Love Transcends

The night air was not so much nippy as it was downright biting cold yet still, Hannah drove with the windows down. Well her window at least - her passengers, hugging themselves tightly, had theirs all the way up.

“Hannah! It is freezing would you please roll up the window?!” Katherine, her sister, pleaded again to no avail.

“It’s just a little nippy,” Hannah shrugged with a smile as the wind washed over her face. She could never understand how people cannot appreciate a beautiful, cool night. “Mother nature’s air conditioning. What could be better?!”

“Warmth!” Katherine whined. She scooched to the centre of the backseat to look at Amy as she tried another approach, “Amy please, tell her to roll up the window!”

Like Katherine, after forty minutes of driving in such conditions, Amy was practically a human ice block but that did not mean she was going to help fight Katherine’s battle.

“You should know your sister by now. She is not going to budge.” Amy said, casting her eyes over to Hannah. She couldn’t stop the smile that always comes when she admires the way Hannah unreservedly embraces life and all its nuances; even when it makes her uncomfortable, like now. Hannah’s guileless bliss is worth a little discomfort every now and then.

“What’s the point of being her girlfriend if you can’t get her to do something for you?” Katherine quipped out of frustration.

Amy turned to look at her best friend with a smile, “That’s the thing, I can get her to do stuff for me but I also do stuff for her; like letting her enjoy the fine line between mother nature’s air conditioning and frostbite.”

No matter how adorable Amy’s sentiment, Katherine scoffed; sentiment was not going to keep her warm for the next twenty minutes.

When they arrived at Hannah and Kathrine’s grandfather’s home - the place they had spent every school vacation and once loved with all their hearts - Katherine bolted from the car before Hannah could even shut it off.

“It’s funny how this place gives me the creeps now...” Hannah speculated, rolling up her window, as she and Amy sat, looking up at the mansion.

The roof had caved in years before over one of the upstairs guest rooms, and when it did, one of the beams broke right through the bedroom’s floor resulting in half of said room now residing within the expansive drawing-room. The gutters bellied here and swung freely there, large chunks of the outer walls had fallen away, laying on the ground like some new sort of decoration. Vines entrapped most of the windows except the ones belonging to the observatory. Hannah mused that it was either too high for the vines to climb up to - unlikely as it sounds - or the slope of the windows was not inviting to them, or maybe it was the large expanse of pure glass with nothing to grip on to. Whatever the reason, it was rather odd to see one blad spot in a sea of vines.

The former glory of the house was something Amy had only heard tales about. The five years she has been with Hannah, this dilapidated structure, barely standing before them, is what she has known as the Lord mansion.

“If only papa had let us maintain it...” Hannah sighed, “I so wish you could have seen this place as the palace it used to be...”

Amy took Hannah’s hand and gave a gentle squeeze, “I see it through your stories. Come,” she kissed Hannah’s hand lightly, “we’re already hours late, let’s not put this off even more.”

Simeon Lord passed away five days ago and left his only earthly possessions - his mansion and everything within it - for his sole surviving relatives, his granddaughters. Safe to say, there really was no salvaging the structure - at least not on their budget - so the women had come for the weekend to clear out his personal belongings and retrieve anything of value before the demolition carded for the coming Wednesday after which, the sisters agreed, they would sell the land and split the gains.

Amy had never enjoyed visiting the Lord mansion. For one thing, the place always gave her a terribly eerie vibe but more so because she was ever aware that Simeon Lord loathed her. Hannah had continually attempted to convince her differently, excusing the old man because he could not understand their relationship. Amy may have been inclined to believe her had it not been that the man never liked her even when she was nothing more than Katherine’s best friend. Amy never fought this point because she was aware of how much Hannah loved her grandfather and vice versa; she simply got conveniently busy at any mention of the sisters going to visit Lord Simeon - as Amy sarcastically referred to him.

Katherine made them each a large mug of hot chocolate which they blew, the steam welcomingly caressing their freezing faces, and sipped while discussing their plan of action.

“If you guys don’t mind I’d much rather stay here.” Amy voiced her preference. She had never ventured further than two of the rooms closest to the foyer - the kitchen and the drawing room.

“You sure baby?” Hannah was actually looking forward to Amy’s company especially now that something about the house was making her uneasy.

Amy nodded, “I’ll catch up on my reading.”

Minutes later, Amy crept into the drawing room and tentatively sat on one of the couches. For every creak, rattle and groan the house made, her hairs stood on end until they simply never relaxed. I should have gone with Hannah… at least I would not have been alone…

She never managed to read a single word and instead locked her phone and put it in her purse so that she could have all her wits about her; irrational as it was.

Her eyes darted frantically, trying to place the source of each and every sound about her.

A chill slowly filled the room causing her to wrap her arms tightly around her body as her eyes scoured every window. One has to be open or broken. What else could cause such a chill?

