There was a persistent ringing in his ears. He groaned then got up. As soon as he was seated, Cain looked around to check, noticing that he was in unfamiliar surroundings. He had been lying in a mat on the floor. When he heard people stirring, he remembered where he was.
He remembered the intense pressure and crippling pain in his head as he wondered why Jon fell.
“Jon?” He called out.
“He’s… still out.” A man replied as he came into view. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine Matt. Where’s Jon?”
“He’s behind the sofa. What happened to you guys?”
“I’m not sure. I remember feeling like my head was being crushed.”
“The both of you just passed out on us.”
“Matt?” Cain asked, getting up, noting the coffee stains on his clothes.
“Yeah?”
“I think it’s time you stopped pretending like you have any control on this.”
Matt’s face searched Cain’s, looking for an explanation.
“What do you mean.”
“I, we, didn’t just pass out, did we? I saw your faces Matt. You were ready to grab your wife and bolt.”
“I.. uh-”
Matt’s face was a mixture of expressions.
“Where’s your wife?”
“Back at the kitchen. We’ve started cooking, seeing as its already five.”
“Is she okay?”
“She seems to have shaken it off. It’s really a wonder how she copes. I don’t know how she does it.”
“You seem to be holding up just fine, considering.” Cain remarked, looking around. “How’s your daughter?” He asked when his eyes fell on the little girl who seemed to be helping her mother.
“Which one.” Matt asked.
Cain fixed him a stare to remind him of what he just said.
“She’s … uh fine. Doesn’t seem to remember.”
Cain’s brows knitted together.
“What do you mean by remember?”
“She passed out too.”
“After screaming?”
“Yeah. Just seconds after you guys went out, she did too.”
“You notice anything with her before that?”
“Well, no. Not really. It’s like you said… we, I was ready to bolt so I didn’t see much. And when you guys fell I…”
“Go on.” Cain encouraged. “Anything you can tell me might help.”
“I saw that thing behind you, you know. I’ve only seen it through the mirror last night. It was standing behind the both of you, looking down with its…”
Matt’s face changed from calm to scared. Cain noticed how he seemed to look through him as he described the creature.
“What else do you remember.”
“When you guys passed out, or a little before that I think, when Jean screamed, I… I got a quick look at her. It’s like… it’s like Emmy told me this morning. I can’t-”
Cain knew better than to push. He stood in front of Matt and placed a hand on his shoulder, subtly letting him know it was alright to gather his thoughts, subtle letting him know that Cain needed to hear what he had to say.
“Her eyes, all of it… her eyes were black.”
“Then she passed out too.”
“Yes.”
“Which one happened first, the entity disappearing or your daughter passing out?”
“How do you know it disappeared?” Matt asked.
“Because whatever that thing was, its presence was oppressive. I don’t feel it now. Nor do I think we’ll be having this conversation if it decided to stay.” Cain answered.
“I can’t tell which one came first. All I know is my daughter screaming, then I looked at her and noticed the black eyes, then I looked at the creature again. Then I saw Jean falling and just, I don’t know.”
“You just forgot about the creature and went for your daughter.”
“Yes.”
“Hmmm. How is she?”
“Like I said, she doesn’t remember anything. We asked her when she awoke.”
“When did she wake up?”
“About an hour or so ago.”
Cain nodded and walked behind the sofa to find Jon still unconscious. He checked him for injuries and was glad to find none.
“And all this time, your older daughter hasn’t awoken?” Cain asked, looking at Gina’s sleeping form.
“No, she hasn’t.”
“How is she?”
“Pretty sore, I’d say. On account of… all that.” Matt gestured to his daughter’s bruises.
“I remember you telling me this started first with her getting sick?”
“Well, now that I think of it, it didn’t. Shortly before that, Emmy thinks our younger daughter passed behind her and went out to play with flowers. But I had Jean with me that time.”
“This happened on the same day?”
“Yes. First that. I remember her calling out panicked. She told me later that she thought our daughter went to the river and got swept. But that’s how it began. Since Jean and I were already down and breakfast was ready, we decided to eat. Then, Gina screamed and we all went up and that’s how we found out she was running a high fever.”
“So, she was awake?”
“I wouldn’t call it awake. More like she was dreaming with her eyes open.”
“Describe it.”
“It was like… well, I feel stupid now for ignoring it, but it was like she was seeing things in the room and was deathly afraid of it.”
“You mind if I check her?”
“What do you mean check?” Matt asked.
“Matt, she’s been asleep since before we arrived. She slept through your younger daughter’s screaming.”
Matt’s expression changed from slight suspicion to worry, as if it just occurred to him.
“I… guess.” Matt answered.
Cain heard Emmy’s footsteps behind him as he knelt and checked the girl’s pulse. He raised his arm and looked at his watch as he counted.
“What is it?” Emmy asked.
“Nothing. She seems fine.” Cain answered, getting up.
“What were you checking for?”
“I was just curious how she was still sleeping.”
Emmy nodded, her gaze lingering at her daughter.
“I will have food ready soon,” she said, turning to head back to the kitchen where Jean seemed to be segregating vegetables by color, “we should all eat together.”
Cain murmured his thanks and noted the lack of any other emotions in the room. He only felt the conflicted emotions from both parents. The little girl felt just like little children did, curious and excitable. Of the heaviness or tiredness, Cain did not detect a trace.
“Listen Matt, I’m way overdue for my afternoon prayers. I’ll start interviewing you folks after that. Any place in the house we can comfortably do that?”
“Well, just about everything’s trashed everywhere else so how about the porch? Either that or Jean’s room.”
“The porch will do nicely.” Cain said.
“Need help carrying anything to the porch?”
“I only need my bag. Thanks Matt.” Cain answered, smiling.
Cain walked towards the door keeping his eyes towards the kitchen. Jean saw him and waved, smiling a smile only children can do – sincere and innocent. He waved back.