❝ I just need to know
that you won't forget about me. ❞

─────── 

EIGHTEEN | POSSESSED

I leaned on the car with my arms crossed, waiting for Nicholas to come back with the keys. I stared at my shoes; we were really going to Allerdale Hall and, well, let's say that I was more scared than the day I learned about the ghosts in that place.

My hand went to my pocket when I heard my phone go off, it was a text from Josh, saying that he was better and that he wasn't okay with the idea of me being alone in the house, not even having Nicholas with me. I quickly typed a reply, saying that he shouldn't be worried about it, that I'd be okay. Then I shoved my phone back into my pocket when I saw Nicholas approaching.

"We've got them," he said, triumphantly waving the keys in his hand. He walked closer and wrapped an arm over my shoulders and then pressed a kiss on my head, "time for us to leave." He uttered and I looked up at him, before he opened the door.

"Why is it that you want to go there?" I asked, I still needed to understand what his reasons were, he couldn't just go into the house and tell the ghosts to stop killing people, his presence wouldn't improve anything. Nicholas looked at me a little confused and I quickly added, "I'm just curious."

"Uhm, well, I . . ." he trailed off and his brow furrowed, "now that you mention it . . . I'm not sure about it," he stared blankly ahead, "I've always wanted to. I don't know, I feel like I should go," I frowned, "I've had that feeling since . . . well ever and you opened my eyes to realise that it is time to do so," he smiled, placing a hand on my back, "we should be leaving now." With that I got in the car and so we left.

Some minutes later, my eyes recognised the old post office, we were getting closer and closer with every second it passed. Nicholas drove on the asphalted road. The very few trees and shrubs we found on our way, became overgrown as we went deeper into the road, and its asphalt was soon replaced by the mere soil and snow that now covered almost everything. White was all we could see scattered all over what was once a field of soft green grass. It wasn't my imagination now, the place seemed so quiet to me, dreadfully quiet and not like my first time, it wasn't oddly peaceful and relaxing to me anymore, it was terribly scary and intimidating.

And just like the first time, forty minutes later, the house rose before our eyes. I heard Nicholas muttering astounded when he saw the mansion. We crossed the rusty gate and the car made its way into the path among the large and never ending white fields, heading us to the main entrance. Nicholas turned off the engine and we made our way out of the car. This was it, no turning back.

"God, please," I muttered under my breath, before we climbed the steps to the large and old doors. I turned the key and pushed the doors open. The mansion was quiet, the creaking had ceased but the cold wind howled through the corridors and wrapped our bodies. Our footsteps echoed in the foyer as we climbed the steps to it, naturally, Nicholas was amazed by the mansion. He looked up at the hole in the ceiling, snow had landed in the centre of the foyer and had covered a chair nerby.

"Wow," Nicholas said under his breath, still looking up, "it makes you feel so small," he uttered. I took a deep breath and looked at my surroundings, not admiring the ancient beauty of the mansion, but wondering where were the ghost siblings. I slightly flinched when I felt an arm around my waist and relaxed when realised it was Nicholas.

"Hey, it's me," he said, pulling me closer and spinning me around so my back faced the main door and his faced the fireplace at the back to then kiss my lips. I put my hands on his hips and so did he, when our lips parted, I looked at his face, he smiled and ran his hand through my hair. I shared a small smile with him before he hugged me and over his shoulder, I saw Sir Thomas and how Lucille was standing next to him.

I felt as if my throat tightened and instinctively I hugged Nicholas even tighter, as if that could stop Lucille from hurting him. I felt my heart hitting my chest and my eyes filled with tears. Lucille had this astounded look on her face, her cold eyes scanned the scene across from her, now she looked angry, furious to see us. I broke the hug when I saw her walk towards us, but Sir Thomas grabbed her arm, making her stop, to which Lucille answered with a glare. There wasn't need for words between the two phantoms, Lucille turned around and disappeared, leaving the baronet standing alone by the fireplace.

"What?" Nicholas asked, turning around, "What is it?" His eyes scanned the place, yet he didn't seem to be aware of his ancestor's ghost at the back. Sir Thomas' eyes widened at the sight of the man standing next to me and immediately walked towards us.

"N-Nothing," I lied.

"You sure?" He asked and I hummed an answer. Nicholas began to walk through the foyer and I followed him, by this time Sir Thomas had stopped next to the door to the elevator, he closed his eyes and I witnessed how Nicholas walked right through the spectre without even noticing.

"Nicholas," I said, "no, don't go there," he looked puzzled at me, "I mean, you haven't seen the workshop." I said, thinking that Lucille would be at the piano stool so I had to get him out of there, "Come on, let's go upstairs." He nodded and we headed to the staircase. Thomas followed us all the time, studying Nicholas, and for the first time he spoke.

