Willow Park, chapter 18

Jack decides to put things right.

18,

He had not left the house for sometime.  The thought of leaving the place scared him.

What was up with him?

The date was the 28th of December. 

He had not seen a soul for ages.  The phone had rung, but he chose to ignore it.  

He had a suspicion that it might be Janet.  He really was not in the mood for any 

conversation of any kind.

Jack had trouble getting the spirit out of his head.  What did she mean by doing 

the right thing?

He had pondered on that question for days now, and slowly he was getting it.

The only thing he could think of apart from drinking too much alcohol, was the 

separation from his wife.  She was the one who had walked out on him, but if the truth be 

told, he was sleeping around for some months before they split.  Also the odd memory 

would flicker of her trying to make the effort with him, but every time she did, he made 

no effort back.

Jack had finally come to the conclusion that he had let her down big time, and it 

was all his fault, one hundred percent.  He felt terrible for it.  He had been a b*****d.

That is when he decided at that moment to confront his wife, and tell her the truth 

of what really happened, and she should take no blame for any of it.

If this is what the spirit girl wanted, then it shall be done.  The killer was still out 

there, and needed to be stopped.  Jack was the only one who could see her.  The only one 

who could help her.

If the truth be told, he didn’t know how he felt about his wife, he had been so 

angry for so long.  Maybe it was the drink which made him like that, and maybe he 

needed to change?

Jack left the house still a little nervous of the outside world.  He got into his sports 

car to make the journey to his ex-wife’s place.

………………………………................................................................................................

He knocked on the wooden door of the cottage.  There were hanging baskets full of pink and red flowers along the front wall.

He was not looking forward to this at all.  The last time he had seen his wife, they 

had had a massive row which ended in him threatening her.  This is why he had not 

bothered, the last time she had requested his company.

There was a noise while someone the other side turned the key in the lock.  Then 

it opened.

His wife looked surprised as her mouth turned into a gaping hole, for a second or 

two.  “What are you doing here?” she asked, looking very unimpressed.

“I am sorry about our last meeting.  I just couldn’t make it,” he said nervously.

He had forgotten how pretty she was.

She was a slender woman in her late thirties, with cute features, and lovely 

blonde hair.  She was far from being a dumb-blonde, as her IQ was 115.

“How come you couldn’t make it last time?” she asked, her name was Samantha.

“I just couldn’t.”

Samantha still looked unimpressed, as she invited Jack in.

Jack followed reluctantly.

“Do you want me to take my shoes off?” he asked politely.

“Well, you don’t usually.  Just come in and say what you have to say,” she said a 

little angrily.

Jack could sense she really hated him, and that was not good.

She had redecorated.  The hallway was now a pink colour.  It looked nice.

“I see, you’ve been hard at work,” he said, scoping the area with interest.

“Don’t butter me up, Jack.  With silly talk about how impressed you are with 

what I have done with the place,” she replied.

He was not here to argue, but more to bare his soul, so he stayed quiet.

Samantha could sense something was different.  Jack by now would of retaliated.

She gave him a quick glance as she entered the living room.  He still looked quite 

attractive, apart from the odd flabby bits.

She sat down on the main chair which was stuck directly in line with the 

television.  The chair was a dark brown colour and made out of thick leather.  A good buy 

at the time.

Jack sat down on the sofa, which was a similar colour, and made out of the same 

material.

“Why are you really here?” she asked, intrigued.  She still kind of hated him 

though.  He had treated her like dirt in the past.

This was crunch time for Jack.  He felt anxious as hell.

“I don’t really know how to say this, Samantha,”  he said awkwardly, shuffling a 

little.

“Just say it, Jack.  What have I done wrong now,” she demanded.

“Nothing for god sake.  Why do you think you have done something wrong?” he 

asked while raising his voice a little.

Samantha didn’t want to say anything to embarrass him, but she now had no 

choice, “The last time I saw you, Jack, you shouted at me.  Do you remember?”

“Yes, of course I remember.  It was here, wasn’t it?” he answered.

“No, it wasn’t here.  If the truth be told, it was in the middle of some street about 

three months back,” she said.

“I don’t remember that,” he said confused, scratching the top of his head.

“That is because you were drunk.  Do you know what you said to me, you 

b*****d?”

He now felt worse than ever.  He did not remember this certain event.  For god 

sake what did he say to her.  He now hoped he had not called her a callous b***h or 

something even more offensive.

“Whatever I said, I’m sorry.  I really am,” he muttered ashamed.

