Lost Art of Mystery

Alternate title: Life Force

Hannah

The heavy raspy rhythmic breathing was punctuated by an intermittent sputtering cough as it streamed from the baby monitor in her elderly mother’s bedroom. She leaned over to turn down the volume of the unit sitting on her bedside table. Hannah had recently turned 58 and the idea of spending yet another holiday here was a bitter pill to swallow, but she had long ago accepted this as her lot in life. Dragging herself out of the creaky old twin bed in the guest room, she paused as her leg cramped, cursing loudly while shaking it out. Laughing sarcastically at the absurdity of it all, she headed down a dimly lit Persian carpeted hallway to her mother’s bedroom. As always, the elderly woman slept soundly, lying on her back, head resting on a pale pink silk pillow in a sumptuous queen sized bed, snoring loudly with her mouth agape. Tattered vintage burgundy velvet drapery darkened the room. The crack between the panels leaked a thin stream of light that glittered with dust. The air was stuffy and foul, smelling of urine, bleach and a faint hint of Chanel No 5.

Hannah left the bedroom door ajar as she quietly headed towards the foyer. Pulling on her oversized down coat and slipping into snow boots, she caught a glimpse of herself in the massive ornately carved antique mirror. Alarmed, she hardly recognized the miserable gaunt grey haired woman with a shriveled drawn pale face and beady deep set eyes staring back at her. Hannah sighed audibly, stuffing her phone into a pocket and headed out for her early morning ritual.

As she made her way along the lonely trail, a furious gust of wind whipped up with a terrifying high pitched howl from out of nowhere. The powerful blast rustled the remaining dry leaves clinging to barren brittle branches. Her eyes watered as she pulled the hood tight, shoving her hands into cozy coat pockets. Deeply inhaling the crisp morning autumn air, she counted to 10 as she walked along the trail. From the corner of her eye, she saw what appeared to be a small bird fluttering towards her from deep in the woods. As it came closer, she realized it was a lone oak leaf. The leaf paused briefly just ahead of her, curling its edges in the wind as if it was trying to tell her something. Suddenly, it was whisked up into the air where it hovered momentarily before gently drifting down to the ground. As she passed the leaf, she paused, expecting it to see it move again. It had landed on top of a frayed scrap of faded denim sticking out from a patch of frozen mud. Strange, she thought with a sigh, then kept on walking. Ever since caregiving for her declining mother, she had been having a lot of inexplicable experiences.

She checked the time and walked faster in order to get back by 10 am to wake her mother for breakfast. Hannah cherished early mornings. It was the only time of day when Dorothy slept soundly and she had time to herself. The path widened and the woods opened onto a large field blanketed with a soft layer of fresh snow. She followed the trail uphill to a lookout. From the vista she saw it, a vision perched on a picturesque piece of property, with its dramatic view of the river below; the Hanover Family Estate. She continued walking until she reached the long winding driveway lined with stoic cypress trees which lead towards the decadent mansion. Ivy had grown over much of the stone facing, and the granite steps to the grand entrance were beginning to crumble. The oversized dark red door with brass knockers was in desperate need of a new coat of paint. Even so, she paused to marvel at its majestic appearance each and every time she came back from her walks. She loved to see old photos of the place. In its glory, the estate had been a retreat for foreign dignitaries, famous and infamous characters, and even some kings and queens. Countless stories had been passed down over the decades and she tried her best to keep records. She’d even built an archive in the library from the photos and documents. Her mother had never the time nor energy to do it, and all of the other relatives had passed on long ago. Hannah felt it was her duty and an honor to preserve the home, even if it meant that one day she would donate it. There weren’t many places left as intact as this one. Most had crumbled beyond repair, or worse, been bought and “updated” with no regard for the integrity of materials or historical accuracy. The fabulous Hanover Estate on the banks of the Hudson River would be an ideal destination for fall foliage tourists, private events, as well as history buffs from all walks of life.

Taking the original oversized brass key from its hiding place beneath a statue, she unlocked the massive front door and slowly pushed it open, gripping the heavy metal handle firmly so it wouldn’t squeak. She didn’t want to wake her mother early. As soon as she was up, her peace would end for the day. Toileting, dressing, cooking, cleaning, and keeping the elderly lady entertained was a full time job. This wasn’t something she had ever anticipated, especially at a stage when she had expected to be focusing on her own life, and spending more time with her only daughter who was away at college.

