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Marble Stairs
Chapter One
In witch we learn some history.
Opening the door as the first mistake I made that morning. Of course now I feel like simply waking up that one bright day, was a mistake. But I must remind myself that I did not know of what was to happen that day. Let me go back some time to explain the events that provoked the whole thing.
Late in the after noon, four days before, Richard had come for a short visit to the country. This of course meant a rather long visit to see his girl and this girl, happened to be my older sister. I at first felt jealous that a man of his stature would come and visit her, a loud, rude farm girl, but It was only after I realized his true purpose of coming out to the country side. He had heard of a curse on the house that we lived in. though we were not very rich, we had an enormous house. Though it was once a good size for our family, the recent deaths of my grandparents made the size of the house seem overwhelming. When I was alone inside the house, I felt like there was something else there, but of course there was only me. The house had become more busy and cheerful when we had company, such as Richard.
Richard Ousting was the sort of man who was more interested in books, more then girls, his true purpose at our house was not for my older sister but for learning. He had acted calmly when he first came, but when upon entering the library, I saw his eyes light up and a smile traced his lips. He was in love, and not with my sister. I, over the years had grown attached to the library, making it mostly mine, knowing where things were and how the oldest books felt. When we first entered, and he looked around him, I felt like I was giving my only safe place away. But after seeing his passion for books there after, I felt like I had found someone who was worthy of sharing my safe place.
We began then, the next day, to look through the library. At first he did not tell we what I should be looking for, and so I got bored easily. It was after several times I had to show him where things were, when he told me.
“I’ll only say if you promise not to tell your sister.”
“I’m not two you know, besides, she wouldn’t listen anyway.” I said shrugging. It was true, she rarely listen to what I was telling her. I could tell her that the world was ending and she would just nod her head and agree.
“Fine, but if you tell her, I’ll never forgive you.”
“Ok, please, I want to know.”
“Alright, this house is haunted, or so I think.” He said pointing to a sentence in one of the books. I started to read:
“The house was built in February of 1520 and was left unused for sometime after. The reason that this was, was that the current priest at the time believed that there were ghosts infesting the house. His hypothesis was to perform an exorcist and cleanse the house of evil. This he did with a group of his followers and they believed the house to be clean and ready for usage. A month after the house was sold to a family of four. There were two children and their parents. They were a happy family and came from a good background. They were rather rich and often donated to the poor, they were very kind. But one day, as it has been told, they were visited by a man from the poorhouse. He had come in the evening and had asked to come in, and because of there kind hearts they asked him in for supper. He went in with them and ate with them and there children. Afterward the asked if he was content and if he had a place to stay, offering there guest rooms. And as they grew used to him in there household, and as they all become close, he killed them.
He started with the children, torturing them till they both died. Afterward, he killed the mother of the children by raping her and stabbing her repetitively. The father fought the criminal and killed him. After the death of his wife and children, the man couldn’t live. So a few weeks later he killed himself by jumping off the roof of the house. He would have survived if he hadn’t landed on the fence. After his death, the house was cleaned and left empty for years. Then one night, the people who took care of the house, heard loud sounds. They went over to inspect the source of the sounds thinking it was someone breaking in. as they entered the house they looked up the marble staircase. According to the police records, when the criminal killed the children, he dragged them down the marble staircase turning the white into red. This is what the people saw when they looked up the stares, and at the top was the two children and the man.”
Shivering I had turned away from the book and looked out into the hallway where the man and children had supposedly stood.
“…is that story true? Where they really murdered?”
“Yes or at least I believe so. It might not be entirely fact but I have come here to see if it is.” He shivered also and looked out at the hall. Later that night, we both sat in the library with the door open, waiting. I had begged him to let me come along, and after a few arguments, he gave in. We sat there for hours, waiting for something, yet we had no clue what. Toward midnight I must have fallen asleep, because I was awoken by a soft touch on my arm. Blinking into the pale light, I saw that it was Richard who had awoken me.
“So, nothing happened?” I had asked sitting up.
Smiling weakly he replied,
“No nothing last night, I stayed awake all night.”
“Ah, I’m sorry! Did I fall asleep?” I sat up more rubbing my eyes and looking at him.
“Yes you did, but its fine. Like I said, nothing happened, so you didn’t miss much. Thought I was entertained by your snores!” laughing he stood up and stretched.
