Come Home

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five


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         I have one more job to do to save my family. I borrow a wooden boat from Mr. Preston, and I waited hidden-floating behind the reaping willows. I am watching for one thing. The house to be empty.


         I heard Rose screaming, “Dad, where are you?” She sees the sheet hanging out the window. “Matilda!!!!!!” She screams as she runs to her car. I can hear the engine rev up with speed throwing gravel against the old house. When I am sure that she is gone, I bring the boat to shore. I tie it to the old doc that Dad had used so long ago. I bring out a container from out of the boat. I know that what I was going was going to cause me more trouble than I could imagine.


         I ran to the house. I made my way into the unlocked door. I climbed the stairs. Pouring gasoline from room to room. The floor begins to shake. I descended the steps still pouring out the fluid. “Stop!” a voice yells.


         I go to my old bed room. There I could not believe that I could see my sisters and brother still as children. Less reaches his arms out to me. “Please, don't take my home away.”


         I am able to shake off the feeling of concern for them to realize that they were not here. I grab my sister's picture albums and an arm of her clothes. I throw them into the yard. Then I go back to making a line of gasoline out the door, and I drop a match. I could not bring myself to leave. I had to be sure that every board would fall to the ground in flames.


                   I feel a strange warmth  from the fire. I watch the smoke raise to the sky. The space around the house was being covered with large flakes of soot. I hear screaming. I have to hold my ears. I could not stand hearing Sara's screams. The screaming that she must have done when she had burned in the house so many years ago.


         I feel something pulling me into the flames. Something wants me to be there to go with Sara and the spirits. No I was not going. As I watched the roof collapse, I walk to the boat. Not realizing that I had left the gasoline jugs behind. From the center the river, I watched the flames burn down. I really hope that this is a nightmare ended.


         I knew that Sarah would never be trapped by this house. She had been saved by the same thing that caused the uproar in the house in the beginning. Fire had created the prison that held Sara there waiting for someone to save her and Ada. I never knew who the older man was, but I am sure that his story began there in the first flames. Now they all could rest and my family could be safe.


         The police come to my house. Mom answers the door. Once she knew who they were she knew that they were there to arrest me for the fire. Sis cam into the room. “May I help you?”


         “We are looking for Matilda Wright. We need to ask her about a fire.” The lady officer informs Sis.


         “She must be off at some writing work shop.” She begins to cover for me.


         I walk in from my bedroom where I had been getting ready for them since I heard Mom greet them as officers. “No Sis, I got back yesterday.” I tell her. Looking at the two police officers in my living room. “What can I do for you?”


         “We have come to speak to you about a fire.” They study my reaction. “Someone has burned down your sister's home. You wouldn't know anything about this would you?”


         I just looked at them as if I were a deer caught in the head lights of a Big Mac truck. “ I burned the house.” I answered.


         “Why would you burn your sister's house?”


         How should I answer this question. If I told them the truth, I would probably just go to the mental clinic for seventy two hours. I did not want to be looked at like I was crazy for the rest of my life. “The loyalty to that house cost my sister her family, and my niece her mother. When I drove Sarah to meet with her mother that had left her for that house years ago. I could not restrain myself from burning the one thing that broke her heart.” I pause. “Plus I knew that as long as that house stood, my dad would always want to be there. He needs medical help.”


         The police take me to the station. There the prosecutor comes into speak with me. I tell them the same story without hesitation. She reaches me a sheet of paper to recall all that had happened that night. Of course, I edited out the parts of the supernatural events. I stuck with the physical and emotional reasons for my behavior. While I am writing this confession statement, the prosecutor and the other police officer  that  accompanied her left the room.


         She comes back alone. “I don't feel that you are a risk to anyone or of leaving the state. I will allow you to stay at home until the trial. You can not contact your sister or father until after.


         I stood before the judge. I pled guilty. My lawyer addresses the court. “Your honor. Could we ask one mercy from the court?”


         “Speak.” the judge replies.


         “Matilda would like to see her father before she goes to prison.”


         “OK.” The judge looks at me. “I will allow you to visit with your father. Then the police will be at your address by four thirty to take you to jail.”


         “Thank you,” I say to him.


         “If I have to have someone to look for you, sentence changes from three – five to ten years for evading arrest will be added.”


         I was led out of the court room. Rose hugs me. “I intend to sale the property.” she whispers into my ear.


         I knew that it was all worth it to have that place out of our lives. I am glad that we would not be attached to the house any longer. I was so happy that Dad was in a place to keep him healthy and safe. I needed to make sure that he was free of the spirit that took him over at the house across the river.