| General Fiction posted April 22, 2024 | Chapters: |
...11 12 -13- 14 
|
  |
Sandra learns the truth about the mansion
A chapter in the book The Unwilling Heir
The Unwilling Heir - Chap 13
by Begin Again
THE END OF CHAPTER 12
A flash of movement caught her eye. A pale and gaunt figure stood in the corner of the room. Its eyes glowed with an eerie light as it slowly turned to face her. Sandra's heart pounded in her chest.
As the figure drew closer, Sandra could see its twisted features, its skeletal hands reaching out to her. It let out a guttural groan, sending Sandra stumbling backward in terror, her eyes wide with fear. She reached out a hand, searching for something to defend herself with, but found only empty air.
She tripped over something on the floor and fell hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her. She lay there, gasping for breath, as she felt his icy hand wrap around her ankle and drag her toward the darkness. She screamed, the sound reverberating off the walls as she desperately clawed at the floor, trying to break free. But he was relentless, his grip unyielding as it pulled her closer and closer to the shadows.
The room was alive with whispers and moans, a chorus of the damned that sent tremors through her body. Sandra closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare. However, when she opened them again, she was trapped in the ballroom, with the ghostly figures closing in on her.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and a frantic voice screamed, "Sandra, grab my hand."
*****
CHAPTER 13
Lorrie paced the bedroom, her concern for Sandra evident in every furrow of her brow. "For the likes of me, Victoria, I cannot fathom what you thought you were doing. Did you think you were leading the poor girl into a haunted tea party?"
Victoria, her demeanor somber, glided toward the window. "Now, you mind your station, Lorrie, speaking to me in that tone." Her anger flared. A coldness emanated from her wispy figure, and the curtains swayed.
"She wasn't prepared for any of it," Lorrie continued, her apron twisted in knots. "In my time, we'd have been scandalized to the bones if we caused such a ruckus amongst the living."
Victoria turned to face Lorrie, her eyes momentarily resting on Sandra's still form. "It was the stranger that saved her." Her ethereal light flickered as she pressed herself to admit that things might have been much worse without him.
"The same man who was at the carriage house?" Lorrie's mind raced. "He's an old friend of the Judge."
"Impossible!" Victoria's voice softened with a touch of sadness. Her hand instinctively reached for the locket on her neck, symbolizing her lost love, the Judge. "He was not one of the Judge's old cronies. Never would I have forgotten those piercing blue eyes or his willingness to risk everything for the living."
Lorrie chuckled with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Victoria, does your heart pitter-patter for another?"
Victoria huffed, her facade of aloofness cracking slightly. "Smother your nonsense! A lady may admire heroics from afar and not dishonor herself."
A knock at the door interrupted their discussion. The door opened, and James entered the room, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration.
His eyes met Victoria's with disdain, and then he turned to focus on Lorrie and Sandra. "How is she?" His voice was tense. "And why is that one here?"
A cold breeze blew across the room as Victoria turned away, her anger sending faint murmurings of distrust echoing around the room.
Lorrie adjusted Sandra's comforter before answering, "Sandra is resting comfortably. The tea has helped, of course." Lorrie nodded toward Victoria before continuing, "She says the Judge's friend saved our girl. Do you know how or why he was there?"
James sighed heavily. "Actually, I do. I've just come from Madeline's room. Your tea has put that thorn in my side in a pleasant state for the moment. The Judge and Tim, the stranger, were there as well."
Victoria's eyes flared with anger, and her presence seemed to drain the warmth from the air. Her haughty tone spoke volumes. "William's grandson? What does that snot-nosed boy have to do with any of this? No wonder nothing is getting done." Victoria spat, leaving a cold, icy sensation in the room. "Trying to follow in his grandfather's footsteps?"
"Not likely! The mob murdered him because they wanted the book, and he wouldn't give it to them. He's here because he pleaded his grandfather's case and was given one chance to make amends. On the other hand, your interference almost destroyed his efforts."
"My what?" Victoria's ethereal light sparked around her. "My actions, you mean! Do you dare to question me? You were doing nothing. You brought the mortal here but did not tell her anything. Well, now she knows what she's up against, right?" Objects in the room rattled, and faint whispers echoed as if the room itself protested her fury.
"Victoria, get off your pedestal. That might have worked in your day, but it won't do anything here. Sandra could have been lost forever, and the book has disappeared." James shook his head, trying to dispel his anger.
