Raven's Heir | ONC 2021 honourable mention

12 - Lorraine

"Lorraine? Is that the name of the woman in the cottage and on Matt's picture?" It seemed the only plausible explanation.

Theo's eyes gleamed in the last rays the sun sent over the lake, and for a moment, I waited for them to develop a glow of their own. Then he blinked, and a few teardrops clung to his lashes. "Possible, even probable. I've been drawn to that cottage since I arrived."

"And—where did you come from? I mean, where were you before you came to Corbières?"

"Sorry, San, I still have not the slightest idea. My memory gets better by the hour, but it's far from perfect yet."

"I wish I could help you. But I don't have the slightest idea how."

He nodded. "I'm aware. But talking with you helps me find my bearings, to anchor myself in this reality. You have a very special gift, Sandrine. I doubt many living people interact with the departed without prejudice."

My hand found Grandma Elise's pendant, and a warm wave of confidence surged through my veins. "My grandmother was a renowned wise woman. She died too early to teach me much, but I recall her adamant rule to avoid premature conclusions."

"Sounds like she earned the title of a wise woman. Did she by chance leave you specific tips for disoriented ghosts?"

"Not that I remember." I swung my legs over the parapet and admired the orange shades of the western sky, my racing thoughts calming. "But I never planned to become a ghost hunter, so I might have missed the fitting lesson."

He laughed, the endearing sound dissolving the tense knots in my neck. We sat in silence while the sky morphed from orange to grey and indigo, and the full moon climbed over the eastern hills. Theo turned his face to watch it rise, and for the first time, his skin seemed almost translucent, similar to Guillaume's. "Thanks for being you, San. I guess I'll go for a walk, try to figure out a few more things. See you tomorrow."

As soon as he left, the air seemed warmer and stifling again, but I shivered. It was too early to turn in, and my mind was troubled by what I'd learned today, so I visited the library.

For the first time, I had the cosy room to myself and enjoyed the opportunity to browse the shelves and thumb through large-format photo books, biographies, and ancient tomes on natural sciences. My librarian's heart swelled at the precious treasures former castle owners and eager collectors had assembled over the centuries. I was glad Lou appreciated this ancient collection enough to keep it together and accessible. The only thing I missed was a systematic catalogue. Perhaps I could convince him to pay me for making one. I made a mental note to ask him once my job here was done.

A soft knock at the door announced a visitor, and I looked up from a heavy book on local history and plant lore. "Come in, door's open."

Matt peeked through the half-open door. "San, du you have a minute? We need to talk. I found out something important." His frown and narrowed eyes underlined the urgency, so I ushered him in, placing the heavy tome on the coffee table.

"Come in and have a seat." Mister Mortimer slipped through the door before Matt closed it, rubbed his head against my leg, and jumped onto a windowsill to curl up. "How did you find me?"

"That was easy. You love this room, and besides, I mounted a camera in the central stairwell this morning for a few trials." He slumped down on the sofa, placing his pad atop the old book between us. "After the discussion about the picture not showing living people, I tapped on Lou's video surveillance, too. And that got me a few interesting results."

His fingers swept over the screen with professional ease, calling up a surveillance video and, next to it, a window with the blue background of his ghost-sensor recordings. "Do both show the same scene?"