Whisper (10 page)
Authors: Sarah Vistica
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In the morning Bethanne is sitting on my bed with jeans and a short sleeve shirt watching me. Seeing her in modern clothing felt wrong. I sat up in bed glancing around. My covers were intact displaying only one person sleeping in the bed all night. I wondered if I had felt Luken or simply dreamed he had come back.
“Bethanne, hey, is this dress like a modern girl day?”
“No miss, I have been given today off. It has been a long while since I got to have my own freedom. Thought you’d like to know there are some visitors for you downstairs. They insist on seeing you so maybe I should them up?”
In response to her question I jump out of bed, grabbed some jeans and a tank top. I headed to the bathroom. The shower is warm and steamy. I felt the water massage my knots relaxing my aching muscles.
As I descended the stairs I saw Xavier standing in the foyer with Nicolette and Chrissi. The three of them were surprised to see me approach them. Their stares were awkward. “Hey, we came to see Becca.” Nicolette said apologetically.
“Let me find out if she minds. I didn’t know you knew her. Did you know she was in a coma here?” They shake their heads.
They followed me to Becca’s door. I poke my head inside. Taken aback I see Luken with her. Their heads are close together talking. I felt that shadow of unnecessary jealousy creep across my eyes again.
“Becca you have company.” Luken not expecting anyone turns away from me. The guilt in her eyes radiates as though she has done something she should not be doing. I don’t want to be immature about this. Fighting over a guy, who died in another century, is not at the top of my list of things I want to accomplish in life.
“Who, I am not expecting anyone.”
“Um…Xavier, Nicolette, and Chrissi came to see you.”
Luken faces me leaning against the wall, “Xavier is here to see Becca, figures.”
“Want me to send them in?” Becca shrugs her shoulders. Trying to prop herself up more to get comfortable, she waits to greet them. “I am not really friends with them, but sure send them in.”
“Luken, we can talk later, right?” He says to her, “of course, we can.” He gives Becca the same kiss on the forehead he gave me. I am certain it isn’t meant to be a romantic gesture for either of us.
I head to the library, Livia is reading a book. Luken comes in. Before he can see she is here, he opens his mouth to say something. I turn to her, “so Livia tell me more about the Vandersen family.”
Luken about faced, leaving the library un-detected.
“What do you wish to know? Avaya sometimes it is better for things to remain buried.”
Not when it comes to Luken.
I wanted to add. He is the only one who knows what I am dealing with not knowing what happened. The only one I am able to talk with and he gets it. “Sometimes a risk has to be taken to help someone else.” I tell her.
Livia and I exchange a glance in agreement. “Why not ask him yourself?” I didn’t even know she had seen him. I mean since he stopped pretending to be Nate for my benefit. “I can’t.” Livia shrugs.
She held the book in her lap, “if you’re serious about discovering what happened to him are you prepared to say goodbye when he has to leave?” I wasn’t sure how to answer. Instead I say, “I think I have seen his father. It was terrifying. I am certain it was him, he was looking for his missing son.”
Livia leaned closer to me. “He spoke to you?” She asked surprised. “There have been no reports of anyone actually speaking with him or even seeing him clearly. This is crazy miss. Be careful I do not want you to get hurt getting caught up in something that should have stayed in the past, it is dangerous.”
“I could ask Luken, but well…I already told him.”
“Sore subject it would seem. There is not much to say regarding his father. Jonathon Vandersen owned a railroad company.” I gaze her, “I am sure you were already aware of that fact.” She says to me reading her book again.
Out of the corner of my eye I see a shadow moving eerily. Two eyes glimmer in my direction. Someone or something, watched me from the shadows. It never crosses out of the shadows into the lining of the trees.
“Livia do you see that?”
I kept it my line of vision. She came up next to me. Her hand landed on the top of my shoulder, pressing down her firm hand. “I don’t see anything.”
“Over there just at the edge of the woods in the shadows, see it?”
Livia shakes her head. “Avaya there is nothing there, all I see are the trees, but nothing moving.”
