Emryn Willows dreams vividly, she blames it on her overactive imagination and creativity but there's more to it.
There's a possibility that she could forget everything in the quest of finding out what's really happening to her, but as her dreams slo...
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Emryn looked into the mirror as ran her fingers over the scratches on her face. She had a few new ones from last night.
While putting an ointment on her assortment of wounds, her eyes glazed over the locket her mum had gifted her. A family heirloom that had been passed down, generation to generation.
She had never worn it, never found a reason to. She held it around her neck and gently clasped it. Today would be the perfect day to wear it. At least her grandmother would be happy.
The emerald locket matched her eyes and went well with the plain black dress she was wearing.
"Emryn? Are you ready? We're getting late dear.." Thalia's voice called out.
"Be there in a second mother," Emryn replied somberly. She grasped her phone and exited her room, meeting her mother downstairs.
Thalia Willows was a mess. Her cheeks were tear stained and her hair tatty. She looked like she would have a breakdown any moment.
Emryn didn't cry or think of how things could've been different. She simply ignored the fact that her grandmother was gone. Gone for good and there was nothing she could do.
She distracted herself with books, music, movies- anything.
Thalia put on a brave face and made her way to the car as Emryn put some extra food for the cat. They didn't know how long they'd be gone.
"She would be proud of you, so proud.." Thalia muttered, smiling sadly to herself.
***
The funeral was short, Esmeralda Willows had only two living relatives and they didn't want to stay longer than they had to, both grieving in their own ways.
They decided to swing by the Willows Manor to tidy things up a bit.
"Everything she possessed was written off to you Em," Thalia spoke as she drove.
"Whatever happened to her brother? Now that I think about it, even your brother died young.." they reached before Emryn could dwell on the thought for longer.
The front yard was big and eerie, the gardens unkempt. Emryn was reminded of how this place used to be full of life and laughter. Most of her childhood was playing in these gardens, making baked goods with her grandma and listening to her mother read.
She was hit with a wave of nostalgia.. a sense that she would never feel the warmth of her grandmother's hugs, she would never be that young, pure and innocent again.
Thalia sensed her daughter slipping away so she cleared her throat. "We'll work on the gardens tomorrow?"
And with that, the two of them made their way inside, nobody had been in here since Esmeralda passed away. Even in her final days, the woman was strong and maintained the home to whatever extent she could.
Emryn's eyes glazed over the rocking chair, reminding her of all the times her grandmother had sung to her as she sat on her lap, playing with the older's hair.
She felt like she had taken all those moments for granted.
She shook her head, trying to rid her mind of thoughts as she walked into the library, the aura immediately calming her.
A leather bound book sat open on one of the desks, a drop of blood on its page.
Emryn took a hold of the book, there was no title, only the family crest printed on the bottom right corner.
All the pages were empty, except the one with the dried blood. But it was no use as Emryn couldn't read the writing anyway.
She turned to call out to her mother, but she was right there, arms full with three massive books. She dropped them on the table with a loud thud.
"Can you read this, mother?" Little to Emryn's knowledge, Thalia could read even the empty pages.
"Go and keep these four books in the car, we can clean up tomorrow, I need to get a few.. things." Thalia dismissed her.
With a slight nod, Emryn did as she was told.
Thalia made her way to her mother's room, feeling as if the portraits were following her. Putting the key around her neck to use, she opened one of the drawers.
Letters. All sorts of letters, ones that Esmeralda never sent, ones she never opened, ones that she did open and were of utmost importance and those that were sealed in secret.
She placed her mother's diary and the Willows' diary into a box and stuffed all the letters in. It was the first thing her mother wanted her to do after her demise.
Locking every door behind her, Thalia reached the car, quickly opened the boot and placed the box.
"We have a lot to talk about, dear," she told her daughter as she settled in the driver's seat.
"You have all the time in the world to tell me, mum," she replied, snacking on skittles.
"But that's the thing.." she paused, looking at her daughter.
