by Heather Beck
“I don’t know,” the employee answered truthfully. “The knowledge of Mr. Dove’s ownership was a shock to us all. He’s only keeping the estate open because arrangements for reporters to visit had been made before Kathleen’s birth certificate was found. All the employees are worried about losing our jobs; many have already been temporarily laid off.”
Skye nodded numbly. “It must be hard for you.”
“I better get started on processing your film.”
“Okay,” Skye said. “I’ll be back in an hour.”
Skye wandered out of the gift shop and towards her bedroom. She couldn’t believe that Tom had kept his real identity a secret from her. With so many questions circulating in her mind, the hour passed in what seemed like a minute.
As Skye returned to the gift shop a shiver ran up and down her spine; for some unknown reason she felt as if she was being watched.
Skye observed that the estate was much quieter than it had been yesterday. She presumed that the reporters had finished their assignments and left.
“Hello again,” the clerk greeted as Skye entered the gift shop for the second time that day. “Your pictures are ready.”
“I could use a few more rolls of film,” Skye said, taking the package. Although she had many rolls of film, she decided to take advantage of Tom’s generosity
“Take as many as you like,” the clerk offered.
Skye picked up three rolls of film and placed them on the counter. She must think I’m someone important.
The woman began to place the rolls of film in a bag as Skye hurried to place two more rolls on the counter. Her face reddened but she knew five rolls of free film were worth the embarrassment.
“Have a wonderful day,” the clerk said as Skye left the gift shop.
“You too,” Skye replied. However, she knew her socially appropriate comment was a waste of breath. Who could have a wonderful day standing in an empty gift shop?
Once in her room, Skye closed the door behind her and jumped onto the bed. She opened the package of pictures and studied them carefully. She rolled her eyes upon seeing the candid pictures of herself that Tom had taken. Skye let out a groan as she saw a picture that depicted a faraway scene of Rocky Falls. The picture looked as if it had been taken in a hurry. She tossed that picture on the ground, presuming Tom had taken it. As she flipped to the next picture, Skye realized that she was the mystery photographer, not Tom. The photograph that followed was of the estate; a picture she had taken just a few hours ago. She clearly remembered taking a picture of Tom. With shaking hands, she searched through the remaining pictures, looking for the photograph she had taken of Tom, yet she found no such picture. Skye picked up the photograph of the scenery and studied it carefully. She was positive that Tom had been standing in that exact location when she had taken the picture. Skye was a trained photographer who paid attention to even the smallest of detail, there was no way that she was mistaken. Tom had been standing there.
“What’s going on?” As she continued to stare at the picture intensely she shook. “I have to get out of here. There’s no way I’m spending another night in this estate.”
Images of her strange dreams featuring Tom filled her mind. They had been so realistic that Skye began to believe they were more than just dreams. “They’re waking nightmares,” she realized in a shaky voice.
Her hand reached for the telephone. She was going to request a taxi come immediately. Before Skye had the chance to dial the telephone number, her body suddenly froze in terror upon hearing an ethereal voice.
“Don’t leave,” Tom begged from behind Skye.
With Tom’s hand on top of hers, Skye shakily placed the telephone on its receiver.
“How…how did you get in my bedroom?”
Tom gave a gentle laugh. “That wasn’t much of a problem.”
He’s acting as if this situation is normal! “How did you get in my bedroom?” Skye repeated, her voice steadier, her tone firmer.
“I used the door. What a concept, huh?” Tom took his hand off of Skye’s and sauntered to the bed. He sat at the edge of the bed and smiled.
Skye cast a glance at the bedroom door and then did a double take. The door was locked; her slippers lay untouched in front of the door. It was impossible for him to have entered that way.
Sensing Skye’s bewilderment, Tom let out a gleeful laugh and then fell backwards on the bed.
Skye knees went weak and her breath stopped when she saw Tom literally disappear into the bed. With slow, shaky steps, she looked under the bed. Tom lay under the bed, a smile on his face, his eyes locked on hers.
