Tag Archives: #fantasy

by

Lisa’s Private Thoughts, December 24th, 2017: “My Christmas Ghost Story” Part-VII Conclusion

It was hard trying to keep my eyes on Madeleine, while that all-too-familiar mist opened a secret panel in the shelves and deposited its bundle inside the compartment. Knowing Nathan was actually here in the room with me was reassuring, but worrying at the same time. He’d upset Madeleine last time so badly she’d turned violent and had gotten the better of him. I really didn’t want to see a rematch and possibly get caught in the crossfire. So I needed to keep her attention totally fixed on me. 

Finally, I said with complete honesty, “I know what you’re saying. I even sympathize, because I truly know how much pain you’re in.”

“Do you?” Madeleine asked politely. All too politely, if you know what I mean. Her eyes never left mine as she took a step closer. “Pray tell me, how do you know what I feel? Does your situation run along the same exact path as mine?”

“No,” I replied with a sigh. “Although we both share the knowledge and anger from being told we have to wait, I’ve never resented my family to the point I’d resort to violence against any of them. And I certainly would never raise a hand against my younger brother… not even accidentally.”

That made her pause and she nodded. “It was an accident,” she murmured, “I never meant for him to fall back and…” she cut herself off and raised her eyes and I could see both the pain and anger in them. “If he had only told me where they were when I’d asked, it never would have happened?” she screamed.

I think she expected me to flinch or recoil, but I didn’t. That look in her eyes had confirmed everything I needed to know. “How did it happen?” I asked gently.

Her eyes never left me, as if she dared not look past my shoulder where her younger brother stood just a few feet away. “I think you already know,” she said evenly. 

“I know you had started out being nice to him, just the way you used to,” I replied, not tearing my eyes away from hers, I could feel Nathan was behind me which was giving me courage. Only, then his presence began to fade, as if he were moving away and out of the room. What the hell was he playing at? I needed backup right, like right now! Meanwhile, I continued saying, “Then you began asking about your mother’s jewelry, and when he refused to tell you where they were you began losing your temper and started shouting at him. Eventually, you grabbed him and were screaming at him… just how I found you when I burst into this room.”

Madeleine’s gave me a cold smile, “That’s right, you’re so right. It was exactly like that, only then I began shaking him and he started to pull away. Eventually, he struggled so hard I lost my grip and he fell backwards.” Here her voice cracked and I could hear the pain in her voice. “He fell away too quickly for me to grab him and struck his head against the stonework of the fireplace.”

A faraway look crept into her eyes. They were still locked with mine, but I knew she wasn’t seeing me as she continued…

“He began to fall into the hearth itself. I barely had time to keep him from falling into the flames. But I did!” A mania had crept back into her voice as she grabbed my hand. “I did, and that’s when he finally told me where they were… and I retrieved them. I finally had them and could join my Jonathan, but…” Now, her gaze slid away from me and over my shoulder. “But I couldn’t leave my brother…” her voice started to become hard again, “He needed me. He was hurt. I couldn’t leave him lying there on the floor, bleeding.”

Her breathing became harsh along with her tone, as she continued. “If he’d only told me where they were when I first asked, none of it would have happened! And I’d have been able to get to my Jonathan outside, instead I stayed here… and then the door opened and… WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME WHEN I ASKED?” 

Those last words and her glare were aimed at Reginald who was still behind me.

Turning, I saw the tears in his eyes as he stood there, not having moved a inch from where I’d left him when I’d come between them. 

In the background I could still hear the approach of the carriage, it was practically just outside. 

Madeleine heard it too and tried to push me out of the way, only I held her back. 

“TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE! I CAN’T REMEMBER!” she shrieked, struggling against me. “HE’S HERE! TELL ME SO I CAN GO WITH HIM REGINALD! YOU CAN COME WITH US, WE CAN LEAVE THIS PLACE TOGETHER AND FINALLY BE FREE!”

I had no idea how much longer I could hold her back and was about to tell Reginald to tell her what she wanted to know when I heard a familiar voice say, “Tell her, Reginald. It’s the only way.”

Both Madeleine and I froze for a second then I turned and looked over my shoulder. Nathan was standing in the doorway. His gaze was fixed on young boy behind me, who finally blinked, as if waking from a bad dream. Finally, the boy turned to Nathan and said, “Buy our Uncle told me…”

“I know,” Nathan cut in gently. “But this is very important. Especially for her.”

Reginald still looked uncertain but turned to his sister and said, “They’re behind the panel in the bookcase behind you. The third shelf.”

Madeleine looked stunned. “There’s a room behind there?” she breathed. 

“No, just a compartment,” Reginald told her, his lip trembling. He looked more scared than before to me, but I said nothing.

Meanwhile, Madeleine raced to the bookcase and began searching the third shelf until she found the panel and opened it. Immediately, she reached inside with a look of delight which quickly changed to confusion as she pulled out not only an old velvet bag, but the stack of papers I’d seen Nathan place in there moments ago. 

To my surprise, Madeleine put the velvet bag aside while staring at the papers. “They’re calling to me…” she breathed and then started studying them more closely. “This handwriting, it’s my Jonathan’s. What are they doing in there? He only ever wrote to me. Are these my letters? No, they’re something else… along with papers from my uncle. I don’t understand.”

I felt Nathan’s hand on my shoulder as he drew next to me. On his other side, was Reginald, whom he had his other hand resting on. “Be ready to get behind me, this could turn ugly,” Nathan told both of us, in a hushed voice. 

“What did you put in there?” I whispered at him.

“The truth,” he murmured back. 

For the next five minutes Madeleine examined each page, some more than once, before finally raising her eyes to stare at us. “No!” she whispered in a ragged breath. “It’s not true! It can’t be! He loved me! He wanted to be with me… he’d never… These papers are all lies! Tell me none of this is true!”

