Where Spirits Roam

Chapter Ten Visitor

Eviee opens her eyes to find herself outside the comfort of the bed she had fallen asleep in. Nervous energy worms its way through her body as she tries to register the shock of her new environment. A thick fog surrounds her on all sides cutting off her vision at arm's length.

Tepidly she reaches out her hand letting her fingertips dance through the smoggy air. She can feel the tiny water droplets in the air as her fingers cut through the dense vapor parting it momentarily. She takes a careful step forward along the cold slick ground the grass beneath her tickling her feet. Swiping her hand through the fog again Eviee peers into the rapidly disappearing opening. Leaning closer she is startled by two violet eyes staring back at her. A shriek leaves her throat and she jumps backward tripping over the long nightgown swaying around her feet. Eviee lands hard on her bottom scrambling away from where she stood. Her heart beats erratically, fear chewing at her insides as her eyes stay locked on the purple orbs glowing through the billowing smog.

“What do you want?” Eviee whimpers scared of the answer she may receive.

A beautiful young woman steps through the blanket of fog kneeling at Eviee’s feet. A sad look crosses her delicate features making her appear older as she stares at the frail creature before her. She looks away opening and closing her mouth while trying to find the right words to say. Returning her eyes back to Eviee’s soft heart-shaped face she pushes through the waging war of sadness and longing building inside her.

“I recognize you,” Eviee whispers pulling her knees up to rest under her chin. “You were there at my fourth birthday.” Tears trickle down Eviee’s cheeks plastering stray curls to her skin.

“Indeed I was,” Elena replies.

Confusion wrinkles Eviee’s brow “why?”

“Because sweet girl, I'm your mother,” Elena offers a heartbreaking smile shielding her pain as best she can while gauging her daughter's reaction.

Eviee’s tears begin falling harder and faster the large droplets landing like rain against the white gown flowing around her. “Why?” she asks a hiccup following the words as she chokes down another strangled sob.

“Why what my child?” Elena questions her voice curious but full of patience.

Eviee wasn't quite sure what she was asking why in reference to. Why had life been so cruel as to torment her? Why give her, her mother now, only for her to be out of reach, dead? Or the why that always bothered Eviee the most. Why did her mother leave her?

Eviee’s shimmering purple eyes lock on Elena’s, the colors, so similar it's like looking in a mirror “why did you leave me?”

A single tear breaks free burning its path down Elena’s pale cheek. She had never meant to leave Eviee for long. “My heart breaks knowing you thought I left you. No words can fix the hole I left but I can show you and hopefully, then you will understand my decision.”

“Show me how?” Eviee’s brow quirks up her curiosity peeking through.

Elena holds her hands out palms up inviting Eviee to take them. “Prepare yourself for it is not pretty. We will be inside my memories no one can harm you although you will see and hear everything.” Elena explains as Eviee’s small hands come to rest in hers and she clings to the tightly.

“O—” Eviee starts being pulled into the first memory.

Eviee stands in a gorgeous meadow of lilacs like a ghostly figure, next to her is Elena. A young girl maybe eight or nine runs through them holding a crown made from a bouquet of the delicate flowers. Elena turns to watch the girl as she dips under the branches of a large weeping cherry blossom tree the magnificent pink buds enveloping her instantly. Elena moves forward parting the branches to allow Eviee access and they walk under the hanging buds into the opening below. The young girl stands before a woman who looks like Elena.

“Look momma I made you a crown from the flowers,” The girl giggles.

“It's beautiful Elena, I love it,” The woman says enveloping the little girl in a hug and smothering her face with kisses as she giggles uncontrollably.

“Momma, that tickles,” She squeals.

Suddenly, everything darkens, the sun loses its shine, the sound of the birds silences, the temperature drops, and the aura shifts from happiness to horror. The woman pushes young Elena behind her shielding her daughter's body with her own. The tree limbs part and a woman steps through her dark hair piled high on her head in a tight ballerina bun. Her black eyes stare through the woman looking directly at Elena.

“Come out child,” her cold desolate voice sounds breaking the eerie silence.

Young Elena pokes her face around her mother's arm fear dancing in her violet eyes.

“Leave my daughter alone Constance!” The young woman tells their uninvited guest the wind beginning to whip dangerously around them.

“Little sister, you know I've always been stronger than you,” Constance taunts making a clucking sound with her tongue as she takes a step closer.

“We're not children anymore Constance. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM CAPABLE OF!”

“Silence Erica, I’m here for my niece.”

Erica’s lips seal shut her body moving to the side revealing Elena’s tear-streaked face. Panic flashes through Erica’s eyes as she struggles against Constance’s power. It should not be possible for the woman to be so strong she was dead.

“Thank you, my little niece,” she coos to the child.

“What for?” young Elena asks sniffling.

“For bringing me here.”

It made sense to Erica now, Elena could control the dead, and her power was giving Constance life. She struggled against Constance’s power again finally breaking free when Elena’s body started to shake. Running to young Elena’s side she placed her hands on either side of her face.

“Baby, can you feel your power?” Erica asked brushing strands of her daughter's hair behind her ears.