Samantha rested both her hands on her forehead, while she peered towards the 

floor of the room, taking deep breaths.  Then she said softly, “You begged me to give 

you a second chance.  You kept telling me that you were still in love with me, and you 

always would be.”

Jack was dumbfounded.  He didn’t expect that at all.

Samantha was quiet now, and waited for a response.

Jack still had to tell her the truth though, of why their marriage really broke up.  If 

anything, this new revelation had somewhat confused the issue.  It was time to tell the 

truth.

“The marriage split was not your fault, Samantha.  It was mine.”

“It was both our faults,” she replied, now playing with her hands out of nerves.

“But you do not understand really.  I am the bad guy here,” he said.

“You know the last meeting where you didn’t turn up.  It was about me and you, 

and if we ever had another chance, would it work,” she said trembling.

She had wanted to say that for so long.

Jack could not take anymore, and blurted it out without thinking, “I was sleeping 

with other women, this is why the marriage failed.”

Samantha now went dead quiet, and the colour from her face faded.  Her eyes 

stared into thin air.

Jack felt like he should say something to break the uncomfortable silence, “Are 

you OK?”

She didn’t answer.

“Are you OK?” he asked again.

Like a tornado appearing from a calm storm, Samantha shouted with utter hate, 

“Get out of my f*****g house.”

Jack felt the blood leave his face, as the coldness ran through him.  It was time to 

leave.

………………………………................................................................................................

He had finally left.

She felt a strange urge, which she could not explain.  The problem was she still 

loved him.  

Why, Jack.  Why?  Even though he had treated her badly, she felt her senses come 

alive, sexually and mentally.  She adored him really.  But because of his demons, which 

he could not control, she didn’t know what to do.  But on this day he seemed different, 

something in his eyes seemed different.  

Samantha listened for the car to drive away.  She had heard the door slam, but 

nothing else.  

Why did you treat me like s**t, you b*****d?  She couldn’t help it, she was so 

angry with him, and at the same time she was besotted by him.  The scent of his body, the 

smell of the deodorant which he wore.  The way his eyes would look at her before 

lovemaking.  The eyes of a man besotted himself.

In the early days he was so romantic, unlike now.  It was hard for her to imagine 

that he had changed so much, over the course of a few years.  It broke her heart really, 

watching the man she loved, turn into a complete soulless fool.

The yearning she now felt for him, confused her.

Three months back she had discarded him, a hard decision to make at the time.

One night though while she done late shopping, she noticed a man collapsed a few 

metres from her.  As a sensible woman would do, ignored him as she walked passed, until 

she realised it was him.  And then he said what he said.

Still the car didn’t leave, in her thoughts, she didn’t want him to leave. 

………………………………................................................................................................

Jack sat in the car outside of her house still shaking, he felt so low.

He had screwed up big time.  She hated him more than ever.  The problem was, 

he thought he hated her, but these new feelings confused him.

Tears flooded his tired eyes as they streamed down his ageing face.  He did not 

cry often, but for some strange reason the sadness was overwhelming.

A tap was heard on the window.  

Jack looked up.

Samantha stood outside of the car, crying also.

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

“I’m really sorry for yelling at you the way I did,” she replied.

Jack all of a sudden realised he was still in love with her.  All he wanted to do was 

hold her.  

He opened the door with force, and with both arms wrapped them around her 

warm body.

Samantha gasped.  Her body pulsating with utter delight.

They kissed passionately.  Their lips parted for a second, so they could catch their 

breath.

“Come in and make love to me properly,” Samantha said excitedly.

Jack did not know what was up with him.  He could not help himself.

“I want to love every inch of your body, sweetheart,” he said, meaning every 

word.

“Is that a promise.”

“Most definitely,” he answered.

Jack joined Samantha back in the house while they kissed on the stairs.

“I love feeling like this,” she whispered.

Jack wrapped both his hands around her soft breasts, and felt them tenderly.

She moaned seductively as she ran her hands down his back.

He loved that so much.

He copied, and positioned his hands on her slender back until they had 

reached the top part of her backside.  Then moved them slowly down.

Samantha moaned loudly.  “You haven’t missed a trick,” she gasped.  

She was in heaven.

“Let’s go upstairs, darling,” Jack half-shouted, he felt like he was going to 

explode.

“Good idea,” she answered.

Jack took her in his arms and carried her up the stairs.  He was out of breath 

though.

She decided to walk the rest of the way.  

He made his way down the smaller hallway which led to the bedroom, where he 

could really let his hair down for the first time in ages.  