Gemma

Gemma was immersed in her biology program with a concentration in rare species studies, when her mother, Hannah, began falling ill. Initially, she took vacation time to assist her family, but it soon became apparent that the situation at the Hanover Estate was not sustainable. By this time, Hannah had been caring for Dorothy a few years. Between the demands of caregiving and her own declining health, it was obvious that she could no longer handle the situation alone. Elderly Dorothy, being a very stubborn woman, insisted vehemently on remaining in her own home. She repeatedly threatened to donate the entire inheritance to one of her eccentric wealthy neighbors if her daughter and granddaughter refused to care for her. She was resistant to any other caregivers. On the rare occasion when they had hired in a private nurse it was more disastrous than the last, and the help would inevitably leave in tears. She only her allowed her daughter or granddaughter. Not even her daughter’s ex husband could enter the home without encountering fits of rage and resistance. A doctor visited every 6 months to do a wellness exam, and that was about it. With Gemma away at college, the bulk of responsibilities fell on Hannah. When Hannah first began to get sick, it appeared to be a typical case of “caregiver burnout”. Gemma came during college breaks and helped as much as she could, but it soon became obvious that this wasn’t going to be enough.

Dorothy

Looking back, things all really started to go downhill the year Dorothy turned 60. A notoriously vibrant, confidant and beautiful woman, she had always lived an active life, had a myriad of friends and a schedule packed with social engagements. Her favorite hobbies other than fashion and attending or throwing lavish parties, were her flower gardens, where she would spend hours and hours. When in bloom, she picked the spectacular flowers and created elaborate arrangements for the grand foyer. Guests marveled at the gardens, and they often took walks with her to view the variety of roses and topiaries she had designed.

However, one day, everything changed. The last thing she remembered was that while cutting some of her favorite peonies, she saw the shadow of someone or something lurking in the bushes across from her. Alarmed, she quickly stood up and got lightheaded. She fell, hitting her head on a large Italian marble statue of a naked nymph and was found on the ground shortly after by her gardening staff who immediately took her to the hospital. A small cut was stitched up and she was given advice to rest for a few days. Initially, after her brief recovery, she seemed fine. However, during the weeks and months after the accident, her personality changed dramatically. She stopped going to social events, and became more and more reclusive. She developed fixations on the past, especially on her ex husbands and former lovers. Above all, she began to obsess over her appearance and scrutinize every detail of her physical self. A former beauty queen, she maintained her elegant style and kept her dyed blonde hair styled in a coifed bun. She took great pride in looking much younger than her actual age. She had always been a vain woman, but her vanity now escalated. Around this time, she began to spend inordinate amounts of time in her powder room, putting on skin creams and fussing with makeup, then removing it all with cold cream and tissues, repeatedly. In the beginning, her violent outbursts centered around the skincare not being good enough quality, blaming the cosmetics companies. She raged and screamed into the mirror in hysterical fits, throwing jars of creams and lotions, tossing tissues on the floor, and making a huge mess for the housekeepers to clean up.

Scouring online fashion magazines and home shopping networks, she sought out the latest in beauty products. Dorothy began demanding that Hannah order and pick up exclusive skin creams when she went into the city for her medical appointments, even if it meant driving out of her way. She had always been a selfish and self-centered woman with narcissistic tendencies. With age, and especially after the fall, she had become much more so. And on top of that, she was often mean, sarcastic and bitter. She complained incessantly about the small lines forming around her eyes, pulled her face in front of the mirror and shouted about getting a face life in the spring. She screamed with rage when she was woken up too early, claiming that others were robbing her of precious beauty sleep.

The condition progressed. The doctor told Hannah it was likely early onset dementia and that the symptoms might ebb and flow, but it was likely triggered by the fall when she hit her head, coupled with a genetic predisposition. After sundown, Dorothy’s personality took a turn for the worse. Confused, disoriented and lost, her conversations looped and she didn’t recognize her own daughter or even know where she was. Once in bed, she would toss and turn, yelling out randomly at imaginary beings. There was a small child who stood at the foot of her bed glaring at her. There was her ex husband and his lover breaking in to steal all of her belongings. There was an old boyfriend who threatened to kill her and her entire family, as well as many more apparitions. Hannah found herself getting up multiple times all night to assist her mother with the bathroom, changing adult diapers, and making sure her every need was met.

