The Piper (37 page)

‘What's that up ahead?' Olivia whispered.

‘I think we're almost to the entrance to the sanatorium. We've been going uphill for a while now. It looks like – wood doors. I can't see from here but—'

Olivia shined the light up ahead. Double doors, heavy wood, with metal braces across in three places. Bolted tight.

‘We're trapped,' Olivia said. Her breath was coming faster. It was getting hard to breathe. ‘Look at it. Look at that . . . that
thing.
'

Because the legs were taking shape now, taking form, still hard to make out but there seemed to be a head, and a torso and legs, only the torso was bent, as if the thing was traveling on all fours, instead of two.

‘Olivia, you have got to calm down,' Ack said.

‘I can't help it. I'm scared, dammit.' Olivia stopped, and Ack held her hand and Olivia held the light and they watched the thing solidify as it moved in the dark.

Once it got to the doors, it paused for a long moment. Olivia felt her heart beat harder still, and it was hard to catch her breath. It stood, finally, upright at last, and turned as if to face them, growing very tall. And more distinct. More detailed. Like focusing a camera lens. Long blond ponytail, lamblike demeanor, chubby, soft fleshy hands.

The man Olivia had met in Bennington Murphy's house. The man-thing Teddy called Duncan Lee.

‘Hello, Olivia.' A singsong in its voice. Sounding breathy and kind. ‘I see you took my advice.'

‘It's you,' Olivia whispered.

It held out a hand. ‘It's me. I've been with you off and on for such a long time. Did you know that Teddy could see me, looking over your shoulder? Teddy. Three fifteen.' He smiled. ‘I don't think I ever told you my name. Teddy likes to call me Duncan Lee.'

‘I'm sure you have a whole
host
of names,' Ack said. She wasn't whispering. Her voice was strong. Somehow she managed not to sound afraid.

‘Ah, Ackerman. Always so brave. I thought I had you then, fifteen years ago.'

‘Not brave. Just lucky. Live or die by a quirk of fate.' Ack held a hand out. ‘I've come to see you home, Mr Lee.'

‘Such ego, dear Patsy.' It spoke to her softly. ‘But I am home. I am home in the tunnel, I am home in your studio when I whisper to your bird. I am home in the little stone cottage where Teddy and Olivia live.'

‘You could spend all night spinning lies,' Ack said. ‘Playing on all our fears. But aren't you tired, of being so alone? Aren't you tired, of living in the dark? Do you have any memory, any feeling at all, about letting go of all your pain, and closing your eyes—'

‘To die? Only humans let go like that. Only humans get so scared they can't live. Do I look human to you?'

‘I'm just offering you peace,' Ackerman said.

‘
You
offering
me
peace? My, what an ego it has. And you?' Decan Ludde seemed to grow taller. He held out a soft white hand. Solid. Solid as any man. ‘Take my hand, Olivia. That's all you have to do, you know, such an easy easy thing. Take my hand and say yes, I want Teddy home safe. And she will be. Home safe. Do you love your little girl? You have to make your mind up now, Olivia, three fifteen, three fifteen. Time to take my hand, and this will all be over.' He tilted his head, seeming to sway sideways.

Olivia lifted her hand. And the noises started. Snuffling and moans, and someone wailing her name.
Olivia. Olivia.
Then
mommy
coming from the other side of the door. Ackerman was talking to her, but it was hard to hear.

‘Is that her?' Olivia said. ‘Is that Teddy, on the other side of the door?'

Decan Ludde looked at her and smiled. ‘I keep my promises, Olivia. If you ever want to see Teddy alive and well, you need to
take my hand
.'

But it was hard to hear the whisper of his voice. A noise like a freight train, coming behind them, then a voice, booming into the tunnels, like a recording from the 1920s, an old fashioned newsreel, as if they were taking a tour.

‘As you can see, these sanatoriums are real hospitals, with hundreds of beds,' the voice said
.
‘Modern medicine offers many new treatments, like UV Therapy. Meanwhile, while they heal, patients make crafts to pass the time. Look at those beautiful baskets!'