"Maybe the stranger has it?" Victoria murmured, suggesting he wasn't as innocent or heroic as it seemed.
"That's doubtful. His name is Tim, and his only concern was saving Sandra."
"Why? So, he's Billy's friend. What connection does that give him to the mortal?" Still searching for salvation for her acts, Victoria continued to portray the aristocrat she once was, speaking down to the others.
"She's an important part of his past. Like all of us, he has something to atone for. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and lost his wife and four-year-old daughter. He will risk everything, including his one chance for redemption, to save Sandra."
"She is his daughter?" Lorrie gasped, and her hands flew to her mouth in surprise. "James, we must tell her."
"I agree. Sandra needs to know the entire story, and whether she proceeds will be up to her. Noah, or any of us, ever thought this would become such a tangled web. The Judge —" James glared at Victoria. "Or, as Victoria says, Billy was only trying to save his grandfather by returning the hidden treasures, and then Ryan and Benny got caught up in it, too."
Lorrie's hands twisted her apron as she paced. "If the book —" She cried, "Oh, James, the Judge — both of them are doomed."
A sorrowful, guttural wail escaped Victoria's being. Her figure appeared to fade, losing its intense light. "No, it can't be. Tell me, I'm not responsible for dooming my love to hell. It can't be."
"Without the book —" James shrugged his shoulders.
"Wait! Sandra has the key. I gave it to her before we —" Victoria's voice trailed off.
James's eyes flared with anger as he spun around to face Victoria. He took several menacing steps toward her before Lorrie stepped between the two, clutching the front of his shirt.
"Now, James, get control of yourself. I'm sure Victoria is rightfully suffering as it is." She cast a doubtful look in the woman's direction before continuing, "Squabbling won't —"
"Squabbling! If she weren't already dead, I'd kill her myself," James snarled. Exhaling, he removed Lorrie's hands and looked into her eyes. A gentleness returned, and he sighed. "You are right, dear lady. My job is to make amends and not anything else."
Mournful whispering floated from Victoria's being before she spoke, "I'm sorry. I was only trying to help. You know I would never do anything to hurt the Judge — my love. But how is his grandson involved in this?"
A spiteful grin crossed Lorrie's face as she answered, "You mean you've been left in the dark?" Lorrie chuckled and continued, "The Judge's last chance hangs on the success of his grandson, or Billy, as you prefer to call him."
"On Billy? How can that young boy atone for my William's mistakes?" Victoria huffed.
James answered this time.,"He's not a boy any longer. He was a well-respected Judge. He was murdered when the mob came looking for the book, and he refused to tell them where it was hidden. He knew that his grandfather had been trying to make amends before his untimely death, so he petitioned to stand in his place."
Victoria gasped. "You mean, he was willing to surrender himself to —" As remorse filled Victoria's being, her light brightened again, and the chill left the room.
A low moan from the bed stopped all conversation as the three ethereal spirits turned toward Sandra.
Lorrie hurried to the bedside, lifting Sandra's hand in hers. "She'll be awake very soon, James. It's time to call that meeting and clear the air. I'm sure she'll have plenty of questions if she doesn't jump out of bed and run. And you should be prepared with the answers."
*****
Sandra sat in the dimly lit study; a fog swirled around in her mind, leaving her confused and slightly disoriented. The lingering effects of the ethereal attack left her weak and drained. Her hands trembled as she wrapped them around a warm cup of tea, trying to calm her nerves.
She'd always been skeptical of the supernatural, but now, faced with her current reality, she couldn't deny the truth unless she was insane. She studied the crowded room, trying to recognize those she knew, those she had assumed were mortals, and those who sent goosebumps throughout her body.
Lorrie bustled about with trays of tea and pastries. James, the Judge, Ryan, and Benny were in deep conversation with another man. As he turned and glanced at Sandra, she felt a sudden warmth surround her.
Her eyes widened as she recognized him. He'd been the stranger who confronted her in the carriage house and warned her of the danger. Once again, she felt a familiarity in his face and a kindness in his piercing blue eyes.
Was he real or a ghost? Were any of these mortals? Surely, Lorrie and James were of this world, right? And the Judge, Ryan, and Benny —" Hadn't she talked and joked with them after Noah's funeral? They had to be mortals as well, right? Had Victoria been a dream and the rest a nightmare?
Sandra's gaze flitted from one figure to another, her thoughts racing as she tried to make sense of the surreal tableau before her. The warmth from the stranger's glance lingered, starkly contrasting the cold uncertainty gripping her.
