The Bones

By Nancy Gelinas

The summer had turned up more than sunshine. It had become their personal horror movie and it was turning up bodies.
The murderer would do anything necessary to keep Teagan and Rebecca from making another discovery.

After all, some things should remain buried.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nancy Gelinas
• Release date: Dec 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9780991678723

Nancy Gelinas

I've always loved to write - from binders of letters for school friends to long updates for family members via snail mail, words have always been a way for me to forge close relationships with those I love. In 2005, I began to write my first novel, a paranormal romance, "Dreams of Home" and in doing so, I found a new passion. A passion for creating characters, personalities and emotions. I have since written multiple fiction novels, most of them touching on horror.

Book preview

The Bones

Published by Nancy Gelinas at Smashwords

Copyright 2008 Nancy Gelinas

ISBN: 978-0-9916787-0-9

Smashwords Edition License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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This is a work of fiction. names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Table of Contents

Copyright

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

No Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

Information

Prologue

It started in 1998 for him when everyone but her treated him like he was worth less than the dirt on their sneakers. She'd been different. Eva had been nice to him and whenever someone had been there to bully him, she just seemed to appear like a guardian angel, ready to protect and defend.

She was as beautiful as any angel could be. She saw who he really was.

In that year, things had started to go the way he'd always hoped.

She'd even talked to him.

That was more than anyone else did; even his parents had no interest in him.

By graduation, in 2000, he'd worked up enough courage to ask her to be his date for their prom but Eva had turned him down cold.

She'd laughed in his face and turned her back on him. She'd said she wouldn’t ruin such an important night by spending it with him.

She'd tried to turn everything around when he'd finally got the nerve to hatch his plan and taken her in 2002. He’d had no choice but to take her daughter as well since she was only two-years-old and he wasn't out to hurt anyone after all.

Eva had become pregnant for a daughter, Bianca at the end of high-school. One of the jocks was the father and hadn't cared to stick around. Her family had been very disappointed in her

He would have been different, he just knew he would have been different. He would have taken such good care of her, of all of them.

When he'd taken them to the woods, to a place he went to be away from everyone, he'd tried to explain all of this to her. He'd tried to explain why she should be with him.

She hadn’t recognized him at first and that had hurt deeply enough but when she had recognized him, he'd been hurt more.

Nothing could have prepared him for the anger he felt when he saw fear in her eyes. Nothing prepared him for the blow that he gave her for being afraid of him.

She should have known that he'd never hurt her.

When she'd regained consciousness some time later, she'd begged and pleaded for him to stop but there was no stopping. He’d already gone too far.

She'd screamed as he'd tried to make love to her while her child screamed too.

He’d struck them once, twice, maybe more but he couldn't be sure. He'd just wanted them to be quiet.

Why wouldn’t they just be quiet?

If she could have just shut her mouth, it would have been so much better. She would have felt him inside of her and she wouldn't have screamed.

He‘d done it all to save face, there was no other way around it. And when they were buried, it was a chapter in his life that he could close forever.

There would be no more Eva. She wouldn’t laugh at him anymore. She wouldn't be afraid anymore.

But all of the screaming... Eva's and that of the little girl in the back seat of the car... Screaming and crying.

They hadn’t screamed for long but he swore he could still hear them. In the night, he heard them. When he came to the woods, he heard them, only this time the sound was being drowned by another noise.

The sound of tires coming up the trail was enough to make him hide in the brush a safe distance from the smelly swamp.

When the minivan’s engine stopped, two women got out and looked around before giving the all-clear to a bunch of kids.

While looking for signs of bears that may be lurking in the area, they weren't seeing the danger that crouched beneath the bushes.

There lay a danger far more perilous than a hungry bear.

Chapter One

Summer 2007

Why would you want to come up here when you have a perfectly good camp to go to? Teagan asked Rebecca as they got their infant daughters out of the van.

No one forced you to come along Teagan. Rebecca replied defensively.

Don’t get cranky, I just mean that since you have a camp and all, we could have gone there and been more comfortable. Look around, where are the babies going to sleep?

They'll be fine in their car seats, won’t they? I’ll take out Chloe’s and Celia’s and you can handle Diona’s I’m sure.

Of course I can handle Diona’s, I’ve been doing it for forty-six days, forty-seven today at eight o’clock.

God you're the most anal mother I've ever met! Rebecca laughed at her friend. You're such a new mommy, it's almost pathetic. I’d be the first to gag over it if she wasn’t my God-daughter.

Yeah well not everyone’s an expert. We don’t all shoot them out two at a time. Teagan teased.

Always a lady, Teag! Rebecca laughed at Teagan's crude talk.

As she walked over to her sitting area, a place she usually went to when she wanted to be alone, she held an infant car seat in each hand.

