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Something had dragged me to the creepy mansion decaying in the forest, my green tea spinning in my palm. Today was my first day of work and Matty had let me go reluctantly with the rule that I had to wear a salt dough necklace, his smile bringing joy back to my heart. Stepping through the threshold, my fingers played with the laminated black salt dough triangle contrasting my violet sweatshirt dress. Sitting down in the center of the floor, my shaking fingers sprinkled salt around me. Gulping down the green tea, I curled into a ball. Sinking into a deep slumber, it was time to help a couple move on.
Sitting up, the colors blinded me. Golden candelabras held candles, the wallpaper stealing my attention. It was almost as I stepped back in time, my feet stepping over the salt circle protecting my body. Unsure of where to begin, my eyes stopped on a painting of a man with pristine golden waves. His gray eyes bore right into my soul, Victoria stealing me away into the darkest corner. Tapping my shoulders, we were both wearing black maid outfits. Fixing my hair, her kind eyes met mine.
“Matty sent me once I woke up from my nap.” She chirped, donning a matching smile to my genuine smile. "We are trapped in a memory and we have to solve the problem to get out of it. In this case it is finding lost lovers and reuniting them in a party of sorts. I think I may have actually attended this one.” Fixing all the lace, she pushed me out. Joining my side, an impatient butler placed a tray on my palm. Pushing me into the parlor, my breath hitched at the man in the painting reaching for a drink off of my tray.
“You are new. I don’t remember hiring you.” He growled icily, my whole body shaking as Victoria popped up by my side. “You are working dinner tonight, right?” Seconds from punching him in his face, Victoria’s hand took mine. Taking a step in front of me, she bowed to the bastard in his scarlet velvet suit.
“You won’t talk to my cousin like that!” She barked venomously, dumping a whole tray of alcohol onto his suit. Glass shattered at my feet, a beautiful blonde woman with gray eyes spun into the room. The soft pink silk floated around her feet, the lace reminding me of a lily on a summer day. Stepping in between the two of them, my eyes met the quivering eyes of a young butler in the corner. His shaggy brown hair floated over his emerald eyes, the pristine black suit hugging his tall slender but muscular body. Love glistened in his eyes, the daughter of the lord flirting right back. Shutting the fight, the well dressed gentleman and ladies whispered among themselves.
“Is this party not for me to pick a suitor?” She chirped cheerfully, pushing Victoria out of hitting distance. Fury burned in my eyes at the bruises peeking through her makeup, her body trembling in front of her father. His hand raised in the air, my hand catching his wrist. A snarl twitched on his lips, something smelling rotten about the memory. Knocking me to the floor, the force keeping them apart must be him.
“You are lower than me. I have every right to hit your daughter.” He bellowed thunderously, marching over to me. Picking me up by my throat, he pinned me to the wall. Fine plates smashed against the floor, his boots crushing glass with each step closer to me.
“You sure look pretty but I refuse to date below my status.” He taunted cruelly, tightening his grip. “Besides you are swollen with a child. I will not even begin to wonder what poor peasant has taken you like a sow.” A determined grin twitched on my lips, the heel of my boots knocking him back. Grabbing the butler and lord daughter’s hands, I dragged them out of the room. Ignoring the hand mark on my neck, I needed to bring them back to the real realm. A burning sensation heated up my neck, Victoria helping me run faster towards my body. The walls began to decay, his voice ordering for me to stop. Pushing through the increasing searing pain, my fingers refused to let go. Jumping towards my body, Victoria kicked him away. Landing into my body, a bright light blinded me.
Sitting up, the spirit of the two lovers floated next to me. Both of them wore bloody versions of their outfits, Victoria flashing me a bright smile. Night had devoured the afternoon, the pale moonlight bathed the worn floorboards. Struggling to my feet, the barrier had to be dealt with. The lord’s daughter pressed her palms together, her kind smile melting my heart.
“I am Lilianna and he is Rutford. You reunited us but we can leave with his barrier up. I hate him with a burning passion.” She introduced herself, Rutford smothering her with kisses. Their love didn’t excuse the blood on their clothes, my mind moving a mile a minute. His words ate at me, my head turning towards them.