Lorrie placed her tray on the side table and hurried across the room to Sandra. She was well aware of the confusion the girl must feel.
"Lorrie," Sandra began, her voice wavering slightly, "what's happening? Who are they?" She gestured towards the group engaged in conversation and the vague figures in the back of the room.
"James and a few others will explain it to you, my dear. You've been through quite an ordeal, which none of us intended." The housekeeper patted Sandra's arm. "Are you sure you are up to this conversation? It can wait if you aren't."
"No! I need to understand. Was —" She swallowed hard and let her eyes dart around the room, observing the people she thought she knew and those she did not. "Lorrie, did I awake from a nightmare, or am I still dreaming?"
"Oh, child, I know this is impossible to understand or accept, but I pray for everyone's sake you will try to listen and comprehend what they tell you."
Sandra's eyes pleaded as she looked at the housekeeper, the woman she had dubbed a sweet grandmother. "Are they real, a figment of my imagination or—" Sandra stammered, "Are they ghosts — spirits of dead people?"
Lorrie's smile was warm and comforting, but her words sent a chill through Sandra. "They are like us, dear. Souls trapped in this purgatorial mansion, seeking solace and redemption."
Sandra's mind reeled at the revelation. "But — but I've talked to them, laughed with them. They seemed so real."
James knelt beside Sandra's chair and took her trembling hand, his expression grave yet compassionate. "In this realm, realities intertwine, and the boundaries between mortal and spirit blur. The experiences you remember are real but exist in a plane where past and present converge."
Shaking her head, Sandra gulped. "You —" Her eyes shifted to Lorrie. "And you — you're spirits, too?"
Lorrie nodded. "James and I are here by our own choosing. Me, because this is the only home I ever knew. My grandmother and her mother were the first housekeepers. When my mother passed, I became the last one to exist in the mansion. It sat empty for years until it was deemed to be a way station, purgatory, so to speak. The people who were repentant of their past were given one last chance to redeem themselves. I chose to join James in managing the house. His duties are to write the ending of each spirit's story and present it to a panel that decides whether they receive eternal life or are doomed to damnation."
Sandra stammered, "The nightmare — were they —"
"Real?" James squeezed her hand. "Yes, but you were never to see them. Victoria overstepped." Lorrie's eyes darkened as she glared at the other woman.
Victoria, usually quick to display her emotions, remained silent, her gaze fixed on Sandra with a mix of hope and uncertainty.
"The Judge, Ryan, and Benny, are they spirits, too?"
"Yes, each one of them has their own story. The Judge and the book are what brought you here." James's eyes flickered toward Victoria, and then he continued, "Victoria refers to the Judge as Billy because he is the grandson of Judge William Parker, whose life story you discovered in the book. After his murder, our Judge chose to return to purgatory and make amends for his grandfather so that they both could live throughout eternity together. He hoped with your help, he could make the lives of some better by returning things stolen, providing money, or simply finding ways to better their lives."
"But why me? I'm a fledgling reporter with little knowledge of crime or spirits." Sandra choked on her words, "Until this second — this — couldn't — be real."
"We have watched you and observed your actions," Lorrie added gently, her ethereal presence exuding warmth despite the somber atmosphere. "You possess a kindness and determination that we believe can help us break free from this cycle of eternal suffering."
"You're asking me to save you from damnation?" Sandra finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly. Her eyes widened in disbelief, but she remained silent, urging James to continue.
James nodded solemnly. "Yes, but it's not just for our sake. There are forces at play here, such as ancient debts and unfinished business, that tie us to this place. We believe that by helping us, you can find answers to your questions, perhaps even closure."
The stranger, his presence commanding yet strangely comforting, approached and joined the conversation. For some unexplainable reason, Sandra felt warm as the chill left her bones, and their eyes met.
"You — you were in the carriage house. You warned me of the danger. It's odd, but I felt like I knew you before that day. Is that possible?"
He smiled and introduced himself, "For now, you can call me Tim." His voice resonated with a quiet strength. "I've walked this path before you, navigating the complexities of this limbo. Your presence here is not a coincidence. I suggested to James and the Judge that you might hold the metaphorical and literal key to our salvation."
Sandra's heart raced as she absorbed the weight of Tim's words. "A key? What key?"
"You have the key to unlocking the mysteries that bind us here," James explained, his eyes reflecting a glimmer of hope. You have the power to unveil the secrets buried within this mansion, the truths hidden in forgotten memories."
