The Widow's Walk

by Robert Barclay

  “Well said.”

  Brooke beckoned about the room.

  “Many of the books and artifacts you see here are one of a kind,” she said, “collected by my father and me during our travels. We compensated their owners fairly for each of them. Even so, many are by now quite priceless—especially the two volumes that I just pulled from the shelves and brought to my desk.”

  Brooke lifted one of the books so that Constance and Garrett could see its old leather cover, and then the writing that lay inside. The pages looked ancient and were nearly falling apart. They had not been printed on a press, but were instead handwritten in a language that Garrett could not read.

  “Is that Latin?” he asked.

  Brooke nodded.

  “This book is called the Carta Umbrarum, she answered. “Translated into English, it means: The Book of Shadows. My father found it during one of his archaeological digs in Southern Italy. It dates from the fifteen hundreds. When he first saw it, he thought that it was probably an old handwritten copy of the Bible, which at one time was the usual way priests and monks reproduced it for distribution throughout the world. But because he read and wrote Latin fluently, he immediately realized that it was something else altogether.”

  “And that is?” Garrett asked.

  “Believe it or not,” Brooke answered, “it’s like a book of spells. Sorry, let me rephrase that. It’s not so much a book of ‘spells’ as it is a collection of worldly phenomena for which the Catholic clergy had no explanation, many of which remain a mystery to this very day. My guess is that what happened to Constance, and then also to you Dr. Richmond, is outlined on these pages.”

  “The mora mortis,” Garrett said, almost to himself.

  “Yes,” Brooke answered.

  “What does that mean in English?” Garrett asked.

  “Rather loosely translated, it means: ‘The Delay of Death.’ ”

  Garrett turned to look at Constance. She too was mesmerized by what Brooke was telling them.

  “Please continue,” Garrett said to Brooke. “But first, there’s something I don’t understand. On hearing our story, how could you possibly go straight to the right book and then turn to the exact page that you needed? Forgive me, but I find that quite unbelievable.”

  “As would I, if I were in your shoes,” Brooke answered. “Put simply, it’s because I was born with a photographic memory. Which, by the way, can be more of a curse than a blessing, I assure you. Added to that is the fact that this book was my father’s favorite, because everything contained therein remains a mystery. You see, Dr. Richmond, what this book is about to tell us is what has happened to you two, and why. But when we come to the solution, well, that’s the puzzling part.”

  “What do you mean?” Garrett asked.

  Brooke again held up one hand.

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she said.

  “Are all the phenomena described in The Book of Shadows so malevolent?” Garrett asked.

  Brooke gave him a quizzical look.

  “Who said anything about the mora mortis being malevolent?”

  “It has to be,” Garrett countered, “given that it so cruelly traps someone between the worlds of life and death with no chance of salvation.”

  “Once again you’re jumping to conclusions,” Brooke answered. “In fact the mora mortis is perhaps the most benevolent of all the phenomena in The Book of Shadows.”

  “How can that be?” Garrett asked.

  “Because it is based upon love,” Brooke answered. “You told me that Brooke fell from her widow’s walk the same day that Adam perished at sea. The mora mortis is a phenomenon that occurs very rarely throughout history. It states that when two people who love one another unconditionally perish at the same instant, a tear is formed in the fabric of time, causing one to die while the other must live out another existence in between life and death. During this period, only one other person in the entire world will be able to both see that person and communicate with him or her. And if that lover doesn’t come along, then the trapped person will live that way throughout all eternity. This is what happened to Constance, and the person who can see her and speak with her is you, Dr. Richmond. Infinitesimal as the odds might be, you two somehow found each other.”

  Garrett was stunned. He simply stared at Brooke, his jaw slack with amazement. He then turned to look at Constance and saw that her surprise was equally extreme.

  “You’re claiming that the power behind all this is love?” Garrett asked.

  “Yes,” Brooke answered, “that is exactly what I’m telling you. Love is the most powerful force in the universe. What other dynamism can make us do such things? We strive for it, revel in it, and also suffer because of it. But in the end, who among us can claim to be its master?”

  “But if all that’s true,” Garrett said, “then . . .”

  “That’s right,” Brooke interjected. “Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re in love with Constance. Even more than that, your love for her is completely unconditional. You cannot deny it, Dr. Richmond, because you are the one person in the world who can both see and hear her. I’m sorry to speak out of turn here, but I really have no choice. So please tell me—does Constance know that you feel this way about her?”

  Out of respect, Garrett looked at Constance before answering. When she nodded, he again turned back toward Brooke.

  “Yes,” he said. “She knows. She also knows that I have never loved anyone the way that I love her.”

  “And how does she feel about you?” Brooke asked. “Forgive me, Garrett, but I must know these things if I am to help you.”

  Garrett again turned and looked at Constance, hoping to hear the answer that he wanted. This would be a moment of truth, he realized, a true crossroads in their relationship. When Constance looked back at him there were tears in her eyes.

