Now that the proverbial cat is out of the bag, with Anna having officially revealed Mary's existence, some of Beth's questions and concerns surrounding their new home have been addressed; but now there are even more questions and concerns that have taken their place. Beth's biggest question ... and number one concern ... being just who exactly is this Mary; and what are her true intentions?
One thing Beth can be sure of now; at this point, if feasibly possible, they need to get away from this house. The fact that Mary is still lingering around this house proves that their new home is definitely haunted. And, whether or not it's Mary who's making her feel constantly uneasy and on edge in this house, regardless, there is some evil presence bound to this property.
She's sure of this ... because all this time Beth has been feeling the same sensation that she had experienced back when she was a teenager standing out on the sidewalk in front of that old, dilapidated, abandoned house that was most definitely haunted...
Just like their current house. ... However, instead of some ominous, hulking, shadowy figure of a man being the evil presence; it may possibly be the unseen little girl that's been playing with her daughter that's the malevolent being this time...
And out of everything that's been happening so far ... no matter how much uneasiness and trepidation that she's felt ... it's the fact that Mary has ingratiated herself upon Anna as her 'new friend' that truly frightens Beth; and the thing she's worried about the most.
************
Martin is totally confused at this point. "Wait a minute ... what do you mean she's not making Mary up? Beth, think about it, Mary's an invisible person that only Anna can see. That..."
Beth cuts him off to interject, "Only because Mary doesn't want anyone else except Anna to see her yet. When she's ready, I'm sure Mary's going to allow us to see her too."
"Oh, come on; Beth..." Martin rolls his eyes and shakes his head, while exasperatedly huffing. "A little girl who's somehow able to magically remain invisible to whoever she wants ... no way; it makes no sense. She doesn't exist. She's made up."
Beth resolvedly replies with an unwavering, calm demeanor, "Mary is not made up. She's real."
Martin scoffs, "Real?"
"Yes; real."
Slightly shaking his head in disbelief. "A 'real' little girl who no one else could see but Anna?"
"Think about it, Martin ... Anna said that Mary was arranging things the way her mom used to have them when they lived here ... that she misses her mom. ... Any of this adding up with you yet?"
With an underlying hint of sarcasm in his tone, "No, I guess I must have missed math class that day. Beth, by all means, please enlighten me; what are you saying?"
"I'm saying, Martin, Mary's a ghost."
Martin lets out a terse chuckle as he scratches his head. "A ghost?"
Beth reiterates, "A ghost."
That previous underlying hint of sarcasm quickly surfaces, becoming even more evident in his tone, "So, let me get this straight ... the idea of Anna making up an imaginary friend is totally preposterous to you ... but her playing with a 'ghost' makes perfect sense ... uh-huh; I see."
Now Beth shakes her head. "Wow, you really don't get it; do you? ... You know what, Martin; just forget it."
Martin retorts in a totally sarcastic manner, along with a somewhat condescending underlying tone, "No ... no, Beth; I get it ... I really do. Our little girl is hanging out with 'Casper'; nothing far-fetched about that. Fine then, now that that's all resolved, let's go to bed."
Beth instantly becomes incensed by Martin's clearly flippant attitude over her assessment of the situation and slides a couple of feet away from him; defensively crossing her arms in front of her chest and angrily glaring off to the side while muttering aloud...
"Don't patronize me, Martin."
Immediately realizing that he crossed a line that shouldn't have been crossed, Martin quickly tries to smooth things over by moving in closer and trying to put his arm around Beth's shoulders ... which she assertively deflects away before he's able to reach around them.
Evidently not ready to accept the proverbial offered olive branch ... made apparent by his attempted 'advance' being abruptly halted by her 'defensive line' ... Martin decides it would be prudent for him to make a 'tactical retreat' for now; so, he slides back over a few inches and patiently waits, giving Beth a moment to cool off.
After some time ... but not too long; he didn't want to allow her too much time to stew ... Martin tries apologizing again; this time foregoing attempting any physical contact until he's sure Beth's willingly receptive to it. He speaks with an authentic sincerity in his tone...
"Beth, hon; I'm sorry. Believe me, I honestly didn't mean to come off like that ... like a total jackass ... can you please forgive me? I'm just a bit overwhelmed and confused now with what you said was going on here. Again, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have taken it out on you. ... It's just ... it doesn't seem possible that Anna is communicating with some sort of ghost. It just seems unbelievable, that's all."
In truth, Beth's anger had already started to subside a little over their momentary silence ... it seems Martin's strategy was sound ... and now with Martin's apology, sans the condescension, she's at least able to look at her husband while talking with him...
"I know it may be difficult to believe ... especially for someone like you, Martin, who doesn't typically believe in that sort of stuff ... but it doesn't mean that it isn't possible. I mean, there are plenty of documented cases of haunted houses..."
Martin can't help but to instinctively cut Beth off when this topic is broached, "Come on, Beth..."
And the same goes for Beth. "No; really. You hear about these instances all the time. ... In fact, I'll bet you that's why we got this place so cheap, because they knew it was..."
Martin delivers yet another eyeroll and exasperatedly huffs, "Oh, for crying out loud, Beth: not this again. Jesus ... are you listening to what you're saying?"
Incensed once again, Beth retorts with an evident perturbed tone in her voice, "I am listening to what I'm saying. Are you listening?"
