Life Curse: Taber Blood I

Chapter 27

Now Jared's just a kid. But, the person lying on the floor is his mother. He pushed his way through David, Eddie, and Roxanna. The terror of being without his mother gripped him like an unwavering plague worse than the threat of a witch possessing him. He must help his mother, but, first, he had to deal with the ghost of Sarah.

"You hurt my mom!" he said, facing Sarah. "Go away!" He positioned himself between his mother and Sarah, the ghost. "I hate you," he said and balled his fist, wide-stance, ready to fight his great-great-great Aunt Sarah. He didn't care about his ancestors or the tree. Nobody messes with his Mom. 

David couldn't stand there any longer and feel the pain of a child who's lost his mother. He rushed toward Jared, "Jared, please get away from her." He held Jared by his shoulders, ready to toss him aside if the ghost attacks. David was sure another victim was in the future, and he didn't want it to be a child. 

"It's alright," Eddie said. He pulled David away from Jared and Sarah.

Sarah smiled, "Welcome home, Eddie," she said. It brought tears to Eddie's eyes. 

"Thank you, Sarah."

"She talks?" David said, surprised. "The other one just screams."

"Sarah is stronger," Eddie said, gazing at the ghost of Sarah with loving eyes.

Sarah then turned her attention to Jared, "You are the heir of Paul. The next in line, which Evalena seeks to possess. It is how she remains here. But, you are a brave Taber. I will help you fight against this witch's curse."

Tears fell from Jared's cheeks, "I don't care anymore. You're mean like the witch!" His lips puckered tight. He had never been more angry or upset than at that moment.  He heard a cough behind him and instinctively looked at his mother. Macey coughed again and gasped, and sat up with an unexpected urgency. She got to her feet, appearing more robust than before; at least, that's what David noticed first. Macey studied her surroundings with unwavering perseverance, a soldier-like stature that took everyone by surprise. David wondered what Sarah did to Macey because her personality seemed to change, more so than before. Though he wasn't complaining, he thought the new Macey was attractive. As in, he couldn't take his eyes off her. 

"Sarah," she said.

Sarah walked toward the door and faced them all, and said, "Macey, the family chose you to marry Paul. You are the key," she said and walked through the door.

"Key to what?" David said. "Where is she going?"

Macey held Jared close. She glanced back at the tree and saw it swayed, but there was no wind in the room, just like in her dreams. The Taber's had been trying to reach her all along. Their haunting is the reason she is attached to all the names on the tree. She looked at Jared. It is why he was eager to learn all the identities of his ancestors on the painted tree. The tree is upside down, he had said. Their names should be at the bottom because they were born first. Macey didn't know how or why Evalena reversed the tree names, but she agreed with Jared. The names of the first dead should be at the bottom.

"I need some paint."

Jared gazed up at his mother, "I saw some in the attic. It's the same colors as the tree."

Evalena screeched again, this time further away. "She must know Sarah is here. She's moving further away," Eddie said. Another banshee-like scream indicated Evalena was at a distance that enabled them to get to the attic. "The kids are safer in this room next to the tree."

That caught David's attention, "Why?"

"All of Jared's ancestors are on the other side waiting," Eddie said.