Apparition

Chapter # 8

Emma Roseville. If I recall correctly, she is the previous owner of this horrendous place. She must have known something about it, this place, these horrors, I need to need her. The only ray of guidance for me now is her. 

I have to meet her to know what lethal secrets reside in here, to be shown a path of light where a tiny bit of light is enough to shine my world of current despairs and I will cling onto that light desperately wanting to get out of the abhorrent situation and know why is this happening and how should I avoid it because I have no intentions of involving myself with a paranormal creature. 

“Carlos. I want you to know the whereabouts of Emma Roseville,” I told him. He put his hand over his chest and bowed. 

“Who does she looks?” I asked. 

“All of their portraits are missing somehow.” HE told me.

“How?” I asked with a raised eyebrow, leaning back on my chair.

“All of them mysteriously disappeared that day.” And that was enough for me to know that he is the one behind it. I shuddered as I put my hand over my mouth.

“Is there's something wrong?” Carlos asked. I shook my head and stood up, “Find her.” I told him and walked out of my study room. 

“Mary, there you are. “ Jenifer said with a deep sigh. I gave her a questioning look, motioning her to continue, “Haven't You read the newspaper?” She asked and handed it to me. Perplexed, I began to read the headline,

The infamous archaeologist, Mary Aston; due to countless persistence of the Price, she agrees to visit Egypt. By using her exquisite skills; she wants to discover something similar to the riches of the heavens for him.

 Is that's what her heart seeks or some mere rumour? 

My eyes widened in astonishment when I read it. My mouth gasped and I was left taken aback.

“What.. in the hell? Just how much indecent are they trying to show me?!” I shouted, throwing the paper on the floor. 

“Indeed… But who did it in the first place?” Jenifer asked.

“When I Said that I won’t. I won't. Tell them it’s a lie. “ I grit my teeth and looked away.

“They think they can do anything,” I mumbled and shook my head. “I want this misunderstanding to be cleared out as soon as possible.” I hissed. She nodded and left. 

I sighed in frustration and leaned on the wall. 

Just what in the hell these afflictions are given to me out of blue?

As I remind like that trying to receive a lull but then Brad came with a look of aversion and said hesitantly, 

“Uh... Miss Aston... You.. should see this.” He said, nervous. Bewildered, I went with him. What worse could happen today? 

We walked out and my eyes widened when I saw, Cloud, my horse I grew myself on, had been killed. Bile built inside me when I saw his pieces. Legs somewhere head somewhere. I put my hand over my mouth and turned my head away as tears brimmed in my eyes. What was his fault that he did this to him? A sob escaped my lips as I could stand the sight of blood splattered before me. My strength drained from me as I fell to my knees. 

“There’s something else too.. the most disturbing thing.” I looked at it with my puffy and heavy eyes. My heart ached as I don’t have enough courage to lose someone I love anymore. 

A constant pain inflicted on me and I couldn’t pull myself away from it. There was something unbearable. 

I tried to stand with my weak legs and walked closer. My eyes widened in fright when I saw that with his blood something has been written on the ground, 

‘Your Heart.’

Endless shivers were given to my core and stirred my mind in agony I never felt before. My mind went blank and I was left with the incapability to think. With everlasting apprehension and pain, I stilled, HE did it. 

I swallowed the lump in my throat and suddenly a voice came from inside me,

 “He will take it.” Not being able to tolerate this anymore, crumbling apart slowly with no hopes of being saved, I have to find answers before it’s too late and an irredeemable mistake would be made. 

My dark vision was trying not to comprehend the sight of blood and I walked inside, with tears glistening my face in the grief of losing the animal I loved dearly and brought up with me. My heartfelt sad and extremely dismayed. 

I sniffed and swallowed the lump in my throat continuously not to cry but it was so hard and I couldn't help to cry in anguish. The mournful feeling ate me up and I let out a deafening sound of sorrow and hurt. 

I have to do something or something worse happen and the things I kept together slip out of my grasp.

