9/13/1999

Simultaneously Vicki and Cindy jerked awake. Looking around Vicki said, "Shit!" "I've leaked and my bed is soaked, how about you Cindy?" Cindy only stared off into space. "Cindy!" Vicki yelled.

Cindy snapped out of her trance. Looking down and feeling around she said, "I've leaked more than wetness. How high is it on my back" she asked her friend?

Vicki was looking down the front of her own messy pants. The front hem of Vicki s nightly was a messy brown. "About half way" she said.

"I had the strangest dream last night." Vicki commented.

"Was it about some hag making a soup out of the bones we had found." Cindy commented.

"Yea, how did you know."

"I had the same dream, and I think it really scared the shit out of us," Cindy laughed.

Both girls looked at each other and again had a good laugh. Vicki commented "Let's take a bath we both seem to really need one."

The two got up and got out clean diapers, plastic pants, clothes, and bedding and went in to the bathtub first just to rinse off. After that they added bubble bath and enjoyed a bubble bath for two. Both girls helped the other clean and enjoyed tickling each other and blowing bubbles in the others face.

They got changed, and headed to the diner where they were meeting their parents.

"Hi Mom, Hi Dad," Cindy said as she entered the restaurant, taking a seat besides Vicki in a booth.

Shortly Vicki father walked in sat across from them. "Hi Dad," Vicki said, avoiding direct eye contact with her father. Soon both parents came over. "Vicki, and Cindy," Vicki s father spoke, "you scared all of us." Cindy's parents nodded in agreement, "but since you were alone in a strange place," Cindy's Mom broke in, "we are all willing to let it go." "Now what do you kid want for breakfast?"

"Blue berry pancakes," Vicki and Cindy both said in unison.

"Then blue berry pancakes it is," Cindy's father commented and walked back into the kitchen.

"Did you find anything new after everyone left?" Vicki s father asked.

"No, nothing," Vicki said, sipping some hot chocolate, her father had ordered for the two girls.

"Did you take care of the kitten?"

"Yes he was fed, by me," Cindy said.

"And I started the wash," Vicki commented.

"So what do you two have planned for today?"

"Well we thought we would like to go to the library, to do a little research on the house. It s really a strange place and we both would like to know some of the background behind it," Vicki finished.

Cindy then spoke up; "We would also like to verify the map we found"

"Yea dad it's really weird," Vicki pulled the case out of her jacket. Opening it up on the table, Edna came over to look at it.

Edna said, "I don t know where it came form, but I've never seen the floor plan look like that."

Cindy dad was bringing out the girls' pancakes, when he saw the map. "Is that a map of the house?" Looking closer, "looks more like a map of just the basement, but I I've never seen those other areas."

"Cindy," he mother said, "why don't you take it over to Grandma's antique shop maybe she can help."

"Is it okay if I take your daughter to the library," Bill asked Dave?

"Go for it I'll have Edna pick them up at lunch time."

At the library the two girls walked over to the section marked local history. Slowly they were looking through the books, when the head a voice from behind. They turned around suddenly to see an elderly woman. "I see you girls are looking of something, do you girls need any help?"

Cindy spoke, "We're looking for information on the house out on Witch Island."

"Yea," Vicki said nervously, "you see my father just bought it and we're wondering about its history."

"Those records are on Micro-film, I'll help you."

"If its not too much trouble," Vicki commented.

"It's no trouble at all, as you can see the library is not that busy, during the day." "I am Mrs. Andrews, the head librarian." "All the microfilms you need are in this bottom drawer." "If you need my I'll be at the desk."

The two girls started looking, the recent records were strange. They found a newspaper column that spoke of a suicide that occurred the month before Cindy's grandmother moved out of the house. "Daniel Angus MacBeth, must have been an uncle," Cindy said, "but I wonder why no one in the family ever mentioned him?"

"I may have found a reason," Vicki said, "in this newspaper it talks about the 'Mad MacBeth,' used to stalked the night and digging up graves, it gives no mention to what he did with the bodies."

"And look another paper mentioned, Commodore MacBeth's second son committed, to Portland asylum. It says that after the family forced him out of the house, the police found him stalking through the woods asking for the Avatar. If they did not give answer they say he killed and ate them."

"Next mention of the him is here in 1938 'Mad MacBeth' found hanged."

"Now it makes sense," Cindy said, "that's why my family left, they couldn't stand to be around a house marked with such tragedies."

The girls continued looking; the only other record they could find was about a fire in 1887, destroyed much of the house and about Robert Stewart MacBeth rebuilding it.