"Me? But how?" Sandra's voice trembled with fear and determination.
Tim placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Through understanding, through courage, and through the choices you make. The path ahead is daunting, but you are not alone. A common goal, a shared destiny, binds us."
Sandra looked around, her eyes meeting those of her spectral companions and the strangers who were not quite mortal, not quite ghosts.
"Will you help us, Sandra?" Lorrie's voice carried a plea and a promise.
Sandra took a deep breath, steeling herself for the journey ahead. "Yes," she said with conviction, her voice steadier now. "I'll do whatever I can to help." Knowing she had no idea what she was getting herself into but determined to discover the secrets buried within the mansion walls, she agreed.
THE END OF CHAPTER 12
A flash of movement caught her eye. A pale and gaunt figure stood in the corner of the room. Its eyes glowed with an eerie light as it slowly turned to face her. Sandra's heart pounded in her chest.
As the figure drew closer, Sandra could see its twisted features, its skeletal hands reaching out to her. It let out a guttural groan, sending Sandra stumbling backward in terror, her eyes wide with fear. She reached out a hand, searching for something to defend herself with, but found only empty air.
She tripped over something on the floor and fell hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her. She lay there, gasping for breath, as she felt his icy hand wrap around her ankle and drag her toward the darkness. She screamed, the sound reverberating off the walls as she desperately clawed at the floor, trying to break free. But he was relentless, his grip unyielding as it pulled her closer and closer to the shadows.
The room was alive with whispers and moans, a chorus of the damned that sent tremors through her body. Sandra closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare. However, when she opened them again, she was trapped in the ballroom, with the ghostly figures closing in on her.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and a frantic voice screamed, "Sandra, grab my hand."
*****
CHAPTER 13
Lorrie paced the bedroom, her concern for Sandra evident in every furrow of her brow. "For the likes of me, Victoria, I cannot fathom what you thought you were doing. Did you think you were leading the poor girl into a haunted tea party?"
Victoria, her demeanor somber, glided toward the window. "Now, you mind your station, Lorrie, speaking to me in that tone." Her anger flared. A coldness emanated from her wispy figure, and the curtains swayed.
"She wasn't prepared for any of it," Lorrie continued, her apron twisted in knots. "In my time, we'd have been scandalized to the bones if we caused such a ruckus amongst the living."
Victoria turned to face Lorrie, her eyes momentarily resting on Sandra's still form. "It was the stranger that saved her." Her ethereal light flickered as she pressed herself to admit that things might have been much worse without him.
"The same man who was at the carriage house?" Lorrie's mind raced. "He's an old friend of the Judge."
"Impossible!" Victoria's voice softened with a touch of sadness. Her hand instinctively reached for the locket on her neck, symbolizing her lost love, the Judge. "He was not one of the Judge's old cronies. Never would I have forgotten those piercing blue eyes or his willingness to risk everything for the living."
Lorrie chuckled with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Victoria, does your heart pitter-patter for another?"
Victoria huffed, her facade of aloofness cracking slightly. "Smother your nonsense! A lady may admire heroics from afar and not dishonor herself."
A knock at the door interrupted their discussion. The door opened, and James entered the room, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration.
His eyes met Victoria's with disdain, and then he turned to focus on Lorrie and Sandra. "How is she?" His voice was tense. "And why is that one here?"
A cold breeze blew across the room as Victoria turned away, her anger sending faint murmurings of distrust echoing around the room.
Lorrie adjusted Sandra's comforter before answering, "Sandra is resting comfortably. The tea has helped, of course." Lorrie nodded toward Victoria before continuing, "She says the Judge's friend saved our girl. Do you know how or why he was there?"
James sighed heavily. "Actually, I do. I've just come from Madeline's room. Your tea has put that thorn in my side in a pleasant state for the moment. The Judge and Tim, the stranger, were there as well."
Victoria's eyes flared with anger, and her presence seemed to drain the warmth from the air. Her haughty tone spoke volumes. "William's grandson? What does that snot-nosed boy have to do with any of this? No wonder nothing is getting done." Victoria spat, leaving a cold, icy sensation in the room. "Trying to follow in his grandfather's footsteps?"
"Not likely! The mob murdered him because they wanted the book, and he wouldn't give it to them. He's here because he pleaded his grandfather's case and was given one chance to make amends. On the other hand, your interference almost destroyed his efforts."
