Chapter 5 Departure

William flashed his phone's torch as he led Matt to the basement. They drew near to two maids in the hallway. The maids respectfully bowed their heads until William and Matt made a turn. As soon as they were out of sight, they carried on with their business.

William stopped at a door and turned to Matt, "Be careful with the stairs." he cautioned.

"Thanks," Matt took note.

William opened the door and got in first. He and Matt carefully walked down the stairs. As soon as Matt spotted the meter box, he got to work. He took out his own phone and turned on the flashlight. William watched him work in silence.

'This not a big issue. The switch just tripped but this is the chance that I have been hoping for. Might as well try to get some answers.' Matt internally planned.

"I think I know what the problem is. I'll have it fixed in a minute." Matt broke the silence.

"Oh, that's great." William responded.

"Say William, why doesn't Ruth celebrate her birthday? I tried to ask her why many times but she refused to tell me."

There was silence and Matt held his breath as he pretended to work. He stole a glimpse at William who had his hand over his mouth. It was obvious to Matt that he was in deep thought.

"Bad things happen whenever her birthday is close. It's worse on the actual day." William's voice filled the basement to Matt's relief.

William’s words supported Muriel’s. At that point, Matt began to fear the worst. Just what was going on? He needed all the answers.

"Bad things like what?" Matt paused and looked back at William. He carefully studied his furrow and tucked lips.

"She starts hallucinating and hurting herself. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia at 8." William revealed.

Matt paused in thought at William’s revelation. In all the years Matt knew Ruth, she seemed fine except for whenever her birthday was close. He highly doubted that she was schizophrenic. She herself never told him about that.

Matt never even came across any medication around the house. But then again, what if? Ruth had proven to be secretive. She was also seeing a man he wasn’t seeing. Her constant demands to not be left alone were also not to be ignored.

"I see," Matt remarked. "The thing that I am most concerned about is the man who is after her. Do you know who he is?"

William shook his head dismissively. "She has been saying that ever since she was a child. I don't think he exists. Well, mainly because she only talks about him during her... episodes."

"Thanks for answering my questions, William. I know it wasn't easy for you."

"I know that you meant well by asking. We are all worried about her." William smiled faintly at Matt.

Matt hit the switch and the power went back on. "And the light returns." he winked.

****

Ruth practically ran into Matt's arms when he and William returned to the dining room. William gave them space and took his seat at the table; taking care to avoid Eugene's glare. Muriel motioned for Matt and Ruth to take their seats. As soon as they sat down, Muriel set the cake in front of Ruth.

"Now I know how much you don't want us to do this but I only ask that you let me sing to you. I promise that after that, we will not do anything further." Muriel's mouth twitched into a smirk. "Aside from eating the cake of course."

"I think that's a great idea. We should all join you." Matt supported Muriel to her delight.

"Okay," Ruth reluctantly agreed with slumped shoulders.

'Happy birthday to you'

'Happy birthday to you'

'You...' Ruth heard a whisper and held her breath.

'Happy birthday, dear Ruth'

'Are...' The whisper got louder, and she fearfully looked around—clutching her dress.

'Happy birthday to you'

'MINE!' A demonic raspy roar sounded and the lights blacked out.

"He is here!" Ruth screamed in the dark and Matt held her.

The lights flickered back on with Ruth crying into Matt's chest. Matt heard Talia gasp. He instinctively turned his attention to her. The look of sheer shock and terror on Talia’s face took him aback. Matt shifted to William who was equally pale with fear. He then turned to see what got them terrified. His eyes stretched wide.

"Oh my God." he uttered in shock.

Ruth looked up at him and when her eyes set on the horrific sight of her father with a knife in his chest, she let out a sharp scream. Eugene had his eyes wide open and bloody mouth hanging. He looked right at his family as he endured the excruciating sharp pain.