"Look, Cindy said, court records about the witch hunt." Anise McDermott execution order for being found guilty of witchcraft and bewitching the daughters of Squire Andrew MacBeth, and Pastor Julian Kennedy.

"Girls," Cindy s mother called, shocking the girls' back to reality.

"Are you ready to go?" They looked down at the copies that they had made gathered them up, "I think so," said Cindy.

"Are you ready Vicki, Vicki?"

"What, oh I was just thinking, Yea I'm ready."

As the two walked past Cindy's mom said, "hold it. We re not going home until I change you too. So young ladies to the girls bathroom now!"

With a great deal of speed that comes from years of changing diapers, Edna had changed them both and they were again ready to go. "Now Vicki go wipe up the wet spots you left on the bench." With that they pilled into the car.

"So how was your morning, find anything out about you map?"

"Yes we did," Vicki said, "did you know that most of the house was burned down after the civil war. We think that this map may predate the fire."

"Well it good to see you put your morning to good use but, it's a nice day you shouldn't waste it indoors." "Why don't you to go do something fun after lunch, and we'll se you at supper time."

"Well we still have the other room in the house to explore, and looks like the sun's coming out so it won't be as creepy."

"So you're going to Vicki's," Cindy replied.

"Okay, but before you call the police please call us."

They walked across the metal bridge that led to the island home. "Let's walk around the house, I'm just curious," said Vicki.

"Sure," Cindy agreed.

Around the entire house there was about a 50 to 100 feet of land to walk on, making it a sizable island. They noticed the remains of a staircase that might have gone down into a dock. Now the stairs were washed out. From the back of the house they could see the lighthouse and the watch station.

They went inside and were greeted by Dust Bunny pouncing on their feet. "I got you," Vicki said picking up the playful kitten. He rubbed his head on her and started to purr. Setting him down they made their way up to the third floor. As they got off the stairs they made the first turn and were now confronted by a large oak door. In the middle of the door there was a very tarnished nameplate. Both girls could not decipher the writing because of the tarnish. Vicki said, "Wait here I we'll be right back." As Cindy waited she tried various keys, until she found what she believed was the right one. Vicki returned not a minute later with a can of Brasso and a polishing rag. With in moments it was clean. The letters read DAM. "Daniel Angus MacBeth," they said in unison. Cindy, looked at Vicki both were trembling, "I think I've found the key." Before she could put the key in Vicki stopped her.

"I want to get something first." The two girls descended the stair to the Nursery, where they had slept the night before. Vicki put on the gun belt she had found yesterday. Now lets go to the master bedroom. They now walked up the stairs, and down the hall. Vicki took the dagger out and removing the pistol from the box she placed it in the holster. Next she handed the dagger to Cindy.

"Vicki, why are you wearing the gun?" "We don't even know if it's loaded. And if it is loaded it probably won't fire." Cindy reminded her friend.

"Well do you want to go up without some kind of defense?" Cindy didn't answer.

"See," Vicki said and they left.

Slowly Cindy inserted the key and turned it. With a soft click it opened. Slowly pushing the door open Vicki drew the pistol. Cindy stayed behind her clutching her right arm. Cautiously they advance up the stairs, until they reaching the landing. Nothing yet, Vicki said.

She felt Cindy feel her rear, "Oh yea?"

"And you're clean and dry," Vicki teased.

"Okay I get your point."

On the landing there was a heavily barred door, with a small window. Vicki put the gun away. "Cindy, help me get a look through the window."

Cindy bent down to offers her a foot up. Cindy helped Vicki to the window. Vicki grabbed a hold of the bars, and took a look inside, all she saw were some chains embedded in the wall, a cot and a desk.

Cindy could no longer support Vicki, and Vicki lost her grip on the bars. The two fell into a pile, the pistol being knock loose striking the floor and firing. The bullet traveled through the wall across the door, blasting a hole through. Before striking a pane of glass. The two girls were now quite shaken, "We could have been killed!" Cindy said.

"I know," Vicki responded, "let's put that thing away." She picked up the pistol with two fingers. The two girls walked down the stair to the master bedroom. There they returned the pistol to it box.

"I think next time I want to take a weapon with adventuring, I'll take one of the swords from on the wall in the den." Vicki said as they walked back to the stairs.

"Well you know one thing now," said Cindy, "the gun is loaded and it does work."

"Oh well thank you very much smart ass," Vicki said.

They walked over to the door, after playing with the keys the found a way to remove the massive lock from the door. Cindy drew the dagger and handed it to Vicki. They threw the door open, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.

