Phantasm: What's Buried Beneath

I stared outside the window from the drawing-room, into the garden where a few children ran up and down the part ways. Through the trees, jumping and almost flying over stairs and hedges. I smiled to myself ignoring the gossip my devious stepmother and mischievous half-sister were contouring up.

Something about a party, I couldn’t care less, just a bunch of noise to me. Just then my half-sister, Lady Ophelia, turned to me:

“Aren’t you even paying attention? For God sake, don’t you care that we won’t have money in the next month, the least you could do is help" she sneered in disgust, not once looking at me.

“I told you before, I can’t ask him where the money is" I whispered not taking my eyes off the children in the garden

“I believe so, my late husband is stubborn as a bull," she said holding onto her chest “nevertheless, we will have this party for all Earls, Dukes, and Baron with their wives, daughters, and sons. Make a fortune off your thing"

“My gift," I said looking at the overly pink room that had too many feathers and pearls to count as my eyes found theirs with a shaded view and hooded head. Silence settled on the room, I stood up and left, looking for some peace and quiet.

I know they fear what lays behind these glasses, the reason I am forced to wear them. I don’t mind, their fear keeps their hands off me, well, it keeps anyone’s hands off me. The only reason I roam free on this grounds because of my gift or my curse I hold, I suppose it’s a gift, my mother said it was. Dear mother, how I long for your touch, your life, and your light; I only live for you now and dread being stuck here, if I don’t fulfill my destiny and descent to my fate, i will be. I thought as I moved up the cotton candy stairs which was curved to welcome any guest upon entry.

Making my way down the hallway to the library and my father's study. I watch figures of old maid pass through me with a bow with a greeting. Oh I forgot to say, I talk to a ghost, I am a psychic, I see the future (both changed unchanged, the future is but choices, it’s not set in stone) and I am herbalist/use pseudoscientific methods, which I read in one of father many books. A few things I inherited from my mother.

I walked into the library and saw my father at his office table as always, the same clothes as usual. Seem like death likes to play jokes on people “the last garment you wear will be the one you wear for eternity” kind of harsh, I wouldn't want to die in these old rags, looked down at my worn-out jeans and dirty sneakers. I walked towards him and pulled out the chair in front of his desk and sat down, I pushing my hood back and taking off my sunglasses. He looked up from the book on the table and said:

“Ah, there you are, have those vile creatures send you to ask me again?" he said looking back at his book, to me, I see him turning the papers but to others, they are turning on its own. I shook my head and pick up the book I left the last time on his desk to read.

“good, that Will will not be found” he snickered at his own joke, I rolled my eyes at the lamest. “Why have you not ask me for the will? You know I would give it to you" I felt his eyes on me and smiled

“I told you, father, I don’t wish for your money, forgive me" I whispered as I turn the papers, trying to read.

“You are always forgiven but I wish to send you away from this place," he said calmly

“father please" I pleaded not wanting to have this conversation. " I will leave when the time is right"

I smiled convincingly

“Fine, what news have you brought me?” he said walking to a window

“They speak of a party of some sort, here, they want to use me" I whispered trying to pay attention to the book in front of me.

He made a grumbling sound “I don’t know what to say, good luck my daughter, the gift you carry is not an easy one" he said walking into the aisles of books.

As I sat reading for what seemed like a few minutes, a knock sounded at the door just then my father popped his from the massive aisles of books. Then I saw the bright red hair of my beloved friend Henry, popping his head through the door:

“May I enter?” he whispered with his bright smile.

I smiled at waved him in, he bowed and made a short greeting to my father, even though he couldn’t see him.

“Yes, Henry what do you need?” I asked grabbing my sunglasses and pushing my hood back over my golden hair. I look back at him, seeing him frown at my actions.

“One of the late lords are terrorizing the horses again"

“Well father that’s my cue, enjoy your day further” as I walked to the door, I saw waving me away with a fatherly smile.

Henry and I walked side by side making our way to the kitchen and out the door. The fields and woods nearby were filled with ghosts, demons and whatever else paranormal entities. I normally stay far away from the woods and I have worn so many townspeople to stay far away but who listens to the towns ‘witch'. I only enter its grounds when getting herbs but I always make sure I am protected by amethyst crystals, smudging myself with sage before and after entering but if something attaches to me; I know how to get rid of it.

I can tell you one thing, the townspeople have a lot of demons on their shoulders, some stronger than others.

I walked into the dusty stable, I heard the horse’s neighing and hitting the door of the stable as the late lord tried to ride the poor thing. I walked up to the distress horse and rubbed his cheek gently, slowly lowering my hood and taking my glasses off. I felt a group of stablemen gathering, watching my every move; I heard them gasp at my long golden locks and golden eyes came into view.

Ignoring their presence I looked into the horse's eyes, calming him down, whispering: “Shh shhhhh there sweet, just look into my eyes" I smiled as the horse moved his snout into my hair. Then I stepped back looking at the late Lord.

