Curse of the Blackwell Manor (TITNID)

Chapter 4

Vampiric monsters? Undead beings? This was all too much to absorb after I left my neighbor's house. It can't be possible, could it? I've read things like this in books and stories, but I never actually believed they could happen in real life. On paper, it was entertaining to read, but to have all of it happening around me is much more terrifying, especially when I seem to be the only one in my family to see all these things. As I walked through the mansion figuring out what to do, I ended up stumbling into the kitchen where I bumped into our maids, Shy and Larisa.

"Ophelia, are you alright?" "Is there something we can do to help?" Their questions were ignored as soon as I spotted two distinct bite marks on their necks that looked like their skin was pierced with something sharp. Realizing my neighbor's theories were correct, I ran out of the kitchen and into a large room I hadn't been in yet. After catching my breath from my heart beating so fast in fear, I finally looked around to see I was in some private study. All I could see were books stacked on the walls as well as what seemed to be locked compartments most likely filled with important documents kept over the years.

When I turned around to see what might be on the side of the room behind me, my stomach dropped to see a very large, painted portrait of what I could only assume to be the original owners of this mansion. They were three men who were dressed royally and from looked like the 1800s. I didn't recognize the other two men in the portrait very well, but I was positive that the youngest looking one was the one I had been seeing in my dreams and in the strange visions I've been having.

He was always blurred or unclear to see whenever I saw him in my dreams, but now that I was able to see all of them clearly, they were very handsome men for their status and mannerisms. Still, knowing about the horrific things the Blackwell brothers did in their youth brought fear back into my heart as I continued to stare at them in the portrait. Something about their eyes made it hard to look away, as if they were looking back at me, especially the youngest one who I found myself drawn to for some reason. I was so lost in their nonexistent gaze that I didn't even hear when my parents walked in and my mother laid a hand on my shoulder, startling me as I jumped back in fear.

"Lia, what's gotten into you? You didn't hear us coming in?", my mother asked with worry and concern in her eyes. I managed to relax my heart before replying to her, "I'm sorry, Mom. I was distracted, that's all. A lot's been on my mind." They both nodded and noticed the portrait of the Blackwell family behind me. My father commented, "Ah, so these men must be the original owners of this house. They look like they were very well-off. Wish we could have inherited some of that money." We stayed a little longer in the room until my parents finally left.

I was about to follow them when I heard a man's voice call out my name, "Ophelia!" I turned behind me to wonder where the voice came from, but there was nobody else here but me and i heard nothing else after that. I stole one more glance at the portrait of the Blackwell brothers before I finally stepped out of the room. After dinner, my parents were about to go to bed and they said goodnight to me before heading to their room. I lied saying I'd go to bed too, but the truth was I was waiting for my parents to finally go to sleep so I could back to the study and look through the files in the room. I sneaked my way in there and brought a flashlight so I'd be able to read the documents and hopefully, understand this place and the Blackwells better.

I spent a few hours past midnight to learn about the history of the house which seems to date back to 1833. It seems the Blackwells were very wealthy and even owned pieces of land around here. The eldest of the brothers was named Alan Blackwell who was basically the matriarch of the family as he made all the decision and kept the family in power for years. I wondered about the other two and if they ever had any say in the family since I rarely see their names which I've yet to learn. There was not much left to find since these files were mostly logs and taxes from that time. I needed to learn more about this mansion and it's originally owners to better understand everything that was happening.

Before I left the study to head to my room and sleep, I heard the voice from earlier today call out to me again, "Ophelia! Ophelia! Can you hear me?" I still could not see anyone here to be speaking to me, but this time I decided to answer back, "Hello? I can hear you... Who are you and how do you know my name?" I waited a few seconds before the voice spoke out to me again, "I never thought I'd hear your beautiful voice again, my love! Now that I've found you again, you must help avenge us! Avenge my brothers! Avenge our love!" This was becoming too much as I tried blocking out the voice, "What do you mean, "avenge"? Why do you call me "my love"?" "Please, Ophelia! You're the only one who can avenge us all and set our souls free!"

It was becoming too much to endure until Shy found me in the study and asked, "Miss Darcy, are you alright? It's 3:00 in the morning, you should be in bed. Let me help you return to your room." For once, I was grateful that one of my possibly "undead" maids was here to save me from my head exploding after hearing what I just heard from a freaking ghost.