“I see something there. It is moving back and forth staring at me. Someone is out there, watching me. No matter what room I am in when I see it, it stares at me. I can see its dark eyes gazing into mine. The sun’s light reflection casts dim rays on its eyes. Livia I am sorry I have to go see Luken.”
“Wait, Avaya…where will you find him?”
“I will wait until tonight.”
Down The Hall
Night came slow with an eerie silence. I kept seeing the menacing dark eyes, two walnut pits leering at me. Taunting me to signify it is there and knows I see it. My vision searches the edge of the tree line. Luken had been out watching the sunset; the shadow started to creep up behind him. I don’t go into the forest. The edge of the forest is so dark. Anyone could be hiding there.
I found myself standing in front of the forbidden hallway. The darkness so engulfing I can barely see my hand in front of me. Checking to make sure there aren’t any staff lurking I make my move. There are gold candelabrums tapered to the walls that once held candles are now covered with dust and cobwebs.
There is the closed door at the end of the hallway. I wait for the sensation to flee, but it does not come. My hand grasps the door knob. Inside the furniture is dusty from not being used. A door leads out to a terrace balcony and white chairs are covered with sheets. In the corner is a desk with an ink pen in a tiny bowl, papers are scattered on the desk.
A lot of trouble had been taken to keep this room untouched and preserved. Above the mantle of the fireplace is a family portrait. The man and woman stood in the back with two boys in the front and a little girl in the middle.
The family of five eludes not happiness. The young boy of the two was Luken. He must have only been a few years younger. I gaze around the Victorian era room frozen in time.
The bed is perfectly intact, a black frame with gold and red bedding mingled with black pillows. The four posts were almost like mine. A cloth canopy hangs over
the bed. I stood in place not moving. “What are you doing in here?” The disgruntled voice spoke behind me. “This room is forbidden it is off limits.”
I whip around to face a fuming Luken.
“You left me that note, didn’t you?” His piercing sapphires are pools of blue flames.
“This is my room, you are not welcome here.”
Terrified I ran. The open door slammed shut in front of me. I try to open it without success. Yanking on it frantically Luken comes up behind me. Finally I manage to get the door open. It slams closed behind me. The blue glow dimmed underneath the door. Frozen air swarms past me throwing me back against the wall in the hallway.
Before I can open the door to my bedroom, it pops open by itself. Stepping inside the light won’t turn on. My door slams closed behind me. I peer through the darkness. A silhouette is standing near the window.
“I am watching you.” It hisses in a whisper.
The figure flies at me I close my eyes and scream. When I take a peek, my lights are on and Xavier runs into my room. I catch a glimpse of a shadow blending into the dark woods.
“We heard screaming, Avaya what’s wrong?”
Shaking and breathing roughly, I collapse to the floor losing my ability to stand on my own. “I’m okay.”
“No the hell you aren’t. Avaya you’re shaking. Did you see something?” I grasp Xavier’s coat for support. Nodding, he helps me on to my bed. “Maybe you should lie down.”
I climbed over to my pillow wrapping my arms around it tightly snuggling it for comfort. Xavier brings me a glass of water from the tray Bethanne and Livia regularly bring to my room. As I start to relax from the room temperature liquid cascading down my throat, my lights start to flicker.
“What is happening?” Nicolette asks.
“I don’t know.” I said.
* * *
My Uncle James found me this morning, very pale and weak. I can barely walk without holding onto a crutch of some kind. One of Becca’s nurses stated that I must have been through something traumatic. Exhausted, she recommended I remain in bed to recover.
I try to get out of bed to visit with Becca. Livia catches me at the door when I let the handle fade from my grasp and my weight wouldn’t support my legs. She helped guide me back to bed.
Bethanne helped me to the bathroom. I had asked to take a shower. She started a bath for me with the jet spas, so I would not have to stand. When the water is warm, she holds a towel out in front of me to undress.
I use the wall for support to step into the bath. She checked on me after a few minutes setting down a pajama set next to the tub. She held a towel for me so I could put on my robe.
Back in bed I pulled the comforter close to my neck.
