Elise was shaken, jolted from her unwanted nightmare. It’s just a dream, she told herself. But somehow, she couldn’t make herself believe that it wasn’t real. She cautiously glanced around, only to find that she was still on the balcony of the big countryside house. A glimpse of dawn could be seen in front of her – a swirling nebulae of warm coral red and joyful gold, toned with exuberant pinks and fuchsias.
“Archie, look at that. Isn’t it beautiful?” Elise whispered.
Usually, she would make up Archie’s reply, but today, her mind was blank. She couldn’t even remember Archie’s face. It’s probably just from the nightmare. Calm down, Elise. But she couldn’t. All she could see was Kelly’s evil smile before everything blacked out. Elise sat on the chair for another moment before she stood up.
A light thump made Elise look to her feet; a black leather covered notebook had fallen from her lap. It was her mother, Ms. Thompson’s. Curious, she picked it up and flipped through its smooth, worn pages. While her father usually tended the fields and worked at an office, her mother was an herbalist, as well as a florist. In her free time, when she wasn’t tutoring Elise, she was either sewing or writing in her notebook. The pages were often decorated by pressed or hand-drawn flowers, or butterflies that seemed otherworldly.
The first page was a letter to an unknown address, not yet sent. The second was a vivid watercolor image of a rose, which filled up the entire page. In extremely small words at the bottom were look where the rose blooms. At first glance, Elise thought they were just poetical lines blending in with her mother’s nature. But then, a strong breeze slammed the back window shut. Reaching for the white shutters, something magenta caught her eye.
The bush of wild roses, blooming at the edge of the field.
Pulling on a thing wool jacket, Elise rushed outside into the autumn air. Leaves fluttered around her in amber and crimson hues, teasing her while she rushed towards the hedge. She began digging frantically at the dirt below the plant, desperate for a clue. At the bottom, ensnared in roots, was a small chest the size of a fist. Elise withdrew her hands, which were scratched and dusted with a deep brown layer of filth.
After carefully untangling the box from the fingers of the rose, Elise brought it to her office to inspect. Just as she was about to open the box, a voice came from the door.
“Ma’am, you’re up this early? You should go back to sleep.” The housekeeper peeked through the door of office.
“I’m fine. Did I wake up Raven?”
“No Ma’am. Raven wouldn’t be up at four in the morning.”
Elise turned got up. “I suppose I should get more sleep.” While passing through the hallway, she glanced up the mirror hanging in the hallway, and was surprised. It was a ghostly reflection of her, pale skin, and black bags under her eyes. She resumed walking to her bedroom and laid down on the bed, letting the puffy blanket warm her icy skin. As she drifted to sleep, she heard a voice resonating at the back of her head.
“Welcome back, my sister.”
“Archie, look at that. Isn’t it beautiful?” Elise whispered.
Usually, she would make up Archie’s reply, but today, her mind was blank. She couldn’t even remember Archie’s face. It’s probably just from the nightmare. Calm down, Elise. But she couldn’t. All she could see was Kelly’s evil smile before everything blacked out. Elise sat on the chair for another moment before she stood up.
A light thump made Elise look to her feet; a black leather covered notebook had fallen from her lap. It was her mother, Ms. Thompson’s. Curious, she picked it up and flipped through its smooth, worn pages. While her father usually tended the fields and worked at an office, her mother was an herbalist, as well as a florist. In her free time, when she wasn’t tutoring Elise, she was either sewing or writing in her notebook. The pages were often decorated by pressed or hand-drawn flowers, or butterflies that seemed otherworldly.
The first page was a letter to an unknown address, not yet sent. The second was a vivid watercolor image of a rose, which filled up the entire page. In extremely small words at the bottom were look where the rose blooms. At first glance, Elise thought they were just poetical lines blending in with her mother’s nature. But then, a strong breeze slammed the back window shut. Reaching for the white shutters, something magenta caught her eye.
The bush of wild roses, blooming at the edge of the field.
Pulling on a thing wool jacket, Elise rushed outside into the autumn air. Leaves fluttered around her in amber and crimson hues, teasing her while she rushed towards the hedge. She began digging frantically at the dirt below the plant, desperate for a clue. At the bottom, ensnared in roots, was a small chest the size of a fist. Elise withdrew her hands, which were scratched and dusted with a deep brown layer of filth.
After carefully untangling the box from the fingers of the rose, Elise brought it to her office to inspect. Just as she was about to open the box, a voice came from the door.
“Ma’am, you’re up this early? You should go back to sleep.” The housekeeper peeked through the door of office.
“I’m fine. Did I wake up Raven?”
“No Ma’am. Raven wouldn’t be up at four in the morning.”
Elise turned got up. “I suppose I should get more sleep.” While passing through the hallway, she glanced up the mirror hanging in the hallway, and was surprised. It was a ghostly reflection of her, pale skin, and black bags under her eyes. She resumed walking to her bedroom and laid down on the bed, letting the puffy blanket warm her icy skin. As she drifted to sleep, she heard a voice resonating at the back of her head.
“Welcome back, my sister.”