“Hey! I do not snore!” I stood up and stalked out of the room and into the hallway. As I reached the hall I glanced about me hoping maybe to catch a few wisps of ghosts. As I glanced toward the top of the stairs I saw a little girl about my age standing at the top. I gasped and stepped back a little staring at what I saw. I guess Richard had heard my gasps because he came out of the room behind me.
“Oh my god….” Putting his hand on my shoulder and stepping past me he advanced toward the girl. I stood there as he moved forward and as he got closer, I started to get a bad feeling.
“Richard…um…” I could barely talk from fear by then and I too stepped forward to stop him. As we both got closer I felt more fearful, so much that I reached out and grabbed his shoulder. This seemed to have broken the spell and we both felt a wave of dizziness, knocking us off our feet. Sitting up Richard looked over at the place where the girl had been.
“It’s gone…I hope. Are you ok?” he asked worriedly. Sitting up as well and rubbing my head I replied,
“Yes...I think so, are you alright?” Looking at him I saw that he was pale, and knew I probably was too. As he looked back he paled more and moved forward.
“Rose! Are you alright!?” he asked as he reached out and touched my head.
“Huh? What is it?” reaching up I felt something wet and warm, and was hit again with a wave of dizziness.
“Oh my lord...Rose!” he cried as I feel forward blacking out. When I awoke once more, I was looking up at a foggy face. Not knowing who it was I asked,
“…Richard…”
“Richard? No, it’s your sister, Mary?” As I sat up her face became clearer and I knew I was mistaken. I know I must have blushed, because my ears felt hot.
“I know who it is. I was just playing.” I said aloofly trying not to look at her. She has a nasty habit of thinking everyone is out to get her man. As I suspected, she stared at me looking like she was about to smack me. Ironically, Richard had just walked in, saving me from a lot of troublesome questions.
“How are you feeling now, Rose?” he asked me sitting next to my sister, ignoring her.
“I’m feeling much better, thank you.” I answered carefully. I didn’t want to mention what we saw in front of my sister, so I didn’t ask what had happened.
“Ah, yes, Mary? Your mother wants you. She said something about food.” He turned addressing my sister. I looked at her to see if she had noticed the obvious hint.
“Oh? Alright, I’ll go see what she wants.” She said as she stood up and went out the door. He turned back to me and smiled, blushing softly.
“That worked.”
“You mean mother didn’t really want her for something?” I asked laughing. He stared to laugh as well and smiled.
“So what, It was a little lie. And she needs the long walk up and down the stares anyway!” he started laughing again and I chuckled along as well.
“Oh yes, by the way, what happened? I see I must have been hit in the head, but by what? And when did it happen? I don’t recall being struck.” I asked curiously.
“Well as it looks to me, you were hit by a memory.” He said looking at me gravely.
“A memory…is this something to do with the story?” I looked back frowning.
“It’s not just a story, its fact, a part of history. And if you saw what I did, then we both know it’s true.”
Frowning more a sat up looking at him and said,
“So I was hit…by a ghost?” I asked shivering a little. He leaned forward and gave me a warm hug.
“Don’t worry; there isn’t anything to worry about. Next time I wait for the ghost, you shouldn’t come.” I broke the hug and looked at him angrily.
“Don’t you dare try to leave me behind! If you do it again I’m going to be there.” I was nearly yelling right into his face.
“o-ok…I won’t” he was blushing and looking at me with a funny expression. I had smiled with victory and noticed that we were really very close to each other. Backing up and blushing I murmured,
“S-sorry…” I said, hearing someone on the stares, we both looked at something other then one another.
“She said that she told you nothing of the sort! If you think it’s funny to make your love tromp up and down the stairs then you have some poor sense of humor!”
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Chapter Two
In witch the ghost returns.
On the first day after the sighting of the ghost, Richard and I snuck around the house looking for things to help us with our investigation. My sister had noticed this and had pulled me aside when we were walking by her.
“What’s going on with you? Why are you two spending so much time together?” she asked sounding peeved.
“Nothing, What do you mean?”
“I mean…I think it’s obvious…you both are spending a lot of time together.” she looked at me funny for a moment and sighed, “I guess you really don’t mean any harm.”
“Huh? What do you mean?” I asked confused, but she just pushed me away smiling and walked off.
“What was that about…?” I muttered joining Richard again. Later that night we staked out the top of the stares armed with candles and books.
