Chapter 6
Ally
Iwake up, my eyes moving all around the room.
It doesn’t take long for me to realize I’m in my room at my house.
Something squeezes around my waist and I look down to see a hand holding me tightly.
Slowly looking over my shoulder, I see Cali holding me close to his chest. The alcohol and drugs still have a slight effect on me, and out of nowhere I hear lyrics being whispered throughout my room.
Oh my darling, Clementine
You are lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine
In a house, in a home
Searching for love
Cried a father and a mother
And their daughter, Clementine.
I get up from the bed. I look back to check on Cali to see him still sleeping soundly on my bed.
I continue my way to my bedroom door, turning the handle, and entering the hallway.
As I look both ways, the song begins to get louder and I tilt my head up to determine where the sound seems to be coming from.
It gets louder and louder, and I eventually feel like I'm caught in a vortex, paralysed into submission.
Oh my darling, Clementine
You are lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine
She was happy, she was sweet
And she never, ever whined
Hearing shouting, without love
Always cried was Clementine.
I pull on the string above me, leading toward the attic.
The ladder slowly comes down, and once it hits the floor, I bring my foot to the ladder.
I look both ways to make sure no one is around and I begin making my descent toward the top.
I enter the attic and everything is dark.
It takes me more than five minutes for my eyes to adjust, before I can begin seeing things.
The old nursery rhyme still whispers through my ears, even though I try my best to ignore it.
I walk through the attic, the lyrics getting louder and louder with each step I take.
Suddenly, I come toward the window that lets the moon shine through the attic.
The lyrics are now pouring through our space.
“Boo!” I think I hear someone whisper, but when I turn around, no one is there. I continue my walk, until I come to a standstill and I see my doll Clementine sitting there, staring at me. Goosebumps flood my skin and I’m so thankful Cali is here, even if he is still asleep.
I go to pick her up, holding her in my arms, and stare into her eyes.
The lyrics are all I can hear now. ‘Oh my darling, Clementine,’ is being sung on repeat and I don’t know if it’s real or I’m just hearing things at this point.
The room begins spinning, the melodic voice growing louder and louder.
Out of nowhere, it completely stops. I look up, glancing around the room, not seeing anything until my eyes land on a creepy shadow standing directly in front of me.
I squint my eyes, trying to make out what it is.
A shriek breaks out, the noise so high pitched I feel like my ears are bleeding and I’m going to go deaf.
The shadow begins rushing me. As it gets closer, I notice it’s the same little girl I saw in the middle of the road earlier today.
I freak out, backing up as fast as I can, attempting to get away.
Right as the little girl reaches me, I trip over a chest, falling backwards and hitting my head.
The little girl is on top of me in an instant, her red hair hanging down in my face.
Her screaming finally stops, and she cocks her head to the side at me.
“Oh my darling,” she sings in an eerie voice, bringing her hand up to my cheek.
I think she's going to caress me, but then she digs her nails into my cheek, clawing until I can feel liquid running down my face. She screams the name Clementine at the end of her song, and I pass out.