"How did you convice him?" The whisper said.

"He wanted to meet you," I whispered back and Thomas stared at me, he looked upset.

"I said that I would stay in the shadows, I never said he would be able to see me, I never said I would let him see me."

"I know," I said softly, "he insisted," Nicholas turned around to face me and he looked at his surroundings, then his eyes stopping on me.

"Did you say something?"

"It wasn't important." I smiled, but he didn't believe me.

"Are they here?" He asked and I looked down at my hands and heard Thomas say no, I did what the baronet wanted, so I shook my head to deny the ghost's presence. Nicholas didn't seem satisfied with my answer but shrugged it off, he came and took my hand, I followed him upstairs, "What is up there?" I didn't answer, just followed him. Sir Thomas followed us and I don't think I had seen him like that before, I couldn't quite read the expression on his face, he just kept staring.

We went to the workshop and the bedroom. I don't know but I felt like I had to sit down, what were we even doing there? This wasn't a good idea, and the words left my lips in a low voice as I sat on a chair next to a window.

"I don't think this is a good idea." Nicholas - who paced into the bedroom, admiring the ancient furniture - turned to see me. That's when I realised he didn't look happy, he looked kind of angry or something, I don't know, I was too busy worrying about his and my safety to even pay attention to that.

"What?" He asked in a deep voice, approaching.

"Nicholas, we should be leaving." I said, I had grown worried since Thomas wasn't with us anymore, he disappeared and I hadn't seen him since we were in the workshop. The mansion had begun to groan and make those noises that sent chills down my spine, making me jump at the sightless of sound.

"No," he shook his head, "you leave, I'm not leaving until I see him," my eyes widened for a second when I heard him say that, "or I see her sister, this has to be done, they have to leave and let people live their lives at peace, not terrified of the house on the hill, I want- you don't want this place, I don't either, or do you?" He asked and I shook my head, obviously, "good, 'cause I'm going to burn this house down, and I don't care if-"

"Nicholas, shh!" I whispered-shouted at him.

"No, Adeline-"

"Shut up, shut up, Nicholas," I basically put my hand over his mouth, "have you gone mental? I've told you about . . . her, if she hears you want to do that," I shook my head, "we won't leave this house alive, I know what is she like, just . . . don't say anything like that again, at least not here," I whispered. He clenched his jaw and looked away. I stared at his face and put my hands over his chest, I looked at it for a second and then returned to his face, "I know you care for that people," I said, cupping his face with a hand, but he stopped me and frowned, "Nicholas?"

"Whose car is that?"

"What?" I looked through the window and effectively there was a car driving away, just driving through the gate, leaving. That car, I had seen that car before and it took me a second to remember, I was about to pronounce the name but it got stuck in my throat when we heard a high pitched scream, travelling and echoing in all parts pf the mansion, "Camille," I said in a gasp and making my way out of the bedroom.

"Who?" Nicholas asked from behind as I rushed downstairs, I kept quiet, trying to find out where the scream had come from - which was useles, since I distinguished her body at the bottom of the stairs. We rushed to help and Nicholas knelt immediately to check on her. Her black hair clung to her forehead with blood trickling all the way down. She's dead, I thought.

"Lucille," I said, feeling myself going angry, "it was her . . ."

"I need your scarf, now," Nicholas said with calm and professional voice.

"Is she dead?" I gave him my scarf, as I knelt next to him. He shook his head and put the scarf on her cut open forehead.

"No- what the hell happened? She rolled down the stairs?"

"Or someone pushed her," I got on my feet, "it has to be her, she's killed every single person who has come to this place, just for fun, there's no use to do so now. What do you want Lucille?" I asked to thin air.

"Adeline-"

"Thomas, why didn't you protect them of her? You know she's a monster!" I shouted, feeling angry for everything, "He could have done that, Nicholas, he could!" I continued to throw a tantrum and Nicholas just ignored me, I'm glad he did, actually.

Eventually, she woke up and Nicholas made a few questions to know if everything was okay with her. Then, it was my turn.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here? I told you not to come again, this is exactly what I didn't want to happen." I said.

"You know why," she began, "I am not the only one in danger here." She said, with soft and elocuent voice.

"I want to know what happened, if you don't mind," Nicholas said. Camille took a deep breath and straightened herself, adopting a perfect posture.

"Are you a doctor?" Nicholas nodded, "A fine one indeed," she muttered, smiling at him, "well, doctor, I was wandering around, snooping here and there, but, I can't remember, to be honest. But I remember her, she attacked me." I knew it.

"Lucille?"

"Oh, yes. It was her, her . . . ghost, I've seen her brother's, too. He's perfect," she said under her breath, I looked puzzled at her. She hat hit her head, probably that explained her weird behaviour. Nicholas looked at me, and I shrugged.