The knife tore through Eugene's flesh as Muriel slowly pulled it out. Blood poured out of Eugene's mouth and splashed onto his half empty plate of fried rice. Ruth's world blackened when his head dropped—dead.

Muriel's tongue slowly slid up the knife wiping it clean of the blood. She bit her lip and faced everyone. They gasped at her coal-black eyes with green veins sticking out around them. Muriel tossed the knife across the room and cracked her neck to the right.

Everyone watched in terror as she spread her arms and stretched herself. Talia’s skin crawled at the loud sound of Muriel’s bones cracking. Muriel spread her hands wider and her finger nails grew into black claws. She let out a deafening roar with a mouth full of fangs.

Matt and the others abandoned the table. The floor beneath them shook violently and they were sent tumbling down. The maids in the kitchen were not spared. They held onto what they could as the whole house experienced an earthquake.

Picture frames, chandeliers and book shelves went crushing down. The plates and dishes on the table splattered on the floor. Matt, Ruth and her siblings laid flat on the ground. Matt shielded Ruth with his body whereas William did so for Talia. The maids hid under a table while everything in the kitchen broke on the floor.

As soon as the earthquake subsidized, Muriel pounced on William who was still on Talia. She grabbed him by his hair and forced his head off. Talia screamed at the bloody spine that was still attached to the severed head. Muriel whipped the spine in the air and warm blood sprinkled on Talia's face.

Talia screamed even more. Muriel furiously roared at her. She tossed the head away and charged at Talia. Muriel was just about to snatch Talia when Matt locked her head in his elbow.

"Run!" he screamed at Ruth and Talia.

Ruth sat rooted to the ground in shock. Her wide eyes fixed on the macabre sight of William's decapitated body. The iron scent of the oozing blood wasn’t enough to break her out of her trance. She didn't hear Talia calling out to her.

Talia rushed to her aid and pulled her off the floor. As soon as Ruth was back on her feet, her senses returned, and they both ran out while Matt struggled to restrain Muriel.

Muriel swung Matt from side to side as she tried to get him off. She caught Matt's head and threw him over her shoulder. Muriel then stomped on his chest and kicked him hard across the room. Matt coughed out blood and widened his eyes at Muriel who was roaring with her head back.

Matt groaned in pain as he got on his knees. He spat out the blood and cringed at its metallic taste. Muriel growled at him from across the room. Matt watched her lift her hand. She waved it and a force violently pushed him back. Matt crushed through the window and fell two floors down on his back.

"Matt!" Ruth cried a few feet away.

She shook Talia's hand off and ran to his aid. Talia went after her but was sent crushing onto Matt's truck. The truck toppled over and Talia fell to the other side with a cracked skull and bleeding nose. Her lifeless eyes stayed open as the cold wind blew on her pink hair. Ruth screamed after her as she tried to help Matt get back to his feet.

"Go, leave me." he weakly told her.

"No, I can't leave you." she cried.

Ruth felt a hand on her shoulder, and she was roughly thrown back. Matt shouted after her but was silenced with a kick to the face. The impact broke his nose. Matt could clearly hear Ruth screaming for her life, but he could barely see anything. He tried to get up but all he could do was roll over.

His blurry vision set on Ruth dragging herself backwards with her hand up. She cried in fear as Muriel slowly approached her. Matt tried his best to get up but his pounding head kept him pinned to the ground. He helplessly watched Muriel pick Ruth up by her hair.

"Finally, the time has come for me to take you with me." Muriel said in a raspy voice and Ruth screamed uncontrollably.

Muriel held up her other hand and red sparks appeared in the air. They brightened into a red portal. A violent wind sucked in bushes, horses and rubble into the portal. Matt shouted in anguish as he watched Muriel drag Ruth by her hair into the portal.

"Matt!" Ruth cried

"Ruth!" Matt held out his bloody hand.

“Matt!”

The next thing he saw was the portal closing behind Ruth and Muriel.

"RUTH!!!"