MISTER WHY?

Chapter 9

 Early in the morning Hannah woke up and slipped out of the bed trying not to disturb Alistair. She walked down the stairs and saw that he had left the downstairs light on. She put the coffee machine on. it took her a moment or two to figure it out as normally she used instant but she thought it would be a nice treat for herself and she could make Alistair one as well. The TV turned itself on startling her and making her spin on the spot expecting to see Alistair there, but there was no one. It was an early morning news slot and a couple with thick eastern European accents were sitting on the sofa crying about their missing daughter. She turned it off quickly as it reminded her that no one had ever looked for her. Turning her back to the TV and fiddling with the coffee machine again and the TV turned itself on again. She turned around and stared at it for a moment seeing if it would turn itself off but it remained on and the couple talking about their daughter began to show photos of her. Alistair ran down the stairs and picked up a vase and threw it at the TV smashing it. Hannah stood still and stunned shaking a little from the shock of seeing him like that, she knew something was off with him but she hadn't figured he was violent. "Don't put that shit back on." He warned her and then walked back upstairs. I want mine black with scrambled egg on toast." He called down after her. Hannah knew better than to argue at that point and just quietly did as she was told.

She walked upstairs with his food and coffee on a tray. "Did I do something wrong?" Hannah asked timidly.

"I just don't like the news." He told her still sulking. A thousand things went through Hannah's mind that she should say and wanted to say but didn't say. She was frightened of stirring up that side of Alistair again and turned to leave, but before she could Alistair stopped her, "Get a shower and get ready for going to the big house."

"What do you want me to do?" Hannah asked confused about the sudden mood change.

"Just hang out with me and the boys." He told her, "Perhaps deal us a game of cards and pour some drinks."

"I see." Hannah smiled glad to be getting out of this little cottage and to be seeing someone else other than Alistair. "Well, I'll get a shower then and do my make-up." He grunted a reply and she returned to her room to get dressed and more importantly get out of his way.

She got undressed and stepped into the shower and the warm water dripping over her skin relaxed her. A thousand excuses for Alistair's behaviour ran through her head but she finally decided to just ignore it, after all, she had dealt with worse. She got out of the shower and wrapped the warm towel that had been on the heated towel rail and wrapped herself in the warm, fluffy towel comforting herself with the warm cosy feeling. It was then that she noticed the mirror in her ensuite was the same as the one in the photograph of the strange woman. She reached out and scrolled W and then the reflection changed to be that of the girl in the photograph only repeated in the mirror as Hannah in a trance, wrote H and then a Y. she came too from her dazed moment and noticed the many reflections in the mirror almost like an infinity mirror trick. Hannah stepped back and felt the cold body behind her and the icy breath upon her neck, as it rattled in their throat. "Run." the ghost whispered. Hannah couldn't move for fear and it was then the ghosts turned around and she could see their battered and bruised disfigured faces before they all screamed shattering the mirror and making Hannah slip on the wet glass-covered floor screaming.

Alistair must have heard and ran in to check on her, "What happened?" he asked,

"I just slipped...I just slipped that's all." Hannah lied as she caught her breath while looking around at an undisturbed bathroom with the mirror still intact.

He helped her up and smiled as he looked down at her exposed breasts, "I don't think you should put your clothes back on. He joked as he pulled her in closer, pinching her bum and stealing a reluctant kiss. Hannah clearly wasn't in the mood and he left unhappy he wasn't getting rewarded for his swift rescue. He stood by the door waiting has Hannah finished up and his phone rang, "Yes, I'm coming." He said sounding a little fed up, "You know what women are like." he replied to the muffled voice, "She thinks she's playing me but women are dumb like that." he waited for the answer and then got annoyed, "She's not going to be a problem she's going to deal cards and keep her mouth shut." the person on the phone hung up and Alistair returned it to his jeans pocket, just as Hannah walked down the stairs.

"Am I making you wait?"

"You look pretty, so I guess it was worth the wait," Alistair replied with his well-practised line, before linking up with Hannah to take her on the landrover to the house. The ride was bumpy and cold and not at all like the fancy car on the smooth motorway coming here. "This way is quicker than the road," Alistair told her besides it's more fun.

"I would have put my jeans and trainers on if you'd have told me we were off-roading." Hannah joked. Alistair half smiled as they pulled up to his mansion. It was like something you would see in a period drama only with a lot less staff and period costumes floating about. "It looks like they film those TV shows with all the fancy victorian clothes." She told him, hoping he would like that she was impressed.