Stitch (Stitch Trilogy, Book 1)

by Durante, Samantha

  And then, suddenly, he was gone.

  14. Reversal

  Isaac sat down on the edge of the tub listening to the splash of the water as it spilled from the faucet into the basin. Steam warmed the chilly room as it rose from the bath and he breathed deeply, enjoying the respite from the long, cold winter they’d been enduring.

  Isaac glanced at the door wondering when his sister, Josephine, would come upstairs. She had made a muddy mess of herself helping him in the stable with the horses. By the time they’d finished, she was shivering violently from head to toe and Isaac had offered to run her a bath to help her warm up and clean off. At almost ten years old she was more than capable of doing it herself, but Isaac liked to coddle his little sister in the few ways she would allow.

  Jo was a bit of a tomboy, more interested in riding horses and playing outdoors than pampering herself. She was Isaac’s constant companion, following him wherever he went and always wanting to be part of the action, even when she was too small to keep up. No one could blame Isaac if he'd been annoyed by her insistence on tagging along, but instead he found her enthusiasm endearing. She was almost like the brother he’d never had, but with a genuine sweetness that no boy could ever hope to match. There was no one in the world he loved more, and so he’d been glad to have this small opportunity to care for her by drawing a warm bath to ward off the winter’s chill.

  He unbuttoned his sleeve and rolled it up to the elbow, dangling his fingertips in the water behind him. While he waited for the tub to fill, he studied the image in the large mirror in front of him reflecting the round window on the opposite wall and the expanse of dry midwinter fields beyond. In a matter of weeks, it would be time for the farmhands to plow the long rows and sow this year’s crops, a prospect that Isaac was dreading.

  He’d lived in this same house on this same farm for almost as long as he could remember, and yet he’d never quite felt at home here. As much as he loved his family and appreciated the successful business his father was prepared to leave to him, something about staying here just didn’t feel right to Isaac. Not to mention, he couldn’t imagine anything more dull than another year of farming.

  Isaac thought perhaps moving to the city might soothe his restlessness. There was so much going on there these days, so much progress passing them by at Mason Manor – new technology cropping up seemingly every week, revolutionizing the way people live. Isaac felt that if he could be a part of improving other people’s lives, maybe it might ease the guilt he felt over abandoning his family, as he knew he one day surely would.

  But for the moment at least, he was stuck here, watching plants grow. His only respite was the occasional mischief stirred up by Jo, and more recently, the mysterious manifestation he’d been seeing around the house.

  Her appearances had started a couple months ago and never lasted more than a few moments. He would get a glimpse of a striking dark haired woman who always seemed to disappear around a corner before he could reach her. He’d called out to her, but to no avail – she didn’t seem to hear him.

  At first he thought that perhaps she was a new servant, but when he asked his mother if she’d hired anyone recently, she replied that she hadn’t. In any case, the woman certainly didn’t dress like any servant – or anyone – that he’d ever seen. Isaac still wasn’t quite sure if he was just stir-crazy and imagining the whole thing, but regardless, the presence had made the long winter much more interesting than in previous years and he was grateful at least for that.

  Isaac glanced at the door once more and wondered what Josephine had gotten into now. The bath was nearly full and if she didn’t come soon, the water would cool. Isaac thought perhaps it would be best to finish filling the tub once Jo was ready to get in so that it would still be hot when she did. He decided to close the tap while he waited for her to arrive.

  Withdrawing his fingers from the water, Isaac reached back for the faucet handle, his long arm stretching across the tub. As he swung his head around toward the tap, he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye by the head of the bathtub. He looked back and – registering what he’d seen – immediately froze in place.

  It was the woman, closer than she’d ever been before, and she was staring directly at him with shapely eyes that were greener than the richest of jewels. She sat in the tub, her head cocked curiously to one side, regarding him with narrowed eyes. Her expression conveyed a cross of marvel and what looked like concern.

  Isaac’s heartbeat quickened and he fought the urge to run. He stared back at the presence with wide eyes, his chest pounding as he gripped the rim of the tub ever harder. She was quite possibly the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen, but at the same time, the strangeness of the situation was more unsettling than anything.

  Suddenly her expression changed. Her emerald eyes widened to match his and she locked her gaze directly onto Isaac’s. She sat forward and he could see her hand reaching from below the water towards his own. For a moment he cowered, dismayed at the prospect of those translucent fingertips mingling with his own. But then he noticed the anguish stamped across her face, and he knew he couldn’t leave.

  Slowly the ghostly fingers inched nearer and nearer, her eyes never dropping his gaze. Thoughts raced through Isaac’s head faster than he could process them – he’d never experienced anything so thrilling. He sat motionless but inside he was churning, his emotions a whirling eddy in a ferocious gale of anticipation, awaiting the crescendo when their fingertips would meet. She stretched toward him, nearly touching…

  And then she was gone.

  The apparition faded in an instant and Isaac let out a heavy gasp. He didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath. His heart was still pounding as he slowly pried his fingertips from the edge of the tub. What had just happened? He could barely think – he felt almost dizzy.