"Oh, I'm listening; I just don't understand what it is you're trying to say here, Beth. So please, explain to me, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying ... we need to leave this house."
Martin is totally taken aback this time ... flabbergasted. "W-wait ... what?"
"Martin, you know that I've always had a really bad feeling about this place; ever since we moved in. I didn't understand why at first; but now that I finally know why, we can't stay here."
Still confounded by Beth's rash behavior and seemingly irrational fear of their new home; a fear which is making her want to suddenly leave...
"Now that you know why? ... Wait; don't tell me ... are you talking about Mary ... is that what you mean?"
"Yes ... Mary."
"Mary ... seriously?" Martin is becoming more and more flustered; nearly on the verge of losing it and blowing his top. "Are you shitting me, Beth? For Christ's sake, Mary is Anna's damn imaginary friend! She's fucking make believe!"
Beth's getting tired of having to constantly justify her belief that the place was haunted ... that there was an evil presence bound to it ... but she once again vehemently goes over the day's inexplicable events; as she has repeatedly done since Martin's return from work...
"She isn't make believe, she's real; how else do you explain everything that's been going on in this house today? The stuff moved around in the kitchen cabinets and drawers; the knocks at the doors; the footsteps; the blood in the egg yolk ... explain it to me, Martin; huh? ... What, do you think that our daughter's behind all of that? You think Anna's capable of pulling it off?"
Martin grumbles under his breath, "No ... Anna's not responsible for it."
"No; then what? ... Wait, no, hold on ... don't tell me ... you think that I'm making all this up in my mind; don't you? That I'm suffering from one of my anxiety bouts, and I'm just imagining everything; is that it?"
This time, Martin opts to remain silent, which ironically comes off loud and clear to Beth...
"I see; so that's it ... my God; you really do honestly think that I'm making this all up in my head ... that I'm losing my mind and going crazy?"
Martin tries to quickly recompose himself; then calmly tells her, "Beth ... hon' ... I don't think that you're losing your mind or going crazy..."
Beth suddenly lets out a loud, terse laugh before beginning to ramble on; almost sounding like some sort of actual 'crazed mad woman'...
"But I am, Martin ... I am losing my mind and going crazy. I can feel it ... my sanity slipping away bit by bit with every fucking day that I spend in that house. Yeah ... that's right ... I can feel myself losing more and more of my mind, and becoming crazier and crazier..."
Beth pauses briefly before finishing her little tirade...
"But I'll tell you this, Martin; I swear, I may be losing my mind and going crazy in there ... but I'm not making things up in my head or imagining things. There is something seriously wrong with this place ... something evil in that house. ... Now it may be Mary ... or it could be another presence altogether ... but there's definitely something in this house that's behind everything that's been going on."
Martin attempts to move in to take Beth in his arms to try and console her...
"Beth..."
But Beth once again halts his advance by immediately shoving him away...
"No, I'm serious, Martin; we need to go. We can't stay here."
Frustrated, Martin brashly speaks out with an obviously evident perturbed tone, "No ... you know what; I've had it ... enough is enough, Beth..."
Martin vigorously rubs his fingers through his hair and lets out his most exasperated huff as of yet. He starts to wildly pace back and forth ... ready to begin his own little tirade ... as he tauntingly shouts out...
"Okay ... okay ... listen up, Mary ... or whoever else is here 'haunting' this place!!"
He looks over at Beth, displaying a fed-up looking grimace etched upon his lips; then continues tauntingly shouting out, as if he's trying to purposely instigate whatever presences may be there...
"We've had it with all your sneaky shenanigans ... stop hiding and being so cowardly ... if you're really out there, then show yourselves to me! I dare you!! Prove to me that you're here!"
Beth's becoming highly agitated; infuriated with Martin. She glares at him with rebuking eyes; and chastises him through grinding teeth...
"Martin, are you crazy?! ... What the hell do you think you're doing ... are you trying to piss them off?!"
Martin looks to Beth with a stern expression etched on his countenance. "No, Beth; I'm just trying to make a point."
"And what point is that?"
"The point that there's nothing here, Beth; obviously. That there isn't anything evil in this place."
Martin takes in a deep breath and tries to recompose himself a little more before earnestly telling Beth...
""Beth, hon; I love you ... I really do; I hope you know that. But I really think that it might be a good idea for you to make an appointment with that therapist Dr. Sanchez recommended to you out here. You can't keep going on like this. You need to..."
Suddenly ... there's loud, piercingly shrilling screams of a little girl resoundingly emanating from the house.
"Anna!!" Beth hollers as both she and Martin charge into the house to check on their child.
They frantically rush through the kitchen, then make a harried mad dash through the dining and living rooms to the bottom of the staircase; all the time hearing those ear-piercing screams reverberating throughout that overly spacious house.
They wildly scramble up the stairs, nearly stumbling over each other at times while racing to the third floor ... the floor that Anna's bedroom is located on. And once reaching it, those screams echoing down the hallway are now deafening.
They make their final bolting sprint towards Anna's bedroom; with those screams even louder than before, if that's possible.
Beth and Martin burst through the door, nearly taking it off the hinges, just as the last of the screams are heard. Shocked at the sight they come upon, Beth and Martin tightly embrace each other and start to cry. They hold each other ... and they cry...
Anna's in her bed ... sleeping soundly in her bed.