They all seemed closed and unbroken from where she sat. However, there was one set of windows on the opposite side of the room, past the fallen contents from the upstairs guest room, hidden behind heavy drapes. That has to be the culprit.

The back of her neck prickled uncomfortably as she stood, looked around and made steps towards that window.

What are you doing Amy? She whispered shakily. I should go wait in the car… She was already weaving her way through the debris so she decided instead to push through regardless of her intensifying unease.

She found a long piece of wood and used it to reach the remainder of the way forward and push aside the drapes. To her consternation, there was no way air was sneaking in there. The windows were thoroughly shrouded by thick vines and moss.

Clear as day, she heard the unmistakable drag and stomp that was Simeon Lord’s gait.

With a shrill yelp, she spun around to where she heard the sound.

Nothing.

Her heart pounded relentlessly and her body drenched in a cold sweat as her brain yelled at her feet to run. She didn’t get the opportunity though because the instant her feet responded, a large framed picture from the top of the debris crashed down on her, hit her square in the chest and knocked her down.

Upstairs, Katherine thought she heard something fall but she didn’t think much of it as she figured Hannah probably knocked something over. Hannah, though on the far side of the mansion, was not so much too far away to hear as it was that she had the parlour’s gramophone playing her grandfather’s favourite record.

Amy’s eyes opened and the first thing she was aware of was a splitting headache. Next, she became aware of the large picture frame crushing her chest.

Before she was able to feel the fright of the thought that occurred to her - Lord Simeon is haunting the place! - she noted a stifling heat emanating from the room. She found it peculiar considering she was in this mess because of searching for the reason the room was freezing.

With considerable effort, she pushed the picture off of her and shakily got to her feet. She found the heat source. The couch she was sitting on was ablaze.

Well, I’m not freezing anymore… she laughed humourlessly.

She thought herself insane but was positive that when her eyes made contact with the flames they spread down from the couch and tauntingly set a direct course towards her.

She made the move to run but found her left leg unable to rise. Her foot was stuck snuggly in the debris. Screams ripped from her lungs as she watched the fire encroach on her while she fought to free her foot.

She bent over and attempted every way possible to lift and push the debris that imprisoned her foot. She stood back up and found the fire had spread, forming a barrier between the two sides of the room, as it inched closer to her.

She watched forlornly at her purse sitting, untouched by the fire, on the side table. With no means other than her voice, she yelled and screamed louder than she even thought she could.

Hannah and Katherine came bounding through the drawing room’s entrance almost simultaneously. Horror consumed them.

“My foot is stuck!” Amy shrieked.

Katherine placed her phone to her ear, her stomach hollow and queasy, “I’m calling the fire department but...”

Hannah nodded, “I know...” she dashed off to the parlour as she said, “it would be too late.”

She returned with two thick, soaking wet drapes and before Katherine could cry any warnings to her, she covered her head with one, wrapped it around her body and disappeared into the fire.

Katherine released an involuntary yelp. She gripped her phone tightly as she watched the two remaining people in this world that she loves have their lives threatened. Her silent prayers jumbled as she could not choose what to pray for first. She resorted to a simple, repetitive plead for help.

Try as she might, Hannah was unable to free Amy’s foot and the flames were drawing nearer. The heat was relentless and Amy’s coughing fits were growing longer such that Hannah feared the next one would never stop.

Hannah removed the drape that covered herself and added it to Amy who resisted and protested vehemently, “Hannah no! You need it!”

Hannah gripped her shoulders, “There’s no time to argue. You’ve been in danger longer.” She proceeded to wrap Amy snuggly in her drape and secure it at the back where Amy could not undo it.

The sweltering heat was making it increasingly harder for Hannah to concentrate not to mention the poor vision caused by the thickening black smoke but she was not going to give up.

Finally!

Finally, her hands found the correct combination of pieces to lift along with the strength to do so. The strain was evident in her voice as she hollered, “Now Amy!”

Amy lifted her foot and her heart fluttered to find it freed but upon setting it down, out of harm's way, she winced, a searing pain emanating from it. She could not put her weight on it but she knew she had no choice - the wall of fire was barely a foot away.

Hannah caught her off guard by lifting her, bridal style, and she whined, “Hannah no! Take your blanket! Please! I will make it! ”

Hannah shook her head, “Not fast enough. Cover your face.” She sensed the protest in her girlfriend and so she chastised, “Amy! There is no time!”

Grudgingly, Amy followed instructions and she felt Hannah’s head tuck in the crook of her neck just before she was encased for several seconds in stifling heat. Her only thought was, How the heck is Hannah withstanding this?!

~ ~ ~

The last time Amy had seen her girlfriend was before the woman ran through the Lord mansion fire to save her life.

