11. Chapter 9 Continued (1/2)

--here's the 2nd half of chapter nine--

enjoy!

later that night. everyone's asleep in the

ady house. the house is calm, it's a peaceful night. there are no clouds in the sky and the stars sparkle. suddenly, a blood curdling scream emits from the girls' room.

jan: no! george, stop! you're hurting me! stop! stop! stop!

cindy: startles awake. she tries to wake her sister, but to no avail. jan! jan! wake up! she shakes her sister. jan! jan! please, wake up!

jan: no! get off of me! leave me alone!

mike and carol hear her screams and sit straight up in bed.

carol: that's jan!

she dashes out of the bed, down the hall, and into the girls' room. mike is not far behind. marcia comes down the attic room stairs and follows her parents into the room. peter and bobby peek through the pocket door, but marcia waves them off. mike and carol sit on jan's bed and try to wake her. cindy shrinks back on her bed and stares. marcia then sits on her bed and holds her close while their parents attend to jan.

carol: jan, wake up. you're safe. it's mama.

jan: no! stop! help me! someone help me!

carol: c'mon honey, wake up.

jan continues to scream and flail. she strikes her mother. mike intervenes and tries to wake his daughter. he gently shakes her shoulder.

mike: jan! wake up!

jan: nooooo! help me, please!!

she finally awakens and realizes where she is and who is around her. she is scared and embarrassed and begins crying.

carol: jan. she strokes her daughter's hair and begins rocking her. shhh, you're okay.

soon, she calms down and relaxes into her mother's arms.

carol: c'mom baby, let's go to my room and talk, okay?

jan nods and allows her mother to escort her out of the room. mike hangs back for a minute.

mike: cindy, are you gonna be okay?

cindy: yeah. i'm okay.

marcia: dad, i'll stay with her. do you want me to stay with you, cindy?

cindy: she nods. yeah, that'd be okay.

mike: okay. he joins his wife and daughter in the bedroom.

carol is sitting on their bed. jan's also on the bed, cradled in her mother's arms. mike slips in next to his wife.

carol: jan, you were screaming about george. who's george?

jan: i met him at sea world. we were at the penguins exhibit, and i backed up into him. she starts crying. i thought he was so cute. pain is written all over her face.

mike: what happened?

jan: between sobs. we got to talking and then we went out for pizza. we lost track of time and he walked me back to the hotel. she starts crying really hard.

carol: figuring out what comes next. oh, jan no! tears are rolling down her face, dreading the next words coming out of her daughter's mouth.

jan: then he tried to… he tried to… he… he… he, ummm… i can't say it! she's wailing.

carol: whispers. oh, god, no.

mike: you don't have to say.

jan: tries to comfort herself. but, but i got away.

mike: relief sets in. you did?

jan: a tiny wry smile crosses her lips. i kneed him hard, uhh, right in the, you know… and then i ran.

carol: strokes her daughter's face with her hand. oh baby, i'm so sorry.

mike: me too, kiddo, but i'm glad you fought back.

jan: yeah, me too.

carol: do you wanna talk about it?

jan: not right now. i just wanna go back to bed.

carol: are you sure?

jan: yeah.

carol: okay.

jan: mom, could you stay with me until i go to sleep?

carol: okay, i will.

mike: goodnight sweetheart. i love you. he kisses her on the top of her head.

jan: i love you too, dad.

they go back to jan and cindy's room.

cindy is asleep, with her head in marcia's lap. marcia is stroking her sister's hair. jan gets in bed. carol sits on the bed and strokes her daughter's hair.

marcia: she gently lays cindy's head on her pillow, gets up and whispers. mom, is she okay?

carol: she will be, in time. she told me about george.

marcia: i'm sorry we didn't tell you.

carol: that's okay. i'm glad she told me. is that what the three of you were talking about when you got home?

marcia: yeah.

carol: thanks for being there for her.

marcia: you're welcome. i'm going to bed. good night.

carol: good night.

she kisses her mother and goes to her room. carol silently strokes jan's hair until she falls asleep. she gets up, kisses her daughters and goes back to her room.

mike's in bed, waiting for her.

carol: i thought you'd be asleep.

mike: no, i couldn't go to sleep. how is she?

carol: asleep. i feel so bad for her. she gets in bed.

mike: yeah. no wonder she seemed sick when they got back.

carol: she snuggles into his em

ace. i can't believe it. my baby, was nearly…

mike: i wanna rip him from limb to limb.