Chapter Text
Stella Nicholls knew there was no time to waste in getting her best friends back. There had to be a way. She wondered if the only thing to do was to reverse the curse. The whole journey back to Louise “Lulu” Baptiste’s apartment she pondered about how Sarah Bellows’ book worked. She wondered whether it not only had the power to kill a person through written stories, but to bring those victims back to life. Stella only hoped for the best. She longed to hear Auggie Hilderbrandt and Chuck Steinberg’s voices again. Although she didn’t care for Tommy Milner at all, she still knew that Ruth Steinberg was missing not only her little brother, but her boyfriend as well.
Roy Nicholls looked over at his daughter clutching the old book in her hands with a solemn look on his face.
“I know you want them back, Stella. I know you do. I hope this woman has some answers. I’m willing to wait as long as it takes.” he said, patting Stella on the shoulder. He hadn’t seen his little girl so sad since the day his wife Dinah Nicholls had left them. He knew Stella had been through a lot, and it pained him to see her this way.
“Louise’s daughter’s name is Claire Baptiste, right?”
“Yeah.” Stella answered. “She visits her mom all the time, and she takes care of her since she’s the only child. Lulu’s been blind for years so she needs someone around, she also gets into these trances.”
“Trances? So she’s like a psychic or medium? How did she go blind, did they explain that when you met them?” Roy questioned.
“I don’t know what made her go blind, they never explained that. The trances might be her way of keeping connected with Sarah. I don’t think she’s a medium though.”
Stella looked over at Ruth, who still was shaken by her own ordeal with the spiders.
“I just hope we’re not doing this for nothing.” Ruth said from the back seat.
“I trust Lulu, I think she of all people would know what to do.” Stella told her friend, looking at her tear-stained face. She reached over and gave Ruth a comforting hug. Ruth gave a smile and hugged Stella back.
“I want my little brother and Tommy..I want..this to stop..” she said, tears forming in her eyes.
“It will.” Stella promised.
The car pulled up to the apartment building finally, and once the three were inside they were greeted by Claire Baptiste. She introduced herself to Roy and Ruth, then they followed her to Lulu’s unit.
“Now I don’t know what she’s gonna tell you about this weird magic book stuff, but I still think it’s a try. It doesn’t make the situation any better though. I’m sorry this all even happened to your friends.” Claire replied, making her way to her mother’s front door. She knocked first, making sure that they were heard. They could hear the elder Baptiste’s footsteps and cane through the door.
“Claire? Is that you?” came Lulu’s voice.
“Yes mama, it’s me! I got Miss Stella Nicholls, her dad Mr. Roy Nicholls and her friend Miss Ruth Steinberg here with me. They need your help.” Claire answered.
“I’ll let you in, just a minute.”
The lock clicked and, and the door opened. Louise Baptiste gave a smile and motioned for her daughter and guests to come in. Claire gave her mother a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. It was a greeting Stella wished she had with her own mother. But right now her mind was focused on her friends. The apartment was small, but homey and well kept. Old pictures hung on the wall from years gone by. Stella wondered what Lulu’s life was like when she was in her younger years after her terrible time working at the Bellows manor. Lulu got around well for a woman in her 80s, however she needed a cane of course. Roy and Ruth introduced themselves, Stella needed no introduction though. Lulu went to her comfy armchair to sit, Claire offered the couch to the guests.
“Can I get you all anything? I was going to put on some coffee. We have tea as well if you’d like.” Claire asked them. Stella and Ruth shook their heads.
“I’ll take whatever coffee you got, thank you.” Roy answered.
“We got regular, is that ok?” Claire asked.
“Sure thing!”
They each sat down, and Claire went to the kitchen. It was time to now figure things out.
“I know why you are here. I know that your friends are gone, and you seek to bring them back.” Lulu then said.
“The book, how does it work? Can they be brought back or are they gone forever?” Stella asked.
“I knew this would happen. But what must be done now is to get Sarah’s spirit to rewrite their stories. Only she can, and she should if she wants to do a good deed for you. It won’t take much convincing, I’m sure..if she is at peace.” Lulu answered.
Stella had no doubt in her mind that Sarah would bring back Chuck, Auggie and Tommy.
“Do you have the book with you now?” Lulu asked.
“Yes, right here it is.” Stella removed the old book from her bag and handed it to Lulu, who felt it for a moment and took a deep breath.
“Sarah, if you are here make your presence known. Please bring back these young boys from the book’s curse.”
A small mist appeared, and moved toward the book. It was Sarah. She had been in the room the whole time, but Stella had no idea how she could move from place to place being unseen in spirit. She looked in surprise as writing began to appear on the pages, Ruth gave a gasp as she watched in awe.
Thomas, Charles and August returned to where they were before. Thomas awoke in the corn field where he had been chased by Harold the scarecrow. August awoke in his room, the toe corpse nowhere to be seen. Charles found himself in the hospital janitor’s closet, the pale lady all just a dream..
“Oh! What’s going on!” Claire exclaimed, nearly dropping the coffee as she walked in from the kitchen.
The presence disappeared, and everyone looked around in wonder. Was that it? Were the boys back? Stella looked at Lulu, both curious about what this small scrawl meant.
“Can I use the phone?” Stella asked Lulu, knowing the only confirmation her friends were back would be to call Auggie’s house.
“Certainly, the phone is in the kitchen.” She answered.
Ruth and Stella raced to the kitchen.
“Call Auggie!” Ruth said excitedly.
Stella grabbed the phone and dialed Auggie’s number. The phone rang for a moment then came a voice on the phone that brought Stella to tears.
“H-Hello??”
It was Auggie....Auggie Hilderbrandt on the other end of the receiver.
“AUGGIE!!” Stella cried out, hardly containing her emotions. She paused for a moment to hear if it was really him.
“S-Stella? Is that you?”
“YES! It is! How did you....are you at home?” Stella asked, nearly shouting.
“Yea, I...I just woke up here. I seriously was like d-dragged under my bed by this...creature. Then I woke up and I was under my bed again. My p-parents must be out looking for me. S-Stella where are you at?” Auggie’s voice was slightly shaky from his experience, but nonetheless he was physically unharmed.
“At Lulu’s..I’ll explain later!”
The conversation lasted longer, Ruth tearfully explaining what had transpired the past few days which had been such a terrifying roller coaster. But now it was time to go get their friends. They stayed a bit longer with Lulu and Claire, there was so much more to talk about. Lulu showed Stella some photos of her as a child. Lulu also said she had one old photo somewhere of her and Sarah in the yard of the original Baptiste home..on one day where Sarah was allowed to leave the Bellows manor.
Stella wished to see it once she had the chance, she would come back for sure.