Amy spent the better part of a week in the hospital owing to her broken left leg. The moment she was discharged, she had Katherine take her to Hannah’s ward but was denied access to the room, being told by a nurse, “Miss Lord has demanded she have no visitors.”

“You don’t understand,” she reasoned with the nurse, “I am her girlfriend.” The nurse repeated her statement. Irritatedly, Amy ordered, “Tell her her girlfriend is here!”

The nurse scoffed and walked away.

“Can you believe her nerve?” Amy looked at Katherine who shrugged. She creased her brows, “What is it?”

Katherine shook her head, “The nurse is right… I haven’t seen Hannah since the ambulance took her.”

The nurse returned with a smug look and announced, “Miss Lord refuses to see you.”

Amy’s mouth hung open and her vision blurred. She had to fight exceedingly hard not to let her tears break free when Katherine’s hand rubbed her back soothingly as she commiserated, “I honestly thought she would see you...” 

In the two weeks that followed, Amy visited the hospital every day, even when Katherine could not take her, she found a way to travel even with her leg cast and crutches, and every day she was denied access to Hannah. As the third week passed, though she persisted, her resolve slowly weakened and she visited every other day.

She worried if Hannah was improving and what her ailments were - she had thoroughly scared herself with research about burn victims - and she wondered when Hannah would be discharged so she could take her home.

“I don’t know why you bother going still,” Katherine told Amy over dinner after she had gone to the hospital for the second and last time the fourth week. “She is being a fool. Give her what she wants.”

Amy shook her head, “Not a chance. She never gave up on me.”

Katherine scoffed, showing her disagreement and Amy realised she needed to distance herself from her best friend. It occurred to her that she had allowed the woman’s negative attitude and comments to seep into her mind and it coaxed her decision to visit the hospital less and less.

In the following three weeks she ignored Katherine and resumed daily hospital visits; regardless of their futility.

Then finally it happened... she asked the nurse to see Hannah Lord and was told, “Miss Lord has been discharged.”

Amy’s face lit up and she excitedly exclaimed, “Finally! Just give me a minute to call her sister to come with the car.”

The nurse shook her head, “No dear, Miss Lord was discharged this morning. She’s gone.”

“Excuse me?!” Amy was irate. “What do you mean she’s gone?! She has no car!”

“She had me call her sister.”

Amy knew her fight was not with the nurse so she refrained from yelling more and instead thanked the woman and walked away.

She called Katherine and the second the line connected she barraged her so-called best friend, “Hannah was discharged?! You couldn’t call me?! You know I was the one there every day! What the hell Katherine?!”

“Amy, come on, don’t take it personally. At least not from me.” Katherine spoke uneasily. “I was following Hannah’s wishes plus… I didn’t know how to break the news to you.”

It did not quell her anger but Amy did hear the sincerity in Katherine’s voice.

“And Amy...” Katherine was clearly hesitant to speak, “she umm… Hannah isn’t home… she’s at papa’s...”

“She’s what?!” Amy bellowed. “You left her there?!”

Amy was beside herself with fury yet still she called work and took a week off on account of an emergency, went home, got some clothes and made her way to the Lord mansion.

Her body flushed upon seeing the wreckage that was the drawing room and with every ounce of courage she could muster, she set foot up the grand staircase.

As per Hannah’s request, Katherine had stocked the observatory with a microwave, kettle and non-perishable foods so Hannah need only leave to go to the bathroom. The only request Katherine failed to observe was that she not tell Amy of Hannah’s whereabouts.

Knowing knocking and calling would serve no purpose, Amy took the skeleton key she had weaselled from Katherine and unlocked the observatory’s door.

Her heart wrenched to see but one shutter closed and Hannah huddled in a corner away from the rectangular glow that washed the room.

“Darling?” Amy said softly, approaching her girlfriend.

Hannah bounded to her feet and turned her back. “Get out!”

Amy stepped closer, “You don’t have your goons to keep me away now.” She placed a gentle hand on Hannah’s shoulder. “Look at me, baby.”

Hannah shook her head, “You need to forget about me Amy, go live your life.”

Amy did not reach this far to give up. She placed her other hand gently on Hannah and turned her. Hannah’s eyes were damp and she quickly hung her head.

Amy walked them into the moon’s glow and lifted Hannah’s chin but she refused to make eye contact. Only the right side of Hannah’s face bore healthy skin. Amy continued to examine her girlfriend, her fingers very lightly running over Hannah’s skin as her eyes travelled. Hannah flinched slightly when Amy’s fingers ran over her forearm.

Amy looked up and found scared, embarrassed eyes looking back at her. She delicately wiped Hannah’s tears and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Hannah’s eyes, still with a constant flow of tears, searched Amy’s as she asked woundedly, “Why aren’t you disgusted?”

“Because I see nothing disgusting.”

“But surely you can’t love the way I look anymore...”

“It was never about loving your looks, Hannah. I love your soul.”