And Olivia realized that Ackerman was no longer holding her hand. ‘Ackerman? Patsy? Are you there?'

‘Rest and relaxation in the sunlit solarium, and look, classes in typewriting
.
'

‘Take my hand,' Decan Ludde said. ‘Take my hand and find Teddy. Take my hand before three fifteen.'

‘Children of patients are cared for here, and even have their own schoolroom
.
'

Olivia heard it again.
Mommy
. So faint she could not be sure she really heard it. Maybe she only wanted to hear.

‘Up here on the roof, sick children are exercising in the sun and the fresh air. Playing while they heal.'

‘Is that where she is?' Olivia said. ‘Is she in that children's building? Is Teddy in there? Where is she, I have to know.'

‘Take my hand,' Decan Ludde said. ‘If you want her home
safe
. They all come home eventually. Emily. Teddy. They come home one way or another. But if you want them home
safe
, you must do your part.'

Olivia lifted her hand, but pulled it back when she heard running footsteps, and a scream that sounded like Ack. Then the little pig light went out. More snuffling noises, and dark. And something breathing on the back of Olivia's neck and a whisper from Decan Ludde.

‘Take my hand, Olivia, take my hand.'

She felt the oddest sense of recognition, like she'd known him all her life. Taking his hand would be such a relief. No struggling anymore. She had not understood how much she would want this, how good she knew it would feel.

She was crying now. She had to do it. Make the deal. The only way to save her daughter. She opened her eyes and saw a light, and then a form, and then, her phone was ringing. Her phone was ringing, and she took it out of her pocket.
Call From Teddy
lit the screen.

‘Hello,' Olivia said, in a whisper.

‘
Mommy. Mommy. Mommy.
'

Not Teddy. Not Teddy's voice. The timbre was masculine and slow, as if it were mocking her. Mocking her pain.

‘
Mommy
.'

Then a hand, grabbing her arm.

‘Olivia?'

‘Patsy?'

Patsy was pulling her away from the door, away from Decan Ludde, who was smiling, smiling, holding out a hand.

Olivia felt warm breath on her neck and turned. Not Patsy, with that hand on her arm. Something dark with masses of hair. She jerked away, closed her eyes. Screamed.

‘Make the deal, Olivia. Say yes and Teddy can come home.'

And that was all Olivia wanted, really. Just her own little Teddy, home safe.

‘
Oh my dear
.' The voice was so gentle. So knowing. ‘Don't you see it yet? We've wanted you for such a long time. We've had our eye on you since you were a very little girl. We had our eye on you since before you were even born. Think of all the people you love who are gone now, just because they thought they knew better. Because they tried to keep us out. All those people who got in the way because they were jealous. Because they weren't the one.'

‘What do you mean?' Olivia whispered.

But on some level she felt it. That she was the special one, she always had been, and there was something evocative about the feeling it gave her, knowing she was chosen. She felt the urge to accept, to give in, to take that hand that beckoned her on. If she gave in now it would be easier. She would find peace in her heart. Just the thought of it made her feel warm, bathed in relief.

She took a hesitant step forward, thinking that Teddy would not have to be sacrificed, her little girl could be safe, feeling a sense of rightness about this, what other decision could a mother make? But then she stopped, an old image, a memory, alive in her mind. Teddy at the playground, wearing little pink denim overalls, she could not have been more than two or three. She had been coming down a circular slide on her belly and moving too fast to stop herself from landing sideways in a heap on the ground. Teddy scrambling to her feet, looking wildly around for her mother, and as soon as she saw Olivia, heading straight toward her, chubby little baby arms held out.

Olivia had felt important then too, but it was nothing like this feeling. Then she had felt the tie between mother and child, but there had been no ego involved, only a sense of responsibility and love.

And Olivia knew then, by instinct if nothing else, that whatever the piper offered would guarantee the worst possible outcome for Teddy. That there were things in the dark so much worse than death.

She was ashamed suddenly. Of how angry she had been, how much she had blamed Chris. Bennington had made a deal to take care of his children, twice, and been left with no children at all. Chris had saved Janet, who was now consumed with anger, guilt and fear. Marianne Butler's mother was convinced a demon had possession of her child and for that Amelia had drowned thrashing in a tub, her eyes rolled back in her head. What had Amelia seen and thought in the moments before she died?