There would be a lull of peace from midnight until about 2 am, after which her mother’s agitation would escalate. Rabid and erratic, she began getting out of bed, putting on a full face of makeup. Initially, she would pace the hallways, calling out the names of her ex husbands and cursing them interchangeably. She would carry a metal candlestick and swing it wildly at imaginary enemies. Shortly thereafter, she began to pull on her coat and leave the house from the front door to wander. When it started, Hannah followed her and even tried locking her in, but this only exacerbated her mother’s outbursts, and she would hurl heavy objects like vases and books through the glass paned windows to escape. Hannah watched in desperation as she trailed behind, but once outdoors, her mother would seem to settle down, seem a lot like her old self, and become soft and friendly. She claimed she just needed fresh air. If Hannah attempted to call her back into the mansion from the front doors, Dorothy would run towards the woods flailing her arms while screaming and growling like a wild animal at her terrified daughter. Hannah gave up on trying to get her to return, since she always came back by 5 am, got back in bed on her own and slept soundly until 10 am. Although strange, at least it was a routine of some sort. She would wake her mother at 10 am daily, and over time, she noticed an impressive increase in her overall vitality.

The Party

Hannah’s health had never been great; sickly as a child, she had been able to manage her various conditions up until now. However, caregiving for her mother, gave much less time for her own health, and she had even needed to quit her research job at the local historical society, which she loved dearly. As time passed, she saw herself age rapidly and started to experience inexplicable aches, pains and weight loss. Meanwhile, her mother, Dorothy, was getting stronger daily and ate like a horse. Due to her vigilant skincare regimen and pricey products, she was looking younger and had a renewed energy and zest for life. It was almost as though she was aging in reverse, while Hannah was rapidly wasting away and losing all of her vitality.

The Christmas celebration was supposed to have been a family vacation to a distant cousin’s upstate country home, but due to Hannah’s health condition and Dorothy’s unpredictable outbursts, they decided to host it at the mansion. The extravagant menu had been prepared by personal chefs, and they hired in professional party planners to have the entire place decked out. Holiday decorations in metallic tones filled the entryway, and a huge fir tree was elegantly draped in vintage tinsel and tiny white lights. The grand fireplace was lit, the Steinway polished, and the place looked outrageously sumptuous and decadent. A local music trio arrived to perform during and after dinner. The guests were some of their long time neighbors who came over for an early afternoon of cocktails followed by a feast. Dorothy made her grand entrance to the party dressed to the nines, in a fabulous full length crimson gown with a fitted bustier and multiple pearl necklaces covering her chest. She looked magnificent and had a powerful aura. Her skin glowed, the makeup enhanced her glittering blue eyes, and her pale blonde-grey hair was swept into a flawless bun. Although she used a cane, it seemed she barely needed it anymore. Meanwhile, her daughter appeared pale and thin. Her dull brown hair was flat and oily with grey roots. She wore a simple black turtleneck dress with brand new designer black pumps and a vintage gold mistletoe necklace garnished with rubies. Gemma arrived a bit later, having taken the train up from the city. She came rushing through the door, a ball of young vitality, wearing a big puffer coat a knit hat with rabbit ears and snow boots. Her big backpack was tossed in the corner as she ran to hug her mother. A tall and big boned girl, she was beautiful, vibrant and bubbly. Her curly brown hair cascaded down her back and she had her father’s deep olive skintone along with her mother’s blue eyes. The energy of the place immediately elevated the moment she walked in. She was flourishing at university, and couldn’t wait to apply for her PhD. Her enthusiasm was contagious and even her mother perked up in her presence. Hannah listened intently as her daughter told her all about college life. She was especially excited to talk about a young man she had recently started dating. It was her very first serious relationship. Enjoying meaningful conversation was something the mother and daughter had missed out on due to the situation with her grandmother. Meanwhile, Dorothy was in great form and she focused on impressing the other guests with her tales of the all of the famous people who used to live on the estate. Gemma loved her mother and felt a deep sadness seeing her trapped on this property. She didn’t know what to do to help, but she wasn’t ready to give up her aspirations and dreams at such a young age. Her mother didn’t ask or want her to either. It was just a very difficult situation with no great solution.