"Okay, uhm . . . there's a bed upstairs, you have to rest a bit, that was a serious fall, can you get on your feet?" He asked and with a little bit of help she stood up, "I can carry you if you'd like, there's a bunch of steps." He added, statement to which Camille didn't refuse. Seconds later, they made their way upstairs bridal style, while I stayed there for a couple of minutes.

I walked into the great hall and made my way to the library, there, I sat and observed the shelves with thousands of books, I could hear Nicholas and Camille's voices in the distance, talking about how long he had been a doctor.

Then, I mentally slapped myself for not being with them, what if Lucille showed up? I got on my feet and began to walk to the stairs, when I reached them, their voices were clearer.

"I have never been to," she said, "I used to travel a lot, but not anymore. I was in Italy, America, lovely people, indeed."

"Hey," I said once I walked in, "everything okay?" I walked in with my arms crossed, trying to get warm. Nicholas was washing his hands in the bathroom and Camille was in bed.

"She'll be alright, don't worry," he said and walked out of the bathroom, "are you okay?" He asked, wrapping an arm around me, I nodded and smiled at him.

"Yeah, it's just . . . it's freezing."

"We should leave," he said and I felt so relieved to hear him say that, "There's a-"

"Snowstorm coming," Camille interrupted, "it happens every time at this time of the year. He is right, if we don't leave we'll get snowed in." She sat up and walked toward us and we stepped out of the bedroom, "I'll just get my bag, I think I left it in the great hall."

"I'll get it, you two go to the car, watch your step." Nicholas said, we saw him going down the stairs. Camille and I reached the landing and she stopped to look at the paintings on the wall.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She asked flatly.

"Uhm. . ." I was taken aback with the question.

"Has he courted you?"

"Courted me?" I let out a chuckle, but she was serious.

"He has very good looks and he he's rich, how wouldn't a silly girl like you fall in love with him? You're just a child." She said.

"Excuse me?" She smiled at me.

"A child falling for a men like him, just like Pamela from London-"

"Camille?"

"Like Margaret from Edinburgh-"

"Camille, stop it." But she continued.

"Enola from Italy . . . they were so stupid-"

"Camille!"

"I'm not Camille!" She said, wrapping her hand around my neck and lifting me in the air, "You don't understand, do you? Camille isn't here anymore," she laughed, "People have come into this house for decades to judge our love, Thomas and mine, I can prove we can be together like before."

"Lucille, please . . ." I managed out.

"Don't beg me," she said, gripping harder, "the plan never changes, fool the girl - Thomas did that part- kill her and take her money, I won't take your money, you're a tiny fish in the pond, but Nicholas," she sighed, "Nicholas is exactly like Thomas, he's as nice as Thomas, as handsome as Thomas . . . as malleable as Thomas, the difference between them is that he's got enough money for a lifetime, my dear. And I'll make sure it's mine."

"How?" My voice was just a whisper.

"See what I did to Camille? Her body is mine now," I blinked, "that's what Thomas will do with Nicholas'."

"He wouldn't." She chuckled.

"This was him, Adeline, what you see was his idea." My eyes widened and I tried to scream Nicholas' name but nothing came out of my throat, his hand crushed my vocal cords and stopped air from filling my lungs, "It's for love, the horror is for love. A monstruos love," she got closer to whisper the rest, "and it makes monsters of us all," she kissed my cheek, "now I just have to kill you," she said and she grabbed me like a rag doll throwing me to the foyer, I let out a gasp and I think I screamed, everything seemed so surreal, my heart ached and not because there was something wrong with it but because he lied to me and I was a fool to believe him. I hit the wooden floor and my hands felt the snow underneath them. My eyes fixed on the hole in the ceiling.

"What happened?!" I heard, along with footsteps approaching quickly. I coud see Nicholas worried face above me, saying something I couldn't quite understand, he desperately tried to make me speak, the words coming from his lips finally made sense to me, he was asking if I could hear him, I could but I seemed to be unable to do anything, "Adeline, can you hear me? I'll take you to the hospital, okay?" I felt how he ran his thumb on my cheek, apparently I was crying. My eyes returned to the hole in the ceiling and I didn't pay attention to Nicholas anymore.

I looked up at it and saw snow, it fell down and landed in the centre of the wooden floor, with no chance of getting out again. Like a press into a cage, a big and formidable rotting cage and a cage I had fallen in with no chance of getting out.

My eyelids grew heavy and my eyes fell on Nicholas' face, if that's the last thing I'd see, that'd be okay. I began to fade, to slip away. I only knew one thing . . .

. . . it was cold, dreadfully cold.

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