“Surprised?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
Skye stumbled backwards and then fell to the floor.
Tom crawled out from underneath the bed and offered his hand to Skye. She stared at his hand but didn’t make any attempt to touch it.
“That wasn’t an illusion…was it?”
Tom shook his head. He suddenly looked sad.
“What’s going on?” Skye demanded. “If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll scream so loud that Mrs. Bradford will come to my aid in a second.”
“That’s an exaggeration,” Tom said with a weak smile as he sat down beside Skye. He noted how her body tensed in response. “Besides, your screams wouldn’t yield any results. I’ve fired all the staff. The last employee, the woman from the gift shop, left the estate just minutes ago. We’re alone.”
Skye’s terrified eyes darted around the room. She bit her lip.
“Don’t be afraid,” Tom gently urged. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Tell me what’s going on,” Skye begged.
“All right,” Tom sighed. “Do you remember how I told you that Sir Tristan’s ghost roams the estate in search for a balanced life?”
“Yes,” Skye nodded her head in harsh, jerky movements.
“Then you’ll remember asking how I knew this information.”
She nodded even more fiercely.
“I know because I am Sir Tristan. I’m his ghost and I’ve come back to life for you, Skye.”
“No,” Skye muttered. “No, that can’t be true.”
“You’ve just seen me float through a thick mattress and frame, yet you don’t believe me? I thought you were a believer in ghosts.”
“I do believe but I just don’t understand any of this. I thought your name was Tom Dove.”
“My name is Tom Dove,” Tom replied sadly. “Tom Dove Tristan. Surely you remember asking what Tristan’s first name was. Now you know.”
“The woman at the gift shop said you were a descendant of Kathleen Tristan’s. Are you really her father?”
“Yes,” Tom answered, blushing furiously and dropping his head to his chest in shame. “Everything I told you about my previous life was true. I was a martyr. All I cared about was living a life that served others. However, I went too far and dedicated all of my time to the cause. In the process, I led a miserable personal life and hurt my family. I didn’t know what was wrong with me; I had these uncontrollable urges to help others. I didn’t find out until my third life that I have a personality disorder. By some divine intervention, I’ve been sent back to Earth to try and lead a balanced life. At first, I was sent back to the time in which I lived. However, I went overboard in my quest for happiness. I was so ready to live a life full of excitement that I got a peasant girl pregnant.” Tom rubbed his right hand against his forehead. He was sweating and was obviously uncomfortable in revealing this information.
Skye felt her stomach churn. She was disgusted at Tom’s actions. “That’s why the birth certificate of Kathleen Tristan has shown up just recently in the estate. It did just happen recently.” She creased her forehead in concentration; her reasoning made sense to her.
“You’re right,” Tom agreed. “When I was unable to live a balanced life in the time period of the eighteen hundreds, I was sent to the present. I proved myself to be a blood relation of Kathleen Tristan and regained my estate. Now
, I’m going to live a balanced life. I won’t disappoint the power that has given me so many chances. Will you help me finally live my life, Skye?”
Skye’s mouth opened, but no reply was uttered. She looked at the bed and back at Tom. “You want me to marry a ghost?”
“Yes,” Tom pleaded. “Please say you’ll marry me. Think of all the fun we had at Rocky Falls. Imagine having an eternity to do nothing but roam the grounds of my estate.”
“Those dreams,” she muttered, looking at Tom for an explanation.
“I did that,” Tom confessed. “Those were memories of my first life. You said you wanted to know all about Sir Tristan and his estate. I was giving you the best tour anyone could ever hope to experience.”
Skye slowly lifted herself off the cold hardwood floor. Tom smiled and reached out his hand. This time, Skye took it. She waited until he was almost standing up when she pushed him backwards. Tom let out a startled cry and fell to the ground.