During dinner, the neighbors remarked on how impressed they were with Dorothy’s improved condition. She gushed and glowed with all of the attention lavished on her. It was remarkable. Perhaps it was the candlelight, her makeup, or all of her luxurious skincare products, but she appeared vastly younger than her 85 years. She giggled like a young lady when the personal chef came out to offer her a special drink he had created just for her, he called it the “AdoreMe”. She brazenly flirted with the young man, staring into his eyes as she carefully pursed her crimson lips to take a slow sip. It was hard to imagine that this was the same woman who, after sundown, became so wild and unpredictable, wearing adult diapers and yelling nonsense intermittently as she wandered out into the woods, with no comprehension of time or place. Confused glances were exchanged amongst the guests who were aware of her health issues and had heard rumors of her strange behaviors.

After copious amounts of wine, one of the guests, an eccentric former ballerina from NYC, wearing an oversized feathered headdress with an all white sequins bodystocking, leaned over and whispered to the elderly overweight man next to her. She asked if he’s heard about the missing local woman. His bloodshot green eyes widened as he perked up with curiosity. His jaw dropped as she cupped her hand over his ear and whispered some more details. Mouthing “wow”, he downed his full glass of wine and pushed his thinning hair over the bald head dramatically. Slowly twisting his gold pinky ring on a thick finger, he digested the information. Then he loudly cleared his throat to interrupt the rest of the table. Everyone turned in his direction, and he asked them whether anyone had heard the scandalous news of the woman who had gone missing last month. The guests started to clamor in with ideas and theories. Most assumed that she had run away. The gorgeous, wealthy young newlywed had recently moved up from the city with her husband. The general consensus being that she was “one of those rich stay at home wives who had nothing better to do than go to yoga, pilates and get her hair done”. Her husband commuted for his Wall Street job, and would stay in the city for a few nights a week, while she tended to the small farm they had bought. There was a lot of gossip about the couple in the area, since anytime someone new arrived, they were greeted with suspicion and critical judgement. Especially those “nouveau riche” city folk. Apparently, the couple were converting the old farm property in order to sell organic vegetables. During the week, she was very busy working preparing the farm for the next season. She was friendly with the locals and had even invited some of them to visit the property. In addition to the small farm, they had a few goats and two horses. Apparently, last month when he got back from his work week, his wife was nowhere to be found. The horses were out of the barn, and the goats had gotten inside the mudroom where they’d made a terrible mess. The house was unlocked and she had left her personal affects untouched. The group quarreled over the possibilities and one of the guests even had a friend in the local police force who had told him that it was a downright mystery. She had basically vanished without a trace. No sign of foul play and nothing discovered as of yet to indicate so. Everyone had theories ranging from alien abduction to human trafficking abduction. Of course many attributed her disappearance to a juicy wild online or international affair. It was a real life mystery.

