“You have a lot of grounds here Alex, but the garden area around the main house is what I want to tackle first, with my crew of gardeners we will get it done in no time. I was thinking of starting around the back of the house, that is, until your man has completed the driveway of course then we can set to work there, it was once a beautiful garden Alex, and will be again. I will do you proud.”
Alex went and made a pot of tea and passed Betty a cup and then placed the milk and sugar on the table.
“I’m so pleased Betty, that you’ll take this on, it’s just I feel I owe it to this place to give it the best I can, sorry I sound silly,” Alex began to look into her tea, frightened to look at Betty in case she broke down again.
“Don’t you worry about a thing Alex. We will start tomorrow, and I have looked for a project like this for a while, something to get my teeth into.”
“Thank you.”
Alex, you ok? Sorry if you think I’m overstepping the line, but you seem upset about something, you know what they say a problem shared and all that,” asked Betty.
Betty was a lovely old woman and Alex knew they would become great friends, but she didn’t want to spill everything out in one go, she needed to talk to someone who understood her.
“It’s just been one of those days, I’ll be fine,” she said.
“Well, you get that lovely young man of yours to look after you,” said Betty.
“Betty, we’re not a couple, he’s just a friend, I’m married to someone else,” said Alex.
“That’s how it starts Alex, trust me that man is smitten with you, and he would do anything for you, tell me this, where is that husband of yours now when you obviously need him?” said Betty.
Alex looked at Betty, not knowing how to answer.
“I’m sorry, I’m overstepping the line again, I’ll leave now. I shall return tomorrow to make a start on the garden, but if you need to talk you know where I am,” said Betty, she stood up and gave Alex a hug, it reminded her of her mom, Alex could feel the tears rising again.
Alex was all alone again. She went over to the table where she’d left the papers that Ryan had given her. A birth certificate, adoption papers, some yellowed cuttings from local newspapers with stories of Alex’s progress. Where had Ryan got all these from? There was more to this story and Alex wanted the rest.
She phoned Marie.
Chapter Ten
Alex had talked to Marie for over an hour, telling her everything about her conversation with Ryan. Marie listened, occasionally interjecting the odd word; she let Alex finish, knowing how hard this was for her.
“Marie, there’s something else, Ryan, said something about Nick, he said he is going to return after the Alignment, but didn’t mention where or why he left, other than that something had happened,” said Alex, waiting for Marie to respond and explain more.
Marie didn’t speak, “Marie did you hear me, Nick is coming back.”
“I heard you, I just, I thought he would return, but I think part of me worried he wouldn’t, that something really bad had happened,” said Marie.
“So does any of this seem likely to you?” asked Alex.
“Well I said the house rang a bell for me, but the last time I was there I was very young, about seven, I recall it was for a special celebration, which now I know was for your birth. Who’d have thought we were always meant to become great friends?” said Marie, sounding exhilarated.
“So it’s true, my real father was killed . . . and my real mother? Well Ryan didn’t mention what happened to her,” said Alex.
“I’m sorry Alex I don’t know, I was so young. You would have been around four when the troubles started, I remember we all went into hiding, we stayed in our cottage. My gran and mom put a protection spell on the house while they waited for everything to die down, but it went on for years. When it did calm down and we were told the news of the high priest’s death, our clan panicked and a lot left the country, but some stayed, including Nick and Ryan’s clan. They stayed to protect the women, Nick and Ryan were only young themselves, my gran said they shouldn’t have been given the responsibility and we all hoped the high priestess would return so they wouldn’t have to, but that didn’t happen, and we didn’t hear anything about what happened to the priestess or her daughter again. There were still hunters out there and Ryan and Nick left to track them down before they found the rest of us. It was also around this time that Nick came back from a night out hunting the hunters with Ryan and told me he needed to leave. Something had happened and he and Ryan needed to go sort it out, he gave no more details other than not to worry, he would return. The rest you know,” explained Marie.
Alex went quiet for a second, “Marie, is the thing about us all being born for a mate in our clan true too?”
“We are all born into our clan and we are all born to meet someone in our clan or another clan, witches or magical people are born to become connected to another of the same kind. It’s not an arranged married or anything, you could go for years and not meet your match or you could meet him and know straight away, which would be the case with the high priestess or priest. Their power is so strong that they can connect quickly, it’s a magical feeling Alex, you just know you are both meant for each other, they are your soul mate,” said Marie.
“So, why was I not drawn to this special person, whoever it may be?”
“You have been denied your true power, you didn’t know anything of what our life, your life, should be, so how would you have known there’s a man out there waiting for you? Alex, you have a lot to think about, I think everything that has happened in your life is all part of a master plan, there is higher magic that even I cannot explain, but you know I’m sure things will work out,” said Marie, her eyes burning with conviction.
“Thank you Marie, I think I need time to work this out, you’re right.”
“Oh and Alex before you go, is Ryan still as handsome as I remember? Next time you see him say hi from me, now take care Alex, there’s a significant future in the making for you.”
