Apparition

Chapter # 11

His words cause the Earth beneath my feet to swallow me up and immerse me in endless lava of dread from where liberation is nowhere to be found and all I could do is to call for hope knowing all too well that no one can save me from this affliction. Dying under that weight of his fierce words which sends shivers down my spine just to think what he will do in just five days when he can kill everyone is just a matter of a few seconds, how ruthlessly he will torment me in five days. Just that thought sends shivers down my spine and wallows me in despair I brought upon myself.

What have I done?

My moment of bravery was turned into cowardice when the realization hit me that I picked a fight with a devil and he has no intentions of letting go his prey, he will take his amusement out of it and make me miserable than I already am. I have challenged him, I gave an invitation to ravage, what in the hell I was thinking? Terrified, I couldn’t think, sleep or eat, all in my mind was suffering and some foreshadows of the future where I could see nothing but extreme dolour.  

Distraught with intense distress, The morning glory increased my terrors more anticipated by the fact what will happen now that day has started. 

The first day.

How he will break me apart, what will happen. But what he will gain by doing this, I have destroyed that place, I no longer can offer my soul to him… right? 

I shuddered and walked out. Everyone smiled and greeted me. Startled by any sign of fright or danger, I kept looking here and there. 

“You okay, Ma’am?” Jane asked. I passed her a faint smile and nodded.

“Call Rose in my studies,” I told her and went to my studies. After a few minutes, Ross came. 

“You called me?” She asked. I nodded and walked to her. 

“Look, Ross, I know we have spent all our money to buy this place… Can you guess how long it will take for us to get a new place?” I asked.

“That early? It will take a few years, Ms Aston.” She told me. I grit my teeth and shook my head, “No, No, No, I want to make it possible in a matter of a few months.” I told her. Her mouth gaped at my words in disbelief, “We have just moved here, We are not even fully familiar with the mansion and you want to change it? What happened?” She asked. I exhaled and put my hand over my forehead,

“Make sure this remains between us…” I told her. She hesitantly nodded and I continued, 

“I am tired of this place. In fact, I despise it.” She raised an eyebrow and I continued, “We will change it as soon as possible and you must make it possible.” I told her. 

“We might be able to find a way.” She told me nervously. I looked at her, motioning her to continue, “If you accept the Prince’s offer… Maybe we will be able to settle down in Egypt.” I rolled my eyes and leaned back on my seat. I don’t want to go there. I sighed and told her, “Anything else?”

“Um.. actually yes.” I raise an eyebrow.

“You are very talented Ms Aston and you have high demands… If we sell your discoveries... We might be able to get a new place.” She said, vaguely. I straightened up and remained stoic. They all know all my discoveries in my showroom are no less than some treasure to me. No less than something cherish than my own life but the problem is not just me, I am horrified to think what he could do to my loved ones. I stood up and said,

“Fine then, we will do it. Look for a place and make sure until we find a place, this will remain between us.” I told her and left. 

I sighed deeply and felt disheartened, my precious; I spent years getting it but things cannot be more important than humans. 

The rest of my day was spent in dread, scared to face anything unbearable for me. I shook my head and when nothing happened on the first day, I felt at serene for a brief moment. Uneasiness lingered on my heart but all I could do is to wait for these days to end.

 The second day

Another day filled with consternation and fright. Afraid to comprehend to anything, I don’t think that I could stay at this place of horror anymore before it could take over my senses and murder me from inside and take away everything from me, I need to go. 

Just the moment I thought about running away, Brad came with a terrified look over his face which broke my tranquil as dread took over me that something might not have happened.

“M-Ms Aston... Our horses have been killed!” He said. My eyes widened in disbelief and I went to see it myself. First cloud and now all of them, Just the moment I thought of running away, he killed them. I shuddered violently and went to the stable and saw blood spread everywhere. Disturbed by the sight I stilled, panting heavily.