As the guests bantered and went into detail over the missing woman, Hannah quietly excused herself to go lie down before dessert was even served. After a few cordials and luscious cakes, the party retired to the living room around the fireplace. They sat on the victorian sofa and overstuffed brocade chairs, embers crackling in the background as they continued to chat and banter late into the night. The caterers refilled their brandy glasses and passed desserts which they gorged on with great pleasure. Gemma, who was worried about her mother, went to check on her a few times. She was alarmed by how gaunt her mother looked, and sat by the bed watching the small faded eyes flutter open and closed. She asked her what the latest prognosis was, and whether the doctor had changed her treatment plan. Hannah just slowly blinked her eyes and moved her head side to side. “Mom, you can’t keep going like this. I’ve decided to take a semester off to help grandma and I can do my studies remote while you recover. I’ve made the arrangements. Sam even offered to come up and visit me here. I’m so excited for you to meet him! Mom? Mom. Mom! ” Her mother was still. Her breathing very shallow. Hannah gently touched her mother’s frail arm, shocked at how thin and cool it was. She looked like a skeleton lying there with hollowed out cheeks and grey complexion. “Mom? I want to help. Mom?” Tears welled up in her eyes and dropped onto her soft downy cheeks. She stared at her mother through the tears and saw a glimpse of her in her younger years, when she was a vibrant woman, working as a researcher for a historical society. It was hard to believe this was the same person. She had a moment of cognitive dissonance. It was interrupted as her mother slowly lifted her hand, and held it high up as if saying stop. She pointed one emaciated finger to a photo on the wall. Taken a few years back in front of Dorothy’s famous gardens, the three generations of women stood together arm in arm. The family resemblance between them uncanny. She motioned with her finger at the photograph and opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Then she let her arm fall to the bed, and let out a long loud gurgling expiration. Gemma stared in shock and felt for a pulse. Her mother was not breathing. She waited a moment, then tried again. In shock, she jumped up and called 911, who instructed her to check again. Nothing. The ambulance was called. The party had been ending, but the sound of the ambulance arriving sobered up the remaining guests and they huddled together in concern. The paramedics rushed in and her mother was pronounced DOA. The guests clamored around to find out what happened. A few of them, including the kitchen staff gathered around to reassure Dorothy who collapsed onto her chaise lounge in a pile of red taffeta and tulle. The guests followed the gurney to the doorway. In shock, they stood in the foyer watching the red flashing lights trail into the distance.

The funeral was held on the private family plot overlooking the Hudson River. The skies were streaked with grey clouds and a chill was in the air. A fine continuous sleet was falling. Dorothy sat in her wheelchair, draped in a plaid woolen blanket. She was dressed elegantly with a speckled black veil, dark red lipstick and shiny black gloves. Holding the umbrella over them both was Gemma, wore a simple black long dress with a blazer over it. The only other attendees were the caretakers for the property, a couple of the neighbors from the party and the funeral attendants. In the distance, Hannah’s ex husband, Gemma’s father, stood, occasionally wiping a tear from his face. It was an ice cold day with a dangerous winter snowstorm on route. After the service, Gemma took her grandmother back to the estate in their chauffeured town car, and set her up in the living room by the fireplace. In the kitchen her tears flowed freely, but as soon as she stepped into the living room, she wiped her face swiftly and pulled herself together as much as she could. She knew how Dorothy despised displays of emotion and the last thing she wanted was to have drama. She brought tea and cookies to her grandmother, and sat across from her in the overstuffed wingback chair. Dorothy looked calm as she sipped her tea. Looking up from her tea cup, her eyes locked on Gemma’s. She cleared her throat. “You know, Gemma, your mother, well, we all know that she was never a healthy child. She had a weak countenance, dear. From the day she was born. Thankfully, you’re a much stronger person. You are more like me. You know, they say that the granddaughter is gifted most of her genetic material from her maternal grandmother, so you are fortunate with that fact. It’s sad, I know, but this is how life goes. We have to accept things. Acceptance is key. Reality waits. We cannot grieve forever. We need to move on. I’m not planning on going anywhere soon, even though I have health problems of my own. Obviously, I am going to need your help, as I’m sure you’re well aware. Have you made arrangements with your University? I know you can do some sort of remote schooling and I’m counting on you being here for me during my time of need. Without your mother here, I cannot manage alone and you well know where I stand regarding hired help. I am absolutely not moving and nobody is moving in. Unless you want to forfeit your inheritance, which I know you don’t, especially now, since everything, including the estate is to be willed to you, it’s a small price to pay, to care for me, while you will not even need to work if you choose. It’s really the only option we have.”

Nocturnal Activities

Going forward, Gemma adjusted the best she could. She adjusted her routine, getting up at 5 am every morning, to make herself coffee and do some studying. At 9 she would set out for a daily walk; rain, sleet, snow or sun, just like her mother had done. It gave her time to breathe and find balance. She was able to continue her education online and although not ideal, she still found joy and passion in her studies, and continued to excell. Immersing herself in learning was the only way she could deal with this chapter of her life. The schedule with her grandmother was difficult, but she was young enough to manage it. By 10 AM she was back at the estate and her life belonged to Dorothy until sundown. Dorothy’s requirements were demanding, but as long as she had her freedom in the morning, it was manageable. And she knew deep down that this was not forever.