“Stay in the circle. I have to get that barrier open so you can be set free. Hang tight, ‘kay.” I promised with my brightest smile, the wood groaning the moment I stepped out of the circle. Offering Victoria my hand, her icy fingers curled around mine. Thanking God that my sweatshirt dress now hugged my body, we had a job to do. Reinforcing the circle with more salt, Victoria fussed over the hand print on my neck. Feeling around my pocket, the key to Hell spun in my palm. The reaper had dropped it off last night, a feeling of dread mixed with the normal amount of fear. Wishing that I had a scythe of my own, the key was all he could give me. Pausing at his moldy portrait, his steely gaze pierced my soul. Shaking my head, I had to focus on the task at hand. I failed to see why I had to send him to Hell when he should have done it years ago. A dark energy called for me to climb the stairs, the moldy carpet squishing with each step. The air grew heavier with each step, an oppressive weight resting on my chest in front of the warped door. Taking a deep breath, whatever vision I saw was merely a memory. Pushing it open, a small yelp escaped my lips at the bleeding images of the two ghosts waiting patiently for me downstairs. The color drained from my face at the hollow footfalls coming down the hall, each step quickening. Running into the room, I slammed the door shut behind me. Leaning against the door, Victoria paced back and forth with every rattle of the door. There wasn’t a ton of fear in the moment, just pure frustration in my lack of a proper weapon. Scanning the tattered room, my eyes fell on the rusty cross resting in the corner. Taking a deep breath, I only had a couple of seconds to grab it. Counting to myself, Matty’s voice woke a fresh fear in my eyes. The empty footfalls charged toward him, my fingers grabbing the cross from its corner. Bursting through the door, Matty was floating twenty feet in the air. Sliding down the railing, the lord grinned at me.
“Release the lovers or he dies because of you, you stupid sow.” His gravelly voice threatened wickedly, my thoughts becoming jumbled at the sight of his rotting body. Maggots splattered upon impact, Matty telling me to run. Motioning Victoria to come over to me, my hand cupping her ear.
“Catch him when he falls or slow it down.” I whispered discreetly, my hand raising the cross over my head. “I have a plan.” Whipping it towards the rotting soul, Matty screamed out for me to stop the moment his hands let him go. Victoria rushed towards him, my feet pounding down the hall. Dark energy bathed the hallway behind me, the wood groaning causing my eyes to widen. The entire structure gave out, musty air rushing around me as I crashed through another floor and into the basement. The only thing that saved my child and I was a pile of mattresses, my eyes scanning the darkness. Now wasn’t the time to be scared, my hands feeling around the floor. The reaper said something about going to the lowest room in the mansion, a stream of curse words flooding from my lips at my broken phone. Nothing had me shaking in my boots, the worst spirit I had encountered being Victoria’s husband. The ancient furnace roared to life, a couple of white feathers floating down. A lock appeared on the furnace, my finger curling around the key. Attempting to move my leg, an ivory tip stuck out of my ankle. Fighting the urge to throw up, it took everything to reach the damn thing. Shoving the key into the lock, the door swung open. The screams of Hell pierced my eyes, blood pouring from my ears. Seconds from picking me up, Victoria pushed him into the portal to Hell. Matty slammed it shut, his eyes falling on my broken leg. Cupping my face, more fear burned in his eyes than mine. Kissing me feverishly, a rough darkness stole me away.
Beeping woke me up, bright lights blinding me. Struggling to sit up, Matty made me lay back down. The sound of a heartbeat echoed around the room, my hand falling to my round belly. Wondering if the baby was alright, Victoria assured me in a hushed tone. Attempting to move my left foot, a black cast weighed it down.
“My key! Where is the key?” I urgently demanded, confused expressions meeting my worn face. A cold breeze cooled the room a solid twenty degrees, a hooded reaper shook it on his finger before disappearing. Melting into a puddle of pain, Matty leaned over to kiss my forehead.
“I love you too much to be mad at you but next time, I will be joining you.” He growled through gritted teeth, his expression telling me that he was indeed rather furious. “At least the baby is okay. Before you ask, those lovely people floated into the sky.” Fighting back tears, a fury seethed in his eyes at the burnt hand print around my neck. Excusing himself, guilt dimmed my eyes. Mary sprinted into the room, a huge rose bouquet bounced with each step. The plastic crinkling aggravated my throbbing migraine, an iced tea clinked in her hands.
“Help me out of all of this.” I pleaded with a nervous grin, her lips parting to speak. The whole town piled into the room, all of them fussing over me. Derrick waved at me in the back, every single one of them holding a bouquet of flowers. Fighting back tears, the fact that everyone came to see if I was okay made me want to weep with joy.
“Can you all leave for a minute?” He asked through gritted teeth, everyone leaving us alone for a minute. “Do you know what hell you put me through! You said that this job would be easy but it wasn’t! You are lucky our baby survived!” Seething in rage, he began to pace. Waving his hands around, every breath grew shorter. The machines went haywire, his expression softening. Alas, it was all too late.
