~Warning the following section of Marionette of Sorrows may be upsetting to some.~
A multitude of emotions went through Connor as he looked down at the Marionette. At first he wanted to run from the house and forget that he had even bought it. But the reality of it was that he had fallen in love with the Victorian home and sunk a pretty penny in it with the mortgage that he had taken out on it, that was going to take him most of his life to pay off. No he couldn’t leave this place just yet he had to finish what he started, maybe then when the house was completely restored he could sell it.
The dreams still plagued him as the days past, each one blending into each other. Waking in the office always startled him but not as much as finding the doll with him. Its painted body was chipped and crackled just like the walls of the house that he had yet to restore. He thought of getting rid of it but in the end he just kept putting it back into the little room in the basement that had once been bricked up. Perhaps I should brick it up again he thought to himself as he sat on the edge of his bed pushing off the slippers he had gotten to protect his feet from the cold drafty floors.
Leaning back uneasily he felt himself sink into the bed and his pillow. As he closed his eyes the last thing Connor remembered was thinking, Please don’t dream Please don’t dream. Please don’t ….
She smiled at herself in the small mirror that hung on the wall in the servant’s quarters, admiring the glow her face had and the reason behind it. The sun had not yet risen and though she was tired today was oddly felt good. She couldn’t explain why but the moment she opened her eyes she felt a feeling of hope and giddiness. Master Warren’s mood though had darkened as the weeks past since that night as he seemed to have forgotten what had happened between them. But that didn’t matter today was the day that something good was going to happen, she just knew.
After she had finished preparing breakfast she carefully carried up the tray of piping hot food for her mistress, after all Master Warren insisted on a full breakfast for his wife even if she just picked at it barely eating more than a few morsels. Quietly she rapped on the door and after a moment a white faced Master Warren partially opened the door before coming out and shutting it behind him excluding her from any view of the room. “Breakfast sir.” She said quietly as he looked at her for a moment before saying “That’s alright Bethany I’ll take it in to her.” He replied hastily while grabbing the tray out of her hands and quickly shutting the door behind him.
The rest of the day Bethany went about her work, scrubbing the house to an immaculate beauty she was proud of and cooking the meals for the household. By the time it was nightfall and her work was done she thought of retiring to her room but instead decided to take a walk out by the pond to look at the stars. As she walked towards the pond the cattails were swaying in the night breeze. The sky was full of stars, not a cloud in sight to muddle the beauty of it. When she got to the old willow tree Next to the pond she was surprise to see Master Warren sitting under it.
“Master Warren.” She exclaimed feigning surprise at the sight of him. “Bethany, I didn’t expect you to be out here.” He said as he quickly got up “Master Warren can I talk to you.” She asked moving closer as she placed her hand on the old tree. “Bethany I don’t know if this is a good time.” He said quietly as he turned to look back at the lake with it’s pristine reflection of the starry night. Bethany thought for a few moments in the night’s silence they only sound that could be heard was the sound of the cattails brushing against each other.
If I tell him it might make him happy, perhaps forget that dying wife upstairs or at least soften the effects of when she does pass. “Master Warren I’m with child, that night when we were in your office.” She said trying to hide the happiness and hopefulness in her voice. She watched him for his reaction but like the night he was silent too. “Master Warren?” She questioned with the first pang of doubt going through her as she reached out and touched his shoulder. But at the feeling of her touch he yanked himself away and turned to face. Though it was dark out she could see his face clearly and the look on it scared her.
“Miss Canter.” He said icily “My wife is dying and you thought to tell me that you are carrying my child. What will the towns’ people think when she dies and you are with child?” He demanded angrily “I thought that…” But she never did get to explain what she had thought because as she begun to nervously explain he grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. “You thought what? That you could take Emily’s place? With her barely even in her grave?” He asked as he shook her. “I…” She tried to speak and struggled to release herself from his hold but it was useless.
Connor
Darkness was all that he saw when he opened his eyes. He tried to take a deep breath but instead swallowed water. As the water began to fill his mouth he started to panic, thrashing his arms around trying to grab a hold of something, anything. Kicking his legs Connor broke through the water surface, inhaling the crisp night air. Glancing around he was able to see that he was in his backyard pond, the old oak tree was only yards away a harsh reminder of what he had just dreamed.
A multitude of emotions went through Connor as he looked down at the Marionette. At first he wanted to run from the house and forget that he had even bought it. But the reality of it was that he had fallen in love with the Victorian home and sunk a pretty penny in it with the mortgage that he had taken out on it, that was going to take him most of his life to pay off. No he couldn’t leave this place just yet he had to finish what he started, maybe then when the house was completely restored he could sell it.
