Scattering Lilac Ashes

Chapter Seven

Lila peered over Asher's broad shoulders and saw that Marlene was indeed standing in the doorway, a saccharine smile that didn't reach her eyes plastered on her face.

"Mr Wagner. Lila," she said pleasantly, cocking her head to the side and brandishing a tray of carrots, crackers, cheeses and dip. "I came to see if you were hungry for some healthy snacks."

Asher was frozen as Marlene continued to thrust the tray into his empty hands.

"Dinner will be ready in about an hour," Marlene continued in a sickly-sweet tone. "May I interest you in moving along to the rumpus room?"

"U-U-Uh yup, sounds grand," Asher stuttered, the various tiny dishes in the tray audibly clinking against each other.

"Fantastic," Marlene smiled again, still without a hint of joy in her eyes. She stepped out of the doorway, bowing. Asher seemed to have difficulty walking forward at any particularly efficient speed but moved past Marlene all the same.

"Thank you, Marlene," Lila said, trying to match Marlene's tone. "You didn't have to."

Marlene beamed at Lila, warmth brewing in her eyes as she beheld Lila's gaze. Asher and Lila wordlessly began to walk down the hallway back to the landing before Marlene called out again.

"Oh, and Mr Wagner."

Asher rigidly turned to face Marlene. "Yes?"

"Please give me the keys."

Lila immediately took the tray away from Asher's trembling hands and was unprepared for how heavy it was. As she struggled to ensure it didn't fall onto the carpet, Asher took out the ring of keys he had obtained from the safe and tossed it at Marlene, who caught it effortlessly.

"Thank you, Mr Wagner. I will call you when dinner is ready via the intercom."

Lila looped a free finger through Asher's belt loop, a technique she frequently used on Daniel, and pulled him along the hallway without daring to look back at Marlene. They finally burst into the rumpus room and Lila gratefully placed the tray where the previous snack tray had been sitting when she first entered, rubbing her now aching forearms.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" Asher's voice was barely audible from behind Lila. Lila turned to see Asher's face was practically devoid of all colour and he was shaking from head to toe, his eyes the widest she'd seen yet. She gently tugged on his arm, attempting to coax him to the couch. He allowed her to lead him there, his breathing getting quicker by the second, to the point of almost hyperventilating.

"She's not meant to start until a few hours from now," he gripped his hair as he spoke. "Was she on the CCTV? How did she get there? How did she know I had the keys? She's not a fucking ghost, is she? Am I going insane?"

Lila bit her lip, struggling to think of a response. Truthfully, she was also freaked out but knew that if she gave in to what her primal instincts were screaming now, they would both spiral into helplessness. She took a deep breath and began to count to ten, closing her eyes.

She had only gotten to 'three' before Asher began to clutch his stomach and dry retch, anxiety clearly getting the better of him. Lila moved to comfortingly pat his shoulder, Holly be damned.

"I didn't see anything, Asher," Lila whispered, her voice quivering with fear. "You're not going crazy."

"I'm not, right?" Asher asked again, his voice uncharacteristically shrill. "I can't be."

"I have no idea what's going on," Lila said as she tried to sound calm, but wasn't sure if it was working. "But we can't lose our nerve."

Asher quickly looked up at Lila, his eyes meeting hers. It looked as though he was searching for something in them, but he then closed his eyes and nodded.