Read Online A Tale from the Hills by Terry Hayden - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Terry Hayden
Ads: Link
to help her.
“Please help me. It is swallowing me up. I’m so scared. Please help me.” she begged.
All of the brothers tried to help her except William. He stood there trembling in horror as the liquid rose all around her. First it was up to her knees, and then her waist, and finally it was up to her neck. A rancid smoke began rising from the bubbling mass. When Alice realized that she was about to be carried away, she turned toward William, who was standing all alone.
“Why didn’t you try to help me. I needed you and you were afraid. You must help me now. I need to be with mother. Help me Will. I can’t rest until you find me. You can’t sleep until you help me.” she cried.
Suddenly the swirling ooze carried her away. The nightmares always ended the same way. William would wake up in a cold sweat, and feeling very sad and guilty for not helping his only sister. The nightmares continued until he was completely worn out.
Tom realized that unless the situation changed very soon that William was going to go completely crazy, or do something drastic to himself. He confronted his tormented son one day when they were all alone. He pleaded with William to tell him about the nightmares. He suggested that together they might be able to figure out how to make them stop. William was reluctant at first, but finally he gave in.
William first told him the dream that forced him to awaken from his zombie like form of existence. He then proceeded to tell his daddy the nightmare that was haunting him now. By the time that he was finished with his explanations, both of them were crying. Without even thinking Tom concluded that if only Alice’s body had been found, maybe William would not be having the horrible dreams.
As if struck by lightning, a light flashed in the back of William’s mind. The pieces of the puzzle were fitting together for him now. It all began earlier in the Summer when lightning knocked down the giant oak tree where their mother was laid to rest. In the first dream when he woke up Alice told him that she wanted to be with her mother. He obviously did not understand what she meant by that statement. And when he did not comply with her wishes, the nightmares began.
In the nightmares Alice pleads with him over and over to find her and to help her. Until he completed that task, she would not be at peace and he would not get any rest. It was so obvious to him now. Without saying anything more to his daddy, he knew exactly what he had to do. He had to find Alice’s remains and bury them beside of their mother. It was something that he owed to his sister, and he would do it alone.
William knew that he was the only living person who would be able to lay Alice to rest beside of their mother. He was the only person who would be able to find her, because he talked to her in his dreams. None of the other family members even had the dreams. At first he thought that he was having them because of the guilt that he felt for her death, but he now realized that that it was for another reason. Alice was not a vengeful person. She was coming to him in his dreams because he was the closest to her when she was alive. He was having nightmares because it was the only way that she could make him understand what she wanted. He wanted to help her because she must be in a horrible, lonely place. She wanted her bones to rest in a place of love. He wanted that too.
********
Chapter Two
In order for William’s plan to succeed, he would have to be stronger than at any other time in his life. If he let fear get in his way, he would lose the battle and Alice would be lost forever. He could possibly become lost himself if things went wrong, but he decided that win or lose, he could not continue to live this way.
That night after supper the Hill family talked about the day’s activities. Joseph had the big story because one of his coworkers lost a finger in the big saw at the mill. No one could figure out exactly how it
“Please help me. It is swallowing me up. I’m so scared. Please help me.” she begged.
All of the brothers tried to help her except William. He stood there trembling in horror as the liquid rose all around her. First it was up to her knees, and then her waist, and finally it was up to her neck. A rancid smoke began rising from the bubbling mass. When Alice realized that she was about to be carried away, she turned toward William, who was standing all alone.
“Why didn’t you try to help me. I needed you and you were afraid. You must help me now. I need to be with mother. Help me Will. I can’t rest until you find me. You can’t sleep until you help me.” she cried.
Suddenly the swirling ooze carried her away. The nightmares always ended the same way. William would wake up in a cold sweat, and feeling very sad and guilty for not helping his only sister. The nightmares continued until he was completely worn out.
Tom realized that unless the situation changed very soon that William was going to go completely crazy, or do something drastic to himself. He confronted his tormented son one day when they were all alone. He pleaded with William to tell him about the nightmares. He suggested that together they might be able to figure out how to make them stop. William was reluctant at first, but finally he gave in.
William first told him the dream that forced him to awaken from his zombie like form of existence. He then proceeded to tell his daddy the nightmare that was haunting him now. By the time that he was finished with his explanations, both of them were crying. Without even thinking Tom concluded that if only Alice’s body had been found, maybe William would not be having the horrible dreams.
As if struck by lightning, a light flashed in the back of William’s mind. The pieces of the puzzle were fitting together for him now. It all began earlier in the Summer when lightning knocked down the giant oak tree where their mother was laid to rest. In the first dream when he woke up Alice told him that she wanted to be with her mother. He obviously did not understand what she meant by that statement. And when he did not comply with her wishes, the nightmares began.
In the nightmares Alice pleads with him over and over to find her and to help her. Until he completed that task, she would not be at peace and he would not get any rest. It was so obvious to him now. Without saying anything more to his daddy, he knew exactly what he had to do. He had to find Alice’s remains and bury them beside of their mother. It was something that he owed to his sister, and he would do it alone.
William knew that he was the only living person who would be able to lay Alice to rest beside of their mother. He was the only person who would be able to find her, because he talked to her in his dreams. None of the other family members even had the dreams. At first he thought that he was having them because of the guilt that he felt for her death, but he now realized that that it was for another reason. Alice was not a vengeful person. She was coming to him in his dreams because he was the closest to her when she was alive. He was having nightmares because it was the only way that she could make him understand what she wanted. He wanted to help her because she must be in a horrible, lonely place. She wanted her bones to rest in a place of love. He wanted that too.
********
Chapter Two
In order for William’s plan to succeed, he would have to be stronger than at any other time in his life. If he let fear get in his way, he would lose the battle and Alice would be lost forever. He could possibly become lost himself if things went wrong, but he decided that win or lose, he could not continue to live this way.
That night after supper the Hill family talked about the day’s activities. Joseph had the big story because one of his coworkers lost a finger in the big saw at the mill. No one could figure out exactly how it
Similar Books