This was directed at Nathan who sadly shook his head. 

For a second I thought she was about to attack us, but instead she nodded then fell to her knees. A moment later, she began pounding the floor, while sobbing hysterically. “Please tell me it isn’t true…”

Nathan started forward, but I stopped him and shook my head firmly. “No, not you. The last thing she needs is a man telling her she’d been wrong.” Then without another word, I walked over to Madeleine’s shaking form and I knelt beside her. 

“You couldn’t have known…” I began but she cut me off with a violent shake of her head.

“You’re wrong. I’d been warned… I’d been warned by so many people. My father, my uncle, even several of my friends, but I wouldn’t listen to any of them,” she rasped and finally raised her head. “I’d only listen to him. He made me feel so special, like my opinion and beliefs mattered. He’d listen and tell what a tragedy it was that other’s refused to see my wisdom or even listen to me.”

I nodded, “That’s how men like him work. They put you on a pedestal and make you believe you are the center of their world…”

Now it was her time to nod. “Exactly…” Now she turned her gaze to her younger brother, who had not left Nathan’s side. “Did you know?”

Reginald nodded.

“What did our uncle tell you?” Madeleine asked gently.

“Only that I shouldn’t tell you where mother’s jewels were, because you’d leave and that Jonathan might do something bad to you,” her brother replied in sad voice. 

“Oh God,” Madeleine wailed, “You were trying to watch out for me and I… I…” Once more she buried her face in hands and doubled over sobbing uncontrollably.

This time she did not pull away when I reached out and held her close. In fact she returned the gesture and clung to me like a lost child. I spared a look over to Nathan who gave me a reassuring smile.  It was only after I started stroking her hair that she slowly began to calm down.

Once she found her voice she turned to Nathan and said, “Please, take Reginald with you when you leave. Let me remain here until the final day of Judgement. Let the place of my crime be my prison, my place of penance. Seal the door with mortar and stone, then cover the entrance so none will know this room exists. This way I will not disturb the residents and they can live in peace.”

I shot Nathan a look to ask him what we should do, but Reginald was already rushing towards his sister and pulling her close.

“No, I will not leave you,” he told her earnestly, “If you stay, then so must I.”

Madeleine shook her head, “No, Mother and Father have been waiting for you. I’m sure of it. You mustn’t keep them waiting any longer.”

“But they told me that when I became into my title I was always to take care of you. And I promised I would. So I cannot leave without you,” he insisted, holding onto her even tighter. “We’re family, and I love you.”

Outside I could here the carriage come to a halt. Getting up I went over to Nathan and whispered, “There’s someone outside.”

“I know,” he assured me. “But it’s not who you’re expecting.”

“How do you know?”

Instead of answering, he gestured to Reginal and his sister.

Madeleine was gazing at her brother in disbelief. “But I hurt you,” she breathed, “I didn’t meant to.”

“I know,” Reginald smiled and touched her cheek, “That’s why I forgave you.”

Madeleine looked stunned, “You did?”

“That he did, Miss,” said Billings as he entered the room, dressed in the finery of a butler instead of a simple manservant. “I’m afraid you had already fled the room at the time, but he spoke those very words as I held him in my arms. I tried calling to you, but I’m afraid my entrance and poorly worded question had sent you into a panic. A terrible mistake on my part. And one that I’ve long regretted and have hoped to make amends for some time. “

My eyes had widened at that. HE had been the servant who’d found them that night. Then he was a ghost too! And, yes I’m still kicking myself for not realizing that sooner. 

Anyway, Billings continued, “I pray you can find in your heart to forgive me, both of you.” 

“Of course,” Madeleine told him, without hesitation. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea you were trapped here as well.”

“Not trapped, Miss Madeleine,” he corrected her gently, “The decision to stay was my own. The welfare of you both have always been my responsibility. And now, if you will both come with me, you’re parents are waiting just out front.”

This time I caught on before the siblings did. I turned to Nathan and whispered, “The carriage outside, it’s their parents not her murderous suitor!”

He smiled and nodded.

I turned in time to see Madeleine and Reginald accepting Billing’s extended hands and began to follow him out of the room. All three paused at the door to thank us and also with us a Happy Blessed Christmas. 

As soon as they left Nathan grabbed me by the hand and led me over to the window. Down below we could see the carriage. It was a fine looking vehicle, with four horses pawing at the snow covered ground, eager to be on their way. As Billings and his charges appeared, the door to the carriage swung open and a man and woman climbed out. After a warm embrace everyone, including Billings climbed back inside and the door was closed. A moment later, the coachman looked up at us in the window and gave us a salute. Then he snapped the reins and the carriage gently moved forward and disappeared into the snowy night.

“It’s finally over,” I heard Nathan sigh, “Thanks to you.”

I shot him a look. “ME? More like US,” I pointed out, then after a thinking about it for a moment I added, “Well, I guess I did actually deal with both of them more than you did.”

“Yes you did,” he admitted, much to my surprise. “I couldn’t have done it without you. There was no way she was going to listen to me, or any man.”

“So you did bring me here just to help with you,” I accused, well I wasn’t exactly angry, it was more like I wanted him to admit the truth to me.

He gave me a sheepish grin. “Let’s say I was hoping to use your talents as a last resort. I really hadn’t planned to bring you into things unless I really had to. I never expected trying to find that pile of papers was going to take as long as it did.”

“Is that what you and his lordship been so occupied with ever since we arrived?” I asked, thinking about all those little private meetings they seemed to be having.

Nathan nodded. “He found out the papers existed but was having a devil of a time locating them. And in case you hadn’t noticed, this place is HUGE. Not to mention there are a number of hidden corridors and secret compartments throughout the entire building. Although, at his point I think we now know where they all are… I think. Anyway, I only finally found them after I heard you tearing up the stairs and running down the hall tonight.”

“So that was you I heard calling my name,” I murmured.

