She had never been much of an artist. Not before. But now it was the only thing Kelly cared to do.

She drew and drew.

An artist possessed.

Maybe it was her way of dealing with what happened. The scare from Bloody Mary in the mirror, the terror of the stolen ring. Kelly consoled herself with the calm and quiet of making pictures. Glassy-eyed, she moved a dull pencil across a thick white page.

Kelly turned slowly from where she sat in her bed, pillows propped behind her, careful not to disturb the markers and papers on the blanket. Her eyes fell on the walls of her room, admiring the artwork. A strange, distant smile fell across her face. Each wall was covered with the drawings she had taped there. Dozens of them.

Of every size and shape.

Each drawing was different, yet the same.

Each drawing was a house.

This very house.

With two eyes and a nose.

And it was on fire.

10. The War Within the Walls

10

THE WAR WITHIN THE WALLS

The noises grew more fierce at night. Late in the midnight dark, after everyone else had gone to sleep, Liam lay awake, too frightened to move. His eyes glued to the walls.

Was there a new crack there? A fragile, jagged line that ran down that wall—a crack that wasn’t there yesterday?

Was something trying to claw through?

The sounds were high-pitched animal cries, sharp, shrill shrieks and unearthly moans. A witchy wailing. Doolin climbed up in Liam’s bed, hackles raised, shivering.

“Shhh,” Liam whispered. “Easy, girl.” He held the dog and felt comforted by her animal warmth.

Dad doesn’t hear it, Liam thought. Most nights his father slept downstairs, crashed out on the sofa, the TV droning on and on. Mr. Finn didn’t realize there was a war going on within the walls, a contending of opposites, like two wild animals locked in deadly battle. A clash of clawed eyes, angry cries, and torn skin.

I’ll tell him tomorrow, Liam promised himself. If tomorrow comes.

He had his doubts.

Finally, Liam could not stand it any longer. He climbed out of bed, knocked on Kelly’s door. “It’s me,” he whispered.

He opened it a crack. Kelly leaned up on one elbow, waved him inside.

“You hear it, too?” she asked.

Yes, Liam nodded.

Kelly’s eyes were unfocused, jittery. Liam felt her forehead. It was hot, moist. Her fingers twitched.

“Could it be animals?” she asked. “Raccoons or rats in the walls?”

Liam looked away. He didn’t think it was animals.

“Do you think it’s her?” he asked.

“Bloody Mary?”

A bloodcurdling cry came from behind the wall. The squeal of an eagle’s attack. Kelly instinctively reached for her neck, feeling for something that was not there.

“It sounds like she’s fighting something … or someone,” Liam said.

Kelly hung her head. “She took it.”