“You cannot leave..” A murmur of a deep vehement voice brushed over my neck. I quickly turned and saw no one there but this voice was clearly his. He did this. He will not let me leave and is going to make me espy all the despair he has in store for me. My hairs stood on their edge in dread to think what he would do, his hot breath caused great fear to take over me as I ran inside. 

After that, we were in the library and Julia said, 

“This place is haunted.” Everyone except me looks at her because I know this place is more than just haunted.

“What are you saying?” Brad asked.

“Look, First the death of that worker Samuel, then Cloud and now all of our horse and also the previous owner’s daughter died, if-”

“Enough Julia, Don’t evoke unwanted fear in our hearts. There must be an animal or a thief.” Jenifer said with a sigh. 

“An animal doesn't kill like this and no thief can come in such security,” Carlos said. 

“Then what is it?” Ross asked. A devil. I closed my eyes and leaned back.

“Leave all of you. It’s nothing.” I told them.

“But Ms Aston-” I cut Ross off,

“Leave. All of us are alive… be grateful for it. And yeah keep this in your mind.” I said direly, “For the next five day, none of you will roam anywhere alone, Understood?” I ordered. All of them nodded and I then turned to Carlos, 

“And that goes not just for my staff but for everyone in the mansion, Carlos.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” he bowed.

“Also, Give me a strong lock, I will lock that Garden,” I told him.

“I shall do it, you don’t-” 

“You can't do it. I can.” I said and stood up and left.

After dinner, Carlos gave me a lock, I locked the door of that garden and threw the key in the pond in the courtyard and went to my room to sleep. Just a few more days. I can bear it. I could feel the thumping sound of my heart in dread but all I could do is to stay strong and get ready to prevail. 

Just the moment I thought I had earned a reprieve from dread, On the third day, my door banged open and Jenifer came with horror written all over her face and said in a shaky voice and that’s the moment was enough for me to be lost in the abyss knowing that...

“M-Mary… B-Brad h-has died!”

It has started.

Upon hearing it, I quickly ran to where Brad was. My eyes widened in horror, My strength deprived of me, an intense dread took over me. My heart lost it’s beat, my feet glued to the ground and all I could do is to look at the grotesque sight before me,

Brad arms and legs were twisted backwards along with a hole in his heart.

Tear brimmed in my eyes, a sob escaped my lips as I fall on the ground, he was serving me ever since when, my parents were alive, I still remember how he used to make me ride a horse when I was a kid and now his corpse is lying in front of me looking so unbearable to see. I pulled my hair and began to cry, letting out this agonizing tears out of misery which shows my devastation. I am at a point in my life where nothing but darkness reside. That menacing creature killed my loved one. 

I was crying my heart out to see him like this. 

He is doing this just to make me vulnerable before him and suck my life out of me. He became my night where there is no moon and hope of a morning. All a gloom spread everywhere with no redemption, filled with anguish. 

The roaring sound of cries and the pain of losing your loved ones was endless, I could feel pain in my heart, all of us had no one but each other. We all were like family and when someone takes your loved ones from you, it hurts. Overwhelmed by grief, I didn’t even have enough courage to go to the cemetery. 

Filled with dismay, I stayed at home with no energy to see him off. I entered my room as my eyes widened in ultimate terror when I saw something written on my mirror with blood,

“5 left.” And that was enough for me to know that it’s none other than that devil who wants to teach me a lesson for even raising my voice against him. Drowned in guilt and penitence that it happened because of my I stumbled and fell, I crawled into a corner and hugged my knees close to my chest and began to cry out loud in agony, sobbing my heart out, letting out the deafening sound of misery but to no avail as it increased my ravage more and gave me no consolation and I could feel this pain rushing in my veins and intoxicating me in sorrow and desperation for an escape. 

“Jessica! Please guide me!” I cried for her. I kept on crying, asking for her help, to show me a way to get out of this awful situation or even save my loved ones to die.

“It’s all your fault, Mary.” Her voice came and I stilled because denial can do any good. After all, I know …

It’s all my fault.