The front door was open, letting in the chilly night air. Will went to swing it closed and then paused when he saw Cade out by the oak tree. His back was to the house, and Will had no idea what he was doing. He hesitated with his hand on the door and then decided to close it, and lock it behind him as well. It would buy him some time, and this way Cade would have to knock to get back into the house.
Or break a window, his inner critic told him, which he might do if he was possessed. Will shook the thought free and headed upstairs, gently rapping on Jena’s partially open door before sticking his head inside.
‘Jena?’
She lifted her head off the bed and looked at him. There was sorrow in her eyes, and he couldn’t help but notice the bottle of rum on the floor next to the bed; at least it wasn’t empty.
‘Why? Why did this have to happen? Don’t I have enough shit in my past? Do I really need more? I don’t know what I did in a past life to deserve this, but it must have been awful. I must have been the worst.’
‘Not your past life, Jena, it was Rose. Don’t take any of the blame for this because it wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t back then and it isn’t now. If she’d just told you, just been honest ….’
‘Except she was. Kind of. They always told me stories about the Dark Man. We never believed them; we thought they were just tales to make us be good, to keep us away from the dangerous parts of the farm. I never really believed they were true.’
Will sat on the end of the bed, careful not to touch her. On the off-chance Cade got back into the house, Will didn’t want him thinking he was trying to make a move on Jena.
‘But they are,’ he said.
Jena nodded stiffly. ‘She was trying to protect me. I get that now. I just wish it didn’t have to be that way. Cade is … he’s … The moment he touched that watch, he changed. I’m so scared of what might happen next.’
Will didn’t speak for a moment, and then decided to tell her. ‘He tried to come into Rose’s room last night. I woke up when I heard his footsteps and I locked the door.’
‘He killed a bird,’ she whispered.
Will frowned, sure he’d heard her wrong, but then she said it again.
‘He killed a bird. A magpie. It came to the window and I opened it and the bird let me touch it and then he came in and killed it. Snapped its neck and threw it out the window. Will, I couldn’t believe it. Cade might not be the best person in the world, but he’s never been violent. Until now.’ Her face crumpled and he scooted closer, offering an arm. She leaned her head against him and he squeezed her shoulder awkwardly as she sobbed.
‘I don’t understand. Why is this happening again? How could she let this happen?’
He didn’t say anything, just let her cry for a couple of minutes before pulling away. She wiped her eyes and tried to smile.
‘Thanks. I can’t talk to Cade about this.’
‘Obviously,’ Will said.
Jena shook her head. ‘No, not in general. I always thought it was safer that way, keeping the parts of me that were broken locked up. Maybe that was wrong, but it’s too late for that, with Cade.’
‘I’m sorry, Jena. I am. I did some research, and if we can get the watch off him and destroy it, then he might be free from the influence of the spirit. I know Rose thinks that the only way to end this is to kill him—’
Jena straightened. ‘Kill him?’ She shook her head frantically. ‘No, not that.’
‘Chill, Jena. If we can get it off him, destroy it …. It might just work.’
‘And you have some bright ideas about how to do that?’
Will shrugged. ‘Sledgehammer? Burying it isn’t enough, fire didn’t destroy it. Maybe sheer force. If we can shatter it—’
‘We’re only going to get one chance at this.’ She looked him in the eyes, determination filtering into her gaze. ‘Once we take it, he’ll know. If it doesn’t work, he’s going to drop any pretence and come for us. All of us.’
‘We need to be ready. To either run, fast. Or fight.’
‘I don’t know how to fight him.’ Her shoulders sagged and the hope drained away.
‘But Rose does. She’s done it before. She’s still alive despite this thing wanting to get to her for most of her life. I think you should talk to her, Jena. I think it’s time you two had that heart to heart. I’ll ask Cade for some help with … something. There are a few jobs to do around the place and I’m sure I can find one to keep us busy for a bit.’
Jena bit her lip, but then she nodded, a slight smile crossing her face. ‘Okay. Tomorrow. You can distract Cade and I’ll front up to Rose.’
Will stood up and took a step towards the door before turning back. ‘Just, don’t let her run circles around you. Put your foot down and be firm, but give her time to talk too. Sometimes you need to wait; don’t fill in the silence because if you do, she won’t open up.’ He wanted to tell Jena that this was important, that it might be their last real chance to communicate if things went sideways, but from the look on her face she didn’t need his reminder.
‘G’night, Will. Thanks for … well, you know.’ She gave a half shrug and sighed.
‘I hope you get some sleep,’ he said over his shoulder.
Jena laughed as he opened the door. ‘I hope we all do. Though I can’t see it happening.’
Will closed the door behind him and then headed downstairs, unlocking the front door as he passed it. He was halfway down the hall before it opened.
‘Are you trying to make a move on my girl?’ Cade’s voice was rough and low, but Will didn’t turn around.
‘No, I went up to say goodnight, and when she said you’d gone for a walk, I came down to unlock the door. Didn’t realise you were still out there. Simple mistake, man.’
‘You were up there a while.’ Cade walked towards him, his shoulders curved forward, lips drawn tight in a menacing grin.
Will took an unconscious step backwards, raising a hand. ‘I needed to take a leak and brush my teeth. Is that cool?’
‘Whatever.’ Cade cracked his knuckles and closed the distance between them. ‘I see the way you look at her, the way you protect Rose. Like you have some kind of right to them that I don’t. Well, let me tell you something, they’re mine. Mine.’ Cade gripped Will’s shirt and twisted the fabric, pulling him higher so that Will was on his tiptoes.
Cade’s breath was hot and fetid against Will’s cheek. The smell was both familiar and unknown; it hit him in the gut, threw him back in time to when his mother was still alive, made his knees weak like he was just a gangly teen again. Powerless.
Cade pushed him then, sending him crashing to the floor. His back hit the hallway table, the force bouncing its contents off, scattering pens and paper everywhere.
‘Dude, calm down. I’m just here to do my job.’ Will held a hand out as if it could stop Cade from coming closer, and he scrambled backwards, trying to get his feet under him, get up, get away. ‘I promise.’
‘Your words mean nothing to me. You mean nothing.’ Cade lunged, but Will managed to slide out of the way, turning and sprinting towards the kitchen. Cade caught his foot, sending Will sprawling again. Cade thumped down on top of him, landing on Will’s back and delivering a thwacking blow to his side.
‘Cade!’ Jena screamed.
Will covered his head with his arms, trying to protect it from Cade, who landed another blow, this time to the other side of his body. He sucked in a breath, gasping from the pain.
‘Cade, stop it.’ Jena sounded closer now, and Cade stopped moving, sitting frozen on Will’s prone form.
‘Cade?’ Jena’s voice was shaky.
Will turned his head, opened an eye. He could see her now. She looked petrified and her hand shook, but she was reaching for Cade, gripping his arm gently and tugging him.
‘Come on, Cade. Come upstairs. Please? Will didn’t do anything.’
‘I don’t want him in my house,’ Cade said, his voice devoid of emotion. ‘You hear me? Get the fuck out.’ Cade shoved against Will’s body, pushing himself off, letting Jena lead him away.
Will sat up and watched them go, catching Jena’s gaze when she glanced back over her shoulder. He mouthed one word. Sorry.
Cade stopped at the bottom of the stairs. ‘You can sleep in the barn,’ he said. ‘And when you come in tomorrow for Rose, you can clear your shit out of here or I’ll do it for you.’
Then he was gone, up the stairs. Jena paused, as if torn about what to do, but then she followed Cade.
Will could only think that even in the barn, he might be safer than she was tonight. He locked Rose’s door and headed outside.