The dreams still plagued him as the days past, each one blending into each other. Waking in the office always startled him but not as much as finding the doll with him. Its painted body was chipped and crackled just like the walls of the house that he had yet to restore. He thought of getting rid of it but in the end he just kept putting it back into the little room in the basement that had once been bricked up. Perhaps I should brick it up again he thought to himself as he sat on the edge of his bed pushing off the slippers he had gotten to protect his feet from the cold drafty floors.
Leaning back uneasily he felt himself sink into the bed and his pillow. As he closed his eyes the last thing Connor remembered was thinking, Please don’t dream Please don’t dream. Please don’t ….
She smiled at herself in the small mirror that hung on the wall in the servant’s quarters, admiring the glow her face had and the reason behind it. The sun had not yet risen and though she was tired today was oddly felt good. She couldn’t explain why but the moment she opened her eyes she felt a feeling of hope and giddiness. Master Warren’s mood though had darkened as the weeks past since that night as he seemed to have forgotten what had happened between them. But that didn’t matter today was the day that something good was going to happen, she just knew.
After she had finished preparing breakfast she carefully carried up the tray of piping hot food for her mistress, after all Master Warren insisted on a full breakfast for his wife even if she just picked at it barely eating more than a few morsels. Quietly she rapped on the door and after a moment a white faced Master Warren partially opened the door before coming out and shutting it behind him excluding her from any view of the room. “Breakfast sir.” She said quietly as he looked at her for a moment before saying “That’s alright Bethany I’ll take it in to her.” He replied hastily while grabbing the tray out of her hands and quickly shutting the door behind him.
The rest of the day Bethany went about her work, scrubbing the house to an immaculate beauty she was proud of and cooking the meals for the household. By the time it was nightfall and her work was done she thought of retiring to her room but instead decided to take a walk out by the pond to look at the stars. As she walked towards the pond the cattails were swaying in the night breeze. The sky was full of stars, not a cloud in sight to muddle the beauty of it. When she got to the old willow tree Next to the pond she was surprise to see Master Warren sitting under it.
“Master Warren.” She exclaimed feigning surprise at the sight of him. “Bethany, I didn’t expect you to be out here.” He said as he quickly got up “Master Warren can I talk to you.” She asked moving closer as she placed her hand on the old tree. “Bethany I don’t know if this is a good time.” He said quietly as he turned to look back at the lake with it’s pristine reflection of the starry night. Bethany thought for a few moments in the night’s silence they only sound that could be heard was the sound of the cattails brushing against each other.
If I tell him it might make him happy, perhaps forget that dying wife upstairs or at least soften the effects of when she does pass. “Master Warren I’m with child, that night when we were in your office.” She said trying to hide the happiness and hopefulness in her voice. She watched him for his reaction but like the night he was silent too. “Master Warren?” She questioned with the first pang of doubt going through her as she reached out and touched his shoulder. But at the feeling of her touch he yanked himself away and turned to face. Though it was dark out she could see his face clearly and the look on it scared her.
“Miss Canter.” He said icily “My wife is dying and you thought to tell me that you are carrying my child. What will the towns’ people think when she dies and you are with child?” He demanded angrily “I thought that…” But she never did get to explain what she had thought because as she begun to nervously explain he grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. “You thought what? That you could take Emily’s place? With her barely even in her grave?” He asked as he shook her. “I…” She tried to speak and struggled to release herself from his hold but it was useless.
The only thing she could see was his green eyes but they were not the warm ones that she had known, instead they were something frightening and desperate. It was then she noticed that her dress was wet. Confused she tried to look around and realized she was in the pond. “Ezra, no please don’t.” She cried out using his first name in hopes to break him from his anger. But it served no use as he shoved her under the water, holding her under as she continued to struggle. Trying to grab a hold of something in hopes to save her life she clawed at his jacket until her movements began to weaken. In the last moments of her life she saw through the stilling water the dark sky full of it’s stars shining like bits of silver.
Connor
Darkness was all that he saw when he opened his eyes. He tried to take a deep breath but instead swallowed water. As the water began to fill his mouth he started to panic, thrashing his arms around trying to grab a hold of something, anything. Kicking his legs Connor broke through the water surface, inhaling the crisp night air. Glancing around he was able to see that he was in his backyard pond, the old oak tree was only yards away a harsh reminder of what he had just dreamed.
This is really good, I wish you'd write more.
ReplyDelete