He nodded. “I had hoped that Billings would get you out of here before things started happening up here…”

“Only I insisted on hearing the whole story after I ran into Reginald earlier this evening,” I finished and then told him about the game of Sardines.

“I see,” he nodded, “I should’ve known your abilities would get you caught up in things.”

“Stop it, I’m not psychic,” I insisted, then added, “Am I?”

He gave me a sympathetic look. “Oh, you are. Trust me, I’ve known a number of psychics. And so have you, Alex and Cassandra for instance.”

“But I’m not anywhere near as strong as those them,” I said looking away. I was really feeling embarrassed. I’d seen our friends do some incredible things with their talents, which I’d never be able to do.

Nathan laughed and put a finger under my chin and made me look at him. “It doesn’t matter how much power you have, it’s what you do with what you have. You’re a sensitive with a big heart. And that’s what allowed us to help Madeleine, Reginald and Billings find peace.”

That made me smile. “Thanks.” 

“Thank you,” Nathan smiled back. Together we gathered up the papers from where Madeleine had left them. I saw they were transcripts from her beloved Jonathan’s trial, including a written confession that he himself penned of his own free will. The man had not only been a sociopath, but a narcissist to boot. There was not an ounce of regret in the pages I scanned, while picking them up. Apparently, Madeleine’s uncle, the magistrate who had excused himself from overseeing the trial, had collected all of this paperwork to keep it out of the public eye. But had never brought himself to destroy any of it, as a reminder of his own failure to protect his brother’s family. 

Finally, we grabbed velvet bag of jewelry and headed back downstairs. Once there we settled down in front of the fire to wait for our hosts and their guests.

As we sat there, Nathan remarked, “Are you okay? You’ve been awfully quiet coming back down here.”

Nodding I smiled and answered, “Of course. How many women get to say they helped bring an end to a haunting? At Christmas time now less?”

“Some would call it a Christmas miracle,” he pointed out. 

I thought about that for a moment and looked at him. “Was it? Did we pull of a Christmas miracle?”

Holding up a hand he began ticking off the facts, “We helped not one, but three spirits cross over and find peace and in the process reunited them with their loved ones. And we also freed the current family, and their future generations, from the threat of a terrifying haunting. I’d say that qualifies, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess it does,” I agreed.

Just then we could hear everyone returning from the chapel. I can’t tell you how great it felt great being able to give our hosts the gift of knowing the haunting that had plagued their home for over a century had finally ended. 

by

Lisa’s Private Thoughts, December 24th, 2017: “My Christmas Ghost Story” Part-V

For a moment I said nothing as I gathered my thoughts. Finally, I breathed, “If this were an old movie, this is the point where I’d ask what you meant was going to happen. But I already know. You mean that sweet little boy I met upstairs is about to experience his death at his sister’s hands all over again, don’t you?” 

Mr. Billings gave me a sad smile. “I’m afraid so. Ever since that terrible night, the family and anyone within these walls will hear the entire scene play out and ending with bloodcurdling screams.” 

I winced, I couldn’t help myself. The thought of that sweet boy I’d met being murdered at the hands of his own flesh and blood. All for the love of a man… wait, ‘follow the money’.

Turning away from the fire I turned to my host and asked, “Mr. Billings, what became of Miss Madeleine and her young man? Did they get away?”

My new friend shook his head sadly. “No, they did not. Nor did they ever marry, not that the scoundrel ever intended to follow through on that promise to Miss Madeleine.”

That was all I needed to hear. Nodding I said aloud, “He only wanted her dowry, or her mother’s jewels in this case.”

Mr. Billings gave me a smile and nodded, “You have a very keen mind, Miss Lisa. You are correct of course.”

As he spoke another thought occurred to me. “Madeleine and her brother where here when their parents had their carriage accident. Does anyone know where her suitor was that day?”

“Well done, Miss!” my host exclaimed, beaming at me. “Alas, at the time no one had asked. However, his whereabouts were uncovered a year later at his murder trial.”

I did a double-take. “His trial? I thought Madeleine had acted alone when she killed her brother? Or did her boyfriend turn around and kill her after he got the jewels?”

Billings sighed and looked at the clock again. “I see it’s only 9:13, so we still have time. I’m afraid I didn’t tell you everything about the haunting because I didn’t want to upset you further. You see, it doesn’t end with Master Reginald’s final screams echoing throughout the manor. I’m afraid, there’s still more. But first, I must tell you the rest of what happened that terrible night. A servant had come back unexpectedly and heard the commotion upstairs and went to investigate. He’d just reached the top of the stairwell when the shouting was replaced by a terrifying scream. Recognizing the voice as that of his mistress’, he rushed to the playroom to find Miss Madeleine stooped over her brother’s body before the fireplace. She was in a terrible shaking the boy and screaming his name. Naturally, he thought she had simply come home and found her brother in this condition, so he drew nearer to comfort her. Unfortunately, she had no inkling that he had entered the room and was startled when he placed a hand on her shoulder. Whirling to face him several of her mother’s jewels, which she’d been clutching in one hand fell to the floor. Now, this man was a close confidante of Sir Peter and knew about his suspicions regarding Miss Madeleine’s suitor. And he had been present when Sir Peter had told his nephew not to give in to his sister’s requests for money or access to her mother’s jewelry. So when he saw them in her hand he realized what had happened. ‘Oh Miss Madeleine, tell me you didn’t…’ he began, but she cut him off shouting, ‘They were rightfully, mine. If he’d only told me they were here when I asked the first time I wouldn’t have lost my temper. I only meant to push him away… I didn’t mean for him to hit his head and…” but instead of finishing her words, she rushed past him and out of the room. In her panic, she turned the wrong way and instead of heading for the stairs, she wound up running towards the balcony that overlooks this room. She was so terrified of having been caught, she kept looking over her shoulder and never realized her mistake until she hit the bannister and…”

Here he turned to stare at a spot on the floor just a few feet from where we were seated. 