“I didn’t plan on that!” I returned, my voice cracking as I ripped everything out. “I am sorry that I injured myself. I didn’t choose this life. I didn’t want any of this!” Attempting to limp away, he clutched me close to his chest. Tears soaked the top of my head, his chin resting on the top of my head. Brushing his lips against the top of my head, the weight of it all hit me.
“I know you didn’t but let me go next time. We can be the next Ed and Lorraine.” He joked tenderly, rubbing my arms. The door ripping open shattered the moment his mother burst into the room, her swift hands hooking everything back into place. Chastising me with a touch of tough love, the cotton of her scrubs tickled my cheek. Kissing my forehead, tears welled up in my eyes.
“You need to let others take care of you. Matty gets this way when he cares a ton about something. He has loved you since he met you that day in school. I always knew that you spent the night quite a bit that last year of school.” She fretted in a motherly tone, scarlet coloring my cheeks. "I was so happy you were safe for those nights. I will always be there for you.” The mood in the room shifted, Matty and his mother glaring at the stranger entering the room. A worn man with a wild mane of gray hair and hazel eyes hung back, scratching at his scruff in response to his stress. His empty ring finger spoke of another failed marriage, his blue plaid shirt floating away from his firm chest. Clearing his throat, it looked like life had kicked his ass.
“Matty, I am sorry for walking away.” He apologized sincerely, Matty holding his mother back. “When I found out that you were having a baby I thought I would try to fix things. Also you have a whole town’s worth of people waiting to greet her. Are you the amazing Lily they keep talking about?” Sitting up with his mother’s help, my real smile relaxed some of his nerves. His mother broke free from Matty’s arms, her clenched fist meeting his cheek. Stumbling back, he skidded across the floor. Putting his hands in the air, Matty panicked in front of me. Running his hands through his hair repeatedly, his mother berating him for leaving. Clapping my hands, they all turned towards me.
“At least your dad came back. He even said he wasn’t looking to revive the marriage.” I pointed out calmly, two death glares and a tired expression meeting my nervous smile. “Would you like to hold my bump?” Resting my hand on my bump, he struggled to his feet. Placing his palms on my bump, my hand reached for the cold cup sitting next to my bed. Pressing it against his blossoming bruise, tears of mixed emotions flooded from his eyes. Setting the cup back onto the stand next to me, my arms pulled him into a warm embrace. Sobbing into my shoulder, Matty cocked his brow in my direction. A fight would occur once everything died down but it would all be worth it in my opinion. Letting him go, fear mixed with regret. Matty approached him awkwardly, offering him his hand.
“Shake it if you mean your words. I will give you three chances and you need to apologize to my mother.” He growled through gritted teeth, his eyes falling on me. “If my wife wants your piece of shit ass in her life then I will have to allow it. Did you lose your job or something? Is there anything else you need or are you going to walk out of my life again.” That exchange heated up fast, my palms rubbing my bump.
“I have a job at the local newspaper and I live in my apartment in the town of your store.” His father returned bitterly, shaking his son’s hands. “Your mother forgot to tell you that I have always wanted to see you but she wouldn’t let me.” Turning his head towards his mother, guilt dimmed her eyes. Swallowing the lump in her throat, a groan flooded from Matty’s lips.
“What the hell is he talking about?” He demanded hotly, his temper flaring again. “All the times you said he was busy when I did occasionally ask were lies. I love you but right now I need to go for a walk!” Marching briskly out of the room, an awkward silence poisoned the air. Clearing my throat, his parents looked seconds from killing each other.
“What you did was wrong and I can’t agree what either of you did but perhaps you want to tell me why the divorce was so rough?” I questioned calmly, both of them sitting on either side of me. “Honestly, was all the fighting worth it? Matty only ever wanted you to get along. He often spoke of how he wanted to see his dad all the time and cried on my shoulders about your divorce. He chose to smile around you to keep you happy. Every day he wore a sad smile on his face when I wasn’t looking. You guys fucked up and you didn’t even know.” Guilt dimmed their eyes, my hands taking the closest hand from each parent. Smiling warmly in their direction, the fact that his parents were alive ate at me.
“Having lost my parents, I can tell you this. I would rather have them be divorced than dead.” I continued kindly, violent sobs wracking their bodies. Pulling them both into a bear hug, Matty knocked on the door. Letting out a long sigh, silent tears stained his cheeks. Letting in the whole town, the distraction of it all would allow him to feel safe. Backing off, his parents excused himself to speak with him. Basking in the warmth of my new family, the quiet rage faded away the moment they all began to fuss over me. Was this what family was like?
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