Chapter 1

Lacey is my daughter. My first and only child. I never thought I’d have kids based on the way I was raised. my momma had her fair share of demons metaphorically speaking and sometimes not so much. I like to think she didn’t mean to give me so much trauma so many lessons. The lessons she taught me ended up being the blueprint for what not to do with my own children.

My daddy died when I was just a baby. One of the wars I’m not too sure. Momma hated talking about him more than she hated not having a bottle of liquor on Fridays. I’ve gone off on a tangent. I apologize. You’ll have to forgive me throughout the telling of this. I’m pretty shaky and I can feel her watching me type this so please bear with me.

Lacey just turned 7. Me and her father are on good terms not together anymore but he’s a good man. 4 and 3 are our days me with 4 of course. Lacey had just gotten back from her father’s for the weekend.

She was as happy as ever when she bounded inside and ran to her playroom.

I went outside to grab her bag and whatever else she brought home and Chris met me with a grimace

“She’s got an imaginary friend now. When did that happen?”

The look I gave him must’ve been confused because he immediately believed me when I told him I’d never heard her interacting with an imaginary friend. And I hadn’t. Not once.

That was the first thing that really struck me as weird. I went inside and made Lacey some lunch after going and hugging her. I didn’t ask about the friend at that point. At that point I didn’t think it was a big deal. Lots of kids have imaginary friends and just because I hadn’t heard anything doesn’t mean anything is wrong maybe she made it up on the way to her dad’s.

I wish I had asked sooner though. Hindsight. Am I right? Well things were fine the entire time she spent with me that week and I didn’t bring up the imaginary friend at all. I hadn’t heard her talking to it or anything so I assumed maybe it was something she only did with her father. Kids are weird I didn’t pay it much mind until the next week.

When her father brought her home this time I recognized his face. That same face when I told him I was pregnant. Shock, confusion and mostly fear.

“What is it Chris?” I asked him immediately not even bothering with pleasantries. He rubbed his hands across his face as if he was trying to seperate his thoughts. Then he looked me in the eyes.

“Something isn’t right about that imaginary friend Renee. I don’t think it’s imaginary”

I would’ve laughed in his face if he didn’t look so terrified. It was the face of a man that saw something he shouldn’t have.

“What happened?” I asked him keeping a straight face even if that took a little willpower.

“She brought up Lisa. Said that her imaginary friend told her grandma is doing bad stuff to her daddy.” I remember looking at him like he was insane.

Why would he be scared over that? I haven’t spoken to my mom in years so I couldn’t tell you why she’d bring up her grandma and bad stuff to her daddy? Chris was perfectly fine and standing right before me. I told him this allowing myself to laugh at his expense for the first time.

But Chris shook his head.

“No. Renee she meant her imaginary friend’s dad. Why would she make up an imaginary friend who is telling her that her grandma is hurting some imaginary dad”

His expression is so serious I can’t help but laugh again. Looking back I really wish I’d taken him serious. I really do. I tell him all the things that make sense.

She’s a kid she has a wild imagination. Who knows why she said that. It’s not a big deal and definitely not anything to be scared over.

Well. I was wrong because Chris was just the first to say something about Lacey’s friend. I got a call from her school about 2 days after that conversation with Chris and apparently she had some sort of meltdown or freak out in the middle of class.

When I came to pick her up she was pale and she looked so frail and scared. She didn’t say a word until we got home. I had her in the bath washing her hair when she looked at me well she looked just past my shoulder.

“Maria said she’s sad she never got to meet you. That your hair looks just like my grandmas”

My face dropped in that moment. Lacey has never met her grandma she’s never seen a picture of the lady. She couldn’t have known that mom has the same long curly brown hair as me. She couldn’t have known that. I remember staring at her.

“Did daddy tell you that Lacey?” I asked her trying to not show her that I was scared. She only shook her said

“Maria told me that, Maria tells me lots of things, shows me stuff too sometimes” I study her face and she looks serious. Like she doesn’t understand.

“Is that what happened today sweetheart?”

Lacey nods at me.

“What did she show you? Can you tell me?” I ask her and it seemed like the air in the room got colder.

“She wants me to tell you. She showed me a man in a basement mommy. He was so sad and dirty. He didn’t look normal. Then grandma comes and hurts him. He says sorry sorry Lisa please let me go.”

My heart stopped in that moment. To have my baby describe something so terrible. I didn’t know what to do. Then she mentioned my mother’s name. That was the point I started freaking out.

So I decided it was time to rebuild some bridges. Of course at this point I only wanted to go see her to find out if I had ever suffered with these delusions and imaginary friend problems too. I have to tell you that. I didn’t go there expecting to find what I found. I only went back home to help my daughter. So I dropped her off with her father and began the drive.

The air was thick with tension the entire ride there. I even played music to help myself breathe. When I got there everything looked the same as it did all those years ago when I left and never looked back.

I walked to the door and knocked. Once twice three times and the door swung open like she was waiting for me.