"My what?" Victoria's ethereal light sparked around her. "My actions, you mean! Do you dare to question me? You were doing nothing. You brought the mortal here but did not tell her anything. Well, now she knows what she's up against, right?" Objects in the room rattled, and faint whispers echoed as if the room itself protested her fury.
"Victoria, get off your pedestal. That might have worked in your day, but it won't do anything here. Sandra could have been lost forever, and the book has disappeared." James shook his head, trying to dispel his anger.
"Maybe the stranger has it?" Victoria murmured, suggesting he wasn't as innocent or heroic as it seemed.
"That's doubtful. His name is Tim, and his only concern was saving Sandra."
"Why? So, he's Billy's friend. What connection does that give him to the mortal?" Still searching for salvation for her acts, Victoria continued to portray the aristocrat she once was, speaking down to the others.
"She's an important part of his past. Like all of us, he has something to atone for. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and lost his wife and four-year-old daughter. He will risk everything, including his one chance for redemption, to save Sandra."
"She is his daughter?" Lorrie gasped, and her hands flew to her mouth in surprise. "James, we must tell her."
"I agree. Sandra needs to know the entire story, and whether she proceeds will be up to her. Noah, or any of us, ever thought this would become such a tangled web. The Judge —" James glared at Victoria. "Or, as Victoria says, Billy was only trying to save his grandfather by returning the hidden treasures, and then Ryan and Benny got caught up in it, too."
Lorrie's hands twisted her apron as she paced. "If the book —" She cried, "Oh, James, the Judge — both of them are doomed."
A sorrowful, guttural wail escaped Victoria's being. Her figure appeared to fade, losing its intense light. "No, it can't be. Tell me, I'm not responsible for dooming my love to hell. It can't be."
"Without the book —" James shrugged his shoulders.
"Wait! Sandra has the key. I gave it to her before we —" Victoria's voice trailed off.
James's eyes flared with anger as he spun around to face Victoria. He took several menacing steps toward her before Lorrie stepped between the two, clutching the front of his shirt.
"Now, James, get control of yourself. I'm sure Victoria is rightfully suffering as it is." She cast a doubtful look in the woman's direction before continuing, "Squabbling won't —"
"Squabbling! If she weren't already dead, I'd kill her myself," James snarled. Exhaling, he removed Lorrie's hands and looked into her eyes. A gentleness returned, and he sighed. "You are right, dear lady. My job is to make amends and not anything else."
Mournful whispering floated from Victoria's being before she spoke, "I'm sorry. I was only trying to help. You know I would never do anything to hurt the Judge — my love. But how is his grandson involved in this?"
A spiteful grin crossed Lorrie's face as she answered, "You mean you've been left in the dark?" Lorrie chuckled and continued, "The Judge's last chance hangs on the success of his grandson, or Billy, as you prefer to call him."
A flash of movement caught her eye. A pale and gaunt figure stood in the corner of the room. Its eyes glowed with an eerie light as it slowly turned to face her. Sandra's heart pounded in her chest.
As the figure drew closer, Sandra could see its twisted features, its skeletal hands reaching out to her. It let out a guttural groan, sending Sandra stumbling backward in terror, her eyes wide with fear. She reached out a hand, searching for something to defend herself with, but found only empty air.
She tripped over something on the floor and fell hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her. She lay there, gasping for breath, as she felt his icy hand wrap around her ankle and drag her toward the darkness. She screamed, the sound reverberating off the walls as she desperately clawed at the floor, trying to break free. But he was relentless, his grip unyielding as it pulled her closer and closer to the shadows.
The room was alive with whispers and moans, a chorus of the damned that sent tremors through her body. Sandra closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare. However, when she opened them again, she was trapped in the ballroom, with the ghostly figures closing in on her.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and a frantic voice screamed, "Sandra, grab my hand."
*****
CHAPTER 13
Lorrie paced the bedroom, her concern for Sandra evident in every furrow of her brow. "For the likes of me, Victoria, I cannot fathom what you thought you were doing. Did you think you were leading the poor girl into a haunted tea party?"
Victoria, her demeanor somber, glided toward the window. "Now, you mind your station, Lorrie, speaking to me in that tone." Her anger flared. A coldness emanated from her wispy figure, and the curtains swayed.
"She wasn't prepared for any of it," Lorrie continued, her apron twisted in knots. "In my time, we'd have been scandalized to the bones if we caused such a ruckus amongst the living."
