Today I Witnessed A Murder

Chapter Nine The Revenant

The carriage slid in the mud across the court yard and finally came to a halt. I ran down the stairs to the empty foyer and waited for whomever it was to open the door. I was trembling with anticipation but after several moments it was still quiet.

I waited and waited but still nothing. I sighed with frustration as I walked back up the stairs to the second floor and once I was at the window I peaked down at the carriage but there was no one there. Well clearly someone had directed the carriage here!

Maria had come bouncing down the hall happily but stopped once she noticed my expression as I was lost in thought.

"Hello dear, what's wrong?" She asked with a worried look.

"Another carriage is here but nobody came in." I said bluntly.

"Oh it's been a while since we've seen someone living!" She exclaimed excitedly.

Apparently us of the ghost realm enjoy watching the living. Maybe it brings back what we miss so much, or maybe it's just the excitement of something and someone new. I won't lie, it does get rather boring doing to same old things again and again but I honestly don't notice it most of the time.

"Maybe the carriage was abandoned and the horses happened to find their way here." Said Maria.

"You're right, I just would have liked to see someone alive for a change." I sighed.

Maria gave me an understanding smile.

"Maybe if it is someone, they will come in soon enough." She proclaimed.

I eventually went back to the door. I waited for what must have been hours at the door but it had not opened. I didn't even hear a single sound on the other side of it and I was growing so impatient that I was pacing back and forth like I was mad.

"What in heavens sake are you doing?" Chuckled Marcos as he cleared the space between us.

"Stop. I don't want you near me!" I warned.

" No, you stop." Marcos said as his eyes narrowed in on mine.

"You act as if I'll drag you to that torture room right now. Jesus!."

I glared at him and stood my ground.

" Trust me, you're not the type I would take down there." He scoffed.

Before I could response the door flung open and someone in a black cloak stumbled in and fell on the ground shattering the wine bottle in their hand. The cloak covered their face but judging by their hands it was a man.

"Well that was unexpected!" Exclaimed Marcos as he laughed his wicked laugh.

I shot him a go to hell look and his laughing smile faded.

"There's no need to be so impolite Isabella. You know we all live here together, we might as well be friends." He said.

"Are you seriously suggesting I just play nice and forget everything you and Louise have done? Forget about that girl and forget about all the other women you two have killed!?" I asked angrily.

Marcos shook his head in disapproval then glanced at the man on the floor.

"Always so curious aren't you?" He asked.

"Can you please just go! Why are you even here?" I growled with frustration. At this point I could kill him if he wasn't dead already.

His lips pressed together and whatever he wanted to say he held back. With a heavy sigh he finally left me alone with the stranger.

I knew the man was still alive. His torso moved up and down evenly enough to tell me he was still breathing and there was a light whistling coming from his nose. Who are you, you sloppy drunk?

I could hear laughter coming from somewhere behind me and as it grew closer I could tell it was Sebastian playing. The man wasn't going anywhere so I decided to go check out what was going on. Around the corner and up the stairs where the girls remains are I could see Sebastian and Amelia playing. Sebastian would peak out from behind his hands and say "Boo!" then Amelia would grab her chest as if she was scared then they would both laugh hysterically. At one point in time I imagine I would have wanted children but I promised myself I wouldn't think too hard about what could have been. Life here was far too depression as it was especially with the latest events.

"Hello Isabella!" Called Sebastian with his innocent smile.

I smiled and gave him a wave. Amelia waved her hand motioning for me to come to her. I went up the steps and she met me half way, as she was about to speak Louise came from around the corner down the hall. Amelia smiled and like a child in a toy shop she giggled with excitement.

"There's something between us, I can feel it." She whispered cheerfully.

My stomach felt as if it turned upside down.

"I was looking forward to walking with you." Louise said as he neared us.

I scoffed but realized he was talking to Amelia! Does she not know what he is? Of course not. Louise gave me a once over and pursed his lips.

"We can talk later if that would be better dear." He said speaking towards Amelia.

"Yes, Amelia. How about later that way you and I can talk for a moment." I said while looking at him.

"Isabella! Whatever it is can wait." Amelia said between clinched teeth. Her eyes giving me warning.

I knew she liked Louise and for a while she had been smitten with him and frankly it was vexing at the moment. She was smiling and her eyes were bright with infatuation.

" Fine. Louise, maybe you should tell her what you are so you don't break another woman's heart. She has a right to know." I blurted out.

His eyes instantly grew angry.

"For the love of God, Isabella! Let the past go." He growled.

Oh, so he just moves on that fast? He was a completely different person just days before. Well they can all hate me but the truth is going to come out.

"What is so important Isabella? Is it that hard to believe that maybe he doesn't care about you? Maybe he wants to move on to someone else?!" Asked Amelia furiously.

"No, it has nothing to do with feelings. He's a murderer! He tortured women here Amelia! I can show you the room." I exclaimed.

She rolled her eyes at me. "So what? You don't want anyone else happy if you aren't?" She asked.

"You have a son!" I cried.

"Someone's past shouldn't define them. I'm sure you're not as innocent as you seem either. Everyone has done something they wish they hadn't." She said as she glanced at Louise. He gave her a half grin like he was impressed by her words.

"You're being foolish!" I said as Maria came running up the stairs.

It was darker now and the moon had begun to shine through the windows. Maria was beside me looking from Amelia and Louise to me.