Gemma used the evening to study and stay on high alert for her grandmother. Dorothy continued to morph after sundown and wander late at night. Sitting by the window and looking out across the snowy landscape to the adjacent darkened forest, she kept watch for her grandmother who would eventually emerge from the wooded path, and walk up the steps through the front door. She always appeared the same, walking slowly with her cane through the night in a daze, wrapped in her coat. Quietly opening and closing the door behind her, she would leave her boots in the foyer, and head to her room, where she was back in bed and sound asleep until 10 am. It was strange to Gemma, but the sense of routine was comforting to her in an all too uncomfortable situation.

One night, while studying deep sea life and watching videos of the mysterious creatures, she was alerted to an eerie howling sound coming from the deep woods adjacent to her bedroom window. She immediatley turned off the small lamp on her desk and closed the laptop. Peering through the blinds over the snow covered lawn, she looked towards the pine forest, and listened intently. There it was again, a terrifying scream followed by a deep guttural howl. Chills ran up and down her spine. The crystalized snow gleamed under the full moon. Her breath became shallow as she felt absolute terror creeping over her. She wondered if she should go out to look for her grandmother, yet she was paralyzed by fear and couldn’t move. Suddenly the howl came again, only now it sounded much closer. From the stark blackened outline of the night forest she suddenly saw the figure of a strange beast emerge, being chased by her grandmother. She watched in horror as the elderly lady leapt onto the animals back and the two fell into a dark heap on the snow-covered ground. There was a wild tussle which Gemma watched from the window, frozen in sheer terror. She watched in horror as a dark stain spread around the two figures on the snowy backdrop. Just as quickly as it had begun, the altercation abruptly stopped. She watched, wide eyed, as the old woman leaned down over the corpse of the strange beast, hovering and overshadowing it with her figure. Hiding behind the shutters, Gemma peeked out to see Dorothy slowly turn around and begin to head back towards the mansion. Her face was darkened with what appeared to be blood. Gemma gasped fearing that she was injured. Alarmed, she bolted out from her bedroom down the stairs to the grand entrance. She threw the doors open and yelled out to her grandmother. The old lady, was now using her cane and making her way back towards the entry as though nothing out of the ordinary had occured. She appeared her usual self. Her grandmother smiled, and slowly opened her mouth to speak. ‘Why are you up so early, dear? I’ve been taking a nice leisurely moonlit stroll. Go back to bed now.” Gemma was horrified seeing the mouth of her grandmother full of stained teeth. She looked across the snowy landscape for evidence of the bloody battle. The snow was pristine, other than a trail of foot prints in the snow from where Dorothy had exited the woods.

Gemma watched in shock as her grandmother made her way with ease back to her room. Following behind her, she listened to the old woman humming and singing under her breath. She waited a bit in the hallway, listening as the elderly lady went about her nighttime beauty regimen. She heard the running of water and rummaging in the closet. Then silence. Walking down the hallway, she paused in the doorway and glimpsed Dorothy standing in a long black evening gown in front of a full length mirror. The sheer silk was trimmed with copious ostrich feathers and she had on a pair of mules. Her long bleached blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders and she smiled at herself as she applied lipstick over and over in a strange motion, smearing it around her lips, laughing hysterically, baring her stained teeth. Aside from the hideous grin and lipstick, she appeared far younger than her age. In fact, she looked to be in her 30’s. Gemma gasped to herself as she silently backed out of the doorway. She gripped the walls of the long hallway to steady herself as she walked in a daze to her own room.

Sitting in the dark by the window, Gemma once again scanned the property for evidence of the strange and shocking incident. The pristine snow revealed nothing but a neat path of footprints between the mansion and the entrance to the forest where her grandmother traveled nightly. She squinted her eyes and stared into the darkened shadowy dense pine trees. No movement, nothing. She watched like a hawk from her perch until the sun began to rise. The baby monitor emitted a few rattling noises coming from Dorothy’s bedroom as the lady rifled through her cosmetic jars. After a loud sigh and expiration, the sound of rustling sheets was quickly followed by steady shallow breathing. Gemma turned up the volume on the receiver and listened a few more minutes, before getting up to check on her grandmother. Walking down the hallway, she paused as usual to look into the room. Dorothy slept quietly under her luxurious comforters, her blonde hair shining and splayed out over the silk pillows. She had a soft look on her face and with her smooth skin and even skin tone, she appeared shockingly youthful. The air smelled fresh rather than stale, and the energy of the room was oddly different. Gemma decided to make a coffee and go out for her morning walk. She needed the fresh air more than ever. Perhaps she would find evidence along the trail of the strange nocturnal activities. She walked and walked. She continued in a strange daze. She lost track of time as she was drawn as if in a trance, deeper into the woods.

