A New Believer
CHAPTER 10

Tim stared at her in disbelief. "What? What are you talking about?"
Jennifer sat on the bed and wiped her tears. "I'm her, she's me." She looked up at the ceiling, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She exhaled slowly. By the time she finished and opened her eyes, she seemed.. dimmer.
"What the.."
"Where did you come up with the idea to come to Pigeon Forge?" she asked.
"I don't know, it just kinda.."
Her eyes, hair, skin...even her clothes looked like she was in an older move from the fifties or sixties, before color on film was crisp. "No, it didn't. I gave you the idea. I was born here...and I died here." She held out her arms.
Tim gasped as gashes opened up below her forearms. "Why?"
"I killed myself a month after Chester killed Joe Parks. Chester came to me not long after Joe murdered him, he threatened to kill me if I didn't give him Joe. So I set Joe up to save my own life. The guilt became too much for me to bear and I.."
"I still don't get it, I mean, I understand you're a ghost, but you're real too."
Jennifer stood up and took a step forward, Tim matched it with a step back. "By committing suicide, I've condemned myself to hell. I made a deal to get out, unfortunately, part of that deal forces me to bring fresh souls to.." She shook her head. "I'm so sorry Tim, I really do love you. But I can't go back to that place."
Tim turned and walked down the stairs, mumbling to himself. This can't be happening. There had been too much going on in his mind. Too much ghost talk. Too much research. He just needed to relax, to clear his mind.
He walked numbly out onto the deck, turned on the hot tub, and climbed in, shoes and all. He leaned back and closed his eyes, unsure of whether he was trying close out the reality or go to sleep so he could wake from the dream.
The power of the jets relaxed his muscles and he was able to clear his mind of all thoughts. He lay in the water staring at the inside of his eyelids. When he heard the voice, he didn't want to open them.
"I said, look at me, boy," the voice repeated louder.
Tim forced his eyes open. Chester stood on the deck in front of him. "Go away," Tim muttered.
"It's too late fer that. 'at damn woman done messed ya up but good." Chester reached into the back pocket of his bibs. He pulled out a good sized pocket knife, opened it, and set the blade on the edge of the tub. "If I's you, I'd end it 'fore she duz if fer ya."
Tim looked at the knife for a second before picking it up.

"Hello," the old woman yelled as she entered the cabin. "Sorry ta bother y'all, but ah wuz on mah way home an' ah thought ah'd swing by ta see if y'all needed anythin'." She made her way through the living room and into the dining area.
It had been nearly a week since the young man had come into the office; that was when she'd told him about Chester. She was worried about him. She walked outside onto the deck and saw the young man in a tub full of pink water, a four inch Buck knife on the edge beside him.
What she didn't see was Chester and Jennifer standing at the edge of the woods, watching her.

***Well it's finally finished. It didn't end the way I thought it would while I was writing it. As always, I hope everyone enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.***