First Kiss
It had been a couple days since I walked into Luken’s room. He came into my room in the night just after midnight. “Avaya,” He whispers softly, “wake up darling.”
I stare into two clear pools of water. His head leans against mine intimately. “I am sorry I did not visit sooner. It was best for me to calm down after you intruded in my only sanctuary.”
Sitting up, Luken leans backwards, allowing me to scoot up against the headrest. “I don’t want to think about it, but I will tell you. After you frightened me, I ran back here. I felt you run passed me, the cold blast scared me into shock. Luken that shadow, it was in my room. It came at me.”
He closes his eyes briefly, “Anymore headaches?” I think for a moment trying to come up with a lie in my head. “Are they still getting worse?” I nod lightly.
Luken glides over to the window peeking through the curtain, concern growing in his eyes. He lets the blinds fall back in place. Without a word Luken leaves my room. The door is left ajar.
The room changed, fading away until the room glows with golden light. The sun shined through the window. A young girl her voice eerie and windy, she says, “Luken…are you here? We miss you. Please come home.”
I sat up a bit.
Something is different, I felt out of place. The girl enters into the room. I recognize her as the original owner. She is laughing with another child, “I miss my brother. He gave me this doll for my birthday.”
A woman wearing a faded orange gown light against her body revealed an hour glass figure. I could tell she is wearing a bridle, her dress stuck out behind her. She wore a terse expression.
“You are not to be in here. Come with me now, this is no time to act childish.” She grabs one of the girls who at a second glance she is not a child, but a young teen. The girl turns to me. “Have you seen my brother?”
I bolt up in bed. My door is still cracked open, nothing is out of place. I am leaning against the headrest. Luken returns to my room closing the door behind him.
“Avaya what is it?” I smile, shaking my head. “Nothing, I must have fallen asleep.” Luken paces my room not taking his eyes off me for a second.
My curtains fluttered. Luken watched the light flapping of the curtains, like a bird gently flapping its wings. Immediately the temperature in my room dropped. I breathed fog out of my mouth.
“Luken I’m so…” He rushes to my side.
“…freezing c-c-cold,” my teeth chattered.
Someone tries to enter my room. “Avaya are you in there? The power is out.” Bethanne called to me. The door didn’t budge. “I am ok-k-kay.” I called back to her. She must have heard my response.
Luken climbs onto the bed wrapping his arms around me, holding me tight. His soft lips lightly graze the top of my hair. “You’ll be okay Avaya it’ll pass. Look at me, look into my eyes.”
I tilt my head up, staring into his frozen blue eyes. Strength and warmth radiated from them. Luken lowers his head to mine, slowly. His lips hover inches from mine. Until I felt Luken pull me close with his arm, my eyes fluttered closed as our lips met for the first time. Fireworks explode against our connected mouths.
Luken carefully pulls away, “I…I love you Avaya. I won’t let anyone hurt you. They have to deal with me first.” I try to smile. “I love y-y-you Luken.” The chattering worsened.
I thought to myself,
I could die
.
The frozen air swarms my room. Luken does not help to warm me. He wraps a blanket around me. With his ice touch he picks me up out of bed setting me down by the burning fire. Heat from the blazing fire place, hits my nose first. The heat sears my body until the chattering subsides.
A dark figure on the balcony in laughed hysterically. Two slits for eyes gaze into the open curtains with concentration. “Luken outside,” he pulls the curtain back.
“You,” he says and it disappears from sight.
Luken falls backward twisting to land on his knees. He shakes his head, gathering himself together. My curtains stop fluttering and my room heats up to normal room temperature.
“Are you okay, Luken?” I touch his cheek.
“I thought I saw someone I know. I cannot be too sure of who it had been.”
“It must have been.”
He closes his eyes, “I do not know it is all muddled now…growing into black fog.”
Luken carries me back to bed, laying me down with the blanket wrapped around me.
“Could it have been the person responsible for what happened?”
Luken paused for a moment, thinking before he spoke. “I don’t know, but there is something you need to see.”