“These…events…have really taken a toll on him.
I can feel him…drifting away from me.”
By
Updated 8 years ago,September 16, 2017
Read part 1 of this interview here.
MARY:Im Mary Tenner and Im forty-three.
ME:Thank you Mary for meeting with me.
Im sorry if I upset your daughter the other day.
emilykneeter
I hope shes doing ok.
MARY:This whole ordeal has been very upsetting.
ME:Of course, of course.
How long have you been married to Jake?
MARY:Twenty-five years.
And hopefully well still be married twenty-five years from now.
ME:Thats a strange thing to say.
MARY:(sighs) These…events…have really taken a toll on him.
I can feel him…drifting away from me.
ME:Why do you think that is?
MARY:I think he blames himself for what happened.
ME:Because of what he did in the cornfield?
MARY:Yes…and also because hes Ross father.
Its not easy seeing your little boy…well…youve seen Ross.
ME:Ive seen pictures, yes.
MARY:If you were his father, how would you react?
ME:Im afraid Im unqualified to answer that.
MARY:I pulled him out, yes.
ME:Im assuming you were aware of the situation leading up to that night?
MARY:Are you talking about Cloo?
MARY:I had experienced things prior to that night, yes.
ME:Care to walk me through it?
MARY:Well…the first time I noticed something was on a Sunday afternoon.
This was a couple weeks before that awful night in the cornfield.
I was preparing dinner and everyone was outside except for me.
I remember standing by the window at the sink.
Jake was playing catch in the backyard with Ross.
Clare was watching them and playing with her phone.
ME:Was the window open?
I could hear them laughing.
ME:What happened then?
MARY:Well, as I moved around the kitchen, I began to hear something.
It was this clump, clump, clump, like something was shadowing my footsteps.
ME:Like…following you?
MARY:Yeah, exactly like that.
It was so close too.
I turned around expecting to see Jake or Clare, but there was nobody there.
And thats when I felt this…this awful energy fill the room.
It was like I had walked into a sauna and it became difficult to breathe.
I went to the window and fanned myself.
As I did, I heard that clomping sound follow me.
Its hard to explain what that moment was like.
I felt sick and it was like all the bad thoughts I had ever had returned back to me.
I felt like at any second I would start crying.
ME:Did it eventually go away?
MARY:The noise?
Yes…but something happened first.
I picked it up and saw that it was some of Ross clay.
He loves his clay and he keeps it in these little sealed containers so it doesnt dry out.
I was surprised to see it just out in the open.
ME:Im sorry, but what does that have to do with anything?
MARY:Hold on, Im getting to that.
For some reason I couldnt stop staring at the broom closet.
Like something was in there.
ME:What did you do?
MARY:I balled up the clay and stuck it in a little plastic container for Ross.
Then I went outside as quick as I could.
I dont think I could have stayed in that kitchen for another minute.
That feeling…Christ, it was awful.
ME:Clare mentioned something about clay also.
On the night your husband first went into the cornfield.
ME:Everything ok?
MARY:I dont like thinking about that night.
ME:Would you like to take a break?
MARY:No, we just started.
Its ok.
ME:Whenever youre ready, take your time.
MARY:(long pause) It was very hot that night.
I took me a while to fall asleep.
Clare had been complaining earlier about getting A/C in the house.
When I eventually did sleep, it wasnt for long.
I heard someone come into the room.
I opened my eyes and saw Ross standing over by Jake.
ME:Did you say anything to him?
MARY:(whispers) I couldnt.
I couldnt even open my mouth.
It felt like something was pressing against my lips, hard.
I started to freak out, but all I could do was lay there.
That energy, that awful presence I had felt in the kitchen was back.
I could feel it at the foot of the bed, looming over us.
ME:But you didnt see anything?
MARY:No, but I could hear it.
ME:What did you hear?
MARY:It sounded like whispering, this hoarse, throaty whispering.
It was quiet, so horribly quiet.
Like something was commanding my attention.
ME:Do you know what Ross was doing?
MARY:Now I do.
ME:How long did this go on for?
MARY:Not long.
He was still crying.
ME:Did the energy in the room leave with him?
MARY:(whispers) No.
In fact, it got worse.
After a couple seconds, I felt Jake get out of bed.
He walked to the doorway and I heard him go downstairs and initiate the front door.
It was like he was sleep walking.
He never looked back.
ME:Did you follow him?
MARY:I couldnt.
Whatever was holding me in place wouldnt let me up.
I felt the presence at the foot of the bed walk over to my side.
ME:But you couldnt see whatever it was?
MARY:I heard it speak.
ME:What did it say?
MARY:(pauses) It spoke a single word.
Its voice was so awful…so inhuman…like an animal growling.
ME:What was the word?
MARY:(whispers) Stop.
MARY:Yes…just…Stop.
MARY:I cant explain why or how…but I fell asleep almost instantly.
The next thing I knew it was morning.
I woke up bathed in sweat, the sun bright and hot and pouring in through the windows.
I scrambled downstairs and Jake was already out in the barn, working.
Clare and Ross were eating at the table.
Neither of them looked up at me.
They seemed…shaken.
ME:Did you talk to them about it?
MARY:No…no I kept my mouth shut.
I didnt want to scare them.
I figured Id wait and talk to Jake later.
By the time he came inside though, I had pushed it to the back of my mind.
I wanted to believe it was all a bad dream.
In fact, I wanted that so badly that I think my mind tricked itself into actually believing that.
Just a fever dream…
ME:Did it ever happen again before the night in the cornfield?
MARY:Only once.
It was just after we had returned from church.
I had surprised Ross with a new bible and presented it to him upstairs in his room.
He was about to change out of his Sunday clothes when I handed it to him.
ME:What happened?
MARY:As soon as I handed it to him, the room got dark.
ME:What do you mean dark?
MARY:Like the sun had gone out.
It commanded me to.
Ross shoved the bible back into my hands and started tearing up.
Thats when the light returned.
Ross apologized and said he couldnt, that he was sorry, but he just couldnt.
ME:Did you leave the house?
We went to my parents house that day.
I wanted to tell them about it.
I wanted to tell Jake about it.
ME:And that takes us to the night in the cornfield correct?
MARY:Yes…the night in the cornfield.
ME:Can you give me a little insight in your part in all that?
MARY:(stutters) I-I already t-told you about that.
ME:Could you expand on some of the details?
MARY:I dont…I dont know if I can.
ME:We dont have to continue if youre feeling uncomfortable.
MARY:(Gathers herself) I woke up alone in bed.
I could hear Ross screaming outside from the field.
And when I say screaming, I mean screaming.
I jumped out of bed and knew that something terrible was happening.
I knew it had to do with that…thing…in our house.
MARY:I raced downstairs and immediately felt like something was watching me.
The air was sweltering and I began to cough.
I could still hear Ross screaming though so I didnt stop.
MARY:(panicking) Y-you know what happened next.
You read the papers and saw the pictures.
ME:I would like to hear it from you, if thats alright?
Im sorry, but I just cant…
ME:Thats perfectly fine.
Here, Ill turn off the recorder.
Were done, its ok.