Now I fully understood. “After the screams she appears at the railing and falls to her death in front of anyone who’s in this room,” I breathed.

My friend nodded solemnly. “Which is why Sir Peter, and all his descendants have made sure no one is in the mansion during the hour between 9 and 10 on Christmas Eve.”

I blew out a breath and sat back in my chair. Now I understood the reason for the mass at the chapel. But I still had a few more questions. “Mr. Billings, you said her young man was hanged for murder a year later, correct?”

“That I did,” he nodded watching me carefully. 

“So they found out he was the one who had shot the parents’ driver leading to the crash that killed them?” I pressed.

“Yes, but that wasn’t what he was on trial for at the time,” my host explained. “You see, as I told you earlier, the young man had been engaged before only to have his fiancee’ die shortly before their wedding.”

I sat upright at that. “Unexpectedly?” I inquired.

My host nodded.

I continued, “Did he have any other fiancees who also passed away ‘unexpectedly’?”

Once more my host beamed at me. “Indeed he did. You see, some months before the carriage accident Sir Peter had been at a party with a an old friend who spotted the young man there with them. The friend had mentioned the young man’s misfortune but had referred to him by a different name. At first Sir Peter simply assumed his friend had been mistaken. But then he remembered his friend was a sharpshooter back in their regiment days. And the man had spotted the young fellow at a distance. That was what first raised his suspicions about his niece’s suitor. He began to start looking into the matter, but with letters taking time, it his investigation was not coming along as quickly as he’d like. Still, he had found out enough to tell his brother to not agree to the match until he could learn more.”

“But after Madeleine and her brother’s deaths, he finally got the proof he’d been looking for,” I concluded.

“Just in the nick of time too,” Billings told me. “He was already engaged to another young lady of considerable wealth with no family, who had recently become inexplicably ill.”

I nodded. “Like I said before, follow the money. So he was only after wealth, not love. Which means Madeleine would’ve suffered a similar fate if her brother had given in to her requests.”

“Yes, she would have,” Billings nodded, “But it wasn’t just for money, if you get my meaning, miss.”

My eyes widened at that. “He liked killing young women?”

“Young women mostly, but because they were in his way he’d made an exception with her parents.”

“Oh that is sick,” I breathed and shook my head as the enormity of the tragedy upstairs hit me. “In his own way her brother was inadvertently saving her life, even if he didn’t realize it. Only to lose it at her hands, for a man who would’ve taken hers eventually. If only she’d known and now they’re both stuck… wait a minute. I was able to interact with Reginald earlier. And he told me Nathan had actually tried speaking with his sister… which means, they aren’t completely stuck playing out the tragedy.”

Mr. Billings rose to his feet and said gravely, “Oh, miss I know what you’re thinking, but it won’t work. Others have tried and failed. Master Nathan is only the latest. And while I admire his determination to try and free those two poor children from their torment, I don’t think it will work. Miss Madeleine is very obstinate when it comes to anyone telling her…”

“You’ve tried to intervene as well!” I exclaimed getting to my feet.

“Yes, I have,” he nodded sadly. “And I’ve not been able to get through to her, try as I might I just cannot get her to understand. She won’t listen…”

“Not to any man, she won’t,” I cut in, my mind was racing at this point. “Think about it, first her father, then her uncle, then her own brother? All men, telling her she couldn’t be with the man she thought loved her.”

“Miss Lisa, I see where you’re going with this but it’s dangerous,” my companion cried and glanced at his watch once more. “Master Nathan found that out the last time he tried.” 

This time he didn’t look over at the clock but at one of the large windows. I followed his gaze and saw this particular window looked out upon a three tiered fountain, with a finial top. It was rimmed with snow and ice, and brightly lit by strings of Christmas lights wrapped around its tiers. While it was quite pretty, I couldn’t understand why my new friend was staring at it. Suddenly, a figure falling from a great height, landed on top of the fountain amidst a shower of glass. I fell back with a scream, luckily Billings kept me from falling. After regaining my composure, I raced to the window and looked out at the fountain. 

There was no figure impaled on the the finial. Nor was there any sign of broken glass or footprints leading away from the area. Immediately, I thought back to my chat with Reginald when we were discussing Nathan “He had and accident. My sister…” “Miss Lisa?” Billings was at my side his eyes full of worry.

“She threw Nathan out the window of the playroom,” I breathed and then looked at him. “That’s what you mean by she’s dangerous. His attempt at intervening only got her pissed and she threw him out the window. Didn’t she?”

Billings nodded. “It’s 9:20, I really must get you out of here. Let Master Nathan deal with things, I believe he has a plan.”

“What plan?” I asked he led me out of the Great Hall and into foyer.

“I’m not sure, but there’s something his Lordship has been seeking for some time. If Master Nathan is here, no doubt he’s helping in the search. With it, they may be able to finally reach Miss Madeleine and help break the cycle…” the rest of his words seemed to grow more annoying as a wave of anger swept over me.

Without meaning to I suddenly snapped, “And you think only a man can bring me to my senses! How dare you, talk down to me. You’re just like every other man. Only my Cedric understands and listens to me. We actually have conversations and he encourages me to share my thoughts and feeling and discusses them with me…” I finally caught myself and shook my head. Such anger. Madeleine hadn’t just been frustrated, she was in a full blown rage! 

“You’re a sensitive,” my guide whispered, looking at me with a mixture of fear and wonder. “I had no idea. If I had realized it sooner, I would’ve never kept you here so long. We must get you out of here, Miss Lisa.”

But I was already sensing Reginald’s growing discomfort from upstairs. We were right next to the staircase, and I couldn’t help looking up the steps. “She’s already with him, trying to be nice but she’s growing impatient and he can sense something’s not right.” 