Marie always knew how to make her smile. “I will say hello Marie, and I can’t say that I’ve noticed whether he was handsome, I did notice his eyes though but nothing else, they’re colour of amber. I have had a lot on my mind you know.”
“Amber, I don’t recall him having amber coloured eyes, maybe because I was too busy noticing the more important parts of him.”
“Marie, you have a man!” said Alex laughing.
“Yes, but there’s nothing wrong with window shopping.”
Alex laughed, she missed having Marie around. They said their goodbyes and Alex was solitary again.
Chapter Eleven
Alex spent the rest of the evening reading through all the different documents, over and over, each time generating more questions. Occasionally she would look at the clock ticking on the wall, hour after hour passed until she hated that clock, time seemed to pass by so slowly. Is this what her new life would be like? Even more lonely than before. Moving here was meant to make things better, so far she has just ended up being more confused and lonely. The Alignment was causing a great deal of trouble, it had made Gary leave for his own safety, and she had no idea what else might happen, no doubt it would make her life even more troubled. Why hadn’t Gary phoned?
Alex called him, it went to voicemail. The sound of his voice only made her miss him more. Alex just left a message for him to call her when he could, she didn’t want him to worry and she wasn’t going to tell him about her discovery on his answerphone.
Alex looked at the clock again 12 o’clock, midnight; she needed to get out, to feel some sense of freedom, before this cottage turned into another prison. She went up the overgrown path towards the main house. No lights were on but she didn’t expect them to be, maybe Ryan had gone away to give her time to think. Why was everyone leaving her? She needed people around, not more time left to her own thoughts, thinking was driving her mad.
She looked up to the full
moon silver in the inky blue night sky. It lit up the whole front of the house, making it look like something from a horror movie. She wasn’t going in there tonight. She went around the back of the house for the first time. She hoped to take her mind off her troubles, and what better way than by exploring.
The garden extended for miles. She didn’t realize how much land there was, even though it looked unloved Alex could see how beautiful it had once been, she tried to imagine herself growing up here as a child, but no images came into her mind. How could they? She couldn’t recall anything before her adopted mom and dad, maybe some mind wiping spell had been cast on her. She followed a little path down the main part of this vast garden.
You could still smell the fragrance of sweet peas. The path took her through into another part of the garden; it looked like a kitchen garden, with a large greenhouse at one corner and weeds strangling what have must once been neat rows of vegetables. She noticed there was another archway at the far end, which looked to lead into a wood; she went across the vegetable garden to get a closer look.
Normally Alex would never have been out walking at this time of night on her own, let alone in a wood, but tonight she didn’t care.
What could happen? I’m already dead, I would most likely terrify anyone I bumped into. I must feel cold to the touch or at least different to a normal living person, why has no one ever told me the truth on how I feel to them, why do people never tell me what they are really thinking?
Gary has never spoken about how my skin feels, either he doesn’t care, or he hasn’t noticed, have I been controlling him to not feel the real me, with some hidden witch spell. I can control him when we have sex, make him go longer. In fact the only time since my death I haven’t been in control was when Marie used me as her test subject and weakened me.
Will I ever be able to have sex or even better make love again just like any normal loving person? Is the reason Gary hasn’t called because he has moved on and that was why he sent me here, so I wouldn’t know.
Alex’s mind raced from subject to subject in the trees which blocked the bright glow of the moon.
Stop it Alex, stop it now! Gary loves you, you’re being silly, this craziness is all because you have too much time on your hands.
Alex stopped and looked around, she had entered the woods and not even noticed and didn’t know how far she had gone lost in her thoughts. She couldn’t even see the archway anymore.
How big is this wood anyway? Alex sat down on a fallen log.
You have gone and gotten yourself lost now. Alex heard a sound of a twig snapping she glance around anxiously, but couldn’t see anything.
Alex got up and went towards where she thought she’d heard the sound coming from. Alex you’re being stupid, she told herself, get away from the sound not go to it.
Alex continued weaving between the trees, listening for any other noises. This wood was eerily quiet. The air felt thick, it was like there would be no escape and the trees were closing in on all sides of her. She ran, desperate to find a way out. The branches whipped her face and body as panic encompassed her. Her second-sight failed her.
Then she came out into a clearing and the moon broke through the shade of the tree branches. She breathed a great gulp of fresh air and looked around. There was a brick doorway that seemed built into the hillside. She went closer, something didn’t feel right, but it also drew her nearer, her curiosity was taking over.
The door was open and there were steps leading down, Alex went in and followed them to the bottom. Even though it was dark Alex could see clearly, was it her ghost powers or witch powers that helping her again, she wasn’t sure. But she knew it was still part of her old self that was making her find out where this tunnel led, her nosey old self breaking free, for a second she smiled to herself, glad you’re still there somewhere old friend.
She continued along the cold earthy passageway until it opened up into a large room where there were two doors and another corridor leading off it. The corridor was brick-lined unlike the tunnel she had been down, which had been dug out and looked unfinished.