You guys don’t go off where we can’t see you, is that clear? She yelled to other the kids.

We won’t. Evan answered his step-mother with a smirk on his face she knew she couldn’t trust farther than she could spit.

I mean it mister! There are bears in the woods and I don’t think I want to be picking up stinky bits of you to get back home, alright? She smirked back at him. She knew when he played smug with her, all she had to do was say something cool and she’d win him over. Whatever seemed cool to a thirteen-year-old boy was often gross. It was a constant battle, because he seemed to think that the entire world owed him something.

Teagan came along, holding Diona carefully and looked at Rebecca incredulously. We can’t just sit them out here for the entire afternoon!

I’ve got parasols in the van. Rebecca smiled at her friend. They won't be in the sun.

Okay, that's better. Teagan said, relieved. Where are you building the fire for the hot dogs?

Right over there. She pointed. You can still see where my last fire was.

So tell me why you come out here? Teagan asked. Is this where you do your Voodoo?

I just like to come here to be alone. It’s my quiet place. Rebecca said. Having six kids underfoot, let me tell you the husband doesn’t need much talent to upset the wife. And quit it about Voodoo thing!

Rebecca set up the twins comfortably in their car seats. Her baby girls with auburn hair were always such content babies when they weren't hungry.

Diona on the other hand, had played her mother like a fiddle from the very start and showed her displeasure whenever she wasn’t being held. Teagan didn’t care. She said that she knew her daughter was spoiled but that she was glad it was all her fault for having made her that way.

She might fuss for a few minutes, she at least had to try to get her way, but she did take after her daddy for one thing, if she had to stay in one spot for very long, she fell into a sound asleep, no matter what was going on around her. She was a miniature version of her father.

Rebecca often teased Teagan that she would have regrets about spoiling Diona when the little one got older but she knew her friend would have to learn such things on her own.

Chloe and Celia had been used to the shuffle from day one. They were passed from mother, to father and down the long line of siblings.

Evan loved holding them as long as no one paid much attention but if he was heard cooing at the girls, he’d quickly hand the charge over to whoever was closest, which was usually Alica because Alica was never far from her baby sisters.

She had told Evan on a number of occasions, when she allowed herself to be haughty, that he didn’t know how to do things with the girls because he was a boy.

I’m not stupid. I know what I’m doing. He’d tell her.

For a little bit but not for long. She would nag him. They like girls best because they are the ones that are like the moms, not boys.

Well duh, Alica! I never said boys were moms!

You have to be careful with a baby's head because a baby can’t hold it up yet.

I know that too! Evan would get irritated. Who's the mom anyway, Rebecca or you? Do you have to hog everything? Here! Take them! You’re just going to bug me until you have them anyway! He would carefully place the babies in Alica’s waiting arms and stomp away.

Evan and Alica didn’t realize how very much alike they were.

Whenever things were good, they did their very best to stir up trouble. Evan’s way was to get into trouble with his friends while Alica specialized in creating trouble for Evan.

Although they had adjusted to the relationship their parents had formed rather quickly, it had been the move into a new house in Morgan that had changed things.

They'd had to see each other every day, not like it had been when Rebecca had her own house in Vermillion and his family had their house in Chelmsford.

He would never look at Alica as his sister and she would never look at him as her brother. They couldn’t change how they felt. If things would have happened when they were both younger, then maybe things could have been different for them.

They were difficult in their ways but their interests were the same and that only fuelled their competitive personalities.

When Alica wasn’t with the twins, she was spending time with the tiny Willow, a Yorkshire Terror the family had purchased.

Willow was a complete surprise to the kids and a treasure to Rebecca. Her huge personality was crammed into a little package. Rebecca loved her all-the-more for it. They had lost Storm, their Rottweiler, back in October of the previous year and Rebecca had wanted another dog but she’d wanted to go as far opposite as she could, thinking to steer clear of any resemblance to Storm.

Willow had enough character to keep the entire family occupied. She was especially talented in letting Rebecca know when she was upset for having been left alone, whether it be for five minutes or a full day but the only thing anyone in the family could do when Willow was guilty of something, such as shredding toilet paper like cats might do, was to tell her she was a brat, a very cute brat.

Rebecca had discovered, soon after acquiring the Yorkie, why small dogs tended to get away with everything and when the desire to get another Rottweiler began to tug at her, she suppressed it, knowing that it would happen when the time was right.

Whether expecting the babies or the babies already born, Rebecca knew her household would always be changing. She seemed to thrive on the business of the chaos and she knew most of the chaos in her life was self-made.

Getting another dog would happen and all would adapt well with patience and the common sense. But common sense, Rebecca knew, wasn't everyone's strong suit. It wasn't as common as one would expect.