They saw before them just what Vicki had seen a low cot, a set of manacles embedded in the wall, and a desk. Looking through the desk turned up several books, Clavicule de Salomon, Le Dragon Rouge, and the Necronomicon, several documents mentioning the name Meltoroth. "I wander what this really means." Cindy asked Vicki.

"I have no idea. I can't read the languages that many of these books are written, I think it's French or Latin," Vicki commented confused.

Cindy studied the room before she said, "What's this, pulling a book out from under the cot's mattress." Looks like a diary, "I wonder if the keys would open it?"

"Try them," Vicki said tossing her the two sets of keys.

Opening the book displayed a very detailed family tree of Cindy s ancestors, after that very little made sense, though there were several references to the Avatar.

"I wonder what this all means?" asked Cindy.

"I have no idea," commented Vicki, "we could ask your Grandmother?"

"True I don't think she would know, she was far to young to remember that troubled time, with my great uncle." Cindy continued."

"I suppose your right, but it never hurts to ask," Vicki concluded

As the two walked out of the tower, they noticed light streaming through the hole that had been shot through the wall. Cindy bent down and took a look, "Hey there's another room there." "These board aren't that strong, let's try to break through."

"I have a better idea," Vicki returned to the main floor and grabbed her fathers bowling ball. Carrying it up the stair, she turned around and flung it at the hole in the wall. The wall went crash as the bowling ball pierced it taking with it any other objects that boarded up this door.

"I hope your dad doesn't get made at what you did with his bowling ball," Cindy commented.

"I don"™t think he would he hasn't bowled in over 4 years."

It took no time to remove the rest of the wood from the door. They soon found themselves inside a room containing all sorts of junk. In one corner was a cranked record player, another steamer trunk, several weapons, including one .38 caliber Double Action Army pistol, and three short swords. Vicki picked up the gun and placed it into the holster. "A perfect fit, the strap closes and everything, but no ammo."

Cindy picked one of the swords; "I'm Xena, Barbarian Princess." She took one sword and Vicki took one as well.

"I wonder what's in the trunk," Cindy asked? They slowly opened the trunk. With in it were a large assortment of antique medical devices and several tin prints of various family members. Cindy looked though the trunk. Vicki looked out the window with now one pain of glass now shattered; "Will you look at that?" She pointed down at the water. "It look like the remains of a boat."

"We could go check it out tomorrow, if it's okay with my dad," Vicki commented.

"Why don't we ask," replied Cindy.

"Where do you want to look now, I don't think we can go any higher," Commented Vicki. "We could put the rest of my stuff into the nursery then we can look down below again."

In about twenty minutes they were able to hall the last three boxes containing Vicki's items. The boxes contained her stereo, posters, jewelry box, clothes, stuffed animals, and assorted items, valuable only to a teenager.

"Now what are we going to do," Cindy asked?

"There are still all those boxes in the basement. Why don't we bring a few of them up to the ballroom where we could see them," Cindy said?

"That sound good, but let's change and eat first," Vicki said.

After going to the nursery and taking turn on the changing table, the two made their way to the basement. Before they could leave the ballroom there was knock at the door. A man cautiously made his way to the door; "I'm here to connect the satellite TV. I came earlier and someone shot at me."

"Sorry but I dropped a gun upstairs. If I had known that someone was outside, I would not have messed with it." Vicki blushed.

"Okay, if you don"™t mind I will install this. You girls can go play. And later you can watch some TV."

Cindy was just going to say something about his comments, when Vicki grabbed her arm leading her away. "He's no loss, probably married," she said to Vicki as the two headed down to the basement.

Walking through the dinning room past the kitchen they headed to the basement. Each picking a box the carried them upstairs to the ball room. Sitting down close to the fireplace they started to unpack them.

Vicki, first used a towel to remove some of the dust from her box, while Cindy just threw hers open. As the dust settled, they got their first chance to look into a box that hadn't been open in over 70 years. What they found was unidentifiable to them. They reached in and took it out. Whatever they were looking at had degraded greatly in age. "I'm open for questions," said Cindy?

"It looks like some strange Halloween mask," commented Vicki.

"Open yours," Cindy said to Vicki.

Vicki opened the box she had selected. What they beheld was beautiful. Inside were three hats decorated with the most brilliant bird feathers, "Now these are pretty," said Vicki.

Cindy said, "Why is it you get the pretty stuff while I get the weird."

"I don't know, just lucky I guess."

