The Stages of Grief (Ghosts BBC)

Pat

Pat had guided her into the common area for 'food club'. It's all too overwhelming. She sits in a chair, staring into the fireplace, trying to come up with a logical explanation to why she is here. All the while, the so-called ghosts of Button House discuss which foods they favoured and missed from when they were alive. Matilda still felt alive. She's hopeful this is a coma and she would wake up in a few days or weeks with an amazing book idea.

"Matilda, what's your favourite food?" Pat asks, having gone around the group, asking the same question.

"I, erm-" She stutters.

"Speak up; a lady never mumbles," the Edwardian woman sat pin straight on the couch snaps at her.

"I-" She begins again, feeling all eyes staring into her soul. "I need some space," she stands, quickly vacating the room, and walking straight through the front door out into the cold, late afternoon air.

Not that she could feel it. She couldn't feel anything. There's no pain from her head wound, and there's no shivering from the cold. That was a blessing at least since the paramedics had removed her coat. Matilda knows there isn't likely to be anything left on the country road to indicate a crash had occurred there, but she wanted to go back to the site anyway. She needs to be close to Marcus.

Matilda sets off down the driveway. It was a lot darker now as it nears the end of October. She hopes she can wake up from this nightmare before Christmas. As she nears the gatepost, she cranes her neck, trying to see the crash site over the broken wall, but when she reaches the end of the drive, she finds herself turned around walking back towards the house.

"What?" Matilda mutters, turning back around and trying to jog onto the road, only for the same thing to happen. "NO!" She cries, trying, again and again, tears streaming down her face, as she runs faster and faster, in her attempt to return to Marcus, and escape this hellhole.

On the first floor, Pat watches with unease from the window as their newest resident of Button House attempts to leave the grounds, over and over again.

"I should go help her," Pat states, feeling a sense of obligation, since he had been the first, and only one, to introduce himself.

"Leave her be, Pat. She asked for some time alone." The Captain reminds him, eyes glued to the laptop where Alison had put on a Netflix documentary, 'World War II in colour'.

Lady Button and Thomas have sat themselves either side of the Captain, feigning disinterest in the programme, but still paying attention. Kitty had somehow convinced Julian to turn the pages of her current book between games of golf on Alison's phone. Alison and Mike were in their bedroom, no doubt discussing current events. Mary and Robin were off in the garden, doing whatever they do when they disappear together. And who knows where Humphrey had gotten to, his head or his body. It didn't seem like anyone else was going to help their distressed housemate.

"It's my fault, we should have postponed food club, or cancelled it altogether. She needed time to adjust," Pat sighs, his heart heavy as Matilda drops to the ground, hugging her knees as she appears to be crying. "That's it, I'm going," Pat announces.

"If you're going will you just go, Pat, some of us are trying to watch this television programme," Thomas sighs, without taking his eyes off the screen.

"The lack of empathy is astounding," Pat reprimands them before storming off.

"Matilda?" Pat stands a few feet from the young woman. She's leaning against the gatepost, facing the road and quite audibly crying. "Oh, dear," he sighs sadly when Matilda looks up, her cheeks tear-stained.

"I'm fine," Matilda reaches up to wipe her eyes to find them already dry. She frowns, running her hands down her face to find no trace of her tears.