The twins had been born on Mother’s Day, 2007 and Rebecca had resigned herself to the fact that there would never be a routine like there had once been now that she had twins, four older children a small dog and often thought of getting a cat.

Even if things were chaotic, respect was a must and that made for smooth chaos as only parents of six children could understand.

There was no way Rebecca would settle for less in their household.

Chapter Two

Boys and girls! Teagan shouted out. We’ve said it twice now, this is the last time. Don’t go past that tree, do you understand? Strike three and you're out, back in the van and in your room before you can say speed limit!

Who’s driving? Rebecca joked.

Obviously that would be you. Teagan replied.

I do not speed. Rebecca said incredulously.

No, you don’t speed. You just can’t help setting your own speed limits, isn't that right?

Excuse me? Rebecca smiled sweetly. I have no idea what you're talking about.

"Did you or didn't you flirt your way out of a ticket a few months ago by telling the police officer that you hadn’t noticed your speed because you were driving with your hands at the noon position! Why would you need to be cute if you weren't speeding?" Teagan thought she'd proved her point.

It was smart, that’s what that was. They say you should have your hands at ten and two on the steering wheel and my left hand was at noon so I honestly didn’t see the speedometer. Plus it really didn’t seem like I was going as fast as he said I was. You know how it is when you’ve been driving at 100 kilometres per hour and you have to drop it down to sixty? You could have dropped down to seventy-five but it feels like fifty. Rebecca said believing she was the voice of reason.

There you go, smart ass as always but you aren’t helping your case. The speed limit on the highways around here is eighty! Teagan stated.

Well whatever! I didn’t get a ticket, did I? Rebecca defended.

But the reason for the ticket would have been...? Teagan asked.

The speed limit being set too low in this town! Rebecca responded and laughed.

As they looked for kindling for the fire, Rebecca felt a sense of unease. It was a feeling she’d had before, one which usually brought along a panic attack. She hated to think of the discomfort those episodes brought with them.

What’s the matter? You’ve gone white as a sheet. Teagan said as she came to stand by Rebecca’s side with an armful of birch bark and pine branches.

I think the smell of the swamp’s getting to me. Rebecca said. I feel a little queasy.

Move downwind from it then, seems simple enough, no? Teagan suggested.

I don’t need wise cracks right now Teagan. I really don’t feel good. I’m going to sit down for a bit.

I’ll come with you. The kids can wait a little while for lunch. Five or ten minutes won’t hurt them.

They sat down next to their sleeping babies, watching the other kids play and continuously test the boundaries they'd set.

In Teagan's opinion, Rebecca wasn't looking any better after sitting down for a while. She hated anything being wrong with Rebecca and since Rebecca rarely complained about anything health related, she knew that things had to feel pretty bad for her to admit there was anything wrong.

Teagan wanted to get out of there, to a more civilized area so that if something was seriously wrong, she could get help.

Rebecca saw Teagan check her cell phone for range.

You don’t have to worry. She tried to comfort her friend. I’ll be fine as soon as we get out of here. Rebecca whispered between deep breaths.

You’re echoing my thoughts. Teagan replied. How are you feeling?

I'm not sure I can explain it. Rebecca started. It feels like we shouldn't be here, I can’t explain it more than that.

"So you’re feeling something as in spooky something?" Teagan asked hesitantly.

It's a gut feeling. Teagan, I think we should get the kids out of here.

They were getting to their feet when Evan came running up, shouting for Rebecca. She quickly surveyed the area and did a quick head count. When she was satisfied that all were accounted for, she turned her attention to Evan and put her hands on his shoulders to calm him.

What’s wrong? She asked, her voice calm in spite of her mounting anxiety.

Somebody’s out in the woods. He said while pointing back toward the path they’d been told not to take.

What were you doing down that way, Evan? Rebecca asked the boy.

We were just trying to catch a frog. There’s a car though, come and see.

I'm not going to see. Rebecca said, her tone indicating there would be no arguing. Evan, this place is quiet but that doesn’t mean we’re the only ones who come out here. Maybe someone’s picking blueberries or something. I’m not going in after them if they want to risk becoming bear bait.

Alica touched the car. Evan said.

Did she damage anything? Rebecca asked, wondering if Evan was trying to get his step-sister into trouble.

No, she said she felt like she couldn't breathe when she touched it because it hurt.

What does that mean? Teagan asked as she came closer.

I don't know, he started to explain. She said that she felt hurt. Evan said, feeling stupid. That’s what she said for me to tell you. He put his hand to his chest. She said that it hurt there.

Her asthma! Rebecca mumbled and started running toward her daughter.

Evan, help me load up the babies. We’re getting out of here. Teagan said.

Just because Alica’s not feeling good we have to leave? He whined. That sucks!