"Hey look what else I've found," cried Cindy. "It looks like climbing tackle. I know the belts are badly decayed, but I'm sure Buzz at the hardware store could replace them."

"Yea if we get some ropes we could scale down to the old boat landing," Vicki agreed.

"I'll set them aside for future use," Cindy said.

"Let's go get another box," Vicki said, "but bigger."

"There are several trunks I know it would take the two of us to hall up stairs, let's get one them."

Slowly, arduously the hauled a trunk up the stairs. By the time they got it up the satellite guy met them. "Okay ladies you're hooked up, enjoy." With that he left.

The two girls dragged the trunk into the ballroom. After fidgeting with the lock it opened and fell to the ground. Slowly they opened the top, and were assaulted by the stench of mothballs. Lifting off what looked like a blanket, turned out to be a wool cloak, they continued to explore the contents. This trunk was obviously that of a wealth man, they found wool coats, silk shirts, a mohair smoking jacket, along with several naval uniforms inscribed with the rank commodore, and finally a picture. Cindy looked at it and said, "I know who that is, follow me."

She ran to the den, and pointed to the picture above the mantle, "That's my Great Great Grand Father, Charles William Stewart MacBeth." "He was a commodore in the Spanish American war, and later in W.W.I."

"The picture shows him with a sword, where is that" Vicki asked?

"Buried with him, or so I've been told," said Cindy.

"Cindy are you hungry?" asked Vicki her tummy rumbling.

"Yea, why?"

"Let's order Pizza and continue with this adventure, after we eat."

"Well then let's do it," Cindy handed her the phone.

The two young ladies ordered pizza; Cindy's father delivered it.

"Well how are you girls doing with your unpacking," he asked.

Vicki replied, "my room and things are already set up. My father will unpack his things when he's back. We did set up the kitchen, so we can at least have something to eat."

Looking over the mess on the floor of the ballroom, Cindy s father asked, "Where did all this stuff come form."

"The basement," the two replied.

"Well as long as you two stay out of trouble and don't call the police in hysteria, you can stay here. Cindy I bought some more of you stuff for you to stay the night."

"Thanks Dad," she replied.

Vicki paid for the pizza out of the money her dad left her, and Cindy's father went back to his restaurant.

As the girls continued to look through boxes Dust Bunny joined them. The kitten was having loads of fun pouncing on the items from the boxes and jumping in the boxes themselves.

As the night continues, the girls decided to change. Then they though they would go through only one more box as they were both rather sleepy from the night before.

The two went down stair and grabbed a box marked nursery.

After the two got it up stair and cleaned some of the dust off they opened it. With in the box they found; diapers, crib sheets, baby clothe some that would ever fit them, glass nursing bottles, and many dry rotted pairs of rubber pants.

Vicki said, "Well looks like we have more for our nursery."

"Yea," Cindy agreed.

The two girls then started choosing what items they wanted. Each chose a frilly baby dress; a couple of wrap around T-shirts, with the old fashioned ties, a few silk diaper covers, without rubber pants built in, a bonnet, and bib.

"Once these things are washed, we'll really be set."

"Let's look some more," Cindy urged.

The two girls removed a cardboard divider, what they saw confused them.

All the clothes and baby items under the divider, we coated with a rust colored substance. Under them there was a baby album covered with the same substance. Examining the items more closely, Vicki said, "It looks like some-kind-of paint was splashed on it."

Cindy commented, "Or poop," she said pointing at Vicki s legs.

"I suppose you're trying to tell me something?"

"Vicki you're leaking out of your plastic pants."

Vicki looked down and noticed that she had filled her diapers with a huge load of diarrhea.

"Did I get it anywhere," she asked Cindy?

"No just the little bit at the leg elastic, and inside the pants."

"Well let's go change and get to bed, we can put the items we want in the laundry room overnight."

With that the two girls went to the nursery.

It took both Cindy and Vicki to get Vicki cleaned up.

Cindy was messy, but no where near as bad as Vicki.

Each crawled into their cribs. Dust Bunny, curled up with Vicki.

They said their goodnights.

Dream came but not pleasant ones.

Cindy saw herself chained to a wall along with Vicki. They watched the Hag from the night before, mixing things before them.

Soon they heard a door open; a man with wild unkempt hair had entered carrying a small child in his arms. He walked over to the hag, and whispered something to her neither of the girls could understand. She placed the crying infant on a chopping block, picked up a cleaver. Before the cleaver stuck both girls were awake, and screaming. Cindy jumped over to Vicki crib, and they huddled together in fear. They spent the rest of the night holding each other, crying themselves back to sleep.