“Get away from me!” Skye cried. “I’ll never marry you.” She flung the bedroom door open and ran as fast as she could. Her legs darted so fast down the stairs that she almost fell. However, she managed to keep her balance as she landed at the bottom of the stairs.
“Come back!” Tom yelled. “You’re going to be the one to save me!”
No, I’m not, Skye thought while racing through the empty lobby as fast as she could. Reaching the large carved entrance door, she used all her weight to pull it open. Her blood went cold. There, blocking her way to freedom and safety, was Tom.
“Don’t try to run, Skye.” Although Tom was begging, there was a hint of threat in his voice.
“Let me go!” Skye cried. Tears formed in her eyes as Tom grabbed her by the waist.
“I can’t do that,” Tom replied simply. “You’re going to be the one to keep me balanced.”
“Medication can do that!” Skye yelled as she kicked Tom in his groin.
Instinctively, Tom released her and groaned in pain. “That hurt.”
Skye felt herself being drawn to Tom’s eyes. When she gave heed to the feeling, she gasped in horror. His eyes had become completely black. She turned around as fast as she could and then ran back into the building. Knowing it would be a useless attempt, she didn’t bother locking the door – Tom could walk right through it.
“Come back here,” Tom growled in a tone Skye had never heard before.
Ignoring Tom’s command, she continued to run. Skye sped past the many storage rooms. She had been down in this part of the estate earlier today while taking photographs and remembered there was another exit just past the small rooms where the slaves used to live. All she had to do was reach the exit and run down the road to freedom.
Skye had just entered the dimly lit hallway, where the slave rooms began, when she heard Tom call to her.
“Don’t try to escape, Skye, you’re going to stay with me forever. I promise I’ll treat you well. You’ll have everything that you’ve always wanted.”
Except freedom, Skye thought as she slid through a door that was slightly ajar. The slave room was darker than the hallway and the only light came through a missing brick in the wall.
Skye scanned the room, searching for a place to hide but the room was empty. She considered finding somewhere else to hide when a voice from behind startled her.
“I helped the slaves escape.”
“I know,” Skye said. Her breathing was labored, her hair clumped and matted with sweat.
“Aren’t you proud of me?” Tom’s expressions changed rapidly from anger to sadness to happiness.
Skye stood taller, no longer as afraid. She brushed a clump of matted hair from her face. He doesn’t just suffer from a personality disorder, he’s seriously ill.
Tom extended a shaking hand. “It’s time to go to our wedding,” he pleaded. “Let’s get married right now!”
From the moment she met him, Skye was aware of Tom’s peculiar and erratic behavior. However, that was just a taste of what she was experiencing now. Skye was terrified at his sudden change in personality.
“Okay,” she replied, unable to disguise the tremor in her voice. “Let’s get married.” Skye knew she had no chance to escape while cornered in the slave’s room. She planned to go along with whatever Tom said until she could run away.
Tom smiled and took Skye’s hand. Her blood ran cold at the touch of his hand.
His free hand took the moist tresses of her hair and sensuously rubbed them on his cheek. “We’re going to be so happy.”
“Can we have the wedding outside?” Skye suggested, forcing a smile.
Tom smiled and squeezed her hand so hard she feared it would break. “Whatever you want, Skye. This is wonderful! I’ll marry us; we don’t need a minister.”
“Yes, you can marry us,” she urged Tom forward.
“All right!” Tom cried happily, hugging her tightly.
As Skye and her ghostly fiancée walked out of the basement, her mind raced for options.
“I have to get a dress. Does your mother have one I could borrow?”
“Oh yes, she has many dresses. They are all in my room. I’ll take you to them.”
Tom urged Skye up the stairs. She had to take two stairs at a time as Tom excitedly hurried her along.
“In here,” Tom said, opening the door to his bedroom. “The dresses are in that brown closet over there.” He pointed to a large closet and then smiled at Skye. “You’ll make a beautiful bride.”