Maybe it sucks but you’re not the one with asthma are you? How would you feel if you had to breathe through a straw that felt as if it was getting smaller and smaller? Teagan was becoming frustrated. Now you’re going to help me with your sisters and you’re going to do it nicely and we’ll make lunch when we get to my house or your house. You’re old enough not to give me a hard time.

Okay. Evan looked down at his feet as he shuffled them from side to side. He knew if he said anything else, it would be pushing his luck one step too far. Teagan had been a friend of Rebecca’s and his father’s for some time and he had to be nice to her.

Rebecca walked back to the minivan slowly, looking more weary than she’d looked when she’d run off to find Alica.

Evan, go tell the others that we’re leaving please. You all have five minutes to collect your bug catchers and stuff so tell them to make it quick, okay? Alica’s going to help you boss them around.

Seeing the look in his step-mother’s eyes, Evan didn't argue. He agreed and began bossing the other kids around as though he was a drill sergeant.

I have a feeling we’re being watched Teagan. Rebecca said quietly when she was sure Evan was out of earshot.

By what?

"Not what, who." She answered.

Come on, you can't get all superstitious because of a car. Teagan tried to reason with her.

Yeah well if I am, we'd better be safe than sorry. It wasn’t Alica’s asthma hurting her. Rebecca said, her voice troubled.

Is she okay? Teagan asked. What hurt her?

She touched the car, like Evan said she did and she said it shot pain through her. Rebecca knew that it wouldn't make much sense to Teagan since it hadn't really made sense to her. She said it was so painful that she fell to the ground. Rebecca continued. Whoever is driving that car is out here somewhere and I doubt it’s to pick berries. I think it’s best we leave.

Evan helped me with the babies. Teagan said and opened the sliding door to show Rebecca all the littler ones were ready to go. Let’s not make a fuss for the other kids’ sakes. I don't want them to know we suspect anything is wrong.

They don’t need to know anything. Alica didn’t go into detail with the other kids. Rebecca said and felt some relief as they got the rest of their things into the minivan.

We’re probably making too much of that car. It’s probably just what you thought at first. Maybe Alica... Teagan lingered for a moment. God, a year ago I wouldn’t have been caught dead saying this, but maybe Alica tapped into something else? Maybe she's sensitive to energy like you are.

No matter what she tapped into, Rebecca said, it’s got something to do with the car and how she felt when she touched it. I’m not taking any chances, not when we have them with us. She exhaled and looked off in the distance. That being said, she looked at Teagan with a glimmer in her eyes, "I’m not saying that I’m not curious. What do you think the deal is with that car?" Rebecca asked.

Don’t start. Teagan warned. I’m not going down that road with you again. I swore that even if your ancestor was right about all that happened last year, I wouldn’t experience something like it again. You said you understood that. Why would you push? Teagan asked.

I’m not pushing, Rebecca feigned innocence. I just asked a simple question. Why? Are you worried there’s a spook attached to the car? Maybe some ghost with unsettled issues? Rebecca teased. Maybe the driver of that car picks up hitchhikers and kills them on cold and rainy nights! Rebecca was on a roll. I think you’ve been watching too many Rob Zombie productions Teagan. Relax!

Look who’s talking! Teagan said. But for safety’s sake, let’s get out of here like you said we should. We’ll take the picnic to one of our backyards, alright?

Sounds good to me. Rebecca agreed.

Just don’t let Miss Voodoo rear her head again, please. Teagan told Rebecca.

"It’s Madame Voodoo now. I’m a married woman you know. Rebecca laughed. But at least you didn’t say ugly head."

I’m just being nice. Teagan smiled.

No, face it. You have the hots for me. Rebecca pulled a face.

Yeah Becks, that's so sexy! Teagan laughed. In your dreams, everyone has the hots for you huh? Teagan teased.

My dreams are what got us this far, aren’t they? Rebecca smiled.

Although Kevin hadn’t been discovered where he remained crouched in the bushes, he’d heard everything they'd said. Rebecca definitely seemed too nosey for her own good. For his own good as well, he thought.

He had to make sure they were going to leave well enough alone. But how?

Chapter Three

I think the only thing that kept you from complete hysterics yesterday was that you had me there to make fun of. Teagan told Rebecca as they set the chairs down and gave the glass tabletops a wipe down before opening the cafe.

If you say so. Rebecca agreed too readily.

What's on your mind? Teagan wondered.

I have to worry about interviewing people for the first time in my life today. Rebecca sighed. I hate looking all bossy.

Excuse me? Teagan said, showing that she disagreed wholeheartedly with that statement.

What?

Didn’t you interview me last year? Or don't I count because I’m now part of the furniture?

Oh my, giving yourself compliments early today, are you? Impressive for someone who says she’s not a morning person. Rebecca winked good-naturedly. Anyway, last year was different. She tapped a long fingernail against her bottom lip. "How