Curse of the Blackwell Manor (TITNID)

Chapter 8

I didn't waste a second to shut the door right away and sprint out of there as soon as I learned that my parents' real estate agent was the very same woman who killed one of the masters of this house along with his lover.

Afraid to stay in the cursed mansion, I ran through the back door to my neighbor, Miss Rowena's home, knocking frantically on her door and hoping to God she'd open it right away. 15 seconds later, she opens the door and I let myself in before slamming her door closed.

I backed up away from the door in fear that Lilith might have heard me come here and then Miss Rowena asked in confusion after seeing how terrified I was, "Lia, my dear, what in the world is going on?"

I struggled to calm my heart beating so fast as I could barely speak, "My parent's realtor...she's actually Lilith...the one who killed Aldous and his lover...who I apparently am a reincarnation of...she knows I know who she is...she's gonna kill me now! She's gonna try to finish what she started all those years ago!"

She rushed to my side and hugged me tightly, her embrace and hushing voice helping me to calm down a bit as I prayed that hiding here would buy me some time. After a minute, she pulled away from our hug and took my hands in hers.

She looked at me sternly and exclaimed, "Be brave, my dear. You yourself said it's up to you to break the curse on the Blackwell Manor. It seems the only way to do so is to end the last of the Visigoth line who brought this curse upon you and your loved ones. You may not believe you're not up to the task, but I do. I cannot leave my home due to the curse, but I will do all that I can to end the evil brought upon you and anyone else that dared enter that manor."

Her words and unwavering tone were enough to give me confidence that I could try to end this tonight. I needed to do this to protect my family and anyone who might stay here after us. Aldous also believed in me, and I didn't want to let him down.

I was about to thank Miss Rowena for her words before we heard the door crash open and we were petrified to see Lilith standing in the doorway with an axe in her hands and drenched wet from the pouring rain outside.

"TIME TO DIE, YOU LIFELESS BITCH!!!", Lilith's voice rang out with murderous intent and her eyes full of bloodlust.

I was about to run and take Miss Rowena with me, but then she released my grip on her arm when she loudly ordered, "Get out of here! Take Lilith to the manor and kill her there! I'll buy you time to get her where you want her! RUN, LIA, RUN AWAY!!!"

I wanted so much not to leave her behind, but her harsh tone motivated me to sprint out of there once again and I looked back to see her cast a spell that brought the ceiling to fall onto Lilith. Yet once I exited the house, the entire structure fell apart and I felt tears sting my eyes to know my only friend sacrificed herself to save me and help me break the wretched curse.

I ran back into the mansion and scurried to the kitchen to find the biggest knife I could find. I figured if Aldous and Ophelia had their hearts stabbed, doing the same to Lilith might break the curse on this place.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Lilith break into the house with her age and I threw a ceramic bowl at her face which I managed to succeed doing as she held her stinging face in pain and I took the opportunity to run out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

I hid myself inside the Blackwell's study after locking the door and barricaded it with the large desk in front of it. I backed away from it and held onto my knife tightly, hiding beside the door to be ready to stab Lilith right away if she managed to get inside.

I held my breath steady to keep myself from shaking when I heard a familiar voice speak to me, "Ophelia! Ophelia!"

I turned to direct my attention to the voice in front of me only to find all three of the Blackwell brothers standing before me. I knew they were spirits as they looked transparent, but this was the first time I was seeing them clearly and not just in a dream or hallucination.