[STORY] IN-BETWEEN (Episode 11)

Episode 11.
By AMAH’S HEART

Noise kept coming from the kitchen, she was supposed to be the only one awake.
The kids were off to bed and she just locked up everywhere and was about going to bed when she heard the strange noise.

She peeped at the kids room and they were both asleep.
Veronica quietly started walking towards the kitchen as several thoughts crossed her mind.
Could it be a rodent or some pest? No…rats are hardly seen around.
And it was more like a human noise.

She walked to the kitchen and there he stood with his back facing her.

“Pete…?

She said more like a question. She was rather in a confused state.
He was obviously holding his personal tea cup and facing the kitchen washing basin.
A name was inscribed on the mug.
Due to the way Pete was backing her she couldn’t see it clearly.
She stretched her neck to check the name
“…ubril” that was all she saw.
There was something else before the “Ubril”
Probably a J or L. She couldn’t make sense out of it but the inscription was not much of a concern.
It was Pete standing like a ghost over the sink that worries her.

“… Pete, when did you return?
She said again as she took few feet closer but suddenly pause as Pete did not turn.

“…are you alright honey..I was worried sick about you. You never called or answered mine. What really happened… when did you return? The doors were locked how did you come in? Pete…?

He did not make move to turn.
The mug in his hand was very personal to him. He had always taken tea with the mug which he bought in set.

He had used three out of the set of four in the past years.
Veronica waited for him to turn and look at her.
But he was not making attempt to get off the sink.

“… Pete, are you alright? Is everything okay?
A plate suddenly fell off the shelf and landed close to where she was standing. It smashed into pieces.

Veronica screamed in terror and suddenly stopped when she realized it was just a plate.
She exhale deeply while looking around the kitchen.
She moved closer to where Pete was and stopped an inch away from him

She was startled by strange owl noise coming within the house.

Pete was in his long night robe, his usually night long milky colour jalamia which he uses to sleep when the weather is cold.
He does not use it often but will rather prefer it folded and kept close by whenever he was around.

Veronica noticed that he was bare footed, no foot wear or socks was on his feet.
All of a sudden, his hand began to shake making him spill the content in the his tea cup.
As she stretched out her hand to touch him the kitchen light bulbs suddenly began to go off and on.
“… what is going on?. Veronica asked while dropping back her hand to her side

Just then she noticed that Pete was gradually turning towards her.

Strange breeze from nowhere filled the kitchen making every strand of hair on her body to stand.
Her head felt big and heavy, goose bump filled her body.
The whole place began to move, even the roof and every item in the kitchen.
It was as if there was an earthquake in the kitchen as glass plates cups and other breakable items were falling to the ground and breaking into pieces.

“…. Pete… Pete… what is happening?
Veronica called out to her husband as she tried to shield herself from the breakable items.
Fear gripped her, when the light went off for seconds and later came back on again.

Pete turned to face her, he was no more holding the mug of tea.
It was a kitchen knife that was in his hand which he pointed directly towards her.
He had cotton wool stuck in his nose and ears.
only his white eye ball was seen, the black was gone.

Veronica began to move back but he was coming after her slowly still with the knife in his hand.
She kept screaming but there was nobody to rescue her.
Her scream doubled up when she saw that Pete was bleeding from the eyes.
Instead of tears, blood was pouring out of his eyes, ears and mouth as he kept coming closer.

Veronica ran into a corner and fell to the ground, she felt paralyzed and couldn’t get up.
She was struggling to drag herself out when Pete got to where she was, he raised the knife to stab her.

Veronica screamed out with the little strength left in her.
“Jesuuuuuuuussssssss…”

And she woke up from the night mare.
She sat up from the bed breathing heavily.
“Thank you Jesus… it was all a dream, it was a dream…oh my goodness…”

She said while trying to calm her racing heart.
The room felt so cold and quiet. She wanted to go and check the children in their room but the fear of the night mare was too much for her.
It felt as if there was someone in the room watching her like a hawk.
Like an invisible eyes staring at her and ready to consume her.

She looked around to be sure that she was the only one.

“Jesus… Jesus…I cancel the night mare in the name of Jesus. I cover myself, my kids and my husband with the blood of Jesus. Wherever my husband is Lord, please protect him and make him return to us safe…”,

Veronica muttered the prayer to the quiet room while her eyes kept traveling round the room in fear.

She managed to get up to check on the kids and they were both sound asleep.

She returned to the room and couldn’t sleep again.
She was afraid of another night mare.
When she checked the time it was almost 4am in the morning.

She can’t wait for day to break so that she can feel safe again and forget about the night mare.

That previous day, she with Jane couldn’t arrive at anything concerning Pete.
Before Jane left she promised to come by weekend so that they can carefully search the store if they can find another clue.
Weekend is in two days time and she can’t wait to have Jane around.
The information she gathered couldn’t do much because it was either wrong number or wrong name.

She did not understand why even Pete’s work place does not have a record of Pete Johnson.
He worked in that company several years and it was quiet a shock that his name wasn’t in their record
There was no name like that.
She doesn’t understand what was going on or why her husband disappearance scares her alot.

He came in the dream in form of a dead scary man to kill her.
Pete is gentle, kind and he loves her.
She and the kids are all the family he got and that’s why he doesn’t joke with them neither will she ever joke with him.

it was the devil trying to manipulate the whole thing and very soon when Pete will return the devil will be put to shame.

Before the weekend she kept counting hours.
Every little harmless noise startles her.
She doesn’t waste time in the kitchen like before because the nightmare comes to play anytime she was there.

That weekend when Jane finally came around they both went back into the store and began to search again.
She showed Jane the cheques, the receipt that had the strange name,
“Jubril Elliot”.

Immediately she mentioned the name she remembered her night mare few nights ago.
The name inscribed on the mug was Jubril. The missing letter was a J.

She quickly narrated her dream to Jane while holding onto one of the cheques.

“That’s really scary Vero. Maybe we should call the company again and ask of Jubril Elliot..”?

Jane suggested but Veronica felt it was a stupid idea.
What if the person with the name is a bad person trying to hurt her husband or implicate him.
Her husband name is Pete Johnson and whoever that is Jubril Elliot does not sound like a good man to her.
Especially remembering the cup inscription she saw in her dream.
Maybe Pete was trying to tell her something.

Jane insisted and said there was no harm in trying.
Veronica had to give in.

They decided to call Pete’s company but this time they will be asking of Jubril Elliot instead of Pete Johnson.

To Be Continued… . . .

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