, they were young, rich, but above all, she was alive. The world belonged to them.