  He was certain now that he was not imagining the presence, or if he was, that his mind was well beyond the hope of repair. He honestly didn’t know what to think anymore. Isaac was impatient to learn more about this ghost – or whatever she was – but he had no idea where to even start.

  Before today he’d never even been able to capture her attention, and then once he finally had it, he’d missed his chance. Why hadn’t he said something? With her startling green eyes locked on his face, he’d forgotten he had the ability to speak. He lamented his own inaction; in all likelihood, he’d never get another chance like that.

  Isaac heard Josephine’s ungraceful clomping up the attic stairs and tried to compose himself. He hadn’t said anything to Jo about the presence for fear of frightening her. She rounded the corner into the tiny bathroom with an energetic leap and nearly knocked Isaac into the tub. He leapt up to regain his balance. “Whoa there! Since when are you so eager for a bath?”

  Josephine beamed up at Isaac with big brown eyes and an eager grin. “Ma said I could bring the cat inside to play after I’m done.”

  Isaac couldn’t help returning her innocent smile. The anxiety he’d been feeling a moment ago melted away. “All right, I’ll leave you to it then. You should run the hot water a bit longer before you get in to warm it up.” He headed for the door and mussed her tangled blonde hair on the way out.

  Isaac made his way down the narrow attic stairs to his study on the second floor. He sat in the plush burgundy armchair by the fireplace, the only warm spot in the room. He ran one hand briskly through his hair then rested his elbow on the armrest, pondering his recent encounter.

  He wasn’t sure what to make of the presence. He supposed it might have been some sort of ghost but he didn’t know how he might go about confirming that theory. He scanned the heavy bookshelves lining the wall for ideas.

  Most of his collection was composed of thick leather-bound volumes on science and engineering, along with the requisite books about history and philosophy. He had only one work pertaining to ghost stories, but it was clearly a work of fiction; he didn’t suppose it would be much use in unraveling the mystery of t
he presence. His eyes skimmed a row of science fiction novels, and one spine imprinted with the words “time machine” caught his attention. Perhaps she was a traveler from a distant future?

  Sighing, Isaac realized that his speculation was hopeless. Until he could find a way to communicate with the woman, he’d never understand how she came to be. He stood and paced back and forth in front of the hearth.

  This situation with the apparition was just one more brick of frustration to add to the growing wall that stood in the way of his starting his life. Even from his earliest childhood, Isaac had never been able to shake the feeling that he just didn’t belong here, that something important was missing from his life and it was somehow his own fault. He’d always been obedient – studious, hardworking, kind – but yet he never felt like it was enough, never felt like anything he did could truly justify his own existence.

  Isaac had never understood where these feelings of inadequacy had come from – his parents had never been anything less than loving and proud as far back as he could remember – but he’d harbored this discontentment with himself as long as he could remember. And now he was nearly a grown man, and every passing day saw him more and more eager to break free of the family farm and prove himself out in the world.

  But at the same time, the thought of leaving his loved ones behind left his resolve wavering. And now this presence – and his ardent desire to learn who she was – was just one more thing tying him to Mason Manor. He didn’t know how he’d ever disentangle himself from his current life enough to pursue what he knew he needed to do.

  Isaac paced to the window, the frosty bite of winter pressing against him through the glass. His breath fogged in a small circle on the windowpane as he looked eastward out over the property, in the direction of the city. This many miles away he couldn’t see the dense array of golden lights emanating from apartments and restaurants and offices, but he knew they were there, twinkling in the evening light. Isaac wondered what else he might be doing now if he were there, instead of in this solitary house on his family’s vast estate.

  The floor creaked in the hallway as Josephine descended from the attic and headed to the first floor. Isaac dismissed his wandering thoughts and turned his attention back to the presence. He wasn’t sure how to proceed in uncovering more about her, but he was fairly certain that he wasn’t going to trigger any epiphanies sitting in his study.

  Isaac wondered if perhaps Jo had seen the presence as well. It was said that children were often more attuned to supernatural experiences. Maybe she had seen the woman but neglected to say anything, figuring that she’d just be scolded for making up fanciful stories. Isaac turned towards the door, intending to follow Jo downstairs and find out whatever she might know.

  15. Frustration

  The floorboards under Isaac’s feet protested a loud creak with every step. The cold had seeped into every crevice of the house, and despite the diligent efforts of the servants flitting from room to room with wood, Mason Manor’s many fireplaces did little to stave it off. He rubbed his hands together as he walked, exhaling occasionally into his clasped palms in an effort to bring the color back to his extremities.

  He descended the main staircase slowly to the first floor. Reaching the foyer, he saw that his mother had made good on her promise to Josephine. Jo was sprawled out on the floor in the parlor to his right, gently stroking the brown tabby cat who usually lived in the barn. The cat was napping peacefully on the hearth in front of a blazing fire, a small bowl of milk not far from its side.

  Isaac sat on the stiff sofa nearest Jo and she looked up at him with a relaxed smile. “Ma gave the kitty some milk while I took my bath.”

  “I see that,” Isaac replied. “He must be relieved to get out of the cold.” As Isaac spoke, the cat stretched out its paws and released a small contented sigh. Isaac wished his own problems could be so easily solved.

