Dark Remains: A Maggie Power Adventure (Maggie Power #1)

Chapter 24 - Shadow of Death

Chapter 24 - Shadow of Death

She is in a boat. It is the same type of boat she has seen drifting up and down The Thames dredging for corpses. She is seated and realises she is out on the lake at Little Serrant. She looks back to the large house and sees it fading into the distance. There are wisps of fog hanging in the air. She is heading towards the folly, still visible despite the falling mist.

A tall, slender man is at the bow of the boat, carrying a lantern and guiding the rower towards their location. She looks behind and sees it is Jack who is rowing them across the lake. His eyes are closed but his arms are working the oars in a mechanical motion.

As they reach the landing dock, she stands and waits for the man with the lantern to guide her from the boat. As she takes his hand, he pulls her safely onto the dock. As she turns, she recognises the man's face, but he has re-boarded the boat and is about to make his way back across the lake.

It is her father.

She smiles, feels a hint of sadness, and attempts to call after him. But the words won't emerge from her throat. Instead she mouths a soundless sentence.

The there is voice she can hear, however. Not her own. It is coming from the folly - stood tall behind her. Help! The voice cries. She looks up to the folly and the grey brick tower disappearing into the thickening mist above her. Help us! There is more than one voice now. She walks towards the entrance and goes inside the building.

Once inside she finds a lighted candle and heads down the narrow set of stairs to the dudgeon below, from where the cries, now a chorus, originate.

Help us!

Down below, the torches dotted around the walls of the cellar join the small flame of her candle to illuminate the entire room.

The voices stop.

There is only silence and a spitting noise from the candle flame. She moves toward the cages and sees the gates are open. She takes the candle and enters one of the cells. She shines the light towards the wall. At eye level she looks for the names carved on the wall. She reads - Isabella. The letters of the names are no longer carved into the walls, but written in blood. Annie in blood, followed by William, Elizabeth and Martha. There are Xs in blood too. She brings the candle's light down the wall and sees the name of Christabel. The blood looks fresh and still has traces of drip.

As she moves the candle further downward, there is one more name - daubed thickly upon the wall in blood - still fresh, still dripping on to the floor below.

Maggie.

She is startled and steps away from the wall. She begins to panic and her breathing is quick and heavy. She turns and leaves the cell.

Her eye then catches sight of the bath. She moves closer and inspects. It is full with clear water. She waves her fingers across the surface and feels the warmth of the water on her fingertips. Suddenly, the water inside begins to alter. It changes colour. It is no loner transparent but has turned pink. She looks closer and there appears to be something submerged beneath the water.

It is her again. It is always her. It is the woman.

There are torches shinning down upon the bath. The water begins to darken in colour from pink to a more substantial red. She holds the candle above the bath. There is movement beneath the water, which is growing a darker, deeper red. The water is no longer water: it is thick, red blood. The figure beneath has disappeared, made invisible by the thickness of the blood.

As she is about to turn to leave, there is an eruption from inside the bath. Blood sprays everywhere.

Her nightgown is saturated in blood. For a moment she can't see. She wipes her eyes. Standing upright and emerging from the bloodbath is the woman. Come, come, come with me, it says, arms outstretched.