Chapter 35: Chapter 35

They arrived at Josh house late in the evening although there still was about two hours for josh to get ready and went about his business.

Jasper took a long time in the bathroom before coming out. He kept the diary wrapped in his jacket and lied down to sleep. His body ached and seemed tired that he had to take some painkillers before going to bed.

For the fist time in two weeks Jasper, slept well. No ghosts had disturbed him, no Elena, no horrifying dreams. He was thankful. Awoke from bed he texted his mother, and told her he was at josh place.

He turned on his TV and it was all over the news that the authority found seven college students in the cabin owned by the multi billionaire Mr. Martins. One of the students suffered a severe wound from a gunshot and was in a coma. The rest of the students had kept mum about the incident and it was impossible to know what happened in the cabin.

In anger, he turned off the TV and punched the air. Rueful, he hoped Stacie would survive. Dejected, he texted his mother again that she should not tell anyone about his whereabouts that when everything was over, he would explain things to her.

It wasn’t easy to convince his mother but with the help of his brother she promised to keep the secret.

Danielle parents and elder brother had to visit Stacie in the hospital but the only thing she could remember was Elena Martins, a book, Imelda and grandpa. Her parents understood what she said but it dumfounded them to say anything.

Then they left for the mental institution to see Danielle.

But she failed to tell us she wanted to go to the cabin, we would have warned her against it. Her father said sorrowfully.

Maybe if you had acted more like parents the brother said, none of this would happen, didn’t she call you whist she was there? But you didn’t return her call.

You didn’t have time for her and she craved some vacation. See where the vacation landed her. She was dead like granddad now. You were unfit to be parents. Truth was you disappointed us both. Sad you were not there for none of us.

Danielle had paid heavy price for your bad parenthood. He eyed his parents and face palmed.

“Do you know she was there?” Her father managed to ask him.

“Yes,” he answered flatly.

“And you didn’t tell her to leave? His father asked him. She said she couldn’t leave and how was I to know the diary wasn’t destroy?” he half yelled.

“She called me, she told me she wanted to come home but I didn’t send anybody to go pick her,” her mother cried bitterly.

Her son laughed “you can cry now mum,” he laughed again. He touched his sister hand, it was warm and she was asleep peacefully. Kissing her forehead he left the hospital.

“I’m so sorry my baby,” her mother cried. They left the hospital for the day care center for the old.

Grandfather Martins saw his son and daughter in law, and he shook his head pitifully.

“There’s nothing that can undo the curse as long as the book remain undestroyed,” grandfather Martin said slightly coughing.

“You acted not well as a parents, as he faced his son and you too my daughter in-law,” he said to them.

If that was how I brought you up, and had chosen work over you, what did you think would happen? I gave you my all, balancing work and family well. You failed your children as a parent.

They hung their head low in shame.

“Danielle and her friends will heal from their ordeal. It will take a long time but surely they will heal,” he said turning to his nurse to take him back to his ward.

It was two weeks since his friends were in the medical center and Stacie was still in coma.

Jasper had combed the Internet and he could not find anything about the dead nurse. His brother had gone to hospital to check but they told him they knew nothing and that lots of nurses had died mostly committing suicide.

The diary was on the table. Jasper eyed it and his face palmed. He missed his friends, and Ruth as well. To comfort himself, he checked once more on the Internet before he finally thought of a plan and sent his brother to the Martins house for information.

They would attend to him because the incident concerned their daughter. Everything he needed to know they would give him.

Stacie battled to open her eyes, her fingers moved, the nurse in the room at that moment ran out to call a doctor. By the time the doctor arrived, she had adjusted to the light and could speak. She asked for water cause her throat was too dry. After she drank the water, she rested her head on the pillow and the memories of what happened for the past four weeks flooded back. She shut her eyes and tears slipped down her cheeks.

She found her voice to speak. “Can I have my phone if you took it from the cabin? She asked and at the mention of the cabin, her hairs on her skin stood up. The doctor called her parents and told them to bring her phone along.

As soon as her parents arrived, she collected her phone and dialed Jasper number.

“Hello Jasper, I’m awake,” she said into the receiver.