“We talked about this, my lord" I stopped to eye the old ghost figure, in his riding suit and whip “you can’t ride the horse, they are terrified of you, they don’t understand what you are, I am truly sorry" I bowed my head.

He waved at me with his glove “please dear girl, it’s my fault, I just wish to ride one more time" he said bowing his head.

“Yes, my lord, I am working on that; been thinking of getting a wild horse, they can’t tell the difference between those of the living or dead, please forgive my tardiness” I bowed my head again.

“Please sweetheart, you do too much for us” he whispered touching my face which felt like feathers “if I can just finish one more ride then, I can go off to Elizabeth, my love" I looked into his eyes and whispered:

“I promised and I will" he smiled sweet then turned to disappear into walls. I looked down at my feet, this is one of the things I hate about my gift, the sadness; I held my breath and counted to 10. As I exhale, I turned to the group of men and they were watching me; I quickly covered my hair putting on my glasses and never made eye contact with any of them.

This gift can’t be controlled, one look into their eyes and I would know exactly what they are and what they did and their future. Some memories are too sad to handle, sometimes I even feel the pain; to avoid that I keep my head low.

As I rushed into the kitchen, a plate came flying through the air towards me, I quickly ducked and watched it smashed against the wall. I turned and saw one of the chefs looking at me, I turned my head and again seeing the other chef.

“What now?” I said rubbing my forehead as a headache formed.

“She wanted to put pepper in the mince pie" the old skinny bird looking lady argued, pointing to the plumb freckled who answered:

“If we add pepper, we can be back to cooking again," she said in her deep Irish accent with much vicar.

They began arguing back and forth for a few minutes when the skinny one was about to throw a plate again.

“Listen, chefs, please they will not fire Ms. Richmond because of peppery mince pie, just blame it on you two, so can we calm down, to your corners,” I said as they both backed up and sat in their chairs, I continued to try and convince them to stop argue for hours until dinner came about and they eventually quieted down and disappeared.

I watched Ms. Richmond and her sous chef Mr. Van Gundy prepare dinner, they danced around the kitchen chopping, folding and stirring away. I went into a daydream as I stared at the bread rolls, not really thinking at all when Mr. Van Gundy, Joe, tapped his fingers on the table. I looked up at him smiling at me:

“you stuck in a dream" he crossed his arms across his chest and just smiled

“Yea, sorry" I shifted in my chair. I looked up at him as he made me move to sit down next to me.

“Well love, chin up and best foot forward" I looked at him for a moment and smile at what I saw “what?” he smiled confused.

“Nothing,” I said looking down when Ms. Richmond, Mil, put a bowl of leftovers in front of me and Mr. Van Gundy then sat down with her own.

“where is Henry?” he look at me pretending it was a sideways question.

“He is having dinner with his parents, he has a day off tomorrow " I whispered while eating this glorious meal. “Mil, you have outdone yourself"

“Thank you, sweetheart" she smiled finishing her meal. Mil was a bit older then me but a heart of gold, a smile as bright as the sun (though if she wanted to, she could be scary) and a mind of wisdom, she confirmed herself as a spinster and lived in her food.

While Joe was strong, scary and I am probably sure killed a man but he was an amazing sou, finds cooking and butchering calmed him like an art; he has a big heart but doesn't cross him.

Two of them make a pair of hellishly beautiful yet scary partners.

I watched them discuss a few things, I couldn’t help but gaze into their future and smiled to myself. As they turned their heads to me suspiciously, my dear old stepmother walked in.

“oh, how cozy" she smiled deviously at our little dinner party “Ms. Richmond and Mr van Gundy I will need you to prepare something excellent for our special guests coming tomorrow, better start preparing now, and do you want to know who they are?” she giggled as they went to the pantry to take stock.

“ no, dear stepmother but I am sure you will tell me” I faked smiled back.

“Ah yes" clasped her hands together and giggled again “it seems your precious ‘gift’ is bringing great people to our door, the Duke Evermore of Mercury lane, yes, the right hand to the Queen’s army and Sir Stonewood his trusty associate, isn’t that wonderful”

“What if he tries to prove I am a fraud?” I ask taking my last bite of food as she grabbed my arm and hissed:

“Listen here, you little maggot, you will show him you are the real deal" I watched Joe walk out of the pantry and death crossed his eyes, my dear stepmother smiled letting my arm go “just make sure you are dress appropriately, buy something new but simple and pick up Ophelia’s dresses from the store, she needs to stand out" she looked into space than to me

“yes, Lady Evan’s” her smile grew wide and as she walked away

“Perfect!” she shouted as she disappeared.

Duke Evermore, a detective in the royal army. I have heard of him, read all his articles; his butler turned knighted associate wrote articles about their success. Both equally intelligent and both equally abnormally strong, both brains and brawn, seems unusual, especially how they met. Maybe this gathering won’t be so bad. I smiled to myself as I made my way to my room, down the stairs into dark and next to the cellar.