*****
Scarlet couldn’t breathe, the weight upon her was almost unbearable. Heavier than ever before. More menacing than she’d ever experienced. She sank deeper and deeper into the mattress. The odour was overwhelming as the force breathed its foul decay across her face, filling her nostrils so that when she tried to take a breath it was all she could taste. The whispering never ceased in her ear as she mentally fought back with all her strength. She could have sworn she heard the words, ‘Die, die, die.’ She felt icy tendrils creeping around her neck, round her arms and legs, tighter and tighter they gripped, cutting into her flesh and covering every inch of her as she lay paralyzed with fear.
She forced herself, as she’d taught herself, to ignore what was happening to her physical self; after-all it always passed, eventually. She’d concentrate on something else. Something else – the ladies. No. Not them, she didn’t want to think about them and their ramblings. But they kept forcing their way to the front of her brain.
‘You can’t stay here my dear, she won’t allow it.’
Leave me alone she cried silently. ‘She will keep coming back, you must leave here.’ Their voices sounded distant as she struggled beneath the foul weight crushing the life out of her.
‘We are here to warn you, to invite you, before it is too late.’ Their veil-clad faces close to hers now, urging her, persuading her. ‘Come with us. It is the only way.’
The wind gently moved through the leaves of the Oak and the Rowan trees. A bee hummed as it flew from flower to flower, and a butterfly hovered close by as the late afternoon sunlight danced upon the ornamental pond in the front garden. Scarlet busied herself with her weeding, humming quietly as she worked. She felt better today, more relaxed and less stressed. She’d slept like a baby and although she’d suffered the usual night terrors as she first drifted into sleep, she’d had the most amazing dream which had lasted until just before the sun hit her face through her curtains. Today was a new day. Today she was determined to rid herself of all the silliness she’d been allowing herself to indulge in since moving into Secret Cottage. Scarlet was convinced that her state of mind had caused her nightmares, but last night, for the first time, she’d also had a wonderful dream. A warm, safe, life reaffirming dream, and she wasn’t going to allow that feeling to be spoiled by her over-active imagination.
She was expecting the Charity shop van to call before 8pm to collect the items she’d put together for them. Tomorrow morning she’d arranged a taxi to take her into town to confirm her purchase of the furniture she’d chosen, and arrange for delivery by the end of the week. Things were starting to come together nicely. She would just finish weeding this bed before going inside to put the items for the Charity closer to the door so the driver wouldn’t have to carry them through the narrow hall.
Scarlet stood up, rubbing her aching back. She really should find a Chiropractor, she thought. Recently her whole body ached and her energy levels seemed so low, perhaps she’d see a Reiki practitioner too. She could afford it.
‘Hello, sorry to bother you,’ a woman’s voice broke into her thoughts. Scarlet looked up to see a middle aged woman peering at her over the garden wall. ‘I hope you can help me; I seem to be lost.’
‘I will if I can.’ Scarlet moved slowly towards the wall. ‘Where are you looking for?’
‘The instructions we have seem to be wrong. We’re trying to find the Old Forge, but so far we’ve just gone round in circles. I told my husband that we should stick to maps and leave using the Satnav to the kids.’ She waved towards the end of the lane. ‘He’s a typical man, refused to ask for directions but following the stupid Satnav has got us nowhere. We’re going to view the Old Forge, it’s for sale.’ She waved to her husband who had started to walk towards them, fed-up with waiting in the car. Typical, she thought.
‘Darling, this lady is going to direct us,’ she said as he approached them.
‘I do hope you can help,’ he said. ‘We’ve been driving round for ages.
‘Oh, I can help don’t worry. You’re not the first to get lost around here.’ Scarlet smiled at the woman. ‘I’m relatively new to the area as well. Perhaps we’ll be neighbours.’ She began to give the couple directions to the Old Forge, when she noticed the woman was looking towards the cottage.
‘Your companion is calling you.’ She pointed to the front porch.
Scarlet looked toward the cottage but couldn’t hear or see anyone. She turned back to the couple. ‘You must be mistaken, there’s no-one there. I live alone.’
The couple exchanged a look and deciding that the old girl was probably losing her marbles, when there plainly was someone standing in the porch shouting loudly, thanked her for helping them and said their goodbyes. ‘Poor old thing, it must be terrible having dementia. Do you think she’s given us the right directions?’ The husband said as they returned to their car. ‘Getting old isn’t much fun. I’m dreading it. Will you look after me if I go gaga?’
His wife laughed and kissed his cheek. ‘We’ll both go gaga soon if we can’t find this damn house,’ she said.
Scarlet shook her head. Weird people, she mumbled to herself as she returned to the cottage. She removed her gardening shoes and washed her hands in the small cloakroom beside the kitchen. Stepping carefully past the items for the Charity shop she thought she’d make some tea before moving them closer to the front door.
Seated at her kitchen table which had been set out with five cups, saucers, plates and steaming tea pot, complete with a selection of cakes and sandwiches, Scarlet found four elderly ladies dressed in black. ‘It’s time.’ One of them said as Scarlet gripped the back of a chair for support. It hadn’t been a dream after-all.
Later that evening the Charity shop van arrived to collect the items Scarlet no longer required for Secret Cottage, but being unable to raise anyone inside the cottage, or on the mobile number he’d been given, the driver eventually returned to his base empty handed. He really hated being messed around by people. He understood the elderly sometimes got forgetful, but really, it was just not on.
The young woman listened as the solicitor read the Will to her. Seven years had passed and following the findings of the Court, her elderly aunt had been declared legally dead and as from today all Aunt Scarlet’s possessions were now hers to do as she wished. Secret Cottage was included and the young woman was free to move in whenever she wished. The orphaned woman was excited, yet still somewhat confused. She’d never heard of her Aunt until the solicitor’s investigator had contacted her. Now she had a relative – well, a dead one, legally – and a home and money of her own. Things could only get better.
The End.
The Curse of Havencrest
Cayleigh Stickler