“Master Nathan…”

“Even if he has something, I don’t think she’s going to listen to him,” I interrupted.

Just then shouts erupted from upstairs and I could sense Reginald’s discomfort had now become full blown terror.


TO BE CONTINUED…

by

Lisa’s Private Thoughts, December 24th, 2017: “My Christmas Ghost Story” Part-III

I gave him a warm smile and said, “I thought I was the one who was supposed to be hiding.”

He pulled the blanket down to get a better look at me, and I saw he was wearing clothing much like the costume my brother had on downstairs. He had blond curly hair and a round tear-streaked face. I quickly pulled out a handkerchief from my sleeve (her ladyship had told me it was proper to have one on hand) and gave his face a quick cleaning while assuring him everything was going to be all right. That was when I noticed his skin was quite cold. “Oooo… you’re frozen, come on. Let’s get closer to the fire,” I insisted and helped move him, blanket and  all, closer to the fireplace.

That was when he gave me a great big smile and said, “You’re very kind. Who are you? Are you a fairy?”

I laughed. “No, and I’m not an angel either,” I told him. “My name is Lisa, I’m staying here with my parents and my godfather, Nathan Steward.”

Immediately, my new friend perked up. “Nathan? He’s here? He’s all right?”

“Of course. He’s the main reason his lordship invited us to come stay,” I replied. “Why wouldn’t he be all right?”

The boy’s face clouded over as said, “He… had an accident last time. My sister…” here he began to sneeze and fall into a coughing fit. 

I gave him my handkerchief and let him blow his nose. “Oh, you poor thing, you have a cold don’t you?”

He nodded.

Well, that explained why he was up here all by himself. Especially as it had occurred to me that I hadn’t seen him downstairs earlier. Still, someone should have been keeping him company, instead of leaving him all by himself up in this old room. “Are your parent’s downstairs at the party?”

My young friend shook his head, “They’re dead. My uncle is watching over me and my sister. She’s a grown up, like you.”

I had to laugh at that. Both my parents and Nathan would tell me that I was all grown up one moment, and would then turn around and start treating me like a kid the next. Go figure.

Anyway, things were beginning to make more sense to me now. No doubt he had come with his Lordship’s many siblings. Still, it seemed odd to leave the little fellow all on his own up here. Then again, there were other children to watch over downstairs, and I didn’t doubt one of his many cousins were coming to check on him regularly. Probably, one or more of them had been up here with him when the call to start the games went out, and they went downstairs while he took a nap up here. This made sense, since I did find him under a blanket. 

Then I smiled thinking that once the others found my ‘hidden’ location in here, we’d have a lot of company. Still a part of me began to wonder what he’d meant about Nathan having an ‘accident’ last time. 

Just then the boy leaned up against me and I held him tight. He seemed much more relaxed now, and was smiling more, so I chose not to ask about what happened. Besides, I’d seen Nathan bounce back from injuries before. Hell, he’d even recovered from being decapitated just a few years ago. So I had little doubt that whatever had happened had seemed more terrifying to my young friend than it really had been.

I could hear the sounds of my ‘pursuers’ echoing through the mansion, through the door to the room, and quickly excused myself to close it. After all, I didn’t want to make it too easy for them. Then I went back to the fireplace and wrapped the boy in my arms. He hugged me back as we gazed at the fire together. 

“My sister and I used to sit before the fire like this for many an hour,” he sighed wistfully. 

I frowned. “Let me guess, she felt she was too grown up to do it anymore?” I asked, suspecting she didn’t have as much time for her little brother these days. Especially if she was in her late teens as I was guessing from his earlier comparison of her and me. No doubt she was more into going to malls or raves these days.

“Oh, no,” he told me. “She’s mad at me. Or at, it seems like she’s always mad at me.”

My frown deepened. “Really? Did you break something of hers, or get her in trouble somehow?”

He shook his head. “Not to my knowledge.”

I rested my chin on his head, thinking. “Is this a recent thing?”

The boy nodded. “It started shortly after our parents died.”

I mentally nodded. Losing both your parents could lead to the children either becoming closer than ever, or tear them apart. Especially in the case of the older children, who may suddenly feel like a great burden of responsibility has been thrust upon them. They may feel obligated to grow up faster and would either rise up to the challenge, or feel overwhelmed or even cheated of their youthful pleasures and become resentful. Still, he’d said their uncle was watching over them. Could there be some resentment on that front from his sister? Did she want to be the grownup only to find her brother was turning more and more to their uncle? It was hard to say, and having just met my little friend, I didn’t think it was right to pry too deeply. Instead, I asked a totally different question.

“I just realize, I never asked you your name?” I remarked, giving him an embarrassed look.

“Reginald,” he smiled back. “Thank you for being so kind to me, Lisa.”

“I do my best,” I told him.

From beyond the closed door, I could hear the others calling my name, but I didn’t want to leave Reginald, even for a moment. For some strange reason, I was feeling more and more protective of him. Like something would happen if I did leave his side, even for the slightest second. So I didn’t respond and spent the next half hour talking with Reginald.

I soon learned that he and his sister had been quite a bit closer than I’d originally thought, even after their parents accident. But then they began to drift apart. His sister, Madeleine, began having fights with their uncle. Exactly what these arguments had been about, Reginald did not know at first. But then, Madeleine had appealed to him to talk with their uncle about their mother’s jewelry and how it should be hers by right, to do with as she pleased. 

Something about the way she’d spoken to him had been worrying, so he’d asked if she had planned to sell them. At that point she’d raised her voice and began scolding him for such horrid thoughts and how he was sounding just like their uncle. From then on things between them began to deteriorate. Several times she’d called him weak and foolish because by rights he was the rightful heir. He was now the lord and their uncle was only acting as a guardian until he came of age. She told him how he needed to grow up and take charge, that she needed his support but he was too cowardly or ungrateful to help her.