  “I am confused, Garrett,” she said. “I wish to love you, I really do. And now that I have seen Adam die, I know in my heart that I should feel free to do so. But there remains something holding me back that I cannot explain. Please do not be angry with me. This is just how things are.”

  Although disappointed, Garrett relayed Constance’s words to Brooke. When he finished, Brooke nodded.

  “I see,” she said. “But that is all right. For you to help yourselves, it is not necessary that she love you as deeply as you love her. For when the time comes, the true test will be forced not upon her, but upon you.”

  “What do you mean?” Garrett asked.

  “We will get to that,” Brooks answered. “But first I need to ask you something more. This may sound insane, but have either of you experienced flashbacks in time, during which you’ve experienced something extremely traumatic?”

  Yet again, Garrett couldn’t believe his ears. Brooke was explaining exactly what had been happening to them. Taking his time, he very carefully described each of their flashbacks to Brooke. When he finished, she nodded thoughtfully.

  “Why are they happening?” Garrett asked.

  “Simply put, the mora mortis is testing you both,” Brooke said. “If, while the two of you were experiencing these events, either of you had behaved evilly, the mora mortis would have withdrawn its presence, making it quite impossible for the two of you to find a way out. This does not mean that there can’t be more such occurrences. This is also why you have been so inexplicably drawn to Seaside, Garrett. Because you are the one person in the world who could love Constance enough to help save her, the mora mortis created the need within you to own that house and to restore it. That is not to say that you would not have done so anyway, but the mora mortis added abundantly to that desire.”

  His nervous energy finally overcoming him, Garrett stood and began anxiously pacing the room.

  “I simply can’t believe all this!” he said. “How do I know that everything you’re telling us isn’t just some bunch of hocus-pocus?”

  “Is your unusual attraction to Seaside not real?” Brooke asked
, “or the love for Constance that you carry in your heart, while at the same time freely admitting to never having loved another the way you love her? And what about Constance, who has lived for more than seventeen decades, while quite unable to communicate with anyone other than you? You called me looking for help, Dr. Richmond. I didn’t ask to see you, and I had absolutely no idea what you wanted from me before you arrived here and I saw Constance’s aura. So you tell me—do you still really think that all this is just hocus-pocus, as you put it? I am not some crystal ball gazer who does her business down on Essex Street, Dr. Richmond. I am the genuine article, and everything that I’ve told you is God’s honest truth.”

  Chagrined, Garrett finally returned to the sofa.

  “Forgive me,” he said quietly. “It’s just that Constance and I have been through so much . . .”

  “And you will go through much more before it is over,” Brooke said. “Before we get to that, let me offer you another bit of proof. It is not definitive, but it is perhaps another valuable bit of information about the mora mortis. As I said, this really is all about love. Rather than allow both persons to die, the mora mortis helps one of the victims to live and find true love again. That is why I told you it is benevolent, rather than malevolent.”

  Without answering, Brooke opened the second book and flipped through it.

  “Are you both familiar with the name Nostradamus?” she asked.

  Garrett turned to look at Constance, and she nodded.

  “What of him?” Garrett asked.

  “My father studied Nostradamus extensively,” Brooke said. “This book is a copy of Nostradamus’s collected works of prophecy. Nostradamus wrote in a form called quatrains, one of which my father believed referred to the mora mortis, and to two of the people who might eventually become caught up in it. The more I think about it, the more I believe that my father was right.”

  “What does it say?” Garrett asked.

  “I will now read Quatrain four-fourteen to you,” Brooke said as she laid the book flat upon her desk.

  “The sudden death of the first personage will have caused change,

  and put another into sovereignty.

  Soon, but late come to so high a position, of young age,

  such as by land and sea it will be necessary to fear him.”

  “I don’t understand,” Garrett said.

  “No?” Brooke asked. “Then please allow me to explain: ‘The sudden death of the first personage will have caused change’ refers to Adam’s death, and its subsequent effect on Constance. As lord and master of Seaside, Adam was its sovereign, and his unexpected death enacted the mora mortis, thereby trapping Constance between worlds. The next line, ‘and put another into sovereignty,’ refers to your eventual purchase of Seaside and thereby becoming its new sovereign. Next, the line that states: ‘soon, but late come to so high a position, of young age,’ speaks of you again, Garrett. It means that although you acquired Seaside many years after Constance fell from the widow’s walk, the time that passed by in the relative scheme of things was short, and you did so while still at a relatively young age. The last line, that is to say: ‘such as by land and sea it will be necessary to fear him,’ speaks of Seaside itself, sitting on dry land yet also situated alongside the sea. The phrase ‘it will be necessary to fear him’ speaks of Constance’s intense fear when she first realized you could both see and hear her.”

  Garrett turned and looked at Constance to find her frozen with amazement. At last she said to him, “Can all this really be true, Garrett? My God, did Nostradamus actually predict what would happen to us?”

  Garrett turned and looked back at Brooke.