Victoria turned to face Lorrie, her eyes momentarily resting on Sandra's still form. "It was the stranger that saved her." Her ethereal light flickered as she pressed herself to admit that things might have been much worse without him.
"The same man who was at the carriage house?" Lorrie's mind raced. "He's an old friend of the Judge."
"Impossible!" Victoria's voice softened with a touch of sadness. Her hand instinctively reached for the locket on her neck, symbolizing her lost love, the Judge. "He was not one of the Judge's old cronies. Never would I have forgotten those piercing blue eyes or his willingness to risk everything for the living."
Lorrie chuckled with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Victoria, does your heart pitter-patter for another?"
Victoria huffed, her facade of aloofness cracking slightly. "Smother your nonsense! A lady may admire heroics from afar and not dishonor herself."
A knock at the door interrupted their discussion. The door opened, and James entered the room, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration.
His eyes met Victoria's with disdain, and then he turned to focus on Lorrie and Sandra. "How is she?" His voice was tense. "And why is that one here?"
A cold breeze blew across the room as Victoria turned away, her anger sending faint murmurings of distrust echoing around the room.
Lorrie adjusted Sandra's comforter before answering, "Sandra is resting comfortably. The tea has helped, of course." Lorrie nodded toward Victoria before continuing, "She says the Judge's friend saved our girl. Do you know how or why he was there?"
James sighed heavily. "Actually, I do. I've just come from Madeline's room. Your tea has put that thorn in my side in a pleasant state for the moment. The Judge and Tim, the stranger, were there as well."
Victoria's eyes flared with anger, and her presence seemed to drain the warmth from the air. Her haughty tone spoke volumes. "William's grandson? What does that snot-nosed boy have to do with any of this? No wonder nothing is getting done." Victoria spat, leaving a cold, icy sensation in the room. "Trying to follow in his grandfather's footsteps?"
"Not likely! The mob murdered him because they wanted the book, and he wouldn't give it to them. He's here because he pleaded his grandfather's case and was given one chance to make amends. On the other hand, your interference almost destroyed his efforts."
"My what?" Victoria's ethereal light sparked around her. "My actions, you mean! Do you dare to question me? You were doing nothing. You brought the mortal here but did not tell her anything. Well, now she knows what she's up against, right?" Objects in the room rattled, and faint whispers echoed as if the room itself protested her fury.
"Victoria, get off your pedestal. That might have worked in your day, but it won't do anything here. Sandra could have been lost forever, and the book has disappeared." James shook his head, trying to dispel his anger.
"Maybe the stranger has it?" Victoria murmured, suggesting he wasn't as innocent or heroic as it seemed.
"That's doubtful. His name is Tim, and his only concern was saving Sandra."
"Why? So, he's Billy's friend. What connection does that give him to the mortal?" Still searching for salvation for her acts, Victoria continued to portray the aristocrat she once was, speaking down to the others.
"She's an important part of his past. Like all of us, he has something to atone for. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and lost his wife and four-year-old daughter. He will risk everything, including his one chance for redemption, to save Sandra."
"She is his daughter?" Lorrie gasped, and her hands flew to her mouth in surprise. "James, we must tell her."
"I agree. Sandra needs to know the entire story, and whether she proceeds will be up to her. Noah, or any of us, ever thought this would become such a tangled web. The Judge —" James glared at Victoria. "Or, as Victoria says, Billy was only trying to save his grandfather by returning the hidden treasures, and then Ryan and Benny got caught up in it, too."
Lorrie's hands twisted her apron as she paced. "If the book —" She cried, "Oh, James, the Judge — both of them are doomed."
A sorrowful, guttural wail escaped Victoria's being. Her figure appeared to fade, losing its intense light. "No, it can't be. Tell me, I'm not responsible for dooming my love to hell. It can't be."
"Without the book —" James shrugged his shoulders.
"Wait! Sandra has the key. I gave it to her before we —" Victoria's voice trailed off.
James's eyes flared with anger as he spun around to face Victoria. He took several menacing steps toward her before Lorrie stepped between the two, clutching the front of his shirt.
"Now, James, get control of yourself. I'm sure Victoria is rightfully suffering as it is." She cast a doubtful look in the woman's direction before continuing, "Squabbling won't —"
"Squabbling! If she weren't already dead, I'd kill her myself," James snarled. Exhaling, he removed Lorrie's hands and looked into her eyes. A gentleness returned, and he sighed. "You are right, dear lady. My job is to make amends and not anything else."