And Hugh. Brave and canny, crafty and wise, so sure he'd tricked it, only to hang by the neck from the red leather belt. Smarter people than she was had tried with the piper and failed.

There was good and bad in life, and the thought filled Olivia with dread, because she knew what it might mean, for Teddy. Life was consequences, for having children, for falling in love, for having hope. Happiness meant people you'd lose one day. There wasn't going to be an easy way out. In real life, there never was.

‘No,' Olivia said to Decan Ludde. Who began to waver like a mirage in front of her eyes. ‘No. I won't make the deal.'

‘
Olivia
.' A woman's voice, wailing. Patsy Ackerman. For real this time. ‘Olivia, help me.'

Then a scream, a thud, and a dragging noise, and Olivia could not help herself, she ran. She ran to the door, tried to open the bolts, whatever was behind her was dark and bad and she pounded on the door screaming, making all the noise she could, sobbing and begging someone, anyone, for help.

And when the doors opened by some miracle, and Olivia stumbled through, she told herself she was going for help, she was not running away, she was not leaving Patsy behind.

The volunteer security guard was everything she could have hoped for. Burly, tall, face gone chalk white when he unbolted the door to her screams. She would have had no way of knowing how much courage it took. How it had happened before, noises, cries from behind those doors. Noises and screams that turned to heavy watchful silence the minute the bolts were undone and the door opened wide.

The guard picked Olivia up when she collapsed at his feet, and settled her into a well lit room where he spent most of the hours of his shift, with a phone where he could call all the volunteers working security that night.

He listened patiently when she was able to talk, gave her a cup of coffee to settle the hysteria. He gave her his jacket, and he called for help.

Something kind in his eyes reminded her of Chris. She had been angry with Chris. So angry. She could not be angry with him anymore.

O
livia spent a long time in the well lit room where the security guard was. He stayed with her when the other guards went down into the Death Tunnel to look. He wanted to search for Patsy Ackerman, everyone there knew her name, here at the Waverly she was legend. But Olivia cried whenever he got too far away. He was sturdy and not that tall, balding a bit. But something about him made Olivia feel better. So to keep her from crying, he stayed.

But no one could find Patsy Ackerman, so they had to call the police. Olivia wondered if she would go to jail for trespassing or if there would be a fine. She did not care. Anywhere was better than here.

She looked at the time on her cell phone, and watched the clock until three fifteen a.m., wondering if Teddy's time was up.

She had the strong feeling that no one really believed anything she said, did not believe that Patsy Ackerman was actually there with her, inside the Body Chute, until they finally found the signs. Olivia was able to identify everything. Patsy's cell phone. Patsy's purse. One black pirate boot, the heels scuffed and torn as if Patsy had been dragged. But no sign of Patsy herself. No blood anywhere, but a hank of long blonde hair further down the tunnel, hair torn out by the roots. They set up floodlights, and called for extra help, and they searched the rest of the night and the whole next day. No other signs of Patsy, anywhere. No signs of Patsy at all.

O
livia was waiting in her hotel room when the police came. The manager of the Waverly, called out by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, and known to be tough on trespassers, had taken one look at Olivia's face and decided not to press charges. It was the Waverly, after all, one of America's most haunted places. Strange things happened at the Waverly. Not all of them good.

Olivia had driven herself home, looking from time to time at the passenger's seat, almost expecting to see Patsy there. She found a long blonde hair on the dashboard, and as soon as she made it to Knoxville, she went to Patsy's house, broke a pane out of the kitchen window to get inside, put bird seed and fresh water in Elliot's little ceramic bowls. She turned off the crock pot, and put it straight into the refrigerator, as if she had hope that Patsy might come home again.

The bird would not look at her, or acknowledge her, but sat on his perch with his head tucked beneath a wing. Olivia wondered if he were in mourning. Animals knew things, certainly this one did. She wondered if Patsy had family. If someone responsible would come. She told Elliot she would look out for him, but he would not look up.