Life Curse: Taber Blood I

Chapter 33

David, Roxanna, and Brenda laid next to Macey back in the library. All three unconscious. They would be no help as long as Evalena holds them in their illusions.  Macey shook David, "Wake up," she said, but it was no use. David must find his way out of the alternate reality built just for him. Macey imagined he was off with his deceased father fishing or some other father-son activity. 

Eddie's body wasn't in the library, and he didn't respond to Macey's calls, leaving Macey to assume he's dead. She hoped for a different outcome despite eyeing his mangled, bloodied body. Be strong, Macey. You must save Jared. She stood and faced the tree she hated. Yesterday, she was ready to paint over it or rip the plaster from the studs. The source of her nightmares and sleepwalking ended up being the tool to kill Evalena. Macey swiped her hair away from her face.

"Jared?" 

A ladder ascended the tree where her father-in-law and husband's names will rest once Jared has registered every relative. Jared was at the top of the ladder, paintbrush in hand, his caligraphy identical to the original. Evalena stood, at the base of the tree, evil eyes peering back at Macey, taunting her with a grin Macey wanted to smack off. Macey wondered if she could choke a dead witch to death because she'd also love to get her hands around Evalena's decaying neck. Decaying? Macey studied Evalena's condition. Her neck and hands were indeed rotting away. Evalena needed a host possessing Taber blood or vanish from the world of the living. The latter being Macey's choice. 

"Keep painting, Jared," Macey yelled. Her sights were on Evalena. Possessing Jared was Evalena's last hope to save herself from turning into ashes. Evalena brilliantly executed the curse, but Macey was impatient with dead witches, curses, and threats of harming her son.  That part was, foremost, troubling. Jared didn't deserve Evalena's cruel intentions to possess him for life. 

"Umm, you're losing skin, dear," Macey said in a mocking tone. Evalena lowered her head, focused on Macey, who was unfazed, "Your brows need some serious plucking too," Macey sneered and thought it funny.  But, the real goal was to stall Evalena until Jared painted the last name on the wall, which will be her husband's, Paul Taber. Macey tried not to focus on that part because Evalena could lunge any second and tear her apart. It was a fifty, fifty chance Macey had to risk. If she dies, it's for the greater good. Jared would go on to live without being possessed by Evalena. The Taber family would live free of the curse forever. If she lives, she'll enjoy watching the family grow and relish being the one to end the witch.

 A black drool spilled from Evalena's mouth, disbursing a foul odor into the room. Macey covered her nose and mouth, "Oh dear, there's no coming back from that stench." 

Evalena lowered her body and widened her stance. Macey saw her anger. But then she did something Macey hoped wouldn't happen. She locked her sights on Jared and proceeded up the ladder, flesh trailing behind her skeletal extremities.  

"No!" Macey screamed, releasing all her fear and rage. The voice that ejected from Macey surprised her and the putrid witch. 

Evalena glanced back at Macey with uncertainty in her eyes. While she examined Macey, Jared's great Aunt Sarah whizzed him away to safety, disappearing from the ladder, and more importantly, from Evalena. When Evalena realized Jared was gone, she turned to Macey. No one has ever had the hate Evalena expressed, glaring at Macey. At least Macey didn't think anyone hated her that much. 

Macey saw the bone in Evalena's neck. Her rotting flesh was repulsive but necessary. Worse than seeing the transformation was the idea of touching it. Macey stepped back, creating distance between her and the melting flesh. Evalena's boney fingers reached outward as she took what looked to be an agonizing step toward Macey.