Whisper (6 page)

TWELVE

Townies

An unexpected knock at my door sent me up in the air five feet. The scream echoing off the walls vibrated in my ears. Bethanne’s distinct knock came again. I opened the door quickly to find her standing with her hand in mid-air ready to knock a third time.

“Avaya Miss Clary asked for yourself and Livia to go to the market today.”

“I finally am travelling to civilization?” Finally, I have some freedom.

On the way to town, we passed the town sign:

Welcome to Woodenbury

Pop. 1,347

We drove down a quaint street with strips of stores connected to each other on each side of the street. Walking through town, I took it all in. Standing by the theater I stared at the diner. This whole town is frozen in another time.

“Avaya have a look around I will take care of the shopping. We don’t need to say a word to Miss Clary.” Livia turned away to leaving me on my own to explore.

I went into several boutique shops until I found one called Hattie’s Treasures.

Inside I saw a bookstore I had not seen one like this before. Hattie’s on one side and a souvenir shop on the other side with a mini ice cream parlor. I saw little knick knacks and clothes. The second floor caught my eye. A boy browsed through something I couldn’t see. He looked like Nate. I wanted to investigate, but I am distracted.

Three teens walk around the store enjoying their time perusing through the shop. Staring at them the boy with blond hair handsome in his own right catches my attention. For a moment I thought it was Nate until I saw his clear green eyes.
The two girls with him are uniquely different as much as they are alike. One has black hair with dark eyes, I cannot tell if she tans or if it is natural. The other girl is light skinned with light brown hair and light brown eyes.

While browsing a table of books, a boy walks up to me a nervous grin on his face. “Hi. You look new, are you visiting? I haven’t seen you before.” He spoke fluidly.

“Hi. I am actually staying with my uncle outside of town.”

He leans against a counter. “Not a tourist. That is a shame. It would have been fun to show you around.” The two girls walk up behind him to join in our conversation. The girl with black hair smacks him on the arm. “Sorry, is he bothering you? He thinks every girl comes here for him.”

His face becomes a deep red. “I do not.”

I shake my head. “No, he isn’t bothering me.”

The girl with the light brown hair spoke up, “hey are you new?”

“I already asked her.” He said.

The girl with light brown hair smiles and says, “I’m Chrissi and this Nicolette.”

I smile in return, “I am Avaya.”

“I’m Xavier.”

“Yes we know Mr. Suave.” Chrissi says laughing pressing down the bill of his hat.

I browse around the books. Glancing upward where I saw the boy before he is there staring down at us. His eyes are slits of blue. I watched him until he backed up and turned out of view.

“So where are you staying?” Nicolette asks rummaging through the sunglasses rack.

“She is staying with her uncle outside of town.” Xavier replies.

“Where does he live that you are staying outside of town?” Chrissi asks curious. “I only know one place that is considered outside of town, but it is abandoned nobody lives there anymore.” She finishes.

“My uncle owns the Vandersen Manor.”

Three statues of fear stare at me gaping. I thought it was permanent until Nicolette regained herself. “You are actually staying there?”

“Sure why not?”

“Yeah,” Chrissi chimes in, “that place is haunted. There was a mysterious disappearance there over one hundred years ago. The Vandersen family’s youngest son Luken went missing in 1884 nobody ever heard from him again. There are all kinds of rumors about what happened.

Some say he ran away from home and changed his name. Other people think his father murdered him and hid the body somewhere on the property where nobody would find him.

The whole mystery revolves around Luken not wanting to marry Anabelle Woodson. The legend says Luken went along with the engagement until one day he had a change of heart. Apparently he started to go insane. Claiming he was in love with a girl nobody had ever heard of before and some think he left with her. Nobody really knows for sure.”

I grimace, “how do you know all of this?”

“This is a generational town Avaya. Our great-great grandparents and great grandparents, even some of our grandparents are all from that time period. Stories here tend to be passed down.” Nicolette added.

“Oh, got it.”

“Anyway,” Chrissi continues, “people who have gone there to stay at the mansion have reported strange occurrences happening.”

Captivated by more information about Luken, I say, “like what?”

Xavier moves in a bit closer, before he speaks with his voice lowered. I found myself attracted to him. He drew me in. Similar to the way Nate draws me in.

“People mention hearing music coming from somewhere in the mansion. It is the same melody every night. The parlor room used to be a music room before Luken disappeared. The room is always empty even though music playing comes from there.” I urge them to continue. We walk down the street together while Xavier fascinates me with legends of Luken Vandersen.

“Maybe we should hang out there, see what kind of strange mysterious things go on at night when the lights go out.” Xavier and Chrissi agree with Nicolette’s idea.

I thought about the boy I have seen around the Vandersen Manor. His face is still a mystery to me. I tend to only see him when it is gloomy, at night, and during sunset. Once I even saw him walk out of the mausoleum, I think.

It made me hope the murder rumor isn’t true.

“I will have to ask.”

“Have you seen anything?” Xavier asks.

“I have seen…”

“Avaya there you are. We must return now.” She says. “I see you have met some of the locals.” Livia is standoffish with them.

