Haunted.| ✓

14

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Em wriggled on the wet grass ground, fighting off whatever was scorching her body as a whole from the inside. She resisted its touch and presence making it hard for her to breathe; yet, she knew she was trying hard to keep something away from her.   

The soft grass, mild breeze, an owl hooting somewhere and a wretched crow's caws can be heard in her subconscious mind; but, something from the sky was pinning her down, making it difficult to break out from her paralysis.

Although her hands were numb stoned, she could feel another pair of hands from her shoulders pushing a burning coal away from her heart and at last, she won; the burning vanished making her heart freeze. The ice on her face and body woke her up.

She gasped awake, feeling distorted; and confused to feel the lashing rain. Each drop felt like a shot of paintball. Em quickly got up and ran to her home, scared and angry.

When she opened the door, got in and breathed out with one hand on her knees and the other on the doorknob, panting as if she had finished a marathon race, their maid and Nanny gasped to find Em, out this late; soaking wet.

"What were you doing outside?"

"Uh..." her teeth clattered and she shivered badly.

"Oh, get her a towel, she is cold," Nanny ordered their maid and she scurried off. When the towel was placed on her, another warm towel was used to rub water awy from her hair and face.

"Poor Lucy, she hasn't woke up yet and we fear the dreaded." Nanny's words perked Emily's interest.

"What dreaded thing?" 

"Oh, nothing." nanny closed her mouth shut into a grim line as if she had spoken something she shouldn't have.

"I ask you, nanny, what dreaded thing do you fear?"

"Nothing I said, don't ask further questions."

"You all are hiding something, tell me."

"Nothing!" nanny yelled at Em who was persistent in getting what she wanted to know.

Em got up angrily and walked out to find her parents. She searched everyone only to find them all huddled beside Lucy. When Em saw the state of Lucy, she melted at the sight.

Lucy was pale and very bluish from the lips. She looked frozen into time though she did take shallow breaths. She coughed once and again, rather violently, making her torso bounce up and down in the bed. Em caught Katie's eyes and found it hard to keep looking. She looked away and saw Tina was the only one praying hard. Mina looked constipated as she wanted to do something to help the dire state but didn't know what.

"Father..." Em called out.

Julian turned around from the group of men, by the corner. He sat straight, waiting for Em to speak but suddenly she didn't know what she wanted to ask. She looked at a horrified looking nanny by the door and decided she will ask it again.

"Is there some family history that you are hiding from us?"

"What?" Julian asked, capturing the interest of everyone in the room.

"Is there some information kept away from us?" Em asked again.

"Nothing that I know off; why do you ask?"

"Nothing... I, nothing... sorry," Em stammered and then went out from the room hastily.

Katie, Tina, and Mina followed.