I felt my grip tighten on him as he spoke, wishing I could do something to help. But then he told me how Madeleine had become nicer again recently. She’d even apologized for saying such hurtful things. Perhaps it was the season that had made her more thoughtful, and yet… somehow he was a little afraid of her.

Upon hearing that, I said reassuringly, “Let me talk to her, and to your uncle. I’m pretty good at judging people. I might even get your sister to open up and tell me what’s really been going on.”

A look of relief swept over Reginald’s face, then quickly vanished by one of alarm. “I don’t think that would be a good idea. Nathan tried to talk to her and…”

“And that’s when he had that ‘accident’ you mentioned earlier,” I finished for him. “She got a little violent with him?”

My young friend simply nodded, but there was a haunted look in his eyes which worried me. Still, I couldn’t let things stand the way they were. A part of me kept thinking about my own little brother, Geoffrey and how important he was to me, in spite of occasionally being a pest and a brat. But if we had lost our parents like Reginald and his sister had, I’d be an overly protective mother-hen as well as a big sister to him. I had no idea how good I’d be as a ‘mother’ figure for him, in fact I’d probably make a lot of mistakes, but I’d still love him no matter what. And I had no doubt Madeleine loved her brother still as well. 

And as for getting rough with Nathan, he’d never mentioned the incident to me or my parents. So it couldn’t have been that bad. Perhaps, what Madeleine had been resentful of yet another man trying to tell her what to do, like her uncle had apparently been doing.

“I think Madeleine might actually appreciate talking to someone her own age who’s a big sister like her,” I told Reginald. “And if things do get a little out of hand, Nathan and parents are here and they always watch out for me. Especially if I tell them the situation before I approach your sister.”

That seemed to reassure him as he smiled and let me put him in a chair near the fire. I made sure he was bundled up, and got him to promise not to go anywhere till I got back. After giving me his word he kissed me on the cheek and said, “You’re so nice. I think Madeleine might listen to you. You treat me the way she used to, and I very much wish for things to be like this again between us.”

“I’ll do my best,” I assured him and left the room. As I passed through the adjoining room and into the hallway, I realized I didn’t hear any of my ‘pursuers’ calling out my name. Assuming that they’d given up and had gone back to the party I quickly made my way downstairs. 

When I reached the second floor, I realized that everything had gone quiet. There were no sounds coming the main hall downstairs where the party had been taking place. “This isn’t good,” I told myself and hurried down the rest of the way. Upon reaching the bottom the silence was even more obvious than before. The only sound I could hear was the crackling of the fire from the other side of the doors to the hall, which were now closed.

Feeling more than a little anxious I went to the doors and opened them. The hall was completely empty. The decorations, the tables covered in food and drink, were all still there. And I noted that a considerable number of presents had been added underneath the tree, and the fire was still burning in the fireplace, but aside from me there seemed to be not another soul in the place.

Then I remembered his lordship had mentioned holding mass over at the chapel on the grounds. No doubt that was where everyone had gone off to. Still, it was strange that no one had come looking for me… oh! That was why people had been calling my name earlier. They hadn’t been trying to trick me into revealing myself, they had wanted to tell me to come to the chapel with them.

Feeling more than a little foolish, I headed for the front doors. I grabbed a heavy woolen cloak that went with my outfit and tried the doors. They were locked!

TO BE CONTINUED… 

by

Lisa’s Private Thoughts, December 24th, 2017: “My Christmas Ghost Story” Part-II

Nathan wasn’t kidding about this being an old-fashion Christmas. Green garland was hanging from the staircases, the walls, you name it. And the table in the dining room looked like a Hollywood set. There was plum pudding, oysters, pies, potatoes, fruits stacked up like pyramids, sweetbreads, the list goes on and on. We even had chestnuts roasting in the fireplace. 

It’s become one of my favorite places to sit near. It’s huge affair, with ornately decorated tiles in the firebox area, as well as a beautifully carved stone mantel with intricate pillars leading up to it. There are a couple of wingback chairs set in front of all this, and that’s where I could be found whenever I’d come in from outside. Sometimes Nathan sits with me, not that I’ve seen all that much of him since our arrival. He seems to come and go on ‘business’, supposedly it has to do with a book or two he’s researching, but I’ve seen him talking with his Lordship from the windows now and then. I don’t have the nerve to ask our host what they’re talking about, and I haven’t been able to get Nathan alone long enough to get the story out of him. 

Anyway, getting back to the holiday decorations, we finally come to the tree itself. It is huge, and because Nathan is around, the tree stands in a huge pot of soil. Like everything else in this great place, it too has decked out in classic Victorian style, with ribbons, flowers, small toys, sweets, fruits, crackers (Christmas ones, not the kind you eat), and ornaments made of paper and glass some of which are at least 100 years old.

Tonight, being Christmas Eve, the Lord and Lady of the manor hosted a huge gathering of family and a few friends (namely us). And in keeping with the old-fashion theme, everyone was dressed in clothing from the before 1900. Naturally, me being into Goth clothing, I should have fit in easily. But most of my outfits were too bright and modern. Luckily, her Ladyship led me to the uppermost level of the mansion where they had a host of outfits for me and my family. I settled on a green velvet with white trim and hints of deep red. My parents and our hosts were delighted at my choice and I couldn’t get over how well it fit me.

Mom and Dad looked smashing in Edwardian garb and my little brother Geoffrey looked adorable  in his “Little Lord Fauntleroy” outfit. Even if he didn’t think it was all that great. Of Nathan there was no sign, although he had promised to be around. I asked Dad what was going on and he assured me Nathan was on important business, but would definitely be showing up before the evening was out. Before I could ask him any more, he announced it was time for us all to join the festivities downstairs. 

