Chapter 6

He had been sleeping for a good solid two hours when he heard something. It jolted him out of a sound sleep. Had he been dreaming? He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. 'What was that?' he thought. Could the old lady be having a nightmare? He got out of bed and pulled on his work pants, fumbling in the dark. He heard it again. It was a blood- curdling scream! No doubt about it this time. Instead of opening the door to check up on old Mrs. Blanche, his instincts led him straight to the window. He pulled back the old lace curtain and peered out through the rain battered window. Raindrops were still pelting down against the glass and the sky was still raging. He opened the window and pressed his face to the screen to see, better.

In the far distance he could make out two figures, silhouetted in the night sky. It looked like two people having an argument of some kind. The larger one seemed to be threatening the smaller one. He peered more closely and could make out the shape now as the lightning lit up the stormy sky. It was a female. It was Mrs. Winters!

It looked like she was trying to run away from the male figure. Things did not look good. Greg quickly closed the window shut. He pulled on his shirt, socks and work boots as fast as he could then he raced down the hall. Everything was quiet in the old house, The old lady sound asleep. He ran down the big staircase and out the door. His heart was pounding out of his chest now as he made his way into the dark, windy, rainy night.

He heard another scream coming from that direction and his feet quickly pulled him there.

"Charles, you're hurting me!" she yelled out. She was struggling with him. He had her by the arm, twisting her and shaking her violently.

"You're drunk! Leave me alone! Go back into the house!" she pleaded.

"And you're crazy! Here! You want to end it all! Do it! Once and for all!" He had her pills in his hand, he opened the small bottle and took a handful out and forced her mouth open and tried shoving them in. Choking, she screamed and spit them out.

She broke loose from his arms and didn't know which way to turn. Without thinking she went closer to the sea. Maybe it was her only escape? Half asleep, still drowsy from her pills, she wasn't thinking clearly. She had been sleepwalking again a little earlier when he found her out in the storm. Enraged at seeing her outside once again, he lost it completely and grabbed at her and pulled her closer to the edge.

"Yes! Jump! If that's what you want to do, then just jump in! " He had told her just moments ago. She hadn't heard him of course but just stood perilously close to the edge on the rocky cliffs staring out at the raging sea. Then he grabbed her and shook her. "Jump! I said. Jump! End it all, for once and all!"

This jostled her back into reality and she let go a blood-curdling scream. Her eyes opened with fear as she stared into his violent twisted face. He looked more angry than she had ever seen him before. At first she didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there, then she felt the cold rain pelting her, soaking her head and body to the core. Her beautiful blue lace nightgown was soaking wet and heavy now from the rain pulling down on her small form. She looked down at her bare feet cold against the wet slickness of the rocks, the waves swirling violently, crashing to and fro against them. This wasn't some nightmarish dream. This was reality!

Greg heard another scream and ran closer now, his body getting soaked from the storm. He got up to where they stood and could see the man grabbing her arm and encouraging her to jump into the raging waters below. He quickly took action and ran up to them.

"Leave her alone!" he yelled at her husband.

"Who the fuck are you??" the man answered back, startled, his words slurring in his throat.

"I said, leave her alone! Let her go!"

"Fuck off!" the older man yelled.

This got Greg very angry and he grabbed at the older mans shoulder, trying to break his grasp on the woman. A struggled ensued. Mrs. Winters was surprised to see Greg there. It shocked her into complete wakefulness now.

"Greg!" she called out. So surprised and relieved to see him. Would he be her savior again? The thought raced through her mind as the struggle ensued.

Lightning lit up the sky as the two figures fought violently on the rocks. Charles released his grasp on her and she retreated back to safety a few feet away. The men fought violently in the rain soaked wind. Greg tried pulling the man to safety as he tried to hold onto his own footing on the wet slick surface beneath them but the man struggled and fought back crazily now.

Greg relented and released his grip on the man, not wanting to fall down so dangerously close to the edge. But when he did, Mr. Winters let out a mournful cry and lost his footing, falling backward with a sudden jerk and fell slowly, almost as if in slow motion, down... down... down to his death.

They both watched, in horror as he did so, not quite believing it was actually happening. But alas! It was. And it was very real and horrifying. Greg turned to look at Mrs. Winters when he heard her loud gasps and he pulled her closely to him. They stood there and looked down at his body lying upon the craggy rocks below, the water rushing over his limp form.