She took a step towards one of the doors, they both had a little window opening at the top of the door protected by iron bars, she got closer to look through the bars and then a low growl came from inside. She tried the door but it seemed locked and the growl grew fiercer. Alex jumped back as a dog jumped up at the window and started barking. She looked inside, this was bigger than any dog she had ever seen before, more like a large wolf, or a bear with a dog’s face. Its sharp teeth showed as it growled and snarled at her. It hurled itself at the door again and again trying to break out to get at her, and she noticed it couldn't quite reach the door, chains bounds its back legs.
Who the bloody hell would keep an animal like this so close to where she lived?
Alex backed away from the door. Whoever had locked this thing up must be strong and mad or weird; she wasn’t going to stop to find out who its owner was. Dead or not she didn’t feel brave anymore. She turned trying to make her mind up whether to go back outside or go down the corridor. Then she heard a sound coming down the tunnel, someone or something was coming.
Alex moved quickly but quietly down the corridor, not looking back. There were steps leading upwards in front of her and she ran up them as fast as she could trying to get as much space between herself and whatever was behind her. The door at the top was open, she ran out, shutting it behind her. She was in a basement now. Where the hell was she? She didn’t wait to find out. She could hear footsteps coming up the stairs behind her. Alex looked around for a way out and noticed some more steps; she climbed them and entered into a kitchen. She stopped, she knew where she was now, this was the kitchen of the main house. Alex didn’t have time to think, she ran into the hallway and then into the living room and hid under one of the tables which was still covered in a dust sheet.
Alex felt her heart racing, or was that just her imagination, she would have held her breath but she knew she didn’t have any breath to hold. She heard the footsteps coming out of the kitchen, she was frozen, she didn’t even dare try to transport herself in case it went wrong, she was scared it might and she’d end up with the creature in the underground lair.
Alex peered under the gap of the sheet looking for whoever was making the footsteps, but what she saw was not a person's feet coming towards her, it was the paws of a large dog. Had the dog-wolf-thing gotten free and was it hunting her down? She waited still as a mouse, surely it wouldn’t pick up her scent? She would have closed her eyes but fear kept them open, she was desperate to escape. She knew if she focused she would be able to transport back to the cottage now she knew where she was, but she was frightened in case she made a noise, she didn’t want to attract the attention of that thing.
Alex watched as the paws came closer, it stopped still for what felt like ages, she heard it panting, its head was so close she could smell its rancid breath, Alex made herself into the smallest ball wishing it would leave. Then the animal turned and went back towards the hall, but as it left she noticed the creature begin to transform.
It became a he, she couldn’t quite see who the human was, she could only see the legs and feet, she was scared to lift the sheet to take a good look.
She closed her eyes unable to bear anymore, not believing what she had just seen. After a time, when she thought it was safe again, she opened her eyes, she listened for any sound that the wolf or man was still there, but all was quiet. Alex came out from under the table and not wanting to risk walking back closed her eyes again.
She was no longer in the house, she was now back in her cottage sitting on the floor of her living room hugging her knees, she had never in her life needed to be held by someone as much as she did now. She began to sob; the terror of what she had seen had now hit her hard. What was it? Was it a werewolf? There is no such a thing as werewolves. Then again, if you had asked me a few months ago whether I believed in ghosts or witches, I would have laughed.
; The phone rang and Alex looked at the clock, it was nearly four in the morning. She answered the phone.
“Where have you been I have been phoning all night!” Gary sounded panicked.
Alex was so happy to hear his voice but she wasn’t ready to tell him about the large wolf or werewolf roaming the grounds.
“I went for a walk, I needed to get out. When you didn’t answer earlier I thought maybe you were asleep,” she said.
Gary went quiet. Was it because he wasn’t asleep and up to something else? Was he hiding something or was worried he just about her?
“Are you ok Alex? You sound odd.”
Alex really wanted to let everything out and tell him about what had happened the past couple of days but she knew that would make him come back and she didn’t want to risk him getting harmed, even more so now big wolves were roaming around outside.
“I’m just missing you, that’s all. I’ve gone from seeing you every night to not at all, but I’ve made a start on getting this place cleaned up, that’s kept me busy during the day, but the night times are lonely,” said Alex, she was trying to hold off from crying down the phone.
“I know it’s hard, but I will be back in a few weeks. I miss you too.”
“I hope you haven’t found anything else to keep you amused while I’m away. With you being a beautiful lonely young woman, it’s a wonder you haven’t had a string of men knocking at your door,” said Gary, teasing her.
“Well you have your ladies in waiting. Why can’t I have my equivalent? Besides I need to drum up business don’t I?”
“I really miss you Alex, I will call again tomorrow, I won’t leave it so late next time I promise,” said Gary.
“Love you back, speak to you tomorrow,” Alex put the phone down. This had been another one of those days, she needed her bed, not for sleep, the dead don’t sleep. Why does anyone say ‘sleep like the dead’? If only people knew what it was like to be restlessly dead, Alex smiled at the thought. A fragment of Shakespeare flitted through her head ‘To die, to sleep no more.’
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