Let me tell you, I had no idea what a crowd awaited us down there. His Lordship insisted he had only invited family, but he neglected to mention there would be several generations. His five siblings had brought their spouses and they in turn had brought their children (numbering anywhere from 4-6) per household. And their ages ranged from younger than Geoffrey to those my age and a little older. So I didn’t wind up being the oldest when it came to playing some games I’d never heard of before. Oh I was familiar with Charades, and Blind Man’s Buff (or Blind Man’s Bluff as it’s sometimes called). But there were more games I’d never heard of before that go all the way back to the 1800’s. Up Jenkins, Find the Thimble (for the younger ones), Snapdragon (which involves flaming brandy and raisins in a shallow bowl). 

Shadow Buff was completely new to me, but Isabella proved quite good at it and I soon caught on and found it to be quite a bit of fun However, when it came to playing “Sardines” that’s when the night took a spooky turn for me.

Now for those of you not familiar with Sardines, it’s like a reverse hide and seek game. Instead of everyone hiding while one person counts, only a single person goes into hiding and the rest of the people count. When they are done counting, they all spread out and try to find the person who hid. However, if they find that person, instead of calling out to everyone, the seeker joins the hidden person in their hiding spot. This continues until all the seekers have found the location and have the person who hid in that spot, until they’re all packed in like… you guessed it… sardines.

Being a newcomer to the festivities, I got to be the first person who had to hide. I was told I could go anywhere inside the mansion, which gave me a lot of possibilities. And me being me, I immediately gravitated upstairs to where I’d found my lovely dress for the evening. 

Soon I found myself on the top floor looking down a long corridor of doors. Most of these had been living quarters for servants, but according to our hosts no one had used them for years. Which was why several of them were now being used as storage space, including the room where I had found my dress. When I was in there earlier, I’d spotted a door peeking out from behind some tall boxes. No doubt it was a closet and would make for an excellent hiding spot. While allowing room for the others to join in when they found me, without making any of us feel too claustrophobic. Or so I hoped. 

So you can imagine my surprise at finding, not a closet, but a very large room with a roaring fire in a good-sized fireplace crackling away behind a screen. Glancing around the room I saw there were a couple of desks off in the corner, while the rest of the room had shelves for books and a number of children’s toys. Most of those seemed to be antiques, but in good condition overall. There was a rocking horse that had clearly seen a lot of use, but also a lot of love as well. I could easily picture a child hugging that wooden neck with the real horsehair mane. 

Then it hit me. Of course, a governess would have a room connected with one like this. No doubt the room I’d found my dress had been her bedroom, and this was the schoolroom where she would teach and play with the children in her care. But who was using it these days? And why was there a fire in the fireplace?

My curiosity was in overdrive at this point, so I began to explore every inch of my surroundings. There was an old sofa, whose back was facing me, near the fireplace. As I drew nearer, I heard a small cough coming from the other side of it. Immediately, my sisterly instincts kicked in and I went over to have a look. I found a small boy, curled up on the sofa with an old blanket covering most of him. Had I not spotted his eyes peeking out, I would’ve totally missed him. 

TO BE CONTINUED…

by

LISA’S “PRIVATE THOUGHTS” – OCTOBER 22ND, 2014 “Something Bad Is Coming” Part – II

While I continue to watch the land slowly being bathed by the morning’s rays, the leading edge of the light begins to touch the edge of the dairy farm and halts.  Well, not exactly.  The light continues to stretch across the land, but it does so by going AROUND a portion of the farm, in particular the barn.  It’s almost as if that area has a barrier around it, which is repelling the dawn’s rays.  At first I shake my head, wondering if my eyes are playing tricks on me.  Perhaps some trees are casting a shadow over that spot, but no.  What I’m seeing is not a shadow, it’s something else, something sinister. 

As I continue to watch, the edge of sunlight slowly closes around the dark area around the barn and continues to spread across the land.  That is of course when my mind starts thinking about Timothy Spratt and what my father had told me.  At this point I’ve usually woken up.  But last night the dream kept going.

Tearing my gaze away from the ‘shadowed’ barn I begin to study the rest of the town, to see if the effect is repeated anywhere else.  To my horror, it does.  Here and there, I notice a few other ‘blemishes’ appear in other parts of the town.  But the pattern is so sporadic, there does not appear to be any rhyme or reason to their locations.  It’s as if all that lay before me was a painting and someone had flicked a brush covered in some dark translucent stain across a canvas, marring the beauty of the scene.

None of it seems to make any sense… that is until the light reaches the grounds of the church.  It’s there that I see a much heavier concentration of dark spots, mostly around a number of headstones in the newer sections of the graveyard.  Immediately I remember the Professor, I mean Otto, telling me and Marisa that the Ghoul-Slime… or Funus-Sobrere (which is latin Corpse Absorber… see I’m already learning from him) preferred bodies of the recently deceased.         

This of course reinforces my first impression that Tim Spratt may have been one of the creature’s earliest victims, having seen the darkness around the barn.  But at the same time, it doesn’t explain why I’m being shown this ‘overview’ of the town.  Are all these blemishes places where the Funus-Sobrere had been?  And if so, why was there no other reports of people/animals dying or disappearing?

Then, as if in answer to my unspoken question my eyes drift, seemingly of their own volition, away from the church grounds to one of the other larger buildings in shadows.  It’s one of the medical buildings over on Clearwater Street.  Specifically, it’s the one that contains the local diagnostic lab.  I’ve had bloodwork done there and so has pretty much everyone in town.  There have been no deaths there that I can recall… then I remember the place had a break in and samples stolen…

Including ones that belonged to Marisa’s dad, which would explain how “Ghoul-Boy”… I mean the Funus-Sorbrere knew about her father’s condition when it confronted us.  A chill runs through my body at the realization that the creature had actively been seeking out who would make a nice fresh corpse in the near future for it to absorb.

