By Kori Lewis
Kathleen Wallace stared down at the piece of paper and twisted her black hair around her finger. It had been three days since Her Grandmother Mary had died. That morning had been her funeral and Katie still wore the black dress she had worn to the ceremony. After the funeral, there had been a reading of the will where she was given a blue envelope and was told that the details of her inheritance were inside. Her mother was furious when she learned that the mansion in England had gone to her daughter instead of her or even Mark, her beloved son. Her parent's had always been hateful of her because she had always been Mary's favorite. Of course they and Katie would never admit it to anyone else, it was common knowledge that they hated her. Katie started to read the note again.
My Dearest Katie,
If you are reading this, I have passed on or I think that you need this. I have given you my home in Manchester, England. If you are wondering why I am giving you this, here is why. Your mother and father, no matter how much I loved them, have too cruel a heart to love this place in the same way that I do. Mark never wanted it. I believe that you deserve it. I am going to give you some directions. Please tell no one of what this letter contains, and do as I say, child.
First, I want you to go there in the middle of the night so that your parents will be caught unaware and will not try to claim it as theirs before you. Second, I want you to renovate the house. I, being ill, had no time or energy to keep up with the maintenance. I have set up an account at a local bank that my barrister will give you the information once you arrive. He is very much aware of your parent’s attitude and is prepared. My brother and my barrister are the only ones aware of this plan. Henri will pick you up and the airport. The account will be set up under your rightful name, Duchess Katherine Marie Gautier
All My Love,
Angelique Gautier-Wallace
P.S. You can follow Juliana's advice.
Kat carefully placed the crisp stationary inside the matching envelope. She had already packed her furniture and sent it to her Uncle Henri. Grandma had told her to do that so she wouldn't have to buy new stuff for her home when she went to Oxford University. All she needed to do now was send her clothes to him and call and buy a ticket for the plane ride to Manchester. She picked up her neon blue telephone and called the airport. She got a ticket for a flight the next night at 11:30 p.m.
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Katie sat on the plane staring out the window at the black sky. She was really tired and she soon fell asleep.
"Hello Katie"
"How do you know my name?"
"Your grandmother told me. I'm Juliana."
"I thought you lived in England? Why are you on this plane?"
"Technically, I'm not. I'm in your dream. You see I died many years ago. I visit people who currently own the house that I died in though dreams. Your grandmother and I had such great fun. I hope I didn’t scare you and that we can be great friends. You must wake up now. It's time for breakfast. Before I go I have to tell you this...Beware of the man in the wing."
"Miss? Are you awake?" the flight attendant was softly speaking to Kat.
"Huh...what?"
"I was wondering if you would like some breakfast?" said the flight attendant.
"Oh, yes, please."
"What would you like"?
"I'm not sure...cereal and tea?"
"Yes, I will back in a moment", the flight attendant said and then turned and walked down the aisle.
Kat sat back and looked out the window. She wanted to be in England right now, even though there was something that gave her the chills whenever she thought of the house. She was thinking that she would be happy in England and not have to do anything with Pittsburgh again.
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"Well, here it is, Katherine."
"Uncle Henri, please call me Katie."
"Ok.
"Thanks for the ride."
"No-problem."
Katie got out of the car and started to walk up to her new home. She could hear Uncle Henri pull around and leave. It was cold, misty and gray. The weather was not as she thought it would be. She was getting a strange feeling about the house again.
"Did you know that this house is haunted?" Katie spun around, frightened to hear a voice coming out of nowhere. Suddenly she noticed a tall young man standing beside a Volkswagen
"And who are you might I ask?"
"My names is Mike Spencer, your next door neighbor, even if we live two miles away from each other. Mike's smile made her more at ease. "Are you Miss Gautier?"
"No ... I mean yes. I am still not used to being called that. When I was growing up, everyone called me Kathleen Wallace. Now I find out my name is Katherine Gautier. At least I can keep my nickname, Katie. Call me Katie please.
"OK. Katie. Welcome to Manchester."
"Thank you."
"Let me show around the house. I have been here before."