“Thank you,” Skye said, closing the door. She hurried to the closet and was about to open it when something on a nearby counter caught her eye. Upon closer examination, she realized that it was a weekly pillbox. Carefully opening the lids, she discovered that Tom had missed several days of his medication.
Skye felt like a ton of bricks had just hit her. She’d been so confused at the change in Tom’s personality but now she realized that the change was due to not taking his medication. Clearly, Tom was inflicted with a severe personality disorder, but could act perfectly normal – as long as he took his medication. Skye could hardly believe the thoughts she was having. A ghost that needs medication? Although she now knew the reason for the problem, the realization wasn’t much help for her current situation. Skye knew she needed to get out of the house immediately and that she was wasting precious time.
“Are you almost ready, dear?” Tom asked.
At the sound of Tom’s voice, Skye jumped and dropped the case of pills. “Almost!” she called.
“Hurry, my dear. The guests have started to arrive.”
Skye’s heart raced faster. His condition is rapidly getting worse. She looked outside the bedroom window to see an empty garden surrounded by fog. He thinks there are guests outside! Then again, he is a ghost. Maybe there are ghost guests out there. That thought made her shiver, the chill consuming her entire body.
Terrified, Skye stood in the middle of the room as tears began to roll down her face. Her situation seemed hopeless; her body shook with sobs of despair. Just as she felt as if she was going to collapse, a loud beep from a car horn echoed in her ears.
Huh? Skye looked out the window. A wide smile spread across her face as she saw the taxi driver, the same one who had brought her to this terrible estate, exit the car and head towards the door.
Skye flung open the window and yelled for help. “I’m up here! Please, you have to help me!”
“Be quiet!” Tom roared from behind the door.
The taxi driver heard the scared and angry shouts and looked up to see Skye waving furiously from the window.
“Help me!” Skye yelled, even louder this time.
Tom kicked the door open and stormed into the room. Skye spun around in fear and saw Tom’s eyes blazing with anger.
She ran through the open door, startling Tom in the process. She heard Tom’s feet pound against the stairs as he followed her.
Skye was almost out of breath when she reached the exit and pulled open the door. Tom was so close behind her t
hat she could feel his cold breath on her neck.
The taxi driver was waiting anxiously outside as Skye burst through the door.
“Are you all right?” the driver asked as she grabbed onto him.
“He’s the ghost of Sir Tristan!” Skye cried, pointing at Tom. “That is Sir Tristan.”
“That…that can’t be,” the driver stuttered.
“It is,” Skye shrieked as Tom moved forward, an angry expression on his face.
“Don’t move another inch!” the driver commanded.
Tom ignored him and continued.
“What do you want?” the driver asked with less confidence. He and Skye stepped backwards as Tom advanced.
“I want my bride,” Tom demanded.
The driver cast Skye a confused glance.
“It’s not true. He’s a mentally ill ghost who forgot to take his medication.”
The driver’s eyes went wide as Tom reached forward and purposely floated his hand through his throat.
“You’re a ghost!” The driver ran to the taxi and jumped inside. Skye was close at his heels. He fumbled with the key, his hands shaking so badly he couldn’t insert it.
“Hurry,” Skye begged. She looked up to see Tom’s arms float through the front window. His hands were reaching straight for her.
“Stay with me forever,” Tom begged. “Please put an end to my suffering.”
Skye screamed as Tom’s cold hands grasped her shoulders.
Tom’s hands suddenly flew away. The driver had finally started the engine and put the car into reverse. The car sped backwards, leaving Tom standing in the road, shaking his fists as the dust swirled around him.
“Come back!” Tom pleaded as he chased the moving car.
“He’s going to catch us – go faster,” Skye begged.
The taxi driver floored the pedal and they watched as Tom disappeared in the distance.
“That…that was unreal!” the driver stuttered as the car left the unpaved road and merged into traffic.
“I know,” Skye agreed with a shiver. “When I found out who Tom Dove really was, I said the exact same thing.”
“Will he follow us?” The driver glanced at Skye, his face filled with worry.