The air was frigid and still. An eerie light streamed through the silent forest. The only sound was her heavy boots crunching through the snow. Something compelled her to look up. That’s when she saw it. Within the ominous stark black branches tangled overhead, was a dense mass that appeared to be an oversized nest, wedged high up between two branches. She made her way to the base of the tree and craned her neck for a better view. She blinked her eyes in shock. The large object appeared to be breathing! It grew ever so slightly upon inhaling, then with a barely audible sigh, exhaled a puff of condensation into the arctic air. She felt paralyzed by fear, but she had to find out what this thing was. Examining the tree trunk and the area below, she noticed what appeared to be a trail of sap meandering through the textured bark, staining the snow at the base. As she scanned the area, something else caught her attention. A few scraps of denim scattered in the snow. She leaned down and slowly picked up a frayed square, noting a drop of blood on the corner. She looked upwards again, and as the mysterious object exhaled, it emitted a loud moan. From a strange opening in the tarp, a pair of bloodshot blue eyes peered down at her. Muddy fingertips pulled back the opening to reveal part of a woman’s face, the collar of her denim shirt torn and bloodstained. Her eyes widened as she looked at Gemma and slowly mouthed the word “help”.

Animal Instinct

Gemma urgently searched nearby to find a few large rocks that she furiously unearthed using a large dead tree branch. With what felt like super human strength, she placed the rocks at the foot of the tree and began climbing. Adrenaline surging, she hoisted her body and swiftly scaled the tree. Within seconds, she reached the woman and repeatedly told her she was going to be ok and that she would be getting her out of here. She continued talking nonstop while she pulled and tore at the knot with her bare hands until they were raw from cold. She told the woman to brace herself because once untied, they would drop to the frozen ground below. As she ripped and yanked, the knot suddenly came undone, and she clung to the large thick cloth bag as they tumbled down as one. Miraculously she felt no pain. The sack laid motionless. The opening was closed, and as she gently pulled it back, a beautiful woman’s face was revealed, stained and swollen, yet looking pale and peaceful. She inhaled sharply, fearing the worst.

Suddenly, the woman coughed and gasped for air. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times before whispering to Gemma, “It’s not safe here! We need to leave. It’s almost dusk. That’s when they come. We have to go now! ” Gemma looked up and noticed that the sky had shifted and it was late afternoon. At this time of year, the sun began to set by 4:00. She leaned down and opened the strange sack, asking the woman if she was in pain and if she could move. Miraculously, the small body shifted, an arm slid out followed by her entire body, as she stood up slowly on steady feet. She looked like she had been through hell and back. Her entire denim outfit was shredded and blood stained. In a raspy voice the frail woman spoke. “I’m Samantha, Samantha Morris. My husband Jack and I moved up here from the city. We bought the old Kincade farm. I remember feeding my horses in the barn. After that, I don’t know what happened or how I got here. We need to run, now! They come at night. They come at night!”

Gemma held Samantha’s arm to steady her and took her coat off to wrap around the frail woman. The adrenaline was still surging through her veins, giving her superhuman energy. She asked Samantha if she would be able to walk faster and without hesitation they both went from walking to a steady run through the snowy path towards the distant exit from the pine forest, their heavy breathing and boots crashing through the hardened snow echoing through the frigid atmosphere. They approached the breach between two enormous pine trees just as the sun was setting and emerged onto a large snow covered field. Pausing to catch their breath, they watched a large family of deer stare at them briefly. The animals flicked their white tails before turning in unison and bounding across the snowy terrain.