***

The struggle was real to find Emma Roseville but I have not because neither I want to die nor I want to lose anyone I love and before this could happen I have to put up a halt to it. I gulped and hugged my side slightly filled with a vast amount of consternation as my head throbbed in the pain of knowing something bad that I could have imagined. Terrifying omens were given to me but I tried to remain sceptical and reached her place which was hidden in the deep forest. 

I told Brad to wait away from me and I want to be alone with her. I knocked on the door. The creaking sound of the door being opened reached my ears and I didn't expect the woman i found that day who told me for the first time that he would take it would be her!

There Stood the same woman I saw in the town. That day she didn’t predict the future, rather she told me what I am going to face. She was unaffected by the visit. 

“Hello, Mrs Roseville,” I called her softly with a smile. 

“What do you want?” She asked rudely.

“I need your help.”

“I have nothing to do with you.”

 “I know what you told me was based upon those incidents happened to you,” I said, trying to keep my calm and not break into tears of this suffering.

“Get lost!” She shouted because my words dug out old scars. She was about to close the door but I put my hand in between and gave her a pleading look.

“Please... Let a single soul be saved.” I begged.

“No one can liberate itself from him.” She said, burning in a fiery fire.

“He will take it..” I finally broke into a sob. “Please help me..” I cried joining my hands together and begging her to introduce me to the apparitions I have been witnessing. Her lips began to quiver as I was begging her and crying my heart out. She gulped and finally opened the door.

“Come in,” She said. I sniffed and wiped my tears, “Thank you very much.” We walked inside and she looked at me. 

“What do you want to know?” He asked, sitting on a sofa near the fireplace.

“About him, who is he, what is he, why he is doing this..” I said standing in front of her. She laughed and looked at me with a smirk, 

“He is the devil who will take his time to kill you.” She told me.

“I know that much,” I told her.

“Then what you want to know?” 

“Redemption.” She laughed louder,

 “There’s none.” 

“I will find it, just please tell me how you are related to him? She laughed and she looked at the fire pointing at it, “You see… this fire is me.” She told me, I remained silent and let her continue,

 “After my husband's death, I want to live somewhere peaceful so I moved to that place with my daughter… There... I found that jar with a heart beating inside it, fascinated by it, I kept it with me and began to treasure it as if it’s my late husband's heart which is beating... And then I saw him... Look unbelievably alluring and menacing and I couldn't help but be pulled close to him.. Neglecting everything even my daughter..” She paused and inhaled deeply, trying to find words to speak further as distress took over her and she was filled with remorse.

“Then..”? I asked slowly.

“Lost in him.. his desire... That heart... Unaware of whose it is… That time. I.. I was given a choice. either save my daughter; Jessica or the heart and I did what a mother should.“ She looked at me with anger flashing her eyes and continued with venom, 

“I stabbed the heart ignorant of the fact that it's none other than my own daughter's heart.” My eyes widened in horror when I heard it. My throat dried and everything stops for a second and I couldn't append on what I had just heard. Her daughter's heart. A shallow breath escaped my lips as I was left shocked beyond imagination. My lips parted but I couldn't speak, horrified. I looked around and my eyes fell upon the portrait on the wall which is none other than that alluring woman who stopped. Another stagger was given to me. 

“W-who’s she?” I asked, terrorized to no extent, shaking in vexation and intense ravage. 

“She is my daughter Jessica.. whose soul I offered to him..” She said in repentance.

“S-She s-stopped from putting to the jar b-back.” 

“Back? where?” She asked. I was still in the murk and could feel that my mind was affected drastically by this.

“To that sealed garden.. in that chapel..” I told her and her eyes widened in disbelief, 

“You saw what's behind that door?” She Asked. I nodded hesitantly. Her Breath become heavy and she looked me in pity,

 “Don’t put it back there! HE will take yours as well! You saw what I didn't..” She mumbled and walked to me. She held my arms and looked at me dead in the eyes, 

“You are retained to be his.” She hissed. A tear rolled down my cheeks I whispered 

“Why I can’t put it back.. that will end everything..” 

“BECAUSE THIS HEART IS NONE OTHER THAT YOURS!”