"OK, I think that I could need a tour." Katie said as she looked up at the large mansion that she was to call home. Mike was very knowledgeable about the house. The only place they did not go was the back right wing. She asked him why they would not go into the wing and he said that no one went back there and that it was best she do the same. He showed her around the gardens and she imagined that they were grand when they had the proper care. They enter the library when they were done and she found on the desk an envelope from the same stationary that the other letter was from. It had her aunt's monogram on it. It looked very elegant. She opened the envelope slowly but with some anticipation she new that it would contain some more instructions for her adventure.
My Dearest Katie,
I am so glad that you are here now to read this. You have followed my instructions and have made it to you new home. I am sure that you have met Juliana. (She will be our secret) I am certain that you have met dear Mike. He will help you out and get you acclimated. His family has a lovely little guesthouse that they have agreed to put you up in until the house is up to the standard of living that you will become accustom to. Please remember to listen to Juliana.
All my love,
Marie
Mike took her to the neighboring estate where his family lived. She liked his family. There was his mother, Sarah, and the younger brother Sean. It was his father that unnerved her. He was tall and wore black suits. Completely black. Shirt, tie, everything was black. He had long black hair that he wore slicked back and his eyes had a yellowish cast to them. He always called her Katherine. She could feel those yellowish eyes staring down on her, as she would drift off to sleep. She would see Juliana in her dreams every night. "Jules" as she wanted to be called would show Katie what the house looked like before it went bad. But never the right wing of the house. She would always end the dreams by saying, "Beware of the man." This confused Kat. Who was this man?
Mike helped her renovate the house. It only took about three months, surprisingly. They became fast friends. They had even gone on a few dates. Whenever they would return to Mike's house she was met with the chilling yellowish eyes of the father. When she was able to move into her own house, she was extremely happy. But when she would start to go to sleep at night, she would feel like she was being watched. She would always feel like she was being watched.
One day Katie decided to explore the right wing. It was not renovated like the rest of the house because no one would go there. As she walked through the wing the lights started to dim with every step. Soon it was pitch black. Kat started to feel cold, a chill. She could feel a slight breeze even though she knew that there were no windows open. She felt like she was being watch again. She looked around but there was no one there. She felt she could hear breathing from behind her.
"Hello, Darling Katherine." came a chilling voice from behind her. Katie spun around, frightened, and saw Mr. Spencer. She could see him well for his skin glowed with a green color. Instead of the yellowish green, his eyes were orange. He was scaring her and he knew it. It made him smile darkly. He started to walk toward her, forcing her against the fading polished wood wall. "Why do you look so frightened, I am only going to take some blood. Quite painless, actually."
"Why do want me?'
"Because you see, when I was a young boy about 13, when became what I am, I was told that I was to kill all who lived in this house. Your grandmother was lucky, She left before she ever walk into this wing. She was smart and listened to the warnings that she was given."
He lunged for her and she screamed. There was a loud bang and then there was silence. Mike stared down at his father. He never believed the rumor that his father was a vampire, but now he knew that it was true. He saw the evidence before him. His father had just tried to kill Kat. Katie was lying on the floor with blood seeping from a cut in her neck. Mike had knocked his father out of the way before he could get his teeth all the in and be able to kill her. He had also knocked her down as well and she hit her head on an old chest. She blacked out.
He picked her up and carried her out of the wing. He locked the doors to the wing. His father would not get out again. From now on, Mike was never going to let Kat out of his sight.
Weeks Later
Katie stood and watched as they tore down the right wing. They would be rebuilding it with a solarium. When she woke up in the hospital, Mike was standing right beside her. He told her that when the authorities brought his father out of the wing it was still daylight and the exposure caused him to react violently and he appeared to have a heart attack. He died immediately.
Mike was upset to see his father die. He thought that his father was a bit odd but this was beyond odd. To find out his father was such a monster was very sad for him. After he died, his skin was finally peach-toned and his eyes were brown. He wasn't scary anymore. Tearing down the wing would get rid of some of the bad memories. As Katie stood there and watch them tear it down she thought of the fact that she didn't dream of Jules anymore. She wondered why.
Across town in an old graveyard a young woman sat and looked at a grave.
Marie Spencer
1942-1962
She never came back from the wing
Suddenly the grave starts to disappear. The woman stood up in old tatter clothes and turned to watch the grave disappear. As she turns around to start her new life, her clothes become as new. The curse on the victims of James Spencer was lifted upon his death. She was sad because she knew that this meant her brother was dead but at least he was free from his curse.