“Renee” her voice was older less vicious than in my childhood. She rocks forward pulling me into her arms and hugging me tight. The confusion I feel is immense. She never hugged me as a child. She smelled like mildew and metal.

“Lisa” I said awkwardly while patting her back. She pulled away and smiled at me brightly she lets me inside and i immediately cringe. Everything is the same. Down to the stick on the wall she used to use to beat me until I was black and blue.

“How’ve you been sweety?” She asked me as she makes tea and brings it over for us both and she sits down ushering me to sit across from her. I do but I’m hesitant it’s almost as if I’m looking at a completly different person.

“I’ve been okay I’ve just been having some issues with my daughter.” I said and she began to ask me all these questions which I suppose is valid she never even knew I had a daughter so. I tell her about Lacey and our lives. She seemed so happy to hear about everything I could almost forget she haunted my childhood and many of adult years were spent piecing myself back together. Then I get to the real issue.

“She’s been talking to this imaginary friend that tells her crazy things” I tell her sheepishly the story sounding ridiculous now that I’m saying it all out loud. But she doesn’t look at me like she doesn’t understand in fact her face grew more familiar. She scowled but only for an instant. She leaned back before standing and taking our cups to get more tea. She brings them back and sits with a severe look on her face.

“Yes you did have an imaginary friend that told you the craziest things. You would never tell me your imaginary friends name though you acted as if it was real” She says studying my as if she wanted to see if I remembered. I didn’t of course if I did I wouldn’t have come here. I nodded at her taking in the information

“I figured. I wonder if it is some neurological thing in our family. I’ll have to take her to a doctor or maybe a psychologist. She’s just had a meltdown in the middle of her classroom. I’m just worried about her you know? This whole Maria thing is starting to become a big problem.” I tell her standing up ready to leave. I look over at Lisa and her eyes are different now. They look resigned.

“You shouldn’t have come back here Renee. You brought her with you.”

Then everything went dark.

I don’t know how long I stayed unconscious but when I woke up I was here. In the basement across from an old man that barely looks human. He’s dirty and his eyes are closed.

“Hey hey” I whispered in his direction. It’s hardly any light down here and there isn’t any service. I was surprised to find she didn’t take my phone. She didn’t take anything off me and she didn’t chain me up or anything.

So I walked to the man poking his arm as I kept my distance. Then his eyes opened. The clearest blue. The only other time I’ve seen eyes so clear and blue is on the mantle above the fireplace in the picture of my dad and my mom as young teens looking at the camera with excitement and love.

I stumbled back horror on my face. But the man smiled he recognized me in an instant.

“My youngest daughter. So beautiful” he said looking directly in my eyes and then

“My oldest daughter. I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.” He said looking just past my shoulder and then I realize how cold and tense the room is. I stare at the man. My father. The one I’ve never met. The one that is supposed to be dead. I was absolutely horrified.

“How long have you been down here. Oh my god” tears were rolling down my face before I knew what was happening. I ran to him hitting my knees and hugging him tightly. He smelled so bad and was so skinny. It broke my heart all over again. He couldn’t even hug me back due to being chained.

“It’s okay Renee. You have to get out of here. Why are you here? You never should’ve come back to this place.” He told me his voice raspy and exhausted like it took everything just to say the words.

“You brought her here didn’t you? I told you I was coming to join you soon Maria. Why did you bring her here” He shouts to the darkness and the room plummets in degree. It’s freezing in here and I stare at him with abject horror. This just keeps getting worse. My father noticed immediately. Gesturing behind me.

“Your big sister. I cheated on your mother and had Maria. Her mother died during child birth so Lisa was the only mother she knew. Then she got pregnant with you. Little Maria was only 9 at that point. She killed her Renee. I came home to find my baby girl in pieces on the kitchen table her stomach big with you. I freaked out totally freaked out and she attacked me. Hit me in my head and when I woke up I was down here. I’ve been down here since. She feeds me. And talks to me. She used to beat me pretty frequently but she stopped when she got older. The last few weeks though she’s been feeding me less. Letting me starve I think she wants me to die soon. I’ve been able to see your sister a few times and I can always feel when she’s here. She says it’s because I’m dying. You must get out of here Renee. She knows about Maria she always has. Your sister used to be your imaginary friend so she won’t let you go again. She knows you know the truth.” He said looking at me with tired eyes as if he expects me to disregard him.

How could I deny a thing though? My daughter led me here because of Maria. That was real. Him sitting before me in this damp basement. That is real. The feeling of eyes and cold pressure on my back. That is real. The memories of a little girl with brown curls thy only are coming back to me now. That is real.

“Oh God” I said sitting down leaning against the wall. I could’ve passed out then and there so I pulled out my phone and here I am typing. I’ve sent texts to Chris and I’m setting this to post. I have no service down here but Chris knows where I am I only hope he stays away. I don’t want Lacey anywhere near here.