We drive back a bit slower taking a scenic route. I try to stare out the window. Livia weaves through rolling hills and country winding roads with rural wooded areas here and there. “They were telling me about the history of the Vandersen Manor.”

Livia grasped the wheel tighter suddenly appearing nervous. I didn’t understand what she would be nervous about. Livia pulls back on the gas petal bringing the car to a lesser speed. The clouds loomed above us overcast the father we moved away from Woodenbury.

She gives me a quick glance agitated, “most of the rumors about the Vandersen Manor are false. They should not be referred to as a possible fact. Avaya, be careful who you trust here.”

Livia continues to drive twisting the steering wheel with her clenched hands. “Is it true, that they never found Luken?”

“It is true but do not go in search of something that died away and is in the past. Some things are better left shrouded in mystery. Luken disappeared off the face of the earth. Vanished! No trace of murder or abduction. The fact is…nobody knows what happened except for Luken himself and well, by now he has been dead for a long while.”

Maybe, even longer than she might realize,
I thought to myself.

“What about his marrying Anabelle?”

“He refused. A change of heart perhaps or he may have felt he was being dishonest with himself regarding the allegations of his being in love with a stranger. From what I have been told, Luken would speak of a girl he was in love with from a dream. A girl from a dream meant insanity. He even composed a lyrical piano piece for her.

Luken believed this girl would hear his music and come to him so they could be together. Only it did not ever occur. He used to play in the parlor room it was once a music room. Luken would have trouble sleeping, soon he became restless. He did not like to sleep tortured by this girl in his dreams he could not be with.

One night music did not play and earlier that same night Luken disappeared from sight. He was in the company of his future bride Miss Anabelle Woodson. Before you start to think about the rumor spread regarding his father, it is not true. Remember Avaya Luken was following the path of success, despite what he wanted.”

* * *

I ate dinner with my uncle and more of his colleagues. Nate sat to my left. I kept thinking about all I learned about Luken and what may have happened to him. My gaze waned from Nate slightly. Mr. Myrtle set a small silver bowl down in front of me an orange sorbet with ice cream cake.

“Try to eat a tiny bit, trust me.” I sigh. “Okay,” I could feel my Uncle James eyeing me. It is hard not to look in Nate’s direction. My cheeks turned rosy when I am caught by my uncle watching Nate.

“Avaya you do not have to be here, you’re excused.”

“It is fine.” I say, Nate chuckled.

My uncle picked up his fork taking another bit of his sorbet. A small smile pulled at the side of his lip. Instead of retreating to my room, I chose to take a walk. It wouldn’t be happening alone.

Nate leaned against a wall. “Mind my company?”

No, “not at all,” I took his arm letting him lead me outside.

THIRT
EEN

Mesmerized

I woke up a couple nights later to music playing I follow the sound to the parlor room. Standing outside the door, my heart is hammering, vibrating inside me. My pulse is racing, my hand gently touching the door. I hesitate.

It is a few seconds before I realized I am holding my breath. Cautiously and silently I exhale. The music plays rhythmically and poetically. Closing my eyes for a second I let the instrumental melody soak into my heart. A song sent through time to comfort me.

Being cautious as though I will set off an alarm, I open the door. I did not expect to find what I saw.

A boy sat at the piano playing in a trancelike state. The pull of it called to me, my body moving forward against my will. Before I knew it, he is only a few feet in front of me. His white dress shirt fits him relaxed and flowing. I watched his fingers gracefully caress the keys and strokes.

My breath caught, he is staring directly into my hazel eyes and had finished playing. Haunting deep blue eyes pierced me to the core of my soul. Within a moment his stance relaxed. He smirked. Those eyes of his gleamed with recognition.

“You came.” He slowly stood, leaning back against the piano. “I have been waiting for you.”

I couldn’t speak. Did he just say…no I must have heard wrong.

He says…“you are even more beautiful than the other night.”

“Excuse me?”

A smile pulls at the corner of his lip, “you heard me.”

I couldn’t tell if his change in demeanor is smugness or if he thinks I should pounce all over him. The way he lowers his eyes to me, smirking with mischief. The mystery in his eyes, I couldn’t tell.

“Yes I heard you. Though I don’t understand what you mean, I haven’t seen you before, have I? Those eyes are so familiar from a dream. Someone I know who only exists when I close my eyes. There is someone else who reminds me of you.”

“I have seen you in a dream as well.”

I step back a little. No it couldn’t be.

In the dimly lit candle light of the parlor room casting shadows on his pale skin, I think back to the portrait of Luken Vandersen. He wears similar attire. Black slacks with a black overcoat. His light hair is combed back.

A candelabrum sat on top of the dusty piano lit. Cobwebs connected to each tier. The wick of the candles dried down the sides. I stared at him captivated I may be looking into the enticing blue eyes of Luken Vandersen.

I wonder if maybe I should be scared of him. For one reason or another I’m not scared. Being here with him brings a comfort unexplainable. He tilts head lowering his eyes to me intently. “That piece you were playing…”

“Lovely isn’t it.” He cuts me off.

