A Tale Of Shadows (Wattys 2023) - REPLACED BY DIVINE ASCENSION

Chapter 7 - The Lover's Grave

And just like that, Melinda was back to black again. Life had changed so suddenly so many times these past few months, but she was used to changes, thus she held her head high like nothing happened. She had mourned her husband convincingly at his funeral, not only because she was a stellar actress, but also because they were such good friends in life. But friendship never mattered anywhere as much as the matters of the heart.

She could never forget Jeffrey, no matter how much she wanted to. He had been the love of her life, bringing her countless pleasures that dullened any pain, inspiring her to be the best version of herself, creating a string of wonderful memories with her, promising her an idyllic retirement complete with marriage and at least two children, but it all looked like a lie because he did not exist anymore. He was a memory himself now, such a beautiful memory that she could mourn him forever, but she was unwilling to destroy herself, causing her to attempt to erase him from her life, which was a crime against not only him but also herself.

It was futile to run from him, which she knew very well. Waking up on a random morning, she wanted to remember him properly if she could not forget him, so she found her black dress and veil, and not for the purpose the other inhabitants of the palace would assume. Slowly, she strolled over to the courtyard, her steps weighing with melancholy as she avoided her reflection in the many mirrors that hung on the walls, not wanting to be reminded of herself. 

Her sturdy boots prevented her from falling into the deep snow as she plucked a couple of red roses that were buried beneath it, her fingers moving with their characteristic gentleness and grace. Amanda observed it with a smile, and Melinda, wondering how she had failed to notice her before, waved amicably at her.

"Good morning, my Queen," the other woman chirped. "How lovely you look on this sullen day. You are beautiful as always while plucking those flowers so daftly. It leaves me in awe."

"Thank you, Amanda," Melinda said kindly before remembering what had happened, falling into the snow from the sheer terror that she felt. "Amanda, you are dead! I must be going insane!"

"You are going insane," the ghost said coldly, "though not for the reasons that you imagine. I will never let you forget the severity of your betrayal and my death. Audacity such as yours never goes unpunished. Enjoy the haunted house that now belongs to you and only you. Your stay will not be long."

"Amanda-" Melinda gasped before the other woman left in the way of the wind, leaving just as many traces too.

"Who are you talking to?" Cecilia said, appearing out of nowhere. "There's no one here."

"Not another ghost!" Melinda shouted, shielding herself from another undead presence.

"I will leave you and your delusions be," Cecilia said, shifting uncomfortably as she left.

"I shall now attend to Jeffrey's grave," Melinda grumbled while picking up her bouquet, marching away from the castle, and leaving Cecilia to wonder at her behaviour.

During the walk, she felt much better, forgetting all of ghosts and fright. It was only her and the deep snow which fell steadily from the sky, blessing the land with beautiful and graceful snowflakes, and it was marvellous. Her destination devastated her, but its vicinity calmed her, the vicinity of a love lingering in the air, soothing her with its warm embrace. She smiled and blushed at the memory of him like a little girl, shattering the wretchedness of his death. The mere fact that he was ever born in the first place infinitely pleased her.

She opened the intimidating iron gates of the graveyard lightly, elegantly trailing along the snow as she searched for her lover's buried grave, taking some time to observe her surroundings. She was not disturbed either by the cold or the withered black trees or the bouquets of dead flowers or the neverending gloominess and snow. She found it lovely how gently the snowflakes fell on her skin, tickling her with their softness, their presence that of a friend. Soon, she was right in the middle of the graveyard, where Jeffrey's grave lay, which she knew upon removing the thin layer of snow that covered the tombstone.

She fell to the ground, her heart overwhelmed with emotions. Memories of him flooded her mind all at once, even the smallest of kind gestures, which he was known for, and she wept at their beauty. He was the best of people, if not the most significant or complicated, and the fact that such a bright young soul had to die so suddenly was a testament to how cruel the world was. But it was a shame to have so much sorrow. She had to be grateful for his existence, she told herself.

"Hey," she uttered, melting the snow on his grave with tears that fell mercilessly from her eyes. "I missed you, Jeffrey. My heart has a hole in it without you. I have loved you always, and I cannot stop loving you."

As she threw away the withered flowers and left the roses beside his tombstone, the smell of roasted chestnuts and hot chocolate flooded her nostrils. The smell of him... How had it found its way there? Was it even there? What was this?

"Hey, Melinda," Jeffrey said sternly. "Do you know of ghosts?"

Melinda shuddered as she tilted her head to the side. "Ghosts... I've seen one this very morning... They haunt me so..."

"As they should," Jeffrey spat. "No living person deserves to be haunted more than you. I hate you so much. Our love used to be so profound, and you ruined it. It is not merely the obvious. I've hated you ever since you married Douglas literally three days after my funeral, and I also hate him very much because of how treacherous he is, and I've cursed the two of you to be miserable, but-"

"No one casts curses better than me," she said darkly, cutting him off.

"I've been wary of your malicious presence ever since you stepped foot here," he continued. "It reeks from kilometres away. Your heart - not your soul, since you sold it for immortality - still beats with the song of our love, but throw it away. Cast it out. I know you are able to."

"You will never be free from my love," she said, both as a blessing and a damnation.

"Why do you speak such ill words?" he said, genuinely stunned.

"Your love has always tethered me to you," she said, her voice low. "And so my love shall tether you to me. Your death destroyed my sanity. I have always tried my hardest to be a good person, but it is impossible in these times, especially when you are dead. I could not go on without you. I saw no point in doing so."

"How dare you blame my death for turning you evil?" he said venomously. "Do you not see how callous and insensitive your words are?"

"I love you," she said shakily, having no more strength to argue.

"Marry in haste, repent at leisure," he scoffed.

"I refuse," said Melinda, stomping off in stubborn defiance, trying to forget his face, which was engraved into her mind, threatening to haunt her forevermore.

In the nearby forest, Melinda became so overwhelmed by sorrow that she fell to the ground, bursting into uncontrollable tears. As she was about to get up after several minutes of crying, someone took her hand, and she noticed that the person was a tall and robust man. When she got back on her feet, she looked at him and remembered every facet of his handsome visage. It was Robert Ashmond, who was staring at her intensely.

"Don't cry, Madam Bellerose," he said, wiping her tears away with his handkerchief. "I know it's hard to mourn, but life is for the living. I'm sorry I left you all those years ago, and I want you to know that I'll always be there for you. The power of my love will chase your sorrow away."

She felt offended by his words, and, as if they weren't enough, she saw the subtle lecherous glances he cast in her direction, revealing him for what he truly was. She slapped him with much force, leaving him stunned by her behaviour as she swiftly walked away, haunted by Jeffrey's ghost that crept behind her. She was one with the dead - she may very well have been dead after all of this - and she had no idea when it was going to end, if at all.