Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
T he moon was hanging high in the sky by the time I retired the next night. Arthur had already checked on me, as had Victor.
Grandmother had been asleep most of the day. I didn’t blame her though. She had been up most of the night by my bedside. Or so Arthur had told me. She hadn’t wanted to leave my side after the stranger was found in the trees. The men of the manor all searched the surrounding forest but to no avail. It was like no one had been there at all. Not a single footprint where he stood against the brush. Only a single rose lay amongst the grass. I hadn’t been left alone since. If it wasn’t Grandmother, it was Mary or Victor.
I didn’t need to be watched. I needed to be left alone. To stare into the night and think of how many critters were in the woods. Not how many mad people were lurking around for me.
I wandered through the cold manor, a candle in hand as I made my way to bed.
I passed the large dining room. The only light flooding in from the large windows lining the entrance way. The candlelight flickered in my hand as I looked around. My heart raced. A small but distinct creak sounding toward my left, beyond the door into the dining room. Another creak sounded. Closer this time.
I hurried forward. Rushing to the stairs as I made my way to my room.
My foot fumbled in my skirt. Blasted things. My head pounded with each step.
Another creak behind me sent my heart galloping. Dropping the candle, I abandoned the light. Moving straight into the darkness beside the stairs. I lowered myself to the ground. I find the darkness more comforting, it lets me forget that the light brings distorted faces.
Footsteps closed in behind me. Making their way up the stairs.
I shifted ever so slightly. Looking up at where the figure would be walking. The only thing visible was the soles of their shoes.
The man walked slowly. As if hunting its prey.
I clenched a hand over my mouth. Wishing to god my breathing would be silent.
The man’s breath echoed in the silent manor. Heavy and thick. His footsteps drifted higher as he walked up to the second floor.
I took my chance. I crawled away from the staircase. Hurrying as quiet as I could to the library. I looked back just in time for the man to spot me.
A scream lodged itself in the back of my throat as he leapt down the staircase.
I turned back and ran. My legs moving as fast as they could in my dress. My own breathing coming out shallow. I couldn't turn back. My hand reaching for the doorknob of the library.
The sound of the man drew closer.
The doorknob was cold in my grasp. As if all of the heat had been sucked out of the room. The knob refused to turn. The scream in my throat finally breaking free. The shrill screech blasting through the still air.
The man was close. I pushed back. Dashing toward the kitchen. A broken sob falling from my lips. The kitchen doors loomed in sight. I threw myself through them.
The names of servers called from my lips. My voice now hoarse. Where was everyone?
I opened my mouth to scream again. Not caring that the man could find me at any second. I couldn’t run any further. My legs and chest were on fire, my throat burned with the force of the scream that busted from my lips
Only to be cut off by the man’s hand on my mouth. He pulled me against him. Hot tears lined my eyes, spilling over onto my cheeks. The gloved hand, almost familiar, grew my terror beyond reason. Flashes of the other night in between this nightmare had my head growing lighter with fear.
No, no, no! I thought as I thrashed in his hold. The stranger's hot breath curled over my ear.
The hand he rested on my belly now clenched. As if he held something. I didn’t dare think what was there.
The man pulled me back into the shadows of the hall.
No one had heard my scream.
I tried again and again as the man held my mouth, the leather of his glove muting my scream. I bit into the fabric. Hoping he would release me. If anything it only made him stronger.
His grip tightened.
As if on instinct, I stamped my foot. The sole of my shoe landing directly on his toes. He grunted but regained himself.
The words “little bitch.” rung in my ear. The voice unfamiliar but haunting all the same. The smell of dirt and leather filled my nose as I sobbed. Weak pleas fell from my lips behind his hand.
The hand holding something flicked.
Pain like no other tore through my abdomen. The sharp slice sending another muffled screech through the air.
“ Please for the love of all things holy let me go,” I screamed, my words falling behind the glove doing little to no good.
No one was coming. My stomach burned as the stranger removed their blade. I could feel my own blood leaking from the wound. Dropping down onto the marble floor.
My fingers tore at the hand holding my throat. The scream trapped within stifled with the lack of oxygen. The man’s hot breath met my shoulder. Puffing with exertion as I fought his hold despite my ceaseless pain. His strong arm pulled me back, throwing me to the cold tile floor beneath me. He was on me in seconds. The mask covering his face as menacing as his form. The stranger straddled me, his hand back on my throat stifled the air once more. The weight crushed my ribs. The pain of his hands on the still prominent bruises, twisting with the pain of my stomach… With his free hand, I watched in mute horror as he pulled a long knife from his boot. I thrashed wildly beneath him. My hands reaching up to claw at whatever part of the masked man I could. Panic overtaking me. My blood pooling beneath me.
This was it. He had finally gotten what he wanted. The man who haunted my every nightmare was now here to drag me to hell. The blade slashed straight across my exposed chest, searing with agony. Tears fell from my eyes as the knife moved again. This time marking the opposite way. I could feel my blood pouring from me. Running down my sides only to pool beneath me. Pain ricocheted through my body.
The man moved quickly. My screams concealed under his hand now firmly holding my mouth. He held the bloody blade before my eyes. I clenched them closed, terrified of what he could do next. My torn flesh burned upon my chest. As if laced with some type of acid. The sound of the masked man's breathing echoed through my ears. My hands reached up to claw at whatever I could.
The attacker moved from me. My arms dropped to my sides, exhaustion eating into me. My life drained with each drop of blood from the wound. My eyes closed once more. The sound of his retreating footfalls echoed through the halls.
My head lulled to the side, metallic blood leaking from my lips.
“Sweet girl, it’s time to come home.” A deep velvety voice echoed through the room. I couldn’t move. Frozen in agony on the floor. My eyes fluttered open once more. Moonlight pouring in from the vast kitchen windows. The cool air of the manor brushed against my skin. The pain dulled as my breathing drew light.
A dark hooded figure stepped forward as if out of the shadows of the room. I couldn’t contain the whimper in my throat. My hand reached for him. As if my subconscious knew he was safe. He had to be, or at the very least he would end this misery. He stalked forward. Slow and gently as if used to looking upon Death. I couldn’t see beneath his hood. I didn’t need to. The darkness he produced was darker than any I had seen. His gloved hand moved toward mine. Calm radiated from the stranger.
“Time to come home, Vespera.” His voice was soft. Like the stars at midnight. My fingers inched toward his hand. Now suddenly free of the glove.
His hand met mine. A sharp pain burst through my mind. The man stumbled back with a hiss holding his hand. I couldn’t see anything but black. My hand brushed my open wound on my chest. I blinked once more. Willing my vision to come back. Slowly, the shadows began to dissipate. Amongst the grey scale was something I never expected to see.
A shade of colour lined my hand. My blood. The colour is so vibrant against the grey of my skin.
Footfalls came closer from beyond the door. A shrill scream sounded beside me. I paid it no mind. The only thing I could focus on was the one strange colour I could now see. Before everything went back to black.