  “Do you really believe that?” he asked.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Brooke said. “What matters is that my father believed this quatrain referred to the mora mortis, although he of course had no inkling about the two of you, or your situation. Even so, the parallels are difficult to ignore, don’t you think?”

  As he sat looking at Brooke, Garrett suddenly realized that he was exhausted. Although everything she had told him fit into place perfectly, it was still a great deal to absorb all at once. He needed time to think, and a quiet place where he could decide what to do next. But before that happened, there was more to learn.

  “You mentioned a way to end all of this,” he said. “Can you please tell us what it is? Is it something that the two of us can carry out on our own?”

  With the coming of Garrett’s question, Brookes expression turned decidedly grim. Before replying, she closed the two books and set them aside.

  “Yes,” she answered bluntly, “but you’re not going to like what I have to say.”

  Chapter 26

  At first, it was as if Brooke didn’t want to explain further. While Garrett and Constance waited, the ticking of the grandfather clock seemed to grow louder, as did the crackling flames in the fireplace hearth. At last Brooke looked Garrett directly in the eyes.

  “Simply put,” she said, “to save Constance, you yourself may have to die.”

  Her unexpected words hit Garrett like a thunderbolt.

  “What in God’s name are you talking about?” he demanded.

  “Like the flashbacks that the two of you have been experiencing, what you must do to save her will be another test of your love for her,” Brooke answered. “If you survive it, then Constance may survive as well. The Book of Shadows does not explain this part in great detail. In fact it makes almost no mention of it all, except for a brief description of what must be done to break the grip of the mora mortis.”

  “And if we refuse?” Garrett asked.

  “If you refuse, Constance will die.”

  “Do you mean that she will actually die?” Garrett demanded.

  “Yes,” Brooke answered. “I’m afraid that I do.”

  “But why?”

  “Not even my father could explain that,” Brooke answered. “But he did believe that it was some sort of incentive designed to push the two lovers into action, although he could never be sure.”

  Brooke then turned and looked in Constance’s general direction.

  “Tell us, my child,” she said, “have you been feeling weaker lately?”

  Constance turned and looked at Garrett.

  “It is true,” she said to him. “I have not been well of late.”

  Garrett relayed her answer to Brooke.

  “I am so sorry to hear that,” Brooke said.

  “What will happen to her?”

  “Anytime now, her presence will literally begin to fade away,” Brooke answered. “And once it begins, she will soon be gone altogether, and you will have lost your chance to save her.”

  “And what would happen to me?”

  “You would then be forced to take her place, living somewhere between life and death for all of eternity. Then your only chance for salvation would be for a different person to come along who loves you unconditionally, and is willing to perhaps die for you.”

  “How much time do we have?” Garrett asked.

  “No one knows,” Brooke answered.

  “This is insane!” Garrett exclaimed.

  “Please, Garrett,” Constance said to him. “I know that this is difficult to accept, but she has been right about everything so far. Who else in the world could possibly know about these things that have been happening to us? All of which makes me believe that no matter how much we do not wish to accept any of this, it appears to be our fate, just the same. We promised to see this thing through no matter what, and it seems to me that we must accept whatever Brooke has to say.”

  Garrett stared blankly at her. She was right, of course, but deep down there remained so much about all of this that he simply couldn’t accept. He had never been one for the metaphysical, even though he was obviously ensnared by forces he couldn’t begin to imagine.

  “Yet again, I must apologize,” he said to Brooke. “I know that you’re only trying to help, but hearing all this is hard for us.”


  “It’s meant to be,” Brooke answered. “You wish to accomplish something that has in all likelihood never been done before—that is, to satisfy the mora mortis.”

  “You said that there might be a way for us to possibly succeed, but that the price would be steep,” Garrett said. “Exactly what would we have to do?”

  “You must both put yourselves at great risk,” Brooke answered. “In short, the person trapped between worlds must re-create his or her death, and the person who loves him or her must do the same. Then and only then will you know whether Constance has been freed from her particular brand of purgatory, or whether she has died, and you took her place. There can be no in between on this, Garrett. If you do this, it will either work or it won’t, and I am at a complete loss to tell you which it might be.”

  “But Constance ‘died’ when she fell from her widow’s walk and crashed onto the rocks,” he said. “So to re-create that—”

  “Yes,” Brooke interjected. “The two of you must go back up to the widow’s walk and then throw yourselves from the roof. In the end this is not only a test of how much you love her, but it is also about how much she trusts in your love. A true ‘leap of faith’ if you will, for each of you.”

  “And then?” Garrett asked.

  “Even I don’t know,” Brooke answered. “The Book of Shadows states possible outcomes, but I can’t be sure whether it mentions all of them. One or both of you may live, one or both of you may die, or you may both end up trapped in the mora mortis forever. The combinations and permutations could be infinite in number. There is only one way to find out, and that is to go through with it.”

  Stunned, Garrett leaned back against the sofa then turned to look at Constance. She was trembling noticeably and there were tears in her eyes.

  “Do you honestly think we should do this?” he asked her. “It sounds crazy to me.”