Mournful whispering floated from Victoria's being before she spoke, "I'm sorry. I was only trying to help. You know I would never do anything to hurt the Judge — my love. But how is his grandson involved in this?"
A spiteful grin crossed Lorrie's face as she answered, "You mean you've been left in the dark?" Lorrie chuckled and continued, "The Judge's last chance hangs on the success of his grandson, or Billy, as you prefer to call him."
"On Billy? How can that young boy atone for my William's mistakes?" Victoria huffed.
James answered this time.,"He's not a boy any longer. He was a well-respected Judge. He was murdered when the mob came looking for the book, and he refused to tell them where it was hidden. He knew that his grandfather had been trying to make amends before his untimely death, so he petitioned to stand in his place."
Victoria gasped. "You mean, he was willing to surrender himself to —" As remorse filled Victoria's being, her light brightened again, and the chill left the room.
A low moan from the bed stopped all conversation as the three ethereal spirits turned toward Sandra.
Lorrie hurried to the bedside, lifting Sandra's hand in hers. "She'll be awake very soon, James. It's time to call that meeting and clear the air. I'm sure she'll have plenty of questions if she doesn't jump out of bed and run. And you should be prepared with the answers."
*****
Sandra sat in the dimly lit study; a fog swirled around in her mind, leaving her confused and slightly disoriented. The lingering effects of the ethereal attack left her weak and drained. Her hands trembled as she wrapped them around a warm cup of tea, trying to calm her nerves.
She'd always been skeptical of the supernatural, but now, faced with her current reality, she couldn't deny the truth unless she was insane. She studied the crowded room, trying to recognize those she knew, those she had assumed were mortals, and those who sent goosebumps throughout her body.
Lorrie bustled about with trays of tea and pastries. James, the Judge, Ryan, and Benny were in deep conversation with another man. As he turned and glanced at Sandra, she felt a sudden warmth surround her.
Her eyes widened as she recognized him. He'd been the stranger who confronted her in the carriage house and warned her of the danger. Once again, she felt a familiarity in his face and a kindness in his piercing blue eyes.
Was he real or a ghost? Were any of these mortals? Surely, Lorrie and James were of this world, right? And the Judge, Ryan, and Benny —" Hadn't she talked and joked with them after Noah's funeral? They had to be mortals as well, right? Had Victoria been a dream and the rest a nightmare?
Sandra's gaze flitted from one figure to another, her thoughts racing as she tried to make sense of the surreal tableau before her. The warmth from the stranger's glance lingered, starkly contrasting the cold uncertainty gripping her.
Lorrie placed her tray on the side table and hurried across the room to Sandra. She was well aware of the confusion the girl must feel.
"Lorrie," Sandra began, her voice wavering slightly, "what's happening? Who are they?" She gestured towards the group engaged in conversation and the vague figures in the back of the room.
"James and a few others will explain it to you, my dear. You've been through quite an ordeal, which none of us intended." The housekeeper patted Sandra's arm. "Are you sure you are up to this conversation? It can wait if you aren't."
"No! I need to understand. Was —" She swallowed hard and let her eyes dart around the room, observing the people she thought she knew and those she did not. "Lorrie, did I awake from a nightmare, or am I still dreaming?"
"Oh, child, I know this is impossible to understand or accept, but I pray for everyone's sake you will try to listen and comprehend what they tell you."
Sandra's eyes pleaded as she looked at the housekeeper, the woman she had dubbed a sweet grandmother. "Are they real, a figment of my imagination or—" Sandra stammered, "Are they ghosts — spirits of dead people?"
Lorrie's smile was warm and comforting, but her words sent a chill through Sandra. "They are like us, dear. Souls trapped in this purgatorial mansion, seeking solace and redemption."
Sandra's mind reeled at the revelation. "But — but I've talked to them, laughed with them. They seemed so real."
James knelt beside Sandra's chair and took her trembling hand, his expression grave yet compassionate. "In this realm, realities intertwine, and the boundaries between mortal and spirit blur. The experiences you remember are real but exist in a plane where past and present converge."
Shaking her head, Sandra gulped. "You —" Her eyes shifted to Lorrie. "And you — you're spirits, too?"
