RIDDLES PROPERTY

chapter 57

"Where were you?" he croaked.

"Out."

"You can't do that."

"Probably not, but I just did."

Her hair was a new color. It was now a more ashy grey color with her usual brown hair mixed in.

"You look insane."

"That's what my mother said."

Tom went quiet.

"Nothin' else to say, have you? Good. I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

It was only 5 PM. Tom looked at Emelia and focused on the state of her. Her eyes were sunken and she looked like she'd been crying, but her tears weren't visible.

"Wait," he said.

She stopped and let out a small breath of air.

"Come here."

Emelia complied and walked towards him. Her black platform boots made her taller, but she still sulked when she walked.

"Ophelia's with Molly," she whispered.

Ophelia was not on Tom's mind. She was.

"Let's go to my room."

Emelia nodded. He grabbed her wrist, gently, and walked with her towards his room. Before they could enter, he heard someone calling for him.

"Sir, the meeting is about to be in progress. We'd suggest you come," a squeaky voice said.

"Go back there and tell them it's cancelled, Pettigrew."

"But sir—"

"I don't care," he replied stubbornly. "Tell them it'll commence tomorrow."

"But...alright."

With a flick of his wrist, the door closed shut with them inside. Emelia was curious as to what his plans were. She knew he was decomposing day by day, but didn't know why.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked softly. Their hands were still together, but his tensed up.

"No idea what you're referring to."

"This. What meeting? Why must you be so dark, Tom. There's no shame in living a simple life."

"Why have a simple life when you can have everything?"

That was her first hint as to what he wanted—everything.

"So you take over everything, then what? There's nothing more you can do."

"Live with you, of course. Make you my queen."

She was backed up a little and he crept towards her. Emelia fell onto the bed and he got on top of her.

"I really do like you," Tom said sadly. "I just hope he likes you as much as I do. It'd be a shame to complete the transformation and have you killed."

He placed his hand, gently, on her cheek and caressed it while on top of her.

"Now what were you thinking, going away today?"

"I was just visiting my parents, Tom. Nothing more to it." she sounded irritated.

"Tell me how it went."