Greenbriar Manor

She Came From The Walls

Early that morning Brittany woke up clutching her bear. Someone had left her a glass of tea and a turkey sandwich from the kitchen. She was tired of hiding. Mostly from her father. He had stood outside the house on the phone and his voice had carried up into the room she was staying in. He had mentioned mother and how that she was coming for a visit as soon as the paperwork was signed. They would be in Vermont soon enough. She thought Mabel had lied. Always telling her Mack's stories of fancy horse races and pretty rooms of treasures. This place had been none of those things, Mari was still mad at her and refused to stay for longer than a few minutes at a time never showing her face in the light.  since that day at tea there had been a wall between them. She wondered who Bridgette had been. What had made her cousin so angry? Was she ever in this creepy house all alone? Her father was not even aware she had wandered off with the kids a day ago .He had spent most of the last two day on the phone with his agent making sure the deal would hold. 

 She read a lot of the books in the old bedroom and took a lot of naps, waiting for the day when everything would change. Surely, Uncle Daniel would be able to tell her who that strange woman was she saw sometimes outside her window. She was carrying something hollow and whistling a creepy song. She thought of the sirens from her book. Strong and cunning huntresses. Capable of changing the course of ships destined to find gold. She hoped it was just the cook and not some specter. Her dad used to like to tell ghost stories. This was a house where some could live, she thought. Maybe that is why See See never wanted to come home again. All the shadows and strange sounds in the corridors of an old Manor house is enough to scare any little girl too death.

 Ironic, since she did not even know the half of it. 

Brooklyn had stood at the base of the treehouse since Daniel had waved last night and remembered things he would rather like to forget. Bridgette joined him after Brittany went to bed, clutching the cursed bear of Salem like some protection charm. Ever since it had come out of the attic wall, it was like someone was lurking that even they could not see. Who was left? Mari had forgotten everything after Fern started screaming. She no longer asked for her doll. She did not even ask for time with the horse. She played jacks and sat in the library looking through books on animals and activities any girl would enjoy. But she had lost her fire. Brittany had stopped his sister's heart a second time. Mari was without a home. All this time she had been waiting and Brittany showed up not Bridgette. She had become angry again. Slowly, the long buried broken doll rattled like a maraca of deep, broken promises in the ground. The Manor never forgets. It never sleeps either. When Brittany left, he would take Bridgette to the treehouse and make Mari well again. The energy could not become darker. The house would begin to cast lots like it did in Vermont long ago. 

The most disturbing feeling overtook Bridgette as she stood facing the library window. She was being watched ruefully.  Was there another Greene wandering here that meant to harm Daniel's turnkey plans? Surely Vera did not want her house back. 

Martha woke up to a loud ticking sound outside her bedroom. Brooklyn and Mari had left for the day and Ruth's mother was still in bed. The tea was not helping her anymore. Someday soon she would have to leave. She folded the fancy dinner napkins and tablecloth. It's hunter green fabric looked pretty against her pale skin. The ticking got louder as she boxed up the clean linens to take to the house. Tonight, they would serve many guests. More than she had known since she was a child. Greene's take care of Grey's. They were all invited Fran insisted. It had been ages since she had seen Daniel. He had always protected her family. She thought of her long-lost husband injured and taken away. He would help. They had been friends once long ago. She wondered if he would ever return. The hospital would not tell Fran anything. Only Daniel and Jake could know for sure about his welfare. She hoped when it was time he would be close he would walk through the door and back to the horse barn. It was the right thing they needed a father. Mari had never even remembered what it was like having one around. Brooklyn had watched this place like a caretaker for years as the inhabitants and seasons changed. He was man of the house and keeper of all the keys. So was Fran but that may soon change. She felt a shift in the air. Someone else was home.