All Hallows Weekend

Chapter 19

    "There, that's the best I can do for now. You have a lot more injuries than I thought. Are you sure you'll be okay, James?" Harry asked, worry lacing his voice.

    "Until I am able to be seen by a doctor, I will be fine. Come one, it will be sunrise in three hours and we have to get to the river. I promised Uncle Jim after all. Also the forest is burning and I have every intent on making sure this mansion is also burned down." 

    "We have nothing to burn the house down." Harry said. I held up the matches. "I don't even want to know how you got those. I'll wait outside for you." Harry limped out of the room, grumbling about sleep. I laughed. We are both ready to sleep and never look back on this night ever again. If I ever have to deal with the paranormal after this, it will be too soon. 

    I lit a few matches and set the curtains on fire. I did that too a few more rooms on the third floor, until smoke began to fill the area. I did the same thing on the second and third floor. Smoke filled the mansion, giving me limited fresh air to breathe. "I think that ought to do it."        

    I walked out of the mansion and joined Harry. We stood there and watched the building burn down. "You think this will have lasting effects on us in the long run?" Harry asked as he focused on the mansion.

    "Nope." I popped the 'p'. Harry snapped his head towards me and I grinned. "Just kidding. I'm sure it will have lasting effects on us in the long run. Just no telling how long it will though. I'm going to take a break for a while and then do more research into the paranormal. You are more than welcomed to join me, although, I am pretty sure I have given that offer multiple times tonight."

    "You have, but that's okay, because I plan on taking you up on that offer. I don't want to go back to my family as long as I live. Besides, I think it will be fun, unless you get possessed. That is just a sickly feeling and I never want that to happen ever again. Being trapped in ones mind, even if it is my own, is so not fun." He fell silent for a moment. "Should we get going then? We want to make it to the river by sunrise."

    "Yeah, also, with the way the fire is spreading, it won't be safe to stay here much longer." With one last look at the mansion, we left.

We walked in silence until we got to the river. Adeline was starting to disappear from our body, leaving us running on empty. "James, I can hear the river. We are close." We walked faster. The river quickly came into the view. 

    "We got here just in time. The sun is peaking above the trees, although it is hard to see due to the smoke." Harry looked up and frowned. 

    "Do you think they will find a bunch of dead bodies?" Harry asked. Before I could answer the question, a loud explosion off in the distance echoed through the woods.

    "Ah, there's the gun powder explosion. That took a lot longer than what I thought. To answer your question though, I have no clue. How are we going to cross the river?" Harry shrugged in response. I looked around and sighed. "Looks like we are walking through the water." Harry groaned. "I know, I know, we are both tired and injured, and now we are going to add on getting wet."

    "No need to get sarcastic, James." Harry grumped. I laughed.

    I gasped as I stepped into the water. "Oh, this is torture." Harry whined. I hummed in agreement. "We are really going to be feeling the pain for the next few days. If we don't get sick, then I will be truly surprised."

    We made it to the other side of the river. Getting on to dry land, we sat, content to wait for my uncle. I sighed as I looked at the other side of the river. In the distance, you could barely hear the screams of the cult. Smoke filled the sky as more of the forest burned.    

    "This is going to haunt us." Harry declared quietly.

    "It will." I agreed.

    "It will make it hard to trust people."

    "I agree." 

    Honking captured our attention after a while. A door slammed shut. "JAMES!"

    "That would be Uncle Jim." I muttered. "Over here!" I shouted. There was a grunt and a few curses. Harry laughed and raised a brow at me. "He loves his words."

    "I have a feeling I will get along with him just fine." Harry muttered.

    Uncle Jim came stumbling out of some bushes, sighing in relief when he saw me. "I am so happy that you are safe. You will not believe the amount of police, firetrucks, and so forth I had to get past due to the forest being on fire. You guys didn't have anything to do with that, did you?" Harry pointed at me accusingly.

    "In my defense, one of the ghost told me to do that. Wait...she told me to burn the mansion. The forest fire is all on me. The cult had it coming to them." I said. Harry and Uncle Jim looked at me oddly. "I have no regrets."    

    "Okay...I have my personal doctor waiting for us at a cabin a hundred miles from here. I know it sounds far, but the farther we are away from this damn place, the better. Ya know? Come on, let's get you guys into the car. You can sleep for a while."

    "Sleep sounds nice." I sighed happily. Harry nodded in agreement. Uncle Jim smiled. 

    We entered the car. I sighed at being able to sit, knowing I won't have to walk for a while. "Just rest, James. You have nothing else to worry about." With that being said, I closed my eyes and went to sleep.