HOME

The two young women continued to race across the expanse until the mansion came into view. Pausing to catch their breath, Gemma told Samantha that they would be safe soon. Approaching the stone steps to the entrance, they heaved with exhaustion. Gemma reached behind a statue of Bacchus for the large key and carefully inserted it into the massive red door. As she slowly opened it, she turned to Samantha and whispered to her, “we need to be quiet. My grandmother’s sleeping. Don’t want to wake her early.” She froze momentarily, then stood up straight. “Wait. Umm, wait a second, what time is it? Oh my God! Oh no, oh no, how did this happen? It’s nearly 5. I’m so confused. How could I forget? I need to check on her, so please, please be quiet. I’ll show you where the guest quarters are, you can clean up and get some proper rest.” She swiftly walked through the entrance and pointed Samantha down a corridor that had several doors, and told her to use the room behind the blue door, lock it and stay there until she returned.

Gemma rushed through the mansion and made her way through the grand hall where she paused as she heard female voices and laughter coming from the great room. Getting closer, she audibly sighed with relief as she heard her grandmother bantering loudly and laughing with one of the housekeepers. As she entered the room, they both got quiet and Dorothy shot her a glare with steely eyes. “Where the hell have you been! Thankfully Penny came to check on me this morning!” She shot a look at Penny and Penny nodded in agreement, grey curly hair bobbing up and down, dark eyes crinkling in her chubby weathered face. “I just stopped by to change out the linens, and I found Miss Dorothy all alone in her powder room. I know you always take such good care of her, Gemma. Honestly, I was worried and I’m so relieved to see you! I’ve changed the sheets and made her breakfast. She’s been up for some time. We’ve been chatting here by the fire and having a great time! Isn’t that right Dotty?” Gemma exhaled and smiled with relief as she thanked her for being there. Penny started to gather her belongings, picked up her heavy striped woolen sweater and stuffed her large arms into the thick sleeves before pulling on her gloves and overcoat. She stood up to go and lifted a large canvas bag of laundry from the floor next to the lounge chair. Gemma noticed dark stains on the crumpled sheets. She gasped and blurted out, “Is that blood on those sheets? Is grandma ok? What happened?!” Penny glanced nervously at Dorothy then smiled awkwardly and told her that she had gotten a small cut while cleaning up broken glass cosmetics jars in Dorothy’s powder room and used a sheet to stop the bleeding. She promised to replace it. Gemma told her not to bother as she walked her out to the front door. Curiously, she watched the small woman totter down the steps with her laundry basket on her arm before disappearing down the driveway to the guest parking lot behind a row of trees. She heard Dorothy yelling for her from inside the mansion and quickly headed back to tend to her grandmother’s needs.

Dinner Guests

Dorothy wanted her late afternoon tea to be served. She was hungry and impatient. Gemma went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. The cook was in the midst of prepping vegetables and fish. She interrupted him and asked if he could add two more servings for the evening dinner. The tea and home made shortbread cookies were taken out to Dorothy on a small gilded tray. She smiled as she gobbled the late afternoon treat and sipped her hot chamomile loudly by the fire, a soft faux fur throw on her lap. Gemma sat across from her and after a pause, told her that they would be having guests at dinner tonite. A young couple. Dorothy perked up with a strange smile. “Oh, really? And, since when do we invite strangers to my home? How do you know these people? Who are they and where do they live?” Gemma sighed. “Grandma, trust me, they’re a nice respectable young couple. Neighbors. It’s only for dinner. You will like them.” Her grandmother sucked her teeth a few times, before dozing off in her big comfy chair.

Gemma softly knocked on the blue door. No answer. She knocked again and the door slowly opened. Samantha was dressed and looked as though nothing had happened. Her face was fresh and the bruises and scratches gone. She told Gemma that she had rested and she wanted to call her husband. She had no idea where her cell was, but she knew her husband’s number by heart. Gemma handed her the phone. Samantha dialed the number and when her husband answered, she immediately began blurting out to him how much she missed him and that he had to come get her. She went on about how she was lost in the woods and she had been found by a neighbor. Gemma interrupted her and told her to invite him to dinner. She asked if she could take the phone and she briefly spoke with Jack, letting him know that his wife Samantha was fine and in good hands. She told him that the police had been notified, and all he needed to do was to come pick her up. She insisted that they have dinner before leaving and he reluctantly agreed. She texted him directions to the Hanover Estate and he said he would be there within the hour.

Curious to find out more? Next Chapter coming soon….

This is a work in progress. Thank you for reading.