Halfway down the hall an image flashed in his mind, of the lonely tree, at Willow 

Park.  At the base many snakes slivered and hissed.  And the branches seemed to move 

like arms.  From the sky snow fell, as it covered the ground.  And from the dancing mist, 

silhouettes appeared.  Seven in all, while they joined hands around the tree. 

A girl’s voice was heard, “Two have perished, but five remain, who will save 

them from the pain.”

Then like being pulled out of a vivid dream, everything went blank.

When Jack came to, he found himself on the floor of the hallway.  He noticed 

Samantha standing over him, looking anxious.

“What is wrong?” she shouted, scared for him.

“I don’t know.  I am shaking all over,” he screamed, both his arms wrapped 

around him, like a lost child.

“What can I do to help?” she asked terrified.

Jack’s eyes were wide open as the green walls of the hallway dazzled him.  He 

also felt nothing, from the waist up.  In all honesty this was the second most terrifying 

experience of his life, the first being that fateful night.  He knew a stroke was imminent, 

due to his unhealthy lifestyle.  But if this was it, who would save the next intended 

victim from the evil clutches of the yet unknown killer?

Thankfully he could still move his mouth, and said with a little trouble, “The 

little girl told me to do something right in my life.  And in doing so, would bring the end 

of mindless killings.”

“What little girl?”

Jack felt stupid but he needed to tell someone the truth, and Samantha was the one 

he should tell.  

“I came here today to make things right.  Somehow you are part of the big plan, 

but I’m not sure how, yet,” he explained, staring intensely at her.

Samantha did not know what to make of anything that Jack was saying.  She 

decided to stay quiet, and moved her right hand to Jack’s face, where she stroked his 

hair softly.  Like a mother would do to an ill son or daughter.

Jack still felt uncomfortable, but the shaking which could be felt just under his 

skin was slowly disappearing..  The fear was going also, as everything seemed to be 

getting back to normal.  The colour of the walls seemed lighter than previous.

And then like a nightmare being vanquished, the shaking ceased.

“Thank god,” Jack said, still breathing heavily from the experience.

“This might sound like a strange thing to say, but I still have the spare bedroom 

just across the hall.  Take a nap, Jack, for me please,” she said.

His clothes were now a little crumbled from the fall, but he picked himself up 

using the wall as extra support.

“I see the vacuum cleaner still smells of that unique scent,” he said.

“I did clean upstairs this morning, fondly enough,” she replied.

“I better go, Samantha.”

“Please don’t go,” she pleaded, she was worried for him.

“I better, really.”

He made it to the top of the stairs then felt a little faint.  He placed his hands on 

his forehead, hoping to stop the spinning.

Samantha pulled Jack away from the stairs, and directed him towards the 

bedroom.

Jack knew she was right, and that is why he did not complain.

Both walked into the smallish bedroom.  The walls were painted a creamy 

colour, two cabinets at the far-end, the single bed situated in the middle of the room.

“Just lay down for a couple of hours if you like.  And when you get up, I’ll have 

something ready for you to eat, if you like,” she said a little excited.

She had not cooked for another person for sometime, and it felt weirdly good.

Jack fell onto the tidy red quilted bed.  His head flat against the two pillows which 

laid at the top.

“Thanks again, love,” he said kindly.

His eyes were now closed while he felt a warm feeling on the side of his head.  It 

felt like a kiss.

“Sorry, about the sex,” he remarked embarrassed.

“Don’t worry about it, just get your head down,” she said, before leaving the 

room.

His eyes felt particularly heavy.  Jack then went to sleep.

Reviews

[Enid Blake]

The Jack chapters seem to roll naturally! A suggestion:
'...One night while she done late shopping...' perhaps 'One night when she was out late night shopping' or 'One night, whilst late shopping.'
And an awkward sentence,
'From the sky snow fell, as it covered the ground.' I'd re-arrange the punctuation, so it makes more sense. Perhaps:
'From the sky, snow fell and covered the ground.' Or, 'Snow fell from the sky, covering the ground.'

[steve]

Good suggestions!! Thanks.

[Marie]

Well, I'm glad we're back to Jack, and I;m glad he made up with his wife. She is another interesting character in this story.
These are a few suggestions:

The phone had rang(RUNG), but he chose to ignore it.
The hanging baskets full of pink
and red flowers, as they hung along the front wall.Awkward phrasing. Try "There were hanging baskets full ofpink and red flowers along the front wall.)


The scent of his body, the smell of hisTHE) deodorant which he wore.

[steve]

Thanks Marie, and thanks for pointing out my odd errors as well. Much appreciated.