‘But the thing is dead,’ I tell myself in the dream.  ‘Tony… Pastor Gregory’s brother, who it had taken over, had destroyed himself and it in fire.  It’s gone, we’re all safe… right?’

By then a feeling of doom has taken hold and I look back to the rest of the town which has now been completely revealed, blemishes and all, by the morning sun.  All is quiet… almost too quiet.

Then I see the edges of each dark patch begin to move.  It’s a slow but steady movement.  Those closest to each other meet and become a larger patch and continue to spread, seemingly more rapidly because of their greater size.  In the churchyard this happens more quickly, since so many of the graves had been violated and tainted by the Funus-Sorbrere. I’m rooted to the spot, helpless to stop the progression as the blight spreads darkening more and more of my hometown.  Then I notice the farthest edge of the encroaching shadow begins to reach the outer edge of Nathan’s family estate and stops.

“Of course, Nathan was able to beat it to a standstill back in the cemetery when he came to save me and Marisa,” I breathe with the first rays of hope.  Then I remember he’s gone to ground… “Which means he’s not here to protect us,” I murmur sadly.

     And that’s when the nightmare really begins. 

     It’s almost as if the blight heard my words, because suddenly the darkness spreads like a wildfire.  It crashes past whatever was holding it back from my godfather’s estate, sweeping over it cause plants to die and trees to wither.  The manor itself begins to darken and age just before collapsing in on itself, while my hometown is engulfed in shadow, and I hear the first screams of terror arise…

     That’s when I finally woke up to find the screams were coming from my own mouth.   Naturally my parents came rushing into my room to find out what had happened, and then spent the next hour comforting me.  Both kept reassuring me that there had been no new reports of graves being violated or disappearances of people or animals.  Still, I can’t help shaking the feeling that something is coming and I’m certain Nathan will be our only chance of stopping it.

      I can’t tell Marisa about the dream because I know she’s been anxious about her dad.  She and her mom are waiting for the latest lab results to come back and I don’t want to burden her with my worries.  I’d talk to Otto but he’s out of town.  I could e-mail him, but first I want to go to Nathan’s place and check on Isabella’s grave, where he went to ground with her ghost, to see if there’s any change.  If I don’t see anything, then I’ll contact Otto for sure and ask what I should do next.  

       Damn, almost time for school.  I’ll wrap things up here and report back once I’ve been to Nathan’s place this evening.  I pray this is all just my imagination but if it isn’t and there’s no sign of him coming back, I don’t know what we’ll do.

*Author’s Note: Hello everyone, Allan here. I’m sorry to inform you all that my mother passed away just a week ago. She had been unwell for some months now, which combined with my own health problems, have been mostly responsible for the lack of new stories and regular updates on this blog. This will probably continue through to the end of this year, for which I sincerely apologize. So much has been going on in our lives, but we’ll be trying to provide you all with updates and other entertaining posts, so please stay tuned. And thank you all for your continuing support of us and this blog. Hope you all had a Happy and Safe Halloween.Sincerely,

Allan and Helen Krummenacker

by

Our First Short Audio Story Is Live…

And so it begins, dear friends. Here is my first full-scale attempt at doing an audio recording of one of the short stories from our anthology “The Vampyre Blogs – One Day At a Time”.

*NOTE: Do not click on this image, link to audio is just below it*

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mxg1nIibXI&t=32s

The purpose of doing this short story is of course to start preparing for turning the entire anthology, as well as it’s predecessor “The Vampyre Blogs – Coming Home” into full-length audiobooks. Helen and I will also be turning her new solo novel “Forever’s Too Long” (another vampire tale, set in 1947 NYC) into an audiobook as well.

For some time many readers and friends have been urging me to try my hand at doing audiobooks saying I have a good voice for reading aloud. Helen readily agreed as I have spent many evenings reading aloud to her from books we both wanted to read at the same time, and this seemed to be the simplest solution.

However, I was completely unsure how one even began to make an audiobook. I do not consider myself all that well versed in technology. Furthermore, until the last couple of years, our finances were very tight so trying to rent time at a professional recording studio. Plus, I would then have to pay someone to do all the technical cleanup of the recordings to make them presentable for Audible, over on Amazon.

But after having helped create the trailer for Helen’s book “Forever’s Too Long” (which I have shared here before but in case you missed it here’s the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNoPA_ytUvc

I found my confidence increasing in my vocal skills. The responses to the trailer and the praise I received at her release party where I did some live reading in the voice of her main character, was the final nudge I needed. From there I downloaded Audacity (the program Audible uses for audiobook submissions) and did some serious reading up on audio recording. I also watched a number of YouTube videos which taught me how to get the best sound quality while recording inside our own home, instead of renting space at a studio. I also invested in some equipment…

I won’t go into all the technical details of how I made the recording here, because I’m covering that topic in a series of entries over on our blog about writing at:

https://www.musingsoftwocreativeminds.com/

There will be more audios coming to this site in the near future for your enjoyment, leading up to the release of the complete anthology on Audible. When that date will be, I do not know as I still have a lot of recording to do. However, we will keep you all apprised of our progress. In the meantime, please enjoy the audio provided above and know that this blog will still be sharing brand new tales about Nathan and his friends as usual.

I also want to let you know that progress is being made on “The Vampyre Blogs – Family Ties”. My main regret is that it’s taken so long, but there have been health and family issues over the past year that slowed things down on that front. But the book is still under way and will see the light of day. Hopefully, late next year.

In the meantime, besides the audios, I am working on a new cover for “The Vampyre Blogs – Coming Home” as it will be getting a new home under the Young Adult section over on Amazon. It will also be getting released to Kobo, Barnes and Noble (Nook form), PDF and other formats later this year. So, as you can see, we got a lot happening with Nathan and company, and there are many more adventures and stories to tell, so please stay tuned.

Until next time, happy reading (and listening) dear friends…