J.C. started pacing. “Where are they? They should’ve been here by now.”
Chris watched J.C. pace. “J.C. stop you are making me sick just watching you.” Suddenly Tabitha’s door swung open and Tabitha and Joey burst into the room.
“Everybody, quick go down the drain pipe.” Tabitha urged limping toward us.
“What?” Chris asked.
“Don’t ask questions, just do it. The ghosts are following us and they are coming for us,” Tabitha informed pushing them out onto the balcony. The night was dark, no moon to light their way. Not even stars. We heard thunder and saw lightening lighting up the clouds in the distance.
Justin was the first to start down. “Does anybody else feel like a girl disobeying her parents?” he asked.
“Shut up, Justin,” J.C. told him as he started down the drainpipe. Lance was next.
“I can’t do it, Tabitha. I’m scared of heights,” Chris told her.
“Well for tonight you can’t be,” she told him.
“No, but you don’t understand…”
“So you would rather die now than live later?” Tabitha asked cutting him short.
“No, but…”
“Then go down the goddamn drainpipe, Chris.”
Chris took a deep breath and started slowly down the pipe. Joey finally came over from the locked door. “Go down,” Joey told her.
“No, you first,” Tabitha refused.
Joey grabbed the side of her face. “I want you to be safe. I almost lost you once. I won’t let it happen again.”
“They only want you,” Tabitha again refused shaking her head. Tears began to form in her eyes as she thought of a life without him, the one she loved. “Please, don’t make me go without you please,” she begged as tears started to pour. She looked down at his neck.
“Look at me. Look at me,” Joey told her. Tabitha looked at his eyes. “I’ll be right behind you…” She shook her head again. Joey lifted her head to look into her eyes. “Trust me.” He smashed her lips against his, before he let go and watched her descend down the drainpipe. Just when she hit the ground, the bedroom door flew open and the lady stood in the doorway. Tabitha heard the door from below and knew Joey only had seconds.
“Hurry, Joey!” Joey went over to the banister and stood out on the ledge of the balcony. After several attempts he finally was on the pipe and descending very slowly. We heard loud creaks and breaking. The pipe was coming loose from the house and nothing could stop it.
“Come on, Joey,” I cried.
Joey descended quicker. Just when we thought he was going to make it on the ground with no more problems, the top of the pipe started to loosen. It swung outwards toward us. She screamed as Joey let go of the pipe and started to fall to the ground, his arms flailing wildly. From 20 feet up in the air he fell until he hit solid ground on his back. They ran over to him only to see him unconscious.
“Is he breathing?” Lance asked innocently.
Justin leaned down to listen to his breathing. He found none. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh my god, oh my god. Do any of you know CPR?” Tabitha askedThey shook their heads. “What do you mean, no? None of you were in Boy scouts? Didn’t anybody teach you when they were teaching you guys to be superstars or something? Come on, Joey, breath please breath.” Tabitha begged him. When he didn’t she laid her head on his chest and started to cry. “Oh, Joey please comes back. I love you, come back.”
Joey took one large breath making Tabitha look back at his face. “He is breathing,” she started shaking his shoulders. “Joey gets up.”
Joey looked up in Tabitha’s eyes. “You ok?”
She smiled. “Yeah are you? You’re the one that fell from 20ft.”
“Yeah, just help me up.” Tabitha helped him stand. He held his head in pain. Joey’s head throbbed painfully from dizziness.
“Are you sure you are ok?” J.C. asked concerned.
“Yeah,” I’m fine, lets just get away from this house.”
copyright © 2001 AngelH