Lorrie nodded. "James and I are here by our own choosing. Me, because this is the only home I ever knew. My grandmother and her mother were the first housekeepers. When my mother passed, I became the last one to exist in the mansion. It sat empty for years until it was deemed to be a way station, purgatory, so to speak. The people who were repentant of their past were given one last chance to redeem themselves. I chose to join James in managing the house. His duties are to write the ending of each spirit's story and present it to a panel that decides whether they receive eternal life or are doomed to damnation."
Sandra stammered, "The nightmare — were they —"
"Real?" James squeezed her hand. "Yes, but you were never to see them. Victoria overstepped." Lorrie's eyes darkened as she glared at the other woman.
Victoria, usually quick to display her emotions, remained silent, her gaze fixed on Sandra with a mix of hope and uncertainty.
"The Judge, Ryan, and Benny, are they spirits, too?"
"Yes, each one of them has their own story. The Judge and the book are what brought you here." James's eyes flickered toward Victoria, and then he continued, "Victoria refers to the Judge as Billy because he is the grandson of Judge William Parker, whose life story you discovered in the book. After his murder, our Judge chose to return to purgatory and make amends for his grandfather so that they both could live throughout eternity together. He hoped with your help, he could make the lives of some better by returning things stolen, providing money, or simply finding ways to better their lives."
"But why me? I'm a fledgling reporter with little knowledge of crime or spirits." Sandra choked on her words, "Until this second — this — couldn't — be real."
"We have watched you and observed your actions," Lorrie added gently, her ethereal presence exuding warmth despite the somber atmosphere. "You possess a kindness and determination that we believe can help us break free from this cycle of eternal suffering."
"You're asking me to save you from damnation?" Sandra finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly. Her eyes widened in disbelief, but she remained silent, urging James to continue.
James nodded solemnly. "Yes, but it's not just for our sake. There are forces at play here, such as ancient debts and unfinished business, that tie us to this place. We believe that by helping us, you can find answers to your questions, perhaps even closure."
The stranger, his presence commanding yet strangely comforting, approached and joined the conversation. For some unexplainable reason, Sandra felt warm as the chill left her bones, and their eyes met.
"You — you were in the carriage house. You warned me of the danger. It's odd, but I felt like I knew you before that day. Is that possible?"
He smiled and introduced himself, "For now, you can call me Tim." His voice resonated with a quiet strength. "I've walked this path before you, navigating the complexities of this limbo. Your presence here is not a coincidence. I suggested to James and the Judge that you might hold the metaphorical and literal key to our salvation."
Sandra's heart raced as she absorbed the weight of Tim's words. "A key? What key?"
"You have the key to unlocking the mysteries that bind us here," James explained, his eyes reflecting a glimmer of hope. You have the power to unveil the secrets buried within this mansion, the truths hidden in forgotten memories."
"Me? But how?" Sandra's voice trembled with fear and determination.
Tim placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Through understanding, through courage, and through the choices you make. The path ahead is daunting, but you are not alone. A common goal, a shared destiny, binds us."
Sandra looked around, her eyes meeting those of her spectral companions and the strangers who were not quite mortal, not quite ghosts.
"Will you help us, Sandra?" Lorrie's voice carried a plea and a promise.
Sandra took a deep breath, steeling herself for the journey ahead. "Yes," she said with conviction, her voice steadier now. "I'll do whatever I can to help." Knowing she had no idea what she was getting herself into but determined to discover the secrets buried within the mansion walls, she agreed.
 Recognized |
Sandra Monroe - fledgling investigative reporter
Annie - Sandra's loyal assistant
Les - Sandra's boss
Detective Ryan Hamilton
Judge William Parker
Benny Gonzales - The Hitman
Lorrie - the housekeeper
James Matthews - writer living in the mansion's carriage house
Noah Wakefield - deceased
Madeline Wakefield - widow
Tim - The Familiar Stranger
Kitty, Maggie, Frank, Teresa - ghosts from Madeline's past
The sheriff - An evil man given one last chance to change his ways
Victoria - the ghostly mistress
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Annie - Sandra's loyal assistant
Les - Sandra's boss
Detective Ryan Hamilton
Judge William Parker
Benny Gonzales - The Hitman
Lorrie - the housekeeper
James Matthews - writer living in the mansion's carriage house
Noah Wakefield - deceased
Madeline Wakefield - widow
Tim - The Familiar Stranger
Kitty, Maggie, Frank, Teresa - ghosts from Madeline's past
The sheriff - An evil man given one last chance to change his ways
Victoria - the ghostly mistress
You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.
© Copyright 2024. Begin Again All rights reserved.
Begin Again has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