  He thought for a moment about how to broach the subject of the presence. He wanted to be careful not to scare Josephine with the possibility of the house being haunted, but he needed to find out if she’d had any encounters with the woman he’d been seeing. He decided to use the book of ghost tales in his study to break the ice.

  Isaac cleared his throat in a way that he hoped sounded natural. “I read a spooky ghost story while you were in the bath.”

  Jo perked up, her eyes wide. “What was it about?”

  “About a woman who died in a big white farmhouse and haunted the new family who moved in.”

  “Ooooh.” Jo was mesmerized. “Was she a mean ghost?”

  Isaac pretended to think for a moment. “Well, not exactly. She never tried to hurt anyone, but she did appear out of nowhere and scare them sometimes.”

  Jo leaned in toward Isaac, whispering, “What did she do?”

  Isaac leaned closer in and paused to build the suspense. Talking in a low voice, he said, “She would sneak up behind them… and when they least expected it… she would say… Boo!”

  Jo jumped at his exclamation, then giggled wildly. The cat peeked at her with one eye and promptly went back to sleep. “You scared me!” Still laughing, she punched him lightly in the shoulder.

  Isaac smiled. “It was only a story.”

  “But maybe it was a real story!”

  “Maybe it was in this very house!”

  Jo squealed. “That would be so creepy! I’m glad I’ve never seen a ghost.”

  It didn’t sound like Jo had had any experiences with the presence, but Isaac decided to press a little further to be sure. “Well maybe she hasn’t decided to show herself to you just yet. In the story, sometimes the ghost would slam doors or knock things off the table when no one was looking. Did you ever notice anything strange happening in our house?”

  Josephine screwed up her face in thought, then finally shook her head. “I don’t think our house is haunted, Isaac. I think you’re just trying to scare me!”

  Isaac laughed. “I told you it was only a story. You’re the one saying it’s real.”

  “Well I changed my mind.”

  “Okay.” Isaac smiled and rumpled her hair.

  Jo returned his affection with a begrudging half smile. “Even if it was real, I wouldn’t be afraid of any old ghost.”

  “I know you wouldn’t.” Satisfied, Jo turned back to the cat, tracing the long black stripe down its back with her fingertip.

  Isaac hoped she’d never have to confirm that theory. He knew from experience that even when the ghost was a gorgeous young woman, it was still terrifying. There was just something so unnatural about a person appearing and disappearing at will that it was hard to feel anything but unnerved in her presence.

  Jo stroked the cat for some time and Isaac watched her in silence, reflecting on how he might try to contact the presence. Suddenly Jo looked up at Isaac with an earnest face and asked, “Isaac, are you going to get married soon?”

  Isaac was taken aback. “Wherever would you get that idea?”

  “Because I heard you the other day, talking about a woman.”

  Isaac thought back – had he mentioned the presence to anyone else? No, he was certain he hadn’t. How could Josephine know about her? “When? To whom?”

  “A couple days ago. I came by your room in the morning to see if you were up yet, and you were talking in your sleep. You kept saying her name.”

  “What name?”

  “Alessa.”

  Now Isaac was beyond confused. He didn’t know anyone named Alessa. He didn’t think he’d even heard that name before. Why would he be uttering it in his sleep? He didn’t even remember having any unusual dreams lately. “That’s odd. I don’t even know anyone by that name…”

  “Are you sure you’re not fibbing me?” Josephine narrowed her eyes accusatorily.

  Isaac reassured her. “How could I be secretly courting a woman? I never even leave the grounds!”

  Jo considered for a moment and nodded her head in concession. “I guess that’s true. You just sounded… I don�
�t know. You sounded like you loved her.”

  Isaac smiled soothingly. “I promise, I don’t know any Alessa and I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”

  “Good. I don’t want you to go.”

  Isaac’s chest panged with guilt. More gently he said, “I have to go someday, Jo.”

  “But why?”

  “Well, everyone has to grow up sometime. I may want to go to university and study science and become a great inventor. I couldn’t do that if I stayed here, could I?”

  “No… But why can’t you just run the farm like Papa does?”

  “I could, but… I just, well, I don’t know if that’s what I want to do. Don’t you ever yearn to see the city?”

  Jo scowled. “I like the farm.”

  “I like it, too. But I may want to spend a few years away, to work on my studies and find myself a wife. Wouldn’t you like to have a sister?”

  Looking down at the cat, Jo replied, “Only if she was fun.”

  Isaac smiled and took her small hands in his. Jo looked up at him. “Of course. And you know that when I go, I will miss you dearly and I will come back to visit you often.”

  Josephine loosed a small smile and appeared satisfied. Isaac let her go back to playing and headed up the stairs towards his study. He wondered again where the name Alessa might have come from. He tried to recall any dreams he’d had lately, but nothing came to mind.

  Alessa. He rolled the name on his tongue and oddly enough it did feel familiar. Had he met an Alessa at some point? Perhaps he had read the name in a book or the newspaper. He couldn’t pinpoint any particular instance, but obviously this name had gotten lodged in his subconscious at some point. Isaac made a mental note to keep an eye out for any Alessa references he might come across, in hopes of finding the source.