Echo [Klaus M.]

[Chapter V • The Storm]

It was dark.

I found myself alone, walking towards the staircase in my house. It was dead silent, nothing and no one around. There weren't any pictures hanging on the walls, the floor was clear of furniture.

In the back of my mind, I wondered where Emma and Luna were. Shouldn't they be here? Where did they go?

Taking one step at a time, I climbed up the stairs. The floorboards that used to creak, didn't now. When I finally got to the top, I stared down the empty hallway.

All the doors were shut, except for one. I noticed the entrance to my bedroom was wide open. A soft light glowed across the floor from inside.

Carefully moving closer, I approached my door and glanced inside. Like the rest of the house, it was void of furnishings except for my desk in front of the window which was pitch black. It was like there was nothing but darkness, no world left outside. The source of the dull light I saw from the hallway was the small lamp on the corner of the desk.

I walked closer to see that there were books and papers laid across the desktop. Leaning over, I looked closer. One of the worn, old books was opened to a page with an illustration to the side. The title of the section said, 'The Wailing Woman'.

Glancing at the drawing, I gasped quietly at what I saw. It was a strange picture of a woman with her mouth wide open, screaming. She had dark hair and was wearing a long robe. The woman was depicted almost like a ghost, floating in mid-air. In the background of the illustration was a group of people holding their heads as blood seeped out of their eyes and noses.

Turning away from the drawing, I concentrated on the text. It was only a page long, but it filled me with trepidation. It read:

Known mostly from Irish Folklore, 'The Wailing Woman' is described as the ghost or spirit of a woman who is symbolized as an omen of impending death. When she appears, it is usually to a specific family, but can vary to others who aren't blood relations.

The Wailing Woman can sometimes be found beside a river, washing the bloody garments of those fated to pass on into the Underworld or brushing her long, white hair with a mystical comb of unknown power. If ever a person sees a Wailing Woman, they can assume death is fast approaching. This spirit does not necessarily materialize before the one about to die, but could be someone close to the person such as a family member or a cherished friend.