Nightshade Manor

Chapter 7

Charlie slept through most of the night. She felt so soft and warm in that bed. She couldn't remember a time she had ever felt more comfortable and at peace. She almost felt like she was home. But even the most pleasant and deep of slumbers can be interrupted. Hers was interrupted by a particular sound that broke though the darkness. Her eyes flashed open and at first she thought that she had only dreamed the noise but when she tried to fall back asleep, she heard it again. It sounded like whispers. Strange. How could whispers wake her? For ten minutes she tried to ignore them and when that task proved impossible she decided to investigate. 

She slowly stood from her bed, slipped on the lace robe that came with the nightgown she discovered, and began searching the room for a flashlight or lantern. None turned up but she did find a few candlesticks and a book of matches in one of the drawers. She lit one candlewick and slowly opened the door to her room. 

On the other side there was just darkness. A night-black corridor that seemed as if things  in it might be moving. She almost hesitated to leave but a feeling inside something told her to find out where those whispers came from so she slowly began her walk down the hall. She searched for someone who might be awake but she saw nobody. Still she felt a hundred set of eyes watching her every move.

She reached out to steady herself when she suspected she might trip and her hand touched something that felt cold. Something that felt like somebody's cheek and lips. She jumped back quietly.

"Who's there?" She called in a tone that was quiet enough not to wake anyone but not enough to where someone close couldn't hear her. 

There weren't any responses to her call but she head the whispering continue. 

"I know someone is there." She called again. "Who is it? Please answer?"

The whispering stopped. Something moved in close behind Charlie and whispered into her ear,

"You can hear us?"

She turned around but didn't see who had spoken to her.

"You can hear us?" It asked again.

"Yes." She answered trying very hard to locate the one owned the voice. "Who is that? Show yourself."

"Hush." The voice whispered. "Do not be so loud. They must not know you can hear us."

"What do you mean? Where are you? Why can't I see you?" She felt a shiver go down her spine. "Angel if that's you trying to scare me, cut it out. It's not funny."

"No one is jesting child." She heard another voice whisper. "We cannot jest for we cannot laugh and it is because we can no longer feel joy."

"We cannot feel anything." Came a third voice. "All we feel is misery and all we can do is remember."

She trembled. She tried not to pant. She found it hard to keep standing. What was this? Why was she hearing voices but not seeing the faces attached to them? Why did she feel as if the hall was filled with people but emptiness was in her vision?

"Remember." They spoke all spoke at once. "Remember. We will always remember. We are not permitted to forget. He will not let us forget and that is our eternal suffering."

Charlie could stay still no more. She ran and in her haste she almost went tumbling down the stairway but a hand grabbed hers and pulled her to safety.