“Come.”

I couldn’t resist his allure, biting my lip gently.

This is unbelievable. Unsure I warily gaze at him. Staring at his waiting hand, without thought my hand reaches for his. Retracting my hand quickly, he appears offended. I manage to reach back taking his outstretched hand. The touch startles me.  The coldness emanating from him takes me by surprise.

He leads me to the piano bench, I sit beside him. The melody flows from the piano. My gaze drifts watching his hands to his face. He concentrates intensely on every note and all I want is to brush his bangs to the side of his face with my fingers. The way his brow arched from concentration as his fingers gracefully move on the piano keys. His fingers danced a beautiful ballet.

The room’s dim glow from the candle light is the same as it had been the first time I stood in this room in the night. When he finishes, I look into his deep dark ocean blue eyes. The connection between us stirs, undeniable.

“What is it?” He asks unable to turn away from me.

“You look so much like…”

“Nate.” He finishes with a sly grin.

He tilts his head to the side. “Actually it is Luken I tried to tell you at the dinner. If it hadn’t been for Bethanne barging into the room I would have.”

“Luken, so it has been you all this time. You’re the boy I have been seeing around the mansion.”

Nate…I mean Luken’s voice broke through the banks of my memory it is exactly how it sounded in the dreams I had just like this. Fatigue coursed through me. Overwhelmed, I say to him, “I better get some sleep.” I simply said goodnight to him before leaving the room. I shut the door behind me. Listening I only hear silence.

I felt a touch on my shoulder. Spinning around Miss Brantshire stood look at me through dark eyes. She simply stood there watching me over the tip over her nose. Her mouth pulled together. I glanced to her side at movement. Celia stood there gleaming with her lips pulled at the side half smiling.

“What are you doing here?” She asks.

Miss Brantshire moves toward Celia. “You may go now.” Celia sends daggers at me with her eyes. “This area is off limits.” She says briskly to me. “Do not let me catch you disobeying again. Just for this tomorrow morning I expect you in the kitchen with Miss Clary bright and early. I will see to it.” I started to walk away. When I glanced back she was gone.

“Way to go getting on the bad side of Miss Brantshire,” Celia says sidling up next to me as I walk back to my room.

“Like you had nothing to do with it?” She shrugs innocently. “Nope she simply keeps an eye on everything around here. Has anything strange happened?” I
frown not understanding her exact motive. “Like what,” I ask her anticipating her disappearing act.

“I don’t know seeing a young lady or girl that maybe frightens you?” I thought back to the girl in the hallway. She didn’t exactly send shivers up my spine.

“No I haven’t.” Celia halts her steps. “Good, it needs to stay that way.” I didn’t dare turn back I already knew she is no longer there.

I made my way along the marble walls back to the main stairwell. I felt a sudden burst of cold shill sweep past me. I froze in my tracks. It lasts only a moment before I start up the carpet lined stairs. I held firmly to the mahogany banister.

I stood in front of my door. Gazing at the darkened hallway my curiosity takes over. The eerie hallway looms before me. I make my way up the three steps. Coldness increases the closer I come to the door. The freezing air bit at my nose and cheeks.

Placing my hand hovering above the doorknob, I hold back unsure why the sensation of fear creeps into my conscience. A severe consumption to flee away quickly takes over. I head back to my room until I am locked away in the confines of my own space.

* * *

I wake up in the morning to find an envelope had been slipped under my door. My name is on the front in beautifully scripted writing. Thinking it might be from Luken I hastily open it only to find a warning.

Stay away from the forbidden hallway or face the consequences to your already endangered life.

Swallowing a new fear grips me.
Who sent this to me?
I think to myself. A strange sound alerts me and I jump, a scream echoes off the walls. I run to the door frightened. Bethanne holds her fist in the air, I grab my heart. “That scared me.”

“Is everything all right Miss? You seem to have got yourself in a bit of a fright.” That is an understatement.

“I am fine. Did you need something?”

“Miss Clary is wondering where you are.”
Crap I forgot about Miss Brantshire intentionally punishing me.

The fears of the morning slowly fade away from my memory. An intense pain courses through me as Bethanne and I walk down the abandoned hallway. I heard the sound of a child glancing back a little girl wearing a pleated dress with a bow in her hair held a teddy bear in her arms. I smile at her and she runs away into nothing.

Bethanne and I walked into the kitchen bustling with women of various sizes. Miss Clary stops in front of us. “It is about you show up. Better late than never I suppose. Put this on, today lunch will be served in the balcony dining room. Bethanne will help out.” Miss Clary tossed a faded black uniform in my arms. I wonder what era this hailed from.

The day passed slowly. Dinner dragged on, my uncle had left again. Luken had been present sitting with Celia, avoiding me. She sat straight as though pleased with receiving attention from him. It didn’t surprise me Miss Brantshire did not join us.

The sounds of music bumped against the walls. I lay in bed listening to the notes swarm around my room surrounding me. It finally hits me. Maybe I am the girl from Luken’s dreams; it explains the recognition in his tormented eyes when I first saw him.