“Do you really think it will show up? I mean….I‘ve lived here since I was born and I have never seen anything on these stairs.” I said looking at him.
“Well, I think the only reason we even saw her last night was because we had newly discovered the story. I think that since the story was true the ghost felt it needed to tell us something. See, if we hadn’t read the story and she had shown up, would we have know of her origins?” he asked turning toward me.
“No...I suppose you’re right. Well, now that we have seen her once she might not show up again.”
“Well, do you feel like you were shown or told something last night?”
“No, not really, But she did attack me. Maybe I’m not the one she wants to tell her secret too.” I sighed and leaned back against the wall, looking at the stairs. Instantly I was sitting up strait again looking at the little girl,
“It’s, it’s….” I had stammered and stood up leaning still on the wall.
“She appeared again…we should try to make contact!” he stood up and walked forward holding his hand out. I watched nervously and nearly screamed as he fell forward like he was hit by something.
“Richard!?” I yelled running forward, “why are you doing this?! We never did you any harm!” I looked up and realized how close she was, so close they my breath was making her waver a little.
“….please…do not…touch me…” she replied slowly. I leaned back surprised and sighed.
“Are you….little girl, in pain?” I asked not really knowing what to say.
“….fallow my…blood” she said, again slowly as if to make sure I understood. I had nodded and stood up looking down at Richard.
“He…will be….fine.”
“Yes…alright, show me where to go” I said still looking at him.
“….the stairs…” she said turning toward the top of the stairs. I turned and looked too and gasped.
“It…its blood!” I said horrified.
“…yes…fallow the…blood.” She said slowly as she disappeared.
“…yes. I will, don’t worry.” I said and turned back to Richard. Walking back over to him and leaned down and shook him a little.
“Richard? Richard…I know what to do now.”
“Hmm….Huh?” he said blinking and sitting up. I smiles and helped him up.
“I know what to do, I mean like how to help her. Are you alright?” I looked at him worried.
“Yeah, I’m alright. Are you ok? You talked to her?” he was looking at me in an odd way and I smiled.
“Yes I did, and yes I’m alright.”
“Ah good…I’m glad.” He said smiling as he blushed a little. I felt my face getting hot too but I walked forward.
“Well, we have things to do. Let’s go.”
“Ah yes, sorry Rose. Wait, where are we going?” he said fallowing behind me. I said nothing as we reached the tope of the stairs. Looking down I could clearly see a train of blood going down them. It looked almost pink on the whiteness of the marble. I didn’t know quite what to do then.
“Ah I see the trail, but where does it lead?” he said smiling a little. I looked at him then and was startled by the look he held on his face. He was smiling, almost smirking and his eyes were cold.
“…Richard?” I said softly and he turned toward me blinking and frowning.
“Yes? What’s wrong? Does the blood bother you? You can stay here you know, I can go ahead.” He said smiling with his normal kindness. I frowned a little and replied,
“No, it’s not the blood. It was just the light I guess…” just then the old clock down in the hall wrung the time for one and the blood slowly disappeared.
“Oh no, it’s gone! I promised I would fallow it.” I said sadly stepping down a few steps.
“It’s alright, we can come back tomorrow, and I’m not feeling too well myself.” He said holding his head a little. Frowning I helped him back up across the landing and into the library. Once he was sitting in a chair I examined his head.
“Ah, you have a small cut. That might explain the way you are feeling.” I said leaning back and looking at him. I frowned upon seeing his face, and leaned back a little more. It once again held that odd expression as before.
“The way I am feeling? Do you want to know how I am feeling?” he said in a voice not his own. I started and looked at him scared.
“What do you mean? What’s wrong?”
“Wrong? Nothing…” he smirked and leaned in close. I blinked and shivered a little, the way he looked at me.
“What is going on? Your voice….” I stammered.
“Nothing is wrong….” He said calmly and leaned forward more. I looked at him and turned my head a little as he tried to kiss me. Looking over his shoulder I saw my sister standing there with a heavy book raised above her head.
“Ah!” I yelled and leaned back; falling off the ottoman I was seated on. She swung the book at his head, knocking him off his chair.
“That will stop him for now. Are you alright?” she said looking down at me on the floor. Looking up confused I asked,
“How did you know? How did you know to come here?”
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-to be continued-
 Never Ask Dante · Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 05:08pm · 0 Comments |
