When Heaven meets Hell

Chapter Forty Nine

The night air was surprisingly still around the well aged buildings. Snow lay thickly in the grounds, settled on the roof tops of the Tower of London like the icing on a cake. Not a soul moved and snow continued to fall silently. The lights of the city had lights gone out, the Christmas merry making drawing to an end for another year.

At the stroke of midnight, a single blinding flash lit up the side of the old structure, piercing the darkness with it's intensity. It was gone as soon as it had come, replaced by the crunch of boots and the rustle of clothing. Three dark forms of varying height tread along the side of the old, weathered wall, marching at a steady pace past the famous execution site known as the Tower Green and towards the church.

The doors of the church creaked open and Joan stepped in, the cold yet musty air of the hitting her right in the face. She breathed deeply and continued to walk past the pews, her shadow skirting off the walls.
"He's not here." Avander whispered, looking around with disdain.
"We wait then." Joan said, taking her seat in the third row. Avander and Heidi joined her.

With only the silvery light of the moon streaming in through the windows, Joan observed her surroundings. At the end of the hall was the podium where the priest would stand. Her gaze lingered on the cross before traveling upwards, taking in the wooden beams laid across the roof and the hanging candelabras. She briefly remembered the grave markers she had also seen a while ago, the names of kings and queens and other important people engraved upon the marble.

The air was pregnant with age, the very walls speaking of the chapel's history. It had seen many things and many a king or queen of England had pace with these walls, as well as died nearby.

This was why, when Joan noticed movement out of the corner of her eye she did not react, watching calmly as a pearly white shape materialized from the darkness. It glided past the pews, leading a ghostly procession behind.

Avander made to get to his feet , a low snarl escaping from his mouth. But Heidi stopped him, laying a hand on his arm to calm him.
"They are just ghosts." She whispered, watching the phantoms glide soundless across the church. "They cannot harm us."

The woman at the front of the procession was dressed in fine clothing of the era she belonged to, the elaborate mess of puffy dress layers swishing with each proud stride. Spectral and semi transparent jewelry glittered eerily in the mood light. The magnificent figure, once a queen, held her dark haired head under her arm.

"Anne Boleyn." Joan identified quietly, watching the Queen who had been executed near the chapel continued to walk by. She passed Joan but did not see her.

There was a sudden burst of laughter and Joan saw the forms of two children, both boys run between the benches. They were dressed in the finery only royalty could afford, chasing one another. Joan suspected who they were too, her suspicions confirmed when they disappeared in a flash, their laughter transforming into high pitched, terrified screams. They were the brothers Edward V and Richard, who had disappeared without a trace.

The spectral forms of many people continued to appear, such as that of King Henry VIII and Lady Jane Grey, as well as many other men and woman who had been imprisoned in the Tower on the pretext of treason, heresy and other crimes, breathing their last within these walls. The strange, opalescent parade marched past and the ghosts all seemed to linger in the church hall, as thought waiting for something.

"They are attracted to our unearthly aura." Heidi explained in hushed tones. "They know that something is about to happen."

"A nuisance really. The dead should learn to mind their own business." A cold, tauntingly familiar voice called. The ghosts appeared to become very agitated. Joan , Heidi and Avander turned in unison towards the sound of the voice with batted breath.