"What in heavens is going on?" She asked.

"Stay out of it woman." Louise huffed.

"I told Amelia the truth about Louise. That he murdered women and she doesn't even care." I told her.

Maria glanced in their direction again and sighed.

" If that woman wants to be with someone who was led by the devil then let them be Isabella. It's only going to hurt you worse if you keep trying to fix everything." Maria said sympathetically.

Suddenly there was groaning coming from the foyer and we were all quiet. There was a flicker of light and then I could see a shadow. A candelabra had been lit and someone was walking towards the stairs. They groaned again and then there was light sobbing. Maria and I started down the stairs but stopped midway once we saw the man leaning over the remains of the girl. The cloak hanging down enough to cover his face.

"I'm so sorry!" He slurred.

After taken several deep breaths he sniffled and began to cry.

"I couldn't take it any longer. I had to come and tell you that---" He began but broke off.

I looked over at Maria with wide eyes. It's him, it's the man that killed her.

"I see you all the time, you're even in my dreams." He cried loudly.

Finally he raised up to brush the hood of the cloak off of his head and the light from the candle lit his face. Castile's face. When I saw it it was like a wave hit me hard. It all came back suddenly! My mind was flooded with memories of my childhood, my father, the fitting shop and then Castile. I was seeing it through my eyes now like it was happening right at this very moment.

He's on top of me, thrusting into me, pure lust in his eyes. Someone I thought I had loved who was slowly breaking me. My cries, his hands around my throat and the pain I felt as I tried to gasp for my last breath. That was it and now-- I'm dead. I am the girl at the bottom of the stairs.

Castile stood up and looked around as he wiped his face then he sighed and looked around with a lost expression. He took a step, staggered and then took another. Fnally he began to slowly walk up the steps towards us a little at a time.

"Maria!" I gasped as I grabbed on to her arm.

During the time I was watching Castile I hadn't even noticed that Marcos and Louise were at the top of the stairs behind us and they watched Castile stumble up the stairs towards us hearing every single word.

"I know now, he killed me Maria!" I cried.

"I know dear." She sighed and gave me a sympathetic look.

"We all knew-- it was just something you had to figure out for yourself." She whispered softly as she patted my back.

"What?! You couldn't tell me? I spent months trying to find he--" I broke off and stared at Castile as he was nearly in front of me.

My eyes wide, taking him in as he was face to face with me now. I moved aside quickly and he walked past me and up the stairs.

"I hate you!" I cried as I shook.

"Remember the chair." Marcos whispered to me.

"What?" I asked confused as I looked to him and back to Castile.

"Remember what we did with the chair?" Marcos asked again.

I did remember, I remember not being able to move it and then Marcos flipping it backwards. I was so angry, how could he be thinking about that damn chair right now? He shook his head and took a step forward.

"Come here now Isabella." He demanded.

He was there at the top of the steps and Castile was standing right in front of him completely oblivious to any of us around him. I walked up the few steps between us and slid beside Castile not wanting to even brush against him. I hated him. He was a monster like the other man I had loved, both killers and abusers and I couldn't stand them. Castile pulled a small bottle from a pocket in his cloak. He took a long pull from it and sat at the top of the steps placing his arms on his knees before taking another drink.

"Show him how angry you are Isabella. Show him that you're stuck here because of him." Said Marcos with a grin.

I stood with tears in my eyes and looked at Castile.

"I hate him." I whispered with teary eyes.

"Tell him!" Marcos growled.

"Marcos, please don't make her do that." Maria pleaded.

"No! She needs to make him see her. It's the only way to help her now." He argued.

He was right, maybe it would help.

"You did this to me." I said looking at Castile as he took another drink.

"I hate you!" I screamed as I went to bend down beside him.

"I wanted to live, I wanted a family and you destroyed that!" I screamed again as my anger rose. Castile turned towards me and with wide eyes he looked straight at me and he finally saw me. He looked me straight in the eyes and gasped.

"You took everything from me!" I growled.

Castile stood up and backed up with fear in his eyes.

"But-- you're dead. I watched you die. I- I saw your body. " He said as horror crossed his face.

"I am dead." I whispered.

Marcos stood on the other side of Castile now and as Castile backed up in panic he bumped right into Marcos chest. Castile turned around and in absolute terror he screamed.

"This is what happens when you die here." Hissed Marcos as he distorted his face.

Castile was shaking, terrified and completely in shock. He turned and backed up before Marcos jumped at him and shoved him back with force laughing hysterically.

Castile stumbled back and fell down the stairs, tumbling all the way and finally landing hard on the floor beside what was left of my remains. The candelabra Castile was holding was now at the base of the window and instantly the curtains were on fire. The fire spread quickly up the curtains and flames jumped from them to the paintings along the wall. I watched Maria run down the stairs to Castile and then she looked up shaking her head.

"His necks broken. He's dead!" She yelled over the loud crackling of the fire.

It didn't matter now. The fire was all around us now jumping quickly to anything it could. The old wood crackled and there was loud pops coming from the ceiling. I slowly walked down the steps and collapsed on my knees beside Castile. His eyes wide open still staring in horror as he laid next to my corpse. As the flames engulfed the manor and it was beginning to crumble I couldn't help but smile because I witnessed a murder today, the murder of the man who murdered me.