“Yes momma,” Elena nods.

“Can you block it for me?”

“I'm trying momma, it's hard,” another fat teardrop rolls down her cheek.

“It's okay baby, momma’s right here. I'll try with you. Deep breaths, remember how we practiced.” Erica instructs.

Young Elena’s eyes close and she inhales deeply releasing the breath slowly. Color starts to come back to the meadow.

“NOOOO,” Constance growls trying to take a step forward but her body seems rooted to the ground fading in and out with each breath little Elena takes.

“You're doing so good my love,” Erica praises.

One more breath and Constance disappears the meadow returning to its previous glory.

“I did it, Momma!” Elena shouts opening her eyes and jumping into Erica’s arms.

A gun c***s and Erica jumps. She's too late. Blood blooms on her chest and she drops little Elena to the ground, falling to her knees. A black shoe-clad foot lands on Erica’s chest knocking her backward and she looks up at the assailant.

“Donovan?” Erica chokes out.

“In the flesh,” Donovan retorts his voice laced with venom.

“Momma,” young Elena cries throwing her body over her mother's.

“Never forget how much I love you,” Erica tells Elena tears escaping from the corner of her eyes as she tries to lift her hand to Elena's cheek. She almost makes it when her hand drops and her eyes close.

“Momma, come back,” Elena screams, “momma, I love you, momma please.” She begs shaking her mother's body.

“Now that that's done,” Donovan says snapping his fingers and two larger men enter the once peaceful space ripping Elena off her mother and dragging her to a waiting car while she kicks and screams.

Eviee had stood in total silence through the whole memory her heart breaking for the mother she never knew.

“Come on,” Elena’s hand clasps Eviee’s and they're in the mansion.

A teenage Elena sits at the dining table stealing glances at the boy serving the food. When he looks up a blush tinges her ivory cheeks a bright pink and she quickly looks down. Donovan enters taking his usual seat at the head of the table and watching Elena closely. He takes in the swell of her breasts and the curve of her slender neck. His lust-filled eyes darken.

The scene changes and teenage Elena sits in a room, the same room Eviee had acquainted herself with earlier in the night. Her fingers run through her long wavy locks as she sits dazed in front of the vanity mirror. Donovan walks in drawing her attention and she jumps facing him with fear in her eyes.

“Mr. Ellsworth, what brings you up here tonight?”

“Tonight, young Elena is the next step in bringing Constance back to us.” A sinister smile darkens his feature and a shiver runs over Elena.

“Wha—what do you mean?” She asks stuttering.

Ellsworth steps forward closing the space between the two and slams his lips onto Elena’s.

Again the scene changes and Elena sits on a bench in a garden crying her pink shawl wrapped tightly around her. The boy from the dining hall walks up taking the seat next to her.

“Miss Elena, are you alright?” He asks concern coloring his voice.

“No, Matthew, I'm not, I wish I could leave this place.” she cries.

“Let's leave together,” Matthew proposes taking her hand in his.

“Is he the man who was with you at my birthday?” Eviee asks looking at Elena.

“He is.”

“Is he my father?”

“Yes.”

Elena reaches out squeezing Eviee’s hand and they're in the alley. A slightly older Elena lies on the ground sweat rolling down her forehead while she grunts. Eviee watches dazed as a baby is pulled onto her chest. Then, they're back in Eviee’s room and Elena fights against bonds on her hands and ankles. The sound of the unlocking of the bolt snaps her eyes to the door and in steps Ellsworth.

“Where is my child, Elena?” he asks moving closer to her. He placed his hands on either side of her head as he leaned to hover over her face.

She uttered one word “Safe.”

“I will find her Elena,” he whispered into her ear his voice filled with hatred.

“They will never allow that and neither will I.”

“You will only be as good as they.” He muttered pulling away from her.

Ellsworth pulls the pillow from under her head and places it on top of her face. He pulls an old revolver from his coat and puts it to the pillow directly over her forehead. A cry left her lips and then he pulled the trigger. The door swung open and two more men walked in.

“Burn the body and find the child.” He ordered exiting the room.

The fog surrounds them again as the memories fizzle out.

“My beautiful Eviee, I am so sorry for any pain I have caused you. I was not strong enough. I failed. But, I will not fail you now, I will help you to get away.”

“He—he took everything from you, he took you from me, why?” Eviee asks afraid of the answer.

“Because he will do anything to bring Constance back.”

“Then he'll kill me too?” Eviee’s large eyes look into her mother's preparing herself for death.

“I will not let that happen.” Elena booms, the ground shaking with her forceful promise.

***

Eviee startled awake instantly sitting upright in her bed. The covers pooled around her waist while she fought to catch her breath, her heart hammering wildly inside her chest. She looked around the room examining the shadows for out-of-place figures, when she spotted none she relaxed slightly placing her hands near her hips and leaning back on her palms. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead and she wiped it away.

‘Had the vivid dream been more than a dream?’ She thought contemplating the recent events once again. If it were all true and she believed it was, she was sleeping where her mother was murdered. She was also in the care of the man who had murdered her mother, father, and grandmother.

She and the other girls are in danger.